Is the pop star-making machine broken?

Suzy Exposito and Shaad D’Souza explain why pop artists are struggling to break through in today's industry

Image | commotion episode composite August 22, 2023

Caption: Pop musicians Olivia Rodrigo, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Charli XCX. (Getty Images, Vivian Rashotte/CBC, Associated Press)

Media Audio | How do you make a pop star in today's music industry?

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If you look at the state of pop music today, it's dominated by familiar names like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo.
This landscape has left music writers wondering: where are all the new pop stars?
L.A. Times culture columnist Suzy Exposito(external link) and freelance music writer Shaad D'Souza(external link) tell guest host Talia Schlanger about why pop artists are struggling to breakthrough, and how a so-called "middle class" of stars have demonstrated a new model of career sustainability.
You can listen to the full discussion from today's show on CBC Listen(external link) or on our podcast, Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud, available wherever you get your podcasts(external link).

Panel produced by Jane van Koeverden.

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