PODCAST · music
The B-Sides
by The B-Sides
The B-Sides is a podcast for progressives who love pop music. Subscribe today wherever you listen to get biweekly musings from hosts Becky, Hannah, and Mimi on pop’s place in our world, and the music you should put in your ears to fuel your reckoning with the trashfires all around us.
Episodes
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56. A Mailbag for the Road
We're back one last time with a bittersweet symphony to close out season 3 of the B-Sides. In this mailbag episode, we're answering a flurry of questions, reading listeners' (almost exclusively Taylor Swift-related) comments, and ending with a favorite quote about how music sneaks up on us — and...
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55. Almost Famous: Nepo Siblings & the Pop World
On today's episode we talk about nepo-siblings. Who are they? And what creates a power imbalance? Nepo-siblings are a rare breed. Being a nepo-sibling pair relies on talent from both siblings – what level of talent separates each sibling we’ll get into in today's ep. It also relies on a hustle…
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54. It's the Climb: Why Artists' Inflection Points Matter
There are moments in pop culture where an artist makes a choice - and there’s no turning back. Those moments, those inflection points, remind us that nothing is inevitable or predetermined, and we are all a part of history. Join us to unpack 4 inflection points in detail and name a buncha others....
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53. Avril Lavigne: An Investigative Report
So sorry, but: Why'd she have to go and make things so complicated? Avril is such a rare artist. She made a splash right away with Let Go, which had a rebellious yet old soul sort of vibe to it. And her early eras and albums are still so special to so many of us. She changed the moment, she was…
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52. New Year, New Artists We're Excited About
Now for something a little different: on today's podcast Mimi, Hannah and Becky take listeners through a few artists they're excited about. Getting yourself, or others, to listen to new artists can sometimes be a challenge. Our brains are literally hardwired to replay stuff we like and know. So…
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51. Surveying the Super Bowl Halftime Show
First thing's first: Go birds; E-A-G-L-E-S; and Fly, Eagles, Fly. Whew, okay. Here we find ourselves again at the intersection of music and sports. We're getting into the NFL's dreadful politics, we're gabbing about the iconic Super Bowl halftime shows of yore, we're speculating not-so-wildly…
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50. Our 50th Episode Retrospective!
It’s our 50th episode!! We are so proud of US! <3 So - let’s reflect. We’ll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror…until today. Join us on a trip down memory lane. We talk about how pop music has changed since we launched in 2019, revisit our old takes (find out which ones did not age...
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49. A Moment Like This: What Kelly Clarkson’s Staying Power Shows Us About Pop Culture
It's September 4, 2002. You're ten years old. You're huddled around your parents' TV, quickly dialing on your landline for vote for Kelly Clarkson. She is crowned the winner of American Idol. Hot tears are falling out your eyes. Kelly is belting a moment like this. You're wondering if like will...
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48. Astroworld Revisited: We Still Need to Talk About What Happened
When 10 people died at Travis Scott’s Astroworld festival in November of 2021, it was incredibly difficult and painful to make sense of the news. Over a year later, we are here to pull lessons learned from the tragedy. TRIGGER WARNING for this episode: mass casualty events, substance use Part 1....
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47. Selener's Celebrity: Reviewing "My Mind & Me"
This week we've got just one more review for you, and then we'll move on to our not-reviewing-a-new-album-or-film-every-episode programming. We watched Selena Gomez's new documentary, "My Mind & Me," and now it's time to share some thoughts on the fallacies of celebrity activism, great...
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46. We Came Back For You, Baby: Reviewing "The Loneliest Time"
We came back for you with a full episode review of Carly Rae Jepsen's newest album, The Loneliest Time. The album – which was released the same midnight as Midnights – is a moonstruck album, chock-full of the suns and stars. First we do a quick recap of Carly Rae's rise to fame, and then play a…
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45. It's Us, Hi: Reviewing "Midnights"
The B-Sides is BACK for Season 3! (We came back for you, baby!) We are the *most* excited to launch season 3 with a review of Taylor Swift’s 10th studio album, Midnights. There’s a lot we would’ve, could’ve, should’ve said, but these are our immediate reactions after our first day of listening.…
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BONUS: Carly Rae Jepsen Concert Review
The B-Sides season 3 is COMING! Until then, enjoy this bonus episode. Your friendly neighborhood B-Sides hosts went to see Carly Rae Jepsen live in concert at Radio City Music Hall for her So Nice Tour. Today’s episode is an in-depth review of the magical show - even if you didn’t see the…
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44. The Long 2009
Welcome to our season 2 finale! We're wrapping up 2021 with a nice long chat about the long shadow of 2009 in pop and pop culture. Such power, such impact. It's time to revisit the brash and soaring sound of music, the final cohort of ubiquitous artists, and the transformative technology that...
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43. The Ethics of Speculating about Taylor Swift's Sexuality
Today we’re going to talk about Taylor Swift. We know it’s not ethical to speculate on celebrities’ sexualities. But it feels so intoxicating - and in some moments, righteous - to speculate on Taylor Swift’s personal life, especially when she invites deep speculation into her discography and all...
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42. With Arms Wide Open: How Christian Rock Crossed Over into Mainstream
On today’s episode we’re going to talk about the elusive and enduring genre of music that is Christian Rock. How did it happen? Why do we (as Jews) like the sound of Christian Rock? Why do some bands “pretend” not to be as Christian as they are? We'll discuss all this and more, plus play a game...
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41. Witness to Wokeness: Katy Perry and the Pretense of Purposeful Pop
With her 2017 album Witness, Katy Perry invented the genre of “purposeful pop” more as a tool for relevance in her album promotion than an actual political analysis, which hurt both the political agenda she was pushing and the album itself. We think you’ll enjoy this episode whether or not you…
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40. When Reinvention Goes Awry
This week, we return to flophood but with a Halloweentown twist. Because the flop eras we’re talking about this episode involve artists who felt compelled to enter eras and try on identities that are aesthetically creepy, at the very least. We dare you to take a side-by-side look at the cover art...
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39. Will Dear Evan Hansen Ruin Ben Platt's Career?
On today's podcast we are joined by musical expert Jon Schneidman. Together we do a deep dive into Dear Evan Hansen, the recent musical turned movie, that may or may not have ruined Ben Platt's career. We explore white mediocrity in film vs stage, autistic coding, and nepotism. Maybe, after you...
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38. ARTFlop and GlitterBomb
What’s in a flop? On today’s episode, we look at moments that “flopped” through a more critical lens to discuss why albums flop, what happens when a “flop” is not really a “flop,” and how the cultural void of the early aughts fits in to this. We’ll do that by examining two seminal texts - ARTPOP…
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37. What's in a Feud?
In today's episode, we're trying to figure it out. Looking at the facts of a feud itself and how stories about it unfold can tell us a lot about power dynamics in the industry, who gets empathy and who doesn’t, and also? Talking about drama can be fun. The word "feud" seems to hold a lot of…
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36. California Here We Come Chasing Cars... Mm, Whatcha Say?
When done well, a soundtrack can do so much for a show, audience, and featured artists - it enriches and even memorializes scenes, tells us how we’re supposed to feel and introduces artists and audiences to each other. And no one did it better than some of our fave shows from the 2000s: Grey’s...
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35. Who Am I If Not Exploited: Olivia Rodrigo's Meteoric Rise to Fame and Where She Goes from Here
We are in an inflection point with Olivia Rodrigo's rise to fame. How we act now will determine not only her future as a celebrity, but the future of ~Celebrity~ in the US. Here are some of the articles we referenced today:...
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34. The Trials and Tribulations of GirlBossery
If you read the title of this episode then you know it's time to take a seat and buckle up. Today we're going in on a long-awaited topic, but also an undercurrent of a lot of our episodes and conversations, and that is...GirlBoss culture and its intersections with pop music. What is GirlBoss...
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33. Let's Go Girls: Country-Pop and the Women Who Are Shaping It
Today we’re going to talk about Country-Pop. A genre that, for many, was once (and maybe still) isn’t taken seriously as “good” or welcome or authentic. Some folks are quick to dismiss country music say the lyrics are predictable (rotating around words and themes like girl, truck, liquor +…
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32. Demi Lovato and the Heaviness of Fandom
Fandom is often seen as a frivolous identity or extra curricular, but it can be a heavy, heavy aspect of our lives. This is especially true for fans of Demi Lovato in the last few years. Join us as we breakdown what fandom means through the lens of this incredible artist and public figure. Their...
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31. Our Star-Spangled Banner, Ourselves
The American national anthem AKA The Star-Spangled Banner is absurd — in terms of the lyrics, the music, and also the weight behind it as a performance piece. And we can't just never talk about that, can we? So we're going in on it today, exploring the origins of this song and some iconic...
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30. Tik Tok on the Clock
On today's podcast we talk about our favorite frenemy app: Tik Tok. The app has had a major impact beyond just how we doom scroll the hour before bed. It has shaped the literal sound of pop music, what’s on our top chats, and even manufactured musicians. Listen to find out Hannah's beef with the...
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29. Lil Nas X, Big Conservative Backlash
"MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)" dropped, and our thesis this fine day is that the world will never be the same. Without the benefit of hindsight, we examine why this song and video has ushered in such a watershed moment. Then, we go into what the right-wing backlash means (22:43), why Lil Nas X…
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28. Free Britney
We are overdue for a (re)visit to our forever princess of pop, Britney Jean Spears. Imagine being the lightning rod for so much capitalistic, patriarchal ire and garbage, while also bringing so much joy and pop gold and cultural reset after cultural reset into the world. Can you even? In one of…
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27. Our #GirlBoss Vanguard Award Goes To (& Grammys Recap)
On today's podcast, Becky, Mimi and Hannah talk Sunday's Grammys from the Jack Antonoff memes to the Weeknd's critical decision to shut out the award show for good. The hosts briefly discuss the storied history of the Grammys and debate what place awards show hold in our society. Stay listening…
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26. It's Dolly Parton's World ft. Jacob Heath Henriquez
And we're lucky to live in it. We’re on a break! (*Extreme Ross Gellar voice.) We will be back in March 2021, don’t miss us too much. We know that Dolly Parton is not only a brilliant songwriter and vocalist, but has had a huge impact on our world for the better. So, we break down that impact. We...
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25. Money Can't Buy You Class, But Can It Buy You a Pop Song?
Buckle up, we're taking a wild ride down Real Housewives road. We're talking about housewives turned pop stars (and a few pop stars turned housewives) and what they signal about the music world. You don't want to be tardy for this party. Thank you for subscribing and leaving a review! Make sure…
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24. What Did 2020 Do to Music?
Happy New Year! Let's immediately dive back into 2020 to examine what it did to music, okay? We're talking about recording, performance, and consumption. We're looking at changes and continuities in method and content. We're meeting at the intersections of 1. individual and collective reckonings…
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23. A Tale of Two Girl Groups: Little Mix and Blackpink ft. Victor Carlesi
Shoutout to our Lovesick Girls! Little Mix in your Area! And it’s called Blackpink Magic! Ok we’ll stop now. These are two of the biggest bands of all time - and yet, so much of the U.S. audience still knows so little about these superstars. This week we are BLESSED to welcome our special guest,...
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Evermore: The E(mergency)-Sides
Wreck. Our. Plans. Taylor surprised-dropped her 9th studio album this week, and 2nd of the year. Folklore's sister, Evermore has much in common with its folksy sibling, but stands out on its on in so many ways. In this E-Sides, we go through our reactions to Evermore by discussing: Our overall...
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22. She’s Just Being Miley
Today’s podcast is about our childhood friend Miley Cyrus. Ok, fine, she’s not actually our real life friend, but she sure feels like it. We explore why Miley’s the perfect white privilege celebrity, what this new era of Plastic Hearts means for her and her future, and if she cleaned up the mess...
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21. The Chicks Are All Punk
Did you know that the act formerly known as the Dixie Chicks is the most punk band of all time? If you're not convinced already, you should be by the end of this episode... While on tour in 2003 for their third smash album, frontwoman Natalie Maines spoke out against President Bush's decision to...
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20. Our Positions on "Positions"
Today, we’re switching up positions for you. Hannah, Becky and Mimi take you through Ariana Grande’s newest single and music video "Positions" and how it falls a little flat just 10 days before one of the most consequential elections of our lifetimes. Ari - arguably one of the more politically...
