Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Pop Pantheon
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
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| Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter is a Genre Explosion (with Danielle Amir Jackson) (Originally Published on Patreon on 4/1/2024) | 29 Aug 2024 | 00:59:38 | |
Happy Labor Day Weekend! Louie is still off on vacation so as a treat, we're republishing our Patreon review of Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter from back in April. If you like this episode and want to hear more like it, you can subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access for weekly bonus episodes of the show and so much more. You can also subscribe for the audio only direction in the Apple Podcasts App. Enjoy! Episode Description: Beyoncé eighth studio album, Cowboy Carter, dropped last Friday. Once perceived as a foray into country music, this sprawling 80 (!!) minute epic turned out to be so much more than that and, as with any Bey project, begs for some serious unpacking. DJ Louie, Russ and Oxford American's Danielle Amir Jackson are here to do just that, breaking down the music, themes, references, history and breadth of the expansive second installment in Beyoncé's unfurling new trilogy. Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous: Los Angeles at Los Globos on 8/17 Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous: New York at Sultan Room on 9/13 Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram | |||
| Listener Mailbag: Brat, Rihanna, Divas Live, Louie's Weird Vocabulary & More! | 22 Aug 2024 | 00:57:25 | |
Louie and Russ gather to answer YOUR questions! We're talking all our fantasy Brat remixes and a VH1 Divas Live revival, playing out thought experiments about Beyoncé and Rihanna and Louie gets personal about his career and vocab tics. Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Weekly Bonus Episodes and More Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous: Los Angeles at Los Globos on 8/17 Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous: New York at Sultan Room on 9/13 Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram | |||
| Revisiting Chappell Roan's The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (with Olivia Horn) (Patreon Preview) | 22 Jul 2024 | 00:11:10 | |
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Olivia Horn reviewed Chappell Roan's debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, in Pitchfork when it dropped last September. Back then, she was a fringy pop upstart with some nice critical notices and a small cult audience. Now, she's one of the biggest new pop superstars of the year in the midst of a zeitgeisty swirl the likes of which we haven't seen for a new pop girlie in years. So how does the actual music hold up? Olivia joins DJ Louie to dig into the record as well as why Chappell's became 2024's "femininomenon". 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. | |||
| CHARLIE PUTH (with Steven J. Horowitz) | 29 Jun 2023 | 01:41:54 | |
Steven J. Horowitz returns to Pop Pantheon to discuss the career of contemporary pop’s sexiest studio rat, Charlie Puth. Louie and Steven tackle Charlie’s oddball career in pop music, from his rocket into mainstream consciousness singing the saccharine hook on “See You Again” to his personality-less debut album, 2016’s 9 Track Mind. They examine the critical reevaluation he received following his criminally underrated sophomore album, 2018’s Voice Notes, his latest self-titled album, Charlie Puth (2022), and, finally, rank him in the official Pop Pantheon. Listen to Pop Pantheon's Charlie Puth Essentials Playlist Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More Grab Tickets to See Louie DJ at Gorgeous Gorgeous in LA on 7/14 Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter | |||
| The Bebe Rexhafication of Kim Petras on Feed the Beast (with Vulture's Jason P. Frank) (Patreon Preview) | 27 Jun 2023 | 00:12:24 | |
In a preview of this week's Patreon episode, Vulture's Jason P Frank joins PP:AA to discuss Kim Petras' first major label studio album, Feed the Beast, which dropped Friday. Louie and Jason address the album's shortcomings as it attempts to find a broader audience for Kim, the few things that work on the record, how Kim's music has ended up in this disappointing place, and what they hope the failure of this record on a commercial and critical level might mean in terms of a reset for Kim's career. To hear the rest of this episode, plus the rest of our bonus content, access our Discord channel and more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. | |||
| The Holy Bond Between Queer Men & Pop Divas (with Dr. Craig Jennex) | 22 Jun 2023 | 00:57:25 | |
In the final installment of our pride series, Assistant Professor of English at Toronto Metropolitan University and author of the journal article "Diva Worship and the Sonic Search for Queer Utopia" Dr. Craig Jennex joins the show to unpack the relationship between queer men and pop divas. Louie and Craig discuss how this relationship developed over the last hundred years, from the time of opera singers to Judy Garland, Diana Ross, Madonna, Britney, Gaga, Beyoncé and all the way through the present day with fiercely beloved niche pop acts like Charli XCX, and why, on a sociological level, queer men find so much of their identities through these singular avatars of unbridled fierceness and femininity. Louie and Craig also cover how diva worship helps forge community for marginalized people, the role of camp in this connection and share some personal stories about their own journeys finding themselves with the aid of these famous women. Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More Grab Tickets to See Louie DJ at Gorgeous Gorgeous in LA on 7/14 Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter | |||
| LITTLE RICHARD (with Jason King) | 15 Jun 2023 | 01:40:14 | |
Incoming Dean of the Thornton School of Music at USC Jason King returns to Pop Pantheon to discuss the life and career of the architect of rock ‘n roll, Little Richard. Louie and Jason unpack Little Richard’s breakthrough “Tutti Frutti,” which is widely credited as the genesis of rock n’ roll music, and his string of hits through the 1950s; perhaps one of the first imperial phases in modern music history. They break down what it meant for Little Richard to drop an explosive glitter bomb of queerness into American culture, his musical output after his initial burst of fame, how his iconoclastic celebrity helped birth the rock star and the complicated ways in which he moved in and out of the closet through the years. Finally, they rank Little Richard in the official Pop Pantheon.
