Shows
Pop PantheonKYLIE MINOGUE: PART 4 (with Owen Myers, Sam Murphy, Michael Cragg, Joan Summers, & Katherine St. Asaph)To conclude our epic four-parter, the time has come to rank Kylie Minogue in the official Pop Pantheon! Louie and Russ convene an international gay summit with friends of the pod Owen Myers and Sam Murphy to break down one of the toughest tier rankings in Pop Pantheon history. Do we rank Kylie differently in different territories? Try to come up with a global ranking? How do we make sense of such an enigmatic career that played out so differently across different regions of the world? Panelists from the series Michael Cragg, Joan Summers, and Katherine St. Asaph all...
2025-08-141h 16
Leadership & Love (audio)EP 24: Daily Habits to Boost Focus, Health, and Performance: Louie Sharp’s 30-Day Energy ChallengeIn this energizing episode, Louie Sharp dives into the science and strategy of personal energy optimization, drawing powerful parallels between the human body and a finely tuned machine. With Einstein’s quote—“everything is energy”—as his foundation, Louie lays out accessible lifestyle shifts to boost your mental and physical performance.
Louie also digs into how you spend energy, followed by encouraging you to track your habits and redirect your attention to high-impact goals. He introduces simple stress management techniques and offers guidance on avoiding distractions and negative influences. Start taking real action TODAY by using Louie’s 30-Day Cha...
2025-07-0821 min
Leadership & LoveEP 24: Daily Habits to Boost Focus, Health, and Performance: Louie Sharp’s 30-Day Energy ChallengeIn this energizing episode, Louie Sharp dives into the science and strategy of personal energy optimization, drawing powerful parallels between the human body and a finely tuned machine. With Einstein’s quote—“everything is energy”—as his foundation, Louie lays out accessible lifestyle shifts to boost your mental and physical performance.
Louie also digs into how you spend energy, followed by encouraging you to track your habits and redirect your attention to high-impact goals. He introduces simple stress management techniques and offers guidance on avoiding distractions and negative influences. Start taking real action TODAY by using Louie’s 30-Day Cha...
2025-07-0821 minPop PantheonThe Best Pop of 2025 So Far (with Legends Only's Bradley Stern)Host of the Legends Only podcast Bradley Stern returns to Pop Pantheon to discuss the best pop songs of 2025 so far. First, Louie and Bradley discuss the broader trends— or perhaps the broader lack of trends— happening in pop music so far this year, before each sharing their list of favorites from the first half of 2025.Listen to Louie and Bradley's Favorite Pop Songs of 2025 So FarBUY TICKETS TO MAIN POP GIRLS: PRIDE ON JUNE 7 AT PARKSIDE LOUNGE!Gorgeous Gorgeous LA Pride on June 20 at Los GlobosGorgeous Gorgeous NYC Prid...
2025-05-291h 21Pop PantheonGaga Mailbag! + Kylie's Tour & Louie's Book (Patreon Preview)In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ are answering your burning questions regarding Mayhem, the tour, and so much more on Lady Gaga. They're also talking about seeing Kylie Minogue's North American arena tour and Louie's recently announced book! 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.
2025-04-0712 min
Pop PantheonIs Britney Spears Tier 1? (with Molly Mary O'Brien, Jason King, Doreen St. Félix, Ann Powers, Caryn Ganz, & Troy McEady)We've finally arrived! After four episodes and nearly ten hours of discussion and dissection, Pop Pantheon's Britney Spears Mega Series concludes with the big question: Is Britney Spears in Tier 1 of the Pantheon? To parse that out, Louie and Russ are joined by friend of the pod Molly Mary O'Brien to pull at this debate from every possible angle. Throughout the nearly two-hour (!!!) debate, they also hear from Dean of USC's Thornton School of Music's Jason King regarding his thoughts on Britney, her legacy, her ranking, and the Pantheon in general, along with ranking opinions from every...
2025-03-272h 00Pop PantheonThe Best Pop Albums of 2024 LIVE! (with Sam Murphy, Larisha Paul & Nora Princiotti)Last week, Louie, Nora Princiotti, Jason P. Frank & Julianne Escobedo Shepherd counted down their favorite pop songs of 2024 before duking it out to settle on Pop Pantheon's definitive pop songs of the year. This week, Louie is joined by Nora once again along with Rolling Stone's Larisha Paul and Sam Murphy to discuss their favorite albums of the last twelve months and land on Pop Pantheon's Top 5 Albums of 2024. Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous Presents: Y2GAY! The New Year's Eve Party in BrooklynJoin Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and...
2024-12-121h 32Pop PantheonThe Best Pop Songs of 2024 LIVE! (with Julianne Escobedo Shepherd, Jason P. Frank & Nora Princiotti)Live from Parkside Lounge in New York City, DJ Louie is joined by Hearing Things' Julianne Escobedo Shepherd, Vulture's Jason P. Frank and The Ringer's Nora Princiotti to countdown each of their favorite top ten pop songs of the year, before hashing out the definitive Pop Pantheon Top Ten Pop Songs of 2024. Check out a Spotify Playlist of Louie, Julianne, Jason & Nora's Favorite Pop Songs of 2024Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous Presents: Y2GAY! The New Year's Eve Party in BrooklynCome to Gorgeous Gorgeous LA on Dec. 7 at Los GlobosCheck...
2024-12-051h 11
Pop PantheonKELIS (with Variety's Steven J. Horowitz)Variety’s Steven J. Horowitz returns to Pop Pantheon to unpack the maddeningly underrated Kelis, who spent most of her career ahead of the curve and helped to carve out a new lane for alt-pop stardom in the 2000s. Louie and Steven dig into Kelis' origin story, from meeting The Neptunes as a teenager to her debut, 1999’s futuristic pop fantasia Kaleidoscope. From there, they unpack her success across the pond with 2001’s Wanderland and 2003’s ultra eclectic and masterful Tasty, which produced her biggest US hit and signature song, “Milkshake.” Next, they cover Kelis’s first foray away from The Neptu...
2024-10-311h 56
Pop PantheonBACKSTREET BOYS VS. *NSYNC (with NPR's Aisha Harris)Buy Tickets to Pop Pantheon Live! Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and the Millennial Diva Conundrum on 9/30 at Dynasty Typewriter in LA (DISCOUNT BEGINS AT 12AM on 9/20!) Buy Tickets to Pop Pantheon Presents Main Pop Girls Dance Party on 10/4 at Parkside Lounge in NYCIn a SUPERSIZED episode of Pop Pantheon, critic, writer and NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast host Aisha Harris returns to unpack the astonishing symmetry of two of the biggest boy bands in history, Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC. Aisha and Louie track their strikingly similar origins, their first brushes with success in...
2024-09-192h 28Pop PantheonBeyoncé's Cowboy Carter is a Genre Explosion (with Danielle Amir Jackson) (Originally Published on Patreon on 4/1/2024)Buy Tickets to Pop Pantheon Live! Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and the Millennial Diva Conundrum on 9/30 at Dynasty Typewriter in LAHappy Labor Day Weekend! Louie is still off on vacation so as a treat, we're republishing our Patreon review of Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter from back in April. If you like this episode and want to hear more like it, you can subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access for weekly bonus episodes of the show and so much more. You can also subscribe for the audio only direction in the Apple Podcasts App. ...
2024-08-2959 minPop PantheonListener Mailbag: Brat, Rihanna, Divas Live, Louie's Weird Vocabulary & More!Louie and Russ gather to answer YOUR questions! We're talking all our fantasy Brat remixes and a VH1 Divas Live revival, playing out thought experiments about Beyoncé and Rihanna and Louie gets personal about his career and vocab tics. Buy Tickets to Pop Pantheon Live! Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and the Millennial Diva Conundrum on 9/30 at Dynasty Typewriter in LAJoin Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Weekly Bonus Episodes and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreCome to Gorgeous Gorgeous: Los Angeles at Los Globos on 8/17
2024-08-2257 minPop PantheonNew Pop Girl Power Ranking ft. Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan & More (with Mikael Wood & Jason P. Frank)We thought 2024 was going to be dominated by a waterfall of new releases from Old Guard Superstars like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Ariana Grande and Dua Lipa. But while they've each had success, the main story of the last 12 months has been the auspicious establishment of a new generation of pop divas led by Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter, but also featuring Ice Spice, Gracie Abrams, Victoria Monet and more. For this week's B-Side, DJ Louie is joined by LA Times Pop Critic Mikael Wood and Vulture's Jason P. Frank to discuss how this new group of girlies h...
