Popcast

A conversation about the ubiquitous Bronx rapper’s rise, and her boosts from the meme universe. Guest: Rolling Stone's Jeff Ihaza.

As the country star’s new album earns the biggest debut of the year, a conversation about the nature of his fame and the scope of his reprimand for using a racial slur. Guest: The New Yorker's Kelefa Sanneh.

A conversation about the group’s impact and legacy as its music finally arrives on streaming services, just weeks after the death of one of its rappers, Dave Jolicoeur. Guests: Questlove and Joseph Patel.

The hitmaker has been named a creative director at Louis Vuitton, building another bridge between two worlds with decades of history. Guest: Complex's Aria Hughes.

A conversation about the singer and songwriter’s chart-topping “SOS,” and the different approach to star-making that brought her there. Guest: Danyel Smith.

A conversation about the hip-hop eccentric’s experiments, and the benefits (and perils) of collaborating outside an artist’s established genre. Guests: Jayson Buford and The Ringer's Justin Charity.

Does respect from music’s premier awards show still carry weight? Guests: Joe Coscarelli, Jon Pareles and Lindsay Zoladz.

Acts with growing profiles and unique personalities are taking increasingly different paths, as the genre’s globalization opens new doors. Guest: Tamar Herman.

The concert giant has long been the target of consumer complaints and artists’ ire. Recent incidents involving Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny have renewed focus on problems in the live marketplace. Guest: Ben Sisario.

As the genre experiences a creative renaissance, has it become quietly radical to re-embrace the past? Guests: Harmony Holiday and Giovanni Russonello.

With a blockbuster LP and a smash tour, the genre-melding superstar set a new bar for himself, and expanded the possibilities for Spanish-language pop worldwide. Guests: Billboard's Leila Cobo and The New York Times Magazine's Carina del Valle Schorske.

Answering reader queries about the state of the music video, Morgan Wallen, SZA and Ethel Cain and more. Guests: Joe Coscarelli and Caryn Ganz.

You asked, we answered your queries about Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, the state of indie rock and more. Guests: Joe Coscarelli and Caryn Ganz.

Let’s talk about tracks by Ice Spice, Cardi B, Ethel Cain and many more of the 70 picks on our critics’ lists. Guests: Jon Pareles and Lindsay Zoladz.

Our critics debate their year-end lists (and agree on Beyoncé and Rosalía!) in a wrap-up of the year in LPs. Guests: Jon Pareles and Lindsay Zoladz.

The country’s most influential hip-hop scene has weathered a period of extraordinary upheaval. A look back at happened, and what’s next. Guest: Joe Coscarelli.

The film about a renowned and embattled conductor puts a fresh spin on conversations about art, power and misdeeds. Guests: Vulture's Alison Wilmore and Zachary Woolfe.

A conversation about the singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist’s studio innovations, and melding of social consciousness and musical creativity. Guest: Jon Pareles.

The New York Times pop music team had its say; now a new panel answers questions about the blockbuster album. Guests: Madison Malone Kircher and Pitchfork's Quinn Moreland.

The blockbuster singer-songwriter’s 10th studio album finds her at a crossroads: Will she continue to reckon with her past, or forge another new path forward? Guests: Joe Coscarelli, Caryn Ganz, Jon Pareles and Lindsay Zoladz.

A conversation about the country music titan’s sly radicalism and the many readings and misreadings of her work. Guest: Jewly Hight.

Songwriters who have found success on the app via emotional catharsis have expanded its range, and piqued the music industry’s interest. Guest: Stereogum's Rachel Brodsky.

The breakout country-folk singer and songwriter has found an audience for his old-fashioned artistry largely on a newer platform: streaming. Guest: Grady Smith.

Blondshell, Central Cee, Ethel Cain and more: a conversation about what’s breaking through, plus questions from the audience at our first live taping. Guests: Joe Coscarelli and Caryn Ganz.

The rapper’s rise has been accompanied by outside noise. How has she grown on record, and how have extra-musical narratives shaped her career? Guests: Rolling Stone's Mankaprr Conteh and Pitchfork's Heven Haile.

Firestorms over the “virtual rapper” FN Meka and faceless artists on Spotify have sparked conversations about alienation and creative agency. Guests: Joe Coscarelli; Garbage Day's Ryan Broderick; and Music Business Worldwide's Tim Ingham.

A conversation about the band’s return, its evolving message and the nature of comeback tours. Guests: Rolling Stone's Andy Greene and the writer and "Summer of Soul" producer Joseph Patel.

The conversation continues about one of the year’s most ideologically provocative pop albums, its queer inspirations and its credits. Guests: Naima Cochrane, Vulture's Jason P. Frank, Resident Advisor's Kiana Mickles and Patrik Sandberg.

A look at the recent burst of bands and how the scene operates as music, ethic and feeling. Guests: Stereogum's Tom Breihan and The Ringer's Chris Ryan.

A deep dive on “Renaissance,” her relationship to queer music communities and her framing of authorship. Guests: Joe Coscarelli, Wesley Morris, Jon Pareles and Salamishah Tillet.

The singer, rapper and songwriter’s peppy empowerment songs have made her an outlier in a field dominated by melancholic music. Guests: The Ringer's Justin Charity; Lindsay Zoladz; and William Robin.

How much do fantasy and imagination play into how we remember pop culture heroes? Guests: A.O. Scott and Alanna Nash.

He’s one of hip-hop’s biggest emerging stars, and he’s cutting a very different path than the white rappers who came before him. Guests: Hunter Harris, Larisha Paul and Peter Rosenberg.

The genre has long been filled with tension between mainstream outlets and the spaces in which the music is most likely to grow. Guests: Giovanni Russonello and WBGO's Nate Chinen.

How did the rapper arrive on the dance floor? And what subcultures and expectations might he experiment with next? Guests: Joe Coscarelli and The Baltimore Banner's Lawrence Burney.

Attempting to uncover unknown things about very well known people. Guest: Ben Sisario.

The team answers your questions about Chance the Rapper, how the critics consider extramusical concerns and more. Guests: Joe Coscarelli, Caryn Ganz and Jon Pareles.

How his time in One Direction and a powerful online fan base have shaped the pop star’s career. Guests: The Atlantic's Kaitlyn Tiffany, and Lindsay Zoladz.

During his five-year pause between albums, the rapper has been reckoning — with his own evolution, and the narrative that’s been constructed for him. Guests: Rolling Stone's Jeff Ihaza; New York magazine and Vulture's Craig Jenkins; and The Nation's Stephen Kearse.

Actual music can seem like an afterthought as digital coverage of the genre has tilted toward tabloidism. Are there other paths forward? Guests: HipHopDX's Jerry Barrow; Complex's Andre Gee; and Genius's Rob Markman.

