Switched on Pop

Research says you judge a song in under half a second. So why write an intro at all? On this episode of Switched on Pop, Charlie and Nate kick off their Netflix launch and probe what an intro means in today's musical landscape, alongside special guests like Aaron Dessner (Taylor Swift, The National, Gracie Adams), who helps build the case for intros and reveals the surprising sources that form the opening sounds of Taylor Swift's “cardigan.”

CREDITSReanna Cruz: ProducerIris Gottlieb: IllustratorCharlie Harding: Host, Executive ProducerDion Lee: Art DirectorBrandon McFarland: Audio EngineerNick Ripps: Video EditorNate Sloan: HostLissa Soep: EditorZach Tenorio & Jocie Adams: Theme ComposersSwitched On Pop is a co-production of Vox Media Podcast Network, Vulture, and Rock Ridge Productions.

Links: ⁠Newsletter⁠

Black Eyed Peas, "Let's Get It Started"

Shawn Colvin, “Sonny Came Home”

Smashing Pumpkins, “Tonight Tonight”

The Cranberries, "Zombie"

The Cranberries, "Linger"

Carly Rae Jepsen, "Call Me Maybe"

Marvin Gaye, "Let's Get It On"

Britney Spears, "Toxic"

Miles Davis, "Freddie Freeloader"

Robyn, "Call Your Girlfriend"

The Beatles, "All You Need Is Love"

Led Zeppelin, "Over the Hills and Far Away"

Beyoncé, "Irreplaceable"

Deee-Lite, "Groove Is in the Heart"

Missy Elliott, "Get Ur Freak On"

Missy Elliott, "Work It"

Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee, "Despacito"

Kendrick Lamar & SZA, "Luther"

Mariah Carey, "Fantasy"

The Who, "Won't Get Fooled Again"

Stevie Wonder, "Superstition"

The Temptations, "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone"

Rick Astley, "Never Gonna Give You Up"

Amy Winehouse, "Back to Black"

The Supremes, "Baby Love"

The Kinks, "Sweet Lady Genevieve"

The Beach Boys, "God Only Knows"

Erik Satie, "Je te veux"

D'Angelo and the Vanguard, "Back to the Future (Part I)"

The Chainsmokers feat. Halsey, "Closer"

Sabrina Carpenter, "Taste"

Benson Boone, "Sorry I'm Here for Someone Else"

Stella Lefty, "Boston"

Taylor Swift, "Cardigan"

The National, "The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness"

Taylor Swift, "So Long, London"

Gracie Abrams, "Hit the Wall"

Noah Kahan, "End of August"

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We're coming to the big screen with a four part mini series starting July 14th.
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The quadrennial soccer (or fútbol, depending who you talk to) competition is upon us again: it's the FIFA World Cup! And while the World Cup is a sporting event, it's still relevant to the folks at Switched On Pop, because every four years a new crop of songs gets commissioned to drum up excitement for the games.

This year, the official song is by Shakira and Burna Boy, but offerings from IShowSpeed and a madcap collaboration between Andrea Bocelli, David Guetta, EJAE, and Megan Thee Stallion also play the field. On this episode, Charlie and Nate explore them all – including the Shakira and Ricky Martin songs of World Cups past.

Links: ⁠Newsletter⁠, ⁠YouTube

Songs discussed:

Shakira, Burna Boy – Dai Dai

K'NAAN – Wavin' Flag

Tears For Fears, Lil Baby – The World Is Yours To Take

Jelly Roll, Carin León – Lighter

LISA, Anitta, Rema – Goals

Jung Kook, BTS – Dreamers

Andrea Bocelli, David Guetta, EJAE, Megan Thee Stallion – DNA (More Than A Game)

IShowSpeed – Champions (WC 26)

Ed Sheeran – Shape of You

Shakira, Carlinhos Brown – La La La (Brasil 2014)

Shakira, Freshlyground – Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)

Zangalewa – Zangalewa

Ricky Martin, Pablo Flores – The Cup of Life (La Copa de la Vida)

Ricky Martin – Livin' La Vida Loca

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In case you missed it:

How does a country of 10 million people dominate the global pop charts? From ABBA's Eurovision breakthrough to Max Martin's methodical hit-making, Sweden has quietly engineered a kind of musical Stockholm Syndrome: we've all become captives to their sound without realizing it. Listen to the crystalline vocal production and deceptively simple chord progressions in tracks by Lisa, Childish Gambino, and Addison Rae, and you're hearing Sweden's sonic fingerprint so embedded in pop's DNA that it now defines the genre itself. We sit down with pop star Zara Larsson to explore her love letter to home, "Midnight Sun." As she puts it, "I can't really leave Sweden; it's just something that's like a part of who I am," a sentiment that captures how Swedish pop's unique blend of melancholy and euphoria, mirroring the country's extreme seasons, has made us all willing prisoners of Stockholm's musical empire.

Songs Discussed


Lisa ft. Rosalia: "New Woman"


Childish Gambino: "Lithonia"


Addison Rae: "Fame Is a Gun"


Bleachers: "Tiny Moves"


Zara Larsson: "Midnight Sun"


Robyn: "Show Me Love"


Robyn: "Dancing on My Own"


Nirvana: "Smells Like Teen Spirit"


Brad Mehldau: "Smells Like Teen Spirit"

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In the last episode of our feral pop miniseries, we take a look at the 22 year old rapper primed to take over the world: 2hollis. Splitting the difference between hardstyle and hip-hop while emanating an aura best described as “vampiric,” he’s been one of the most hyped musicians coming out of the underground. His music is distorted, chaotic, and over the top – literally – but he reflects a larger sentiment from younger audiences: the more sonic chaos the better.

Links: ⁠Newsletter⁠, ⁠YouTube

Songs discussed:

Ninajirachi – Fuck My Computer

underscores – Music

2hollis – poster boy

SUICIDAL-IDOL – ecstacy

2hollis – flash

2hollis – beginning

2hollis – sidekick

underscores, 8485 – your favorite sidekick

2hollis – crush

2hollis – 3

Skrillex – Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites

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