2024-08-081h 36
Pop PantheonMICHAEL JACKSON PT. 4: LEGACY (with Dr. Fredara Hadley)Professor of Ethnomusicology at Julliard Dr. Fredara Hadley joins Pop Pantheon for the culmination of our four-part series on the King of Pop. In the final installment, DJ Louie and Dr. Hadley tackle Michael Jackson’s music post-Thriller, starting with the signature ‘80s blockbuster Bad (1987) and 1991’s successful pivot toward New Jack Swing, Dangerous. From there, Louie and Dr. Hadley unpack Michael’s personal and public decline, including the sexual abuse allegations made against him in 1993. Next they discuss his later period work, 1995's combative HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book 1 and 2001’s underperforming Invincible, and reckon with his unbelievab...
2024-08-012h 23Pop PantheonRanking the Main Pop Girl Albums of 2024 (So Far) (with Ira Madison III)It seems like every single Main Pop Girl has dropped an album this year: Ariana, Kacey, Beyoncé, Taylor, Dua, Billie and Charli. And we're only six months in! It's been a whole lot of new music to process but now that we've had a minute to sit with these records, Keep It's Ira Madison III joins DJ Louie to reflect on all of these records, what they have common, what makes each stand out, and debate which they liked and disliked. Ira and Louie give each of the girlie's albums a "Pitchfork rating" and end the show with a f...
2024-06-201h 13Pop PantheonWhy are Music Biopics so Bad? (with Keith Phipps)The most recent in a long lineage of music biopics, Back to Black, which purports to chronicle the life of the late great Amy Winehouse came out in the US last week. The film received mostly negative reviews and underperformed at the box office. So why are these movies, generally speaking, so unsuccessful and why do we keep making then? Movie Critic Keith Phipps join DJ Louie to discuss Back to Black, the history of music biopics, why the good ones are good and why most of them are so bad. Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our...
2024-05-2351 min
Pop PantheonTINA TURNER (with Yale University's Dr. Daphne Brooks)Yale University’s Dr. Daphne Brooks returns to Pop Pantheon to unpack one of the foundational blueprints for pop stardom as we know it, Tina Turner. Dr. Brooks and Louie trace Tina’s roots in Tennessee, her debut as a nightclub act in St. Louis and her early work with Ike Turner, from their hit single “A Fool in Love” to their string of R&B hits, fiery live revue and work with Phil Spector. They recount Tina’s influence on the major white rock acts of the period, Ike and Tina’s 1971 hit “Proud Mary” and her first solo album, Tina...
2024-05-161h 41Pop PantheonMariah, Nirvana & The Story of MTV Unplugged (with Rob Tannenbaum & Craig Marks)After recent episodes on Mariah and Nirvana, two artists who had massive career-defining moments on MTV's iconic live showcase Unplugged, Louie invited authors of the book I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution, Craig Marks and Rob Tannenbaum to chronicle the history of the series: how it started, why it was important, and which pop stars gave the most indelible performances. Listen to our other MTV-centric episodes on the history of Total Request Live and the VMAs. Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More
2024-05-0954 min
Pop PantheonHILARY DUFF (with Legends Only's T. Kyle)Legends Only co-host T. Kyle makes his Pop Pantheon debut to discuss Hilary Duff’s brief ascension from Disney starlet to massive pop diva. Louie and T. Kyle discuss Hilary’s origins via the Disney assembly line with the early 2000s juggernaut The Lizzie McGuire Show and how it helped launch her pop career, from her debut album of holiday songs to 2003’s The Matrix-crafted Metamorphosis, which includes her most indelible hit, “Come Clean.” Then they unpack Hilary’s 2004 self-titled album, her hilariously early career greatest hits record, Most Wanted, and her 2007 dance pop breakup album Dignity. To conclude, they tackle...
2024-05-021h 39Pop PantheonIs the Music Video Dead? (with Michael Cragg)In the past few years, we've seen a serious decline in the centrality of and views for music videos across the board, even for the biggest pop stars. Journalist Michael Cragg recently chronicled this phenomenon in his piece for The Guardian, "'This is an Art Form— and We're Losing it': Is the Music Video Dying?" and today, he joins DJ Louie to discuss the piece and the general state of the music video in 2024. Is the music video format still vital? Why has viewership declined? What do we lose if we allow music videos to slip away entirely and is...
2024-04-2555 min
Grind & PivotON MY OWN (for "P") ASMR RELAXING INSTRUMENTAL LOUIE MAXHope you all enjoy this. Get a drink a smoke or just take 3 minutes to chill out and relax, breathe, relax. Take time to enjoy some peaceful music. It will help. Stay well and peace to all. RIP "P" 1935-2023Stream on all Platforms: https://open.spotify.com/track/4M8iLdpaQeERpn6T7Re0Xj?si=f88f554e402843b9Musicians: Ian Litovich - Guitar, Bass , DrumsLouie Max - PianoChris Tedesco : Trumpet Written by: Louie Max and Gary Pierce Produced , Engineered and Mixed by : Ian “Lit Z” Litovich Co Produ...
2024-04-2202 min
Pop PantheonNIRVANA (with Bandsplain's Yasi Salek)Bandsplain’s Yasi Salek joins DJ Louie to trace Nirvana's brief, iconoclastic trail through pop's mainstream in the early 1990s. Louie and Yasi unpack the group's origins in Aberdeen, Washington, their time on famed indie label Sub Pop, known for popularizing the "grunge" sound, and their bleak, sparse debut in 1989, Bleach, which garnered them a cult following. Next, they tackle Nirvana's breakthrough smash, the generational anthem “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, and 1991’s unexpected blockbuster Nevermind, which briefly remolded the pop charts in their image and became one of the biggest albums of all time. They then discuss Kurt’s infamous m...
2024-04-181h 35Pop PantheonListener Mailbag! Taylor, Pop Pet Peeves & a *Very* Special GuestIt's listener mailbag time!Louie and Russ are answering all your questions about their expectations for Taylor's The Tortured Poets Department, their personal pop pet peeves, the formula for following up a blockbuster album, why there are no more male pop stars and so much more. Plus, stay tuned until the end of the episode for a very special surprise guest appearance :-). Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreCome to Pop Pantheon Live: Tortured Poets & The State o...
2024-04-111h 03
Pop PantheonBRANDY (with Naomi Zeichner)Critic and writer Naomi Zeichner joins Pop Pantheon to explore the career of the “vocal bible,” Brandy. Louie and Naomi unpacked Brandy’s self-titled 1994 debut, released when she was just 15, her landmark acting roles as Moesha and Cinderella, and 1998’s Darkchild-assisted Never Say Never, which reimagined her at the vanguard of R&B futurism and became one of the signature blockbusters of the decade. They then discuss 2002 adventurous electropop-R&B fantasia Full Moon, 2004’s deeply personal Afrodisiac and her later period output, like 2012’s Two Eleven, which kicked off a cultural and critical reappraisal of her work. Finally, Louie and Naomi ra...
2024-04-042h 00
Grind & PivotCLOUDS - LOUIE MAX OFFICIAL AUDIOListen here and all platforms- But check out video on you tube. It will fill you in on the backstory. Very cool https://youtu.be/WJAsl13CWCEContact: IG: @grindandpivotIG @louiemaxxEmail: louie@louiemax.comMusic & Lyrics: Tommy Battreall Production: Ian Litovich and Louie Max Engineered & Mixed : Ian Litovich @333StudiosNYCMusicians: Ian Litovich and Louie MaxVideo Production: Russ McMahon/Louie MaxVideo. Created : Salila HerathContact: IG: @grindandpivotIG @louiemaxxEmail: louie@louiemax.comSupport the show
2024-04-0404 minPop PantheonBeyoncé, Black Country & the Long Road to Cowboy Carter (With Dr. Francesca Royster & Taylor Crumpton)Tonight, Beyoncé will drop her eighth studio album, Cowboy Carter, her first explicit full-length foray into country music. As with every Bey project, there's a ton of meaning and history to unpack. DePaul University professor and author of Black Country Music: Listening for Revolutions, Dr. Francesca Royster, and writer and editor Taylor Crumpton, author of TIME piece Beyoncé Has Always Been Country, join the show to explain the long and often under-sung history of Black women in country: from the birth of many of the genre's core aesthetics and tenants during slavery, to 20th century recording artists wh...