A conversation about the urge to accumulate treasured items and the stories objects can hold. Guest: The New Yorker's Hua Hsu.

Pop Smoke, Lil Durk, Fivio Foreign and more have taken the sound that emerged in Chicago in different directions. What might come next? Guests: Joe Coscarelli and David Drake.

After decreasing returns in the hip-hop world, the musician and actor stepped into a revival that had roots in SoundCloud rap, and a champion in Travis Barker. Guests: Meaghan Garvey and Arielle Gordon.

Plenty has been said about Oscars night. But what about the rapper-turned-actor’s remarkable journey up to that point? Guest: Andscape's Soraya Nadia McDonald.

What are the awards at this point, and who benefits from them? Guests: Jon Pareles, Wesley Morris and Lindsay Zoladz.

The singer and songwriter’s career has inspired dance parties as well as spirited conversations about her ambitions and aesthetic innovations. Guests: Hazel Cills and Shaad D’Souza.

The Spanish phenom’s music takes in a host of global influences, making her one of the most sonically ambitious and critically dissected pop artists today. Guest: Joe Coscarelli.

A conversation about some of the country’s stars, the musical traditions they work within and how they have grappled with the war. Guest: Vogue's Liana Satenstein.

As the genre grows in worldwide popularity, it is engaging with the pop music mainstream and stratifying into subsets, introducing new opportunities and dilemmas. Guests: Isabelia Herrera and Katelina Eccleston.

A conversation about the space the breakout Brooklyn band occupies in contemporary indie-rock circles, and its latest album. Guests: Rolling Stone's Jon Dolan and Pitchfork's Sam Sodomsky.

A conversation about her unique music, her short career and the path that led to her rediscovery. Guests: Jon Pareles, Maureen Mahon and Oliver Wang.

The indie-rock musician’s albums inspire deep feelings and attract ever-bigger audiences, but in many ways she remains a mystery. Guests: New York's E. Alex Jung and Pitchfork's Cat Zhang.

The controversy over the star podcaster and misinformation raised thorny questions about the streaming service’s role as a platform, and exacerbated its conflicts with musicians. Guests: Ben Sisario and New York's Nick Quah.

Conversations with two of his contemporaries about the fertile scenes he covered, and the indelible impression he left. Guests: Michael A. Gonzales and Joan Morgan.

A conversation about hip-hop’s evolution in the country, and how a high-profile shooting thrust the music into the spotlight. Guests: Joe Coscarelli, Petter Hallen and Alex Marshall.

“Dawn FM” suggests at least one future direction for the pop powerhouse, who’s spent a decade making careful moves. Guest: The Ringer's Rob Harvilla.

Throughout the pandemic, the music’s flexibility has become an asset. Where will artists take it next? Guests: Giovanni Russonello and Marcus J. Moore.

As a New Year's treat, we've recovered an old episode sidelined by technical issues (thank you, Pedro!): a discussion of Lana Del Rey’s “Chemtrails Over the Country Club” and the long arc of her career. Guests: Mina Tavakoli and Lindsay Zoladz.

A catch-up round table on a host of topics: Maneskin, Jazmine Sullivan, Kelly Clarkson, a Real Housewife’s music career and much more. Guests: Joe Coscarelli and Caryn Ganz.

Four of the app’s voices on pop name their favorite releases of the year and discuss developing taste in the age of the algorithm. Guests: Margeaux Labat, Eric Morris, Cam Sullivan-Brown and Hunter White.

Our critics spar over their year-end lists (and agree on Olivia Rodrigo and Tyler, the Creator) in a wrap-up of the year in LPs. Guests: Jon Pareles and Lindsay Zoladz.

A conversation about his legacy, his engagements with pop music and whether he has any true inheritors. Guests: Jesse Green and Elisabeth Vincentelli.

Will we ever see a star who unites audiences like this British musician again? Guests: Jon Pareles and Pitchfork's Jillian Mapes.

What does the rerecorded song from “Red” say about how power and the past have shaped her career? Guests: Joe Coscarelli, Caryn Ganz and Lindsay Zoladz.

A conversation about how the band was experienced in its time, and how Todd Haynes’s new documentary explores the world that birthed it. Guests: Jon Pareles and A.O. Scott.

The tragedy at Travis Scott’s Astroworld turned attention to how rap festival performances are increasingly oriented toward the rowdy. Guest: Masked Gorilla and Masked Records' Roger Gengo.

Answering your questions about pop’s big names, the state of the music video and more. Guests: Joe Coscarelli and Caryn Ganz.

A conversation about one teen’s rapid ascent, and what the future might hold for a singer and sound evolving in real time. Guest: The Fader's Alex Robert Ross.

Remembering Jacob Desvarieux, John Davis and Chucky Thompson. Guests: The New Yorker's Doreen St. Felix; Billboard's Gil Kaufman; Jeff Mao.

A conversation about the testimony, the meaning of the verdict and the long quest for proper recompense for the singer’s victims. Guests: Troy Closson and Jim DeRogatis.

A conversation about the tug of war over her musical legacy, and how her songs — even without a digital presence — impacted the evolution of contemporary R&B. Guests: Naima Cochrane; Billboard's Gail Mitchell and Dan Rys.

The singer and songwriter’s “Star-Crossed” documents the end of her marriage. But reports of her divorce from Nashville have been greatly exaggerated. Guests: Amanda Hess and The Guardian's Laura Snapes.

“Certified Lover Boy” dominated the charts, but something seems to have shifted in the most influential pop star of the past decade. Guests: The Ringer's Charles Holmes and Rolling Stone's Jeff Ihaza.

West has always been dreaming big, speaking loudly, courting controversy and channeling all of that into music. But one thing has changed. Guests: Vibe's Datwon Thomas and The Ringer's Justin Charity.

How successful is a sunny new phase of her career, and what does it mean to choose to move away from the expectations of superstardom? Guests: Joe Coscarelli and Lindsay Zoladz.

How West has used fashion to signify musical evolution, how he’s been regarded by the fashion industry and how other musicians are following in his footsteps. Guests: GQ's Rachel Tashjian and Vogue's Steff Yotka.

A conversation about New York hip-hop in the 1990s and early 2000s, and a night that brought the spirit of battle back to the pandemic-era staple. Guests: Jayson Rodriguez and Jayson Buford.

How has the teenage phenomenon’s songwriting, and her relationship to the larger music machine, evolved between albums? Guests: Joe Coscarelli and Lindsay Zoladz.

A conversation about his unconventional path to success, his unconventional methods of maintaining it and his possible futures beyond it. Guest: Jazmine Hughes.

