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Pop Pantheon — Music
Pop Pantheon

The podcast where DJ Louie XIV and guests completely overanalyze all your favorite pop stars, then rank them in the official Pop Pantheon.

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Copyright: © 741598

Latest Episodes:

Bonnie McKee on the Song Machine, Pop Stardom & Ego Death Nov 16, 2023

Show notes

Bonnie McKee is the songwriter behind many of the most enduring pop hits of the last 15 years including Taio Cruz' "Dynamite", Britney Spears' "Hold it Against Me" and no fewer than 5 (!) of Katy Perry's #1s. She's also a pop star in her own right, having run the gamut from singer-songwriter-aspirant in the early 2000s through numerous major label deals and finally, her current career as an indie pop act.

Bonnie joins DJ Louie to talk about it all: her love of pop music, how she writes it, her experience as song-crafter to the stars, how the "song machine" works when it comes to major pop stars, the difference between writing songs for yourself and for other artists and how the pop music ecosystem has changed over her nearly 20 year career.

Listen to Bonnie McKee's "Don't Get Mad Get Famous"

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AALIYAH (with Kathy Iandoli) Nov 09, 2023

Show notes

Author of the book Baby Girl: Better Known as Aaliyah Kathy Iandoli returns to Pop Pantheon to unpack the far too short career of one of the most exciting pop recording artists of her generation, Aaliyah. Kathy and Louie discuss Aaliyah’s upbringing in Detroit, her connection to soul legend Gladys Knight and how she came to create 1994’s Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number with R. Kelly, a convicted sexual predator who married her illegally as a teen. Then they examine one of the most forward-thinking pieces of R&B futurism ever produced, 1996’s One in a Million, a collaboration largely with innovative songwriting and production duo Timbaland and Missy Elliott, which is widely considered one of the best albums of the ‘90s. Next, they dissect Aaliyah’s showcase of triple-threat talent in Romeo Must Die and Queen of the Damned, her thrilling soundtrack songs, "Are You That Somebody" and "Try Again,” the blend of R&B traditionalism and avant garde genre experiments on Aaliyah’s 2001’s self-titled album, released just one month before her untimely death and how her early passing as impacted her legacy. Finally, they rank Aaliyah in the official Pop Pantheon.

Buy Kathy's Book Baby Girl: Better Known as Aaliyah

Listen to Pop Pantheon's Aaliyah Essentials Playlist

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Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous LA on November 10

Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous X Who? Weekly on November 16

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Lizzo & The Nature of Celebrity Scandal (with Megan Agnew & Hanna Phifer) Nov 02, 2023

Show notes

Back in August, Lizzo was sued by a number of her former dancers for creating a hostile work environment, with allegations including racial and sexual harassment, disability discrimination, illegal retaliatory termination and assault, and more. This flew directly in the face of her brand, which champions positivity, inclusivity and authenticity above all else (including even her music).

The Sunday Times' Megan Agnew and journalist and culture critic Hanna Phifer join DJ Louie to break down how this scandal has played out for Lizzo, where it fits in with and differs from other pop star scandals past and present, and what, if anything, she can do fix the damage it's caused to her brand and image.

Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More

Buy Tickets to Pop Pantheon Live: Britney's Memoir, Music & Legacy on 11/2 In Pasadena

Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous LA on November 10

Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous X Who? Weekly on November 16

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Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More

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BRUNO MARS (with Stereogum's Tom Breihan) Oct 26, 2023

Show notes

Stereogum’s Tom Breihan returns to Pop Pantheon to dissect the career of pop history’s greatest mimic, Bruno Mars. Louie and Tom dive into how Bruno spent his childhood impersonating greats like Elvis and Michael Jackson, his failed start on Motown and early work for other artists, including via his production group The Smeezingtons. Then they discuss his tightly-stitched 2010 debut, Doo-Wops and Hooligans, 2012’s pop history grab-bag, Unorthodox Jukebox, and the cultural sensation of his 2014 Mark Ronson-collab, the Morris Day-tributing “Uptown Funk.” Next, they explore Bruno’s tour through Black pop and soul history on 2016’s 24K Magic and his Philly Soul and Parliament-Funkadelic-homaging super-duo with Anderson .Paak., Silk Sonic, as they parse whether Bruno is central to his music at all or simply a nostalgia curator. Finally, they rank Bruno Mars in the official Pop Pantheon.

Read Tom's Number Ones Column write-ups of "Just The Way You Are" & "Grenade"

Listen to Pop Pantheon's Bruno Mars Essentials

Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More

Buy Tickets to Pop Pantheon Live: Britney's Memoir, Music & Legacy on 11/2 In Pasadena

Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC: Halloween Edition on October 27

Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous LA on November 10

Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous X Who? Weekly on November 16

Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store

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Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More

Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store

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Where are All the New Pop Stars? (with Billboard's Elias Leight) Oct 19, 2023

Show notes

There are more pop artists than ever but very few of them seem to be able to grab a serious foothold at the top of the heap. Billboard's Elias Leight has been covering this topic extensively lately and for this week's B-side, he joins DJ Louie to break down why it's become nearly impossible to ascend to pop's A-List in the Tik Tok era, how various factions— from artists, to labels, to fans— are reacting to this and how each may need to adjust expectations for what a successful pop career means in the context of this new paradigm.

