Kesha released her sixth studio album on Friday – notably, her first as an independent artist. Friend of the pod Brittany Spanos of Rolling Stone joins Russ to break down Period's highs and lows, what it means for Kesha to make unapologetic party music again and where she sits in the pop firmament as she heads out on a roaring summer tour with The Scissor Sisters.

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We put out another call for our audience's most unpopular pop opinions and boy did you deliver. Switched on Pop producer Reanna Cruz joins Russ to field unpopular pop opinions about Lady Gaga’s vocal abilities, Taylor Swift’s videography AND discography, Charli XCX’s refusal to let the brat moment die and, of course, Benson Boone. Plus Reanna and Russ reveal some of their OWN unpopular opinions in the process…

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Lorde's long-awaited fourth studio album, Virgin, dropped this past Friday and finds the New Zealand savant both looking backwards at past sounds and versions of herself while exploring new writing modalities. Louie and Russ dig into the new music, its candid, grimy explorations of gender, sexuality, the body, and being in your late 20s and how Lorde's new dedication to reveling in mess affects her status as a generational pop prophet. 

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.

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Louie and Russ gather for an installment of "Step Up, Step Down," where they discuss recent career developments for Miley Cyrus, Drake, The Weeknd, Megan Thee Stallion, & Ed Sheeran and whether they are currently trending up or down in the Pop Pantheon.

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Sister auteurs Haim returned on Friday with their 4th studio album, I Quit. Writer and editor Alex Frank joins Louie to talk about the new record, how Haim fairs on their first songs without long-time collaborator Ariel Rechtshaid but— due to Danielle's and his' recent breakup— his specter hanging all over this music, the notion of "quitting," and how this album campaign is attempting, perhaps in vein, to launch Haim to a new echelon of fame.

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.

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Rolling Stone’s Rob Sheffield returns to Pop Pantheon for the second and final part in our Elton John series. Rob and Louie pick up on Elton’s career after his initial run of hits in the 1970s at the tail end of his imperial phase. They then discuss his prolific career from 1975’s autobiographical Captain Fantastic to his poorly received disco record in 79, Victim of Love, and his comeback via 1983's Too Low for Zero. Next, they tackle later era Elton, from his Disney hits to his work on Broadway, 1997's re-recording of "Candle in the Wind" and his collabs with pop ingénues like Dua Lipa. Finally, they rank Elton John in The Official Pop Pantheon.

Listen to Pop Pantheon's Elton John Essentials Playlist

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Rolling Stone’s Rob Sheffield makes his Pop Pantheon debut for our special two-part Pride series on one of the most iconic queer figures in pop history, Elton John. Louie and Rob dig into Elton’s musical roots, his band Bluesology and his early work with lyricist and creative partner Bernie Taupin. From there, they discuss his 1970 breakthrough with “Your Song” and his seminal run of mid-1970s “classic period” albums and hits, including records like 1971’s Tumbleweed Connection, 1972’s Honky Château, 1973’s Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player and Elton’s audacious double-album blockbuster Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973). 

Tune in next week for part two, covering the many peaks and valleys of Elton’s post-imperial run career, his legacy as a queer pop star and his ranking in the Official Pop Pantheon.

Listen to Pop Pantheon's Elton John Essentials Playlist

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Tik Tok Influencer turned gay pop fan cause célèbre Addison Rae dropped her debut album, Addison, last Friday following a series of surprisingly great singles. Does the record meet the hype? How does Addison translate in album form? And how unlikely is it for this former social media star to suddenly emerge as the vanguard pop diva du jour? Louie and Russ discuss it all.

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Rolling Stone staff writer Larisha Paul returns to Pop Pantheon to discuss the best pop songs you might have missed so far in 2025. Larisha and Russ talk about what it takes to break through in today's over-saturated pop market and what's happening on the outskirts of the mainstream pop world, then they each share some of their favorite bubbling under and over-looked songs from the first half of 2025.

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Listen to a playlist of Russ + Larisha's selections

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Read Larisha's column on why every song sounds like an audition for The Voice now

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ get together to talk Louie's night at Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter show in New Jersey, Taylor Swift buying back her masters and how it impacts the legacy of the re-recording project, and Miley Cyrus' latest opus, Something Beautiful, which dropped on Friday. Plus, Louie tries Selena Gomez's Oreos live on air!

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.