CCTV: The Nonstop Pop Show

One Direction’s third studio album "Midnight Memories" marked a noticeable shift in their sound, image, and ambition. Released in 2013, the album featured massive singles like “Best Song Ever,” “Story of My Life,” “Midnight Memories,” and “You & I,” and signaled a move away from polished teen pop toward a more guitar-driven, rock-influenced sound.
In this episode, Chris and Chantel Nicole go track by track through "Midnight Memories", sharing their honest thoughts on the production, songwriting, vocals, and whether this era truly represented growth for Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik.
Was this the moment One Direction matured as artists? Or just a stylistic experiment in the middle of peak boyband mania?
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0:00 - Intro
0:46 - "Midnight Memories" Album Info
2:31 - Album Cover
3:00 - "Best Song Ever"
12:00 - "Story Of My Life"
18:11 - "Diana"
22:28 - "Midnight Memories"
27:28 - "You & I"
36:18 - "Don't Forget Where You Belong"
40:00 - "Strong"
44:15 - "Happily"
48:49 - "Right Now"
51:50 - "Little Black Dress"
55:56 - "Through The Dark"
59:33 - "Something Great"
1:04:07 - "Little White Lies"
1:07:56 - "Better Than Words"
1:11:14 - Cut or Keep
1:12:36 - Overall Thoughts & Final Rating
References:
“Best Song Ever” MV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_v9MY_FMcw&pp=ygUcb25lIGRpcmVjdGlvbiBiZXN0IHNvbmcgZXZlcg%3D%3D
“Best Song Ever” Live from Where We Are Tour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7rvnjVgbzc&pp=ygUcb25lIGRpcmVjdGlvbiBiZXN0IHNvbmcgZXZlcg%3D%3D
“Story Of My Life” MV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-TE_Ys4iwM&pp=ygUeb25lIGRpcmVjdGlvbiBzdG9yeSBvZiBteSBsaWZl
“Story Of My Life” Live on the 1D TV Special https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2h6KIpBums&pp=ygUeb25lIGRpcmVjdGlvbiBzdG9yeSBvZiBteSBsaWZl
“Diana” Live from Where We Are Tour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEtHLWGi4jY&pp=ygUTb25lIGRpcmVjdGlvbiBkaWFuYQ%3D%3D
“Midnight Memories” MV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkx9kCdaaMg&pp=ygUfb25lIGRpcmVjdGlvbiBtaWRuaWdodCBtZW1vcmllcw%3D%3D
“Midnight Memories” Live from Where We Are Tour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_D8ug72MoI&pp=ygUfb25lIGRpcmVjdGlvbiBtaWRuaWdodCBtZW1vcmllc9IHCQmHCgGHKiGM7w%3D%3D
“You & I” MV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kqQDCxRCzM&pp=ygUYb25lIGRpcmVjdGlvbiB5aW91IGFuZCBp
“You & I” Live on BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend 2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDzS9SQ6Xac&pp=ygUYb25lIGRpcmVjdGlvbiB5aW91IGFuZCBp
“Strong” Live from Where We Are Tour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azxckhLfTYA&pp=ygUUb25lIGRpcmVjdGlvbiBzdHJvbmfSBwkJhwoBhyohjO8%3D
“Happily” Live from Where We Are Tour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuT1K7Hhua0&pp=ygUVb25lIGRpcmVjdGlvbiBoYXBwaWx5
“Right Now” Live from Where We Are Tour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQG_SMaVHNU&pp=ygUXb25lIGRpcmVjdGlvbiByaWdodCBub3c%3D
“Little Black Dress” Live from Where We Are Tour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKDpIKNr840&pp=ygUgb25lIGRpcmVjdGlvbiBsaXR0bGUgYmFsY2sgZHJlc3M%3D
“Through the Dark” Live from Where We Are Tour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5eBVMqO-Vw&pp=ygUeb25lIGRpcmVjdGlvbiB0aHJvdWdoIHRoZSBkYXJr
“Better Than Words” Live from Where We Are Tour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybUFx8xvZfM&pp=ygUfb25lIGRpcmVjdGlvbiBiZXR0ZXIgdGhhbiB3b3Jkcw%3D%3D

JADE brought That’s Showbiz, Baby! to Brooklyn Paramount in NYC, and we were there.
In this episode, Chris and Chantel Nicole recap JADE’s live show in New York - from the vocals and staging to the theatrical drama and crowd energy. We talk about how the songs from That’s Showbiz, Baby! translated on stage, standout moments from the setlist, and whether JADE fully stepped into her solo pop star era in front of a packed Brooklyn crowd.
How does the live production compare to the studio album? Did the encore moments hit? And most importantly - did she deliver?
Join us on Patreon!: https://www.patreon.com/CCTVPOPS
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FUFN (F*** You for Now)
Headache
Before You Break My Heart
Unconditional
Fantasy
Self Saboteur
Lip Service
Plastic Box
Glitch
Frozen / This Is What We Dance For
Natural At Disaster
Midnight Cowboy / Wasabi / Gossip / IT girl
Silent Disco
Church
Angel of My Dreams

