The Grammys really do this with a straight face every year and we're still CHAINED to the rhythm. Listen to the FIRST 10 MINUTES of this week's bonus Patreon episode:

Today we discuss The Weeknd (ie the industry at large) vs The Academy, the slow rise of Kaytranada (he's gay) and the very real curse of Best New Artist (sorry Megan). Plus, highlights and lowlights across all the categories, "Urban Contemporary", "Melodic Rap" and a comparison of our predictions vs YouTuber AJayII.

The 1st Annual Floppy Awards are coming soon. Subscribe at patreon.com/hotlocalsingles to hear this whole episode and VOTE EARLY

This week we talk about Grimes and the government, eurodance and Ava Max, Future's age, tons of new singles and Megan Thee Stallion’s ‘Good News’.

Here's the episode track list, playlist on Spotify:

'My Head & My Heart' by Ava Max, 'Regardless' by RAYE and Rudimental, 'Prisoner (ft Dua Lipa)' by Miley Cyrus, 'Holiday' by Lil Nas X, 'te pongo mal' by Kali Uchis, 'Man's World' by Marina, Megan Thee Stallion's 'Good News' album, 'Bitch Bites Dog' by Cecile Believe, 'Throatzillaaa' by Slayyyter, 'OHFR?' by Rico Nasty, 'Because of You' by Future and Lil Uzi Vert, and somehow 10 OTHER TRACKS...

Over on the Patreon pre-show we start the episode by talking some shjt. For extended cuts, tough love and bonus episodes subscribe at patreon.com/hotlocalsingles

Wait... was ‘Let’s Get R*tarded’ by Black Eyed Peas a dream? Why is 'Smack My B*tch Up' in so many movies? And did we just cancel M*donna's entire career by accident? 

Oh god, you asked for it... it’s Cancellation Police part 2! We’re serving justice today with our powerful, unf*ckwithable associates Madelyne and Leah from HIGH T PODCAST. 

On the docket are six controversial songs we're going to declare either CANCELLED or VALID: 'i wish you were gay' by Billie Eilish, ‘Vogue’ by Madonna, ‘I Kissed A Girl’ by Katy Perry, ‘What Do You Mean?’ by Justin Bieber, ‘Smack My Bitch Up’ by The Prodigy, and ‘Let’s Get Retarded’ by Black Eyed Peas. 

Catch Leah on Instagram and Twitter, Madelyne on Instagram and Twitter, plus their podcast High T on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and where ever else you'd like! 

Get in touch with HLS: voicemails at 647-847-8904 and voice notes to [email protected]

And as always subscribe on P*treon for more: patreon.com/hotlocalsingles

PATREON CLIP: Is poptimism a symptom of millennials? And what does Spotify's "Lorem" playlist tell us about Gen Z?

In this Patreon bonus we question if pop is still high-brow post-2010s and consider the new and familiar ways record labels are positioning their artists.

But first: Kylie Minogue really brought back disco with this one 

And: Dua’s London ‘Fever’ dream, chad surgery, election, depression, dating!

Hear this bonus episode and all the rest at patreon.com/hotlocalsingles

It's the return of the HOT LOCAL SPEED ROUND. We have 8 new pop singles on the docket just BEGGING to be assigned labels on the HLS binary... plus a major(ly reviled) new pop album we need to discuss. There’s some reflection up top on the past week in culture and what’s to come. And as always, we save some of the mess for the Patreon pre-show. 

After Witness-ing the Ariana Grande album backlash last week we have some questions: Where are the R&B fans? Did ‘Positions’ cement the end of tRaP-pOp? And if lyrics are relentlessly sexual, is it a concept album about sex? Hit play already and let’s talk. 

Full TRACKLIST for this episode as a Spotify playlist. Singles by Lana, CocoRosie and friends, Erika de Casier, Bebe Rexha with Doja Cat, Oneohtrix Point Never with The Weeknd, Salem, Dua Lipa with Angele, Little Mix, AND Junglepussy with Gangsta Boo. 

GET IN TOUCH: leave a comment at patreon.com/hotlocalsingles or send us a voice note at [email protected]

PATREON TRAILER starring our new French-Canadian AI voice actor Celine. Subscribe to hear this bonus episode: patreon.com/hotlocalsingles

Today we examine the intersection of ‘movies’ and ‘being offended’ like only Sacha Baron Cohen joints could allow. We’re talking Borat 2, Borat 1, Brüno and Ali G, so don’t listen in the van with the kids. THEN we catch up and go over “the most important news” of the week according to renowned content mill Billboard dot com.

Reviewing and rating us 5 stars on Apple Podcasts – IN

Superspreading this little podcast to friends – IN

Paying us 1 coffee or drink a month to hear our bonus episodes – IN

Pop culture being fun – OUT

Today Josh and Juan investigate five skinny white boys, all signed to major labels seemingly out of nowhere. And they all play guitar and have millions of listeners! Has anyone heard of this??

ROLE MODEL, YUNGBLUD, Alexander 23, Powfu, Lauv and Conan Grey. That's the hit list. Later we recommend beabadoobee and Jaden as respectable alternatives to this era of – and we need to call it what it is – rock's comeback. Spotify playlist here.

This week's bonus pre-show topics include: what is going on with my career? Plus: the music at Laser Quest, coding bootcamp, a boy, getting too many compliments, Fleshlights, pain down there and more. Hear it at patreon.com/hotlocalsingles

PATREON TRAILER: It’s everything time. On this exclusive unmoderated debate we discuss: the (alleged) corniness of Tinashe and Kaytranada, The Juendy Juilliams Show, post-cringe, Josh’s theory about Joe Biden and Grindr, Basement Jaxx, pull-up bars, Akira, Lana’s favourite mesh mask, an Abercrombiecore travel show from 2008, Mariah Carey’s Rarities, the first hot guys we saw on the internet, gay guys' death drives and more. Happy Thanksgiving to 28.44% of you! 

Hear the whole episode at patreon.com/hotlocalsingles 

PS: YouTube link to see Juan ‘on’ the Wendy Williams show, you can't miss him

For the first time ever on Hot Local Singles, a podcast about level-headed opinions on pop music, Josh and Juan ask for help. @TheReal_Xtian is here to hold TRUTH to POWER... 

Today we’re rating songs with our HOT vs LOCAL binary. Play along with us :) 

We talk new music by: Miley Cyrus, Zayn, Shygirl, Isabella Lovestory, Roisin Murphy, Kylie Minogue, BLACKPINK with Selena Gomez, Jonsi with Robyn, Megan Thee Stallion ft Young Thug and the episode’s record-breaking FOURTH gay guy Shawn Mendes. Get the full Spotify playlist here. 

As always, there’s MORE from this episode on our Patreon. It’s science, and scientific proof. It’s biology: patreon.com/hotlocalsingles. 

(We also play a clip of ‘levitating but megan thee stallion is featuring’ as mashed up by @justice4glitter on Twitter.)

PATREON TRAILER: What's hyperp*p? Who's Paris Hilt*n? Two questions so dangerous we had to LOCK them away from public access. In this Patreon bonus episode we thank our Little Locals and discuss PC Music label head A. G. Cook sending "the hyperpop community" into a spiral. Plus, Juan eviscerates Paris Hilton's YouTube doc (triggering a Dow meltdown in after-hours trading) AND we revisit her discography.

Hear the whole episode at patreon.com/hotlocalsingles