2024-03-281h 06
Pop PantheonCALVIN HARRIS & DAVID GUETTA (with Lina Abascal)Culture writer and author Lina Abascal returns to Pop Pantheon to revisit the fleeting early 2010s moment when EDM DJs utterly consumed American popular music via two of the genre’s most emblematic figures, David Guetta and Calvin Harris. Louie and Lina trace David’s roots in the Paris club scene through to his breakthrough in the U.S. with hits like "When Love Takes Over", "Sexy Bitch" & "Memories", "Where Them Girls At?", "Titanium" and "Turn Me On", his big pop collaborations with artists like Sia, Kelly Rowland and Nicki Minaj. They then tackle Calvin’s bloghouse-y origins through to his...
2024-03-212h 11Pop PantheonDo You Still Listen to Kanye West and Michael Jackson? (with Tre Johnson & Kemi Olivia Alemoru)Host and culture writer for Dazed, Vogue and more, Kemi Olivia Alemoru, and writer on race, culture and politics and author of the upcoming book Black Genius, Tre Johnson, join the show to discuss how we as critics and the public interface with the work of famous pop stars who have done awful things. Kemi, Tre and Louie dig into the complex legacies of Kanye West and Michal Jackson in particular, parsing apart how darker revelations about each of their characters have impacted how they think about their legacies, how cultural commentators should talk about them and their own...
2024-03-141h 26
Pop PantheonARIANA GRANDE: PART 2 (with Pitchfork's Anna Gaca)For part two of our Ariana Grande series, Pitchfork senior editor Anna Gaca is here to discuss the aesthetic pivot of 2018’s Sweetener, the superstar's first album following the horrific bombing of her Manchester concert and which found her reaching for light amidst unthinkable darkness. From there, Louie and Anna tackle the tabloid frenzy of Ari's relationship with comedian Pete Davidson and how their break-up, along with the death of her ex-boyfriend Mac Miller, turned 2019’s thank u, next into a once-in-a-career deluge of public fixation and artistic revelation. Finally, they consider 2020’s ode to stay-a-home pandemic sex, Positions, discus...
2024-03-071h 55
Pop PantheonARIANA GRANDE: PART 1 (with the LA Times' Mikael Wood)Pop music critic at the LA Times, Mikael Wood, joins Pop Pantheon for our first ever full re-examination of the first ever artist we ever ranked in the official Pop Pantheon: Ariana Grande. In Part 1, Louie and Mikael trace Ariana’s roots as a performer, from her start on Broadway as a teenager to her Nickelodeon years and her bubblegum debut single through to her first studio album, 2013’s Babyface-assisted Yours Truly. Then they tackle 2014’s My Everything, which ensconced Ariana as pop’s newest superstar, and 2016’s Dangerous Woman, which marked her rite of passage from child star...
2024-02-291h 45Pop PantheonJLo, Beyoncé & the Surprisingly Long History of the Visual Album (with Sydney Urbanek)Jennifer Lopez might not have stopped the world when she released her new self-financed visual album, This is Me... Now: A Love Story, last week. But she certainly drummed up a lot of conversation, much of which most certainly would not have been happening had she simply dropped a new record. After watching the film, DJ Louie got together with writer Sydney Urbanek, who is currently developing a series for her newsletter Mononym Mythology on the history of the visual album, to talk This is Me... Now, how it fits into the broader lineage of visual albums a...
2024-02-221h 05
Pop PantheonSHERYL CROW (with Natalie Weiner)Writer Natalie Weiner joins Pop Pantheon to unpack Sheryl Crow’s “winding road” to pop superstardom. Natalie and Louie trace back Sheryl’s early days in the music business, from her gig singing backup on Michael Jackson's blockbuster Bad Tour to writing songs for Celine Dion and Tina Turner, then discuss the roots rock infused pop of 1993's Tuesday Night Music Club that made Sheryl a star and won her Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards. From there, they break down her signature 1996 self-titled album, 1998’s The Globe Sessions, her status as a tabloid celebrity, Sheryl’s second wave of hits...
2024-02-151h 37Pop PantheonSecond Spin: USHER (with Rawiya Kameir)In anticipation of Usher's Super Bowl Halftime performance on Sunday, we're re-sharing our episode on him from September 2022. Music writer and Assistant Professor at Syracuse University, Rawiya Kameir, is back on the show to discuss the career and confessions of the great Usher. DJ Louie and Rawiya break down Usher’s musical origins singing in the church, the failed boy band he fronted in the early ‘90s, Nu Beginnings, and how his deal with the storied LaFace Records and subsequent “flavor camp” with Sean “Puff Daddy’ Combs set the stage for his self-titled debut record in 1994. They then dive in...
2024-02-101h 45
Pop PantheonFERGIE (with Julianne Escobedo Shepherd)For part two of our Black Eyed Peas series, writer and critic Julianne Escobedo Shepherd returns to Pop Pantheon to dissect the brief but remarkable reign of the Duchess of Pop, Fergie. Louie and Julianne break down Fergie’s brushes with child stardom via Peanuts and Kids Incorporated and her failed 90s girl group, Wild Orchid. Then they explore the sonic melange of her debut solo album, 2006’s The Dutchess, which traded in everything from camp pop-rap to 80s hip house, mid-century pop-soul and A/C rock. Next they tackle Fergie’s follow-up more than a decade later, 2017’s Double Du...
2024-02-011h 36
Pretty, Not Smart with Louie and Yoatzi CastroLouie CAUGHT in a CHILE APPOINTMENTYoatzi tells a story of getting lost in Vegas and meeting Deorro! Louie and Yoatzi tell their K-Mart horror stories, and Louie accidentally got caught in a hookup triangle.
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2024-02-011h 15
Pop PantheonTHE BLACK EYED PEAS (with The Ringer's Rob Harvilla)Ringer music critic and host of 60 Songs That Explain the '90s Rob Harvilla returns to Pop Pantheon to discuss one of the most derided – and successful – pop acts of the 21st Century, The Black Eyed Peas. Louie and Rob trace the group’s roots as an optimistic, politically progressive “conscious rap” crew, starting with their first two pre-Fergie records, 1998’s Behind The Front and 2000’s Bridging the Gap. Then they tackle the Peas’ reinvention as a garish, craven, operatically tacky band peddling radio pop on 2003’s Elephunk and their doubling down on big-tent pop maximalism on 2005’s Monkey Business. Next, Loui...
2024-01-251h 55Pop PantheonWhy Can't Pop Stars Score Two Hits Off One Album? (with Andrew Unterberger & Eric Bennett)Olivia Rodrigo's Guts, Harry Styles' Harry's House, Lizzo's Special, Adele's 30, Miley Cyrus' Endless Summer Vacation. What's one thing all of these albums have in common? They're each major releases by pop superstars in the last few years that churned out one massive hit single and then struggled to find a second to match it. They also serve as slightly counterintuitive representations of the state of the modern pop blockbuster in which, unlike past eras, putting together a string of massive singles might be less important than ever for a pop icon's era. Billboard's Andrew Unterberger and music writer Eric...
