Greatest Pop Stars

After a full decade out of the spotlight in the U.S., Neil Sedaka embarked upon a stateside revival in 1975 — with a valuable assist from a longtime fan in Sir Elton John — and ended up bigger than he'd ever been as a teen idol in the early '60s. On this Vintage Pop Stardom episode of the Greatest Pop Stars podcast, host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard chart historian (and longtime personal friend of Neil's) Fred Bronson to go deep on the late great pop singer-songwriter's unlikely comeback year, including his own smashes "Laughter in the Rain" and "Bad Blood," and The Captain and Tennille's Sedaka-co-penned "Love Will Keep Us Together."

Watch a YouTube playlist of 1975 Sedaka moments discussed on the podcast here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFs58D1XAMZC-PKM3ysQIZSNz11i1CPz&si=k8p25lrRUx3kmRVO

Find Fred's "Writer: Neil Sedaka" Spotify playlist here:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5IZNEa5rlWRqgQJivXOyV2?si=NqeVmc0jTi-QwYvbJAsnZg

And order his 'Rockin' the Kremlin' book here:

https://rockin-the-kremlin.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

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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After an uncharacteristically long break for Harry Styles, the pop superstar has officially returned with his club-stepping new album, 'Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.,' his first new set in four years. For this Rollout Report Card, host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard staffers Hannah Dailey and Danielle Pascual as we look at everything surrounding the much-anticipated release of 'Kiss' — including the first two singles and their accompanying music videos, Styles 'One Night in Manchester' release concert, a 'Runner's World' profile and one of the silliest and most overused promo photos in recent memory.

Find our Harry Styles 'Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.' Rollout YouTube playlist here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFs58D1XAMbu8Ad-u9v3qTgmDdEWtIdY&si=WWKgmY7ZhITT2M0f

Listen to Hannah's self-titled EP on Spotify here:

https://open.spotify.com/album/4w3jOXUHNthb60fIX7Hg25?si=f4d44d7cdf7043d4

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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On this Who Won the Month episode of the Greatest Pop Stars podcast, host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard staffers Eric Frankenberg and Meghan Mahar to discuss the big pop stars, rising prospects and veteran greats who were heard from loudest in February 2025 — which was largely defined by major cultural events like the Grammys, the Super Bowl and the Winter Olympics. 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 in the spring of 2026.

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

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

Find our YouTube playlist for our February 2026 pop stars here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFs58D1XAMb5jQgiXfty_cYp8xGHveZh&si=jgIG99ccRuE1WNcW

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

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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He'd been on something of a commercial cold streak in the U.S., but in 1983, David Bowie decided it was time for him to take on MTV-era superstardom — which he did, with the biggest pop year of his career, and the start of a period he later looked back on in anger. On this Vintage Pop Stardom episode of the Greatest Pop Stars podcast, host Andrew Unterberger is joined by pop and chart history expert Chris Molanphy following the 10th anniversary of Bowie's death to remember all things about his '83, including the blockbuster 'Let's Dance' album and its chart-topping title track, as well as "China Girl," "Modern Love," his MTV dominance and film dalliances, and an overall year of unprecedented (and ultimately divisive) Bowiemania.

Watch a YouTube playlist of 1983 Bowie moments discussed on the podcast here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFs58D1XAMY0V68CjOwUVeL5oMCfoopO&si=GdleJqow4BHWZYXM

Find episodes of Chris' 'Hit Parade' podcast here:

https://slate.com/podcasts/hit-parade

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

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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Charli xcx kicked off what is looking to be an absurdly prolific year at the movies with two film projects already this year: Her self-starring not-quite-autobiographical January mockumentary 'The Moment,' and the Valentine's Day weekend-released latest 'Wuthering Heights' adaptation, with her doing an entire accompanying album. On this week's Pop Star Performance Review, host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard's Kyle Denis to evaluate the year in Charli Cinema thus far, and look forward to the many many trips to the theater still to come with her 2026.

On this Who Won the Month episode of the Greatest Pop Stars podcast, host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard staffers Trevor Anderson and Eric Renner Brown to discuss the big pop stars, rising prospects and veteran greats who were heard from loudest in January 2025 — which was largely defined by the beginning of massive album rollouts for Bruno Mars, Harry Styles and other big pop names. 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 in the first months of 2026.

If you enjoy the pod, check out out our 2025 Who Won the Month recaps here:

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

Find our YouTube playlist for 2026 Charli Cinema here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFs58D1XAMaCcT-vSmvUYZ5wAHeBikBd&si=zFYqz4p9U1VNVZGa

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

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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