Check out Pop Pantheon's Little Richard Essentials on Spotify Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More Grab Tickets to See Louie DJ at the debut of Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC 6/16 at the Sultan Room in Bushwick Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter | |||
| Does Mariah Carey's Glitter Deserve #Justice? (with Matt Jacobs) (Patreon Preview) | 12 Jun 2023 | 00:14:30 | |
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, entertainment writer Matt Jacobs, who penned a piece for Vulture called "The Never-ending Story of Glitter, 20 Years On", joins DJ Louie to chronicle the twisting tale of Mariah Carey's infamous 2001 flop film and soundtrack album. Louie and Matt detail Glitter's '80s pastiche conceit, what works on the record, what doesn't, all of the Glitter's adjacent cultural accoutrement (the TRL appearance!, "I don't know her"!, 9/11!), the recent #justiceforglitter movement and what it speaks to more broadly about our desire right past cultural wrongs, especially those perpetrated against famous women. If you enjoy this clip and want to hear the rest of the episode, plus at least three more bonus installments of the show and many more perks, join Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. | |||
| What Makes a Great Pride Anthem? (with Canada's Drag Race Winner Priyanka) | 08 Jun 2023 | 00:51:20 | |
Winner of Season One of Canada's Drag Race Priyanka joins Pop Pantheon to chop it up about what makes the ideal pride anthem. First, Louie and Priyanka discuss Pri's new music, whether there's a difference between a drag pop song and mainstream pop song, and some of barriers between drag queens and the pop charts. Then, they break down the ingredients for the perfect pride anthem and each share a list of their five favs. Stay tuned this June for more Pride episodes. Listen to Louie and Pri's Pride Anthems Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More Grab Tickets to See Louie DJ at Gorgeous Gorgeous LA 6/9 at Resident Grab Tickets to See Louie DJ at the debut of Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC 6/16 at the Sultan Room in Bushwick Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter | |||
| KIM PETRAS (with Vulture's Jason P. Frank) | 01 Jun 2023 | 01:41:56 | |
In preparation for her major label debut, Feed The Beast, dropping later this month, Vulture’s Jason P. Frank joins Pop Pantheon to discuss a star who is perhaps the first out trans woman to be in the running as a mainstream pop aspirant, Kim Petras. Jason and Louie’s conversation, which kicks off Pop Pantheon’s Pride series, covers Kim’s career, her early attempts to break into the music business, her controversial partnership with the producer Dr. Luke, her cavalcade of sugar bomb singles known as "era1," 2018 and 2019 Halloween mixtape series Turn off the Light and debut album, 2019’s Clarity. Finally, they discuss her major label era, the breakout success of “Unholy”, their hopes for Feed the Beast, and place Kim Petras in the official Pop Pantheon. Stay tuned this June for more Pride episodes. Listen to Pop Pantheon's Kim Petras Essentials Playlist on Spotify
Grab Tickets to See Louie DJ at Gorgeous Gorgeous LA 6/9 at Resident Grab Tickets to See Louie DJ at the debut of Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC 6/16 at the Sultan Room in Bushwick Follow Jason P. Frank on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter | |||
| ARETHA FRANKLIN (with Mark Bego) | 25 May 2023 | 01:36:43 | |
Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul author Mark Bego joins Pop Pantheon to unpack the life and career of the greatest singer in American history, Aretha Franklin. Louie and Mark follow Aretha’s story from her upbringing as a reverend's daughter to her early gospel recordings and how her cover of Otis Redding’s ‘Respect’ rocketed her to superstardom. From there, they tackle Aretha’s fabled run through the late ‘60s, during which she soundtracked American life through the civil rights movement, women's liberation and the Vietnam War. Then they parse her unlikely 1980s comeback, her latter career, and discuss how she came to be seen as one of the most essential and legendary American pop stars ever. Finally, they place Aretha Franklin in the official Pop Pantheon. Listen to Pop Pantheon's Aretha Franklin Essentials Playlist on Spotify
Grab Tickets to See Louie DJ at Gorgeous Gorgeous LA 6/9 at Resident Grab Tickets to See Louie DJ at the debut of Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC 6/16 at the Sultan Room in Bushwick Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter | |||
| The Best Pop Music of 2023 (So Far) (with The Wall Street Journal's Myles Tanzer) | 18 May 2023 | 01:30:14 | |
Editor at The Wall Street Journal Myles Tanzer joins DJ Louie to break down 2023 in pop music so far. The two debate the broader state of pop this year, both aesthetically and commercially, and discuss which stars have experienced significant up-levels before each sharing their lists of their three favorite albums and five favorite songs of 2023 (so far). Listen to a Spotify Playlist of Louie & Myles' 2023 Favs Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More Grab Tickets to See Louie DJ at Gorgeous Gorgeous LA 6/9 at Resident Grab Tickets to See Louie DJ at the debut of Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC 6/16 at the Sultan Room in Bushwick Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram Follow Pop Pantheon on Twitter | |||
| MICHAEL JACKSON PT. 2: THE KING OF POP RISES (with Joseph Vogel) | 18 Jul 2024 | 01:51:00 | |
Joe Vogel, author of Man in the Music: The Creative Life of Michael Jackson, joins Pop Pantheon for the second in our four-part series on the King of Pop. DJ Louie and Joe dig into MJ’s early solo work, from his 1972 debut Got to Be There to his first solo number one, “Ben,” his changing voice as grew older and his final Motown album, 1975’s Forever Michael – released when Michael was just 16. From there, they discuss Michael’s starring role as Scarecrow in the 1975 cult classic The Wiz and his creative partnership with Quincy Jones, which produced the glorious, effervescent 1979 masterpiece Off the Wall, the album that single-handedly turned Michael Jackson into a true solo superstar and set his course to the top of the Pop Pantheon.
