On the latest episode of Rolling Stone Music Now, host Brian Hiatt is joined by RS Pop expert Tomás Mier to take a look at the best pop of 2022 so far. Then, joined by Kory Grow, to delve into the heavy-metal influences of Stranger Things, from "Master of Puppets" to the real-life 1980s Satanic panic that influenced a major plot line of Season 4.
LISTEN NOW: The Best Pop Songs and Albums of 2022 So Far – and the Metal Side of "Stranger Things"
After noting that Harry’s House deserves major recognition, with Brian pointing out Rolling Stone Music Now dedicated an entire episode to discussing it, he started off the conversation noting that in order to talk about it, they first must acknowledge just how broad the genre of Pop actually is these days.
Mentioning that by taking a snapshot of the current Pop trends, “in this post-Olivia Rodrigo moment,” Hiatt noted that many albums have been influenced to use more guitars. Pointing out her bestie Conan Gray’s album as an example.
With Mier adding that similar to Rodrigo’s influence, “the impact of Machine Gun Kelly and his punk-rock resurgence is definitely in a lot of the music that we’re getting this year.”
Aside from getting grungier, another trend influencing Pop comes from artists feeling more experimental or inspired by there heritage. Listing Bad Bunny as a definite best and a perfect example of both, with his ability to mix “his reggaeton sound, with tropical sounds of the past, but also this electronic EDM element to it that makes so Bad Bunny still but also very different and very new,” which Tomás said he thinks is “resonating with people perfectly.”
Calling out The Weeknd’s Dawn FM as “one of the biggest and one of the best Pop albums of the year” with Hiatt claiming it as his personal fave of the year thus far and claiming it solidified him as “this Pop auteur, beyond just hitmaker.”
“I was really impressed with it, it paints the kind of visual picture he wants to paint with really cool synth stuff, city-pop influence stuff, 80s influence stuff — it’s a real achievement I thought.”
In Tomás’ personal opinion, girl groups is where its at, and when it comes to who he thinks you should be keeping your eye out for, or rather ears open for — is, Flow.
According to Mier, “we’re due for a new girl group, and I think these girls did everything they needed to do to be the moment. They mix this like R&B nostalgia of the early 2000s but with this like modern flare that I think works so well.”
The Pop talk only continued from there, after which Brian switched out guests for seriously heavy-metal conversation about the musical influences of Stranger Things Season 4. Don’t miss a second of it, press play on the episode above.
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