Rephonic
Artwork for Popcast
Taylor Swift
Pop Music
Drake
Kendrick Lamar
Billie Eilish
Country Music
Beyoncé
Grammy Awards
Music Industry
Olivia Rodrigo
Bad Bunny
Grammys
Ariana Grande
Sean Combs
Mental Health
SZA
Super Bowl
Miley Cyrus
Usher
Hip Hop

Popcast is hosted by Jon Caramanica, a pop music critic for The New York Times, and Joe Coscarelli, a culture reporter for The New York Times. It covers the latest in popular music criticism, trends and news. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcat... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes581Founded21 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Music CommentaryMusicMusic Interviews

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Popcast

Latest Episodes

Busta Rhymes sat down with Joe and Jon to discuss his new album, “Dillagence 2,” out Aug. 25 – a project curated from hundreds of unreleased J Dilla beats and featuring D’Angelo, Lil Wayne and Common. He spoke about the emotional weight of creating m... more

YouTube

Comedian Stavros Halkias sat down with Joe and Jon to talk about the state of modern comedy, including how wealth and fame are impacting A-list comedians and why the rightward creep of his peers’ podcasts have “forced” him to get political. The inter... more

Travis Barker, whose new Hulu documentary “Travis Barker: Louder Than Fear” is out August 13, sat down with Joe and Jon to reflect on his music career with Blink-182 and beyond, overcoming the trauma of his 2008 plane crash and family life with Kourt... more

Ella Langley? Drake? A.I.?! Jon and Joe battle through an eight-song bracket of the summer’s biggest hits to determine the Song of the Summer for 2026. Songs featured in bracket:

• Tame Impala & JENNIE – “Dracula (JENNIE Remix)” 

• Ella Langley – ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Busta Rhymes
Rapper and guest on Popcast
Self
Episode: How Busta Rhymes Turned 300 Unreleased J Dilla Beats Into His New Album
Stavros Halkias
Comedian and actor, known for ComTown and stand-up
Comedian
Episode: Stavros Halkias Was Forced to Get Political: ‘I Hate It!’
Travis Barker
Drummer, innovator across punk, rock, and hip-hop, subject of Louder Than Fear
Musician
Episode: The Mindful Punk: Travis Barker on Music, Family & Trauma
Conor Oberst
Singer-songwriter, Bright Eyes
Bright Eyes / solo projects
Episode: How Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst Came Back From The Brink
Steve Lacy
Guitarist, songwriter, producer
The Internet
Episode: The Internet – Steve Lacy! Syd! Matt Martians! – Reunites
Matt Martians
The Glue, producer, member of The Internet
The Internet
Episode: The Internet – Steve Lacy! Syd! Matt Martians! – Reunites
Gracie Abrams
Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, star of Daughter From Hell
Gracie Abrams
Episode: Gracie Abrams on ‘Daughter From Hell,’ Internet Cruelty, Writing With Paul Mescal, & Audrey Hobert
Sam Levinson
Creator, writer, director, and producer of Euphoria
Euphoria (HBO)
Episode: RIP ‘Euphoria’: Creator Sam Levinson Explains Why This Is The End
Olivia Rodrigo
Grammy-winning artist, singer-songwriter
Self
Episode: Olivia Rodrigo Interview! New Album Details, Babydoll Dresses & Speaking Out Politically

Hosts

Jon Caramanica
Host of The New York Times Popcast, music critic
Joe Coscarelli
Co-host and culture reporter for The New York Times, music journalist

Reviews

2.4 out of 5 stars from 8.4k ratings
  • Part of the problem

    The conversation here is a glib, cringey performance of old white guys as hip, relevant ambassadors of an ephemeral, youth obsessed, calorie and nutrient free cultural product. It is sad and empty. I wish we had better art capturing our attention and I wish we had sincere, interesting criticism of that art. Not here. This is a clown show, an embarrassment, an annoyance, an affront.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Lupkyn
    United States19 days ago
  • Arrogantly Bombastic

    Every time I consider subscribing to

    The New York Times I don’t because I

    think of these kind of people. It’s not what they say it’s how they say it. The New York Times keeps rubbing these two on our ears and eyes. Cancel your subscription.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    JNLCIA
    United Statesa month ago
  • Out of touch