Listen to Michael Jackson Pt. 1: The Jackson 5 (with Emily Lordi) Buy Joseph Vogel's Book Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store Buy Tickets to our Dance Party Pop Pantheon Present: Main Pop Girls of '24 in NYC on August 2! Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous Lincoln Center on 7/20 FOR FREE! Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous: Los Angeles at Los Globos in Silver Lake on 7/26 Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram | |||
| How Has Lady Gaga's Chromatica Held Up? (with Matthew Perpetua & Molly Mary O'Brien) (Patreon Preview) | 15 May 2023 | 00:12:36 | |
In a preview of this week's episode of Pop Pantheon: All Access, Fluxblog's Matthew Perpetua & host of the And Introducing podcast Molly Mary O'Brien join DJ Louie to look back on three years of Chromatica: How they absorbed it when it dropped in the context of May 2020, how it sounds to them now, what's happening aesthetically and thematically on the songs, where it stacks up against in Gaga's catalog and what it says about her status in the pop firmament of the 2020s. To hear the rest of the episode, plus gain access to all our bonus content and more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. | |||
| SHAKIRA (with Rolling Stone's Julyssa Lopez) | 11 May 2023 | 01:51:07 | |
Senior Music Editor at Rolling Stone Julyssa Lopez joins Pop Pantheon to discuss chameleonic hit-maker and international pop force, Shakira. Louie and Julyssa unpack Shakira’s early success throughout Latin America with 1995's Pies Descalzos and 1998's Dónde Están los Ladrones?, her international break-through, Laundry Service (2001), her market-conquering Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 and Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2005), the Pharrell-driven She Wolf (2009), through to her current status as a hitmaker, 30 years into her career, and trailblazer for a new generation of latin pop crossover superstars. Finally, they place Shakira in the official Pop Pantheon. Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More Listen to the Shakira Essentials playlist on Spotify Grab Tickets to See Louie DJ at Gorgeous Gorgeous LA 6/9 at Resident Grab Tickets to See Louie DJ at the debut of Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC 6/16 at the Sultan Room in Bushwick Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram Follow Pop Pantheon on Twitter | |||
| Jessie Ware's That! Feels Good! & the State of the Disco Revival (Patreon Preview) | 08 May 2023 | 00:10:11 | |
In a preview of this week's episode of Pop Pantheon: All Access, Louie and Russ gather to discuss British pop star Jessie Ware's fifth studio album, the disco-homaging That! Feels Good!, which dropped a couple weeks ago and where it fits into the broader disco revival which began in 2020 with Dua Lipa's Future Nostalgia.
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| (Almost) One Year Of Renaissance: Where Does It Rank In Beyoncé's Catalog? (with Hunter Harris, Ira Madison III & Puja Patel) | 04 May 2023 | 01:17:37 | |
Beyoncé's massive Renaissance World Tour kicks off next week in Stockholm, Sweden so DJ Louie got a veritable Beyhive of all stars— writer of the substack Hung Up Hunter Harris, Keep It! Host Ira Madison III and Pitchfork Editor-in-Chief Puja Patel— in formation to reflect on (almost) one year of the stadium trek's namesake Renaissance, Queen B's seventh album which dropped last July. First, the panel discusses each of their personal journeys with the record, from elation to frustration and everything in between, and its incredibly perplexing rollout complete with no visuals, no live performances and essentially zero acknowledgement of this music from Beyoncé herself. They then share their hopes for the tour before tackling their personal rankings of Beyoncé's seven studio albums. Having lived with it for nearly a year, how does Renaissance stack up against her previous work? Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More Grab Tickets to See Louie DJ at his Queer Pop Party, Gorgeous Gorgeous, 5/6 in Los Angeles Subscribe to Hunter Harris' Substack Hung Up Follow Hunter Harris on Twitter Check out Ira Madison III's Podcast Keep It! Follow Ira Madison III on Twitter Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter | |||
| How Tik Tok Has Changed Pop Stardom (with The New Yorker's John Seabrook) | 27 Apr 2023 | 00:57:21 | |
The New Yorker's John Seabrook joins Pop Pantheon to discuss his recent exhaustive piece, "So You Want To Be a Tik Tok Star". John and Louie discuss how the social media vlogging app rose to dominance in the music space, why it's so well-suited to the pop music ecosystem, how artists both existing and new are utilizing it and rebelling against it, how the music industry is weaponizing it and how it's changing the very nature of both pop stardom and music as we know it... for better or worse. Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More! Grab Tickets to See Louie DJ at his Queer Pop Party, Gorgeous Gorgeous, 5/6 in Los Angeles Follow John Seabrook on Twitter Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter | |||
| Ariana Grande's Positions (with Steven J. Horowitz) (Patreon Preview) | 24 Apr 2023 | 00:11:19 | |
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Pop Pantheon's first guest ever (!!) Steven J. Horowitz is back to revisit the first artist ever featured on the show, Ariana Grande. Since Louie and Steven last spoke in early 2021, Ariana has done... not much. But since they didn't really get to dig into it back then, the two go long on her latest album, 2020's sex-fest Positions, a dreamy, minor work that somehow both produced two smash singles and felt weirdly slight for an artist of Ari's stature. What works on this album? What doesn't? How has it aged? And what does it portend for Ari's future music and position in the Pop Pantheon? Louie and Steven mull over all those questions and more. To hear the rest of this episode and all of our bonus content plus get access to our Discord channel and so many more perks, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. | |||
| FIFTH HARMONY (with Service 95's Brennan Carley) | 20 Apr 2023 | 01:41:07 | |
