Pop Pantheon
Pop Pantheon is a podcast where host DJ Louie XIV and guests thoroughly analyze and overanalyze favorite pop stars, ultimately ranking them in the official Pop Pantheon. The show delves into the careers, music, and cultural impact of pop icons, offering deep dives and lively discussions. It is hosted on Acast.
Episodes
Karol G’s No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto + Becky G's Baraja Bendita (with Isabella Gomez Sarmiento) (Patreon preview)
NPR Music reporter Isabella Gomez Sarmiento returns to Pop Pantheon All Access to join Russ for a discussion about two albums from Latin pop stars released this month. First they tackle Karol G's sonic pivot on her recent breakup album No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto, then they unpack the many diverging paths that led to Becky G's new record Baraja Bendita. To hear the rest of the this episo
The Chaos and Calculations of Camila Cabello's C,XOXO (with Omri Rolan) (Originally Published on Patreon on 7/1/24)
Pop Pantheon is off until September. In the meantime, we're dropping some gems from our Patreon for free! This week, we're sharing our episode from July 2024 reviewing Camila Cabello's C,XOXO. If you like what you hear and want more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier to receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more. You can
New Music from Troye Sivan, Phoebe Bridgers, Ravyn Lanae & More (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ go deep on new songs from Troye Sivan, Flo, Ravyn Lanae, Phoebe Bridgers, Tyla, and Adela.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
Did Pop Music Used to Be Better?
Digging through this week's top ten from the last five decades— the 1980s, the 1990s, the 2000s, the 2010s, and today— Louie and Russ try to figure if pop music, at least the songs that reach the summit of the Billboard Hot 100, used to be better.Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow Pop Pantheon on InstagramFollo
Madonna's Confessions on a Dance Floor vs. Confessions II: Which is Better? (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ debate the age old question: Is Madonna's original Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005) or her recently released sequel Confessions II (2026) the stronger album?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
TEGAN AND SARA (with Annie Zaleski)
Author and critic Annie Zaleski returns to Pop Pantheon to discuss the career and legacy of a pair of queer icons: the Canadian sister act Tegan and Sara. Annie and Russ dig into the origin of the Quin sisters in Calgary, their folksy early albums, 2002’s If It Was You and the seminal indie pop classic So Jealous (2004). From there, they unpack Tegan and Sara’s brief flirtatious with the American
Ariana Grande Goes Dark on Petal (with Rachel Handler) (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, New York Magazine's Rachel Handler joins DJ Louie to talk discuss Ariana Grande's 8th studio album, Petal, which arrives amidst a swirl of public discourse around the pop diva and her recent announcement that she will be pulling back from public life.To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pan
Second Spin: MADONNA: PART 3 (with Annie Zaleski)
Louie and Russ are taking the last two weeks of July off! In the meantime, in light of the commotion over Confessions II, we're revisiting our Madonna series from 2023. Parts 1 and 2 published last week, and here is Part 3. Pop Pantheon will return with new episodes on August 6th. In the meantime, you can always hear new weekly episodes by subscribing at Patreon.com/PopPantheon.Join Pop Pantheon:
Charli XCX Bucks Brat on Music, Fashion, Film (with Joan Summers) (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Paper's Joan Summers joins DJ Louie to break down Charli XCX's anti-Brat follow-up to that blockbuster, her eighth studio album, Music, Fashion, Film.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
Second Spin: MADONNA: PART 2 (with Jason King)
Louie and Russ are taking the last two weeks of July off! In the meantime, in light of the commotion over Confessions II, we're revisiting our Madonna series from 2023. Part 1 published yesterday, Part 2 today, and Part 3 will come out next Thursday.Pop Pantheon will return with new episodes on August 6th. In the meantime, you can always hear new weekly episodes by subscribing at Patreon.com/PopPa
Second Spin: MADONNA: PART 1 (with Edward Russell)
Louie and Russ are taking the last two weeks of July off! In the meantime, in light of the commotion over Confessions II, we're revisiting our Madonna series from 2023. Part 1 will publish today, Part 2 tomorrow, and Part 3 next Thursday.Pop Pantheon will return with new episodes on August 6th. In the meantime, you can always hear new weekly episodes by subscribing at Patreon.com/PopPantheon.Join
Madonna's Halftime Show, Gracie Abrams' Daughter From Hell, + a Charli XCX Vibe Check (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ discuss Madonna's FIFA Finals Halftime Performance, talk about the vibes around Charli XCX on the eve of her new studio album, Music Fashion Film, and break down Gracie Abrams' Daughter From HellTo hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel
Are Oliva Rodrigo, Lizzo, and Madonna (!) Moving Up or Down in the Pop Pantheon?