New albums from Doja Cat and Tyler, the Creator place their makers — children of the internet with a taste for friction — in a new light. Guest: The Ringer's Justin Charity.

A look at the challenges touring musicians faced over the last year, and how the industry is adjusting to the new normal. Guest: Ben Sisario.

An exploration of how the arrangement has intersected with her work, the latest legal updates and what might come next. Guests: Joe Coscarelli, Liz Day and Samantha Stark.

A conversation about bringing musicals to the big screen, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s artistic choices and the critical blowback to the film’s casting. Guests: Sandra Garcia, Isabelia Herrera and Lena Wilson.

Few artists making pop music have risen to the top in the past several years. What made this Disney star click with listeners? Guests: Olivia Horn and Lindsay Zoladz.

The rapper’s sixth No. 1 album is here. Listen to a conversation about his career, and the long exchange between hip-hop and basketball. Guests: The New York Times's Elena Bergeron and Rap Portraits' Yoh Phillips.

A conversation about his winding path to a receptive, ready audience — and how music can be a bulwark against cynicism and trauma. Guests: Taja Cheek and Mina Tavakoli.

Nashville remains challenging for women artists. But some rising performers are breaking through on radio — and TikTok. Guests: Marissa Moss and Natalie Weiner of the Don’t Rock the Inbox newsletter.

How melody has continued to reshape hip-hop via the work of Polo G, Rod Wave, Lil Tjay and more rising artists. Guest: Pitchfork's Alphonse Pierre.

Addison Rae’s appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s show sparked conversations about appropriation and how dance has been central to the platform. Guest: Taylor Lorenz.

A conversation about the intense potency of the rapper’s music and religious fervor, and what it was like to interview him. Guest: Smokey Fontaine, the co-author of the 2002 book “E.A.R.L.: The Autobiography of DMX.”

A conversation about the influx of films made about (and by) current stars and its implications for the format. Guests: The Observer's Simran Hans; and Caryn Ganz.

The show navigated a year of crisis, minted a new generation of stars and didn’t fixate on boomers. Guests: Jon Pareles, Joe Coscarelli, Ben Sisario, Lindsay Zoladz and Caryn Ganz.

The wildly popular platform has reshaped pop during the coronavirus pandemic, and changed how record labels grapple with unpredictable virality. Guest: Caryn Ganz.

A conversation about strong recent debuts, and how canon and community can be in tension. Guests: Giovanni Russonello and Marcus J. Moore.

Exploring the legacy of a producer and performer who imagined an approach to music without borders. Guests: Sasha Geffen and Pitchfork's Philip Sherburne.

Remembering Fred the Godson, Adam Schlesinger and Cristina. Guests: Kurt B. Reighley; Complex's Shawn Setaro; and Ben Sisario.

A conversation about the year’s first genuine pop phenomenon, and the long arc of the Disney machine. Guests: Joe Coscarelli; Vulture's Justin Curto; and Larisha Paul.

The emergence of Hipgnosis has helped turn the battle for catalogs into an arms race that shows no signs of slowing down. Guest: Ben Sisario.

Conversations about the legacy of the beloved rap figure’s early career, which set the table for the artist he would become. Guests: Stretch Armstrong, Bobbito Garcia and Dante Ross.

Answering your questions about the year’s biggest stars, and also some of its curious flops. Guests: Joe Coscarelli and Caryn Ganz.

A second album written and recorded during pandemic lockdown carries the singer and songwriter further from conventional pop. Guests: Joe Coscarelli, Caryn Ganz and Jon Pareles.

An absence of live music refocused attention on records, and work by Fiona Apple, Taylor Swift and Run the Jewels spoke loudly.

Streaming, social media and the tireless work of trailblazers have helped change the hip-hop landscape.

While her father remains the head of her estate for now, the pop star has signaled she’s ready for change. Guests: Joe Coscarelli and Vanessa Grigoriadis.

A conversation about her unique route to the top of the charts — and what’s next. Guests: Lindsay Zoladz and Shaad D’Souza.

A conversation about her memoir, her range of contributions to pop music and her secret alt-rock album. Guests: New York's Allison P. Davis; Joe Coscarelli and Caryn Ganz.

The Nashville star learned from the genre’s past and carved his own path. Guest: Grady Smith.

The pandemic has sped up how digital look-alikes are reshaping stardom. Guest: The Ringer's Alyssa Bereznak.

“Old Town Road” showed the app’s potential as a hit generator. But its relationship to the business is far more complex. Guest: Taylor Lorenz.

Six albums into major-label careers with “Chromatica” and “Smile,” where do these two stars fit in? Guest host: Caryn Ganz. Guest: Lindsay Zoladz.

The band’s 34-year-old frontman helped break down barriers between scenes, and was known for singularly wild live shows. Guests: Dan Franklin; James Khubiar; and Andy O’Connor.

For today’s biggest artists, an album release isn’t just about the music. Guest: Ben Sisario.

Remembering Joe Diffie, Mona Foot and DJ Black N Mild. Guests: Hits' Holly Gleason; Jacob Bernstein; and Elena Bergeron.

How would Nashville be different if it hadn’t pushed the trio away? A conversation about “Gaslighter” and beyond. Guests: Jewly Hight and Slate's Carl Wilson.

Readers asked about Bon Iver, country music, Jack Antonoff and more. Guests: Northwestern University's Lauren Michele Jackson and Lindsay Zoladz.

On an album made entirely in quarantine, the singer and songwriter embarks in a fresh direction. Guests: Jon Pareles, Caryn Ganz and Joe Coscarelli.

His music was dynamic, bold and idiosyncratic, setting a high bar for composers connecting sound and vision. Guests: Jon Pareles and Joshua Rothkopf.

Killer Mike and El-P’s anti-government and pro-justice hip-hop feels like it anticipated the current moment. Guest: Pitchfork's Sheldon Pearce.

A subset of passionate listeners are asking for more of their heroes than simply music. Guest: Denisha Kuhlor.

His protest song “The Bigger Picture” marks a high point in his evolution from reluctant up-and-comer to one of hip-hop’s reliable superstars. Guest: Joe Coscarelli.

As the music industry reckons with racial inequality, one of the first old structures to fall has been a term that dates back to the 1970s. Guest: Nelson George.

Two former editors look back at the magazine’s on-the-ground reporting following the Rodney King verdict. Guests: James Bernard and Reginald Dennis.

Lana Del Rey, Doja Cat and how some in the limelight bristle at social media condemnation. Guest: The Ringer's Justin Charity.

The pop star took an extremely nonlinear path to No. 1, and continues to push the boundaries of online behavior. Guest: Lakin Starling.

Thousands of miles apart, and with radically different tools, both musicians were innovating. Guests: The New York Times's Jon Pareles; and Joseph Patel.

A conversation about everything “Fetch the Bolt Cutters” and beyond. Guests: Jenn Pelly and Lindsay Zoladz.

Children’s films lean heavily on pop, but the elementary school set has access to a whole universe of music now. Guests: The New York Times's Gilbert Cruz, Jeremy Egner, Dave Itzkoff and Dave Renard.

The English pop star has given fans an upbeat album at a very dark time. Guest: Caryn Ganz.

Both artists pulled Nashville in fresh directions, and gave the genre growing pains. Guests: Bill Friskics-Warren and Natalie Weiner.

The coronavirus pandemic has upended the world, and the arts are reeling. Pop music critics are asking (and facing) hard questions. Guests: The Ringer's Rob Harvilla, New York's Craig Jenkins and Lindsay Zoladz.

Pop critics from around the country recommend pick-me-ups: Pharrell, the Pointer Sisters, Helado Negro and more.

The ways the pandemic has already reshaped the year, and what might happen in pop next. Guests: The New York Times's Ben Sisario and Jon Pareles.

How has Kevin Parker built and sustained his successful psych-rock project — and where will he head next? Guests: The New York Times's Jon Pareles and Pitchfork's Jillian Mapes.

The 20-year-old rapper was poised to carry the scene’s sound to the world. Guest: Pitchfork's Alphonse Pierre.

One of pop’s biggest stars returns with an album that has unexpected kinship with new music from Harry Styles and Selena Gomez. Guest: Lindsay Zoladz.

The Popcast opens its mailbag in the second of two episodes devoted to our listeners. Guests: The New York Times’s Joe Coscarelli, Caryn Ganz and Jon Pareles.

The Popcast opens its mailbag in the first of two episodes devoted to our listeners. Guests: The New York Times's Joe Coscarelli and Caryn Ganz.

A conversation about how its meaning has evolved over the last two decades. Guests: The New York Times's Elena Bergeron and The Undefeated's Soraya Nadia McDonald.

Did the deserving artists win? Was Aerosmith terrible? The debates rage on our post-awards show. Guests: Joe Coscarelli, Caryn Ganz, Wesley Morris and Jon Pareles.

Songs that work in 15-second bursts are different from tracks that succeed on the FM dial. Guests: The writer Aimee Cliff and GodMode's Nick Sylvester.

A conversation about the best jazz albums of the year, and what they tell us about the genre’s future. Guests: Martin Johnson and Giovanni Russonello.

A revealing (and hilarious) look back at our year-end lists from the past decade. Guests: The New York Times's Jon Pareles and Joe Coscarelli.

How do you measure a year in pop? Guests: The New York Times's Jon Pareles, Joe Coscarelli and Caryn Ganz.

Success is coming faster than ever for a new generation of musicians. But at what price? Guests: David Turner; the directors Ramez Silyan and Sebastian Jones.

A memoir and a deluxe edition of “1999” offer a new perspective on the meticulous artist. Guests: Jon Pareles, Naima Cochrane, Keith Murphy and Jay Smooth.

Lizzo, Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X lead the way. But has the Recording Academy’s relationship to pop changed? Guests: The full New York Times pop music team.

Are artists responsible when their fan armies can be weaponized? Guests: Joe Coscarelli and Lindsay Zoladz.

Netflix’s “Rhythm + Flow” is the most recent example of the reality-TV business trying to get into the hip-hop business. Guests: Complex's Frazier Tharpe and Stereogum's Tom Breihan.

Gospel music insiders on the rapper’s turn to religious music and how his album relates to contemporary holy hip-hop. Guests: Root's Hasan James and The Journal of Gospel Music's Robert Marovich.

The year’s most consistent new hip-hop star combines intense rhymes with online savvy. Guest: Joe Coscarelli.

Nashville has long marginalized female performers, songwriters and producers. But a wave of artists is fighting back. Guests: Jada Watson and Natalie Weiner.

One of the year’s most unlikely breakthroughs is a duo that makes disorienting, genre-jumbling music. Guests: Eli Enis and The Fader's Larry Fitzmaurice.

Collaborations have flourished in the wake of “Despacito,” some sounding natural, some sounding forced. Guest: Remezcla's Eduardo Cepeda.

A conversation about his rapid rise and the questions — about genre and race — glossed over along the way. Guests: Pitchfork's Jayson Greene and The New York Times Magazine's Jonah Weiner.

One of the decade’s most copied rappers finally reached No. 1 on the album chart, years after his aesthetic rubbed off on hip-hop. Guest: Andrew Nosnitsky.

What was once a large canvas for grand statements is now a tiny digital mark. Guest: Chips's Teddy Blanks.

Breaking down the sounds, the themes, the obscure (and not-so-hidden) messages and more on her seventh album. Guests: Joe Coscarelli, Caryn Ganz and Jon Pareles.

Conversations about his songwriting, his struggles and his striking sweetness outside of music. Guests: Jeff Johnson; The New Yorker's Amanda Petrusich; and Nick Weidenfeld.

The Hot 97 D.J. and the hip-hop disrupter shared the wildest interview of the year. Guests: Rolling Stone's Charles Holmes and Pitchfork's Alphonse Pierre.

There’s more data about music consumption than ever before. That doesn’t mean we understand who’s the most popular. Guests: The New York Times's Joe Coscarelli and Ben Sisario.

A look back at the Brazilian musician’s innovations as one of the genre’s primary architects. Guest: Ben Ratliff

Critics who were writing about the band at the peak of its fame look back at how the group became so bitterly divisive. Guests: Jim DeRogatis and Danyel Smith.

The superstar complained that the powerful manager acquired her master recordings, setting off a debate that divided the industry. Guest: The New York Times's Joe Coscarelli

“Cracked Rear View” catapulted the band to superstardom. But the group made great music long before — and after — anyone paid attention. Guest: former A&R representative Tim Sommer

From “Rocketman” to “Her Smell,” “Blaze” to “Vox Lux,” the film industry seems to think all musicians have the same ups and downs. Guests: The New York Times's A.O. Scott; Vanity Fair's K. Austin Collins; Kristen Yoonsoo Kim.

A 2008 fire destroyed master recordings for a who’s who of popular music. A new investigation explores the damage done. Guest: The New York Times Magazine's Jody Rosen

The Rolling Thunder Revue was more than a tour: It was a chance for the songwriter to play with the truth. Guest: The New York Times's Jon Pareles

Hip-hop has historically been inhospitable to female performers. A new class is finding fresh paths to break through. Guests: The Atlantic's Hannah Giorgis and Vulture's Hunter Harris.

Apple’s wireless earbuds have led to questions about personal tech as environmental scourge and punch line. Guests: The New York Times's Brian X. Chen and Motherboard's Caroline Haskins.

Ezra Koenig’s literate group has returned, sparking questions about how it was received in the past, and where it stands in the current climate. Guests: The New York Times's Jon Pareles; The Ringer's Rob Harvilla

A movement of punk-powered feminism that began in the early 1990s has a fresh urgency in 2019. Guests: Evelyn McDonnell, Elisabeth Vincentelli and Caryn Ganz

From Kanye West to serpentwithfeet to the Stellar Awards returning to BET, the genres’ dialogue has been evolving. Guest: The New Yorker's Briana Younger

The 17-year-old musician has been revising the rules of young stardom. But she may be more of a classicist than her aesthetic would suggest. Guests: The New York Times's Joe Coscarelli; Meaghan Garvey

“Old Town Road” is the latest flash point in the two-decades-long dialogue between Nashville and hip-hop. Guest: Average Joes Entertainment's Shannon Houchins

Backstreet’s back, the New Kids put out a new single and groups in the K-pop ecosystem are thriving. Why are boy bands so central to pop music? Guests: Jezebel's Maria Sherman and Billboard's Andrew Unterberger

Blueface’s “Thotiana” is a nearly perfectly engineered hit of the social media age. Guests: The Fader's Ben Dandridge-Lemco and Pitchfork's Alphonse Pierre.

The documentary “Leaving Neverland” details devastating allegations of sexual abuse. How do fans process them, and Jackson’s body of work? Guests: The New York Times's Joe Coscarelli, Aisha Harris and Ben Sisario

Musicians often make headlines; balancing coverage of their art with coverage of the accusations they face isn’t always easy. Guest: The South Florida Sun Sentinel's Brett Clarkson

The musician has been accused of dangling career opportunities while pursuing female artists for sex, then turning domineering and vengeful. He denies the claims. Guests: The New York Times's Joe Coscarelli and Melena Ryzik.

After a terrible ceremony that minimized women and nonwhite artists, the Recording Academy tried something else: the opposite. Guests: The New York Times's Joe Coscarelli, Caryn Ganz and Jon Pareles.

Two singer-songwriters at different points in their careers are staking claim to new creative ground. Guests: The New York Times's Joe Coscarelli; The Ringer's Lindsay Zoladz

Two documentaries examining Billy McFarland’s debacle aim to shed new light on the scammers and victims. Guests: The New York Times's Aisha Harris, Wesley Morris and Melena Ryzik.

From British punk-rap to 1970s-influenced country to morbid electronic pop, a guide to new artists to watch. Guest: The New York Times's Jon Pareles.

His was the defining voice of 2018. What’s next for this Puerto Rican new-pop superstar? Guests: Remezcla's Eduardo Cepeda and Isabelia Herrera; and Rolling Stone's Suzy Exposito.

What did the music, innovations and arguments of 2018 tell us about where the genre is headed next? Guests: John Murph and Giovanni Russonello

The Popcast wraps 2018 discussing Nicki Minaj, Taylor Swift, streaming and crying. Guest: The New York Times's Joe Coscarelli

K-pop, Latin trap and melodic hip-hop — once regarded as subgenres — have become the center of the pop conversation. Guest: The New York Times's Joe Coscarelli

The 1975’s millennial anthem, “Shallow” and a lot of Bad Bunny: Why did these tracks define the year in pop? Guests: The New York Times's Jon Pareles, Joe Coscarelli and Caryn Ganz

Music's big awards show is trying to make big changes. So what do these nominations tell us? Guests: The New York Times's Jon Pareles. Joe Coscarelli and Caryn Ganz

Drake, Mitski, Ariana Grande — whose albums defined the year? (And will albums matter next year?) Guests: The New York Times's Jon Pareles, Joe Coscarelli and Caryn Ganz

A conversation about the Brooklyn rapper’s arrest and musical prospects as he releases “Dummy Boy” while behind bars. Guest: The New York Times's Joe Coscarelli.

With her 15th album, “Caution,” the singer has entered a new phase of her long career. Guests: Michael Arceneaux; Jezebel's Julianne Escobedo Shepherd; The New Yorker's Briana Younger.

The tug of war between how the genre advertises itself and how it’s actually evolving is growing more tense. Guests: Nick Murray; Natalie Weiner.

The trumpeter, who died at 49, was a singular figure dedicated to keeping jazz’s past in dialogue with its future. Guests: The New York Times's Giovanni Russonello; Jozen Cummings.

With “Honey,” the Swedish star returns to a landscape she’s quietly shaped for over 20 years. Guests: The New York Times's Caryn Ganz; the Guardian's Laura Snapes; Jezebel's Hazel Cills

Now that K-pop is successful on its own terms, the questions it faces are changing. Guest: Billboard's Jeff Benjamin.

Is rock music in 2018 a sound, a mood or a retail category? Where do Twenty One Pilots, the 1975 and Greta Van Fleet fit in? Guests: The New York Times's Caryn Ganz; Rolling Stone's Kory Grow; the Ringer's Lindsay Zoladz

What does Bradley Cooper’s remake starring Lady Gaga say about the pop music business — and the film industry — today? Guests: The New York Times's Joe Coscarelli, Manohla Dargis, Caryn Ganz, Wesley Morris and Jon Pareles

Tracing the rapper’s evolution from a teen in New Orleans to his long-awaited album “Tha Carter V.” Guests: XXL's Vanessa Satten; The New York Times's Joe Coscarelli

Why do some artists stick around and others choose to retreat? Guest: The New York Times's Jon Pareles

Writing in-depth features about stars can be an art form. But it’s been changing in recent years. Guests: The New York Times Magazine's Vanessa Grigoriadis; GQ's Zach Baron.

The 26-year-old rapper and producer stood at the crossroads of movements that have been shaping popular music over the past decade. Guests: ItsTheReal's Eric and Jeff Rosenthal; Pitchfork's Sheldon Pearce; and Eric Renner Brown.

Forty years of writers and editors share memories about helping invent a language to talk about music, and the artists they critiqued — some grateful, some not. Guests: Ann Powers, Evelyn McDonnell, Chuck Eddy, Rob Harvilla and Tom Breihan.

Forty years of writers and editors share memories about helping invent a language to talk about music, and the artists they critiqued — some grateful, some not. Guests: Robert Christgau, Jon Pareles, Nelson George, Kyle Gann and Joe Levy.

“Sweetener” has taken the singer to new heights at a moment of transition for the top ranks of female vocalists. Guests: The Ringer's Lindsay Zoladz; VF.com's Josh Duboff; and Billboard's Nolan Feeney.

One is an old-style hip-hop star, one comes from a newer school. But both are facing challenges making effective albums and defining their artistic identities. Guests: David Turner and Briana Younger.

