Greatest Pop Stars

Nobody was waiting for the big Nelly Furtado comeback in 2006, but with some help from superproducer Timbaland, Furtado pivoted to a big new pop sound that very briefly made her one of the biggest — and 20 years later, most fondly remembered — pop hitmakers of her era. This episode of Vintage Pop Stardom sees host Andrew Unterberger joined by Song vs. Song podcast co-host and YouTube star Todd in the Shadows as we discuss how Nelly Furtado absolutely took over with her 'Loose' album and big hits "Promiscuous," "Maneater" and "Say It Right," and then disappeared from the mainstream almost immediately afterwards.

Check out a YouTube playlist of the biggest Nelly Furtado moments of 2006, all of which are discussed in the episode, here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdMepuBX1TTM&si=CMfcMBN491BNfl4X

Listen and subscribe to Song vs. Song here:

https://open.spotify.com/show/2ZPOSfyq3NwIsGGTPY1I10

Watch Todd in the Shadows' YouTube channel here:

https://www.youtube.com/@ToddintheShadows

And if you enjoy the pod, please consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Trans Lifeline

https://translifeline.org/

Destination Tomorrow

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Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

Human Rights Campaign - In Your Area

https://www.hrc.org/in-your-area

Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
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The Greatest Pop Stars podcast was choosin' Texas last weekend, as two of the biggest artists in country were playing back-to-back sold-out shows in the northern parts of the Lone Star State: Megan Moroney headlining the American Airlines Arena in Dallas on Friday night (Aug. 14), and Ella Langley topping the bill at Dickies Arena in Texas on Saturday (Aug. 15). Host Andrew Unterberger was there with this week's guest, Billboard contributor and Don't Rock the Inbox co-founder Natalie Weiner — and on this Pop Star Performance Review episode, they talk about the things these two breakout stars have in common (or not), and what their joint success says about country and pop music in 2026.

Read Natalie's article about the two concerts:

https://www.billboard.com/music/country/megan-moroney-ella-langley-texas-concerts-pop-crossover-1236318803/

Subscribe to Don't Rock the Inbox here:

https://www.dontrocktheinbox.com/

And if you enjoy the pod, please consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Trans Lifeline

https://translifeline.org/

Destination Tomorrow

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

Human Rights Campaign - In Your Area

https://www.hrc.org/in-your-area

Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
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This week, we're paying tribute to all the greatest and weirdest runner-up finishers in Billboard Hot 100 history, first and foremost with our staff's list of our 100 favorite No. 2 hits of all time. This week on the Greatest Pop Stars podcast, host Andrew Unterberger is joined by regular guest Eric Frankenberg to discuss our list — and whether the right pop star topped it (or finished second yet again) — and to share our feelings on what it means to be a No. 2 hit, and whether that meaning has changed over the years as the charts and pop music in general have transformed so significantly.

See our staff's 100 Best No. 2 Hits list here:
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On this Who Won the Month episode of the Greatest Pop Stars podcast, host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard staffers Kyle Denis and Emily Fuentes to discuss the big pop stars, rising prospects and veteran greats who were heard from loudest in July 2026 — who got the second half of the year underway already in high gear. We each choose our top fives for the month that was, then we talk some disappointing recent performances, and look ahead to who we're most anticipating hearing more from by the end of the summer of 2026.

(Content warning: We talk about Ariana Grande from about 2:40-16:40, including some talk of what's been going on with her physically and the discussion around that. And if you are struggling with disordered eating, please contact the National Alliance for Eating Disorders at (866) 662-1235.)

If you enjoy the pod, check out out our Who Won the Month recaps for the first two months of 2026 and all 2025 here:

https://www.billboard.com/t/who-won-the-month/

And please consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Trans Lifeline

https://translifeline.org/

Destination Tomorrow

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

Human Rights Campaign – In Your Area

https://www.hrc.org/in-your-area

Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

https://5calls.org/
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It's been two years since 'Brat' Summer took over the culture and brought Charli xcx to a new level of celebrity and ubiquity — but as of last weekend, Charli is officially onto a new era with her latest LP 'Music, Fashion, Film.' For this Rollout Report Card, host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard staffers Christine Werthman and Eric Renner Brown as we look at everything surrounding the much-anticipated release of 'Music, Fashion, Film' — including the divisive lead single and the accompanying 'MFF' mini-movie, as well as Charli's spate of podcast interviews and her (arguable, winking) pivot to rock music.

Find our Charli xcx 'Music, Fashion, Film' Rollout YouTube playlist here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNg0uNfAYz7s&si=Q44SQ9itaWP8Cbgv

And see all our other Rollout Report Card episodes here:

https://www.billboard.com/t/rollout-report-card/

Finally, please consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Trans Lifeline

https://translifeline.org/

Destination Tomorrow

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

And please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

https://5calls.org/
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