What Was the Song of This Summer? Amelia Dimoldenberg, Zohran Mamdani, Questlove & More Share Their Picks

What Was the Song of This Summer? Amelia Dimoldenberg, Zohran Mamdani, Questlove & More Share Their Picks

Author: The New York Times August 28, 2025 Duration: 49:43
Is there a universally agreed-upon song of the summer? These days, not really! So we asked some notable cultural figures for their personal favorites.

Hosted by The New York Times pop music critic Jon Caramanica, Popcast digs into the conversations that define what we listen to now. This isn't just a rundown of new releases; it's a thoughtful dissection of the forces shaping popular music, from underground shifts to mainstream explosions. Each episode feels like a lively, insightful debate you'd have with the most knowledgeable friend in the room, blending sharp criticism with a genuine curiosity about where sound and culture collide. You'll hear interviews with artists, producers, and industry thinkers that go beyond the usual promotional talk, alongside regular discussions that unpack trends, controversies, and the occasional forgotten gem. The Popcast provides context and argument, offering a deeper understanding of why a song or artist resonates-or fails to-at a particular moment in time. It’s essential listening for anyone who wants to move past the playlist and into the ideas driving the music. As a production of The New York Times, this podcast brings the same level of rigor and reporting you'd expect from their journalism, applied directly to the ever-evolving world of pop.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Popcast
Podcast Episodes
Kai Cenat on Quitting Streaming at His Peak to Start a Fashion Brand [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:59
In his first interview since stepping away from his streaming empire for most of the last year to create the fashion label Vivet, Kai Cenat sat down with Joe and Jon to discuss the challenges of starting a new venture fr…
Stavros Halkias Was Forced to Get Political: ‘I Hate It!’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:51
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” h…
The Mindful Punk: Travis Barker on Music, Family & Trauma [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:59
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 cr…
The 8 Biggest Songs of This Summer Face Off [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:57
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…
How Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst Came Back From The Brink [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:38
In a career-spanning interview following some recent anniversary concerts, Conor Oberst sat down with Joe and Jon to discuss the highs and lows of his 30-year music career, including navigating early indie stardom, overc…
The Internet – Steve Lacy! Syd! Matt Martians! – Reunites [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:24
The Internet’s Syd, Steve Lacy and Matt Martians sat down with Joe and Jon for their first interview together since "Hive Mind," their 2018 album. The group discussed their new solo projects — Syd’s album “Beard” and Lac…
Popcast LIVE! Lizzo Addresses the Backlash [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:29
During a special live edition of “Popcast," Lizzo discussed her new album and the public fallout from a series of lawsuits. Then she performed a stripped-down set, which you can watch in full at youtube.com/popcast.