Can't Stop The Pop

In this episode, Matty and Craig take a look back at the track that turned Leona Lewis from the winner of a TV talent show into a bona fide superstar: Bleeding Love.  We discuss how the song went from being rejected by Jesse McCartney's record label to becoming one of the biggest global hits of the '00s and even birthed a sub-genre of soundalikes. Plus, there are not one but two music videos to talk about!  You can follow us on X: @matkinsactor @cantstoppop, Instagram: @mat_atkins9 @cantstop_thepop and TikTok: @cantstopthepoppodcast

Easy V doesn't come for free! For our second season finale, we're discussing an artist and a song so seismic that they allegedly brought down an entire record label. It's Victoria Beckham with her dance-pop track, Let Your Head Go. We delve into a complicated situation that resulted in two different albums being recorded (neither of which was officially released), Victoria Beckham's prominent role in relaunching Top Of The Pops, the brilliantly self-deprecating music video for Let Your Head Go and the song's continued absence from streaming platforms.    If you like what we do, please leave a review wherever you listen to your podcasts!  To read about Let Your Head Go on Can't Stop The Pop: https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2019/12/23/victoria-beckham-let-your-head-go/  You can also follow us on X: @matkinsactor @cantstoppop, Instagram: @mat_atkins9 @cantstop_thepop and TikTok: @cantstopthepoppodcast

It's confessions on a podcast this week as we discuss Madonna's ABBA-sampling smash hit, Hung Up. To help us dissect this behemoth pop song we're joined by a special guest: James Rodriguez, host of The Original Doll.  With James' expert knowledge, we delve into the circumstances surrounding the single and why Madonna's tenth studio album - Confessions On A Dancefloor - was such a significant moment in her career. Matty shares his memories of Hung Up and what it means to him as a Madonna fan, while there's an unexpected drag battle revelation from Craig.  Please check out The Original Doll with James Rodriguez. You can find information about the show at: https://theoriginaldoll.com/  You can follow James on X: @JamesRodriguez, Instagram: @the.original.doll and TikTok: @thejamesrodriguez  You can also follow us on X: @matkinsactor @cantstoppop, Instagram: @mat_atkins9 @cantstop_thepop and TikTok: @cantstopthepoppodcast

Dude, you wanna crash the mall? Grab your air guitars because, in this episode, Craig and Matty are coming back down to earth to talk about Avril Lavigne's Sk8er Boi.  We discuss what it was like to be a teenager when pop-rock took over the charts (think baggy jeans, hoodies and those chains that hung from everyone's pockets) and how Sk8er Boi managed to condense pretty much everything that era represented into a 3½ minute song. Plus, no critique of Avril Lavigne would be complete without acknowledging the enduring conspiracy theory that is...Melissa.  If you like what we do, please leave a review wherever you listen to your podcasts!  To read about Sk8er Boi on Can't Stop The Pop: https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2023/10/16/avril-lavigne-sk8er-boi/   You can also follow us on X: @matkinsactor @cantstoppop, Instagram: @mat_atkins9 @cantstop_thepop and TikTok: @cantstopthepoppodcast

This week, Craig and Matty are discussing Your Disco Needs You, the Kylie Minogue song that was allegedly deemed "too gay" to release in the UK. Can Matty talk about one of his favourite artists of all time without going off on a tangent? Almost. We managed to stay focused for long enough to cover the song, the remixes, the incredible vocals and the music video for this intentionally camp Kylie classic.  If you like what we do, please leave a review wherever you listen to your podcasts!  To read about Your Disco Needs You on Can't Stop The Pop: https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2022/01/17/kylie-minogue-your-disco-needs-you/  You can also follow us on X: @matkinsactor @cantstoppop, Instagram: @mat_atkins9 @cantstop_thepop and TikTok: @cantstopthepoppodcast

This week on the podcast, Craig and Matty are stuck on Stacie Orrico, a Christian Contemporary artist who was signed by Virgin Records and launched as a mainstream pop star in the '00s.  (There's Gotta Be) More To Life was her second single, and it's flipping brilliant. We discuss the track and the music video (with its many looks, both good and bad). Matty gives an informed, technical analysis of Stacie Orrico's voice, plus, find out which iconic '00s movie Craig has never seen.  To read about (There's Gotta Be) More To Life on Can't Stop The Pop: https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2019/10/14/stacie-orrico-theres-gotta-be-more-to-life/   You can also follow us on X: @matkinsactor @cantstoppop, Instagram: @mat_atkins9 @cantstop_thepop and TikTok: @cantstopthepoppodcast

Who's that Pokémon? This week, Craig introduces Matty to Don't Say You Love Me by M2M, which is, of course, taken from the official soundtrack to the cinematic masterpiece Pokémon: The First Movie.  We discuss the song, the brilliantly '90s/'00s music video (with unnecessary dance breaks aplenty) and what M2M did after Don't Say You Love Me. Plus, find out which were our first ever starter Pokémon. The results are revealing...  To read about Don't Say You Love Me on Can't Stop The Pop: https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2020/03/16/m2m-dont-say-you-love-me/  You can also follow us on X: @matkinsactor @cantstoppop, Instagram: @mat_atkins9 @cantstop_thepop and TikTok: @cantstopthepoppodcast

Take those lies and let them go (woah, woah) because this week, Matty and Craig are talking about Scooch's top-five hit, More Than I Needed To Know.  We discuss how the group was formed and why this was such an important second single for them. Matty is particularly enthused by the music video, while Craig longs to own a promotional Scooch lunchbox. One thing's for four sure: there's rather a lot of grammatical confusion about the title of the group's debut album.  To read about More Then I Needed To Know on Can't Stop The Pop: https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2019/01/07/scooch-more-than-i-needed-to-know/  You can also follow us on X: @matkinsactor @cantstoppop, Instagram: @mat_atkins9 @cantstop_thepop and TikTok: @cantstopthepoppodcast

This week, Matty and Craig take a walk of life as they look back at Day & Night, the lead single from Billie Piper's second album. There's little disputing this as a veritable '00s classic, and while Matty is particularly enthused by the killer double-chorus, Craig is tormented by a launderette sequence in the music video. But behind the general brilliance of the track, Billie Piper wasn't having such a great time as a chart-topping pop star. So, while there's much to celebrate about Day & Night, it also came at a high price... To read about Day & Night on Can't Stop The Pop: https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2019/05/13/billie-piper-day-night/  You can also follow us on X: @matkinsactor @cantstoppop, Instagram: @mat_atkins9 @cantstop_thepop and TikTok: @cantstopthepoppodcast

We've got a steptacular exclusive this week because Matty and Craig are joined by BAFTA Rocliffe-winning, double Offie-nominated Shaun Kitchener, writer of the forthcoming Steps musical: Here & Now.  Naturally, we wanted to talk about the song that inspired the title of the show. Released in 2001 as a double-A side with You'll Be Sorry, Here and Now was the final single from the group's third album, Buzz. There might be a few tears on the dancefloor because Matty and Craig had quite different opinions on this one! Plus we talk to Shaun about developing a musical based on Steps, his favourite deep-cut album tracks, thoughts on the group's solo endeavours (Faye Tozer album when?) and which Steps song he'd like Kelly Clarkson to cover. To read about Here and Now on Can't Stop The Pop: https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2021/05/31/steps-here-and-now/  You can also follow us on X: @matkinsactor @cantstoppop, Instagram: @mat_atkins9 @cantstop_thepop and TikTok: @cantstopthepoppodcast Check out Shaun Kitchener at https://shaunkitchener.com, X: @ShaunKitchener and Instagram: @shaunkitchenerbentley The Steps musical, Here & Now, opens on the 9th of November at Birmingham's Alexandra Theatre. Visit https://thestepsmusical.com/ for more information and tickets. 

On the podcast this week, Matty and Craig are revisiting a '90s classic that is like oxygen through our veins: I Breathe Again.  We look back at Adam Rickitt's transformation from soap star to pop singer, discuss the general brilliance of the song and look back at the *ahem* rather revealing music video. To read about I Breathe Again on Can't Stop The Pop: https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2019/06/10/adam-rickitt-i-breathe-again/  You can also follow us on X: @matkinsactor @cantstoppop, Instagram: @mat_atkins9 @cantstop_thepop and TikTok: @cantstopthepoppodcast

Get ready for more ramblings about '90s and '00s pop music because Can't Stop The Pop is back! To kick off this season, we're joined by singer, songwriter, producer, DJ and all-round icon Ultra Naté to discuss If You Could Read My Mind, which she recorded with Amber and Jocelyn Enriquez.  Find out what brought three dance divas together to put a disco spin on the '70s Gordon Lightfoot classic. Plus, we talk to Ultra Naté about the global smash hit Free, her latest album Ultra, fabulous hats, favourite cocktails and whose mind she'd like to be able to read. To read about If You Could Read My Mind on Can't Stop The Pop: https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2020/11/16/stars-on-54-if-you-could-read-my-mind/  You can also follow us on X: @matkinsactor @cantstoppop, Instagram: @mat_atkins9 @cantstop_thepop and TikTok: @cantstopthepoppodcast Check out Ultra Naté at http://www.ultranate.com, X: @ultranatemusic and Instagram: @ultranatemusic Stream ULTRA Deluxe on Spotify  

By popular demand (👀), Matty and Craig are back for a bumper season one retrospective episode. We got together to discuss our highlights of the few months spent recording Can't Stop The Pop and reflect on some of the stuff that has happened to our favourite acts since the episodes were released.  Not only is this a feature-length audio episode, but you can also watch us recording on YouTube (yes, we know the chairs are different heights, and Craig keeps staring pensively at the ceiling - it'll be sorted for next time). Check out the Can't Stop The Pop for a "new" release every Monday. You can also follow us on X: @matkinsactor @cantstoppop, Instagram: @mat_atkins9 @cantstop_thepop and TikTok: @cantstopthepoppodcast

Boom! Prepare to hear Can't Stop The Pop in its rawest, roughest form with a bonus demo episode exclusive from our podcast archives. Before Can't Stop The Pop became a slick (👀) juggernaut of '90s and '00s reminiscence, Matty and Craig experimented using Atomic Kitten's I Want Your Love. We discussed samples (including one that was removed from later edits of the song), a scrapped spoken interlude and the general chaos that was Atomic Kitten 1.0 Ultimately we decided the episode wasn't quite good enough to use for season one, but the podcast still had potential... You can also follow us on X: @matkinsactor @cantstoppop, Instagram: @mat_atkins9 @cantstop_thepop and TikTok: @cantstopthepoppodcast To read about I Want Your Love on Can't Stop The Pop: https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2023/07/03/atomic-kitten-i-want-your-love/ 

It's a festive season finale for Can't Stop The Pop, so it felt only right for Matty and Craig to discuss the iconic Christmas classic of our time: What If. The debut (and only) single from Kate Winslet is a behemoth of melodramatic balladry recorded for Christmas Carol: The Movie. It duly swept into the top ten, capturing the hearts and minds of '00s pop fans everywhere.   We share our thoughts on the song, the music video, and speculate about what direction Kate Winslet's pop career might have taken. You'll also find out what happened when Craig invited her to appear on the episode... You can also follow us on X: @matkinsactor @cantstoppop, Instagram: @mat_atkins9 @cantstop_thepop and TikTok: @cantstopthepoppodcast To read about What If on Can't Stop The Pop: https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2020/11/23/kate-winslet-what-if/ 

For the first time this series, Matty and Craig are discussing a song that hasn't (yet) been featured on the site. Gotta Tell You is the debut single from Irish pop sensation Samantha Mumba...and it's a good one!  We look at the song, its success in the UK and America, plus Matty decides it wouldn't be right if he didn't tell Craig this tonight by giving a wildly long-winded description of the music video.  You can also follow us on X: @matkinsactor @cantstoppop, Instagram: @mat_atkins9 @cantstop_thepop and TikTok: @cantstopthepoppodcast

It's Morphin' Time! This week, Matty and Craig are teleporting back to the mid-'90s when Zordon recruited a team of teenagers with attitude to battle the evil space witch, Rita Repulsa.  Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was everywhere, and never one to miss out on a merchandising opportunity, Simon Cowell concocted the official tie-in single. This morphinominal episode was every bit as chaotic to record as it is to listen to. Aye-yi-yi-yi-yi! You can also follow us on X: @matkinsactor @cantstoppop, Instagram: @mat_atkins9 @cantstop_thepop and TikTok: @cantstopthepoppodcast To read about Power Rangers™ - The Official Single on Can't Stop The Pop: https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2023/04/10/mighty-morphn-power-rangers-power-rangers/ 

Matty and Craig are getting all tangled up this week as they talk about the 'Sexy! No No No...', the lead single from Girls Aloud's fourth studio album.  There's no disagreement that this is another slice of quality left-field pop music. But was it a bit too avant-garde to capitalise on the success of the group's first greatest hits album or was that the plan all along?  You can also follow us on X: @matkinsactor @cantstoppop, Instagram: @mat_atkins9 @cantstop_thepop and TikTok: @cantstopthepoppodcast To read about Sexy! No No No... on Can't Stop The Pop: https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2022/08/29/girls-aloud-sexy-no-no-no/ 

Things get a bit more serious this week as Matty and Craig take a look back at Hear'Say's fourth (and final) single: Lovin' Is Easy.  Released at a time when it seemed almost everyone wanted to see the group fail, there is a lot to unpack here as the original Popstars implode...with an unnecessary dance break.  You can also follow us on X: @matkinsactor @cantstoppop, Instagram: @mat_atkins9 @cantstop_thepop and TikTok: @cantstopthepoppodcast To read about Lovin' Is Easy on Can't Stop The Pop: https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2020/08/10/hearsay-lovin-is-easy/ 

In this episode, Matty and Craig are enthralled by one of Westlife's best songs (it's not even up for debate), which wasn't even *technically* a single in the UK: When You're Looking Like That. There's a questionable attempt to recreate the keyboard riffs from the track, bemusement at the use of the lyric "Bambi eyes" and a disconcerting amount of winking in the music video.  You can also follow us on X: @matkinsactor @cantstoppop, Instagram: @mat_atkins9 @cantstop_thepop and TikTok: @cantstopthepoppodcast To read about When You're Looking Like That on Can't Stop The Pop: https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2019/11/04/westlife-when-youre-looking-like-that/