In the third episode of our girl group trilogy, US Editor and Culture Director of Service 95 Brennan Carley joins the show to discuss the (very) brief rise and fall of the last major American girl group of note, Fifth Harmony. Louie and Brennan discuss 5H's assembly by Simon Cowell on the reality singing competition show X-Factor, how they discovered their signature brand of 2010s female empowerment and borderline goofy ethos on their very good debut, 2015's Reflection, the trop-house vibes of their sophomore album, 2016's 7/27, home to their signature hit, the ridiculous, sleek smash "Work From Home", and member Camila Cabello's sudden departure as well as the gang's final self-titled album in 2017. Louie and Brennan then touch in on the member's respective solo careers before ranking Fifth Harmony in the official Pop Pantheon. Check out Pop Pantheon's Fifth Harmony Essentials Playlist on Spotify Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More!! Grab Tickets to See Louie DJ at his Queer Pop Party, Gorgeous Gorgeous, 5/6 in Los Angeles! Follow Brennan Carley on Twitter Follow Brennan Carley on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram Follow Pop Pantheon on Twitter | |||
| TLC (with The New Yorker's Doreen St. Félix) | 13 Apr 2023 | 01:57:28 | |
The New Yorker’s Doreen St. Félix returns to Pop Pantheon for the second episode in our new girl group trilogy, digging into the crazy, sexy and cool career of one of the best-selling girl groups of all time, TLC. Doreen and DJ Louie discuss the album that made TLC instant stars, 1992’s raucous Oooh, on the TLC Tip!, their pivot to slinky R&B on their classic blockbuster sophomore album CrazySexyCool (1994), their comeback with 1999’s futuristic FanMail and 2002’s 3D, released after Lisa Left-Eye Lopes’ untimely death. Along the way, they explore TLC’s forward-thinking pop feminism and politics, the drama that plagued and in some ways defined them and their impact on both girl groups and pop history. Finally, Louie and Doreen rank TLC in the official Pop Pantheon. Come back April 20 for the final episode in Pop Pantheon’s girl groups trilogy. Listen to TLC Essentials playlist on Spotify Follow Doreen St. Félix on Twitter Follow Doreen St. Félix on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram Follow Pop Pantheon on Twitter | |||
| THE RONETTES, THE SHIRELLES, THE MARVELETTES & THE SHANGRI-LAS (with Dr. Jacqueline Warwick) | 06 Apr 2023 | 01:34:07 | |
Author of the book Girl Groups, Girl Culture: Popular Music and Identity in the 1960s, Dr. Jacqueline Warwick, joins Pop Pantheon to kick off the first of a trilogy of episodes on girl groups, starting with four acts who burned fast and bright during the 1950s and 1960s: The Ronettes, The Shirelles, The Marvelettes and The Shangri-Las. Jacqueline and Louie dive into the hits, careers and legacies of these foundational outfits who not only helped invent the idea of the girl group as we know it today, but also helped set the template for modern pop music. Finally, they place each of the four groups into the Official Pop Pantheon. Stay tuned this April for more episodes on girl groups throughout the ages. Buy Girl Groups, Girl Culture: Popular Music and Identity in the 1960s Listen to the Mid-Century Girl Groups Essentials playlist on Spotify Follow Jacqueline Warwick on Twitter Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram Follow Pop Pantheon on Twitter
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| Katy Perry's Not So Grand Return + Kesha, Lana Del Rey & More (Patreon Preview) | 15 Jul 2024 | 00:11:31 | |
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Katy Perry's much anticipated new single, the Dr. Luke-produced "Woman's World", finally dropped on Friday along with it's music video and the response has been.... not so great. Louie and Russ talk all things Katy before pivoting to new songs from Kesha, Lana and Tinashe and a Taylor Swift-related game that may drive Louie even more insane than "Woman's World". 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. | |||
| Lana Del Rey's Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd (with Shaad D'Souza) | 30 Mar 2023 | 01:03:19 | |
As a follow-up to last week's Lana Del Rey deep dive, music critic Shaad D'Souza returns to the show to break down her ninth studio album, Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, which dropped last Friday. Shaad, who reviewed the record for The Guardian, and Louie discuss Did You Know...'s major themes and aesthetics, the evolution of Lana's lyrical approach, how the record fits into the grander scheme of her artistic and commercial arc and more. Read Shaad's Review of Did You Know... in The Guardian Listen to Pop Pantheon's Lana Del Rey Essentials Playlist on Spotify Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More!! Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram Follow Pop Pantheon on Twitter Follow Shaad D'Souza on Instagram
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| LANA DEL REY (with Kathy Iandoli) | 23 Mar 2023 | 01:56:17 | |
In preparation for her ninth studio album, Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, dropping tonight, Kathy Iandoli joins Pop Pantheon to explore the enigmatic and paradigm-shifting career of pop iconoclast Lana Del Rey. Kathy, who taught a course on Lana at NYU, joins DJ Louie to discuss Lana’s myth and all of her records, from her breakthrough, 2012’s Born To Die, to her psychedelic rock homage, Ultraviolence (2014), her magnum opus, Norman Fucking Rockwell! (2019), and her most recent efforts, Chemtrails over the Country Club (2021) and Blue Banisters (2021). Finally, Louie and Kathy talk about her sprawling legacy and place Lana Del Rey in the Official Pop Pantheon. Watch for our review episode of Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd next week. Buy Kathy's book, God Save the Queens The Essential History of Women in Hip-Hop Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More!! Get Tickets to See Louie DJ at Gorgeous Gorgeous in DTLA on 3/25 Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram Follow Pop Pantheon on Twitter Follow Kathy Iandoli on Twitter Follow Kathy Iandoli on Instagram | |||
| KACEY MUSGRAVES (with Who? Weekly's Bobby Finger) | 16 Mar 2023 | 01:46:03 | |
