Pop Pantheon

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore Track-by-Track + Our VMAs Wrap-up (Patreon Preview)

#17 trending · Music Commentary

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ discuss last night's woeful 2026 MTV Music Video Awards, before turning their attention to th

Sep 28
10 min

Our Favorite VMA Performances of All Time (with Jake Cornell)

#38 trending · Music Commentary

In anticipation of the annual MTV Video Music Awards airing this Sunday, comedian Jake Cornell joins Louie and Russ to count down each of their favorite performances from

Sep 24
1 h 13 min

Second Spin: TINASHE (with The Cut's Cat Zhang)

Tinashe has a new album, Pop Star, dropping in a couple days. Get all caught up with her career to this point with our 2024 episode on the Niche Legend with The Cut's Cat

Sep 23
1 h 46 min

Miley Cyrus' Bass Persuades + Troye Sivan's "Party," Robyn Live, & More! (Patreon Preview)

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ discuss live shows from Eli and Robyn, Troye Sivan's newest single, "Party," Miley Cryus' lat

Sep 21
12 min

Are Taylor Swift, Drake, and Ariana Grande Moving Up or Down in the Pop Pantheon?

In a game of "Step Up, Step Down," Louie and Russ discuss recent career developments from Taylor Swift, Drake, Ariana Grande, Charli XCX, Gracie Abrams, and Audrey Hobert

Sep 17
55 min

Miley Cyrus' "Bass Persuades" + Ranking All Miley Lead Singles (Patreon Preview)

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie shares his experience seeing Backstreet Boys live at The Sphere in Vegas. Then, Louie and Russ get int

Sep 14
10 min

What Was The Song of the Summer?

Louie and Russ come together to debate what this year's song of the summer was. Was it Ella Langley's chart topper "Choosin' Texas"? What about Taylor Swift's latest mega

Sep 10
44 min

Britney Spears' Glory - Track-by-Track (Patreon Preview)

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ go track-by-track on the final studio album from Britney Spears, Glory, in honor of its 10th

Sep 7
10 min

M.I.A. (with Julianne Escobedo Shepherd)

Julianne Escobedo Shepherd returns to Pop Pantheon to unpack the career of a pop star who changed the very notion of what a “pop star” could be: M.I.A. Louis and Julianne

Sep 3
2 h 23 min

Charli XCX's Vroom Vroom at 10: Track-by-Track (+ Russ on Music Fashion Film) (Patreon Preview)

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Russ shares his belated thoughts on Charli XCX's latest, Music Fashion Film, before he and Louie go track-by

Aug 31
11 min

Beyoncé's B'Day at 20: Track-by-Track (Originally Published on Patreon on May 11, 2026)

Pop Pantheon is off until September. In the meantime, we're dropping some gems from our Patreon for free! This week, we're sharing our episode from May of this year where

Aug 27
1 h 33 min

Karol G’s No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto + Becky G's Baraja Bendita (with Isabella Gomez Sarmiento) (Patreon preview)

NPR Music reporter Isabella Gomez Sarmiento returns to Pop Pantheon All Access to join Russ for a discussion about two albums from Latin pop stars released this month. Fi

Aug 24
11 min

The Chaos and Calculations of Camila Cabello's C,XOXO (with Omri Rolan) (Originally Published on Patreon on 7/1/24)

Pop Pantheon is off until September. In the meantime, we're dropping some gems from our Patreon for free! This week, we're sharing our episode from July 2024 reviewing Ca

Aug 20
59 min

New Music from Troye Sivan, Phoebe Bridgers, Ravyn Lanae & More (Patreon Preview)

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ go deep on new songs from Troye Sivan, Flo, Ravyn Lanae, Phoebe Bridgers, Tyla, and Adela. T

Aug 17
10 min

Did Pop Music Used to Be Better?

