On this week’s (Sept. 6) episode of the Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century podcast, we take a look at a pair of unpredictable pop powerhouses: K-pop icons BTS and R&B mystery man turned pop megahitmaker The Weeknd.
First, host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard director of music Jason Lipshutz and longtime K-pop correspondent Jeff Benjamin to talk all about the Bangtan Boys. We cover the group’s rise to stardom in its home country of South Korea — and the stylistic and thematic differences that made BTS a standout group from the very beginning — and then break down the septet’s U.S. and global takeover at the turn of the 2020s, and what made its music, impact and fanbase so exceptional over this period. Then, we also get a little into the members’ successful solo careers, and what we think a full BTS comeback might eventually look and feel like.
Then, staff writer Kyle Denis and senior R&B/Hip-Hop/Afrobeats writer Heran Mamo stop by to discuss the beauty behind the madness of The Weeknd’s unusual career arc. We share fond (and transformative) memories of his early mixtape run, then get into how he was able to pull off one of the more unlike pop pivots of the 2010s — becoming a superstar and A-list celebrity without totally sacrificing his edge or his cool. And then, of course, we recall his world-conquering run at the beginning of the 2020s, including a record-breaking Billboard Hot 100 smash and a victory-lap Super Bowl halftime performance, before getting into our expectations for his upcoming Hurry Up Tomorrow period.
Listen to our latest below, catch up on our past episodes here, and be sure to subscribe to Billboard‘s Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century series wherever you get your podcasts! (New episodes will be revealed every Friday, following the publishing of our two new Greatest Pop Star rankings for that week.)