With renewed attention on Take That thanks to the recent Netflix documentary and the announcement that The Circus Live tour is returning in 2026, we’re revisiting the album that truly cemented their second-act dominance.
In this episode, Chris and Chantel Nicole go track by track through "The Circus" (2008), the multi-platinum album featuring massive hits like “Greatest Day,” “Up All Night,” and “The Garden.” We break down the production, songwriting, vocals, and emotional core of the record that transformed Take That from successful returnees into full-blown stadium giants.
How does "The Circus" hold up today?
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0:00 - Intro
0:29 - “The Circus” Album Info
1:45 - Album Cover
2:39 - “The Garden”
9:51 - “Greatest Day”
16:24 - “Hello”
21:26 - “Said It All”
28:54 - “Julie”
33:00 - “The Circus”
38:58 - “How Did It Come To This”
44:18 - “Up All Night”
49:39 - “What Is Love”
55:25 - “You”
58:08 - “Hold Up A Light”
1:02:41 - “Here”
1:08:05 - “She Said”
1:10:49 - Cut or Keep
1:12:38 - Overall Thoughts & Final Rating
References:
“The Garden” MV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOuZzEUsBcQ 
“The Garden” Circus Tour 2009 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf79RSoG3fM&pp=ygUUdGFrZSB0aGF0IHRoZSBnYXJkZW4%3D 
“Greatest Day” MV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9kiR4UxLtM&pp=ygUWdGFrZSB0aGF0IGdyZWF0ZXN0IGRheQ%3D%3D 
“Greatest Day” Live at BRIT Awards 2009 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JElwi53AfSI&pp=ygUWdGFrZSB0aGF0IGdyZWF0ZXN0IGRheQ%3D%3D 
“Hello” Circus Tour 2009 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lgcc38J3kak&pp=ygUPdGFrZSB0aGF0IGhlbGxv 
“Said It All” MV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ideJmOH2z4Y&pp=ygUVdGFrZSB0aGF0IHNhaWQgaXQgYWxs
“Said It All” Live at Abbey Road https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIgrBwzDM0E&pp=ygUVdGFrZSB0aGF0IHNhaWQgaXQgYWxs0gcJCYcKAYcqIYzv 
“Julie” Live at Take That Come to Town https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fYcRRlYrSg&pp=ygUPdGFrZSB0aGF0IGp1bGll 
“The Circus” Live at Abbey Road https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I53fFvALuHY&pp=ygUfdGFrZSB0aGF0IHRoZSBjaXJjdXMgYWJiZXkgcmFvZNIHCQmHCgGHKiGM7w%3D%3D 
“How Did It Come To This” Circus Tour 2009 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycK3Byj1zRw&pp=ygUhdGFrZSB0aGF0IGhvdyBkaWQgaXQgY29tZSB0byB0aGlz 
“Up All Night” MV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gzDFf0M-N4&pp=ygUWdGFrZSB0aGF0IHVwIGFsbCBuaWdodA%3D%3D 
“Up All Night” Live at Take That Come to Town https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY-UgjpzdaQ&pp=ygUWdGFrZSB0aGF0IHVwIGFsbCBuaWdodA%3D%3D 
“What Is Love” Circus Tour 2009 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq1ZMfeRdXU 
“Hold Up A Light” Circus Tour 2009 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVfCahOAiA0&pp=ygUZdGFrZSB0aGF0IGhvbGQgdXAgYSBsaWdodA%3D%3D

