About The Show

A podcast about the making and meaning of popular music hosted by musicologist Nate Sloan and songwriter Charlie Harding.

Chatting with leading artists, songwriters and producers, Switched On Pop breaks down pop songs to figure out what makes a hit and what is its place in culture. Listeners will come away finding “a-ha” moments in their favorite music.

A co-production of Rock Ridge Productions, Vox Media Podcast Network, New York Magazine and Vulture.

New to the show? Start here

Team

Bear

Cat

Reanna Cruz

Producer

Iris Gottlieb

Illustrator

Nate Sloan

Co-host

Featured Guests

Bootsy Collins

Brittany Howard

Carly Rae Jepsen

Carly Rae Jepsen

Caroline Polachek

Chappell Roan

Charlie Puth

Daveed Diggs
Disclosure

Daveed Diggs

Disclosure

FINNEAS

FINNEAS

Jack Antonoff

Jacob Collier

Jhayco

The Jonas Brothers

Jonas Brothers

Kali Uchis

Keith Urban

Keith Urban

Laufey

Meshell Ndegeocello
Mickey Guyton

Meshell Ndegeocello

Mickey Guyton

Rina Sawayama

Nile Rodgers

Rina Sawayama

Robert Plant

Seal

Talking Heads

Willow
“A fascinating deep-dive into how vast teams of talented people channel their knowledge of melody, diminished chords and syncopated snares into making truly terrible slush pop.” The Guardian, Best Podcasts of 2018

“A fascinating deep-dive into how vast teams of talented people channel their knowledge of melody, diminished chords and syncopated snares into making truly terrible slush pop.” The Guardian

“[Switched On Pop] treats the songs, artists and trends most would think of as flotsam with high-minded enthusiasm, and its break-it-down-to-basics approach never patronises and always illuminates.” Esquire (UK), best podcasts of 2019

“[Switched On Pop] treats the songs, artists and trends most would think of as flotsam with high-minded enthusiasm, and its break-it-down-to-basics approach never patronises and always illuminates.” Esquire (UK)

“Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding have an uncanny way of making the fleeting, unknowable parts of pop music something to be understood, not just appreciated.” IndieWire, Best Podcast Episodes of 2019 (So Far)

“Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding have an uncanny way of making the fleeting, unknowable parts of pop music something to be understood, not just appreciated.” IndieWire

“Musicologist Nate Sloan and songwriter Charlie Harding have highbrow discourse on the Top 40.” Entertainment Weekly, Best Music Podcasts

“Musicologist Nate Sloan and songwriter Charlie Harding have highbrow discourse on the Top 40.” Entertainment Weekly, Best Music Podcasts