Author and Who? Weekly co-host Bobby Finger joins Pop Pantheon to unpack the career of sly country agitator turned alt pop girlie Kacey Musgraves. Bobby and DJ Louie discuss the blend of traditionalism and iconoclasm on both Kacey’s 2013 debut, Same Trailer Different Park and her sophomore effort, Pageant Material (2015). They dig into Kacey’s 2018 critical smash, Golden Hour, which profoundly expanded the scope of her work and won the Grammy for Album of the Year, and revisit her latest effort, 2021’s Star-Crossed, as they parse out just how Kacey has treaded the line between expert genre practitioner and a gay pop queen. Finally, Louie and Bobby rank Kacey Musgraves in the official Pop Pantheon. Buy Bobby Finger's debut novel The Old Place Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More!! Check out Pop Pantheon's Kacey Musgraves Essentials Playlist on Spotify Get Tickets to See Louie DJ at Gorgeous Gorgeous in DTLA on 3/25 Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram Follow Pop Pantheon on Twitter | |||
| Miley Cyrus' Endless Summer Vacation (with Shaad D'Souza) (Patreon Preview) | 14 Mar 2023 | 00:09:06 | |
Miley Cyrus just dropped her 8th studio album, Endless Summer Vacation, last Friday, so critic Shaad D'Souza- our guest for our Miley episode and who reviewed the new record for Pitchfork- is here to help break this music down: what works, what doesn't, the major themes and aesthetics, the incredible success of lead single "Flowers", what we should and shouldn't expect from Miley at this point and whether any of it impacts her ranking in the Pop Pantheon. If you enjoyed this snippet and want to hear the rest of the episode, plus more bonus content, access to our Discord channel and more, you can subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. | |||
| Do We Still Need Poptimism? (with Vulture's Jason P. Frank) | 09 Mar 2023 | 00:54:20 | |
Vulture's Jason P. Frank joins DJ Louie to discuss the idea of "Poptimism", or the movement in musical critical discourse during the mid 2000s and 2010s that allowed for pop music to be taken seriously as art. Jason and Louie discuss the circumstances that created Poptimism, how it disseminated through discourse over the last twenty years, the major albums, songs and artists that calcified the term, and how it's perhaps become irrelevant in the modern pop landscape. Read Kelefeh Sanneh's "The Rap Against Rockism" from The New York Times Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More!! Get Tickets to See Louie DJ at Gorgeous Gorgeous in DTLA on 3/25 Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram | |||
| JA RULE, NELLY, LUDACRIS & 50 CENT (with Jordan Sargent) | 02 Mar 2023 | 01:54:25 | |
Writer and A&R person Jordan Sargent returns to Pop Pantheon to explore a definitive moment in establishing hip hop’s centrism in mainstream pop music – the early 2000s. Jordan and DJ Louie explore the careers and legacies of a quartet of performers, Ja Rule, Nelly, Ludacris and 50 Cent, who hit their cultural peak during a moment when pop first fully allowed rappers to be mainstream pop stars. They discuss the sound of crossover rap in the 2000s and the biggest hits of the era from ‘In Da Club’ to ‘Hot in Herre,’ ‘Always on Time,’ and ‘One Minute Man’ and then rank all four hip hop stars in the Pop Pantheon. Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More!! Check out Pop Pantheon's 2000s Crossover Rappers Essentials Playlist on Spotify Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram | |||
| The State of Streaming: How It's Impacted Pop Stars, Music & Us (with Trapital's Dan Runcie) | 23 Feb 2023 | 01:04:10 | |
Trapital Host Dan Runcie joins DJ Louie to discuss the state of the streaming ecosystem. Dan and Louie dig into how streaming has impacted the nature of pop stardom by helping to foster a dissolving monoculture and the rise of the niche superstar, financial incentives, stanning, pop music itself and us, the consumers, and how we relate to the value of music. Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More!! Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram | |||
| FRANK SINATRA (with You Must Remember This' Karina Longworth) | 16 Feb 2023 | 01:44:11 | |
Critic, author and host of the podcast You Must Remember This Karina Longworth joins Pop Pantheon to help tell the story of patient zero for the concept of a “Pop Music Icon,” the legendary crooner and American Icon Frank Sinatra. Karina and DJ Louie trace Frank's career from its origins in clubs in Hoboken to the onset of what was perhaps the first true pop star fandemonium craze of the modern era, Sinatramania. Next, they discuss Frank's cornucopia of definitive American Standards, his success in the movie business, his role in turning Las Vegas into a world-class entertainment city and the formation of The Rat Pack. Finally, they consider his legacy in American popular music, his impact on celebrity culture and his influence on artists as far ranging as Elvis, Michael Jackson and Billie Eilish. Listen to You Must Remember This Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More!! Check out Pop Pantheon's Frank Sinatra Essentials Playlist on Spotify Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram Follow Pop Pantheon on Twitter Follow Karina Longworth on Twitter Follow Karina Longworth on Instagram | |||
| MICHAEL JACKSON PT. 1: THE JACKSON 5 (with Emily Lordi) | 11 Jul 2024 | 01:59:23 | |
For the first of our four-part series on the King of Pop, writer, professor and critic Emily Lordi joins Pop Pantheon to help us begin to untangle one of the most knotty legacies in pop history: the story of Michael Jackson. Emily and DJ Louie discuss Michael’s extremely strict upbringing, sadistic abuse at the hands of his father Joe, and the creation of The Jackson 5, from playing the Chitlin' Circuit to landing a Motown deal and kicking off one of the greatest single runs in history, beginning with 1969’s “I Want You Back.” Next they dig into The Jackson 5’s prolific Motown output, the marketing of Michael as a child sensation and how Jacksonmania made the Jacksons into a symbol of post-civil rights promise in America. Finally, they work through the band’s rebrand as The Jacksons, their post-Motown work, late '70s comeback and how the group’s monumental success set Michael up for solo superstardom.
