The Imperative Jingle Bells

Two years ago, Audrey Hobert had never written a song. She was a staff writer on a Nickelodeon series and had recently moved in with her childhood friend Gracie Abrams in Los Angeles. About six months later, a phrase spoken by a heartbroken acquaintance caught their attention; Ho ...  Show more

It’s a brand new year, and what better way to ring it in than with the second annual Switched On Pop bingo? Like last year, Charlie, Nate, and Reanna polish their crystal balls and play Popstradamus, each throwing out eight outlandish pop predictions for the coming months. This t ...  Show more

Rob explores Mariah Carey’s modern classic Christmas anthem “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by discussing the transcendent vocalist’s tumultuous early life and career, her oft-overlooked songwriting prowess, and how the song builds on the long canon of Christmas music. This epi ...  Show more

Some Christmas songs aren’t as merry or bright as they seem. Annie Zaleski uncovers the mystery and drama behind Bobby Helms’ 1957 holiday hit, “Jingle Bell Rock.”🔗ANNIE’S LINKS: This Is Christmas, Song by Song: The Stories Behind 100 Holiday HitsWebsiteNewsletterInstagram Faceb ...  Show more

The legendary songwriter, who's releasing her debut album later this year, shares stories from songs spanning her entire career, from "Rhythm of the Night" to "I Don't Want to Miss A Thing," with host Brian Hiatt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoice ...  Show more

Rob Sheffield and Brittany Spanos join host Brian Hiatt for a rundown of their favorite Christmas and holiday songs, from Mariah Carey to Ariana Grande to Run-DMC to Bruce Springsteen – and oddities including Bryan Adams' "Reggae Christmas" and the entire existence of Trans-Siber ...  Show more