The Queen of Soul leaves a towering legacy. How will we remember her? Guests: The New York Times's Jon Pareles and Wesley Morris; and David Ritz.

Merch has become a crucial part of a musician’s rise. Here’s how it’s evolved. Guests: Procell's Brian Procell; The Cut's Emilia Petrarca; and Grailed's Lawrence Schlossman.

What happens when a band wipes a stain from its historical record? Or when physical albums vanish, replaced by different digital versions? Guests: Mark Richardson; Rolling Stone's Christopher R. Weingarten; and The New York Times's Caryn Ganz.

Two documentaries have attempted to unpack the life of one of pop’s transformative figures, whose complex legacy is still riddled with questions. Guests: Naima Cochrane; Jezebel's Rich Juzwiak; Alan Light; and The Times's Joe Coscarelli.

A writer critiqued Nicki Minaj online; the rapper’s fans responded in force. How does celebrity fandom become a vicious tool online, and what’s behind stan culture? Guests: iOneDigital's Janeé Bolden; Who? Weekly's Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber; The New York Times's Joe Coscarelli and Caryn Ganz.

With his new double album, “Scorpion,” the rapper and singer is grappling with brand maintenance. Is he innovating, and where can he go next? Guests: The New York Times's Joe Coscarelli and Reggie Ugwu; Sheldon Pearce; and Jasmine Sanders.

Was "Ye" rushed, and does it matter? How do women fit into Kanye’s world? Are conversations about politics with him fruitless? Guests: The New York Times's Joe Coscarelli and Reggie Ugwu, and the Ringer's Justin Charity.

The 20-year-old broke out of the SoundCloud rap scene and reached No 1. But he faced accusations of violent crimes against a woman, and leaves behind a troubling legacy. Guests: Noisey's Lawrence Burney and Miami New Times's Tarpley Hitt.

Boy bands are on the rise and young male singers have some choices to make. A conversation about two performers with their sights set on pop ubiquity.

The rapper’s polarizing eighth album arrived surrounded by a celebrity circus and provided few answers.

An excavation of the skeletons animating the back-and-forth between the two rappers — and a conversation about who’s inching ahead.

Maddie Poppe won the show, rebooted on ABC with a new cast of judges. What worked, what didn’t and who really stood out? Two longtime “Idol” enthusiasts discuss.

For two decades, accusations of sexual impropriety have been leveled at the R&B superstar. And Jim DeRogatis has been covering the story.

The Rita Ora track was positioned as a celebration of bisexuality, but struck a sour note with critics who found its lyrics problematic.

The 28-year-old producer and D.J., who died last month in Oman, was a pop savant and an EDM innovator who left behind a complicated legacy.

A Coachella set stunning in scope and execution. The first Pulitzer Prize winner who isn’t from classical or jazz. A conversation about the two artists’ triumphs.

In recent weeks, the businesses that present music to the public have undergone major shifts.

The 25-year-old’s LP “Invasion of Privacy” is part of her broad-scale pop culture takeover. A conversation about her rise and debut album.

A conversation about the earnest rapper and the SoundCloud renegade, both successes of modern internet-driven rap fandom.

Two new albums put a spotlight on Nashville’s ongoing, agonized relationship with female performers.

Part two of our conversation about the mid-2000s pop star features debates about her MTV reality show and “S.N.L.” debacle, and a listener mailbag.

In the mid-2000s, the pop singer had platinum albums and an MTV reality show. Hear the first of two conversations about Ms. Simpson’s misunderstood career.

A conversation about carefully considered creative paths — and how pristine voices with powerful messages are amplified — as three strong new albums arrive

What’s responsible for the recent soundtrack renaissance that brought albums from “Black Panther” and “The Greatest Showman” to the top of the charts?

A conversation with a criminal lawyer about the racial politics of legal representation, the Meek Mill saga and the future prospects of incarcerated would-be stars.

The internet’s response to the two musicians after the Super Bowl shows how criticism works these days. Rapid-fire groupthink online can be strong enough to have real-world impact.

Big stars didn’t show up. Ratings were down. Hip-hop was once again shut out of the major categories. Can “music’s biggest night” represent what’s really happening in music?

Flamboyant hip-hop, promising punk rock, intricate bluegrass and more: a conversation about the artists we’re looking forward to following this year.

The lead singer of the Irish rock band, who died at 46, wrote songs in the 1990s that deeply touched young women and Irish listeners while appealing to a worldwide audience

Streaming has established itself as the dominant mode of music distribution. What could go wrong? Quite a lot, it turns out.

Jazz could have spent 2017 looking backward, focusing on the centennials of foundational figures. But instead, several strains of contemporary jazz thrived.

After a brief break from the spotlight, the rapper returned with “Revival,” an album that revisited familiar tropes and sounds. Where can he go from here?

Our readers picked the topics of conversation, which included Fergie, the state of streaming and evolutions in Latin pop

From Lorde to Kendrick Lamar, many of the albums and songs on our critics’ best-of lists showcased the work of musicians meeting difficult circumstances with artistic fortitude.

A conversation about the band’s 14th album, “Songs of Experience,” and its ongoing quest for bigness.

The 21-year-old rapper, who died last week, found a unique way to unite the languages of hip-hop and emo.

Ms. Swift plays a different game on her sixth album — making pop music that directly competes with the rest of the field’s dominant players.

She hasn’t done interviews, but the pop star has been leaving hints about what to expect on her sixth album. Our writers listen to the signs.

A new biography of the magazine’s founder has been praised by our critic and slammed by its subject.

Changes to the formulas used to build albums and singles charts will weigh paid streams more than free ones. What will the impact be?

Two of the music world’s biggest voices and boldest personalities are back. Deep into successful careers, where have their paths diverged?

In the 15 years since she last released an album, the music industry has undergone big changes, but Ms. Twain’s new LP still debuted at No. 1.

He was a student of the ’60s who learned from his elders, but put his own deliberate spin on rock ’n’ roll.

“The Star-Spangled Banner” has long been a site of dissent and disagreement. A conversation about the history of the anthem, and those who have protested it.

Nashville has been undergoing a gender crisis for most of the 2010s. Is the latest development — kinder men — a solution?

The rapper behind one of the summer’s biggest hits has made swift moves in the music industry, and is making waves in the fashion world, too.

What happens when the media shines a light on feminist punk? A conversation about D.I.Y. scenes and representation.

On this week’s episode, our readers picked the topics of conversation, which include Lil Wayne, merchandise and Camila Cabello.

If the music-streaming service disappeared, a culture might vanish too. A conversation about where the tech and culture worlds collide.

