Pop Music For Smart People
88 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 33 ratingsEver wondered what's down the rabbit hole when you get to the end of pop music today?? ... WELL FOLLOW ME your host Ryan Courtney every week as I guide you through the musical wonderland me and my magical friends have created. Each week I feature different artists based on a central theme from my life and musical influences. I also have the pleasure of interviewing some of these artists for the show. Come listen for new music.
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Episodes
Throw Up Music!!
August 06, 2021 23:44 - 26 minutes - 61.5 MBIn this episode I talk about throw up music which I know sounds like maybe it is a negative thing but actually it is quite the opposite. For me it is one of the highest honors I bestow on artists and music. Throw up music is music that you don’t forget because it hits you so hard in the moment that it can even cause physical sensations and perhaps throwing up. The artists I am featuring on this episode are Public Secret, Rome In Silver and Phazz!! All three of these amazing artists are creat...
It's The Palooza For Me.
July 30, 2021 16:50 - 22 minutes - 52.6 MBIn this episode we talk about Lollapalooza, the massive music festival that takes place in Chicago each year. This year's lineup was packed full of amazing artists, some of which I have already featured on the show and others that I felt I needed to feature. So that is what I am doing today on this week's episode of Pop Music For Smart People. I am featuring four artists from all different genres that are performing at Lollapalooza 2021. They are Orville Peck, Earthgang, LP, and Elderbrook. ...
I'm Melting, Melting!!!
July 23, 2021 07:48 - 17 minutes - 16 MBOn this week's episode of Pop Music For Smart People I feature three artists whose music will make you melt like butter. The artists are Jessie Defranco, Sevdaliza and the duo Vaarwell. All three of these artists use sounds, vocals and musicality to create music that will make you feel like you are melting while you listen. So come listen and join me as we pop ourselves in the microwave for about 45 seconds and melt to some amazing music. If you like the show and would like to support us you...
The Category Is Not Summer Songs *wink wink*
July 16, 2021 15:43 - 27 minutes - 62.2 MBOn this episode of Pop Music For Smart People I talk about the 10 songs I have been playing non stop lately. In the first episode I said I wouldn't do episode categories like "summer songs" or "break up songs". So the title of this episode is just confirming that this week's category definitely is not summer songs ( just a list of songs I have listened to all summer lol). The list includes artists such as Ayoni, Deborah's Child, Mr. Tape, Madge, Prado, Dom Dolla, JMSN, Chloe Angelides, Mysie...
Going Off The Deep(dish) End
July 09, 2021 19:02 - 23 minutes - 54.7 MBOn this week's episode of Pop Music For Smart People I feature three amazing female artists that all hail from Chicago where I live!! Those three artists are Ravyn Lenae, Jamila Woods and Jean Deaux. All three of these women infuse the classic Chicago house music sound into their music!! So come with me to the 312 and see what king of amazing talent is being produced in the windy city. If you would like to support the show you can do so at buymeacoffee.com/PMFSP. You can buy me a virtual sli...
Swedish Pop... Period!
July 02, 2021 09:16 - 27 minutes - 63.1 MBIn this episode of Pop Music For Smart People we travel across the pond to a pop music mecca known as Sweden. Ever since Abba rose to global super stardom Sweden has been a breeding ground for pop music production and artists. Over the years Sweden has produced many world renowned artists, producers and DJs including Robyn, Eagle Eye Cherry, Avicii, Miike Snow, Zara Larsson and Alesso just to name a few. This week I am featuring four Swedish artists that I can't get enough of recently! They ...
Why A Rainbow??
June 25, 2021 13:40 - 27 minutes - 63.9 MBThis is the last episode in the Pop Music For Smart People Pride series and today I am featuring broox, Lynks and Jordy. The name of the episode is Why A Rainbow because of the diverse group of people that fall under the queer umbrella and this has been highlighted through the many different and diverse artists I have featured this month. The word of the day is representation because I feel it is very important for everyone to see themselves represented in all things but especially music and...
If I'm Not Back In 20 Minutes Send Help... Cause I Am Lost In My Feels
June 18, 2021 18:30 - 38 minutes - 88.8 MBThis is the third week of Pop Music For smart People's 2021 Pride Series. This week we are diving into our feels and highlighting artists whose music will definitely make you feel something. The three artists being featured this week are Shea Diamond, Dua Selah and Wrabel. All three of these artists are very different genre wise but all put so much of themselves into the music they create . I also feature Howard Brown Health Center as the LGBTQ+ organization this week so if you can donate or...
A Chat With Lauren
June 16, 2021 07:33 - 34 minutes - 27.8 MBIn this special episode of Pop Music For Smart People I chat with the immensely talented and boldly unique Lauren who is making her mark on world of hip hop and proving that expressing your self through your sexuality and honesty is nothing to be ashamed of and can actually be quite empowering. We talk candidly about sex, music and the interconnection of the two that can help nurture one's sexual self identity in order to become more connected to yourself and others and not ashamed of this v...