2024-01-1856 min
Pop PantheonDEMI LOVATO (with Molly Mary O'Brien)Host of the And Introducing podcast Molly Mary O'Brien returns to Pop Pantheon to discuss the often harrowing and sometimes triumphant life and career of Demi Lovato. Molly and Louie unpack Demi’s squeaky clean debut on Barney at 10 and her induction into the Disney machine, from her starring role in Camp Rock to her Hollywood Records efforts, including 2008’s well-made but anodyne Don’t Forget and 2009’s Kidz-Bop-Kelly-Clarkson Here We Go Again. Then they discuss Demi’s very public personal struggles starting in the early 2010s and their impact on albums like 2011’s dance-oriented Unbroken, 2013’s synthpop-noddi...
2024-01-111h 59Pop PantheonWhat Pantheon Rankings Did I Get Wrong in 2023?: Shakira, The Simpson Sisters, Lana & More!Before we launch all our exciting new content for 2024, Louie and Russ look back on every single Pop Pantheon ranking from 2023 and discuss whether we got it right or wrong, take calls and emails from listeners with their ranking disputes and adjust some of our decisions. Does Shakira move from Tier 2 to Tier 1? Does Jessica Simpson really deserve to be in Tier 5?? And should the Niche Legend tier exist at all?!?! It's all on the table. Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pa...
2024-01-041h 04Pop PantheonPop Stars We Lost This Year: Sinéad O'Connor, Tony Bennett & Tina Turner (with Annie Zaleski, Brian Newman & Melissa Vincent)Louie and a series guest look back on the career, work and legacies of some pop greats we lost in 2023: Sinéad O'Connor, Tony Bennett & Tina Turner. Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow Annie Zaleski on TwitterFollow Brian Newman on TwitterFollow Melissa Vincent on TwitterFollow DJ Louie XIV on InstagramFollow DJ Louie XIV on TwitterFollow Pop Pantheon on InstagramFollow Pop Pantheon o...
2023-12-2158 min
Pop PantheonMARIAH CAREY: PART 3 (with Pot Psychology's Rich Juzwiak)For the conclusion of our three-part series on Mariah Carey, Pot Psychology’s Rich Juzwiak returns to Pop Pantheon to discuss Mariah’s later period work, starting with one of the greatest comebacks in the history of pop: 2005’s The Emancipation of Mimi. Louie and Rich unpack Emancipation’s smash hits and how it helped rewrite Mariah's legacy, then move on to its 2008’s sequel, E=MC², and 2009's idiosyncratic Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel. Rich and Louie tackle the calcification of her camp diva persona and status as meme queen, her brittle relationship to being "The Queen of Christmas"...
2023-12-141h 50
Pop PantheonMARIAH CAREY: PART 2 (with NPR's Aisha Harris)For the second in our three-part series on Mariah Carey, NPR Pop Culture Happy Hour's Aisha Harris joins the show to unpack some of the most fascinating, liberated and enduring music Mariah has made, as well as a professional nadir from which it once seemed she'd never recover. Louie and Aisha pick up with Mariah's self-described magnum opus, 1997’s Butterfly, then move on to her final album under her deal with Sony and Tommy Mottola, 1999’s Rainbow, before digging into the embarrassing blunder of 2001’s Glitter film and soundtrack, the first and only release on Mariah's historic $100 million with Virgin...
2023-12-071h 50Pretty, Not Smart with Louie and Yoatzi CastroAdam and Louie’s Secret Language!Louie and Adam Ray got stuck in a ice storm in Texas and developed a secret language. Adam reveals his baby Grinch impression, and Louie, Yoatzi, and Adam discuss protocol for giving gifts to friends and hosting parties during the holidays.Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@prettynotsmartpodFollow the Podcast on IG: @prettynotsmartpodFollow Louie: @louiecastroFollow Yoatzi: @yoatzi
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2023-12-071h 04
Pop PantheonMARIAH CAREY: PART 1 (with Dr. Brittnay L. Proctor)In the first of three new episodes on pop icon Mariah Carey, DJ Louie is joined by The New School's Dr. Brittnay L. Proctor to discuss Mariah's origin story and early career. They begin with her upbringing on Long Island as the product of a biracial marriage, her first forays into the music industry as a demo singer and background vocalist and her chance meeting with future husband Tommy Mottola which resulted in her smash self-titled debut album, home to four consecutive number one hits. They then discuss her pivot towards Black dance styles on her sophomore album, Emotions...
2023-11-302h 11Pop PantheonThe Best Pop Music of 2023 (with Shaad D'Souza)Music writer Shaad D'Souza joins DJ Louie to discuss pop music in 2023. They each share and discuss their three favorite albums, three favorite songs, greatest disappointments, major trends in the genre and more. Check out a Spotify Playlist of Louie and Shaad's 2023 FavsJoin Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreCome to Gorgeous Gorgeous LA on December 16Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow Shaad D'Souza on InstagramFollow DJ Louie XIV on InstagramFollow DJ Louie XIV on...
2023-11-221h 06Pop PantheonBonnie McKee on the Song Machine, Pop Stardom & Ego DeathBonnie McKee is the songwriter behind many of the most enduring pop hits of the last 15 years including Taio Cruz' "Dynamite", Britney Spears' "Hold it Against Me" and no fewer than 5 (!) of Katy Perry's #1s. She's also a pop star in her own right, having run the gamut from singer-songwriter-aspirant in the early 2000s through numerous major label deals and finally, her current career as an indie pop act. Bonnie joins DJ Louie to talk about it all: her love of pop music, how she writes it, her experience as song-crafter to the stars, how the "song...
2023-11-1646 min
Pop PantheonAALIYAH (with Kathy Iandoli)Author of the book Baby Girl: Better Known as Aaliyah Kathy Iandoli returns to Pop Pantheon to unpack the far too short career of one of the most exciting pop recording artists of her generation, Aaliyah. Kathy and Louie discuss Aaliyah’s upbringing in Detroit, her connection to soul legend Gladys Knight and how she came to create 1994’s Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number with R. Kelly, a convicted sexual predator who married her illegally as a teen. Then they examine one of the most forward-thinking pieces of R&B futurism ever produced, 1996’s One in a Million...
2023-11-091h 49Pop PantheonLizzo & The Nature of Celebrity Scandal (with Megan Agnew & Hanna Phifer)Back in August, Lizzo was sued by a number of her former dancers for creating a hostile work environment, with allegations including racial and sexual harassment, disability discrimination, illegal retaliatory termination and assault, and more. This flew directly in the face of her brand, which champions positivity, inclusivity and authenticity above all else (including even her music). The Sunday Times' Megan Agnew and journalist and culture critic Hanna Phifer join DJ Louie to break down how this scandal has played out for Lizzo, where it fits in with and differs from other pop star scandals past and...
2023-11-0253 min
Pop PantheonBRUNO MARS (with Stereogum's Tom Breihan)Stereogum’s Tom Breihan returns to Pop Pantheon to dissect the career of pop history’s greatest mimic, Bruno Mars. Louie and Tom dive into how Bruno spent his childhood impersonating greats like Elvis and Michael Jackson, his failed start on Motown and early work for other artists, including via his production group The Smeezingtons. Then they discuss his tightly-stitched 2010 debut, Doo-Wops and Hooligans, 2012’s pop history grab-bag, Unorthodox Jukebox, and the cultural sensation of his 2014 Mark Ronson-collab, the Morris Day-tributing “Uptown Funk.” Next, they explore Bruno’s tour through Black pop and soul history on 2016’s 24K Magic and his Philly...
2023-10-261h 53Pretty, Not Smart with Louie and Yoatzi CastroScary INFESTATION in Louie's HouseLouie is hungover, but is here to tell us about an infestation in his new house. Yoatzi and Louie reveal their phobias, and discuss sleep paralysis.This episode of Pretty Not Smart is sponsored by Better Help. Visit https://BetterHelp.com/PNS today to get 10% off your first month.Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@prettynotsmartpodFollow the Podcast on IG: @prettynotsmartpodFollow Louie: @louiecastroFollow Yoatzi: @yoatzi
To watch our podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Yo9OopqvIsgKmzXX6UR_g
Don’t forget to...
