We're halfway through the year, but pop isn't done with us yet. In this episode, we preview the biggest and most intriguing albums still to come in 2025—from Renee Rapp's Bite Me to Mariah Carey's Here for It All. We talk pop comebacks, cult favorites, and wildcard releases including new records from Amaarae, Ethel Cain, Conan Gray, Laufey, Wolf Alice, Sabrina Carpenter, Cardi B, and more. It's shaping up to be a chaotic, genre-hopping second half—let’s get into it.

Come and chat with us in the Discord: https://discord.gg/QEw9se7yAm

Send voicenotes or questions to: thepoppod@popsamcam.com

PopSamCam's New Music Friday Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1FDLtpOHeFvrzesTKQ5Qhb?si=78c15e3dfa05462a

This week on Bop Or Flop, we're wading through one of the most eclectic release weeks of the year. From Justin Bieber’s unexpected return to Danny L Harle and PinkPantheress teaming up for a high-BPM dream, the new music is coming at us fast—and we’ve got thoughts. We talk Blood Orange's stacked collab with Lorde and Caroline Polachek, FKA twigs’ “Perfectly,” the first taste of the EUSExUA deluxe, and Olivia Dean’s smooth new groove. Are you boppin' or floppin'?

Come and chat with us in the Discord: https://discord.gg/QEw9se7yAm

Send voicenotes or questions to: thepoppod@popsamcam.com

PopSamCam's New Music Friday Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1FDLtpOHeFvrzesTKQ5Qhb?si=78c15e3dfa05462a

What’s going to be the Song of the Summer? This year, it’s harder to tell than usual. There’s no clear frontrunner, and the usual markers—chart dominance, TikTok virality, radio play—aren’t pointing in one obvious direction. In this episode, I try to make sense of it all. I look at the current contenders, late entries, underrated picks, and a few tracks that seemed like they had a shot but lost steam along the way.

Songs discussed include: Alex Warren’s “Ordinary,” Ravyn Lenae’s “Love Me Not,” Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild,” Kendrick Lamar’s “Luther,” Justin Bieber’s “Daisies,” TYLA’s “IS IT,” and more.

Come and chat with us in the Discord: https://discord.gg/QEw9se7yAm

Send voicenotes or questions to: thepoppod@popsamcam.com

We’re halfway through the year, and we’re counting down our personal top 5 songs of 2025 so far. From massive pop moments to low-key gems, this episode covers the tracks we haven’t stopped playing—with love for Bad Bunny, Lady Gaga, Lorde, FKA twigs, Olivia Dean and plenty more. We’ve also got some honourable mentions that just missed the cut.

Hear more of our faves in the Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0yaSFOknQ9UjobvlsdTUo2?si=bf6267099566484c

Come and chat with us in the Discord: https://discord.gg/QEw9se7yAm

Send voicenotes or questions to: thepoppod@popsamcam.com

This week on Bop or Flop, we’re diving into Lorde’s new album Virgin and sharing our thoughts on the full project — with a spotlight on the track “Shapeshifter.”

We’re also reviewing new music from across the pop world, including:

• Lorde – “Shapeshifter”

• Renee Rapp – “Mad”

• Kim Petras – “Polo”

• Kesha – “The One”

• Katseye – “Gameboy”

• Dove Cameron – “Romeo”

• • Barbra Streisand – “One Heart One Voice”

  Come and chat with us in the Discord: https://discord.gg/QEw9se7yAm

  Send voicenotes or questions to: thepoppod@popsamcam.com

  PopSamCam's New Music Friday Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1FDLtpOHeFvrzesTKQ5Qhb?si=78c15e3dfa05462a

In this episode, we’re diving deep into Carly Rae Jepsen’s E·MO·TION — the shimmering, synth-soaked album that redefined her career and helped reshape modern pop. Released in 2015 to modest commercial success but massive critical acclaim, E·MO·TION became a slow-burn cult favorite, influencing a generation of pop artists and listeners alike.

We unpack the album’s legacy:
✨ How it moved beyond Call Me Maybe and proved Carly as a master of pop craft
🪩 Why it resonated so deeply with pop fans and music nerds
🎛️ The production dream team (Dev Hynes, Ariel Rechtshaid, Rostam, etc.)
💖 And why Run Away with Me still has the best sax riff of the decade

From the highs of Gimmie Love to the bonus track deep cuts, we’re celebrating one of the most beloved pop records of the 2010s — and asking the question: what makes E·MO·TION so timeless?

Come and chat with us in the Discord: https://discord.gg/QEw9se7yAm

Send voicenotes or questions to: thepoppod@popsamcam.com

PopSamCam's New Music Friday Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1FDLtpOHeFvrzesTKQ5Qhb?si=78c15e3dfa054

This week on The Pop Pod, we’re digging into a huge Friday drop led by Haim’s return, another track from Lorde, and a fiery new single from Cardi B. Plus, we’re talking SOPHIE’s posthumous release, a bold statement from Kesha, and plenty of exciting newcomers.

Songs discussed:

• Haim – All Over Me

• Lorde – Hammer

• Cardi B – Enough (Miami)

• Benson Boone – Mr Electric Blue

• JADE – Plastic Box

• Lola Young – Not Like That Anymore

• CMAT – The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station

• Kesha – ATTENTION!

• SOPHIE – OOH

• KATSEYE – Gabriela

• Sombr – we never dated

• • Sam Fender – Rein Me In

  
  

  Come and chat with us in the Discord: https://discord.gg/QEw9se7yAm

  Send voicenotes or questions to: thepoppod@popsamcam.com

  PopSamCam's New Music Friday Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1FDLtpOHeFvrzesTKQ5Qhb?si=78c15e3dfa05462a

  
  

On this episode, we're asking a big question: Why does pop music sound so safe right now? With artists like Alex Warren, Benson Boone, and Teddy Swims dominating the charts with piano ballads and stripped-back sincerity, it feels like we’ve shifted away from the chaotic brilliance of 2024 — Charli XCX, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter — and into a new era of emotional conservatism.

So what happened? Is it industry fatigue? TikTok trends? Or does pop always swing back to something more familiar after a burst of innovation?

We look back at the last time this happened (The Lumineers era, anyone?), explore how the cultural mood shapes what rises on the charts, and make the case that the game changers aren’t gone — they’re just waiting for the next wave.