    Jon Caramanica is insufferable.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    N. Arg
    United Statesa month ago
  • Let the artists TALK dear god

    The hosts talk way too much. Reminds me why I hate talking to men. They have their questions and seem in a different world rather than playing off the tone the guest is bringing. I’m hearing your voices way more than the artist and that’s problem.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    barely_sidewalk
    United Statesa month ago
  • Jon doesnt know music

    Jon prizes what the type of music you listen to “says” about you rather than just enjoying music. Its exhausting.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    GhengisCohen
    United Statesa month ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise deep, scholarly music analysis and strong industry context.
Fans appreciate the breadth of guests and the ability to connect music to broader culture.
Some listeners feel the format leans too interview-focused and requests more back-and-forth with guests.
Criticism centers on perceived consistency in defending certain viewpoints; some say the critique is too insider-focused for general audiences.
Sponsorship-friendly for brands targeting educated, culturally engaged professionals.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Mindful Punk: Travis Barker on Music, Family & Trauma
Q: What was it like to transition from being in the background to sometimes being the focal point in your bands and media appearances?
It happened gradually; I stayed focused on the craft—keeping time, learning parts, and letting authentic moments guide me. The shift felt natural because I remained true to who I am, rather than chasing attention.
Popcast LIVE! Lizzo Addresses the Backlash
Q: What did you learn during the downtime before your Houston comeback that helped you reapproach your art at a bigger scale?
She talks about re-centering on serving listeners, experimenting with mixtapes, returning to roots, and using a faster, more flexible approach to releasing music that reflects the times and her growth as an artist.
Popcast LIVE! Lizzo Addresses the Backlash
Q: Were you like the 1 p.m. kind of?
Lizzo explains the challenge of performing to audiences early in the day, the importance of engaging people sight unseen, and how these experiences shaped her ability to win over crowds with energetic, energetic performances.
Gracie Abrams on ‘Daughter From Hell,’ Internet Cruelty, Writing With Paul Mescal, & Audrey Hobert
Q: What was it like to work with Paul Mescal in a public-facing way on Imaginary Friend?
Gracie explains that the collaboration was enjoyable and natural, not intended as a groundbreaking shift, and that they're comfortable sharing creative credit with trusted friends; the process was about having fun and exploring a simple, intimate song together.
RIP ‘Euphoria’: Creator Sam Levinson Explains Why This Is The End
Q: Why end Rue's arc this way and end the show this season?
Levinson explains that Rue's fentanyl overdose finale was born from a practical and personal reckoning with addiction, aiming to honor real-world consequences while preserving the emotional truth of the characters' journeys. He notes the ending is a tribute to Angus Cloud and reflects a broader statement about addiction's reach and unpredictability.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
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Age Range
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Frequently Asked Questions About Popcast

What is Popcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Listeners are drawn to analysis-heavy conversations about contemporary pop and hip-hop, artist development, and the music industry's evolving business, with episodes often pairing long-form interviews with in-depth context about genre history, culture, and production. Expect thoughtful critiques, cross-genre explorations, and high-profile guest conversations that mix career retrospectives with behind-the-scenes industry insight. A notable strength is the hosts' breadth of music literature knowledge and their ability to connect an artist's work to larger cultural moments, which can be especially appealing to professionals seeking credible, insider perspectives for sponsorships or guest positioning. The format often blends rigorous discussion... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Popcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Popcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Popcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Popcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Popcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Popcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Popcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Popcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Popcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Popcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Popcast:

1. Switched on Pop
2. The Interview
3. Pop Culture Happy Hour
4. Pop Pantheon
5. The Daily

How many episodes of Popcast are there?

Popcast launched 21 years ago and published 581 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Popcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Popcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Popcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Popcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Popcast?

Recent guests on Popcast include:

1. Busta Rhymes
2. Stavros Halkias
3. Travis Barker
4. Conor Oberst
5. Steve Lacy
6. Matt Martians
7. Gracie Abrams
8. Sam Levinson

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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