6 Apr 2019

Switched On Pop: going deep on pop

From The Podcast Hour, 12:43 pm on 6 April 2019
Switched on Pop logo

Switched on Pop logo Photo: Supplied

'Switched On Pop' goes deep on some of today's biggest hits, analysing them by reference to everything from Baroque Art to The Bee Gees.

In the show, musicologist Nate Sloan and songwriter Charlie Harding get together with a musical guest to geek out about a musical genre that sometimes gets dismissed as being a little bit lightweight and superficial.

So they'll take a particular chord progression or musical phrase and use it to make a larger point or to draw a surprising (often delightful) parallel with something from classical music or art history. It's these 'a-ha' moments of recognition, revelation even, as the references get illustrated with studio instruments and cued-up audio clips that really set this show apart.

I've enjoyed episodes about the Camila Cabello song "Havana", Kendrick Lamar's 'Humble', and one on the history of Autotune featuring the music journalist Simon Reynolds.

We share a couple of clips: one (with guest K.Flay) about Ariana Grande's 2016 hit 'Into You' and the other where Janelle Monáe's hit "Make Me Feel" is dissected with with guest Lizzo. Switched On Pop is produced by Vox and the Vox Media Podcast Network.