Hit Parade

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The Bridge: The Sun Never Set on the Britpop Empire

Our producer tells us about his Britpop cover, and Allmusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine traces the music’s roots.

Episode Notes

In this mini-episode of Hit Parade, host Chris Molanphy first sits down with our podcast producer Kevin Bendis, whose band Diary usually has an ’80s-style indie sound but recently covered the ’90s Oasis hit “Supersonic.”

Then, Chris is joined by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Senior Editor at Xperi, whose database of music information is available at Allmusic.com. Tom says Britpop did have sonic signifiers, many of them throwbacks to earlier waves of British rock; and that it’s fair to call Radiohead’s mid-’90s music Britpop even if they wanted nothing to do with the movement.

Next, Chris quizzes a Slate Plus listener with some music trivia, gives her a chance to turn the tables with a question of her own, and previews next month’s full-length episode. Slate Plus members can sign up for a chance to be our trivia contestant on a future episode here.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

About the Show

Chris Molanphy, a pop-chart analyst and author of Slate’s “Why Is This Song No. 1?” series, tells tales from a half-century of chart history. Through storytelling, trivia, and song snippets, Chris dissects how that song you love—or hate—dominated the airwaves, made its way to the top of the charts, and shaped your memories forever.

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Host

  • Chris Molanphy is a feature writer and critic who writes widely about music and the pop charts.