In this week's Step Up, Step Down, Louie and Russ debate whether recent moves from Olivia Rodrigo, Lizzo, Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Kacey Musgraves constitute upward or downward trends for them in the official Pop Pantheon.Buy tickets to Gorgeous Gorgeous: Renaissance in NYCJoin Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollo
Bebe Rexha's Dirty Blonde + Hilary Duff's Luck... or Something (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Russ tells Louie about his interview with Bebe Rexha for PAPER and they discuss her place in the pop firmament following her new album Dirty Blonde. Then a listener-demanded and long, long awaited discussion about Hilary Duff's return to pop, Luck... or Something!To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episod
The Best Ariana Grande Songs of All Time (with Kyle Denis, Larisha Paul, & Nora Princiotti)
In anticipation of forthcoming 8th studio album, Petal, Louie is joined by Every Single Album's Nora Princiotti, Rolling Stone's Larisha Paul, and Billboard's Kyle Denis to draft the greatest 20 best Ariana Grande singles of all time. Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow Pop Pantheon on InstagramFollow DJ Louie X
The Revelations of Madonna's Confessions II (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, The Queen of Pop Madonna is back with her 15th studio album, Confessions II, her first since 2019's ghastly Madame X and the sequel to her beloved 2005 record Confessions on a Dance Floor. So did she pull off the comeback we almost didn't dare dream was possible? Louie and Russ discuss!To hear the rest of the this episode plus rece
Lizzo's Pass (with StraightioLab's George Civeris and Sam Taggart)
StraightioLab's George Civeris and Sam Taggart join Louie to discuss Lizzo's Pass – a concept Sam created to describe the fork in the road in which a pop star must decide to make music for Target of for Pitchfork.Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow Pop Pantheon on InstagramFollow DJ Louie XIV on InstagramFollow
MORE Listener Mailbag: Beyoncé, Olivia Rodrigo, Geese, and more! (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ are taking more listener questions about Beyoncé's Act III, the Geese psyop which Gen Z girlies have the biggest chance of reaching Tier 1 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: A
MICHELLE BRANCH & VANESSA CARLTON (with Molly Mary O'Brien)
Molly Mary O'Brien returns to Pop Pantheon to unpack the careers of two women who served as counter-programming to the mechanized teen pop that dominated the early 2000s: Michelle Branch and Vanessa Carlton. Molly and Louie discuss Michelle's 2001 slammer “Everywhere” and her glossy yet yearning album The Spirit Room and Vanessa’s instantly memorable “A Thousand Miles” and her 2002 album Be Not No
Ariana Grande's Dangerous Woman: Track-by-Track (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, On the eve of her eighth studio album, Petal, due next month, Louie and Russ are going track-by-track on Ariana Grande's third record, Dangerous Woman, which turns ten years-old this year.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, sub
New Pop Girl Power Ranking (with Ivy Wolk)
Actress and comedian Ivy Wolk returns to the podcast to power rank the new class of pop girlies with Louie and Russ. From Ella Langley to Holly Humberstone, Olivia Dean, Underscores, Audrey Hobert and more, they debate who's up, who's down, and who's got the best chance of sticking around for the rest of this year and beyond. Buy tickets to Gorgeous Gorgeous Pride in LA on 6/19 and NY 6/26Join Pop
The Utility of Cliché on Olivia Rodrigo's You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love (with Lauren Michele Jackson) (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie is joined by cultural critic Lauren Michele Jackson to break down Olivia Rodrigo's third studio album, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love. 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 Acc
