Switched on Pop

We rarely cover movies here at Switched On Pop. But after seeing Ryan Coogler's new vampire musical Sinners, we knew we had to make an exception. The movie is an ode to Black music. Throughout its over two hour runtime, the film pays tribute to the blues: nodding to the musicians, instruments, and melodies that make it a foundational genre in the American musical canon. There's also Irish folk vampires, original music from Ludwig Göransson, and a whole lot of history – perfect for Charlie and Nate to sink their teeth into. MORE Subscribe to our newsletter to receive your own bingo card! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's that time of year again: Eurovision Song Contest is upon us. And with the competition comes a tradition at Switched On Pop, where Charlie and Nate look at the songs (and countries) that have the best odds to take home the title. This year, we have an ode to the sauna, soaring operatics, and a feast of food-themed tunes – including the Estonian entrant Tommy Cash's ode to the "Espresso Macchiato." This episode of Switched On Pop, we take a sonic trip to Basel, Switzerland – and in the back half of the episode, talk to Tommy Cash himself about his entry and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Despite TikTok defining this decade's music landscape, the app hasn't spawned a bonafide pop superstar – yet. 24-year-old Addison Rae is trying to be the first. She's already had cosigns from Arca, Charli XCX, and Benny Blanco; critical acclaim from outlets like Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, and Elle; and is cultivating a fervent fanbase with a slew of breathy, ethereal, and inspiration-laden singles. But how does one translate TikTok celebrity into pop success? On this episode of Switched On Pop, Reanna, Nate, and Charlie put their "Headphones On" to understand how one of the biggest Gen-Z celebrities is trying to parlay her allure into pop princess-dom. MORE Subscribe to our newsletter to receive your own bingo card! SONGS DISCUSSED Addison Rae – Diet Pepsi Addison Rae – Aquamarine Addison Rae – High Fashion Addison Rae – Headphones On Addison Rae – Obsessed Charlie Puth – The Way I Am Michael Jackson – Smooth Criminal Addison Rae – I got it bad Addison Rae – Nothing On (But The Radio) Addison Rae – it could've been u Addison Rae – 2 die 4 (feat. Charli XCX) Charli XCX, Addison Rae, A. G. Cook – Von dutch a. g. remix Lana Del Rey – Blue Jeans Lana Del Rey – Cherry Lana Del Rey – Diet Mountain Dew Lana Del Rey – Bartender Lana Del Rey – Cola Madonna – Nothing Really Matters Selena Gomez, A$AP Rocky – Good For You Edie Brickell & New Bohemians – What I Am Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Taylor Swift isn't just a world-conquering pop star at the top of her game, her approach to songwriting has also proven massively influential for an up-and-coming generation of singer-songwriters. Gracie Abrams, Maisie Peters, and Phoebe Bridgers—all of whom opened for Swift during her Eras Tour—each owe a debt to Swift's hyperspecific lyrics, minimal melodies, and bombastic bridges. We break down the key aspects of Swift's songcraft and how we can hear them manifest in the work of her young acolytes, and we speak to another burgeoning artist, the brilliant Jensen McRae, to learn firsthand why Swift's style has been so resonant. Songs Discussed Taylor Swift - All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault) Gracie Abrams - That’s So True Maisie Peters - There It Goes Taylor Swift - Style (Taylor's Version) Taylor Swift - You're On Your Own, Kid Phoebe Bridgers - Motion Sickness Taylor Swift - Our Song Beyoncé - Sandcastles Katy Perry - Unconditionally Taylor Swift - cardigan Dua Lipa - Levitating Taylor Swift - You Belong With Me (Taylor’s Version) Taylor Swift - Dear John (Taylor's Version) Jensen McRae - Praying For Your Downfall Jensen McRae - Savannah Jensen McRae - Immune Taylor Swift - Would've, Could've, Should've MORE Subscribe to our newsletter to receive your own bingo card! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Specialized platforms and social media have empowered musicians to tap into niche audiences, igniting a quiet revolution in the music industry. Despite the dominance of viral hits, a new wave of artists, labels and businesses are redefining success by building dedicated fanbases with focused, niche strategies. This conversation, live from SXSW, features Charlie leading a conversation with: LP Giobbi, a producer, jazz-trained pianist, and activist who spends 300 days a year touring between festival stages, club floors, and studios. Nabil Ayers, president of Beggar's Group, home to multiple indie labels including 4AD, Matador Records, Rough Trade, and XL Recordings. Dani Deahl, a DJ, producer, and head of communications and creator insights at BandLab, the most popular digital audio workstation worldwide. MORE Subscribe to our newsletter to receive your own bingo card! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Miley Cyrus just released three singles from her ninth studio album, Something Beautiful. Inspired by Pink Floyd's The Wall—specifically the 1982 feature film based on the album—Cyrus is not just sharing new music but a whole visual album, each song accompanied by a music video shot by director Panos Cosmatos. We last heard from Cyrus in 2023 with her massive smash "Flowers," which found the industry veteran finding some kind of inner peace. With her new songs, Cyrus is turning from healing herself to healing the world. She described the project as "a concept album that’s an attempt to medicate somewhat of a sick culture through music." What does such an endeavor sound like? For one, a lot of surprising textures and collaborators: Shoegaze guitarists, jazz saxophonists, indie rock producers. At least, sounds that are surprising to those who only know Cyrus from "Flowers," "Wrecking Ball," and "Party in the USA." The true Miley stans expect the unexpected from an artist who, it turns out, has always been weird. Songs Discussed Miley Cyrus - Flowers, Prelude, Something Beautiful, End of the World, Dooo It!, Malibu, Cattitude (feat. RuPaul), Plastic Hearts Blank Banshee - Eco Zones Caroline Polachek, Oneohtrix Point Never - Long Road Home D'Angelo - Send It On Alice Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders - Journey In Satchidananda Whitney - Forever Turned Around ABBA - Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen Alvvays - Easy On Your Own? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why was Chappell Roan's band dressed like an 80s hair metal act during her Grammy performance? The answer unlocks the surprising secret behind her #1 country hit "The Giver." This musical detective story connects glam rock aesthetics to modern country through an unexpected lineage involving AC/DC's producer, Shania Twain's revolution, and men who inadvertently dressed in drag. Between fiddle licks and gated reverb drums lies a brilliant subversion of country traditions that proves the genre has always been about musical drag while revealing what "rhinestone cowgirl" really means. MORE Subscribe to our newsletter to receive your own bingo card! Songs Discussed: Chappell Roan – "The Giver" Chappell Roan – "Pink Pony Club" Big & Rich – "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)" Bon Jovi – "Living on a Prayer" Guns N' Roses – "Sweet Child of Mine" AC/DC – "Back in Black" Def Leppard – "Pour Some Sugar on Me" Nirvana – "About a Girl" Bryan Adams – "Everything I Do (I Do It for You)" Shania Twain – "Any Man of Mine" Shania Twain – "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" Toby Keith feat. Willie Nelson – "Beer for My Horses" Carrie Underwood – "Before He Cheats" Trace Adkins – "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk" Glen Campbell – "Rhinestone Cowboy" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Who's "My Generation" wasn't born from inspiration—it was commissioned. In a rare interview, Pete Townshend reveals how six fans at London's Goldhawk Club in 1965 directly asked him to write an anthem for their post-war generation. This conversation uncovers how a simple request transformed into rock's definitive youth statement, complete with its rebellious stutter and blues foundations. As Townshend releases his solo anthology during our own era of generational flux, the story behind rock's most famous declaration of youth proves more relevant than ever. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive your own bingo card! Songs Referenced "My Generation" by The Who "Can't Explain" by The Who "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" by The Who "Smokestack Lightning" by Howlin' Wolf "For Your Love" by The Yardbirds "Pinball Wizard" by The Who "I'm a Boy" by The Who "Pictures of Lily" by The Who "I Can See for Miles" by The Who "Stuttering Blues" by John Lee Hooker Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 2022, Lady Gaga embarked on The Chromatica Ball – a stadium tour featuring a stage that Gaga herself referred to as her "museum of brutality." Three years later, this idea of a brutalist enshrining of all things Monster can come to represent her new studio album MAYHEM.  Over the course of fourteen tracks, Gaga is "unafraid to reference or not reference," invoking not just the pop weirdos of a past era like Prince and Bowie, but also her contemporaries, in this gothic and chaotic web of a record. This episode of Switched On Pop, Little Monster-in-residence Reanna takes Charlie and Nate on a tour through the Gaga-seum, showcasing Gaga's ability to pay tribute to her inspirations, her imitators, and her biggest icon: herself.  MORE Subscribe to our newsletter to receive your own bingo card! SONGS DISCUSSED Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande – Rain On Me Lady Gaga – Disease Lady Gaga, Gesaffelstein – Killah David Bowie – Watch That Man David Bowie – Fame Queen – Killer Queen Prince – Kiss Prince – Sign O' The Times Talking Heads – Psycho Killer Nile Rodgers, CHIC, Lady Gaga – I Want Your Love Lady Gaga – Perfect Celebrity Lady Gaga – Paparazzi Lady Gaga – The Fame Lady Gaga – Applause Nine Inch Nails – Closer Depeche Mode – Mercy in You Lady Gaga – Vanish Into You Chappell Roan – Good Luck, Babe! The Weeknd – In Your Eyes Lady Gaga – How Bad Do U Want Me Taylor Swift – Style Taylor Swift – Gorgeous Yaz – Only You Lady Gaga – Zombieboy Gwen Stefani – Hollaback Girl Lady Gaga – Summerboy Lady Gaga – Beautiful, Dirty Rich Lady Gaga – Shadow Of A Man Lady Gaga – Nothing On But the Radio Lady Gaga – Garden of Eden Lady Gaga – Bad Romance Lady Gaga – Abracadabra Lady Gaga – Government Hooker Lady Gaga – Bloody Mary Lady Gaga – Swine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When the song “Get Ur Freak On” hit radio in 2001, it set the world of popular music on fire. Missy Elliott and Timbaland’s first crossover hit sounded nothing like the chart-topping bluesy rock of Aerosmith or Lenny Kravitz, or the smooth R&B of Joe or Jagged Edge. It was a song that compelled you to dance - literally, with Missy issuing repeat commands to “get ur freak on” and encouraging crowds to gather ‘round in what we’ve only ever experienced as a hot slick mess of bodies, cheering and vibing as one pretzeling mass. But this song was years in the making. Timbaland and Missy had been hard at work on the sound for nearly a decade before “Get Ur Freak On” was heard by anyone. This week, in yet another segment of our Modern Classics miniseries, our guest host and former producer Megan Lubin shares the story of the sound that made “Get Ur Freak On” a pop music phenomenon, and transformed Timbaland into one of the most ubiquitous producers of the aughts.   Songs Discussed Missy Elliott - Get Ur Freak On Tweet - Oops (Oh My) Jay-Z - Dirt off Your Shoulder Justin Timberlake - What Goes Around... Comes Around 2Pac - Me Against The World TLC - Creep Ginuwine - Pony  Aaliyah - One in a Million Jay-Z ft. UGK - Big Pimpin’ Jay-Z - Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) Justin Timberlake - Cry Me a River Nelly Furtado - Promiscuous Justin Timberlake ft. T.I. - My Love Timbaland ft. One Republic - Apologize Sports Car - Tate McRae Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It may be hard to believe it in this technology-driven day and age, but one of the most pervasive sounds in popular music came about when a computer STOPPED working. In 2005, artist and innovator Imogen Heap released "Hide and Seek," a mysterious and emotional song featuring just her voice and a digital harmonizer. In this episode, Nate and Reanna dissect a song that launched a thousand memes and gave the world one of the defining sonic textures of our time. Songs Discussed Imogen Heap - Headlock Imogen Heap - Hide and Seek Electric Light Orchestra - Mr. Blue Sky Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight  Daft Punk - Around the World Imogen Heap - Getting Scared Frou Frou - Let Go Jason Derulo - Whatcha Say Bon Iver - Woods Coldplay - Hurts Like Heaven Kacey Musgraves gracias a la vida Frank Ocean - Close To You  Zedd, Maren Morris, Grey - The Middle Caroline Polachek - So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 2007, a 19-year-old Barbadian pop singer released the lead single off her third album. By doing so, she didn't just give us a timeless, undeniable banger -- she changed the way pop music is made, and became the global superstar that we know Rihanna to be today. In this episode we go back in time to unearth the origins of "Umbrella," and how the song blossomed as a result of many shifting currents in the music industry, the democratization recording technology, and the persistence of Rihanna and her team to record the song instead of the artist for whom it was intended. SONGS DISCUSSED James Brown "Funky Drummer" Funkadelic "Get Off Your Ass and Jam" Soft Cell "Tainted Love" N.W.A. "100 Miles and Runnin" Mya "Case of the Ex (Whatcha Gonna Do?)" Britney Spears featuring Madonna "Me Against the Music" Nine Inch Nails "The Hand That Feeds" Rihanna "Pon de Replay" Rihanna "S.O.S." Shakira "Hips Don't Lie" Rihanna "Umbrella" Justice "Stress" Usher "Love in This Club" Childish Gambino "Bonfire" A$AP Rocky featuring Skepta "Praise the Lord (Da Shine)" Asher Monroe "Synergy" Justin Bieber & Lil Dicky "Running Over" Sabrina Carpenter "Espresso" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tate McRae's billions of streams and perfectly crafted hits can feel almost algorithmic, like an AI trained on 20 years of pop music. In anticipation of McRae’s third album So Close to What, out this Friday, we dissect McRae’s "SimplePop" formula, from her strategic, indescript vocal delivery to expert "vibe snatching" of Y2K sounds.  Through singles like "exes” and “sports car,” Charlie and Reanna trace her sonic lineage and discover why pop music needs artists who refine sounds as much as those who revolutionize them, seeing if there’s room to love her music in the process. This dancer-turned-singer might not be the next Britney Spears, but she could be this generation's Paula Abdul. More Watch Adam Neely's "Scotch Snaps in Hip Hop" Songs Discussed Tate McRae - "sports car" Tate McRae - "greedy" Tate McRae - "you broke me first" Tate McRae - "One Day" Tate McRae - "exes" Lisa - "Money" Halsey - "100 Letters" Cardi B - "I Like It" Beyoncé - "Drunk in Love" Ariana Grande - "7 Rings" Ariana Grande - "thank u, next" Tate McRae - "it's okay im okay"  Ying Yang Twins - "Wait (The Whisper Song)" The Lonely Island - "Bing Bong Brothers" The Pussycat Dolls - "Buttons" Missy Elliott - "Get Your Freak On" Missy Elliott feat. Ludacris - "Gossip Folks" Britney Spears - "Toxic" Britney Spears - "Gimme More" Cassie - "Me & U" Paula Abdul - "Straight Up" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In last month's episode predicting the coming year in pop, one of the team's predictions was that trance music – the ethereal, dreamy subgenre of electronic music popular around the turn of the century – would make a comeback on the charts in 2025. And even though we're less than two months into the year, we're already seeing the tides of nostalgia bring this club-oriented music come back into fashion. This episode of Switched On Pop, Nate, Charlie, and Reanna take a look at trance music: where it came from, what it sounds like, and if we can hear it in two of the year's most anticipated records: The Weeknd's Hurry Up Tomorrow and FKA Twigs's EUSEXUA. Does it trance? More Subscribe to our newsletter to receive your own bingo card! Songs Discussed KLF "What Time is Love? (Pure Trance Mix)" Sven Väth "L'Esperanza" Robert Miles "Children" Paul van Dyk "For an Angel" Ian Van Dahl "Castles in the Sky" Tiësto "Adagio for Strings" Darude "Sandstorm" Charlotte De Witte "Universal Consciousness" FKA twigs "Two Weeks" FKA twigs "Cellophane" FKA twigs "Tears in the Club" feat. The Weeknd FKA twigs "EUSEXUA" FKA twigs "Drums of Death" FKA twigs "Perfect Stranger" FKA twigs "Room of Fools" FKA twigs "Childlike Things" The Weeknd "Wake Me Up" feat. Justice The Weeknd "Open Hearts" The Weeknd "The Abyss" feat. Lana Del Rey The Weeknd "Timeless" feat. Playboi Carti The Weeknd "Give Me Mercy" The Weeknd "Red Terror" The Weeknd "Sao Paulo" feat. Anitta The Weeknd "Reflections" feat. Travis Scott & Florence + The Machine The Weeknd "Enjoy the Show" The Weeknd "I Can't Wait to Get There" The Weeknd "Hurry Up Tomorrow" The Weeknd "Blinding Lights" The Weeknd "Save Your Tears" The Weeknd "Until I Bleed Out" The Weeknd "Take My Breath" The Weeknd "Out of Time" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Behind Spotify's promise of infinite music lies a carefully engineered system that shapes not just what we hear, but how music itself gets made. Journalist Liz Pelly's explosive new book "Mood Machine" rips away the curtain on streaming's biggest player, revealing how its algorithms and backroom deals dictate the soundtrack to our lives. With major labels controlling 70% of streams and Spotify commanding over 600 million users, the stakes couldn't be higher. As artists like Björk decry streaming as "the worst thing that's happened to musicians," Pelly uncovers the true cost of our perfect playlists - and what we're really sacrificing for the illusion of endless choice. MORE Subscribe to our newsletter to receive your own bingo card! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

2024 was an unpredictable year, and 2025 seems to be cut from the same cloth. So for this episode of Switched On Pop, Nate, Charlie, and Reanna look into the crystal ball of pop music to create a (playable) bingo card of predictions for the coming year – including AI songs on the Hot 100, a return of boy bands, and... kazoos? The Album of the Year race for this upcoming Grammys is similarly unpredictable, with a stacked nomination list including Grammy darlings Beyoncé and Billie as well as Gen-Z favorites like Charli and Chappell. The team takes a crack at guessing who will take home the award by debating the nominees, bracket-style. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive your own bingo card! Songs discussed: The Traveling Wilburys – Handle With Care Ghostwriter – Heart On My Sleeve (ft. AI Drake and AI The Weeknd) Songs from Silvio Berlusconi, Imelda Marcos, and Randi Zuckerberg Chino Pacas, Drake, Fuerza Regida – Modo Capone Elton John – Your Song Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee – Despacito Jack Black – Peaches Tyla – Water Rema, Selena Gomez – Calm Down Bloodhound Gang – The Bad Touch Megan thee Stallion, Yuki Chiba – Mamushi Joan Osborne – One of Us FKA Twigs – Eusexua Katy Perry – Woman's World David Bowie – Moonage Daydream Jimi Hendrix – Crosstown Traffic Jack Harlow – Lovin On Me Billie Eilish – CHIHIRO Billie Eilish – BIRDS OF A FEATHER Charli XCX – guess Charli XCX – 360 Charli XCX – i think about it all the time Charli XCX – 365 Beyoncé – TEXAS HOLD 'EM Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus – II MOST WANTED Beyoncé – YA YA Taylor Swift – I Can Do It With A Broken Heart Sabrina Carpenter – Espresso Chappell Roan – HOTTOGO Chappell Roan – Pink Pony Club Chappell Roan – Red Wine Supernova Outkast – Hey Ya! Andre 3000 – That Night In Hawaii When I Turned Into A Panther And Started Making These Low Register Purring Tones That I Couldn't Control ... Sh*t Was Wild Andre 3000 – I swear, I Really Wanted To Make A "Rap" Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time Jacob Collier – 100,000 Voices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The first great release of 2025 is already here: Bad Bunny's newest album, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS. Over the course of its 17 tracks, the Puerto Rican reggaetonero crafts an intertextual, anti-colonial tome of a record, incorporating sounds from across his island and the boricua diaspora. From his use of salsa classics on "NUEVAYoL," to his pointed interpolations on "VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR," and his detour into folk melodies and songwriting on tracks like the somber "LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii," the record features some of Bad Bunny's most creative, intense, and direct work yet. On this episode of Switched On Pop, producer Reanna Cruz takes Charlie and Nate on a journey through Bad Bunny's love letter to Puerto Rico, with additional insight from journalist and translator Carina del Valle Schorske. Read Carina's NPR Music review of the record: Bad Bunny's politics of presence. Songs Discussed: Bad Bunny, "DtMF" Bad Bunny, "NUEVAYoL" Bad