The Bridge: Everybody’s Got a Hungry Chart
Chris Molanphy and Caryn Rose discuss Bruce Springsteen’s artistry and whether he tried to evade pop success. Read more
Hit Parade: Tramps Like Us Edition
Bruce Springsteen went from “new Dylan” to pop pinup when he learned to keep the catchy songs for himself. Bruce Springsteen has been a legend so long, it’s easy to forget that, for his first decade, he had trouble getting a hit. Yes, even the legendary “Born to Run”: It missed Billboard’s Top 20. And [...] Read more
Hit Parade: Say My Name, Say My Name Edition
Rappers are singing and singers are rapping. When did these styles merge? Read more
The Bridge: Hip-Hop, Hit Pop
Chris Molanphy and Amy Coddington give Milli Vanilli props as himbo forefathers of rap and pop cross-pollination. In this mini-episode of Hit Parade, host Chris Molanphy is joined by Amherst pop-music professor Amy Coddington to provide some context on how Milli Vanilli helped change the sound of pop music at the turn of the ’80s [...] Read more
Hit Parade: Blame It on the Feign Edition
Deceitful as they were, Milli Vanill’s blend of rap and dance-pop topped the charts and made a lasting impression. Read more
The Bridge: You Said You Needed “Space”—WHAT?!
Chris Molanphy and Brittany Spanos discuss Taylor Swift’s enduring appeal for fans of all ages. Listen & Subscribe Choose your preferred player: Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts TuneIn Spotify Stitcher Overcast RSS Feed Get Your Slate Plus Feed Copy your ad-free feed link below to load into your player: copy link copied! For questions about subscriptions [...] Read more
Hit Parade: Taylor’s Version of Country Edition
At the turn of the ’10s, Taylor Swift pulled off a masterful country-to-pop crossover, ruling two genres at once. <iframe title="Taylor’s Version of Country Edition" src="https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=SLT8513901857&light=true" frameborder="no" height="200" scrolling="no" width="100%" ></iframe> View Transcript <iframe title="Taylor’s Version of Country Edition" src="https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=SLT6004911516&light=true" frameborder="no" height="200" scrolling="no" width="100%" ></iframe> View Transcript Taylor Swift’s new album is a reboot of [...] Read more
The Bridge: Tuesday Night Trivia Club
Chris Molanphy hosts a remote pop quiz about pop, exclusively for Slate Plus members. In this special episode of Hit Parade’s “The Bridge,” it’s like you’re sitting at the end of the bar for the ultimate pop-music pub quiz: On Tuesday night, March 30, host Chris Molanphy quizzed eight different Slate Plus listeners on trivia questions [...] Read more
Hit Parade: Don’t Know Much About History Edition
Sam Cooke was a hit-maker, soul pioneer, label boss … and a social activist, well before that One Night in Miami. <iframe title="Don’t Know Much About History Edition" src="https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=SLT1346097821&light=true" frameborder="no" height="200" scrolling="no" width="100%" ></iframe> <iframe title="Don’t Know Much About History Edition" src="https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=SLT8149266298&light=true" frameborder="no" height="200" scrolling="no" width="100%" ></iframe> Advertisement Listen & Subscribe Choose your preferred player: [...] Read more
The Bridge: Another Saturday Night in Miami
Chris Molanphy talks to Slate’s own Jack Hamilton about misunderstood soul legend Sam Cooke. View Transcript Get More Hit Parade Slate Plus members get extended, ad-free versions of our podcasts—and much more. • Exclusive episodes of Slow Burn, Hang Up and Listen, and Trumpcast. • Members-only series like Dana Stevens’ Flashback and Chris Molanphy’s Hit [...] Read more