Listen to Pop Pantheon's Michael Jackson Essentials Playlist Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store Buy Tickets to our Dance Party Pop Pantheon Present: Main Pop Girls of '24 in NYC on August 2! Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous Lincoln Center on 7/20 FOR FREE! Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous: Los Angeles at Los Globos in Silver Lake on 7/26 Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter | |||
| Rihanna Super Bowl Setlist Draft Extravaganza!! (with Lindsey Weber, Jason Lipshutz & Julianne Escobedo Shepherd) | 07 Feb 2023 | 01:16:23 | |
For this week's B-Side, DJ Louie is joined by a literal Navy of Pop Pantheon All-Stars- Who? Weekly's Lindsey Weber, Billboard's Jason Lipshutz and Julianne Escobedo Shepherd- to preview Rihanna's epic return to music at Super Bowl LVII, this Sunday in Phoenix, Arizona! They talk all the big questions: Why now? What does it portend for new Rihanna music? What made her change her hard "no" to the NFL over their treatment of Colin Kaepernick? Then, the main event: Louie, Lindsey, Jason and Julianne try to figure which of Rihanna's ~40 hit songs she'll pull out for this 12-14 minute set, how she'll structure it to showcase the diversity and generational strength of her discography and pontificate on guests she could plausibly bring out to join her on stage. Finally, the crew discusses whether Rihanna's Pop Pantheon tier ranking has shifted from cuspy 2-1, where she was ranked in our series with Julianne back in December 2021, and if this performance- and the promise of new music- has the potential to finally elevate Rihanna, once and for all, to Tier 1 of the Pantheon. Listen to Louie and Julianne's two-part Pop Pantheon series on Rihanna Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More!! Come See Louie DJ @ Gorgeous Gorgeous in DTLA, 2/10 Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram Follow Pop Pantheon on Twitter Follow Jason Lipshutz on Twitter Follow Lindsey Weber on Twitter Follow Julianne Escobedo Shepherd on Twitter
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| THE WEEKND (with Anupa Mistry) | 02 Feb 2023 | 01:55:36 | |
Writer and producer Anupa Mistry joins Pop Pantheon to dissect the career of the most enigmatic pop superstar of his generation, The Weeknd. Anupa and DJ Louie discuss The Weeknd’s genre-obliterating early mixtapes, which helped to redefine the contours of R&B in the 2010s, and his studio debut, 2013’s Kiss Land. They also walk through his string of massive successes, from his breakthrough sophomore album, 2015’s Beauty Behind the Madness, 2016 follow-up Starboy, 2020’s revelatory After Hours, his 2021 Super Bowl performance, and most recent effort, last year’s Dawn FM. Read Anupa's 2015 profile of The Weeknd in Pitchfork Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More!! Come See Louie DJ @ Gorgeous Gorgeous in DTLA, 2/10 Check out Pop Pantheon's The Weeknd Essentials Playlist on Spotify Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram | |||
| What Pantheon Rankings Have I Gotten Wrong?: Kesha, ABBA, Miley, Your Calls & More! | 26 Jan 2023 | 01:13:10 | |
For this week's B-Side, we're reassessing all the Pop Pantheon rankings of the last year, including debates on Kesha, Miley, ABBA, Belinda Carlisle, Spice Girls and More. We're also taking listener Pantheon disputes via your phone calls. Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More!! Listen to our Original Pantheon Ranking Reassessment from April 2021 Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter | |||
| MADONNA: PART 4 (with Pot Psychology's Rich Juzwiak) [Originally Published on 4/21/2021] | 23 Jan 2023 | 00:57:05 | |
As a special bonus to wrap up our new Madonna series, we're re-publishing an episode, the fourth ever of Pop Pantheon (!!), from April 21, 2021 wherein DJ Louie and Jezebel's Rich Juzwiak attempt to parse about Madonna's commercial and artistic decline beginning with 2008's Pharrell and Timbaland-produced Hard Candy, 2012's limp return to dance music, MDNA, 2016's sprawling, trend-hopping Rebel Heart and 2019's generally baffling Madame X. Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More!! Listen to Madonna PT III Check out Pop Pantheon's Madonna Essentials Playlist on Spotify Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram | |||
| MADONNA: PART 3 (with Annie Zaleski) | 19 Jan 2023 | 01:58:04 | |
Author and journalist Annie Zaleski returns to Pop Pantheon for part three of our Madonna series, covering the period in which Madonna fully solidified her status as one of the most important cultural figures of the modern era. DJ Louie and Annie discuss Madonna’s critically-adored, career-reimagining smash Ray of Light (1998), which saw her celebrate the epiphany of motherhood, her return to capital-f "Fun" on 2000's Music, and 2003's stilted American Life. Finally, they tackle her euphoric return to the club and last moment of true pop transcendence, 2005’s euphoric Confessions on a Dance Floor. Watch for the capstone on Pop Pantheon’s Madonna series – the re-release of one of our very first episodes, with Jezebel’s Rich Juzwiak, covering Madonna’s most recent work Buy Annie's new book, Lady Gaga: Applause
Listen to Madonna PT II Check out Pop Pantheon's Madonna Essentials Playlist on Spotify Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram Follow Pop Pantheon on Twitter | |||
| MADONNA: PART 2 (with The Clive Davis Institute's Jason King) | 12 Jan 2023 | 01:59:56 | |
For part two of our Madonna series, Clive Davis Institute chair Jason King returns to Pop Pantheon to discuss the imperial period of the Queen of Pop's career with DJ Louie. They discuss the capstone on Madonna's decade-defining run of records in the 1980s, 1989's Like a Prayer, her explosion into the 1990s with “Vogue,” 1992’s lightning rod Erotica and a singular record in Madonna’s discography, 1994's Bedtime Stories. Plus highlights from her cultural peak, like the genre-creating tour documentary Truth or Dare (1991), 1992's boundary-pushing coffee table book SEX and a complicated discussion about Madonna borrowing from other cultures. Join us next week for Part 3 which will cover Ray of Light, Music, American Life and Confessions on a Dance Floor. Listen to Jason King's podcast Sound Barrier: Sylvester on Spotify Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More!! Come See Louie DJ at Gorgeous Gorgeous, 1/13 at Resident in DTLA Check out Pop Pantheon's Madonna Essentials Playlist on Spotify Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram | |||
| MADONNA: PART 1 (with Inside The Groove's Edward Russell) | 05 Jan 2023 | 01:51:48 | |
For the first of our new three-part series on the Queen of Pop, Madonna, host of the podcast Inside the Groove Edward Russell joins DJ Louie to discuss Madge’s early years as an upstart pop-provocateur-turned-auteur. Louie and Edward begin with her early life and how her mother’s death from breast cancer, her strained relationship with her father and the family’s devout catholicism informed her path and future work before moving to the mythology of how she ended up in New York City, first to pursue a career in dance and later as a singer. They then discuss each of her first three albums, her self-titled 1983 debut, 1984’s explosive Like a Virgin and 1986’s seminal blockbuster True Blue and how each expanded the scope and depth of Madonna’s artistry while simultaneously mapping the blueprint for pop stardom. Along the way, Louie and Edward touch on iconic moments like 1984 VMA’s performance, the medium-defining “Material Girl” music video and so much more.