2023-10-261h 03Pretty, Not Smart with Louie and Yoatzi CastroThe Ghost in LOUIE’S HOUSEIt's still spooky season and we're recounting scary movie moments that traumatized us. Yoatzi scared Louie to the point he had an out of body experience, Louie talks about his costume that broke the internet, and Louie has a GHOST in his house.This episode of Pretty Not Smart is sponsored by Better Help. Visit https://BetterHelp.com/PNS today to get 10% off your first month.Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@prettynotsmartpodFollow the Podcast on IG: @prettynotsmartpodFollow Louie: @louiecastroFollow Yoatzi: @yoatzi...
2023-10-1954 minPop PantheonWhere are All the New Pop Stars? (with Billboard's Elias Leight)There are more pop artists than ever but very few of them seem to be able to grab a serious foothold at the top of the heap. Billboard's Elias Leight has been covering this topic extensively lately and for this week's B-side, he joins DJ Louie to break down why it's become nearly impossible to ascend to pop's A-List in the Tik Tok era, how various factions— from artists, to labels, to fans— are reacting to this and how each may need to adjust expectations for what a successful pop career means in the context of this new paradigm....
2023-10-1943 min
Pop PantheonJESSICA & ASHLEE SIMPSON (with Beyond the Blinds' Troy McEady)Beyond The Blinds’ Troy McEady joins Pop Pantheon for a double header on a pair of TRL-era pop princess sisters, Jessica and Ashlee Simpson. Louie and Troy track Jessica and Ashlee’s upbringing in Texas, Jessica’s failed attempts at teen stardom via Disney and Christian music and her breakthrough with 1999’s “I Wanna Love You Forever” and Sweet Kisses. Then they discuss 2001’s robotic Irresistible and the surprising vehicle for Jessica’s biggest success, MTV’s Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica, which boosted 2003’ In This Skin. Next, they tackle Ashlee’s rocket to stardom with The Ashlee Simpson Show and 2004’s scrappy, guitar-driven...
2023-10-121h 57Pop PantheonHow Country Bros Took Over Pop (with Spencer Kornhaber & Marissa R. Moss)There's been a record-breaking trend this year of country music dominating the top of the Billboard Hot 100. But it's not just any country music. These hits by artists like Morgan Wallen, Jason Aldean, Oliver Anthony & Luke Combs— all cis white men— are each employing identity politics and tapping into broader socio-political conflict in the US, either implicitly or explicitly, to help power their rise to pop dominance. So for the first segment of today's show, The Atlantic's Spencer Kornhaber, who has written extensively about the influx of bro country on the charts, is here to help explain this...
2023-10-051h 10
Pop PantheonDOJA CAT (with Rolling Stone's Larisha Paul)Rolling Stone’s Larisha Paul joins Pop Pantheon to dissect the career of one of the most enigmatic, eccentric talents working in pop today: Doja Cat. As Doja releases her fourth studio album, Scarlet, Larisha and Louie dig into her origin story, connection to controversial super-producer Dr. Luke, rise on Soundcloud and the laid-back stoner R&B of her 2014 debut EP Purrr!. They then tackle Doja's first full-length LP, 2018’s Amala, the strange breakout success of the novelty track and video, the meme-sensation “"Mooo!", 2019’s sonically eclectic Hot Pink and the single that turned Doja into an A-Lister...
2023-09-281h 54
Pop PantheonPRINCE: PART 3 (with Miles Marshall Lewis)For the conclusion of our three-part series on Prince, writer and critic Miles Marshall Lewis joins Pop Pantheon to discuss the final swing of Prince's career, beginning with his tumultuous battle with Warner Bros in the early 1990s, which saw him change his name to an unpronounceable symbol and perform with “slave” written on his face. Louie and Miles then tackle the ups and downs of Prince’s wildly prolific latter career, including 1991’s genre-spanning Diamonds and Pearls, his commercial decline through a glut of records in the later '90s, and his minor comeback 2004’s back-to-basics Musicology and 2006's funky 3...
2023-09-211h 32
Pop PantheonPRINCE: PART 2 (with Pot Psychology's Rich Juzwiak)For the second in our three-part series on Prince, Pot Psychology's Rich Juzwiak joins the show to unpack Prince’s imperial years, starting with one of the best-selling albums of all time, 1984’s Purple Rain. Louie and Rich discuss all the music from this blockbuster record as well as the accompanying Oscar-winning film, which together made Prince a cultural phenomenon for the ages, before tackling his swerve into kaleidoscopic psychedelia on 1985's Around the World in a Day, his second swing at the box office, Under the Cherry Moon (1986), the genre-traversing Parade (1986), and his most acclaimed album, 1987’s Sign o' the...
2023-09-142h 03
Pop PantheonPRINCE: PART 1 (with Dr. Elliott H. Powell)For the first of our three-part series on the High Priest of Pop, Prince, the University of Minnesota's Dr. Elliott H. Powell joins the show to discuss the rise of perhaps pop history’s greatest enigma. Louie and Elliot unpack Prince’s upbringing in Minneapolis, his impressive 1978 debut, For You, on which he played every instrument, and mainstream breakthrough with his self-titled sophomore album in 1979 and its smash "I Wanna Be Your Lover". Then they tackle how 1980’s filthy, carnal Dirty Mind established Prince at pop's vanguard and presaged the sound of the 1980s and the cultural debate Prince wielde...
2023-09-072h 10Pop PantheonBIG Announcement! + Britney Spears' Blackout Unlocked (with Troy McEady) (Originally Published on Patreon on 12/22/2022)Buy Tickets to Pop Pantheon Live: Britney's Memoir, Music & Legacy on 11/2 In PasadenaA little about the live show: She’s so lucky, she’s a star. But Britney Spears has charted one of the most challenging, complex paths through the music business since the dawn of pop. Following the release of Britney’s new memoir, The Woman in Me, Pop Pantheon podcast host DJ Louie XIV (he/him) has gathered an all-star panel of guests to discuss Britney’s life and music LIVE. Louie will be joined onstage by Dean of the USC Thornton School o...
2023-08-3159 minPop PantheonJack Antonoff: Friend or Foe? (with Mitch Therieau)Mitch Therieau, author of the piece Dream of Antonoffication: Pop Music's Blandest Prophet which was published last month in The Drift, joins the show to talk pop music's super producer du-jour Jack Antonoff. Jack is known for his work a wide variety of female artists from Taylor Swift to Lana Del Rey, Lorde, Clairo, St. Vincent and countless others. To many, he is a hero, the anti-Dr. Luke who is happy to play a supporting role to his collaborators and work around their skills to produce idiosyncratic, personal pop music. To others, he is overused and stale, so omnipresent...
2023-08-241h 06
Pop PantheonJENNIFER LOPEZ (with Billboard's Leila Cobo)Billboard’s Leila Cobo joins the show to help trace the utterly unique path Jennifer Lopez blazed through popular culture. Leila and Louie chart Jennifer’s rise as a backup dancer, her star-making turn as Selena Quintanilla-Pérez in 1997’s Selena and her debut album, 1999's On The 6. Then they tackle her cultural saturation after the turn of the millennium and her streak of red-hot rap collaborations that helped define the sound of the 2000s. Finally, Louie and Leila discuss JLo’s forays into Spanish-language music, her Super Bowl performance, her status as one of the most successful Latina performer...
2023-08-171h 50Pop PantheonPop Punk: Past & Present (With Ryan Piers)Pop punk is the midst of a revival at the top of the charts so for this week's B-Side, Louie and writer for Alternative Magazine and other pubs, Ryan Piers, break down the history of the genre, how the iconoclasm of punk music and the commercialism of pop music have a strange but fruitful synergy, pop punk's first wave in the mid-90s through the early 2000s with Blink 182, Green Day, Sum 41, Avril Lavigne and others, how it's fallen in out and of fashion since, and the characteristics of its recent revival with Machine Gun Kelly, Olivia Rodrigo, Willow & o...
2023-08-1055 min
Pop PantheonGWEN STEFANI PART 2: THE SOLO YEARS (with NPR's Hazel Cills)For part two of our Gwen Stefani series, NPR Music editor Hazel Cills returns to Pop Pantheon to tackle Gwen's solo career. Louie and Hazel discuss Gwen striking out on her own via collaborations with Moby and Eve, then parse through her certifiably bonkers, extraordinarily controversial, hit-stacked solo debut, 2004’s Love Angel Music Baby – undoubtedly one of the mid 2000’s biggest blockbusters. Then they consider her 2006 follow-up, The Sweet Escape, and solo return a decade later, 2016’s This Is What the Truth Feels Like. Along the way, they dig into Gwen’s gleefully polyglot musical aesthetic, her infamous cultural appropriat...
