Switched on Pop

The musicologist Nate Sloan and the songwriter Charlie Harding have produced smart, approachable takes about pop music since 2014. This year, their podcast featured more of the same lively discussions, with the addition of several guest hosts who explored pop in new ways during Harding’s parental leave.  One episode  dissects how a song by Lizzo mirrors the chord progression from  Phantom of the Opera . In another, the hosts reflect on the generational disconnect between themselves and then–17-year-old  Billie Eilish , whom they describe as a “superhero super–pop star” for the current moment. The episode feed acts as a choose-your-own-adventure in pop music, providing deep dives on seemingly any artist or theme (such as “ A Brief History of Men Singing Really High ,” which is pure bliss). The overall experience of  Switched on Pop  is like the kind of fascinating college class that always fills up too fast; its music lessons are so clearly delivered that any listener can feel as though they’ve earned top marks.