Listener Mailbag! Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Janet Jackson, & More
Louie and Russ answer listener questions about where The Life of a Showgirl ranks amongst Taylor Swift's recent albums, how likely it is that Rihanna will ever release R8, pairing flopping pop stars with new producers, their favorite indie songs of the century, Louie's book publishing process, and so much more.Buy tickets to Gorgeous Gorgeous Pride in LA on 6/19 and NY 6/26Join Pop Pantheon: All A
New Music from Taylor Swift, Madonna, & Tinashe + Early Grammy Predictions (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ break down new singles from Taylor Swift, Tinashe, and Madonna, before tackling their way-too-early Grammy nomination predictions and playing a game of "Toy Sorry."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, su
RUPAUL (with Paper's Joan Summers)
PAPER senior editor Joan Summers returns to Pop Pantheon for a special Pride episode unpacking a complex but revolutionary figure who changed queer culture forever, Supermodel of the World RuPaul. Louie and Joan explore Ru’s roots, his rise in New York City and breakthrough with “Supermodel (You Better Work).” Then they discuss the music he made during his initial burst of fame and his second musi
Ariana Grande Makes a Half Hearted Return + Kim Petras Finds Her Groove (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ discuss the slightly confounding lead single from Ariana Grande's forthcoming eighth studio album Petal, plus Kim Petras' return to form on her 3rd debut record Detour.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
The Best Pop You Might Have Missed in 2026 So Far (with Pitchfork's Walden Green)
Russ is joined by Pitchfork's Walden Green to countdown their lists of the most underrated pop songs of the year so far.Check out a playlist of Russ and Walden's favsBuy tickets to Gorgeous Gorgeous Pride in LA on 6/19 and NY 6/26Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow Pop Pantheon on InstagramFollow DJ Louie XIV on
Madonna's Confessions on a Dance Floor: Track-by-Track (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, in anticipation of Madonna's 15th studio album, Confessions II, due out in July, Louie and Russ revisit the 2005's original Confessions on a Dance Floor, the Queen of Pop's last universally-adored effort.To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord cha
The Best Pop Songs of 2026 So Far (with NPR's Hazel Cills)
NOTE: A previous version of this episode had an editing error that caused cross-talk in the interview. If this episode auto-downloaded, delete it from your library and refresh the feed for the updated version. Thank you!From Robyn to Charlie Puth, Olivia Rodrigo, Haute & Freddy, Underscores, and more, Louie is joined by NPR's Hazel Cills to countdown their favorite Pop Songs of 2026 so far.Che
New Music From Charli XCX & Gracie Abrams, + Lady Gaga’s Mayhem Requiem and Blue Dot Fever (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ talk about Charli XCX's incoming rock era, Gracie Abram's new single, Lady Gaga's latest concert special, the why so many artists are cancelling their tours at the last minute.To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and so m
LILY ALLEN (with The Guardian's Laura Snapes)
The Guardian's deputy music editor Laura Snapes returns to Pop Pantheon to unpack the work and career of one of pop’s most trenchant storytellers, Lily Allen. Louie and Laura dig into Lily's MySpace origins and scrappy 2006 debut, Alright, Still, her status as a British tabloid fixture, and her 2009 electro pop record It's Not Me, It's You. From there, they track her decline in acclaim and on the
Beyoncé's B'Day at 20: Track-by-Track (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, to commemorate the twenty year anniversary of Beyoncé's beloved second solo album, 2006's B'Day, Louie and Russ go track-by-track on one of Queen B's most explosive, concise, and complicated works.To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel an
What Will Be The Song of Summer 2026?