Check out Edward's Podcast on Madonna's music, Inside the Groove Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More!! Listen to Madonna PT III Check out Pop Pantheon's Madonna Essentials Playlist on Spotify Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram | |||
| Taylor Swift's Reputation (with Rolling Stone's Brittany Spanos) (Patreon's Version) | 29 Dec 2022 | 01:06:35 | |
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! As a little Xmas treat, we're posting this episode which was originally published on our Patreon, Pop Pantheon: All Access, a deep-dive with Rolling Stone's Brittany Spanos into Taylor Swift's misunderstood 2017 album Reputation. Largely derided upon its release in 2017, Reputation is an album that's worthy of a re-appraisal, especially given its connections to Taylor's current blockbuster success with Midnights. As a special bonus for our Patrons, Louie's tackling work by an artist not yet ranked in the Pantheon – he even teases his thoughts on Taylor's legacy as a pop icon. Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More!! Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store! Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter | |||
| Megan Thee Stallion Reps for the South— and Herself— on Megan (with Taylor Crumpton) (Patreon Preview) | 08 Jul 2024 | 00:10:48 | |
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Megan Thee Stallion's third studio album, Megan, her first as an independent artist and since her infamous beef with Nicki Minaj, dropped last week. Taylor Crumpton is here to help Louie and Russ break down the record's inherent regionality, Megan's new and old poses and themes and what this record might portend for the future of her 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. | |||
| KATY PERRY: PART 2 (with Variety's Daniel D'Addario) | 22 Dec 2022 | 01:17:21 | |
Chief Television Critic at Variety Daniel D’Addario is back with DJ Louie for part two of our series on Purposeful Popstress Katy Perry! Louie and Dan kick off this installment by talking about the long tail of Teenage Dream and how Katy's highly-publicized divorce from comedian Russell Brand informed both the deluxe edition's hit singles as well as the setting into which she delivered her much-anticipated fourth album, 2013's Prism. They then parse about Prism's disjointed mix of Dream-styled pure pop confections aimed at uplift and more earnest ruminations on the dissolution of her relationship, as well its mixed commercial reception with certain singles like "Roar" and "Dark Horse" topping the charts while a slew of other songs failed to connect, how her celebrated Super Bowl halftime show represented her last moment of monocultural dominance, the career nadir of her 2017 flop Witness which tried and failed at both deepening Katy's on-record persona and updating her sound for a new era without the help of long-time partner Dr. Luke, and how her career as centrist pop figure never recovered, yet her legacy as an emblem of the most unfettered iteration of Pop Stardom lives on. Finally, Louie and Dan rank Katy Perry in the official Pop Pantheon.
Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store! Check out Pop Pantheon's Katy Perry Essentials Playlist on Spotify Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram | |||
| KATY PERRY: PART 1 (with Variety's Daniel D'Addario) | 15 Dec 2022 | 01:38:20 | |
Chief Television Critic at Variety Daniel D’Addario joins DJ Louie for a long-awaited and sprawling two-parter about Rick Caruso’s favorite pop star, Katy Perry! In Part 1, Louie and Dan begin with Katy’s cloistered early life as the daughter of two Pentacostal ministers who was denied access to most popular culture, her teenaged forays into Christian rock, eventual pivot to secular music and myriad false starts as a pop star, including dalliances with Alanis Morrisette producer Glen Ballard, a short stint fronting the artist project for production team The Matrix and series of failed record deals. They then lay out how everything finally clicked thanks to Capitol Records and, most importantly, her collaboration with super-producers Max Martin and Dr. Luke who helped craft the soft-serve controversy of her breakthrough smash, 2008’s “I Kissed a Girl”, parse apart the pop-rock leanings and pert poses of her hit second album, One of the Boys, later that year, before going long on her seminal third album, 2010’s technicolor pure-pop juggernaut Teenage Dream, only the second album in history to produce five #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100.
Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More!! Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store! Check out Pop Pantheon's Katy Perry Essentials Playlist on Spotify Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram | |||
| Imperial Phases: What Are They, Who's Had One and Do They Still Exist? (with Tom Ewing) | 08 Dec 2022 | 01:01:47 | |
The concept of an "Imperial Phase"- a short-lived period of a pop star's career where artistic revelation meets commercial saturation and everything they touch turns to gold- comes up quite a bit on Pop Pantheon. Originally coined by Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tennant, the term gained purchase in our pop music discourse thanks to Tom Ewing's taxonomy of the phrase in his classic 2010 Pitchfork piece, "Imperial". For this week's B-side, Tom joins DJ Louie to discuss Imperial Phases past, present and future. Louie and Tom get into the history of the term and the details of how to spot one when it's happening, before turning to the careers of individual pop stars- Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Diana Ross, Prince, Madonna, Lady GaGa, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and more- to figure out who's had one, who hasn't and when exactly they've had happened (or not) for each. Finally, Louie and Tom discuss whether it's become more difficult to achieve an Imperial Phase in the streaming and social media era, how we need redefine the term in the context of cult-of-personality pop stardom and who of the new generation seems primed to achieve one in the coming years. Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More!! Buy Pop Pantheon's "Niche Legend" Dad Hat! Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram | |||
| The Best (and Worst) Pop Music of 2022 (with NPR's Hazel Cills) | 01 Dec 2022 | 01:32:00 | |
Editor at NPR Music Hazel Cills joins DJ Louie for a thorough rundown of pop music in the year 2022. They talk Beyoncé, Rosalia, Taylor, Muna, Drake, Charli, Kendrick, Bad Bunny, Harry Styles, Lizzo, shifting musical trends (welcome back, dance music!), wonky rollouts, more Beyoncé (of course), list their favorite and least favorite pop albums and songs of the year, and more. Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More!! Buy Tickets to See Louie DJ at Gorgeous Gorgeous At Resident in DTLA on Dec 3 Buy Pop Pantheon's New "Niche Legend" Dad Hat! Listen to a Spotify Playlist of Louie and Hazel's Favorite PopMusic of 2022 Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram | |||
| AMY WINEHOUSE (with Sasha Frere-Jones) | 23 Nov 2022 | 01:44:01 | |