Lock The Doors Tight!!
June 11, 2021 18:44 - 26 minutes - 59.6 MBIt's the second episode in our four part Pop Music For Smart People Pride series for June. This week we are locking the doors tight because the three artists I am featuring are definitely gonna make you wanna have a kiki!! The three artists are Tunde Olaniran, John Grant and the duo FHAT. All three of these queer artists are pushing the boundaries in their respective genres. I also discuss gay pride month and talk about another amazing LGBTQ+ organization that is advocating for equality and ...
A Chat With DYLN
June 09, 2021 10:07 - 28 minutes - 64.5 MBIn this special episode of Pop Music For Smart People I had the pleasure of chatting with the immensely talented DYLN. I featured DYLN on a previous episode titled Calling The Four Corners. DYLN is a Canadian singer/songwriter who had me hooked on her music after hearing her single Shower. We talk about that banger and her song Quit Talkin and the stories behind them. We also play a couple rounds of Category Is and DYLN fills me on who she thinks is making some disgusting beats. Go check her...
YAAAAAAASSSSSS KWEEEEEEENSSS!!
June 04, 2021 14:00 - 23 minutes - 53.6 MBThis episode kicks off a four week Pride series for Pop Music For Smart People and features three badass queer ladies who are each carving out a name for themselves in their respective genres. The three ladies I am talking about are Tayla Parx, Lauren and Cobrah. These ladies all have a couple major things in common and that is 1. They all make bangers 2. They all are empowering females and queer people through their music and 3. I am a massive fan of all three lol. I also talk about the Mar...
A Chat With Emily Deahl
June 02, 2021 03:45 - 54 minutes - 126 MBIn this special episode of Pop Music For Smart People I chat with the lovely Emily Deahl. Emily is a singer/songwriter/dancer who resides in Nashville and is uniquely setting herself apart from traditional pop norms. We discuss her music and the process she dives into when she is creating a banger. We also discuss the ever evolving world of social media, including apps like TikTok, and what affects this can have on artists and their careers. We also talk about two of her songs and my person...
Clock In For Third Shift Anthems
May 28, 2021 18:22 - 1 hour - 153 MBIn this very special episode I am joined by my husband Nicholas Opp and my best friend Jessie Epling and we dive into the anthems that define our circle of friends also known as Third Shift. Third Shift is a collection of friends, family, artists, creatives, musicians and all around wizards in their craft that has been growing for the last 20 years. In the beginning of the episode I feature a musical montage of different Third Shift members describing what the tribe is like and the music tha...
Calling On The Four Corners Of Pop
May 21, 2021 05:46 - 14 minutes - 32.2 MBIn this episode I call upon the four corners of Pop music with four female artists who hail from the east, south, west and north. These artists are Dounia from the east, Emily Deahl from the south, Remi Wolf from the west and DYLN from the north. I feature two songs by each of these amazing women and discuss why they have cast spell over me with their music. I also talk about the new support membership levels available for Pop Music For Smart People on buymeacoffee.com/PMFSP. --- Send in ...
A Chat With Deema And David Armada
May 19, 2021 09:29 - 23 minutes - 18.5 MBIn this special episode I had the pleasure of interviewing two extremely talented London based rappers named Deema and David Armada. We chat about some of my favorite tracks by them including one called Hash Brown that they did together. We also discuss how they know each other and how each of them got into the London rap scene. If you haven't listened to these two before you should definitely go checkout their music! I promise you will not be disappointed. Both rappers have new music coming...
Poppin off like bubble RAP!
May 14, 2021 10:03 - 22 minutes - 17.7 MBIn this episode I feature three amazing hip hop artists. They are Tobe Nwigwe. Tkay Maidza, and grouptherapy. This episode is inspired by one of my favorite musical influences The Fugees. All three of these artists are creating amazing music and bending the genre of hip hop in very unique ways. I also talk about the new membership support levels that are now being offered for Pop Music For Smart People. There are three different levels which include General Admission ticket, Front Row ticket...
I Get It From My Mama
May 07, 2021 04:09 - 35 minutes - 33.2 MBHappy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. In this special episode my mom Rhonda Courtney joins me on the show. I gave her three categories and asked her to pick songs for each one that she would have played if she had the same podcast when she was my age. The episode starts with a montage of moms I know talking about having kids and music. Me and my mom go through the three categories I came up with and then she surprises me with a category and I come up with a song on the spot. My mom a...
I Married A Canadian: The Musical
April 30, 2021 13:05 - 30 minutes - 24.8 MBIn this episode we travel north to feature three artists from Canada. The artists featured on this episode are Busty and the Bass, Charmaine, and Sickick. All three artists exists in pretty different genres but are all creating amazing music, I also talk with my friend Amanda Herdina about her non profit Heart Studios. The mission of this organization is to bring creatives and artists together to have them mentor and teach arts to kids and teenagers who have experienced trauma. Such a great...