"Drop Dead?" "Dracula?" Drake? Louie and Russ make bets on what they think will be The Song of Summer for 2026. Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC 4/8Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow Pop Pantheon on InstagramFollow DJ Louie XIV on InstagramFollow Russ on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informatio
Kacey Musgraves Goes Back to Basics + Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter & Zara Larsson (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ ponder the latest Madonna single, "Bring Your Love" featuring Sabrina Carpenter, Zara Larsson's remix album Midnight Sun: Girls Trip, and Kacey Musgraves' latest, Middle of Nowhere.To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and
Hot 100 Dumpster Dive 2026
Louie and Russ explore the mysterious Billboard Hot 100 and unpack a sample of songs they know nothing about,Gorgeous Gorgeous LA 4/2Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC 4/8Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow Pop Pantheon on InstagramFollow DJ Louie XIV on InstagramFollow Russ on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privac
An Empty Michael Jackson Biopic and a Lush Kehlani Album (with Mya Abraham) (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ are joined by journalist Mya Abraham to talk about the blockbuster new Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, as well as to deep-dive on R&B diva Kehlani's self titled studio album.To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and s
EN VOGUE (with NPR's Brittany Luse)
Journalist, critic and host of NPR's It's Been a Minute, Brittany Luse, makes her Pop Pantheon debut as we dive into the sassy, brassy ‘90s phenom En Vogue. Brittany and Louie explore the girl group’s prefab origins and their storm onto the Billboard charts with 1990’s Born To Sing. Next they dive into their classic sophomore album, 1992’s Funky Divas, their first member shake-up, and 1997’s EV3.
Madonna and Olivia Rodrigo End the Main Pop Girl Drought (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ discuss new music from Madonna and Olivia Rodrigo, and play a game where they predict the commercial and critical reception to a panoply of forthcoming pop girl albums.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
Are Harry Styles, Bruno Mars, and Zara Larsson Moving Up or Down in the 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 4/2Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC 4/8Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow Pop Pantheon on InstagramFollow DJ Louie
Coachella Weekend 1 + Lady Gaga and Doechii's New Single & Lily Allen Live (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, From Sabrina and Justin to Addison, Pink Pantheress, 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 receiv
The Best Lana Del Rey Songs of All Time (with Jason P. Frank, Walden Green, & Lauren Michele Jackson)
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.Check out a playlist of our best Lana songs of all timeGorgeous Gorgeous LA 4/2Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC 4/8Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow Pop Pantheon on
Raye’s This Music May Contain Hope + Slayyyter’s Worst Girl in America (with Steffanee Wang) (Patreon Preview)
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 al
MAROON 5 (with Mic The Snare)
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
Robyn and Charlie Puth Embrace Cringe + Zara Larsson Live (Patreon Preview)
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 RobynTo 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 Ac
The Best Pop Albums of the 21st Century So Far (with Shaad D'Souza & Reanna Cruz)
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 MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow Pop Pantheon on InstagramFollow DJ Louie XIV on InstagramFollow Russ on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
BTS, Blackpink + the State of K-Pop (with Crystal Bell) (Patreon Preview)
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. T
Do #1 Hits Matter Anymore? (With Chris Molanphy & Sam Murphy)
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 Cha
The Best Diane Warren Songs of All Time (with Bobby Finger & Lindsey Weber) (Patreon Preview)
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 songwrit
Is Whitney Houston Tier 1?
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 PlaylistBuy tickets to Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC on 3/20Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content an
Are the Boys Okay? Harry Styles vs. Bruno Mars (Patreon Preview)
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 Ti
WHITNEY HOUSTON: PART 3 (with Gerrick D. Kennedy)
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 unpa
One Year of Lady Gaga's Mayhem: A Track-by-Track Deep Dive (Patreon Preview)
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
WHITNEY HOUSTON: PART 2 (with Jason King)
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 marria
Rihanna's Anti Turns Ten: A Track-by-Track Deep Dive (Patreon Preview)
