Katy Perry's latest album, '143,' is looking like the late-career comeback that wasn't. Nora and Nathan talk about why this album has failed so badly (1:00), the rote production and lyrics on songs like 'GIMME GIMME' and 'ARTIFICIAL' (20:27), and where Perry goes from here (28:05).Hosts: Nora Princiotti and Nathan HubbardProducer: Kaya McMullen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Katy Perry, a pop powerhouse with five No. 1 singles from her iconic album, joins the discussion alongside legendary Michael Jackson's legacy. They delve into the highs of 'Teenage Dream', exploring chart-toppers like 'Firework' and 'California Gurls'. The conversation contrasts the playful and serious themes in Perry's music, reflecting on her growth from a Christian artist to a pop icon. Personal stories about her hits and the emotional ties listeners have to them add depth, all while comparing her journey to other music legends.

Nora and Nathan talk about Taylor Swift endorsing Kamala Harris this week and speculate as to why she chose this timing to do it (1:00). Then they discuss the 2024 VMA's, including the event basically revolving around Swift (27:56) and the performances from Katy Perry, Chappell Roan, and Sabrina Carpenter (37:30).Hosts: Nora Princiotti and Nathan HubbardProducer: Kaya McMullen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As a capstone to Pop Girl Summer, Sabrina Carpenter's new album, 'Short n' Sweet,' is here. Nora and Nathan talk about the wit and playfulness that runs throughout this album (1:00); how Carpenter is trying out a variety of sounds on this album, from R&B to yacht rock (26:21); and some of their favorite lyrics off an album with an array to choose from (41:53).Hosts: Nora Princiotti and Nathan HubbardProducer: Kaya McMullen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nora and Nathan talk about the news and surprises that came out of Taylor Swift's final slate of European shows in London (1:00). Then they turn to Post Malone's first foray into country music: F-1 Trillion. They discuss how the rapper came to the genre (15:29), how seemingly every big name in country has a feature on this album (36:32), and their favorite and least favorite tracks on the record (55:26).Hosts: Nora Princiotti and Nathan HubbardProducer: Kaya McMullen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nora and Nathan cover a range of pop music news from the last few weeks, including Charli XCX's star-studded birthday party (1:00), who made it onto Barack Obama's annual summer playlist (17:16), why Katy Perry got in trouble with Spain because of the music video for her second single "Lifetimes" (23:45), and the Eras Tour shows that got canceled in Vienna (35:11).Hosts: Nora Princiotti and Nathan HubbardProducer: Kaya McMullen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After having the two songs of the summer in "Espresso" and "Please Please Please," Sabrina Carpenter is gearing up to release 'Short n' Sweet.' So first, Nora and Nathan go back to her album 'Emails I Can't Send.' They talk about her transition from a "lowercase pop girl" to an "uppercase pop girl" (1:00), her drama with Olivia Rodrigo and Joshua Bassett that led to songs like "Skin" and "Because I Liked a Boy" (29:54), and what they anticipate from her with this next album (41:53).Hosts: Nora Princiotti and Nathan HubbardProducer: Kaya McMullen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a spring and summer that has been dominated by female artists, Nora and Nathan talk about some of the male artists that have managed to break through on the charts: Post Malone, Zach Bryan, and Eminem. They discuss Post Malone's forthcoming country album and what it tells us about the evolution of Nashville's music scene (1:00), Zach Bryan's 'The Great American Bar Scene' and his rebellion against the music industry (27:16), and Eminem's 'The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)' and whether the rapper has the capacity to shock anymore (53:48).Hosts: Nora Princiotti and Nathan HubbardProducer: Kaya McMullen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nora and Nathan open up the mailbag to answer a few questions about our year in pop music so far. They make some predictions about who will win the Big Four Grammy Awards (Best New Artist, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year) (1:00), discuss Kamala Harris's campaign's adoption of "brat summer" (26:47), and debate whether Taylor Swift will rerelease 'Taylor Swift' and 'Reputation' before the end of the Eras Tour (59:22).Hosts: Nora Princiotti and Nathan HubbardProducer: Kaya McMullen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nora and Nathan talk about the new Katy Perry single 'Woman's World' within the context of her career (1:00) and why this new song feels so oblivious to the current moment (19:24). Then they discuss Camilla Cabello's new album 'C, XOXO,' which has not one but two Drake features (36:43) and ultimately falls flat (46:57).Hosts: Nora Princiotti and Nathan HubbardProducer: Kaya McMullen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices