Vinyl Drop

Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" set the blueprint for the term "Pop Bible", six smash singles, five number ones, and cultural moments that defined a generation. But which 2020s pop album comes closest to claiming that throne? In Part 1 of Vinyl Drop's first Pop Bible, Keith Montena is joined by AJ Marks, host of Main Pod Girl and lead moderator at Reddit's Popheads, to break down what made Teenage Dream so defining, before diving deep into Dua Lipa's Future Nostalgia. Released March 27th, 2020, just as the world shut down due to Covid-19, Future Nostalgia became one of the defining pop rollout of the pandemic era. We discuss the rollout, the music, the history, and whether this album holds a candle to Teenage Dream, before going head to head with Sabrina Carpenter's Short N Sweet later on. Which album wins? You'll have to listen to find out.

Part II of my year-end review of pop music across 2025 tackles Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco's 'I Said I Love You First,' Miley Cyrus with 'Something Beautiful,' and Demi Lovato's 'It's Not That Deep.' All three acts shared similar experiences in the earlier halves of their music careers, and this episode discusses the parallels shared between these artists in 2025. For Selena Gomez, I'll be diving into the couples branding behind her work with Benny Blanco, and how both the singles and campaign may be a mismatch for the album's core. On 'It's Not That Deep,' I'll be going through the recent album and how the singles may have prevented the album from reaching its full potential, and how Demi's dance effort is her most ambitious to date. Plus, how does Miley's new album stack up next to 'Can't Be Tamed,' 'She Is Coming,' 'Endless Summer Vacation,' or 'Plastic Hearts?' Let me know your thoughts as well.

Kicking off my chronological review of pop music across 2025 with Tate McRae's 'So Close To What' & Lady Gaga's 'MAYHEM.' Both artists kicked off in Q1 with some of the years most defining albums, and in this episode I'm breaking down the strengths and weaknesses of both projects in reference to the specific artists catalog, and the grand scheme of pop music at large. Plus, I'll be diving into the campaigns surrounding each album and how they tie to both longevity, public narrative, and their own Grammy chances. Did these albums hold up after months? Did the campaigns promoting the album help the artists reach their potential? I'll also be giving a special shoutout to another great Q1 project, which is 'SALVATION' by Rebecca Black.

How do you follow-up an album like BRAT? This episode breaks down Charli XCX’s growing momentum post-BRAT and the new demographic of fans she's pulled in. With so many new eyes and the opposite expectation for this era, I'm discussing what her next move can be and how a lot of other pop acts like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Lady Gaga pulled off creative pivots at the height of commercial success to sustain longevity. Plus, I'm going to discuss the seven films Charli XCX is working on, and how her own unique sound she explored across BRAT may not feel "unique" if she follows up with a similar sound. Find @vinyldropodcast on Instagram, and of course... Let me know what you think is in store for Charli XCX's next project. (ARCHIVE)

Keith Montena returns this week to break down MAYHEM, Lady Gaga’s seventh studio album, and the sonic landscape that defines it. While early singles Disease and Abracadabra hinted at one direction, the full album takes an unexpected turn, pulling from Prince, Bowie, and electro-grunge influences in ways that might surprise you. From the rollout to the creative choices, how does MAYHEM actually stack up? Find out how Garden of Eden taps into Gaga’s earliest songwriting roots, Perfect Celebrity almost took the album in an entirely different direction, and all collaborators on deck. Plus, how do the ‘80s influences fit into today’s pop landscape, and did the marketing set listeners up for something completely different? In just under 40 minutes, Vinyl Drop unpacks "MAYHEM" during release week.

Keith Montena returns this week to discuss  "143", Katy Perry’s sixth album, and the missteps that defined her 2024 comeback. After a few underperforming albums, Katy set the stage for a maximalist dance-pop album with Women’s World as the lead single, dubbed a female empowerment anthem. But with producer Dr. Luke’s controversial involvement, an inconsistent rollout, and material that failed to resonate, the era did not live up to expectation. From a pop fan, hear about why "Women's World" faced so much backlash, the history behind WHY collaborators were controversial, and an analysis from a pop fan on Katy Perry's trajectory from "Teenage Dream" to "Witness" and her (lovely!) redemption arc with "Smile", in just under 40 minutes. Vinyl Drop dives into how this comeback went off the rails. (ARCHIVE)

In 2024, Jade Thirlwall of Little Mix debuted with "Angel Of My Dreams". Her first solo offering after Little Mix, the girl group went on hiatus. Dive into the music, the vision behind the music video, and the creative and marketing decisions that made this debut single unforgettable, and the best pop song of 2024. Also, let's dive into what her album next year may include. (ARCHIVE)

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?

“Endless Summer Vacation” by Miley Cyrus finds the singer achieving her biggest hit with “Flowers” and winning Grammys for the first time in her 17-year career. This week, Keith Montena and Carly Giacoio rewind and discuss how prior career moves and projects like She Is Coming & Plastic Hearts led the singer into a rough commercial territory despite being packed with solid material. With a label switch and new management, the pair investigate how her album rollout surrounding a New Years Eve special and fan-driven narrative surrounding Liam Hemsworth sculpted a huge commercial resurgence. Plus, hear about the album’s singles and creative collaborators through a track-by-track discussion.

Dua Lipa's Future Nostalgia saw the singer spearheading a disco & 80s revival in pop music, while figuring out how to promote her album during the uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic. Hear about how she kicked off with "Don't Start Now", the creative process and inspiration behind her concept album, and the game-time decision to push up the release date amidst International lockdowns. Discussions topics include "Levitating", her remix album, Moonlight Edition re-release, and Studio 2054 livestream concert. Plus, what does this all mean for her upcoming "Houdini"-led third studio album? 

(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.

Sabrina Carpenter's fifth album Emails I Can't Send marked a turning point in the artists career. Even with the eerie start-stop nature of her release campaign, the fifth album prevailed as a success with breakout hit "Nonsense". Rewind to 2021 as Keith Montena and special guest Abbey Velischek break down the infamous love triangle that plagued the star, her response song "Skin", and how the star shifted directions and created a very strong album. Topics include the singer's slot on Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour, her videos including "Feather", and the battle stars face when breaking out of the Disney or child-star umbrella.

Vinyl Drop returns this week with a look at The Weeknd's infamous venture into television, "The Idol". Created by Sam Levinson, Reza Fahim, and himself, the show was deemed controversial based on writing, reports from set, and articles coming from publications like Rolling Stone. With stars like Lily-Rose Depp, Jennie from BLACKPINK, and Troye Sivan, the show follows the toxic life of a popstar getting involved with the wrong people. Vinyl Drop breaks down all the controversy surrounding the show, the plot, and, most importantly, the soundtrack helmed by Mike Dean & The Weeknd.

Olivia Rodrigo's sophomore album chronicles her 19th year and journey after achieving such a high level of success with her debut album. Keith Montena returns this week with special guest Carly Giacoio to break down the campaign surrounding GUTS, how Olivia's success rivals other young Disney stars, and the speculation surrounding drama with Taylor Swift. This is also a detailed look into SOUR's success in retrospect and the viral plagiarism accusations. Other topics include Rodrigo's creative process with collaborators like Dan Nigro & Ian Kirkpatrick, Grammy nominations, the VMAs, and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes soundtrack single.

(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".

Red (Taylor's Version) is the second installment of Taylor Swift's re-recorded albums. Drawing comparisons to the originals and discussing vault tracks, Keith Montena was happy to welcome back Katie Hausler and Hannah Relovsky to the podcast. In Vinyl Drop's first-ever round table, the trio touches on the politics behind the re-recordings, the highlights (and low points) across both versions, and the intricacies of All Too Well's multiple recordings are discussed. Also, is Speak Now (Taylor's Version) next? We'll see.

Keith Montena returns to Vinyl Drop this week with a discussion on "Chromatica" by Lady Gaga. With special guest Logan Powers, the pair dive into Lady Gaga's first dance-pop release in nearly seven years, the rush of "Rain On Me" with Ariana Grande, and how the campaign attached got halted during Covid-19. Diving into every track and video, fan reactions, and how it compares to past efforts like "The Fame", the album still remains a celebration.

 Keith Montena discusses Rihanna's fifth studio album, "Loud". With returning guest Andi Stebbins, the pair talk about the singer's notable singles discography and how the album is jam-packed with only potential hits. Released following "Rated R", an album released a year prior with a much darker edge, Rihanna was in the perfect position to continue her reign in the mainstream. With the red hair carving out a signature look and three number ones, this feels like Rihanna at the height of her powers... Before ANTi of course. Hear Keith and Andi discuss their thoughts on the album. Remember to follow @vinyldropodcast on instagram to keep up with all updates.

Keith Montena welcomes Logan Powers to discuss Lady Gaga's sophomore studio album, "The Fame Monster". Released with her famous debut, "The Fame", the singer's follow-up project featured eight songs that brought a more intense sound, and cemented her "Little Monster" base with darker imagery and concepts. While Bad Romance alone is hailed as one of pop's best songs, the entire collection see's the singer write and create some of her best songs to date. Hear Keith and Logan discuss their thoughts on the album. Remember to follow @vinyldropodcast on instagram to keep up with all updates.