A Chat With BAD
April 28, 2021 05:42 - 25 minutes - 23.4 MBIn this special episode I talk with the band BAD who I featured on last week's regular episode. The duo comprised of Julia Brex and Jackson Hoffman hail from New York and are injecting funk sounds into their feel good pop tracks. We discuss their singles Sweat and Earth in Retrograde and what they have planned next for themselves. They talk about how they met and how BAD was formed. We also play a game of Category Is... and they tell me their picks for the categories "Artists that made 2020 ...
Like Two Peas In A POD(cast)
April 25, 2021 00:15 - 19 minutes - 45.1 MBIn this episode I feature three musical duos who are making some real good music. The three duos I feature are BAD, Brijean and Sad Night Dynamite. All three are pretty different but have one thing in common and that is they are all producing BANGERS!! I was lucky enough to secure an interview with BAD and I will release that episode this Wednesday as well as a regular episode next Friday. My friend Amanda Herdina is gonna chat with me next week as well about her non profit Heart Studios and ...
My Top 10 Songs From 2020
April 16, 2021 08:36 - 23 minutes - 22.2 MBIn this episode I run through my top 10 songs that came out in 2020. The list is all over the place but they all have one thing in common and that is they are all BANGERS. Come join me and hopefully you will get some new bops for your playlist. I also talk about my friend Amanda Herdina's non profit called Heart Studios and what they are all about. I have some new items in my merch store for Pop Music For Smart People including a real cute beach bag for summer. So what ya waiting for come and...
Babe Can You Turn That Down Please??
April 09, 2021 02:17 - 15 minutes - 34.8 MBIn this episode I feature two groups who my husband is always asking me to turn down the volume on because I have to listen to their music very loudly. They are ASL and Haiku Hands. ASL is a group comprised of six pop music songwriters and producers who accidentally formed the pop group during a songwriting session. Haiku Hands is a trio of three Australian ladies who combine pop music, dance and visual content to create truly unique and catchy pop anthems. You are gonna want to turn this ep...
Nic Opp Pop
April 02, 2021 01:04 - 54 minutes - 125 MBOn this episode I am joined by my husband Nicholas Opp and we feature three artists that fit into the category of Nic Opp Pop. The three artists we feature are SG Lewis, LÉON and Benee. My husband I talk about three songs from each artist and tie the artists back into the main theme of the episode this week being Nic's picks based on his love of pop music. I also begin the episode by letting my listeners know about the new Music and Talk feature I have added to the podcast which I am so exci...
A Chat With Noga Erez
March 26, 2021 09:00 - 53 minutes - 37 MBIn this episode I talk with Noga Erez who is making some moves in the music world. She infuses hip hop, electronic and pop influences to create unique and incredible music. She is from Israel and talks about some of the influences that has had on her music. We discuss her new album KIDS which is out today!!! We also talk about her two virtual concerts coming up on April 1 and 2 which you can still get tickets to at nocapshows.com. Definitely don't want to miss this amazing conversation I had ...
Tracks 1,3 And 4 Are For Josh Meredith, He'll Know What I'm Talking About!
March 24, 2021 10:00 - 33 minutes - 23.1 MBIn this episode my good friend Josh Meredith joins me and we discuss our combined love of female rappers. We discuss Melii, Lady Leshurr and Qveen Herbywho are all making their mark in the hip hop world. We also swap some funny stories about how we met and our different connections to each of these artists. I also give a shout out to The Hermosa Mutual Aid an organization that is helping families get food and household supplies during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond. So what ya waiting f...
Queen ElizaBEAT the1st
March 19, 2021 05:00 - 19 minutes - 13.5 MBIn this episode I jump across the pond to feature three UK artists that I have on repeat lately. The artists I feature are TS Graye, Hope Tala and Jelani Blackman. All three of the artists have their own unique style that sets their music apart from the pack. I also talk about the Pop Music For Smart People merch store that is now open on our website. I let y'all know about some resources you can support and donate to that aid and advocate for Asian Americans and Asian People across the globe...
A Chat With Jades Goudreault
March 17, 2021 08:00 - 28 minutes - 19.3 MBI have the pleasure of interviewing Jades Goudreault for this episode. Jades is making some waves in pop music and churning out banger after banger. We discuss some of her songs such as Nuh Uh, Peaches In The Bathtub and If Ya Don't Like My Mama. Jades also discusses life in Los Angeles and what it's been like trying to navigate the music industry during this pandemic. She also reveals some exciting news about upcoming projects and what's next for her. You definitely don't want to miss this o...
It's A Trap!!
March 12, 2021 06:00 - 37 minutes - 25.5 MBIn this episode the category is It's A Trap which in this episode refers to artists who trapped my friends and I as fans within the first minute of the first song we heard by them. In this case the trap is one you definitely wanna get caught up in because all three of these artists are churning out banger after banger, They are Sebastian Paul, Sophiya and Jades Goudreault. I was lucky enough to be able to interview Melbourne based rapper Sophiya for this episode and discuss some of my favorit...
Let's POP Over To The West Coast
March 05, 2021 04:00 - 35 minutes - 24.7 MBIn this episode I interview one of my good friends Steph Wells who is the creator of the musical project Sumif. We talk about the creation of Sumif and some of my favorite songs. We also discuss the dynamics of being a queer person in the pop music scene and the importance of normalizing queer stories in arts and music. We discuss her new album In Transit and the journey she took to create the album. I also feature Lolo Zouai a French American singer songwriter who grew up in San Francisco. I...
Butter Voice Tho!!
February 26, 2021 05:00 - 18 minutes - 12.7 MBIn this episode I talk about three artists that have voices that will melt you like butter. The three artists I discuss are Lianne La Havas, Moss Kena and Chloe Angelides. I talk about some of my favorite songs from each artist. The venue/bar I feature this week Is Canvas Loune in Nashville, TN. You can make donations to the show if you would like to help keep us up and running with the link here in the show notes. Also stay tuned for my interview with Noga Erez which will come out on March 2...
It's My Birthday So We About To Dance!
February 19, 2021 09:00 - 36 minutes - 33.8 MBIT'S MY BIRTHDAY TODAY!!! In this episode I feature three artists who I absolutely love and all three make me wanna dance. The three artists I feature are IYLA, Dizzy Fae and Zebra Katz. I go through some of my favorite songs by each artist. Also mention a fundraiser I am conducting for Breast Cancer Now for my friend Jennie. I feature Schuba's Tavern as well which is a music venue in Chicago IL. So come celebrate my birthday with me and listen to what I am playing on my special day. --- S...
Have We Met? You Remind Me Of A Mixtape I Used To Know
February 12, 2021 08:00 - 24 minutes - 22.8 MBIn this episode I discuss three artists that could have easily been on one of teenage mix tapes. All three of these artists and I share the same musical influences including Sade, Donna Summer and Whitney Houston. The three artists I discuss are VIAA, Gavin Turek and Amber Mark who are all making current music that incorporates sounds from several different decades. I also talk about Exit/In a music venue in Nashville, TN and ways to help them out. Next week is my birthday so tune in to find ...
Down The Rabbit Hole
February 05, 2021 06:00 - 42 minutes - 38.9 MBIn this episode I have on one of my best friends and the white rabbit herself Jessie Epling. We discuss her magical home called Club Tuckahoe and talk about musical rabbit holes and the impacts they have on our lives. In this episode we discuss two three DJs who are bending the traditional rules of house and EDM and taking us to far away lands with their fantastical tracks. DJ team Polo and Pan hail from France and mix nasty beats with childlike whimsy to create a unique sound. Mindchatter is...
I'm Not Like A Regular Beat l'm A Disgusting Beat Ok??
January 29, 2021 09:00 - 36 minutes - 24.8 MBThis episode is a mash up of my two favorite things Mean Girls and disgusting beats. My husband Nicholas Opp is my special guest and we talk about Audrey Nuna and Noga Erez. I also talk about Imani Yasin and why these three ladies are influencing the world of hip hop. I am not feeling well after this episode because I sneezed on the beat and the beat got sicker...BOO YOU WHORE! Support the show (HTTPS://www.cash.app/$PMFSP)
I'm Not Like A Regular Beat l'm A Disgusting Beat Ok??
January 29, 2021 09:00 - 36 minutes - 33.4 MBThis episode is a mash up of my two favorite things Mean Girls and disgusting beats. My husband Nicholas Opp is my special guest and we talk about Audrey Nuna and Noga Erez. I also talk about Imani Yasin and why these three ladies are influencing the world of hip hop. I am not feeling well after this episode because I sneezed on the beat and the beat got sicker...BOO YOU WHORE! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pmfsp/message
Artists That Made 2020 A Little Less Of A Dumpster Fire
January 21, 2021 15:00 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MBIntroducing my new podcast Pop Music For Smart People hosted by me, Ryan Courtney. I introduce my very gay and music obsessed self in this first episode and explain the mood and concept for the podcast. This episode is about Artists in 2020 that helped to make the year a little bit less of a dumpster fire. The two artists I talk about are Ms. White and Yaeji. I also define what Ryan Courtney Music is with some help from my friends. Come join me down the rabbit hole that exists at the end of m...
Pop Music For Smart People (Trailer)
January 20, 2021 15:00 - 32 seconds - 520 KB--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pmfsp/message