Near-Miss Hits: ‘80s Edition

In the 1970s, Dolly Parton parlayed her Nashville success into megawatt pop-culture icon status—yet many of her familiar hits of the era barely scratched the Top 40. Parton finally crossed over at the turn of the ’80s by courting pop fans directly. Nearly five decades later, coun ...  Show more

When an actor opens their mouth to sing in a movie, chances are high that the voice you hear will be their own. Even in music biopics, movie stars without much singing experience regularly go to great lengths to impersonate the most beloved vocalists of our time. Why not simply p ...  Show more

Producer Hit-Boy discusses making "Thique" and much more. Plus, how does one song end up with 24 writers? And what are the consequences of changing albums after their release? Also, a discussion of the best songs on 'Renaissance' and its spiritual themes, with Mankaprr Conteh and ...  Show more

How melody has continued to reshape hip-hop via the work of Polo G, Rod Wave, Lil Tjay and more rising artists. Guest: Pitchfork's Alphonse Pierre. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here ...  Show more

A conversation about a title that emerged from stan communities, and how it’s played a role in pop singers’ careers. Guests: Vulture's Jason P. Frank and Rolling Stone's Larisha Paul. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe ...  Show more

A conversation about the tug of war over her musical legacy, and how her songs — even without a digital presence — impacted the evolution of contemporary R&B. Guests: Naima Cochrane; Billboard's Gail Mitchell and Dan Rys. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcas ...  Show more