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19. Why it's Sexist to Hate Pop Music
It’s not always sexist to hate pop music. But more often than not, criticism of pop music is rooted in misogyny, and we’re sick of it. In our Season 2 premiere, Hannah, Becky, and Mimi unpack 4 common criticisms of pop music that are rooted in sexism, which are: lack of sophistication or meaning...
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Miniseries: The Glee-Sides, Part 3
The time has come to wrap up our three-part miniseries on Glee, the critically-acclaimed musical comedy-drama that aired on FOX from 2009 to 2015. For Part 3, we now turn to season 3 and another instant-classic episode: Mash Off (3x06). Oof. This episode is particularly bittersweet: Naya Rivera…
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Miniseries: The Glee-Sides, Part 2
So here's what you missed on Glee... That's right - we're back with Part 2 of a three-part miniseries on the critically-acclaimed musical comedy-drama that aired on FOX from 2009 to 2015. And now it's time to turn to a season 2 episode that some would consider an instant classic: Rumours (2x19)....
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Miniseries: The Glee-Sides, Part 1
Have you been looking for the right moment and excuse to (re)watch Glee, the critically-acclaimed musical comedy-drama that aired on FOX from 2009 to 2015? Of course you have, and we ask that you look no further. The B-Sides is here with a three-part miniseries on Glee, seasons 1-3 (the best...
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Folklore: The E(mergency)-Sides
Folklore just dropped. Let's talk about it. Welcome to: The E-Sides! Our wary quarantine minds and bodies needed this album more than we realized. Our moodiness found purpose when Taylor Swift gave it a body of work to hold onto. But some people are using Taylor's "acoustic" project as a way to...
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Mini Episode: The Death of Pop
How do you record an album in quarantine? Find out in this special interview with Frass Green, a DC band that Hannah had the honor of interviewing for the pod. Frass Green's EP, "Death of Pop," drops TODAY, May 29. Our interview covers what the album means to them, what it's like to be a DC band...
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17. The Rise And Rise Of Kesha
Kesha is a queen. But did we always appreciate her as such? We dig into not only Kesha's talent and resilience, but start to shed a spotlight on the toxic music industry that fed on her success and ended up hurting her greatly. But of course - she took the Higher Road. As always we have three...
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16. Music, Activism, and Accelerated Capitalism ft. Dan Baggarly
This week's episode is pure B-Sides: we're devoting the whole thing to an interview with a very special guest, Dan Baggarly of Philly-based bands Trash Boy and Little War. Dan has been a versatile musician and progressive activist for most of his life, and the thoughts that spill from his brain…
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15. From Broadway to Beverly Hills
On this week's b-sides we take you from Broadway to Beverly Hills. Focusing in on three "stars" (Ben Platt, Lea Michele, and Ariana Grande), we take down the winding road that lead them from the broadway stage to (maybe) platinum studio albums. Why did only one of these three make it in the pop...
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14. Pop Music Qs And As
The world is full of questions. Luckily, we have answers. Like literally all the answers you’d ever need for real. Today we A’ed your burning pop music Q’s that you submitted through our Instagram (listentothebsides) and FB group (bit.ly/thebsidesfbgroup)! Questions such as: -Does pop music…
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12. Pop and Masculinity ft. Logan Bayroff
On today’s podcast we talk to our resident straight cis white man, Logan Bayroff, about pop music and masculinity. We explore feminism and misogyny and what it means to be a straight white man who likes Ariana Grande. Time stamps: -A-Sides - 5:30 -B-Sides Interview with Logan Bayroff - 13:00...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The B-Sides is a podcast for progressives who love pop music. Subscribe today wherever you listen to get biweekly musings from hosts Becky, Hannah, and Mimi on pop’s place in our world, and the music you should put in your ears to fuel your reckoning with the trashfires all around us.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The B-Sides have?
The B-Sides currently has 62 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The B-Sides about?
The B-Sides is a podcast for progressives who love pop music. Subscribe today wherever you listen to get biweekly musings from hosts Becky, Hannah, and Mimi on pop’s place in our world, and the music you should put in your ears to fuel your reckoning with the trashfires all around us.
How often does The B-Sides release new episodes?
The B-Sides has 62 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The B-Sides?
You can listen to The B-Sides on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The B-Sides?
The B-Sides is created and hosted by The B-Sides.
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