Musician and Writer Sasha Frere-Jones joins DJ Louie to discuss the tragically short career and life of the great British soul singer, Amy Winehouse. Louie and Sasha begin by discussing how an early death, perhaps before a pop star has even reached their peak, affects their legacy before diving into Amy’s story, how she grew up on the music of jazz greats like Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughn and ‘90s American hip hop superstars like Nas and Lauryn Hill and the ways that marriage formed the aesthetic of her debut album, 2003’s Frank. They then discuss how a painful breakup led Amy both down a dangerous path with drugs and alcohol but also inspired her breakthrough sophomore album, 2006’s modern classic Back to Black, a meticulously constructed throwback to ‘50s and ‘60s soul and girl group aesthetics made in collaboration with producers Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi. Louie and Sasha lay out the ways in which that album juxtaposed backwards-looking production with Amy’s utterly singular and thoroughly-modern perspective on love, heartbreak and substance abuse, how Black’s massive and expected success only exacerbated her problems, the toxicity of celebrity press coverage in the late 2000s, and how it all ultimately helped lead to Amy’s untimely passing from alcohol poisoning in 2011. Lastly, Louie and Sasha discuss the long shadow of Amy Winehouse’s legacy in pop culture, before ranking her in the official Pop Pantheon. Read Sasha's piece following Amy's death in The New Yorker Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More!! Buy Tickets to See Louie DJ at Gorgeous Gorgeous At Resident in DTLA on Dec 3 Buy Pop Pantheon's New "Niche Legend" Dad Hat! Listen to Pop Pantheon's Amy Winehouse Essentials Playlist on Spotify Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram | |||
| Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me and the State of the Pop Doc (with New York Magazine's Rachel Handler) | 17 Nov 2022 | 01:16:39 | |
New York Magazine's Rachel Handler joins DJ Louie to discuss both Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me, the recently-released doc about the pop star on Apple TV+, and the broader state of the pop star documentary. Rachel had the opportunity to sit down with Selena and director Alek Keshishian to talk about the film, so Louie and Rachel first get into what Selena was like as interview before diving into My Mind & Me, what it tells us about Selena, and how it fits into the broader of narrative of pop docs historically, beginning with Keshishian's seminal 1991 film Madonna: Truth or Dare. Rachel and Louie then attempt to contextualize My Mind & Me in a recent wave of pop docs that began with Justin Bieber's Never Say Never in 2011, and includes films like Katy Perry's Part of Me, Beyoncé's Life is But a Dream, Lady Gaga's Five Foot Two, Taylor Swift's Miss Americana, Demi Lovato's Dancing With The Devil, and more, parsing apart what binds them all together, what separates them from one another and whether they are effective, either as revelations or machiavellian PR moves. Read Rachel's Interview with Selena and Alek in Vulture Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More!! Buy Tickets to See Louie DJ at Gorgeous Gorgeous At Resident in DTLA on Dec 3 Buy Pop Pantheon's New "Niche Legend" Dad Hat! Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram | |||
| BELINDA CARLISLE, DEBBIE GIBSON, TIFFANY & TAYLOR DAYNE: Forgotten Ladies of the 1980s (with Stereogum's Tom Breihan) | 10 Nov 2022 | 01:48:46 | |
We’re shaking things up a bit this week! The ‘80s were formative for our ideas of modern pop stardom but it’s not just Madonna, Prince, Michael, Janet, George and the gang that deserve credit for shaping that legacy. So in this episode, Senior Editor at Stereogum Tom Breihan joins me to break down the careers and legacies of four more erstwhile women who hit high highs during this decade, with smash singles and multi platinum albums, then fell off the charts just as the decade turned over to the 1990s: Belinda Carlisle, Debbie Gibson, Tiffany and Taylor Dayne. Tom and I first lay out why the ‘80s were such an important decade for our conceptions of the pop star and pop music, before turning to each woman’s story individually, where they came from, how they rose to fame, what made them click, why they all eventually fell off, and the important contributions each made to pop culture- whether it be songs (“Heaven is a Place on Earth”! “Only in My Dreams”! “Tell it to My Heart”!), tropes, music videos, or otherwise. Finally, Tom and I rank Belinda Carlisle, Debbie Gibson, Tiffany and Taylor Dayne in the official Pop Pantheon. Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More!! Buy Pop Pantheon's New "Niche Legend" Dad Hat! Check out our Forgotten Ladies of the 1980s Spotify Playlist! Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram | |||
| The Joys & Terrors of Stan Culture (with The New York Times' Joe Coscarelli) | 03 Nov 2022 | 01:06:48 | |
Pop Music Reporter for The New York Times, Joe Coscarelli, returns to the podcast to dig into the origins, agony and ecstasy of internet stan culture. DJ Louie and Joe discuss how classic fandoms morphed into internet stan armies, the difference between being a "fan" in the old sense of the word and a modern "stan", who often wraps their entire identity around a pop star, how these armies are weaponized by the star they worship and serve as powerful promotional arms and also, more worryingly, attack dogs against anyone who they perceive as slighting them. Louie and Joe also discuss the connection between pop star stan armies and the broader pervasive of grievance culture in politics and other areas, the positive aspects of these armies, which help like-minded, often queer individuals find community and sometimes organize for good, what gets lost artistically and developmentally in the blind devotion practiced many of these groups, and so much more. Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel for Exclusive Content and More!! Buy Joe's New Book, Rap Capital: An Atlanta Story Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram | |||
| The Winners and Losers of the Touring Boom (with Matthew Perpetua, Zach Schonfeld & Emily Stewart) | 04 Jul 2024 | 00:56:53 | |
After the pandemic, fans wanted to see their favs (and even their less favs) so much that the concert touring industry boomed, breaking records and culminating in astronomically expensive blockbuster stadium treks from Beyoncé and Taylor Swift. But more recently, the live show gambit has gone bust for superstars like Jennifer Lopez, The Black Keys, Justin Timberlake and more. What changed? Fluxblog's Matthew Perpetua, writer Zach Schonfeld and Business Insider's Emily Stewart are here to discuss. Read Zach's piece "The Curious Case of the Underselling Arena Tours" Read Emily's piece "The Great Concert Ticket Bust" Buy Tickets to our Dance Party Pop Pantheon Present: Main Pop Girls of '24 in NYC on August 2! Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous LA 7/26 at Los Globos Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous: PRIDE! on 6/28 at The Sultan Room in Brooklyn Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter | |||