Noah Kahan is having a banner year. Between his Best New Artist nomination at the Grammys, his debut SNL performance, and collaborations with everyone from Post Malone to Hozier, the Vermont singer-songwriter has transcended the confines of New England to become one of the harbingers of the 2023 stomp-clap revival. This episode of Switched on Pop, host Charlie Harding sits down in person with Kahan to find some secret magic chords, opine on car commercial music, and talk about all things Stick Season. 

Songs Discussed

Noah Kahan - Stick Season

Noah Kahan - You’re A Mess

Paul Simon - Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard

James Taylor - Sweet Baby James

Cat Stevens - Father & Son

The Avett Brothers - Live and Die

Lumineers - Hey Ho

Olivia Rodrigo - Stick Season

Olivia Rodrigo - drivers license

Noah Kahan, Hozier - Northern Attitude

Noah Kahan - Homesick

Sam Fender - 17 Going Under

Phoebe Bridgers - Moon Song

Simpler Times - Roll in my Sweet Baby’s Arms

Noah Kahan, Post Malone - Dial Drunk

Taylor Swift - Mean

Olivia Rodrigo - Logical

Noah Kahan - Young Blood

Noah Kahan - Catastrophize


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Noah Kahan’s Folk Pop Revival

A podcast all about the making and meaning of popular music. Musicologist Nate Sloan & songwriter Charlie Harding pull back the curtain on how pop hits work magic on our ears & our culture. From Vulture and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Music

Music Interviews

Music Commentary

Music History

The beginning of 2024 has brought new music aplenty. Some big releases are in the form of big-ticket albums by the world’s biggest superstars (shoutout Taylor and Beyoncé); some are in the form of soon-to-be radio-friendly staples (we love you, "Espresso"); and some are in the form of personal earworms (Justice! Rosie Tucker! Dua!).
This episode of Switched on Pop, we take a look at the records that we can’t stop listening to from the past few months, from Metro Boomin to Kacey Musgraves to Willow Smith. 

Songs discussed: 

Metro Boomin, Future, Kendrick Lamar – Like That

J Cole – 7 Minute Drill

Drake – Push Ups

Rick Ross – Champagne Moments

WILLOW – Big Feelings

Hozier – Too Sweet

Sabrina Carpenter – Espresso

Justice, Tame Impala – One Night/All Night

Justice – Generator

Rosie Tucker – All My Exes Live In Vortexes

Lizzy McAlpine – I Guess

Kacey Musgraves – Too Good To Be True

Maggie Rogers – The Kill

Dua Lipa – Illusion

Kacey Musgraves – Deeper Well


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Best of 2024 so far: hip hop feuds, Hozier’s pop surprise and espresso shots

The Tortured Poets Department, Taylor Swift's 11th studio album, finds the songwriter in the world of literature. She interweaves personal romance with mythical creation and quotations from high and low culture: Genesis, Peter Pan and even Playstation. Despite calling herself a "modern idiot," less-than-subtle nods to Sylvia Plath, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Dylan Thomas, and Patti Smith reveal the artist’s literary aspirations and “legendary” status. The full length Anthology version contains a bookshelf of many genres: pulp fiction, diary entries, period pieces, epic poems, and her very own genre, Taylor Swift.
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Taylor Swift's Literary Era

Lost Notes by KCRW explores how Fela Kuti’s time in LA in 1969 was instrumental in the creation of his legendary Afrobeat sound. Hosted by Michael Barnes and Novena Carmel. Find a full transcript of Lost Notes at KCRW. And subscribe to the show.
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Lost Notes: How Fela Kuti Found Afrobeat in LA

There are few artists pushing the boundaries of their respective genres like Maryland rapper Rico Nasty and German-Iraqi electronic producer Boys Noize. The two have run in the same circles for over half a decade, but their joint collaboration has reached an apex with their three song EP, HARDC0RE DR3AMZ, a dance-floor ready project that owes as much to Berlin techno as it does to Dutch gabber music. Rico and Boys Noize – a.k.a. Alexander Ridha – are also incredible friends with a lot of love for one another, and for producer Reanna Cruz, all of these reasons make the duo’s EP one of the best projects of the year.

On the heels of Berlin techno being added to the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage for Germany, Reanna sat down with Rico and Alex for this episode of Switched on Pop.
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Berlin's Hottest Club is Rico Nasty & Boys Noize

Joe Keery is best known for his acting roles, such as the reformed jock Steve Harrington in "Stranger Things" and his chilling performance in season 5 of "Fargo." But he's also a spectacular musician. Rising through the Chicago music scene in college, he has self-released two albums under the moniker 'Djo.' His latest work, "Decide" from 2022, serves as a coming-of-age story and a meditation on navigating modern life. Despite strong initial reviews, the album only gained widespread attention two years later when its breakout hit "End of Beginning" became a soundtrack for youthful nostalgia on TikTok, casting Keery as an accidental pop star. Joe Keery joined "Switched On Pop" to discuss the creation and significance of "Decide."

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Noah Kahan’s Folk Pop Revival

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