Greatest Pop Stars

He'd been on something of a commercial cold streak in the U.S., but in 1983, David Bowie decided it was time for him to take on MTV-era superstardom — which he did, with the biggest pop year of his career, and the start of a period he later looked back on in anger. On this Vintage Pop Stardom episode of the Greatest Pop Stars podcast, host Andrew Unterberger is joined by pop and chart history expert Chris Molanphy following the 10th anniversary of Bowie's death to remember all things about his '83, including the blockbuster 'Let's Dance' album and its chart-topping title track, as well as "China Girl," "Modern Love," his MTV dominance and film dalliances, and an overall year of unprecedented (and ultimately divisive) Bowiemania.

Watch a YouTube playlist of 1983 Bowie moments discussed on the podcast here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFs58D1XAMY0V68CjOwUVeL5oMCfoopO&si=GdleJqow4BHWZYXM

Find episodes of Chris' 'Hit Parade' podcast here:

https://slate.com/podcasts/hit-parade

And if you enjoy the pod, please consider donating to the following causes:

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Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Charli xcx kicked off what is looking to be an absurdly prolific year at the movies with two film projects already this year: Her self-starring not-quite-autobiographical January mockumentary 'The Moment,' and the Valentine's Day weekend-released latest 'Wuthering Heights' adaptation, with her doing an entire accompanying album. On this week's Pop Star Performance Review, host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard's Kyle Denis to evaluate the year in Charli Cinema thus far, and look forward to the many many trips to the theater still to come with her 2026.

Find our YouTube playlist for 2026 Charli Cinema here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFs58D1XAMaCcT-vSmvUYZ5wAHeBikBd&si=zFYqz4p9U1VNVZGa

And please consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Trans Lifeline

https://translifeline.org/

Destination Tomorrow

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Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

https://5calls.org/

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During a crowded past month in pop stardom, one of the most interesting stories has been the unexpected arrival of country signer/songwriter Ella Langley not just as a major new star, but a Billboard Hot 100-topping hitmaker — making her part of an extremely exclusive club of female country artists to go No. 1. This week, host Andrew Unterberger is joined by country journalist Marissa Moss of the excellent Don't Rock the Inbox newsletter to look at how Langley got here, what her success means for country music going forward, and what adjustments the crossover star might have to make in the world of pop stardom.

Subscribe to Don't Rock the Inbox here:

https://www.dontrocktheinbox.com/

Find Marissa's 'Her Country' exploration of women in 21st century country here:

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250793591/hercountry/

And please consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Trans Lifeline

https://translifeline.org/

Destination Tomorrow

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Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

https://5calls.org/

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For the second straight February, it's our Greatest Pop Star of last year's biggest moment yet! After many months of buzz and controversy — follow Kendrick Lamar's months of buzz and controversy last year — this time it was Bad Bunny's turn to take the stage at Super Bowl LX to cap his last year of triumph, delivering one of the most-anticipated and ultimately mostly hotly debated halftime show sets of our lifetime. Host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard's Emily Fuentes to discuss how Bad Bunny rose to the occasion in his biggest global spotlight moment yet, whether or not we approved of his setlist and guest list, if we think he met the moment with appropriate loudness, and how we think he's going to fare on the charts next week in one of our most fascinating Hot 100 showdowns this decade.

Watch YouTube of the performance here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6FuWd4wNd8&pp=ygUUYmFkIGJ1bm55IHN1cGVyIGJvd2w%3D

And please consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Trans Lifeline

https://translifeline.org/

Destination Tomorrow

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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On this Who Won the Month episode of the Greatest Pop Stars podcast, host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard staffers Trevor Anderson and Eric Renner Brown to discuss the big pop stars, rising prospects and veteran greats who were heard from loudest in January 2025 — which was largely defined by the beginning of massive album rollouts for Bruno Mars, Harry Styles and other big pop names. We each choose our top fives for the month that was, then we talk some disappointing recent performances, and look ahead to who we're most anticipating hearing more from in the first months of 2026.

If you enjoy the pod, check out out our 2025 Who Won the Month recaps here:

https://www.billboard.com/t/who-won-the-month/

Find our YouTube playlist for our January 2026 pop stars here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFs58D1XAMb8mZPFJltD9ovK4VuPhlnx&si=omKaF07TcXLFkWhy

And please consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Trans Lifeline

https://translifeline.org/

Destination Tomorrow

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

https://5calls.org/

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Our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 series concludes its top 10 countdown with a look at our No. 1 artist, Bad Bunny. Host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard's Isabela Raygoza to talk about Bad Bunny's second year finishing atop our Greatest Pop Stars rankings — with a chart-topping, Grammy-nominated blockbuster album in 'Debí Tirar Más Fotos,' a trio of top 10 hits, a headline-making residency, a whole lot of classic music videos, two film roles, endless TV appearances and his biggest gig of this era still yet to come.