2023-08-031h 42
Pop PantheonGWEN STEFANI PART 1: NO DOUBT (with Molly Mary O'Brien)And Introducing host Molly Mary O’Brien joins the show for part one of a double-header on Gwen Stefani! This week, Molly and Louie discuss No Doubt, a local SoCal ska band that improbably morphed into one of the world’s biggest pop rock bands and then served as a launching pad Gwen’s solo career as one of the important big-tent dance pop stars of her generation. The two dig into what made Gwen a inevitable superstar even before she took her place as the band’s front-woman, No Doubt’s feel-good, goofy early tunes, the monster pop hooks and...
2023-07-271h 51
Grind & PivotLOUIE MAX- SUNNY DAY OFFICIAL AUDIO SONGHope you all enjoy this. If you have lost something dear to you and have gone through the grief, you will no doubt want to listen and watch this video. Hug your loved ones a 1000 times a day. PEACE!Stream Sunny Day https://open.spotify.com/track/0ESIwU10gEvQY40TxCojJD?si=Y2pzBOgfSyOFvY4g7SJg2AMusic & Lyrics: Louie MaxProduction: Ian Litovich and Louie Max Engineered & Mixed : Ian Litovich @333StudiosNYCMusicians: Rick Keller : SaxophoneIan Litovich: Guitars , Bass, Drums, BG Vocals Lou...
2023-07-2603 minPop PantheonListener Mailbag: Dua, Charli, The Idol, Behind-The-Scenes & More!!Louie and Russ are answering listener questions about what's next for Charli XCX, how Dua Lipa fits into the broader trend of cult-of-personality pop stars, whether The Idol will tank The Weeknd's career, why Luke Comb's "Fast Car" is such a hit, how a Canadian Pop Pantheon might differ from the American one, a slew of Niche Legends, how they make the show and so much more. Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow DJ Louie XIV on...
2023-07-201h 03
Pop PantheonPAULA ABDUL (with Hit Parade's Chris Molanphy)Hit Parade host Chris Molanphy returns to discuss one of the defining pop stars of the late 1980s, Paula Abdul. Louie and Chris discuss the virtuosic choreography that snatched Paula a ticket to pop superstardom, her three year run of signature hits beginning with 1988’s blockbuster Forever Your Girl through 1991's Spellbound, her contributions to the MTV music video boom, why her final album, 1995’s Head Over Heels, flopped, and her second act as a TV personality. Finally, they rank Paula Abdul in the official Pop Pantheon.Listen to Pop Pantheon's Paula Abdul Essentials PlaylistJoin...
2023-07-131h 49Pop PantheonChecking in on Taylor Swift's Re-Recordings So Far (with Charlie Harding, Larisha Paul & Nora Princiotti)On the eve of the third installment of Taylor Swift's re-recording project of her first seven studio albums, Speak Now (Taylor's Version), Switched on Pop's Charlie Harding, Rolling Stone's Larisha Paul and Every Single Album's Nora Princiotti join DJ Louie to break down how this singularly ambitious endeavor has gone so far. Has it achieved its commercial goals? What about its aesthetic ones? What are the differences? When it comes to Fearless (Taylor's Version) and Red (Taylor's Version), is the panel choosing the TV or OG on their free time? As fans, are we obligated to choose...
2023-07-061h 17
Pop PantheonCHARLIE PUTH (with Steven J. Horowitz)Steven J. Horowitz returns to Pop Pantheon to discuss the career of contemporary pop’s sexiest studio rat, Charlie Puth. Louie and Steven tackle Charlie’s oddball career in pop music, from his rocket into mainstream consciousness singing the saccharine hook on “See You Again” to his personality-less debut album, 2016’s 9 Track Mind. They examine the critical reevaluation he received following his criminally underrated sophomore album, 2018’s Voice Notes, his latest self-titled album, Charlie Puth (2022), and, finally, rank him in the official Pop Pantheon. Listen to Pop Pantheon's Charlie Puth Essentials PlaylistJoin Pop Pantheon: All Access...
2023-06-291h 41Pop PantheonThe Holy Bond Between Queer Men & Pop Divas (with Dr. Craig Jennex)In the final installment of our pride series, Assistant Professor of English at Toronto Metropolitan University and author of the journal article "Diva Worship and the Sonic Search for Queer Utopia" Dr. Craig Jennex joins the show to unpack the relationship between queer men and pop divas. Louie and Craig discuss how this relationship developed over the last hundred years, from the time of opera singers to Judy Garland, Diana Ross, Madonna, Britney, Gaga, Beyoncé and all the way through the present day with fiercely beloved niche pop acts like Charli XCX, and why, on a sociological level, queer m...
2023-06-2257 min
Pop PantheonLITTLE RICHARD (with Jason King)Incoming Dean of the Thornton School of Music at USC Jason King returns to Pop Pantheon to discuss the life and career of the architect of rock ‘n roll, Little Richard. Louie and Jason unpack Little Richard’s breakthrough “Tutti Frutti,” which is widely credited as the genesis of rock n’ roll music, and his string of hits through the 1950s; perhaps one of the first imperial phases in modern music history. They break down what it meant for Little Richard to drop an explosive glitter bomb of queerness into American culture, his musical output after his initial burst of fame, h...
2023-06-151h 40Pop PantheonWhat Makes a Great Pride Anthem? (with Canada's Drag Race Winner Priyanka)Winner of Season One of Canada's Drag Race Priyanka joins Pop Pantheon to chop it up about what makes the ideal pride anthem. First, Louie and Priyanka discuss Pri's new music, whether there's a difference between a drag pop song and mainstream pop song, and some of barriers between drag queens and the pop charts. Then, they break down the ingredients for the perfect pride anthem and each share a list of their five favs. Stay tuned this June for more Pride episodes.Listen to Louie and Pri's Pride Anthems Join Pop Pantheon...
2023-06-0851 min
Pop PantheonKIM PETRAS (with Vulture's Jason P. Frank)In preparation for her major label debut, Feed The Beast, dropping later this month, Vulture’s Jason P. Frank joins Pop Pantheon to discuss a star who is perhaps the first out trans woman to be in the running as a mainstream pop aspirant, Kim Petras. Jason and Louie’s conversation, which kicks off Pop Pantheon’s Pride series, covers Kim’s career, her early attempts to break into the music business, her controversial partnership with the producer Dr. Luke, her cavalcade of sugar bomb singles known as "era1," 2018 and 2019 Halloween mixtape series Turn off the Light and debut album, 2...
2023-06-011h 41
Pop PantheonARETHA FRANKLIN (with Mark Bego)Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul author Mark Bego joins Pop Pantheon to unpack the life and career of the greatest singer in American history, Aretha Franklin. Louie and Mark follow Aretha’s story from her upbringing as a reverend's daughter to her early gospel recordings and how her cover of Otis Redding’s ‘Respect’ rocketed her to superstardom. From there, they tackle Aretha’s fabled run through the late ‘60s, during which she soundtracked American life through the civil rights movement, women's liberation and the Vietnam War. Then they parse her unlikely 1980s comeback, her latter career, and discuss how...
2023-05-251h 36Pop PantheonThe Best Pop Music of 2023 (So Far) (with The Wall Street Journal's Myles Tanzer)Editor at The Wall Street Journal Myles Tanzer joins DJ Louie to break down 2023 in pop music so far. The two debate the broader state of pop this year, both aesthetically and commercially, and discuss which stars have experienced significant up-levels before each sharing their lists of their three favorite albums and five favorite songs of 2023 (so far). Listen to a Spotify Playlist of Louie & Myles' 2023 FavsJoin Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreGrab Tickets to See...