Bunny, "BOKeTE" Bad Bunny, "EL CLúB" El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico, "Un verano en Nueva York" Bad Bunny, "PIToRRO DE COCO" Bad Bunny, "BAILE INoLVIDABLE" Rauw Alejandro, "Tú Con Él" Bad Bunny, "VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR" Wisin & Yandel, Héctor "El Father," "La Barría" Alexis y Fido, "Me Quiere Besar" Angel y Khriz, "Cazando Voy" Bad Bunny, "El Apagón" Bad Bunny, Kendo Kaponi, Arcángel, "P FKN R" Bad Bunny, "LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii" Bad Bunny, "CAFé CON RON" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What happens when your podcast’s theme song—cobbled together from GarageBand loops—gets called “game show music” and likened to a cereal commercial? You rewrite it. In this episode, we take you behind the scenes of Switched on Pop’s sonic makeover, from scathing critiques by music industry heavyweights to the creation of a lush, layered soundscape inspired by Wendy Carlos and PBS science shows. With expert advice from sonic branding maestro Dallas Taylor (Twenty Thousand Hertz) and the composers Zach Tenorio and Jocie Adams (Arc Iris), we dissect every step of transforming our theme into a timeless sonic identity. Tune in for the full story and hear how we turned a jingle crisis into a musical triumph. More Musicares.org is supporting LA based musicians in need of assistance from the destruction of the fire Billboard has compiled more forms of support and assistance Recommendations Read Cat Zhang at The Cut Read Lauren Michelle Jackson’s White Negros and columns at The New Yorker Listen to Ian Fitchuk’s work Listen to Song Exploder hosted by Hrishikesh Hirway Listen to NYTimes Popcast hosted by Jon Caramanica Listen to Twenty Thousand Hertz hosted by Dallas Taylor Songs Discussed The Monkees: "Theme Song (Hey, Hey, We're The Monkees)" Radiohead: "Kid A" No Name: "Yesterday" Mort Garson: "Ode to an African Violet" Wendy Carlos Switched On Bach Whitney Houston: "The Star-Spangled Banner" (1991 Super Bowl performance) Jimi Hendrix: "The Star-Spangled Banner" (Woodstock performance) Friends theme Song "I'll Be There for You" by The Rembrandts Reading Rainbow theme song “Butterfly in the Sky” by Steve Horelick, Dennis Neil Kleinman, and Janet Weir Bill Nye the Science Guy theme Song composed by Mike Greene  3-2-1 Contact theme Song composed by Tom Anthony Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Critics are not feeling the love tonight when it comes to Disney's latest sequels, Mufasa and Moana 2. They've called the animated films "lifeless and bland." But save some sympathy for the composers behind these blatant IP grabs. Lin Manuel Miranda and the duo Barlow and Bear had to match the original, iconic numbers from the Lion King and Moana, songs written by Elton John and Miranda himself. Are critics of the sequels' soundtracks being too harsh? We compare the new songs to their iconic predecessors, like "Circle of Life" and "How Far I'll Go," and ask whether Disney new composers face an impossible task in trying to extend franchises through song. Songs Discussed Elton John, Tim Rice, Lebo M. - “Circle of Life” Elton John, Tim Rice - “Circle of Life” (Radio Version) Elton John, Tim Rice - “Hakuna Matata” Lin-Manuel Miranda - “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” Lin-Manuel Miranda - “Melele” Lin-Manuel Miranda - “I Always Wanted a Brother” Lin-Manuel Miranda - “How Far I’ll Go” ft. Auli’i Cravalho Ariana Grande - “Imperfect For You” Barlow & Bear - “Beyond” feat. Auli’i Cravalho Barlow & Bear - “Can I Get a Chee Hoo” feat. Dwayne Johnson More Brett Boles’s wonderful analysis of “How Far I’ll Go,” referenced in the episode Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this very special episode, we join forces with the hilarious podcast OFF BOOK. When our powers combine, Zach and Jess of Off Book, plus their killer backing band of Scott, Dana and Brett create an improvised musical, while Nate and Charlie break down the sound and structure of a Broadway show. Stay tuned for deep thoughts about what separates pop music from musicals, wild speculation about the origin of the word “vamp,” and an ENTIRE FREAKING MUSICAL COMPOSED FROM SCRATCH that will make you laugh your face off. This is not one to miss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices