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Greatest Pop Stars

Billboard
Greatest Pop Stars
Latest episode

116 episodes

  • Greatest Pop Stars

    2001 Janet Jackson: Vintage Pop Stardom (with Trevor Anderson)

    15/05/2026 | 2h 13 mins.
    Today, we wrap up our Janet Jackson Vintage Pop Stardom Week on the Greatest Pop Stars podcast! After visiting Janet in her 'Control,' 'Rhythm Nation,' 'janet.' and 'The Velvet Rope' eras of '86, '90, '93 & '98, we now find the pop icon single and feeling good in her 'All for You' run, and being celebrated simultaneously as a contemporary hitmaker and pivotal legacy artist. Host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard senior charts and data analyst Trevor Anderson as we do it all for Janet one more time, recapping her final year of no-doubt superstardom and imagining a future where everything doesn't go so wrong just a few years later. Check it out here and make sure to catch up on the rest of our Janet Jackson week right before her 60th birthday this Saturday.

    Check out a YouTube playlist of Janet's biggest 2001 moments, all of which are discussed in the episode, here:

    https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjyxjlx5MpVAuy5Fuy2byWaAIFmBihbch&si=3AJJ94-iV8yJDqZe

    And if you enjoy the pod, please consider donating to the following causes:

    Transgender Law Center

    https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

    Trans Lifeline

    https://translifeline.org/

    Destination Tomorrow

    https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

    Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

    https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

    Human Rights Campaign - In Your Area

    https://www.hrc.org/in-your-area

    Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
  • Greatest Pop Stars

    1998 Janet Jackson: Vintage Pop Stardom (with Lina Morgan)

    14/05/2026 | 1h 50 mins.
    We're four years into Janet Jackson Vintage Pop Stardom Week on the Greatest Pop Stars podcast! After visiting Janet in her 'Control,' 'Rhythm Nation' and 'janet.' eras of '86, '90 & '93, we now find the pop icon rejecting her ever-growing bigness for something more personal and intimate. Host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Lina Morgan of the Song vs. Song podcast as we head past the 'Velvet Rope' and deep into one of Janet's richest and most rewarding eras, based around an album that underwhelmed commercially and critically but is now rightly considered perhaps her finest overall work. Check it out here and come back for one final look at the pop icon's peak run — in 2001, at her legacy peak — right before her 60th birthday this Saturday.

    Check out a YouTube playlist of Janet's biggest 1998 moments, all of which are discussed in the episode, here:

    https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjyxjlx5MpVBqA9Ho--37APhqO2E7JFxP&si=5DvQBrDIKb3ZrotM

    And make sure to subscribe to Song vs. Song here:

    https://www.patreon.com/songvssong

    And follow Lina on Bluesky here:

    https://bsky.app/profile/alinaisyou.bsky.social/post/3mlniu4vsys2e

    And if you enjoy the pod, please consider donating to the following causes:

    Transgender Law Center

    https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

    Trans Lifeline

    https://translifeline.org/

    Destination Tomorrow

    https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

    Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

    https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

    Human Rights Campaign - In Your Area

    https://www.hrc.org/in-your-area

    Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
  • Greatest Pop Stars

    1993 Janet Jackson: Vintage Pop Stardom (with Naima Cochrane)

    13/05/2026 | 1h 42 mins.
    We're three years into Janet Jackson Vintage Pop Stardom Week on the Greatest Pop Stars podcast! After visiting Janet in her 'Control' and 'Rhythm Nation' eras of '86 and '90, we now catch up with the pop icon at the very top of the mountain in 1993. Host Andrew Unterberger is joined by NYU professor Naima Cochrane to talk about a decade-defining year of dominance, with classic singles, albums, videos, performances, looks and even acting roles, as Janet ended the year at a peak arguably no other pop star had yet reached that decade. Check it out here and come back all week as we celebrate two more years — 1998 and 2001 — from the pop icon, leading up to her 60th birthday this Saturday.

    Check out a YouTube playlist of Janet's biggest 1993 moments, all of which are discussed in the episode, here:

    https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjyxjlx5MpVBJQKsj-VarW-wfkPC8XPic&si=sS0Oh1Xh0w-K7nFE

    And make sure to follow Naima on Instagram here:

    https://www.instagram.com/naimagram/

    And if you enjoy the pod, please consider donating to the following causes:

    Transgender Law Center

    https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

    Trans Lifeline

    https://translifeline.org/

    Destination Tomorrow

    https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

    Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

    https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

    Human Rights Campaign - In Your Area

    https://www.hrc.org/in-your-area

    Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    And if you enjoy the pod, please consider donating to the following causes:

    Transgender Law Center

    https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

    Trans Lifeline

    https://translifeline.org/

    Destination Tomorrow

    https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

    Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

    https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

    Human Rights Campaign - In Your Area

    https://www.hrc.org/in-your-area

    Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
  • Greatest Pop Stars

    1993 Janet Jackson: Vintage Pop Stardom (with Naima Cochrane)

    13/05/2026 | 1h 42 mins.
    We're three years into Janet Jackson Vintage Pop Stardom Week on the Greatest Pop Stars podcast! After visiting Janet in her 'Control' and 'Rhythm Nation' eras of '86 and '90, we now catch up with the pop icon at the very top of the mountain in 1993. Host Andrew Unterberger is joined by NYU professor Naima Cochrane to talk about a decade-defining year of dominance, with classic singles, albums, videos, performances, looks and even acting roles, as Janet ended the year at a peak arguably no other pop star had yet reached that decade. Check it out here and come back all week as we celebrate two more years — 1998 and 2001 — from the pop icon, leading up to her 60th birthday this Saturday.

    Check out a YouTube playlist of Janet's biggest 1993 moments, all of which are discussed in the episode, here:

    https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjyxjlx5MpVBJQKsj-VarW-wfkPC8XPic&si=sS0Oh1Xh0w-K7nFE

    And make sure to follow Naima on Instagram here:

    https://www.instagram.com/naimagram/

    And if you enjoy the pod, please consider donating to the following causes:

    Transgender Law Center

    https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

    Trans Lifeline

    https://translifeline.org/

    Destination Tomorrow

    https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

    Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

    https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

    Human Rights Campaign - In Your Area

    https://www.hrc.org/in-your-area

    Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    And if you enjoy the pod, please consider donating to the following causes:

    Transgender Law Center

    https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

    Trans Lifeline

    https://translifeline.org/

    Destination Tomorrow

    https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

    Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

    https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

    Human Rights Campaign - In Your Area

    https://www.hrc.org/in-your-area

    Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
  • Greatest Pop Stars

    1990 Janet Jackson: Vintage Pop Stardom (with Christine Werthman)

    12/05/2026 | 1h 17 mins.
    We're two years into Janet Jackson Vintage Pop Stardom Week on the Greatest Pop Stars podcast! After kicking off yesterday in 1986, our Janet mini-series continues in 1990 with the Rhythm Nation era and arguably her first year leading the entire pop star pack. Host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard's managing editor Christine Werthman to talk about a year of massive hits and videos, incredible performances and unforgettable roller rink memories, as Ms. Jackson made us think, feel and dance like few pop stars before her. Check it out here and come back all week as we celebrate three more years — 1993, 1998 and 2001 — from the pop icon, leading up to her 60th birthday this Saturday.

    Check out a YouTube playlist of Janet's biggest 1990 moments, all of which are discussed in the episode, here:

    https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjyxjlx5MpVDxIbI2ZY_Lyadvcv08ac6y&si=KRPyhEdjqHuwx-cC

    And if you enjoy the pod, please consider donating to the following causes:

    Transgender Law Center

    https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

    Trans Lifeline

    https://translifeline.org/

    Destination Tomorrow

    https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

    Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

    https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

    Human Rights Campaign - In Your Area

    https://www.hrc.org/in-your-area

    Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    And if you enjoy the pod, please consider donating to the following causes:

    Transgender Law Center

    https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

    Trans Lifeline

    https://translifeline.org/

    Destination Tomorrow

    https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

    Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

    https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

    Human Rights Campaign - In Your Area

    https://www.hrc.org/in-your-area

    Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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About Greatest Pop Stars
Billboard's weekly deep dive into the past, present and future of pop stardom. New episodes every Thursday.

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