2023-05-181h 30Pop Pantheon(Almost) One Year Of Renaissance: Where Does It Rank In Beyoncé's Catalog? (with Hunter Harris, Ira Madison III & Puja Patel)Beyoncé's massive Renaissance World Tour kicks off next week in Stockholm, Sweden so DJ Louie got a veritable Beyhive of all stars— writer of the substack Hung Up Hunter Harris, Keep It! Host Ira Madison III and Pitchfork Editor-in-Chief Puja Patel— in formation to reflect on (almost) one year of the stadium trek's namesake Renaissance, Queen B's seventh album which dropped last July. First, the panel discusses each of their personal journeys with the record, from elation to frustration and everything in between, and its incredibly perplexing rollout complete with no visuals, no live performances and essentially zero ackno...
2023-05-041h 17Pop PantheonHow Tik Tok Has Changed Pop Stardom (with The New Yorker's John Seabrook)The New Yorker's John Seabrook joins Pop Pantheon to discuss his recent exhaustive piece, "So You Want To Be a Tik Tok Star". John and Louie discuss how the social media vlogging app rose to dominance in the music space, why it's so well-suited to the pop music ecosystem, how artists both existing and new are utilizing it and rebelling against it, how the music industry is weaponizing it and how it's changing the very nature of both pop stardom and music as we know it... for better or worse. Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New...
2023-04-2757 min
Pop PantheonFIFTH HARMONY (with Service 95's Brennan Carley)In the third episode of our girl group trilogy, US Editor and Culture Director of Service 95 Brennan Carley joins the show to discuss the (very) brief rise and fall of the last major American girl group of note, Fifth Harmony. Louie and Brennan discuss 5H's assembly by Simon Cowell on the reality singing competition show X-Factor, how they discovered their signature brand of 2010s female empowerment and borderline goofy ethos on their very good debut, 2015's Reflection, the trop-house vibes of their sophomore album, 2016's 7/27, home to their signature hit, the ridiculous, sleek smash "Work From Home", and member...
2023-04-201h 41
Pop PantheonTLC (with The New Yorker's Doreen St. Félix)The New Yorker’s Doreen St. Félix returns to Pop Pantheon for the second episode in our new girl group trilogy, digging into the crazy, sexy and cool career of one of the best-selling girl groups of all time, TLC. Doreen and DJ Louie discuss the album that made TLC instant stars, 1992’s raucous Oooh, on the TLC Tip!, their pivot to slinky R&B on their classic blockbuster sophomore album CrazySexyCool (1994), their comeback with 1999’s futuristic FanMail and 2002’s 3D, released after Lisa Left-Eye Lopes’ untimely death. Along the way, they explore TLC’s forward-thinking pop feminism and politics...
2023-04-131h 57
Pop PantheonTHE RONETTES, THE SHIRELLES, THE MARVELETTES & THE SHANGRI-LAS (with Dr. Jacqueline Warwick)Author of the book Girl Groups, Girl Culture: Popular Music and Identity in the 1960s, Dr. Jacqueline Warwick, joins Pop Pantheon to kick off the first of a trilogy of episodes on girl groups, starting with four acts who burned fast and bright during the 1950s and 1960s: The Ronettes, The Shirelles, The Marvelettes and The Shangri-Las. Jacqueline and Louie dive into the hits, careers and legacies of these foundational outfits who not only helped invent the idea of the girl group as we know it today, but also helped set the template for modern pop music. Finally, they...
2023-04-061h 34
Grind & PivotI Wonder What You're Thinking- Louie Max. ( Official Audio)Let me know if you dig this new release. Love all of the comments. Produced & Mixed at 333StudiosNYC by Ian LitovichMusic & Lyrics : Louie Max Piano and Vocal : Louie Max Guitars, etc: Ian Litovich Exec Producer: Russ "Thrippy" McMahon Contact : Email: grindandpivot@gmail.com Follow On IG:@louiemaxxFaceBook: Louie MaxSupport the show
2023-03-3004 minPop PantheonLana Del Rey's Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd (with Shaad D'Souza)As a follow-up to last week's Lana Del Rey deep dive, music critic Shaad D'Souza returns to the show to break down her ninth studio album, Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, which dropped last Friday. Shaad, who reviewed the record for The Guardian, and Louie discuss Did You Know...'s major themes and aesthetics, the evolution of Lana's lyrical approach, how the record fits into the grander scheme of her artistic and commercial arc and more. Read Shaad's Review of Did You Know... in The GuardianListen to Pop Pantheon's L...
2023-03-301h 03
Pop PantheonLANA DEL REY (with Kathy Iandoli)In preparation for her ninth studio album, Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, dropping tonight, Kathy Iandoli joins Pop Pantheon to explore the enigmatic and paradigm-shifting career of pop iconoclast Lana Del Rey. Kathy, who taught a course on Lana at NYU, joins DJ Louie to discuss Lana’s myth and all of her records, from her breakthrough, 2012’s Born To Die, to her psychedelic rock homage, Ultraviolence (2014), her magnum opus, Norman Fucking Rockwell! (2019), and her most recent efforts, Chemtrails over the Country Club (2021) and Blue Banisters (2021). Finally, Louie and Kathy talk about her sprawling lega...
2023-03-231h 56
Pop PantheonKACEY MUSGRAVES (with Who? Weekly's Bobby Finger)Author and Who? Weekly co-host Bobby Finger joins Pop Pantheon to unpack the career of sly country agitator turned alt pop girlie Kacey Musgraves. Bobby and DJ Louie discuss the blend of traditionalism and iconoclasm on both Kacey’s 2013 debut, Same Trailer Different Park and her sophomore effort, Pageant Material (2015). They dig into Kacey’s 2018 critical smash, Golden Hour, which profoundly expanded the scope of her work and won the Grammy for Album of the Year, and revisit her latest effort, 2021’s Star-Crossed, as they parse out just how Kacey has treaded the line between expert genre practitioner and a gay...
2023-03-161h 46Pop PantheonDo We Still Need Poptimism? (with Vulture's Jason P. Frank)Vulture's Jason P. Frank joins DJ Louie to discuss the idea of "Poptimism", or the movement in musical critical discourse during the mid 2000s and 2010s that allowed for pop music to be taken seriously as art. Jason and Louie discuss the circumstances that created Poptimism, how it disseminated through discourse over the last twenty years, the major albums, songs and artists that calcified the term, and how it's perhaps become irrelevant in the modern pop landscape. Read Kelefeh Sanneh's "The Rap Against Rockism" from The New York Times Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our...
2023-03-0954 min
Pop PantheonJA RULE, NELLY, LUDACRIS & 50 CENT (with Jordan Sargent)Writer and A&R person Jordan Sargent returns to Pop Pantheon to explore a definitive moment in establishing hip hop’s centrism in mainstream pop music – the early 2000s. Jordan and DJ Louie explore the careers and legacies of a quartet of performers, Ja Rule, Nelly, Ludacris and 50 Cent, who hit their cultural peak during a moment when pop first fully allowed rappers to be mainstream pop stars. They discuss the sound of crossover rap in the 2000s and the biggest hits of the era from ‘In Da Club’ to ‘Hot in Herre,’ ‘Always on Time,’ and ‘One Minute Man’ and then rank...
2023-03-021h 54
Grind & PivotIS JESUS WATCHING - LOUIE MAXWould love to hear your comments on this latest piece. Hope everyone is well and safe. Thanks so so much for listeningMusic & Lyrics: Louie MaxKeyboards : Louie Max Guitars, Strings,, Etc: Ian LitovichStrings Arrangement: Louie Max Produced , Engineered & Mixed : Ian Litovich at 333StudiosNYCExecutive Producer: Russell McMahonAll Photos by Louie Max *Except: Wheelchair Man by Michael Bellamy Red Rocket TattooContact Grind & Pivot :IG: @grindandpivotIG @louiemaxxEmail: louie@louiemax.comSupport the show
2023-03-0102 minPop PantheonThe State of Streaming: How It's Impacted Pop Stars, Music & Us (with Trapital's Dan Runcie)Trapital Host Dan Runcie joins DJ Louie to discuss the state of the streaming ecosystem. Dan and Louie dig into how streaming has impacted the nature of pop stardom by helping to foster a dissolving monoculture and the rise of the niche superstar, financial incentives, stanning, pop music itself and us, the consumers, and how we relate to the value of music. Listen to TrapitalJoin Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More!!Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store!Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram
2023-02-231h 04
Pop PantheonFRANK SINATRA (with You Must Remember This' Karina Longworth)Critic, author and host of the podcast You Must Remember This Karina Longworth joins Pop Pantheon to help tell the story of patient zero for the concept of a “Pop Music Icon,” the legendary crooner and American Icon Frank Sinatra. Karina and DJ Louie trace Frank's career from its origins in clubs in Hoboken to the onset of what was perhaps the first true pop star fandemonium craze of the modern era, Sinatramania. Next, they discuss Frank's cornucopia of definitive American Standards, his success in the movie business, his role in turning Las Vegas into a world-class entertainment city and...
