Pop Pantheon

Louie and Russ discuss recent career developments for Harry Styles, Bruno Mars, Zara Larsson, BTS, and Robyn and whether they're currently trending upward or downward in the Pop Pantheon. Gorgeous Gorgeous LA 4/2 Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC 4/8 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.

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, From Sabrina and Justin to Addison, Pink Panthress, Slayyyter, & Katseye, Louie and Russ talk some of the buzziest performances from Coachella weekend. They also dig into Lady Gaga and Doechii's "Runway" and Russ' experience seeing Lily Allen perform West End Girl live. 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. Note for iOS users: Subscribe using your desktop or mobile browser, not the iOS Patreon app, for cheaper rates on Pop Pantheon: All Access. 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.

Louie is joined by Vulture's Jason P. Frank, Pitchfork's Walden Green, and critic Lauren Michele Jackson to draft the 20 best Lana Del Rey songs of all time. Gorgeous Gorgeous LA 4/2 Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC 4/8 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.

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ are joined by The Fader's Steffanee Wang to break down new albums from Raye and Slayyyter. 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. Note for iOS users: Subscribe using your desktop or mobile browser, not the iOS Patreon app, for cheaper rates on Pop Pantheon: All Access. 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.

Mic The Snare returns to Pop Pantheon to unpack the career of one of the most successful bands of the century, Maroon 5. Louie and Nick dig into the M5's beginnings as a high school band called Kara’s Flowers, their pivot to funky pop rock on their 2002 blockbuster debut Songs About Jane, and the softer reception to their second and third records— as well as the start of lead singer Adam Levine’s tenure on NBC's The Voice— that lead to a commercial rebirth for the ages with the pop banger “Moves Like Jagger." Finally, Louie and Nick break down Maroon 5’s descent into the dregs of the pop machine that produced some truly unfortunate music but kept them, sometimes bafflingly, at the top of the charts through most of the 2010s and finally, rank the group in The Official Pop Pantheon. Check out our Maroon 5 Essentials Playlist 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.

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ talk about their experiences seeing Zara Larsson's Midnight Sun Tour before breaking down new albums from Charlie Puth and Robyn 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. Note for iOS users: Subscribe using your desktop or mobile browser, not the iOS Patreon app, for cheaper rates on Pop Pantheon: All Access. 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.

Louie is joined by Shaad D'Souza and Reanna Cruz to count down their favorite pop albums of the century so far. 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.

Journalist and editor Crystal Bell joins Russ from Seoul, South Korea to break down BTS' big comeback. Last week, the K-pop boy band released their first studio album in six years, Arirang, following each member of the group completing South Korea's mandatory military service. Crystal and Russ break down the album, BTS' live performance comeback and their new Netflix documentary BTS: The Return. Then they discuss BLACKPINK's recent EP, Deadline, and discuss how K-Pop has changed since both groups rose to prominence and helped to popularize K-Pop around the world. Read Crystal's cover story profile of Jung Kook in Rolling Stone Read Crystal's review of BTS: The Return in Mashable Follow Crystal on Instagram Sign up for updates about Louie's book, Queen! Icon! Legend! 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.

Friend of the Pod Sam Murphy recently posted a TikTok positing an interesting question about whether Hot 100 #1s have the same salience as they used to have. To parse this question out further, Louie is joined by Sam and Chris to talk about the state of the #1 single, the Billboard charts, and what it all says about the music listen functions in 2026. 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.

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Happy Oscars! To celebrate the big day and our fav prolific Oscars also-ran, we're dropping All Access early and drafting the 20 best Diane Warren songs of all time with our pals Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber of Who? Weekly. Tell us your Diane favs in the comments and enjoy this wild ride through one of the best songwriting discographies in pop history. 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. Note for iOS users: Subscribe using your desktop or mobile browser, not the iOS Patreon app, for cheaper rates on Pop Pantheon: All Access. 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.

For the conclusion of our Whitney Houston Series, Louie and Russ play clips from all three guests— Emily Lordi, Jason King, & Gerrick Kennedy— plus take listener calls to finally determine if Whitney Houston is in Tier 1 of the Pop Pantheon. Whitney Houston Essentials Playlist Buy tickets to Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC on 3/20 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.

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Two of the biggest male pop stars of the day, Harry Styles and Bruno Mars, just returned with new albums after relatively long absences. What's new with these two and what do they have to say after years out of the spotlight? On this episode, Louie and Russ unpack Bruno Mars' The Romantic and Harry Styles' Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally. 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. Note for iOS users: Subscribe using your desktop or mobile browser, not the iOS Patreon app, for cheaper rates on Pop Pantheon: All Access. 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.

