Pop Pantheon
DJ Louie XIV
The podcast where DJ Louie XIV and guests completely overanalyze all your favorite pop stars, then rank them in the official Pop Pantheon.
- 1 hour 56 minutesWHITNEY HOUSTON: PART 2 (with Jason King)
Dean of the USC Thornton School of Music Jason King returns to Pop Pantheon for the second in our four-part series on the late, great pop Whitney Houston. Louie and Jason dissect Whitney’s unprecedented run of cultural dominance through the '90s, from her iconic Super Bowl 1991 performance to 1992's The Bodyguard, the best-selling soundtrack of all time. They then discuss Whitney’s troubled marriage to Bobby Brown, her continued run of film and soundtrack success with 1995’s Waiting to Exhale and 1996's The Preacher’s Wife, and how her pristine public image, blockbuster commercial success, and messy personal life began to conflict as the '90s wore on.
Join us next week, in which we’ll discuss Whitney’s creative peak in 1998 with My Love Is Your Love, her later era work, her untimely passing, and legacy.
Whitney Houston Essentials Playlist
Buy tickets for Main Pop Girls on 2/27 in NYC
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26 February 2026, 5:01 am - 10 minutes 1 secondRihanna's Anti Turns Ten: A Track-by-Track Deep Dive (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Rihanna's 8th (and last?????) studio album Anti dropped a decade (!!) ago. To celebrate ten years, Louie and Russ look back on the record, going track-by-track on RiRi's loosest, most internal, and adventurous album, both a crowning achievement and frustrating cornucopia of unfulfilled potential.
To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. You can also subscribe for the audio only directly in the Apple Podcasts app.
Note for iOS users: Subscribe using your desktop or mobile browser, not the iOS Patreon app, for cheaper rates on Pop Pantheon: All Access.
Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More
Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store
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23 February 2026, 1:49 pm - 2 hours 23 minutesWHITNEY HOUSTON: PART 1 (with Emily Lordi)
Author of the forthcoming book Holding Lightning: The Life, Loves, and Art of Whitney Houston Emily Lordi returns to Pop Pantheon to kick off our special four-part on a pop star known as “The Voice” – perhaps the single greatest singer to ever grace the charts— Whitney Houston. Louie and Emily dig into Whitney’s origins in New Jersey, her musical family and first taste of the industry as a teenage model and session singer. Then they discuss her providential link-up with record man Clive Davis, her 1985 self-titled debut album, and first string of blockbuster singles. Next they unpack 1987’s Whitney, her infamous appearance at the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards, and finally, her musical pivot towards R&B on 1990’s I’m Your Baby Tonight.
Join us next week, in which we’ll discuss Whitney's 1991 Super Bowl National Anthem, The Bodyguard, and her run of smash movies and soundtracks.
Whitney Houston Essentials Playlist
Buy tickets for Main Pop Girls on 2/27 in NYC
Pre-order Emily's book, Holding Lightning: The Life, Loves, and Art of Whitney Houston
Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More
Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store
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19 February 2026, 5:01 am - 11 minutes 24 secondsListener Mailbag: Grimes, Boy Bander Singles, & Our Niche Legend Mt. Rushmore (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ take more listener questions on Grimes, the best solo singles from former boy banders and girl groupers, who's on their Niche Legend Mount Rushmore, and more!
To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. You can also subscribe for the audio only directly in the Apple Podcasts app.
Note for iOS users: Subscribe using your desktop or mobile browser, not the iOS Patreon app, for cheaper rates on Pop Pantheon: All Access.
Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More
Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store
Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram
Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram
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16 February 2026, 1:53 pm - 48 minutes 31 secondsMailbag: Gay Guy Music Video Night, Lorde’s Missed Moment, Letterboxd top 4 + More
Louie and Russ crack open the mailbag and answer listener questions about everything from the lack of buzz for Lorde post Virgin to what videos we like to put on at Gay Guy Music Video Night, our Letterboxd Top 4 and more.
Buy tickets for Main Pop Girls on 2/27 in NYC
Buy tickets to Gorgeous Gorgeous LA 2/13
Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More
Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store
Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram
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12 February 2026, 5:01 am - 12 minutes 43 secondsBad Bunny at the Super Bowl + Charli XCX in The Moment (with Reanna Cruz) (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Friend of the Pod Reanna Cruz joins Louie and Russ to break down Bad Bunny's historic Super Bowl halftime show performance and Charli XCX's.... less historic new film, The Moment.
To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. You can also subscribe for the audio only directly in the Apple Podcasts app.
Note for iOS users: Subscribe using your desktop or mobile browser, not the iOS Patreon app, for cheaper rates on Pop Pantheon: All Access.
Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More
Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store
Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram
Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
9 February 2026, 8:02 pm - 46 minutes 38 secondsThe Long Road to Bad Bunny's Super Bowl (with Julianne Escobedo Shepherd and Alana Casanova-Burgess)
This Sunday, Bad Bunny will make history as the first Puerto Rican born and the first Latin male artist to headline the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Ahead of the big game, Russ is joined by Hearing Things co-founder Julianne Escobedo Shepherd and Alana Casanova-Burgess, co-creator + host of La Brega: Stories of the Puerto Rican Experience, to dig into the history of Latin performers at the Halftime Show and discuss what it means for Bad Bunny to take center stage in this moment.
Buy tickets for Main Pop Girls on 2/27 in NYC
Buy tickets to Gorgeous Gorgeous LA 2/13
Listen to season three of La Brega
Read music criticism and features at HearingThings.co
Follow Julianne, Alana + Russ on Instagram.
Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More
Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow Pop Pantheon on Instagram
Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More
Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store
Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram
Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
5 February 2026, 8:00 am - 15 minutes 5 secondsWhat the 2026 Grammys Got Right and Wrong (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ dissect last night's Grammy Awards, from the very right (Bad Bunny takes Album of the Year :-)) to the very wrong (Billie Eilish wins Record of the Year!?!?! :-().
To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. You can also subscribe for the audio only directly in the Apple Podcasts app.
Note for iOS users: Subscribe using your desktop or mobile browser, not the iOS Patreon app, for cheaper rates on Pop Pantheon: All Access.
Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More
Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store
Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram
Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2 February 2026, 7:45 pm - 1 hour 45 minutesThe Best Pop Songs of the 21st Century So Far (with Brittany Spanos & Jason P. Frank)
From Beyoncé to Sophie, Jai Paul, Kelly Clarkson, Aaliyah, Nelly, Carly Rae Jepsen, and more, Brittany Spanos and Jason P. Frank join DJ Louie to countdown each of their Top 20 pop songs of the last quarter century .
Listen to a playlist of our picks here (Apple Music link here!)
Get tickets to Main Pop Girls on 2/27 at Parkside Lounge
Get tickets to Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC on 1/31
Get tickets to Gorgeous Gorgeous LA on 2/13
Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More
Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow Pop Pantheon on Instagram
Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter
Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram
Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More
Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store
Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram
Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
29 January 2026, 8:01 am - 10 minutes 33 secondsFinal Grammys Predictions! (Patreon Preview)
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ make their final predictions about who will take home hardware on Sunday night at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards.
To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly episodes of Pop Pantheon: All Access, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. You can also subscribe for the audio only directly in the Apple Podcasts app.
Note for iOS users: Subscribe using your desktop or mobile browser, not the iOS Patreon app, for cheaper rates on Pop Pantheon: All Access.
Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More
Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store
Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram
Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
26 January 2026, 8:00 am - 2 hours 13 minutesRICKY MARTIN (with Nuria Net)
Before Bad Bunny takes the stage at the Super Bowl, Pop Pantheon is exploring the career and work of another trailblazing Puerto Rican superstar, Ricky Martin.
Nuria Net joins Louie to dig into Ricky’s origins as a boy bander turned soap star. The two discuss the music Ricky made with Menudo, his solo debut, and his global breakthrough with 1995's “Maria.” From there, they break down how an explosive performance of “La Copa de la Vida” broke Ricky to English-speaking audiences, unpack the global phenomenon of “Livin’ la Vida Loca," and explore how Ricky's 1999 self-titled album and 2000's Sound Loaded launched the so-called "latin explosion" of the turn of the century. Finally, Louie and Nuria highlight Ricky's later period output including his continued Spanish language music, his coming out, and finally, rank Ricky Martin in the official Pop Pantheon.
Listen to Pop Pantheon's Ricky Martin Essentials Playlist
Get tickets to Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC on 1/31Get tickets to Gorgeous Gorgeous LA on 2/13
Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More
Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow Pop Pantheon on Instagram
Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter
Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram
Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More
Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store
Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram
Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
22 January 2026, 8:01 am - More Episodes? Get the App