Digging through this week's top ten from the last five decades— the 1980s, the 1990s, the 2000s, the 2010s, and today— Louie and Russ try to figure if pop music, at least

Aug 13
1 h 05 min

Madonna's Confessions on a Dance Floor vs. Confessions II: Which is Better? (Patreon Preview)

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ debate the age old question: Is Madonna's original Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005) or her

Aug 10
11 min

TEGAN AND SARA (with Annie Zaleski)

Author and critic Annie Zaleski returns to Pop Pantheon to discuss the career and legacy of a pair of queer icons: the Canadian sister act Tegan and Sara. Annie and Russ

Aug 6
1 h 59 min

Ariana Grande Goes Dark on Petal (with Rachel Handler) (Patreon Preview)

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, New York Magazine's Rachel Handler joins DJ Louie to talk discuss Ariana Grande's 8th studio album, Petal, w

Aug 3
11 min

Second Spin: MADONNA: PART 3 (with Annie Zaleski)

Louie and Russ are taking the last two weeks of July off! In the meantime, in light of the commotion over Confessions II, we're revisiting our Madonna series from 2023. P

Jul 30
1 h 58 min

Charli XCX Bucks Brat on Music, Fashion, Film (with Joan Summers) (Patreon Preview)

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Paper's Joan Summers joins DJ Louie to break down Charli XCX's anti-Brat follow-up to that blockbuster, her

Jul 27
11 min

Chart trend

Position in the Music Commentary chart (US), last 90 days.

#1#22#42JulAugSep

all-time peak

days in the top 10 since Nov 2024

Chart positions

Where Pop Pantheon ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 29, 2026).

#117 ▼ 24 Music US

#26 ▼ 1 Music Commentary US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

Over the past year I have been listening to all episodes chronologically from the beginning. I am consistently entertained and also learn a lot. Highly recommend this podcast to people who would appreciate a historical and critical examination of pop music. Would love a Best Charli xcx songs of all time draft (maybe to coincide with the release of Music, Fashion, Film?). The drafts have been some of my favorite episodes. Finally, Britney most definitely deserves to be Teir 1.

ngens · Jul 2026

Incredibly well researched and well edited podcast. Edit: Louie and Nick analyzing the lyrics to Moves like Jagger had me choking on my coffee. Hysterical.

LolaPolaGranola · Apr 2026

Listening to pop pantheon is just the most fun ever. Do yourself a favor and subscribe to the patreon— they deliver amazing bonus episodes weekly. Louie, Russ, & guests are both insightful & entertaining. It’s a fun way to peel back the curtain on music that can seem vacuous but this show proves there’s always a story, even when it’s not that deep. They are h reat conversation leaders, storyteller and true historian, with infectious enthusiasm for pop music & musicians. I love learning about the artists’ stories and come away inspired. I have been introduced to so much amazing music and knowledge through this show. Thanks Louie and Russ for making it— it’s the dopamine hit I didn’t know I needed & look forward to every week.

Dlmb123 · Jan 2026

Content is great, editing needs work. Sometimes there are commercials in the middle of someone’s sentence or weird, long pauses that have me checking my phone to see if it paused. I got hooked on the Ariana deep dives and proceeded to download a bunch of episodes.

Listenedtoyourpodcast · Nov 2025

Britney Spears is 100% a tier 1 artist. Your reasoning is contradictory and honestly, downright wrong. First, you seemed so bespoken to this idea that the artists themselves, needed to have a form of “ownership”, or “input” in order for their placement on the tier ranking. That is not even part of your requirements. Also, many of these artists were afforded those privileges. Britney was not. And even with the limitations in place, she was able to perform, outsell, and define a space in pop music that has inspired so many artists, more so than many of these other artists that you have ranked within the tier 1 space. Next, she exceeded your requirements with her WORK. Not just her celebrity and public narrative, but her pop work. Which in terms of sales, influence, and iconography triumphs so many of the artists you have ranked in the tier one spot. Look at last year’s VMAs. Her presence and contributions to pop culture and music, is unquestionably present. Also, I feel that the marketing and distribution of merchandise wasn’t brought up enough (during her initial three years). This model of pop star marketing was duplicated for following teen acts for years down the line. Justin Bieber, and Miley Cyrus, for example. I am thankful for the commenters and guests that argued for her rightful placement. In short, I’m disappointed that the 71% of votes, or insight from your guests did not sway your final decision. You got this one wrong. She highly deserves to be one of the top 25, tier one acts.

B-Spears,Wiz-K,and the Crue :) · Mar 2025

We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.