When They Popped - A Y2K Pop Culture Podcast

Mary and Kelsey share their final thoughts on the Backstreet Boys 30th anniversary celebration. Plus, get their thoughts on BSB superlatives and things to know if you’re planning to join the next Backstreet’s Back at the Beach celebration! Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypopped Email: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.com Website: linktree.com/whentheypopped

Live and *unedited* from Cancun, Mary and Kelsey share a recap of nights 3 and 4 Backstreet’s Back At The Beach, the Backstreet Boys’ 30th anniversary celebration. Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypopped Email: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.com Website: linktree.com/whentheypopped

Live and *unedited* from Cancun, Mary and Kelsey share a recap of nights 1 and 2 Backstreet’s Back At The Beach, the Backstreet Boys’ 30th anniversary celebration. Follow us on IG at @whentheypoppedpod for live updates!! Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypopped Email: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.com Website: linktree.com/whentheypopped

This week, Kelsey and Mary put on their critic hats and compile their top songs from 1999. This episode is loaded with contemporary favorites from Shania Twain, Cher, TLC, and enduring hits that will bring you right back to butterfly clips, like Kiss Me, Boom Boom Boom Boom, Mambo No. 5, Summer Girls, C’est La Vie, and more. As always, you can expect to learn how these songs took over the airwaves ahead of the new millennium and fun behind-the-scenes stories. Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypopped Email: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.com Website: linktree.com/whentheypopped

In this episode, Mary and Kelsey discuss when P!nk’s popped and her best-selling 2001 album, Missundaztood. They discuss top-charting hits Get The Party Started, Just Like A Pill, Don’t Let Me Get Me, and more of the bops, like Lady Marmalade, that made Pink the colossal pop star she is today. Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypopped Email: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.com Website: linktree.com/whentheypopped

Mary and Kelsey are thrilled to welcome the hilarious and charming Kelly Clinger, former backup singer for Britney Spears and all-around gem of a human, back to the pod to answer your questions! Plus, Kelly, who grew up alongside *NSYNC and was there from the very beginning, tells us what it was like to hear their newest song on Justin Timberlake’s latest album, and seeing the group reunite at Justin’s recent LA show. They also discuss Britney Spears’ memoir, and some of Kelly’s never-before-seen pop culture history relics she found in her recent move. Visit @whentheypoppedpod on Instagram to see them! Be sure to follow Kelly at @kelcling on Instagram! Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypopped Email: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.com Website: linktree.com/whentheypopped

In this week’s episode, Mary and Kelsey throw it back to the magical year of 2004 to discuss top hits from Lil Jon, Usher, JoJo, J-Kwon, Baby Bash, Linkin’ Park, and more. They also debate age-old questions that sprung from this era, like what did Kelis’ Milkshake really mean, how does one shake it like a saltshaker as the Ying Yang Twins intended, and if Chingy’s hit Holidae Inn raised the cultural stock of the hotel chain. Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypopped Email: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.com Website: linktree.com/whentheypopped

In the second and final part of their Katy Perry deep dive, Mary and Kelsey explore Katy’s chart-topping singles from Teenage Dream: Complete Confection, Prism, Witness, and Smile. The gals also discuss Katy’s record-breaking Super Bowl Halftime Show that delivered us the Left Shark phenomenon (plus an update on where Left Shark is now!), her Vegas residency, and what Katy’s been up to lately. Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypopped Email: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.com Website: linktree.com/whentheypopped

Katy Perry’s first album came out in 2001, so Mary and Kelsey are considering her a y2k pop queen and thus deserving of her very own deep dive! In part I of those two-part episode, Mary and Kelsey discuss Katy’s transition from Christian rock to topping the pop charts with her first album, One Of The Boys, and Teenage Dream and a track by track analysis of when Katy popped! Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypopped Email: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.com Website: linktree.com/whentheypopped

25 years ago, tweens across Sweden - and soon after, the world - were introduced to the timeless musical stylings of ABBA thanks to a new group of young teens called ABBA Teens. Quickly after their first single, the group changed their name to A*Teens, and branched out from ABBA covers to create their own original music. In this episode Mary and Kelsey discuss A*Teens’ meteoric rise to international stardom, their biggest hits like Upside Down (Bouncing Off The Ceiling), Sugar Rush, Floorfiller and more, and their recent reunion. Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypopped Email: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.com Website: linktree.com/whentheypopped

We’re addic- we’re addicted to 2000s pop punk. It’s that simple. In this episode Mary and Kelsey revisit the discography of their biggest inspiration for emo AIM away messages: Simple Plan. They discuss their origin story, when they popped, and their biggest hits including I’m Just A Kid, I’d Do Anything, Perfect, Welcome To My Life, and more, plus an update on where you can catch them live on tour! Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypopped Email: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.com Website: linktree.com/whentheypopped

In honor of Valentine’s week, Mary and Kelsey are celebrating the season of love with an episode dedicated to the undisputed rom com queen of y2k: Cameron Diaz. The gals take a look back at their favorite Cameron movies including My Best Friend’s Wedding, There’s Something About Mary, and The Sweetest Thing. They discuss when Cameron popped and where she is now! Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypopped Email: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.com Website: linktree.com/whentheypopped

