Switched on Pop

3d ago

From big-ticket albums by Taylor and Gaga, to a revival of the stomp-clap revival – 2025 had it all, for better and for worse. Now that the year has come to a close, it's time to take a look back at the past twelve months: what happened in the zeitgeist, what we loved listening to, and what we missed here on the show. Reanna, Charlie, and Nate talk about it all, including a look back at our predictions from January to check off boxes for Switched On Pop bingo. Songs discussed: Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia Alex Warren – Ordinary HUNTR/X – Golden Morgan Wallen – I'm The Problem Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga – Die With A Smile Bruno Mars – 24K Magic ROSÉ, Bruno Mars – APT. Olivia Dean – Man I Need Ravyn Lenae – Love Me Not Justin Bieber, Dijon – DEVOTION Bon Iver, Dijon, Flock of Dimes – Day One Dijon – Baby! Dijon – Yamaha CA7RIEL – SHIPEA2 Paco Amoroso – Viuda Negra CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso – EL ÚNICO - Live at NPR MUSIC's Tiny Desk CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso – EL DÍA DEL AMIGO CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso – #TETAS Breaking Rust – Walk My Walk Jack Black – Steve's Lava Chicken Saja Boys – Soda Pop Snocaps – Coast Miley Cyrus – Something Beautiful Bad Bunny – DtMF MOLIY, Shenseea, Silent Addy, Skillibeng – Shake It To The Max (FLY) - Remix Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 12

Grammy-winning songwriter Amy Allen joins NYU Steinhardt students live to trace her path from early pitch songs to co-writing some of the decade's defining hits. She explains why Halsey's "Without Me" needed an extended chorus but no pre-made chord loops, how Harry Styles' "Matilda" required character-driven writing for emotional safety, and what made the hypnotic groove of Tate McRae's "Greedy" demand a rare third verse. Allen also unpacks the spoken hook in Rosé and Bruno Mars' "APT" and the three-step key change powering Sabrina Carpenter's recent work. The result is a masterclass in why songs work—and why the rules worth breaking are the ones you've already learned. SONGS DISCUSSED Halsey "Without Me" Harry Styles "Adore You" Harry Styles "Matilda" Tate McRae "greedy" Rosé and Bruno Mars "ATA" Sabrina Carpenter "Please, please, please" Selena Gomez "Back to You" Justin Timberlake "Cry Me A River" (Interpolated in "Without Me") Olivia Rodrigo "Driver's License" Sabrina Carpenter "Espresso" Sabrina Carpenter Short and Sweet (Album) Sabrina Carpenter Man's Best Friend (Album) Beyoncé "Love on Top" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 9

Sombr went from crafting raw, reverb soaked songs alone in his Lower East Side bedroom to finding his life shifting in ways he never could have predicted across 2024 and 2025. His biggest tracks kept their imperfections even as world class players at Sound City added new layers, and a disco groove he began as a late night joke transformed into a breakout moment that changed his career’s trajectory. He explains how he writes, why distortion carries emotional weight for him, how he navigates the pull between bedroom recordings and studio polish, and what it felt like to watch childhood dreams come true on national stages. The result is a portrait of an artist whose rise has been so quick and so unlikely that even Sombr is still piecing together how it all happened. Watch the interview on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Switched-On-Pop Songs Discussed Sombr “12 to 12” Sombr “Back to Friends” Sombr “Undressed” Lizzo “About Damn Time” Chic “Good Times” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 2

When it comes to improvisational loop jams, few have gone as viral as Marc Rebillet. From his 2020 lockdown-era video “How to Funk in Two Minutes,” which features him wearing nothing but a bathrobe, to unsuspecting New York street corners, and eventually the Coachella main stage, Rebillet has come to be known as “loop daddy” for his gifted ability to harness spontaneous funk. On this episode of Switched On Pop, Charlie interviews Marc about his process, inspiration, and pandemic success, witnessing his flow state firsthand as he graces us with some live improvisation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 25

In June 2025, indie veterans Deerhoof scrubbed their entire catalog from the world’s dominant streaming platform. The catalyst wasn't low royalties, but Spotify co-founder Daniel Ek’s investment in AI military technology through his investment firm Prima Materia. Greg Saunier and Satomi Matsuzaki explain why they are prioritizing their ethics over exposure. They argue that the "convenience" of streaming traps us in harmful systems. They’d prefer listeners explore alternative paths to hear their music. That’s why the band premiered their latest single on Craigslist. And it’s they half jokingly say they "would rather our fans steal our music than stream our music at this point." SONGS DISCUSSED Deerhoof: Immigrant Song, Scarcity is Manufactured, Life is Suffering, Return of the Return of the Fire Trick Star MORE Get Zach Tenorio's synth extraveganza ' Field Trip ' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 18

