Four songs on the Hot 100 pop chart reveal the new directions in which music is headed. Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode” boasts an unprecedented formal structure that points to the […]

Emily Warren is one of the great rising stars of contemporary songwriting. Her song “Side Effects” with The Chainsmokers is currently rising up the charts. You’ve also heard her writing […]

Drake, per usual, has been inescapable this summer. “In My Feelings” and “Nice For What” top the charts, but there’s depth to these bangers. We argue for hearing one as […]

The final episode of our Switched on Summer throwback series finds us deconstructing more early aughts bangers. Under consideration: two of the biggest hits since Y2K, Beyoncé’s “Crazy in Love” […]

What made summer jams of the aughties like Nelly’s “Hot in Herre” and Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” so hot? The answer: big, sweaty, doses of harmonic tension. Specifically, […]

The Switched on Pop Summer Throwback Series continues! This time, with a deep dive into the musical detritus of the 1990s. In true 90s fashion, our episode is inspired by […]

Our Switched on Summer Throwback Series continues with “Dancing in the Street,” the 1964 Motown hit by Martha and the Vandellas that was co-written by none other than Marvin Gaye. […]

Parliament Funkadelic has had waves of influence on popular music. Their Afrofuturist message and infectious grooves built the backbone of 70s funk, was revived in the 90s with Dr. Dre’s […]