Gerrick Kennedy, author of Didn't We Almost Have It All: In Defense of Whitney Houston, joins Pop Pantheon for the third in our four-part series on the pop supernova Whitney Houston. Louie and Gerrick discuss Whitney’s most consistent and idiosyncratic album, 1998’s My Love Is Your Love, and its follow-up, the defensive flop, 2002’s Just Whitney, her only without Clive Davis at the helm. They unpack Whitney’s devolving public image through the late '90s and aughts, her appearances in the 2005 reality series Being Bobby Brown, unpack her final album, 2009's I Look to You, her final days and untimely death in 2012, and her enduring legacy. Join us next week, in which we’ll rank Whitney Houston in The Official Pop Pantheon. Whitney Houston Essentials Playlist Buy tickets to Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC on 3/20 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.

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Lady Gaga's 7th studio album, Mayhem, turns one year old this week. To celebrate, Louie and Russ look back on the Grammy winner, going track-by-track on the record that had Gaga proclaiming, "my nachos are mine, I invented them, and I’m proud of them!" 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. Note for iOS users: Subscribe using your desktop or mobile browser, not the iOS Patreon app, for cheaper rates on Pop Pantheon: All Access. 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.

Dean of the USC Thornton School of Music Jason King returns to Pop Pantheon for the second in our four-part series on the late, great pop Whitney Houston. Louie and Jason dissect Whitney’s unprecedented run of cultural dominance through the '90s, from her iconic Super Bowl 1991 performance to 1992's The Bodyguard, the best-selling soundtrack of all time. They then discuss Whitney’s troubled marriage to Bobby Brown, her continued run of film and soundtrack success with 1995’s Waiting to Exhale and 1996's The Preacher’s Wife, and how her pristine public image, blockbuster commercial success, and messy personal life began to conflict as the '90s wore on. Join us next week, in which we’ll discuss Whitney’s creative peak in 1998 with My Love Is Your Love, her later era work, her untimely passing, and legacy. Whitney Houston Essentials Playlist Buy tickets for Main Pop Girls on 2/27 in NYC 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.

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Rihanna's 8th (and last?????) studio album Anti dropped a decade (!!) ago. To celebrate ten years, Louie and Russ look back on the record, going track-by-track on RiRi's loosest, most internal, and adventurous album, both a crowning achievement and frustrating cornucopia of unfulfilled potential. 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. Note for iOS users: Subscribe using your desktop or mobile browser, not the iOS Patreon app, for cheaper rates on Pop Pantheon: All Access. 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.

Author of the forthcoming book Holding Lightning: The Life, Loves, and Art of Whitney Houston Emily Lordi returns to Pop Pantheon to kick off our special four-part on a pop star known as “The Voice” – perhaps the single greatest singer to ever grace the charts— Whitney Houston. Louie and Emily dig into Whitney’s origins in New Jersey, her musical family and first taste of the industry as a teenage model and session singer. Then they discuss her providential link-up with record man Clive Davis, her 1985 self-titled debut album, and first string of blockbuster singles. Next they unpack 1987’s Whitney, her infamous appearance at the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards, and finally, her musical pivot towards R&B on 1990’s I’m Your Baby Tonight. Join us next week, in which we’ll discuss Whitney's 1991 Super Bowl National Anthem, The Bodyguard, and her run of smash movies and soundtracks. Whitney Houston Essentials Playlist Buy tickets for Main Pop Girls on 2/27 in NYC 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.

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ take more listener questions on Grimes, the best solo singles from former boy banders and girl groupers, who's on their Niche Legend Mount Rushmore, and more! 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. Note for iOS users: Subscribe using your desktop or mobile browser, not the iOS Patreon app, for cheaper rates on Pop Pantheon: All Access. 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.

Louie and Russ crack open the mailbag and answer listener questions about everything from the lack of buzz for Lorde post Virgin to what videos we like to put on at Gay Guy Music Video Night, our Letterboxd Top 4 and more. Buy tickets for Main Pop Girls on 2/27 in NYC Buy tickets to Gorgeous Gorgeous LA 2/13 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.

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Friend of the Pod Reanna Cruz joins Louie and Russ to break down Bad Bunny's historic Super Bowl Super Bowl halftime show performance and Charli XCX's.... less historic new film, The Moment. 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. Note for iOS users: Subscribe using your desktop or mobile browser, not the iOS Patreon app, for cheaper rates on Pop Pantheon: All Access.