“I like your pants. I like your shirt. I like your face.” And we LOVE Alex M., the breakout star of Laguna Beach’s second season. Alex Murrel joins When They Popped to share her experiences and stories as a reality television pioneer and her favorite and not-so-favorite moments from the show. Alex also shares more about her post-Laguna life as a recording artist, and what she’s up to now as a supermom to her young children. Let the rain fall down, and let your volume turn up, because this is a juicy one!! Be sure to follow Alex on Instagram @alexmurrel and TikTok @alexmurreljohnson Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypopped Email: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.com Website: linktree.com/whentheypopped

To celebrate the 2024 Grammy Awards Kelsey and Mary are rewinding back 20 years to the 2004 awards ceremony. It was a breakthrough year for many artists who are now household names, like 50 Cent, Ludacris, Sean Paul, Beyoncé (solo), Avril Lavigne, and Evanescence. We also saw some familiar faves honored with nominations, like Missy Elliott, Eminem, Christina Aguilera, and The Neptunes. This episode is full of hot takes as the girls go through the list of top winners in a game of “were they robbed?” Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypopped Email: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.com Website: linktree.com/whentheypopped

In 2004, Perez Hilton founded his eponymous site, changing the celebrity gossip game forever. At its peak, PerezHilton.com is reported to have had 7 million visitors a day. In this episode, Mary and Kelsey look back at 20 years of “The Queen of All Media,” his biting commentary and signature (usually inappropriate) doodles, and the toxic tabloid culture of y2k. They also examine Perez’s instrumental role in kickstarting the careers of two of today’s biggest pop stars - Katy Perry and Lady Gaga - and his *very public* falling out with Gaga. They also discuss Perez’s change of heart in 2010 when he vowed to stop being mean to celebrities. If you ran to the computer lab between classes to refresh Perez’s site and read the latest celeb news, this episode is for you! Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypopped Email: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.com Website: linktree.com/whentheypopped

Mary and Kelsey continue their deep dive on Max Martin, this time focusing on Max’s collaborations with two of today’s hottest songstresses: Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande. This episode offers a detailed song-by-song look at Max’s work with these titans of pop, including Taylor’s Red, 1989, and Reputation albums, and Ariana’s My Everything, Dangerous Woman, and Sweetener. Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypopped Email: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.com Website: linktree.com/whentheypopped

Kelsey and Mary do a deep dive on their favorite subject, Max Martin. Max is the king of pop production, songwriting, and composition. He’s the brains behind hits like Baby One More Time, I Want It That Way, and Bye Bye Bye. What you may not know is that luckily for us, Max didn’t leave his hard-hitting beats in y2k. He has kept the hits rolling with stars like Celine Dion, The Weekend, Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, Pink, and more. This episode explores hits you probably didn’t know are Max bops (tbh, even Kelsey and Mary were shocked by some of them), his signature Swedish sound, and his recipe for a hit song. Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypopped Email: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.com Website: linktree.com/whentheypopped

You may know Devon Daniels for her witty romantic comedy books Meet You In The Middle, which was named one the Best Books of 2021 by USA Today, and The Rom Con. But you may not know she was also *heavily* featured in the I Want It That Way music video as one of the screaming fans at the iconic LAX plane hangar. Devon received more screen time than most thus becoming the object of young Mary and young Kelsey’s envy. In this episode, Mary and Kelsey finally get the opportunity to ask Devon all of their burning questions, like what it was like to be part of one of the most recognizable music videos of all time and going TikTok viral 20 years later for it. Devon hilariously recounts notable interactions with Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, Jessica Simpson, and her experiences sneaking into *the* events of the late 90s and early 2000s like the Kids’ Choice Awards and Blockbuster Movie Awards. Devon even shares her binder filled with celebrity photos with us and other behind-the-scenes gems, like the one and only celebrity to ever refuse a photo with her! Just like her books, Devon is wickedly funny and engaging. This episode is a must listen for any pop culture junkie. Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypopped Email: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.com Website: linktree.com/whentheypopped

Mary and Kelsey kick off 2024 and Season 2 of When They Popped with a retrospective look at the biggest chart toppers of 2005. This episode will bring you right back to your Juicy Couture jumpsuit and tall Ugg days with songs from Gwen Stefani, Kelly Clarkson, The Pussycat Dolls, Mariah Carey, Mario, Ciara, Green Day, and more. If your love for the pod is b-a-n-a-n-a-s please consider leaving us 5 stars and a review! Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypopped Email: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.com Website: linktree.com/whentheypopped

Grab your hot cocoa and weighted blanket because Mary and Kelsey are sharing their favorite holiday movies that’ll have you firing up Netflix to rewatch these Yuletide hits - Home Alone, Just Friends, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and Love Actually! As always the gals also spill some juicy behind-the-scenes details from the making of these iconic holiday staples. Thank you for listening and an incredible first season of When They Popped! Wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season and new year. See ya for Season 2 in 2024! Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypopped Email: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.com Website: linktree.com/whentheypopped