When trouble strikes in music town, there’s one guy who gets the call. That’s me, Joe Treble, forensic musicologist. This week, I've got one of the most shocking cases I've ever worked. Someone killed the key change in pop music, and I’m going to do whatever it takes to find the perpetrator.The key change used to be at large on the Billboard charts. From the 1950s to the 1990s, 20-30% of all number one hits featured one. In Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody," the key change hits right before the final chorus. The song’s harmonic center shifts up, raising the pitch of the song, challenging the vocalist to hit higher and higher notes, juicing the big finish with excitement and pep. But starting in the 1990s the key change virtually disappeared from the Hot 100. Now, hit songs start and end in the same key, and no one seems to have even noticed. Except for me.This investigation will bring me face to face with a rogue's gallery of suspects and sources: Chris Dalla Riva, music and data specialist; Brandon McFarland, alias 1-O.A.K., producer; Emily King, singer and songwriter. Each interrogation brings me closer to revealing the murderer, but will I be able to handle the terrible truth? Tune in as I tackle the hardest case of my career: the case of the missing key change!Songs DiscussedEmily King - Georgia Sleepwalker, Medal, The Way that You Love MeYG, Kamaiyah, RJ, Mitch, Ty Dolla $ign - Do Yo Dance (feat. Kamaiyah, RJ, Mitch, Ty Dolla $ign)Beyoncé - Love On TopBon Jovi - Livin' On A PrayerWhitney Houston - I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)Frank Sinatra - Strangers In The Night Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We have an emergency podcast drop because the biggest and fastest moving story on the internet right now is about a song called “Heart On My Sleeve.” The track sounds like it was made by the producer Metro Boomin featuring Drake and The Weeknd. It might be one of the most consequential songs in music history because it was actually a fake, made with artificial intelligence. The blowback from this song has been enormous and a bit confusing. So host Charlie Harding went on The Vergecast podcast to break down how this song was likely made, and what it might mean for the music industry, the tech industry and all of our intellectual property.  Listen to the whole episode on The Vergecast Read Alex Cranz's story on Laser Bongs on The Verge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The South Korean idol group BTS is one of the biggest musical sensations in history. They're constantly breaking records and they have one of the most dedicated fan bases in the world known as Army. Their hit singles like “Boy With Love,” “Dynamite,” and “Butter” have been discussed on the show in the past for breaking through the US charts. But back in 2022, they decided to take a break from group activities and start releasing solo material because of their obligations to each fulfill mandatory military service in South Korea, precluding them from working together at the same time. Solo projects aren’t new for the group – BTS members have released mixtapes as far back as 2015 and countless solo singles – but this was the first time that BTS had ever announced a prolonged break. This moment, originally presented as a hiatus, has evolved into a whole new musical chapter for the group, with a seemingly endless array of new solo releases. Switched On Pop listens back to one track from each solo effort so far to introduce the casual listener to what is happening in this new era of BTS. Joining the show is Lenika Cruz, senior editor at The Atlantic, who literally wrote the book on BTS, simply called On BTS out on the Atlantic Editions imprint.Songs Discussed: j-hope, J. Cole - on the street Jimin - Like Crazy RM, Youjeen - Wild Flower Agust D - People Pt.2 Agust D - People Jung Kook - Dreamers JIN - The Astronaut BTS - Singularity, Inner Child Coldplay, BTS - My Universe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From the first seconds of her latest album Desire, I Want to Turn Into You, Caroline Polachek asserts that she is truly a once-in-a-generation artist. From her work in the indie band Chairlift to years of behind-the-scenes songwriting, she has worked hard over years to build a stellar music career – culminating in the pop opus Desire, already one of the best rated albums of 2023. On this episode of Switched on Pop, we look at Polachek’s career thus far, and talk to her about the intricacies of her latest.Songs Discussed Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want To Turn Into You Caroline Polachek - So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings Chairlift - Bruises Ramona Lisa - Dominic Beyoncé - No Angel Danny L Harle, Caroline Polachek - Ashes of Love Charli XCX, Caroline Polachek - Tears CEP - Lilian’s Pavilion Caroline Polachek - Pretty in Possible Suzanne Vega - Tom’s Diner DNA remix Caroline Polachek - Welcome to my Island Caroline Polachek - Bunny Is A Rider Caroline Polachek - Smoke Caroline Polachek - Crude Drawing of An Angel Caroline Polachek - Butterfly Net Caroline Polachek - Sunset  Caroline Polachek - Fly To You Caroline Polachek - Hopedrunk Ever Asking Caroline Polachek - Billions Caroline Polachek - Blood And Butter Caroline Polachek - Butterfly Net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Shakira is back on the Billboard Hot 100 – thanks to the help of Argentinian producer Bizarrap. Together, their song “Shakira: BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 53,” is layered with musical and lyrical references, from the callbacks to “She Wolf” to the multiple beat switches. It also works to play into something larger: something akin to a pop music conspiracy. On this episode of Switched On Pop, we take a closer look at Shakira’s latest, and how it’s indicative of a larger metatextual shift in pop music. Songs Discussed: Shakira, Bizarrap – Shakira: BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 53 Shakira – Vuelve Alanis Morrisette – Not The Doctor Shakira – Whenever, Wherever Shakira, Alejandro Sanz – La Tortura Shakira, Wyclef Jean – Hips Don’t Lie Shakira – She Wolf The Weeknd – Blinding Lights Giorgio Moroder – Palm Springs Drive LMFAO – Party Rock Anthem Pascal Letoublon – Friendships Beyoncé – Sorry Taylor Swift – All Too Well Olivia Rodrigo – Driver’s License Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you’ve ever learned classical piano, you probably tried to play one of Bach’s Inventions. The composer wrote fifteen pieces containing the most important fifteen keys in order to teach his son the fundamentals of piano and composition. Today, they remain some of the most popular pieces of piano music. Acclaimed jazz pianist Dan Tepfer recently revisited his childhood music books seeing them in a way he’d never realized as a student: the Inventions are much more than novice piano works.For Tepfer, each of the Inventions not only highlight masterful command over harmony and counterpoint, but also contain moving character arcs that resemble the hero’s journey. A character is introduced at home in place of safety in act I. And then they are thrust into chaos and must overcome unsurmountable challenges in Act II. Finally, in Act III, our hero overcomes their final battle and returns home transformed by the journey. Once Tepfer heard this character arc, he started to apply it to his own free improv.Through studying Bach, Tepfer conceived a new album: Inventions / Reinventions. In this project Tepfer fills in the missing keys from the Bach to complete all twenty four keys (there are twelve major and twelve minor keys) while updating the music with modern improvisation. In this conversation Tepfer walks co-host Charlie Harding through his process of playing Bach and applying it to jazz improv.Listen to Dan Tepfer’s Inventions / Reinventions on StorySound RecordsListen to Into It with Sam Sanders on Fair Use Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Everyone will describe the music of 100 gecs differently. To some, Dylan Brady and Laura Les make deeply satisfying earworms, tracks able to scratch the itches that occupy the deepest memory-holed corners of the brain. To others, though, their music is an "anarchic assault on the ears,” a quilt of all of the genres historically ridiculed in the popular canon: nu-metal, scuzz-rock, ska and 90’s pop punk are all fair game in the world of gecs.On their latest record, aptly titled 10000 gecs, Brady and Les double down on the crunchy distortion and harmonics, creating tracks equally influenced by Primus and Eddie Van Halen as they are by their hyperpop contemporaries. The album reflects a Internet-core approach to music as a whole, shedding notions of “good” and “bad” music in favor of catchy melodies and intricate song construction. On this episode on Switched On Pop, we dig deep into the ethos of 100 gecs, and producer Reanna Cruz talks to the duo themselves about their eclectic sophomore record.Songs discussed:  100 gecs – Hollywood Baby 100 gecs – Billy Knows Jamie 100 gecs – stupid horse 100 gecs – 745 sticky 100 gecs – Doritos & Fritos Primus – Jerry Was A Racecar Driver Ween – Bananas and Blow Limp Bizkit – My Generation Gorillaz – Dirty Harry Future – I Been Drinking J-Kwon – Tipsy Justin Timberlake – Summer Love Violent Femmes – Added Up 100 gecs – Dumbest Girl Alive THX Deep Note Cypress Hill – Insane in the Membrane 100 gecs – The Most Wanted Person in the United States 100 gecs – Frog on the Floor Alan Jackson – Chattahoochee Limp Bizkit – Dad Vibes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every week the Switched On Pop team gets together and everybody shares one song they’re loving right now. It is one of our favorite conversations each week because we hear music that is new and old, on and off the charts. We’re sharing that conversation with you as a new format we’re calling Switches Brew alongside friend of the show Brittany Luse, host of NPR's It's Been A MinuteListen to Brittany Luse on NPR’s It’s Been A Minute: Web, Apple, SpotifySongs Discussed Little Freddie King - Messin' Around tha House De La Soul - Tread Water Nick Hakim - Qadir Lana Del Rey - Born to Die (Marcus Intalex Remix) on Bandcamp Madison Cunningham - Hospital (One Man Down) (feat. Remi Wolf) Remi Wolf - Down the Line Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Kiss From a Rose” is one of the most unusual number one hits of all time. Seal’s song can’t decide if it’s in minor or major, it uses an old-fashioned waltz rhythm, and its lush orchestration and elaborate vocal harmonies support mysterious lyrics about a “greying tower alone on the sea.” Seal himself wasn’t sure about the song, and needed some convincing to include the composition on his 1994 album SEAL II. But once director Joel Schumacher decided to use the track for the end credits of the film Batman Forever, the song went global and has remained a cultural phenomenon ever since. Ahead of his upcoming 30th anniversary tour for the albums SEAL I and SEAL II, we speak with the singer and songwriter about the enduring appeal of “Kiss From A Rose.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Take Me Home, Country Roads” is a song about West Virginia, but its message of homecoming has resonance far beyond Appalachia. Songwriter and producer Ian Fitchuk found this out when he was requested to perform Denver’s music at a music festival in Tibet. Fitchuk discovered that Denver has a huge following in East and South East Asia, where Denver toured multiple times from the 70s through the 90s. Denver’s songs first came to the region through the US Armed Forces Network radio as well as a diplomatic performance for China’s leader Deng Xiaoping at the Kennedy Center in 1979. Denver performed alongside the Harlem Globetrotters and the Joffrey ballet, and he left such an impression, the show led to an invitation to be one of the first western musicians to tour China. To better understand Denver’s meaning in the region, Switched On Pop co-host Charlie Harding speaks with Ian Fitchuk about his performance and interviews journalist Jason Jeung who wrote about “Country Roads” in The Atlantic.Songs Discussed John Denver - Take Me Home, Country Roads Kacey Musgraves - Oh, What A World The East Is Red John Denver - Rocky Mountain High Creedence Clearwater Revival - Fortunate Son James Taylor - Carolina in My Mind Carpenters - (They Long To Be) Close To You John Denver - Thank God I'm a Country Boy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices