Novelty songs were a tough way to make a music career. Until one self-proclaimed Weird guy turned parodies into pop classics. <audio title="The White and Nerdy Edition" src="https://traffic.megaphone.fm/SLT1451379869.mp3" class="slate-megaphone__audio-player" tabindex="0" preload="metadata" controls></audio> <iframe title="The White and Nerdy Edition" src="https://player.megaphone.fm/SLT1451379869?light=true" frameborder="no" height="200" scrolling="no" width="100%"></iframe> View Transcript Listen & Subscribe Choose your preferred player: Apple Podcasts Google [...] Read more

Chris Molanphy and guest Rich Juzwiak on Mariah Carey’s chart history, whether she’ll score that 20th No.1 hit, and why imperfect pop stars are the best kind. <audio title="The Bridge: Legacy of the Elusive Chanteuse" src="https://traffic.megaphone.fm/SLT6999940179.mp3" class="slate-megaphone__audio-player" tabindex="0" preload="metadata" controls></audio> <iframe title="The Bridge: Legacy of the Elusive Chanteuse" src="https://player.megaphone.fm/SLT6999940179?light=true" frameborder="no" height="200" scrolling="no" width="100%"></iframe> Listen & [...] Read more

How Mariah Carey overcame the chart bias against Christmas music to score a No. 1 holiday song after 25 years. <audio title="Make My Wish Come True Edition" src="https://traffic.megaphone.fm/SLT8261523327.mp3" class="slate-megaphone__audio-player" tabindex="0" preload="metadata" controls></audio> <iframe title="Make My Wish Come True Edition" src="https://player.megaphone.fm/SLT8261523327?light=true" frameborder="no" height="200" scrolling="no" width="100%"></iframe> Listen & Subscribe Choose your preferred player: Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts [...] Read more

Chris Molanphy and Bridge producer Asha Saluja discuss who won the 2010s in music. <audio title="The Bridge: Queens Bey, Rih, and Robyn Reign Over Different Kingdoms" src="https://traffic.megaphone.fm/SLT9916162235.mp3" class="slate-megaphone__audio-player" tabindex="0" preload="metadata" controls></audio> <iframe title="The Bridge: Queens Bey, Rih, and Robyn Reign Over Different Kingdoms" src="https://player.megaphone.fm/SLT9916162235?light=true" frameborder="no" height="200" scrolling="no" width="100%"></iframe> Listen & Subscribe Choose your preferred player: [...] Read more

How memes, streams, and crossover dreams drove the hits of the 2010s. <audio title="Rolling in God’s Royal Uptown Road Edition" src="https://traffic.megaphone.fm/SLT5546651747.mp3" class="audio-player" tabindex="0" preload="metadata" controls></audio> <iframe title="Rolling in God’s Royal Uptown Road Edition" src="https://player.megaphone.fm/SLT5546651747?light=true" frameborder="no" height="200" scrolling="no" width="100%"></iframe> View Transcript Listen & Subscribe Choose your preferred player: Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts TuneIn Spotify Stitcher Overcast [...] Read more

Chris Molanphy and Ned Raggett discuss the ’80s wave of British alt-rock. <audio title="The Bridge: Genre vs. Generation, ’80s to ’10s" src="https://traffic.megaphone.fm/SLT5231165333.mp3" class="audio-player" tabindex="0" preload="metadata" controls></audio> <iframe title="The Bridge: Genre vs. Generation, ’80s to ’10s" src="https://player.megaphone.fm/SLT5231165333?light=true" frameborder="no" height="200" scrolling="no" width="100%"></iframe> View Transcript Listen longer Slate Plus members get ad-free versions of all Slate podcasts, plus [...] Read more

Three decades ago, the biggest alternative rock came with a British accent—and morose lyrics. <audio title="The Lost and Lonely Edition" src="https://traffic.megaphone.fm/SLT3930490706.mp3" class="audio-player" tabindex="0" preload="metadata" controls></audio> <iframe title="The Lost and Lonely Edition" src="https://player.megaphone.fm/SLT3930490706?light=true" frameborder="no" height="200" scrolling="no" width="100%"></iframe> View Transcript Listen & Subscribe Choose your preferred player: Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts TuneIn Spotify Stitcher Overcast RSS Feed [...] Read more

Chris Molanphy and Aisha Harris talk about the song template Janet Jackson’s producers spun into five hits. <audio title="The Bridge: Rain Sounds and Moody Goths" src="https://traffic.megaphone.fm/SLT3724819272.mp3" class="audio-player" tabindex="0" preload="metadata" controls></audio> <iframe title="The Bridge: Rain Sounds and Moody Goths" src="https://player.megaphone.fm/SLT3724819272?light=true" frameborder="no" height="200" scrolling="no" width="100%"></iframe> View Transcript Listen & Subscribe Choose your preferred player: Apple Podcasts Google [...] Read more

Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation redefined pop style 30 years ago—and generated more hits than any album, ever. <audio title="State of the World Edition" src="https://traffic.megaphone.fm/SLT1902110333.mp3" class="audio-player" tabindex="0" preload="metadata" controls></audio> <iframe title="State of the World Edition" src="https://player.megaphone.fm/SLT1902110333?light=true" frameborder="no" height="200" scrolling="no" width="100%"></iframe> View Transcript Listen & Subscribe Choose your preferred player: Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts TuneIn Spotify Stitcher [...] Read more

How a couple of major hit-makers fulfilled their chart destinies from the ’60s to the ’90s. <audio title="The Bridge: Ladies of the Canyon and the Rhythm Nation" src="https://traffic.megaphone.fm/SLT3707036581.mp3" class="audio-player" tabindex="0" preload="metadata" controls></audio> <iframe title="The Bridge: Ladies of the Canyon and the Rhythm Nation" src="https://player.megaphone.fm/SLT3707036581?light=true" frameborder="no" height="200" scrolling="no" width="100%"></iframe> View Transcript Listen longer Slate Plus members [...] Read more