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.

Where Is Jazz Most at Home?

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.

Drake Hits the Nightclub

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

Digging Into Bob Dylan and Lou Reed’s Archives

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.

Mailbag Madness: Adele, Jack Harlow, the State of Rock’s Return

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.

Can Harry Styles’s Music Catch Up to His Fame?

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.

Kendrick Lamar’s Anxiety Era

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.

How Gossip Is Remaking Online Hip-Hop Media

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

Why We Collect

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.

A Decade of Drill Rap

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.

Machine Gun Kelly’s Pop-Punk Pivot

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.

Will Smith, Before the Slap

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

The 2022 Grammys: Let’s Discuss

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.

Charli XCX’s Ever-Evolving Pop

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.

The Many Worlds of Rosalía

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.

The Sounds of Ukrainian Pop

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.

Reggaeton’s Global Expansion and Wide-Open Future

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.

The Enigma of Big Thief

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.

Remembering Betty Davis, a Futuristic Funk Force

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.

Mitski, In and Out of the Spotlight

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.

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