Ariana Grande: How a TV Sidekick Became a World Sensation
Miley Cyrus transitioned from teen TV star to A-list music celebrity seemingly overnight. And while Ariana Grande also got her start as a teen tv star, it took 5 years of releasing
Blackfishing, Cultural Appropriation and the Jesy Nelson Situation
Gwen Stefani, Christina Aguilera, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus… and now Jesy Nelson. A growing list of female pop artists who have used black culture as aesthetics for a song or an al
Halsey: The Pop Star that Refuses to Fit Your Stereotype
As we’ve explored throughout the podcast, the music industry loves to put people in a box. For pop stars, the expectations are strict – be a sexy, womanly figure that men will
BONUS! Olivia Rodrigo and the Theft of a Concept
Olivia Rodrigo has been accused by Courtney Love and others of stealing concept ideas for her album artwork and promotional photos. But is it really theft if the concept isn’
Fanfiction But Make it Gay: From the Emo Scene to Larry Stylinson
If you grew up as a teen on the internet, odds are you came across fanfiction of your favorite band – whether by accident or on purpose. And if you dove even farther in, you woun
Pete Wentz To Harry Styles: How Assumed Queerness Has Changed
Harry Styles is not the first straight man assumed to be queer. Years before Harry Styles was praised for carrying a rainbow flag around on stage and ignoring questions about his s
When Record Labels Take Advantage of Artists
Why do labels sign artists but not allow them to release an album for years? Why do labels control an artists’ image or ghost them when they’re ready to drop music? Record lab
The Gamification of Music: History of the Billboard Charts
What’s all this talk about fans “gaming” the Billboard Charts? In recent months, music critics have argued that BTS’ “Butter” is not the biggest song in America, despit
The Fight for Women to Own Their Sexuality: Objectification vs Empowerment
Can women ever truly own their sexuality? How do we empower ourselves in the face of objectification? What does empowerment even look like? The fight for women to own their sexuali
Kpop, Capitalism and the Illusion of the American Dream
Why are kpop fans considered crazed consumers? Why are kpop idols undermined for “not writing their music”? Outsiders often use shock-value criticisms to diminish the Korean mu