On “Rainbow,” Kesha steps away from her old persona but keeps her former spark. In court, Taylor Swift speaks with no filter.

The band just completed a 13-show run in New York where it didn’t repeat any songs, and its fans are already hungering for the next residency.

As the band released its most divisive album yet, it embarked on a rollout that confused its narrative even further.

A conversation about two singers in different bands who left significant musical and emotional legacies

Spotify, SoundCloud, Tidal: Seemingly every major streaming service has suffered through some controversy lately

A new album from Jay-Z, documentaries about Sean Combs and Dr. Dre, and the death of Prodigy have stirred new thinking about older artists

Fanaticism about this Korean genre is on the rise in the United States, but it hasn’t cracked mainstream pop culture

SoundCloud rap is a raw, rowdy, rebellious movement fueled by young rappers looking outside the genre for inspiration.

Three female pop stars, three different approaches: a conversation about their new albums, on Popcast.

Our pop music critics are not fans of record anniversaries, but 50 years after the creation of “Sgt. Pepper,” there are still lessons to be learned from the album.

“Despacito” is the first Spanish-language song to top the chart since “Macarena,” but there are many more interesting shifts in Latin pop today.

Music fests are ubiquitous, but only some are curated well enough to be thrilling. And there’s the Fyre Festival.

The One Direction member and the pop-blues poster boy have a few things in common.

One of the most impressive rock bands working in the mainstream has taken a left turn. Where is Paramore headed, and how did it inspire scores of artists?

The singer-songwriter’s new album is a low-fi exploration of extreme emotions. How does it relate to her earlier hits, and how did she get here?

He’s a rapper, a social media phenomenon, the guy yelling “ya” on Migos’s hit “Bad and Boujee.” What’s the secret of Uzi’s success?

The two rappers recall an earlier time in the genre’s history, in terms of aesthetics and politics. How do they fit in today?

In three years, the duo has had several hits while offending all sorts of people. What does its sound say about EDM?

Kamasi Washington and some Los Angeles musicians are producing vital recordings, but N.E.A. funding is uncertain. A conversation about the state of jazz.

His release isn’t an album or a mixtape, but a playlist — a move that could position him to shift the music industry once again.

He wrote the guitar licks, told the clever stories, duckwalked across the stage and forever changed popular music

Streaming figures into chart positions now, a fact that has started yielding some very odd results.

The British singer/songwriter is a record-smashing superstar, but he still plays the spurned lover. How does he do it?

A panel discusses Migos, Lil Yachty and more of the city’s budding stars on Popcast.

The city synonymous with the country music business is in transition. How is it dealing with rapid change, and the Trump era? A panel discusses on Popcast.

It was an awards show filled with flubs, tear, apologies and protests. The New York Times pop music writers discuss Adele, Beyoncé, Chance the Rapper and more on Popcast.

The New York Times pop team debates whether Sturgill Simpson will pull out a surprise victory in a night stacked with Adele vs. Beyoncé face-offs.

The current political climate doesn’t come up even once during the latest Popcast, a conversation about Japandroids, the Menzingers and the state of rock.

The toast of Hollywood has divided our culture writers. Two of the movie’s boosters go to battle with two of its critics in this week’s Popcast.

He brought soul and hip-hop into the White House like no president before him. A discussion of Mr. Obama’s most powerful musical moments, on this week’s Popcast.

Should rap’s young stars have more reverence for the genre’s pioneers, and vice versa? A conversation about hip-hop’s latest generation-gap struggles.

A panel discusses Ms. Carey's recent New Year's Eve performance and career.

A round table of pop experts discuss the year in tracks, from Maren Morris's "Rich" to Twenty One Pilots' "Ride" to Rihanna's "Sex With Me."

A roundtable of writers discuss trends and notable moments of the year.

The pop music team discusses news themes and what may shape it for years to come.

This week, The New York Times music team reflects on albums that defined 2016.

This week, a discussion of new releases by both artists who have more in common than it may appear.

After a series of bizarre shows, Kanye West canceled the remainder of his "Saint Pablo" tour last week. This weekend, we're listening back to the conversation Jon Caramanica led at the time of the album's release.

This year has seen the loss of Prince, David Bowie, Merle Haggard, and, now, three more towering figures have died. A look at their legacies.

Can the cultural events of the last couple of weeks connect to macro political realities?

A discussion of the group’s legacy and how it fits into the current hip-hop landscape

The pop star has been locked in an ugly contract dispute with Dr. Luke; two writers who have examined her case break down the pop star’s situation.

This week, Jon Caramanica and guests discuss club music.

Our music and book critics discuss Dylan, the musician, and Dylan, the writer.

His fiery solo album questions almost everything he used to believe in.

The new Bon Iver album abandons many of the musical choices that informed much of his earlier music.

Shawn Mendes broke out on Vine. The next breeding ground for pop stars might be Musical.ly, a social music app for teens.

The pop music team discusses some of their favorite upcoming fall releases.

A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and Young M.A. represent an unexpected moment.

With celebrities so accessible online they have to go above and beyond when meeting fans in the arena.

A roundtable discussion on the release of the musician’s latest works.

A discussion about the current wave of white rappers trying to elide conversations about race, with varying success.

A discussion on how pop failed Ms. Jackson for years, and what it has done for her lately.

Mr. Ratliff, a music critic at The Times since 1996, discusses his tenure.

Jon Caramanica explains how Gucci Mane, Lil Yachty and 21 Savage are all part of the same long line.

Days after Mr. Vega’s death, the journalist Geeta Dayal discusses Suicide’s early days.

Pop music writers discuss Blink-182’s influence on modern pop-punk bands.

Ben Ratliff and Joe Coscarelli discuss how the Latin music superstar is rewriting the rules.

For those looking to understand Prince’s musical life in his final years, the larger story of Ms. Hill is illuminating.

A discussion of techno as youth music and heritage culture.

After a fatal shooting at a T.I. concert, Jon Caramanica and Joe Coscarelli discuss rap, race and security with Minya Oh, a.k.a. Miss Info, and Joie Manda of Interscope Records.

New York Times music critics discuss Mr. Russell’s wide-angle, slow-release significance.

New York Times music critics discuss the latest albums by both artists.

New York Times critics compare the latest releases.

A discussion of Ms. Spears’s conservatorship.

New York Times critics and writers discuss the singer’s new album.

New York Times culture critics discuss Prince’s music and impact.

Mr. Veloso, the great Brazilian singer and songwriter, discusses current events in his country.

New York Times music critics discuss Sturgill Simpson and Merle Haggard.

New York Times music critics discuss recent biopics about Miles Davis and Chet Baker.

Nate Chinen and Ben Ratliff on the ways jazz is being presented at museum spaces.