Find all our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 essays and podcasts here:

https://www.billboard.com/t/greatest-pop-stars-of-2025/

Check out a YouTube playlist of all the best Bad Bunny 2025 moments here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFs58D1XAMZddeTanY1cA2KWi0GubDX6&si=1zL5PCBj6_NX_43X

And please consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Trans Lifeline

https://translifeline.org/

Destination Tomorrow

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

https://5calls.org/

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Our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 series continues its top 10 with a look at our No. 2 artist, Taylor Swift. Host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard's Denise Warner to talk about Taylor Swift's incredible sixth straight year in the top five of our Greatest Pop Stars rankings — with a full-circle moment in her masters reacquisition, a beyond-historic first week on the Billboard 200 for her 'Life of a Showgirl' album, and plenty more incredible moments serving as crucial checks off the career to-do list for the biggest pop star of the 2020s.

Find all our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 essays and podcasts here:

https://www.billboard.com/t/greatest-pop-stars-of-2025/

Check out a YouTube playlist of all the best Taylor Swift 2025 moments here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFs58D1XAMYJCylODGk0ADiLpV3Mmzoj&si=c5W32Yum49YhvSyw

And please consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Trans Lifeline

https://translifeline.org/

Destination Tomorrow

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

https://5calls.org/

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Our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 series continues its top 10 with a look at our No. 3 artist, Lady Gaga. Host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard charts senior analyst/writer Eric Frankenerg to talk about Lady Gaga's return to the top five of our Greatest Pop Stars list — with a chart-topping album on the Billboard 200, a chart-topping hit on the Billboard Hot 100, one of the year's biggest and most spectacular live shows, and a year full of Classic Gaga moments to remind longtime fans (and everyone else) that she's one of the best to ever do this thing.

Find all our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 essays and podcasts here:

https://www.billboard.com/t/greatest-pop-stars-of-2025/

Check out a YouTube playlist of all the best Lady Gaga 2025 moments here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFs58D1XAMYJCylODGk0ADiLpV3Mmzoj&si=c5W32Yum49YhvSyw

And please consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Trans Lifeline

https://translifeline.org/

Destination Tomorrow

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

https://5calls.org/

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Our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 series continues its top 10 with a look at our No. 4 artist, Kendrick Lamar. Host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard Hip-Hop's Carl Lamarre to talk about Kendrick Lamar's second straight year in our top five Greatest Pop Stars — as his 2024 dominance just kept rolling through the first half of 2025, with Lamar continuing to top the Billboard charts, score Grammy recognition (for both 2025 and 2026) and find his way to the center of popular culture, much to the delight of everyone except for one particular rapper from the North.

Find all our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 essays and podcasts here:

https://www.billboard.com/t/greatest-pop-stars-of-2025/

Check out a YouTube playlist of all the best Kendrick Lamar 2025 moments here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFs58D1XAMZqZWd0paic8g4tbBNX-LKX&si=PoWwOZ2xjvmafs2G

And please consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Trans Lifeline

https://translifeline.org/

Destination Tomorrow

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

https://5calls.org/

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Our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 series continues its top 10 with a look at our No. 5 artist, Sabrina Carpenter. Host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Lina Morgan of the Song vs. Song podcast to talk about Sabrina Carpenter's second straight year in our top five Greatest Pop Stars — with another blockbuster album and smash hit lead single, topping Billboard charts and getting Grammy nominations with both, as well as another year of major touring, headline-making and near-total pop culture ubiquity.

Find all our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 essays and podcasts here:

https://www.billboard.com/t/greatest-pop-stars-of-2025/

Listen to the Song vs. Song Podcast here:

https://open.spotify.com/show/2ZPOSfyq3NwIsGGTPY1I10?si=ac6b2e655d974f40

Check out a YouTube playlist of all the best Sabrina Carpenter 2025 moments here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFs58D1XAMZJXyV1sM9zZKTdvKAGhVE0&si=r0KRHH6INVl10X8R

And please consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Trans Lifeline

https://translifeline.org/

Destination Tomorrow

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

https://5calls.org/

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