2023-02-161h 44Pop PantheonRihanna Super Bowl Setlist Draft Extravaganza!! (with Lindsey Weber, Jason Lipshutz & Julianne Escobedo Shepherd)For this week's B-Side, DJ Louie is joined by a literal Navy of Pop Pantheon All-Stars- Who? Weekly's Lindsey Weber, Billboard's Jason Lipshutz and Julianne Escobedo Shepherd- to preview Rihanna's epic return to music at Super Bowl LVII, this Sunday in Phoenix, Arizona! They talk all the big questions: Why now? What does it portend for new Rihanna music? What made her change her hard "no" to the NFL over their treatment of Colin Kaepernick?Then, the main event: Louie, Lindsey, Jason and Julianne try to figure which of Rihanna's ~40 hit songs she'll pull out for this 12...
2023-02-071h 16
Pop PantheonTHE WEEKND (with Anupa Mistry)Writer and producer Anupa Mistry joins Pop Pantheon to dissect the career of the most enigmatic pop superstar of his generation, The Weeknd. Anupa and DJ Louie discuss The Weeknd’s genre-obliterating early mixtapes, which helped to redefine the contours of R&B in the 2010s, and his studio debut, 2013’s Kiss Land. They also walk through his string of massive successes, from his breakthrough sophomore album, 2015’s Beauty Behind the Madness, 2016 follow-up Starboy, 2020’s revelatory After Hours, his 2021 Super Bowl performance, and most recent effort, last year’s Dawn FM. Read Anupa's 2015 profile of The Weeknd in Pitchfo...
2023-02-021h 55
Grind & PivotKICK THE WALLS- LOUIE MAXSometimes life gets you down. But you are not alone. If you are having troubles PLEASE CALL SOMEONE. PLEASE GET HELP! There are many many avenues to go down help yourself. Music ,Dialogue and Photos all by : Louie MaxProduced by: Russell "Thrippy" McMahonMixed by: Ian "Lit Z" LitovichYouTube: LOUIE MAX IG: @louiemaxx @grindandpivotWebsite: www.grindandpivot.comMerch: www.louiemax.comFB: Louie MaxTwitter : @grindandpivotSupport the show
2023-01-2401 minPop PantheonMADONNA: PART 4 (with Pot Psychology's Rich Juzwiak) [Originally Published on 4/21/2021]As a special bonus to wrap up our new Madonna series, we're re-publishing an episode, the fourth ever of Pop Pantheon (!!), from April 21, 2021 wherein DJ Louie and Jezebel's Rich Juzwiak attempt to parse about Madonna's commercial and artistic decline beginning with 2008's Pharrell and Timbaland-produced Hard Candy, 2012's limp return to dance music, MDNA, 2016's sprawling, trend-hopping Rebel Heart and 2019's generally baffling Madame X. Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our New Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More!!Listen to Madonna: PT IListen to Madonna PT IIListen to...
2023-01-2357 minPop PantheonMADONNA: PART 3 (with Annie Zaleski)Author and journalist Annie Zaleski returns to Pop Pantheon for part three of our Madonna series, covering the period in which Madonna fully solidified her status as one of the most important cultural figures of the modern era. DJ Louie and Annie discuss Madonna’s critically-adored, career-reimagining smash Ray of Light (1998), which saw her celebrate the epiphany of motherhood, her return to capital-f "Fun" on 2000's Music, and 2003's stilted American Life. Finally, they tackle her euphoric return to the club and last moment of true pop transcendence, 2005’s euphoric Confessions on a Dance Floor. Watch for the...
2023-01-191h 58Pop PantheonMADONNA: PART 2 (with The Clive Davis Institute's Jason King)For part two of our Madonna series, Clive Davis Institute chair Jason King returns to Pop Pantheon to discuss the imperial period of the Queen of Pop's career with DJ Louie. They discuss the capstone on Madonna's decade-defining run of records in the 1980s, 1989's Like a Prayer, her explosion into the 1990s with “Vogue,” 1992’s lightning rod Erotica and a singular record in Madonna’s discography, 1994's Bedtime Stories. Plus highlights from her cultural peak, like the genre-creating tour documentary Truth or Dare (1991), 1992's boundary-pushing coffee table book SEX and a complicated discussion about Madonna borrowing from other cultures...
2023-01-121h 59Pop PantheonMADONNA: PART 1 (with Inside The Groove's Edward Russell)For the first of our new three-part series on the Queen of Pop, Madonna, host of the podcast Inside the Groove Edward Russell joins DJ Louie to discuss Madge’s early years as an upstart pop-provocateur-turned-auteur. Louie and Edward begin with her early life and how her mother’s death from breast cancer, her strained relationship with her father and the family’s devout catholicism informed her path and future work before moving to the mythology of how she ended up in New York City, first to pursue a career in dance and later as a singer. They then discus...
2023-01-051h 51Pop PantheonBonus: Louie and Rich Juzwiak on the Janet Jackson DocumentaryIn a special bonus minisode, Jezebel's Rich Juzwiak joins DJ Louie to discuss Benjamin Hirsch's documentary Janet Jackson, which aired in January on A&E and Lifetime. With Janet's active participation, this doc was billed as the historically cagey superstar baring all about her formidable career and legacy, as well as various controversies which have swirled around her including the Super Bowl "wardrobe malfunction" and the child sexual abuse allegations leveled at her brother Michael. Louie and Rich break down how while the documentary presented some riveting new behind-the-scenes footage of Janet at her peak, it failed to adequately r...
2022-02-2422 min
Louie Von PodcastLouie Von Podcast: Episode 12 - LV & KC Injuries, Reddust 2nd Fight, Onlyfans and AfghanistanIn this episode of the Louie Von Podcast, Louie Von and Jack KC are joined by Youtuber/Artist Killaboy for no reason. They discuss Louie Von's recent collarbone injury and Jack KC past injuries. Plus they talk Onlyfans, Reddust vs TTD at TUT Warlord, Jake Paul Vs Tyron Woodley and the current events happening in Afghanistan.
2021-08-2449 min
Louie Von PodcastLouie Von Podcast: Episode 10 - New Co-Host, Do UFO's exist?, YouTube Vs TiktokIn this Episode of the Louie Von Podcast, Louie Von reveals the new co-host for series 2!! Plus they discuss the YouTube vs Tiktok boxing card, Logan Paul vs Floyd Mayweather, UK vs USA and do UFO'S exist. You the listeners can send in your fan submitted questions to LouieVonDerPodcast@outlook.com or to Louie_Von05 on Instagram.
2021-05-3133 min
Louie Von PodcastLouie Von Podcast: Episode 9 - WWE releases MAJOR STARS due to Pandemic!!!Were back for Series 2 of the newly renovated Louie Von Podcast. After the last series, Louie has ditched his co-hosts and is now going solo. In this episode he talks about WWE's "annual" April release of Major WWE superstars. This year Samoa Joe, Billie Kay, Peyton Royce, Mickie James, Chelsea Green, Tucker, Kalisto, Mojo Rawley, Bo Dallas and Wesley Blake have all be cut from the roster.
Please follow the podcast on Spotify or wherever your listening from and Subscribe to Louie Von on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEkPF3hMSSm5T3Kugp4pbHg
2021-04-1819 min