The Imperative Jingle Bells

Bruno Mars is back with a new album called The Romantic, his first solo release since 2016’s 24k Magic. At first listen, the lead single, “I Just Might,” sounds like an outtake from 2021’s collaborative album with Anderson Paak, the Philly soul-inspired An Evening with Silk Sonic ...  Show more

Emerald Fennell's new adaptation of Emily Brontë's 1847 gothic romance "Wuthering Heights" is the most talked-about film of the year. But for pop lovers, the soundtrack is the real event: Charli xcx, asked to write one song, ended up recording an entire album for the movie while ...  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