Ben Ratliff, Times music critic and Caryn Ganz, Times pop music editor, discuss the singer’s new album.

New York Times critics gather to discuss their newly released books.

Jon Caramanica chats with the rapper about the role of music in creating change.

A roundtable discussion on “The Life of Pablo.”

Times critics discuss the recent music releases of each singer.

New York Times music critics discuss changes within the genre.

Ben Ratliff and Michaelangelo Matos discuss the genre.

A conversation about the pop star’s life and work with the philosopher Simon Critchley, author of “Bowie.”

New York Times music critics discuss the year in jazz.

Music critics for The New York Times talk about the themes, currents and big ideas that defined the year.

Music critics for The New York Times discuss their favorite songs.

Music critics for The New York Times discuss the year’s highlights.

Ben Ratliff chats with Mr. Casey about the lyrics on the band’s album and more.

Ben Ratliff and Jon Pareles discuss their approaches to music.

Jon Caramanica and Jon Pareles discuss her new album, “25.”

The stars have found both help and hindrance from those who surround them.

Ben Ratliff and Melissa Marturano talk about the critique of Ms. Newsom and her music.

The Times’s pop music squad on the unlikely songwriter behind “Where Are Ü Now” and “What Do You Mean?”

Times music critics discuss the influence of Kanye West’s album on current musical styles.

Times music critics discuss Ms. Jackson’s new album and tour.

Jon Caramanica and Mr. Miranda discuss the songs and rappers that inspired him and his work.

Times critics discuss the jazz artist whose music incorporates poetry and dreams.

Times music critics discuss Mr. Batiste’s role as bandleader on the show.

The night belonged to those who shocked without needing to perform.

Times critics discuss The Weeknd’s music and new album, “Beauty Behind the Madness.”

Times music critics discuss Justin Bieber’s collaboration with Skrillex and Diplo.

With “Emotion,” the singer known best for “Call Me Maybe” embraces a seductive side to her music.

Jon Caramanica and Reginald C. Dennis, a founding editor of XXL magazine, discuss N.W.A and the film.

Jon Caramanica, Minya Oh and Rawiya Kameir discuss Drake and OVO Fest.

Ben Ratliff and Joe Coscarelli discuss the New Jersey punk band and their new album.

Ben Ratliff, Jon Caramanica and Julianne Escobedo Shepherd discuss international and multilingual pop.

A look at the desire for a reggae or reggae-like worldwide pop hit between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Hip-hop’s mainstream can often be confused with prosperity gospel, so it’s striking that in 2015, at least a couple of the genre’s biggest selling stars want nothing to do with such narratives.

Ben Ratliff and Ben Sisario discuss Apple Music, the much-anticipated music-streaming service to be launched June 30.

Jon Caramanica and Ben Ratliff discuss the women of country music.

Ben Ratliff, Maria Sherman and Liz Pelly discuss the band’s new album and punk music.

Ben Ratliff and Jon Caramanica discuss Jason Derulo’s new album.

Ben Ratliff and Jon Caramanica discuss ASAP Rocky’s new album.

Ben Ratliff and Jon Caramanica discuss the singer’s blend of different genres.

Ben Ratliff and Nate Chinen discuss Joey Alexander’s debut album.

Ben Ratliff and Jon Pareles discuss U2 and “Songs of Innocence” as the group heads out on a world tour.

Joe Coscarelli and Jon Caramanica discuss records from country dissenters and what, if anything, country’s borders mean anymore.

Ben Ratliff and Jon Caramanica discuss the tenor saxophonist and his roots in the thriving Los Angeles jazz scene.

Jon Caramanica, Jon Pareles and Ben Ratliff discuss the vicissitudes and artistic value of music festivals.

Jon Pareles and Nate Chinen discuss the jazz saxophonist, flutist and band leader Charles Lloyd.

Discussing the rapper’s new album, “To Pimp A Butterfly.”

Jon Caramanica and Gilbert Cruz, of The Times, and Justin Charity, of Complex, discuss “Empire.”

Ben Sisario, Jon Caramanica and Ben Ratliff discuss the “Blurred Lines” copyright trial.

Jon Pareles and Ben Ratliff discuss “Rebel Heart,” the new album by Madonna.

Ben Ratliff and Jon Pareles discuss the 28-year-old singer, songwriter and producer.

Jon Caramanica and Ben Ratliff discuss Kanye West, Beck, Iggy Azalea, Papa John’s and other stars of the show.

Jon Pareles tells Ben Ratliff about club-hopping with Björk in Iceland and listening to her new album, “Vulnerica,” which was released last week.

Jon Caramanica and Ben Ratliff discuss two connectors with keen ears, who died last week.

Ben Ratliff and Jon Pareles are joined by Caryn Ganz, of RollingStone.com, to discuss “No Cities to Love,” the new album by Sleater-Kinney.

Ben Ratliff and Joe Coscarelli discuss Ms. Trainor as surprise, as a formula, as contrivance and as a product of Nantucket, hip-hop and Nashville.

Jon Pareles, Nate Chinen and Ben Ratliff discuss the movements of jazz in 2014.

Ben Ratliff, Jon Pareles, Jon Caramanica and Nate Chinen discuss pop music’s dominant themes, lessons and preoccupations in 2014.

The pop critics of The New York Times discuss their lists of the Top 10 albums of the year.

Jon Caramanica and A.O. Scott discuss what this modern update of “The Bodyguard” gets right about the music business.

Jon Caramanica and Ben Ratliff discuss Mary J. Blige and her new album, “The London Sessions.”

The 20-year-old East Flatbush rapper Bobby Shmurda has just jumped from No. 8 to No. 6 on the Billboard chart.

Ben Ratliff and Jon Caramanica discuss “Sonic Highways,” the new album and HBO mini-series by Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters.

Jon Caramanica and Ben Ratliff discuss Taylor Swift’s poppy new album.

Jon Caramanica and Ben Ratliff discuss Scott Walker and “Soused,” his new album with the drone-metal band Sunn O))).

Ben Ratliff and Jon Caramanica discuss the singers Tinashe and FKA twigs, and whether they point toward a new conception of R&B.

Ben Ratliff and Nate Chinen discuss the jazz saxophonist, a recent winner of a MacArthur “genius” grant.

Jon Caramanica and Ben Ratliff discuss the challenges of appraising Chris Brown.

Ben Ratliff and Jon Pareles discuss the new U2 album, released this week for free in iTunes.

Ben Ratliff and Jon Caramanica discuss new projects by Ms. Grande and Ms. Bush.

Ben Ratliff talks to Jennifer Herrema of the band Black Bananas.

Jon Caramanica and Ben Ratliff discuss some of the most popular songs of the summer.