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Greatest Pop Stars

Billboard
Pop Music
Taylor Swift
Billboard
Kendrick Lamar
Lady Gaga
Bad Bunny
Drake
Sabrina Carpenter
Kanye West
R&B
Morgan Wallen
Justin Bieber
Music Industry
Grammy Awards
Grammys
Ariana Grande
Janet Jackson
Oasis
MTV
Beyoncé

Billboard's weekly deep dive into the past, present and future of pop stardom, hosted by deputy editor Andrew Unterberger. New episodes every Thursday.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes118Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
MusicMusic CommentaryMusic History

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Artwork for Greatest Pop Stars

Latest Episodes

On this Who Won the Month episode of the Greatest Pop Stars podcast, host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard staffers Kyle Denis and Rebecca Milzoff to discuss the big pop stars, rising prospects and veteran greats who were heard from loudest ... more

It's late May, which means that the race for Song of the Summer is about to be officially underway! With many of the likely frontrunners already established — and some big artists about to cast their lot with much-anticipated new releases — Greatest ... more

The entire music-listening and social-media-habitating world was stormed this past weekend by the man who calls himself Tsunami Papi, with Drake dropping three new albums at once: 'Iceman,' 'Maid of Honour' and 'Habibti.' On this week's Pop Star Perf... more

Today, we wrap up our Janet Jackson Vintage Pop Stardom Week on the Greatest Pop Stars podcast! After visiting Janet in her 'Control,' 'Rhythm Nation,' 'janet.' and 'The Velvet Rope' eras of '86, '90, '93 & '98, we now find the pop icon single and fe... more

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Recent Guests

Christine Werthman
President of the Billboard chapter of the Rhythm Nation
Billboard
Episode: 1990 Janet Jackson: Vintage Pop Stardom (with Christine Werthman)
Gail Mitchell
Queen of R&B and hip hop journalist at Billboard for 27 years
Billboard
Episode: 1986 Janet Jackson: Vintage Pop Stardom (with Gail Mitchell)
Steven J. Horowitz
Former Billboard, current Variety editor
Variety (formerly Billboard)
Episode: Coachella 2026 With Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter & More: Pop Star Performance Review
Abby Webster
Billboard K-pop correspondent
Billboard
Episode: BTS' Comeback Weekend: Pop Star Performance Review
Fred Bronson
Billboard historian, author of The Billboard Hot 100 book
Billboard
Episode: 1975 Neil Sedaka: Vintage Pop Stardom (with Fred Bronson)
Chris Molanphy
A legend of the Billboard charts and a pop culture commentator.
Slate
Episode: 1983 David Bowie: Vintage Pop Stardom (with Chris Molanphy)
Isabela Raygoza
Music journalist and commentator who contributed to Bad Bunny's essay and discussion
Billboard
Episode: Greatest Pop Stars of 2025: No. 1, Bad Bunny
Denise Warner
Former boss at Billboard and a passionate Swiftie
Billboard
Episode: Greatest Pop Stars of 2025: No. 2, Taylor Swift
Lina Morgan
Single biggest Sabrina Carpenter fan.
Host of Song vs. Song
Episode: Greatest Pop Stars of 2025: No. 5, Sabrina Carpenter (with Lina Morgan)

Host

Andrew Unterberger
Host with a focus on pop stardom history and current culture.

Reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars from 132 ratings
  • Lina

    Love this podcast. Lina on the Janet 1998 show was awful. She sounded bored and uninterested. It was painful to listen to. Please don’t have her back. Great Janet week otherwise.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mryassdaddy
    United States18 days ago
  • Incredible show, past and present

    Love this podcast. Andrew’s love for music and the history of the industry really translates well on the mic, feels genuine. I really appreciate the vintage episodes giving nuggets on the years surrounding iconic years in music. Love the drafts, the lists and the rankings as well. Become a huge fan over the past few months, keep this show going 🔥

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    scoompman
    United States4 months ago
  • The Taylor Swift Guest was a Psycho

    For the Taylor 2025 episode, the woman you had on was completely insane and ruined the entire discussion. Her inability to acknowledge even a single piece of criticism of Taylor or the album and instead mindlessly write off everyone who didn’t like the album as “bots” or “haters” was genuinely mind blowing. Wish you could’ve gotten someone even a little more objective and not completely delusional

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Cheesebub
    United States4 months ago
  • The Greatest Pop Stars in the world

    Ohmy god

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mear family
    South Africa6 months ago
  • high quality

    some really bright people giving genuinely engaging insight into the pop stars we all know and love/hate!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    packer fan 75
    United States7 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Fans appreciate the mix of current relevance and vintage pop focus.
Listeners praise the host's industry insight and nostalgic depth.
Some episodes spark heated debate around guest selections and specific artists.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

1986 Janet Jackson: Vintage Pop Stardom (with Gail Mitchell)
Q: How did Jam and Lewis approach Janet to unlock a more personal, empowered direction for her music?
They listened to her, engaged with what she wanted to say, and then helped translate that into songs that reflected her life and feelings, creating a collaborative environment that allowed Janet to become a more clearly defined artist.
1986 Janet Jackson: Vintage Pop Stardom (with Gail Mitchell)
Q: Why do you think What Have You Done For Me Lately served as the right lead single to launch this era?
It introduced a harder, more assertive Janet voice and vibe, signaling a deliberate shift away from the earlier, softer material and directly setting up the control-driven narrative of the album.
BTS' Comeback Weekend: Pop Star Performance Review
Q: Does the album reflect BTS's four-year gap and solo work, and what does the documentary reveal about production choices?
The hosts discuss how the album blends evolution from solo projects with a unified statement, and the documentary shows the conflict between label direction and artist intent, particularly around the Arirang sample and English-language content.
BTS' Comeback Weekend: Pop Star Performance Review
Q: How did RM's ankle injury influence the performance and staging?
RM's injury led to his partial on-stage presence from a side-stage chair, with the group adjusting choreography and staging to integrate him while preserving the concert's flow.
How'd Bad Bunny Do at the Super Bowl? Greatest Pop Stars Instant Reaction
Q: How do you think Bad Bunny did, Emily? Did he live up to expectations?
I think this was a great performance that really showcased Bad Bunny's artistry, but it took a couple of viewings to fully appreciate all the nuances.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Greatest Pop Stars

What is Greatest Pop Stars about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show delivers a deep, argument-driven look at pop stardom, blending historical retrospectives with contemporary chart culture and industry dynamics. Episodes commonly dissect rollout strategies, visual campaigns, award-season moments, and the evolving careers of top stars, often through panel discussions and expert guest insights. A standout feature is the nuanced mix of nostalgia and forward-looking analysis, plus candid takes on how media, branding, and fan culture shape stardom today. Listeners who want sharp pop culture IQ, industry context, and thoughtful debates about who counts as a “greatest” will likely find it compelling, with frequent guest perspectives enriching the conversation and occasional provocative takes keeping the ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Greatest Pop Stars?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Greatest Pop Stars:

1. Pop Pantheon
2. Popcast
3. IndieWire: Screen Talk
4. Switched on Pop
5. This Had Oscar Buzz

How many episodes of Greatest Pop Stars are there?

Greatest Pop Stars launched 2 years ago and published 118 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Greatest Pop Stars?

Recent guests on Greatest Pop Stars include:

1. Christine Werthman
2. Gail Mitchell
3. Steven J. Horowitz
4. Abby Webster
5. Fred Bronson
6. Chris Molanphy
7. Isabela Raygoza
8. Denise Warner

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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