Have Disney musicals lost their edge?

Have Disney musicals lost their edge?

Author: Vulture January 7, 2025 Duration: 39:46
Critics are not feeling the love tonight when it comes to Disney's latest sequels, Mufasa and Moana 2. They've called the animated films "lifeless and bland." But save some sympathy for the composers behind these blatant IP grabs. Lin Manuel Miranda and the duo Barlow and Bear had to match the original, iconic numbers from the Lion King and Moana, songs written by Elton John and Miranda himself. Are critics of the sequels' soundtracks being too harsh? We compare the new songs to their iconic predecessors, like "Circle of Life" and "How Far I'll Go," and ask whether Disney new composers face an impossible task in trying to extend franchises through song. Songs Discussed Elton John, Tim Rice, Lebo M. - “Circle of Life” Elton John, Tim Rice - “Circle of Life” (Radio Version) Elton John, Tim Rice - “Hakuna Matata” Lin-Manuel Miranda - “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” Lin-Manuel Miranda - “Melele” Lin-Manuel Miranda - “I Always Wanted a Brother” Lin-Manuel Miranda - “How Far I’ll Go” ft. Auli’i Cravalho Ariana Grande - “Imperfect For You” Barlow & Bear - “Beyond” feat. Auli’i Cravalho Barlow & Bear - “Can I Get a Chee Hoo” feat. Dwayne Johnson More Brett Boles’s wonderful analysis of “How Far I’ll Go,” referenced in the episode Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever wonder why a certain pop song gets stuck in your head for days, or how a simple chord change can make you feel a specific way? Switched on Pop digs into those questions with a unique blend of expert analysis and genuine curiosity. Hosts Nate Sloan, a musicologist, and Charlie Harding, a songwriter, act as friendly guides through the intricate world of popular music. They don't just review hits; they dissect them, exploring the craft behind the catchiness. In each episode, you'll hear them break down a track's structure, its historical context, and the production techniques that give it its emotional punch. This isn't a dry academic lecture, though. It's a conversation between two people who love music, unpacking everything from timeless classics to today's viral trends to reveal why pop works the way it does. The Switched on Pop podcast, from Vulture, makes the familiar strange again, encouraging you to listen more deeply. You'll start to hear the clever harmonies hidden in a chart-topper, the rhythmic patterns borrowed from decades past, and the lyrical choices that resonate with millions. It's for anyone who has ever tapped a foot to a radio song and then wondered about the mechanics of that reaction. Tune in and you might just find that your favorite songs have layers you've never noticed before.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Switched on Pop
Podcast Episodes
Breaking Through: Doechii, Mk.gee, Rosé [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:41
Three artists quietly reshaped pop music in 2024, though you might not know it from your Spotify Wrapped. As listeners question the accuracy of their year-end streaming stats, we explore the innovative sounds bubbling up…
The best (and worst) of holiday music in 2024 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:54
It's an annual tradition: Every December, artists release their bids to join the hallowed halls of holiday music history. The gold standard remains Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You," which reportedly earns…
Kendrick Lamar: from Pulitzer to pop [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:21
In 2024, Kendrick Lamar pulled off what seemed impossible: winning hip-hop's biggest rap battle in recent history, securing the Super Bowl halftime show, and dropping GNX, a surprise album that might be the year's defini…
We're off to see the "Wicked" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:46
The year's hottest movie is, against all odds, a musical. Wicked, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, just hit theaters, and tells the tale of how a green-skinned girl named Elphaba became the Wicked Witch of the W…
Listening 2 Madonna: Ray of Light [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:06
TIME Magazine once said, “there are few figures more closely associated with religion in pop culture than Madonna.” And looking at her catalog, it’s hard to disagree. From cheeky double entendres on “Like A Prayer,” to e…
Listening 2 Madonna: Spanish Eyes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:38
Throughout her forty-year career, Madonna has managed to travel the globe, both literally and musically. Despite being a white woman from the midwest (Michigan, to be exact), her discography has been influenced by countl…
Listening 2 Madonna: Who's That Girl? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:04
Madonna is the world's biggest female pop star. She's influenced everyone from Beyoncé to Britney Spears; is the most successful solo artist in Hot 100 chart history; and is the best-selling female recording artist of al…
Fleetwood Mac perfected turning drama into hits [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:59
In 1973, before their ascent to rock superstardom with Fleetwood Mac, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks were just two young lovers making music in Los Angeles. Their debut album, Buckingham Nicks, though commercially u…
Still Freaky After All These Years: Gaga, Tyler, The Cure [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:38
A musical "freak," to us here at Switched On Pop, is an artist who is unique, non-conforming, and always manages to surprise. We're living in some freaky times right now, so there's no better way to honor that than to li…
Did Kendrick Lamar kill hip-hop? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:25
Over the summer, the culture was shaken by the biggest rap beef this decade, between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. From “First Person Shooter” to “Not Like Us,” hip-hop listeners hung on each rapper’s every word and rebuttal…