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 th
WHITNEY HOUSTON: PART 1 (with Emily Lordi)
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
Listener Mailbag: Grimes, Boy Bander Singles, & Our Niche Legend Mt. Rushmore (Patreon Preview)
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, subscrib
Mailbag: Gay Guy Music Video Night, Lorde’s Missed Moment, Letterboxd top 4 + More
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 NYCBuy tickets to Gorgeous Gorgeous LA 2/13Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch
Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl + Charli XCX in The Moment (with Reanna Cruz) (Patreon Preview)
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 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
The Long Road to Bad Bunny's Super Bowl (with Julianne Escobedo Shepherd and Alana Casanova-Burgess)
This Sunday, Bad Bunny will make history as the first Puerto Rican born and the first Latin male artist to headline the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Ahead of the big game, Russ is joined by Hearing Things co-founder Julianne Escobedo Shepherd and Alana Casanova-Burgess, co-creator + host of La Brega: Stories of the Puerto Rican Experience, to dig into the history of Latin performers at the Halftime S
What the 2026 Grammys Got Right and Wrong (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ dissect last night's Grammy Awards, from the very right (Bad Bunny takes Album of the Year :-)) to the very wrong (Billie Eilish wins Record of the Year!?!?! :-().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 P
The Best Pop Songs of the 21st Century So Far (with Brittany Spanos & Jason P. Frank)
From Beyoncé to Sophie, Jai Paul, Kelly Clarkson, Aaliyah, Nelly, Carly Rae Jepsen, and more, Brittany Spanos and Jason P. Frank join DJ Louie to countdown each of their Top 20 pop songs of the last quarter century . Listen to a playlist of our picks here (Apple Music link here!)Get tickets to Main Pop Girls on 2/27 at Parkside Lounge Get tickets to Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC on 1/31Get tickets to Gorg
Final Grammys Predictions! (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ make their final predictions about who will take home hardware on Sunday night at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards. To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly episodes of Pop Pantheon: All Access, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. You c
RICKY MARTIN (with Nuria Net)
Before Bad Bunny takes the stage at the Super Bowl, Pop Pantheon is exploring the career and work of another trailblazing Puerto Rican superstar, Ricky Martin. Nuria Net joins Louie to dig into Ricky’s origins as a boy bander turned soap star. The two discuss the music Ricky made with Menudo, his solo debut, and his global breakthrough with 1995's “Maria.” From there, they break down how an explos
Revisiting Harry Styles' Harry's House: Track-by-Track (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Superstar Harry Styles just announced that his fourth studio album, Kiss Me All The Time. Disco, Occasionally, will drop on March 6. To prep, Louie and Russ returned to his last record, 2022's Harry's House, to parse out their feelings on that Grammy Winner for Album of the Year, track by track.To hear the rest of the this episode plus
The Best Madonna Singles of All Time (with Joan Summers & Annie Zaleski)
Madonna Singles Draft! Louie and Russ are joined by Paper's Joan Summer and music journalist Annie Zaleski to join forces and pick the Top 20 Madonna Singles of All Time, draft style. Listen to a Spotify playlist of our Top 20 Madonna Singles of All TimeGet tickets to Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC on 1/31Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pa
New Music from Robyn & Bruno Mars + Reacting to More of Your Unpopular Opinions (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ talk about the lead single for Bruno Mars' forthcoming fourth studio album, "I Just Might," then break down the latest pairing from Robyn, "Talk to Me" and "Sexistential," and finally take on more of your unpopular opinions about Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Madonna, and Cyndi Lauper.To hear the rest of the this episode plus
Reacting to Your Unpopular Opinions about Addison Rae, Sabrina Carpenter, & More (with Ivy Wolk)
Louie and Russ are joined by actress, comedian and Pop Pantheon listener (!) Ivy Wolk to react to all of your most unhinged unpopular opinions about Addison Rae, Janet Jackson, Sabrina Carpenter, & More! Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow Pop Pantheon on InstagramFollow DJ Louie XIV on TwitterFollow DJ Loui
Ranking Every Taylor Swift Track 5 (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, for the first episode of 2026, Louie and Russ took on Taylor Swift's venerated "Track 5s," the fifth song on each of her album track lists that many fans view as the records' respective emotional cores. The boys go track by track chronologically through each Taylor album, then each share their Taylor Track 5 rankings. To hear the rest o
