How Charlie Puth honored Whitney Houston for 125 million people (live at Berklee NYC)

How Charlie Puth honored Whitney Houston for 125 million people (live at Berklee NYC)

Author: Vulture April 3, 2026 Duration: 55:53
Charlie Puth joins Switched On Pop in Studio A at Power Station at Berklee NYC, live before a room of current students, ten days after performing the national anthem at Super Bowl 60 and weeks before releasing his fourth album, Whatever's Clever. The conversation is grounded in one question: how do you absorb the music you love and turn it into something that actually sounds like you? Puth traces his national anthem arrangement through a lineage running from Jose Feliciano's 1968 World Series performance to Marvin Gaye's 808-driven 1983 All-Star Game version to Whitney Houston's 1991 Super Bowl rendition. The through-line: citation is letting your influences dissolve into your hands until they become unrecognizable. That principle runs throughout the new record, from the Quincy Jones guitar tone on "Cry" to the Chick Corea quotation buried in "Boy" that Puth didn't realize was there until after writing it. Songs Discussed Bruce Springsteen – "Born in the USA" Madonna – "Like a Virgin" David Bowie – "Let's Dance" Charlie Puth ft. Wiz Khalifa – "See You Again" Charlie Puth – "We Don't Talk Anymore" Charlie Puth – "Attention" Charlie Puth – "Light Switch" Whitney Houston – "The Star-Spangled Banner" Babyface – "Whip Appeal" Jose Feliciano – "The Star-Spangled Banner" Jimi Hendrix – "The Star-Spangled Banner" Marvin Gaye – "The Star-Spangled Banner" Marvin Gaye – "Sexual Healing" Soulja Boy – "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" DeBarge – "Who's Holding Donna Now" Charlie Puth ft. Jeff Goldblum – "Until It Happens to You" Charlie Puth – "Changes" Charlie Puth – "Cry" Kenny G – "Lullaby" SOPHIE – "It's Okay to Cry" Michael Jackson – "Human Nature" Johnny Hates Jazz – "Shattered Dreams" Madonna – "Into the Groove" Joshua Redman – "St. Thomas" Charlie Puth – "Boy" Chick Corea – "Spain" Charlie Puth – "How Long (Has This Been Going On)" Bell Biv DeVoe – "Poison" Elton John – "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" Prince – "When Doves Cry" Schoolly D – "PSK What Does It Mean" Rick Astley – "Never Gonna Give You Up" Charlie Puth – "Beat Yourself Up" Britney Spears – "Lucky" George Benson – "Give Me the Night" No Doubt – "Hella Good" Michael Jackson – "Beat It" Michael Jackson – "Billie Jean" Charlie Puth – "Washed Up" Charlie Puth – "I Used to Be Cringe" Richard Smallwood – "Center of My Joy" Richard Smallwood – "Total Praise" 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
Where are all the scary songs? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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The virtuosity of Stevie Wonder [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:06
Stevie Wonder may be our modern day Mozart. A child prodigy, he joined Motown as a preadolescent where he was marketed as “Little” Stevie Wonder. He wowed audiences with his virtuosic command of the piano, harmonica, dru…
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We celebrate Switched On Pop's 10th anniversary by taking a deep dive into the last decade of pop music. From bubblegum pop to EDM, trap, and K-pop, we explore how the sound of pop has continually evolved—even when it fe…
Learning to love: Coldplay [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:45
Coldplay is one of the biggest musical acts in the world, ranking #6 on Spotify and boasting one of the highest-grossing tours of all time. Yet, despite their global success, they've often been a critical punching bag. T…
Fall Out Boy and the worst earworm ever [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:51
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Mexican pop is bigger than you think [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:36
Last month, our producer Reanna Cruz had the opportunity to attend Baja Beach Fest in Rosarito, Mexico, a three-day Latin music festival set on the Mexican coastline. While they were there, they got the chance to tap int…
How Megan Thee Stallion brought Japanese hip hop to the Hot 100 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:30
"Mamushi," the fourth single from Megan the Stallion’s album Megan, was not supposed to be a huge hit. But thanks to a viral dance, the song has become the first song on the Billboard Hot 100 to feature Japanese lyrics s…
Learning to love: Oasis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:18
Oasis, the Manchester band led by brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher, conquered the charts in the 1990s with rock anthems like "Wonderwall." This month, they did something no one saw coming: Announced a reunion. In 2025, t…
Newcomers: Porter Robinson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:47
Porter Robinson has a unique relationship with being famous. With his new record SMILE! :D, the 32 year old producer and DJ steps front and center into the spotlight for the first time in his career, working through his…

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