It started driving down the California coast, when we realized Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” was a masterclass in musical tension hiding in a three-minute pop banger. That spark became Switched On Pop, a podcast about listening closer to pop music to understand why it moves us.

Hosted by Nate Sloan, professor of musicology, and Charlie Harding, songwriter and music educator, Switched On Pop breaks down the musical ideas and production choices behind today’s biggest hits: Taylor Swift’s recurring melodic signatures, Olivia Rodrigo’s heartbreak anthems, Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s time-bending duets, and Stevie Wonder’s timeless harmonies.

We pull songs apart to understand how they work and why they matter, often bringing along artists, producers, and songwriters to share how their hits are made and what they mean. Because every song has more to give — if you listen closer.