From “Mirotic” to “Dreams Come True,” from “Hot Summer” to “Next Level,” SM Entertainment has built a reputation for reworking songs from outside Korea and turning them into K-pop staples. But where’s the line between a cover, a sample, a demo… and plagiarism?In this episode, Chris and Chantel break down the legal and creative differences between covers, master vs. publishing rights, sampling, interpolation, and demo recordings - and why those distinctions matter more than most fans realize.We dive into SM’s history of licensed remakes, Western songwriting collaborations, and the company’s unique ability to transform existing material into something distinctly “SM.” Are these just copied songs… or carefully negotiated reinventions?
References:
Dolly Parton - "I Will Always Love You" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0bEZH6ZqG4
Whitney Houston - "I Will Always Love You" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JWTaaS7LdU
Big Mama Thornton - "Hound Dog" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoHDrzw-RPg
Elvis Presley - "Hound Dog" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNYWl13IWhY
BTS - "As I Told You" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inNYQUC6dFs
BLACKPINK - "So Hot" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skIfzl96Gc0
TWICE - "End of Time" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxQKaEGrQ38
4Minute - "Milkshake" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrGQBMkXa30
MEOVV - “Abracadabra” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jlLUl8hKGY&pp=ygURbWVvdnYgYWJyYWNhZGFicmE%3D
Dara - “Mr. Rover” MV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcWlLGDvmEE&pp=ygUOZGFyYSBtci4gcm92ZXI%3D
KAI - “Rover” MV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlTIextYnyQ&pp=ygUOZGFyYSBtci4gcm92ZXI%3D
Medium.com "The Art of Clearing a Sample" article https://medium.com/the-courtroom/the-art-of-clearing-a-sample-deciding-if-its-worth-it-and-how-to-actually-do-e26fa56ad090
Busta Rhymes - "Pass The Courvoisier Part II" feat. P. Diddy & Pharrell Williams https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4ZUaxyPoZ8
NCT U - "90's Love" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5H8zBb3iao
Ke$ha - "Run Devil Run" (Demo) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBjETYX1awQ
Girls' Generation - "Run Devil Run" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_gfD3nvh-8
6ix9ine - "Nobody (Closer)" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2AN35GVh3U&ab_channel=FunnyYoutubeEdits
Winner - "Island" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRj4toENrnA
Sarah Connor - "Under My Skin" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33FwMpiWsaA
TVXQ! - "MIROTIC" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtJS32n6LNQ
A20 MAY - "UNDER MY SKIN" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GioJ0KPZADg&list=RDGioJ0KPZADg&start_radio=1&pp=ygUPYTIwIG1heSBtaXJvdGljoAcB
Triple 8 - "Knockout" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czg3-Uw2dfM
Super Junior - "Twins (Knock Out)" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrazFGFRnhM
Nylon Beat - "Like A Fool" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHwRoRB6u_0
S.E.S. - "Dreams Come True" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uiR4SrDGZk
aespa - "Dreams Come True" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H69tJmsgd9I
Monrose - "Hot Summer" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikgpaT5_XXY
f(x) - "Hot Summer" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-rftpZ7kCY
Phrased Differently - "Red Light" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tnDNr3gZcU
f(x) - "Red Light" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv-8-EgPEY0
Nathalie Makoma - "I Just Wanna Dance" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJGaOefn7nM
Girls' Generation - "Tell Me Your Wish (Genie)" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SwiSpudKWI
AWA - "Like I Do" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DIa-MolAUQ
BoA - "Better" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOxl2OIOVII
A$ton Wyld - "Next Level" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTKm0mnZgp8
aespa - "Next Level" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TWR90KJl84
Duffy - "Mercy" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7ZEVA5dy-Y
Girls' Generation - "Dancing Queen" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXZxc8GSXnI

EXO is back with REVERXE, their eighth studio album - and their first group release since 2023’s EXIST. With nine new tracks, a bold concept, and a six-member lineup, fans have been waiting to see if this marks a true new era or just a brief return.
In this episode, Chris and Chantel Nicole go track by track through REVERXE, breaking down the vocals, production, lyrics, and overall direction. From high-energy lead single CROWN to experimental cuts like Moonlight Shadows and Flatline, we’re digging into what works, what surprised us, and what might leave some listeners divided.
Was REVERXE worth the wait? Does EXO still set the standard for K-pop albums? Let’s get into it.
0:00 - Intro
0:47 - "REVERXE" Album Info
2:24 - Album Cover
3:53 - "Crown"
25:51 - "Back It Up"
37:02 - "Crazy"
42:01 - "Suffocate"
48:48 - "Moonlight Shadows"
54:14 - "Back Pocket"
59:38 - "Touch & Go"
1:04:11 - "Flatline"
1:08:54 - "I'm Home"
1:17:24 - Cut or Keep
1:20:50 - Overall Thoughts & Final Rating
References:
“Crown” MV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWfKkqo1Mk8&pp=ygUMZXhvIGNyb3duIG120gcJCXwKAYcqIYzv 
“Crown” Choreography at Music Bank https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEUR2TRM9XQ&pp=ygUWZXhvIGNyb3duIGNob3Jlb2dyYXBoeQ%3D%3D 
#MMA2025 Performance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1oeUV45EsA&pp=ygUJZXhvIG1lbG9u 
“I’m Home” MV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hTbNeHqGD8&pp=ygUNZXhvICdpJ20gaG9tZQ%3D%3D
“I’m Home” Live at REVERXE Showcase https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4NHHKRWptg&pp=ygUNZXhvICdpJ20gaG9tZQ%3D%3D