Pop Pantheon

For the second installment in our four-part series on Kylie Minogue, Paper’s Joan Summers joins Pop Pantheon to discuss Kylie’s commercial crash out in the '90s and glorious rebirth in the early 2000s. Joan and Louie dig into Kylie's commercial nadir with 1997’s Impossible Princess, then unpack one of pop’s greatest rebounds, her 2000 maximalist camp fantasia Light Years. From there, they discuss her robotic pop masterpiece “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head,” Kylie’s second brush with U.S. success, her commercial peak with 2001’s Fever, and 2003’s sensual and scaled back Body Language.Join us next week for Part 3, in which we’ll discuss later era Kylie, from 2007's X through to her recent resurgence with “Padam Padam.”Listen to our Kylie Minogue Essentials PlaylistJoin Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreGorgeous Gorgeous LA on August 1 Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC on August 8Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow Pop Pantheon on InstagramFollow DJ Louie XIV on InstagramFollow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter

Nashville Public Radio's senior music writer Jewly Hight joins Russ to help break down country music's continued boom. Russ and Jewly chat about the aftermath of Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter, try to make sense of Morgan Wallen's behemoth success with I'm the Problem and discuss new songs from Tanner Adell, Megan Moroney & more!To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. You can also subscribe for the audio only directly in the Apple Podcasts app.Note for iOS users: Subscribe using your desktop or mobile browser, not the iOS Patreon app, for cheaper rates on Pop Pantheon: All Access.

For the first in our four-part series on Kylie Minogue, Michael Cragg returns to Pop Pantheon to help unpack the origins of a zenith superstar of global pop, Kylie Minogue. Michael and Louie explore Kylie’s breakout moment, first with the Australian soap Neighbours, then “The Loco-Motion.” From there, they unpack her early work with eighties hitmakers Stock Aitken Waterman and her first brush at success in America. Then they tackle her coming of age on 1990’s Rhythm of Love, her final outing under the SAW banner, 1991’s Let’s Get To It, and her first post-SAW reinvention with 1994’s Kylie Minogue.Join us next week for Part 2, in which we’ll discuss 1997's Impossible Princess, 2000's Light Years, 2001's Fever and 2003's Body Language.Listen to our Kylie Minogue Essentials PlaylistBUY TICKETS TO MAIN POP GIRLS: POP GIRL SUMMER ON 7/25 AT THE MEADOWS!Gorgeous Gorgeous LA on August 1 Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC on August 8Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow Pop Pantheon on InstagramFollow DJ Louie XIV on InstagramFollow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ go track-by-track on Lady Gaga's fifth studio album, 2016's Joanne. A departure from the slamming dance beats and extravagance of her earlier eras, the record posited a more "stripped back" version of the camp queen, featuring a campaign laden with country signifiers including her signature pink cowboy hat, and a backstory about Gaga's aunt, the titular Joanne, who died before the pop star was born. But does it deliver on any of that? After underperforming commercially in its time, how have the songs held up? And in retrospect, what did Joanne portend for the next decade of Lady Gaga's career?To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. You can also subscribe for the audio only directly in the Apple Podcasts app.Note for iOS users: Subscribe using your desktop or mobile browser, not the iOS Patreon app, for cheaper rates on Pop Pantheon: All Access.

Carly Lewis, a Toronto-based writer for major outlets like The New York Times and Vanity Fair, joins the discussion to rank Canada’s top pop stars. They explore the unique factors that shape Canadian pop stardom, from artistry to government support. The conversation spans icons like Celine Dion and Drake, while also spotlighting lesser-known talents and their contributions. Delving into the evolution of femininity in music, they celebrate how artists like Peaches and Tegan and Sara challenge societal norms, showcasing Canada's rich and diverse pop landscape.

Friend of the pod Troy McEady returns to Pop Pantheon All Access for a super sized New Music Speed Round. Troy and Russ give their first impressions of Justin Bieber's surprise album Swag, Cardi B's lead single for her sophomore record, "Outside," Katseye's EP Beautiful Chaos, Lizzo's rap mixtape My Face Hurts from Smiling & more!To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. You can also subscribe for the audio only directly in the Apple Podcasts app.Note for iOS users: Subscribe using your desktop or mobile browser, not the iOS Patreon app, for cheaper rates on Pop Pantheon: All Access.

Nora Princiotti, a staff writer at The Ringer and author of "Hit Girls," dives into the early 2000s pop culture phenomena of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan. They discuss Lindsay's transformation from beloved child star to pop icon, her impressive tracks like "Ultimate You," and the decline of her music career. Paris's catchy "Stars Are Blind" and her life as a socialite are thoroughly examined, with both icons' attempts to reclaim their pop star status candidly explored. The conversation is a thrilling reflection on fame, music, and scandal.

Kesha released her sixth studio album on Friday – notably, her first as an independent artist. Friend of the pod Brittany Spanos of Rolling Stone joins Russ to break down Period's highs and lows, what it means for Kesha to make unapologetic party music again and where she sits in the pop firmament as she heads out on a roaring summer tour with The Scissor Sisters.To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. You can also subscribe for the audio only directly in the Apple Podcasts app.Note for iOS users: Subscribe using your desktop or mobile browser, not the iOS Patreon app, for cheaper rates on Pop Pantheon: All Access.

We put out another call for our audience's most unpopular pop opinions and boy did you deliver. Switched on Pop producer Reanna Cruz joins Russ to field unpopular pop opinions about Lady Gaga’s vocal abilities, Taylor Swift’s videography AND discography, Charli XCX’s refusal to let the brat moment die and, of course, Benson Boone. Plus Reanna and Russ reveal some of their OWN unpopular opinions in the process… BUY TICKETS TO MAIN POP GIRLS: POP GIRL SUMMER ON 7/25 AT THE MEADOWS!Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow Pop Pantheon on InstagramFollow Reanna Cruz on TwitterFollow Reanna Cruz on InstagramFollow DJ Louie XIV on InstagramFollow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Lorde's long-awaited fourth studio album, Virgin, dropped this past Friday and finds the New Zealand savant both looking backwards at past sounds and versions of herself while exploring new writing modalities. Louie and Russ dig into the new music, its candid, grimy explorations of gender, sexuality, the body, and being in your late 20s and how Lorde's new dedication to reveling in mess affects her status as a generational pop prophet. To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. You can also subscribe for the audio only directly in the Apple Podcasts app.Note for iOS users: Subscribe using your desktop or mobile browser, not the iOS Patreon app, for cheaper rates on Pop Pantheon: All Access.