Switched on Pop

What happens when your podcast’s theme song—cobbled together from GarageBand loops—gets called “game show music” and likened to a cereal commercial? You rewrite it. In this episode, we take you behind the scenes of Switched on Pop’s sonic makeover, from scathing critiques by music industry heavyweights to the creation of a lush, layered soundscape inspired by Wendy Carlos and PBS science shows. With expert advice from sonic branding maestro Dallas Taylor (Twenty Thousand Hertz) and the composers Zach Tenorio and Jocie Adams (Arc Iris), we dissect every step of transforming our theme into a timeless sonic identity. Tune in for the full story and hear how we turned a jingle crisis into a musical triumph.

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Recommendations

Read Cat Zhang at The Cut


Read Lauren Michelle Jackson’s White Negros and columns at The New Yorker


Listen to Ian Fitchuk’s work

Listen to Song Exploder hosted by Hrishikesh Hirway

Listen to NYTimes Popcast hosted by Jon Caramanica

Listen to Twenty Thousand Hertz hosted by Dallas Taylor


Songs Discussed

The Monkees: "Theme Song (Hey, Hey, We're The Monkees)"

Radiohead: "Kid A"

No Name: "Yesterday"

Mort Garson: "Ode to an African Violet"

Wendy Carlos Switched On Bach


Whitney Houston: "The Star-Spangled Banner" (1991 Super Bowl performance)

Jimi Hendrix: "The Star-Spangled Banner" (Woodstock performance)

Friends theme Song "I'll Be There for You" by The Rembrandts


Reading Rainbow theme song “Butterfly in the Sky” by Steve Horelick, Dennis Neil Kleinman, and Janet Weir


Bill Nye the Science Guy theme Song composed by Mike Greene 


3-2-1 Contact theme Song composed by Tom Anthony


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Critics are not feeling the love tonight when it comes to Disney's latest sequels, Mufasa and Moana 2. They've called the animated films "lifeless and bland." But save some sympathy for the composers behind these blatant IP grabs. Lin Manuel Miranda and the duo Barlow and Bear had to match the original, iconic numbers from the Lion King and Moana, songs written by Elton John and Miranda himself. Are critics of the sequels' soundtracks being too harsh? We compare the new songs to their iconic predecessors, like "Circle of Life" and "How Far I'll Go," and ask whether Disney new composers face an impossible task in trying to extend franchises through song.
Songs Discussed
Elton John, Tim Rice, Lebo M. - “Circle of Life”
Elton John, Tim Rice - “Circle of Life” (Radio Version)
Elton John, Tim Rice - “Hakuna Matata”
Lin-Manuel Miranda - “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”
Lin-Manuel Miranda - “Melele”
Lin-Manuel Miranda - “I Always Wanted a Brother”
Lin-Manuel Miranda - “How Far I’ll Go” ft. Auli’i Cravalho
Ariana Grande - “Imperfect For You”
Barlow & Bear - “Beyond” feat. Auli’i Cravalho
Barlow & Bear - “Can I Get a Chee Hoo” feat. Dwayne Johnson
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Brett Boles’s wonderful analysis of “How Far I’ll Go,” referenced in the episode
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On this very special episode, we join forces with the hilarious podcast OFF BOOK. When our powers combine, Zach and Jess of Off Book, plus their killer backing band of Scott, Dana and Brett create an improvised musical, while Nate and Charlie break down the sound and structure of a Broadway show. Stay tuned for deep thoughts about what separates pop music from musicals, wild speculation about the origin of the word “vamp,” and an ENTIRE FREAKING MUSICAL COMPOSED FROM SCRATCH that will make you laugh your face off. This is not one to miss.
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Popular music changes all the time, but there’s been one consistent element in practically everything released in the last two decades: Auto-Tune is everywhere. What started as a simple audio processing tool in the 1990s has become the dominant force in music. Artists are training to sing with Auto-Tune; songs sound like Auto-Tune. Like it or hate it, Auto-Tune is everywhere. And to be clear, most people like it.
On this episode of The Vergecast music journalist and Switched on Pop co-host Charlie Harding tells us the story of Auto-Tune. (Disclosure: Switched on Pop is part of the Vox Media Podcast Network, as is The Vergecast.) It starts, of all places, in the oil and gas industry. It involves artists like Cher and T-Pain, spreads like wildfire throughout the music business, and quickly becomes so utterly ubiquitous that you probably notice when Auto-Tune isn’t used more than when it is.
As we barrel toward whatever the “AI era” of music will be, we also look for clues in Auto-Tune’s story that point to what’s coming next. We talk about the distinct sound that comes from tools like Suno and Udio, how artists will use and abuse AI, and whether we should be worried about what it all means. We haven’t yet found the “Believe” of the AI music era, but it’s probably coming.
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The first time you hear "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," it probably registers as just another cheery holiday standard. But hiding within this seemingly simple song is a remarkable story of American transformation - musical, technological, and social. Each time artists reimagine the song over its 90-year history, they leave an imprint not just of their own style, but of their entire cultural moment.

Correction: Last week, we mistakenly credited Jermaine Jackson with playing bass on The Jackson 5’s “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” The bass on the studio recording was performed by Wilton Felder, a renowned session musician from The Crusaders. Jermaine played bass in live performances.

Artists Discussed:

Eddie Cantor

Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters

The Crystals

Ella Fitzgerald

Fred Astaire

The Jackson Five

Bruce Springsteen

Justin Bieber


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Three artists quietly reshaped pop music in 2024, though you might not know it from your Spotify Wrapped. As listeners question the accuracy of their year-end streaming stats, we explore the innovative sounds bubbling up just below the algorithmic radar. Tampa's "Swamp Princess" Doechii brings narrative depth back to hip-hop through her chameleonic vocal approach. Bedroom producer Mk.gee discovers entirely new possibilities for the electric guitar by deliberately recording "wrong." And BLACKPINK's ROSÉ challenges K-pop industry constraints while building bridges to Western pop on her revolutionary solo album. These artists point toward an exciting future where pop continues to evolve in unexpected ways, even as streaming platforms try to predict and package our musical tastes. Plus: Our producer Reanna Cruz presents evidence that their Spotify Wrapped might be fibbing, and Nate reveals his most-played track of 2024 was... Jeremy Irons singing "Be Prepared" from The Lion King? The algorithm works in mysterious ways.

Songs Discussed

Doechii: "Girls," "Yucky Blucky Fruitcake," "NISSAN ALTIMA," "Denial Is A River," "Boom Bap"

Mk.gee: "I Know How You Got," "Big Mics," "Are You Looking Up," "Alesis"

BLACKPINK"Boombayah," "Kill This Love," "How You Like That," "Pink Venom,"

ROSÉ: "On The Ground," "APT." (featuring Bruno Mars), "Toxic Till The End"

Taylor Swift: "Shake It Off"

Avril Lavigne: "Girlfriend"

Toni Basil: "Mickey"

Tom Petty: "American Girl"

Bo Diddley: "Bo Diddley Beat"


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It's an annual tradition: Every December, artists release their bids to join the hallowed halls of holiday music history. The gold standard remains Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You," which reportedly earns the pop star $2.5 million annually in royalties. This year's crop of seasonal offerings spans from ambitious originals to reimagined classics, with artists trying everything from AI-generated lyrics to funk renditions of Hanukah hymns. To evaluate this year's entries, we're introducing our definitive sleigh bell ranking system: five sleigh bells marks a future holiday classic destined to join Mariah in the pantheon, while one sleigh bell promises pop obscurity.

Songs Discussed:
•Kelly Clarkson - You For Christmas
•Orville Peck - Happy Trails
•Conan Gray - Holidays
•Dan and Shay - Take Me Home for Christmas
•Amy Grant - Tennessee Christmas
•Kesha - Holiday Road
•Ben Folds - Xmas Aye Eye
•Jennifer Hudson - Santa for Someone
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In 2024, Kendrick Lamar pulled off what seemed impossible: winning hip-hop's biggest rap battle in recent history, securing the Super Bowl halftime show, and dropping GNX, a surprise album that might be the year's defining pop record. But this triumphant return wasn't guaranteed. Two decades into his career — well past the average life expectancy of a rap career — Kendrick faced a critical challenge: how to balance his legendary artistic complexity with mainstream accessibility.

Songs discussed:

Kendrick Lamar – squabble up

Kendrick Lamar – luther (feat. SZA)

Kendrick Lamar – tv off (feat. Lefty Gunplay)


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The year's hottest movie is, against all odds, a musical. Wicked, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, just hit theaters, and tells the tale of how a green-skinned girl named Elphaba became the Wicked Witch of the West. And with any musical, the songs are just as important as the narrative. On this episode of Switched On Pop, Charlie, Nate, and Reanna hop on their broomsticks to break down the music powering this cultural phenomenon.

Songs Discussed

The Wizard And I - Cynthia Erivo, Michelle Yeoh

The Wizard And I - Carole Shelley, Idina Menzel

Popular - Ariana Grande

Popular Song - MIKA, Ariana Grande

Defying Gravity - Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande

What Is This Feeling? - Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo

Defying Gravity - Kristin Chenoweth, Idina Menzel

You'll Be Back - Jonathan Groff, Original Broadway Cast of Hamilton


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TIME Magazine once said, “there are few figures more closely associated with religion in pop culture than Madonna.” And looking at her catalog, it’s hard to disagree. From cheeky double entendres on “Like A Prayer,” to explorations of alternative philosophies on Ray of Light, spiritual practice has always been a core aspect of Madonna’s work. And as she dips her toes in different ideologies, she eventually comes to mold her own special religion in the process.
On our final episode of our week-long Listening 2 Madonna series, we take a look at the third essential part of Madonna’s holy trinity: spirituality.
Songs discussed:

Madonna – "Like A Prayer"

Madonna – "American Life"

Sister Cristina – "Like A Virgin"

Ray Charles – "What I'd Say"

Madonna – "Live to Tell"

Madonna – "Oh Father"

Madonna – "X-Static Process"

Madonna – "Bedtime Story"

Björk – "Hyperballad"

Madonna – "Ray of Light"

Madonna – "Nothing Really Matters"

Madonna – "The Power of Good-bye"

Madonna – "Sky Fits Heaven"

Madonna – "Shanti / Ashtangi"

Addison Rae – "Aquamarine"

Madonna – "Vogue"

Madonna – "Music"

Madonna – "Isaac"

Madonna – "Like It Or Not"

Madonna – "Get Together"


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