Vinyl Drop

Camila Cabello's "CXOXO" album kicked off with a hyper pop-tinged lead single, immediately causing comparisons to Charli XCX. This episode discusses how goalposts in pop music are changing as music becomes more conversational online and less about Top 40 appeal. We explore how Camila’s artistic pivot isn’t about chasing another Señorita or Havana, but about carving a niche within online music stans. Despite high-profile features with Drake and Lil Nas X, slick production from Jasper Harris, and tabloid buzz surrounding Sabrina Carpenter and Shawn Mendes, the album struggles to stick the landing. Is the issue tied to the music itself, the crowded year, albums like "BRAT" in similar lanes, or is something else at play? Tune in as we dissect CXOXO, uncover key moments, and leave you with the tools to form your own verdict.

Keith Montena is back this week breaking down "Disease" by Lady Gaga, the first taste of the singer's upcoming seventh album. After "Die With A Smile" with Bruno Mars and Joker: Folie á Duex, Lady Gaga returns with the biggest changes to her creative team in nearly 15 years, and an album modeling after dark soundscapes similar to Born This Way. Notably far from 2020's Chromatica. Vinyl Drop discusses pop music with an emphasis on new releases, the artists' creative process, collaborators, and their marketing strategy. I want to hear from you - do you like "Disease"? Did you like the rollout? What should be discussed next?

(Archive Episode, 2023) Lady Gaga's "Joanne" showcases the singer ditching dance-pop in exchange for country and americana. Hear about the creative process behind the 2016 album, as well as the aftermath of 2013's ARTPOP album and how this shift helped the singer recover. The album marked a commercial resurgence for Lady Gaga with performances at The Super Bowl Half Time Show and Coachella, projects like Five Foot Two and A Star Is Born. Plus, discussions on "The Cure" and puzzled fan reception to her new sound. Also, is Lady Gaga releasing a new album this year? Hear about rumored collaborators for her seventh LP, and if Joanne is the best indicator of her next artistic venture.

(Archive Episode 2022) Keith Montena returns this week with previous co-host Ashley Tatum to discuss one of the world's best-selling girl groups, The Pussycat Dolls. The groups sophomore (and last) era was helmed by collaborators like Polow Da Don, Timbaland, and Darkchild. The album, interestingly, was sculpted by beginning sessions for Nicole Scherzinger's debut solo album, "Her Name Is Nicole". Listen to hear about the group's evolving dynamics, why we feel it was always bound to cause drama, and where the girls are now after reuniting in 2020 with "React". While instances of drama at Britney Spears' Circus Tour or the American Music Awards became bait for tabloid culture of the 2000s, the girls still delivered some discography highlights and a huge hit with "When I Grow Up".