Read Elias' piece "Pop Stars Aren't Popping Like They Used To " in Billboard

Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More

Buy Tickets to Pop Pantheon Live: Britney's Memoir, Music & Legacy on 11/2 In Pasadena

Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC: Halloween Edition on October 27

Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous LA on November 10

Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store

Follow Elias Leight on Twitter

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Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More

Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Searching for Queer Utopias on Troye Sivan's Something to Give Each Other (Patreon Preview) Oct 17, 2023

Show notes

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Troye Sivan released his third album, Something to Give Each Other, on Friday and Louie and Russ got together to dig into the music and world of this record. The two had very differing interpretations of the themes, mood and production choices here which led to a dynamic conversation about Troye, Something and how the continued paucity of queer pop stars puts inordinate amounts of pressure on each release to be everything to everyone.

To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive at least three episodes of the show per month, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier.

Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More

Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store

Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

JESSICA & ASHLEE SIMPSON (with Beyond the Blinds' Troy McEady) Oct 12, 2023

Show notes

Beyond The Blinds’ Troy McEady joins Pop Pantheon for a double header on a pair of TRL-era pop princess sisters, Jessica and Ashlee Simpson. Louie and Troy track Jessica and Ashlee’s upbringing in Texas, Jessica’s failed attempts at teen stardom via Disney and Christian music and her breakthrough with 1999’s “I Wanna Love You Forever” and Sweet Kisses. Then they discuss 2001’s robotic Irresistible and the surprising vehicle for Jessica’s biggest success, MTV’s Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica, which boosted 2003’ In This Skin. Next, they tackle Ashlee’s rocket to stardom with The Ashlee Simpson Show and 2004’s scrappy, guitar-driven Autobiography and her quick demise following her infamous performance on Saturday Night Live. Finally, they unpack how the Simpson sisters’ pop careers fizzled out and rank both in the official Pop Pantheon.

Listen to Pop Pantheon's Jessica & Ashlee Simpson Essentials Playlist

Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More

Buy Tickets to Pop Pantheon Live: Britney's Memoir, Music & Legacy on 11/2 In Pasadena

Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC: Halloween Edition on October 27

Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous LA on November 10

Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store

Follow Troy McEady on Twitter

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Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter

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Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More

Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store

Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram

Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram

Follow Russ on Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Country Bros Took Over Pop (with Spencer Kornhaber & Marissa R. Moss) Oct 05, 2023

Show notes

There's been a record-breaking trend this year of country music dominating the top of the Billboard Hot 100. But it's not just any country music. These hits by artists like Morgan Wallen, Jason Aldean, Oliver Anthony & Luke Combs— all cis white men— are each employing identity politics and tapping into broader socio-political conflict in the US, either implicitly or explicitly, to help power their rise to pop dominance.

So for the first segment of today's show, The Atlantic's Spencer Kornhaber, who has written extensively about the influx of bro country on the charts, is here to help explain this phenomenon. In the second of half of the episode, writer and journalist Marissa R. Moss, who publishes the great country newsletter Don't Rock the Inbox turns Louie on to five great country acts operating on the margins— all of whom, notably, are not cis white men— who deserve our attention and are providing a beacon of hope in the entrenched and often sexist, homophobic, transphobic and racist world of Nashville radio.

Read Spencer's pieces on the rise of country bros in The Atlantic

Subscribe to Marissa's newsletter, Don't Rock the Inbox

Listen to a playlist of Marissa's recommendations

Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More

Buy Tickets to Pop Pantheon Live: Britney's Memoir, Music & Legacy on 11/2 In Pasadena

Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC: Halloween Edition on October 27

Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store

Follow Marissa R. Moss on Twitter

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Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More

Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Ease of Kylie Minogue's Tension (with Michael Cragg) (Patreon Preview) Oct 02, 2023

Show notes

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, journalist and author Michael Cragg joins Louie for a discussion of Kylie Minogue's sixteenth studio album, Tension, which dropped a couple weeks ago.

Tension arrives amidst a heightened level of interest on Kylie following the viral success of its lead single "Padam Padam", which was a gay club anthem in the US and a bonafide hit around the world, including becoming her first top ten in the UK in more than a decade. Louie and Michael discuss whether Tension delivers on the promise of "Padam Padam", how it slots in with the rest of her latter day work, their favorite and least favorite moments on the record, what allows Kylie to simply employ "The Kylie Thing" on album after album and what it means for her to have a hit at this phase in her career and life, especially for American audiences who are largely unfamiliar with her illustrious four decades as a pop phenomenon.

To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive at least three episodes of the show per month, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier.

Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More

Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store

Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Doja Cat Walls Herself In on Scarlet (with Rawiya Kameir) (Patreon Preview) Sep 29, 2023

Show notes

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Rawiya Kameir joins the show in a companion piece to this week's main feed episode on Doja Cat.

Here, Louie and Rawiya are talking all things Doja's fourth studio album, Scarlet, which dropped this past Friday. This is a very different type of Doja album: rap-heavy, combative and very very long. Louie and Rawiya are sharing all their thoughts on the record: what's working, what's not, whether Doja has effectively answered to her critics on this music and whether it's given us newfound insight into the quite slippery but always fascinating superstar.

To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive at least three episodes of the show per month, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier.

Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More

Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store

Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram

Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram

Follow Russ on Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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