ABBA (with Carl Magnus Palm) (Rerun from 4/22/22)
Happy New Year! We'll be back next week with brand new episodes of Pop Pantheon. In the meantime, enjoy this rerun from April 2022, our Abba A-Side with Abba scholar Carl Magnus Palm.Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow Pop Pantheon on InstagramFollow DJ Louie XIV on InstagramJoin Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Pa
The Worst Pop of 2025 & Predictions For 2026 (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ shares their picks for the worst pop of the year, discuss what's in the pipeline for 2026 then make predictions for the next year in pop music.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
It's Addison Rae's World. We're Just Living in It (Rerun from 6/9/25)
Merry Christmas! We're off for the next couple weeks but as a little treat, we're re-running our episode reviewing Addison Rae's debut album, Addison, from June of this year. If you enjoy this episode and want to 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. For a limited time, enter the c
Top of the Flops 2025 (with Omri Rolan) (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, friend of the Pod Omri Rolan returns for the 3rd annual Top of the Flops – a celebration of all the best and biggest flops in pop music this year. Louie, Russ + Omri share their picks for the best pop music that flopped this year, announce the listener-voted award for Bellyflop of the Year and, finally, give away the Sabrina Carpenter A
The Best Pop Songs of 2025 LIVE! (with Lindsey Weber, Peyton Dix, and Jason Lipshutz)
Last Tuesday night in New York City, DJ Louie gathered an all-star panel— Who Weekly's Lindsey Weber, Lemme Say This' Peyton Dix, and Billboard's Jason Lipshutz— live on stage to break down of their favorite pop songs of 2025.Hear a playlist of this year's picksFill out Pop Pantheon's 2025 Listener SurveyJoin Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch i
Taylor Swift's New Docuseries + The Pop Pantheon Awards 2025! (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ break down the first two episodes of Taylor Swift's new docuseries, The End of an Era, Russ shares his top albums and songs of the year, and finally, the two announce all of YOUR favorites from the past year in pop music and culture.To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, g
The Best Pop Songs of 2025 LIVE! (with Lindsey Weber, Peyton Dix, and Jason Lipshutz) (Advance Drop - Patreon Preview)
Note: This full episode will be available for free on our main feed on Thursday.In a preview from Pop Pantheon: All Access, As a special treat for our paid subscribers, we're giving you next week's main feed drop, our Best Pop Songs of 2025 live show, almost a week in advance! On Tuesday, DJ Louie gathered an all star panel — Who? Weekly's Lindsey Weber, Lemme Say This' Peyton Dix, and Billboard's
The Best Pop Albums of 2025 LIVE! (with Ira Madison III, Doreen St. Félix, & Caryn Ganz)
On Tuesday night in New York City, DJ Louie gathered an all-star panel— critic and best-selling author Ira Madison III, writer and critic Doreen St. Félix, and New York Times Pop Music Editor Caryn Ganz— live on stage to break down of their favorite pop albums of 2025. Tune in next week for The Best Pop Songs of 2025! Fill out Pop Pantheon's 2025 Listener SurveyJoin Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our P
Our Best and Worst Concerts of 2025 (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, From Gaga to Addison, Lorde, Beyoncé, Scissors Sisters, Mary Blige, Katy Perry, and SO many more, Louie and Russ gather to rank their favorite (and least favorite) live shows of the past year.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, subs
What Rankings Have We Gotten Wrong? Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Pink, & More!
Louie and Russ take listener calls about Pop Pantheon rankings they may have gotten wrong this year and throughout the podcast's run.Fill out Pop Pantheon's 2025 Listener Survey Grab tickets to our Best Pop of 2025 Live Show LATE SHOW in NYC on 12/9Grab tickets to the final Gorgeous Gorgeous of 2025 in LA on 12/5Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop
Olivia Rodrigo's "Guts" Track-by-Track (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, with a new Olivia Rodrigo album seemingly on the horizon, Louie and Russ return to her sophomore effort, 2023's Guts, to parse their differing vibes on Olivia, reflect on the album's middling commercial performance, and... uh... gut-check on how the record's held up by going track-by-track.To hear the rest of the this episode plus recei
Katy Perry's Teenage Dream Track-by-Track + Black Friday Patreon Sales!
We're off for Thanksgiving so as a little treat, we're publishing a Patreon episode from earlier this year where Russ and Louie go track by track on Katy Perry's Teenage Dream, skipping the singles to decide whether the album is a classic— or even any good— without them. This is a little taste of what you’ll get if you subscribe to our Patreon show, where we publish weekly bonus episodes. We’ve go
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