This year, there were a few records that delivered less-than-optimal returns on either the Hot 100 or the Billboard 200 – and they all came from former Disney pop stars. Demi Lovato’s latest album peaked at number nine on the Billboard 200, where it spent one week and then fell off; Selena Gomez’s record with Benny Blanco peaked at number 2 on the Billboard 200, but no songs cracked the top 40; and Miley Cyrus’s album is her shortest charting project to date. On this episode of Switched On Pop, Nate and Reanna try to get to the bottom of the so-called “Disney curse,” and why these artists are unable to recapture their past commercial success. Songs discussed: Demi Lovato – Here All Night Selena Gomez, benny blanco – Sunset Blvd Miley Cyrus – End of the World Demi Lovato – Sorry Not Sorry Demi Lovato – Heart Attack Demi Lovato – Skin of my Teeth Demi Lovato – Fast Kesha – JOYRIDE. Demi Lovato – Frequency Demi Lovato – Kiss Todd Terry, Martha Wash – Keep On Jumpin' Demi Lovato – Sorry To Myself Selena Gomez, A$AP Rocky – Good For You Kygo, Selena Gomez – It Ain't Me Selena Gomez, Marshmallo – Wolves Selena Gomez, benny blanco, Gracie Abrams – Call Me When You Break Up benny blanco, Selena Gomez, J Balvin, Tainy – I Can't Get Enough J Balvin, Willy William – Mi Gente Selena Gomez, benny blanco – Bluest Flame Selena Gomez, benny blanco, The Marías – Ojos Tristes Miley Cyrus, Big Sean – Love Money Party Miley Cyrus – Flowers Miley Cyrus – Easy Lover Miley Cyrus, Naomi Campbell – Every Girl You've Ever Loved Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 11

Spanish pop star Rosalía is back with her new album, Lux . Over eighteen tracks, she trades in the dembow beats that filled her last record Motomami for maximalist orchestral sounds more in line with Björk than Bad Bunny. The album is dense: there's four movements, thirteen languages, arrangements by Caroline Shaw, and a wide breadth of influences – from Benedictine saints to Patti Smith. But despite (or because) all of this, Rosalía has gone on record referring to Lux as, ultimately, a pop album. That's where we come in. On this episode of Switched On Pop, Nate and Reanna put on their tour guide hats to talk all things Lux : its sonic genre-bending, Rosalía’s poetic lyricism, and her hyper-local flamenco influence. Check out Bella Freud's interview with Rosalia on Fashion Neurosis Songs discussed: Rosalía – Berghain Rosalía – Bizcochito Rosalía – De Madrugá Rosalía – Mio Cristo Rosalía – La Yugular Björk – Joga Caroline Shaw, Roomful of Teeth – Partita for 8 Voices Rosalía – Sexo, Violencia y Llantas Rosalía – Divinize Rosalía – Porcelana Rosalía – Dios Es Un Stalker The Police – Every Breath You Take Rosalía – La Perla Johann Strauss II – The Blue Danube Drake – Push Ups Rosalía – Sauvignon Blanc Lady Gaga – Grigio Girls Adele – I Drink Wine Rosalía – Focu ‘Ranni Rosalía – Novia Robot Rosalía – La Rumba del Perdón Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 4

They say the best revenge is living well, but if you’re a pop star going through a break up, that’s false. The best revenge is releasing a searing scorched-earth revenge banger that calls out your ex and, ideally, rides that vengeance to the top of the Billboard charts. That’s exactly what Tate McRae and Lily Allen have done in the wake of their high profile break ups; McRae with the track “TIT FOR TAT” and Allen with an entire album, West End Girl . On this episode of Switched On Pop, Charlie and Nate use these tracks to explore the art of the revenge song. Songs Discussed Tate McRae – TIT FOR TAT The Kid LAROI, Justin Bieber – STAY Angelo Badalamenti – Twin Peaks Theme Fleetwood Mac – Dreams Fleetwood Mac – Go Your Own Way Bizarrap, Shakira – Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53 Lilly Allen — West End Girl, Madeline, 4chanstan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices