Welcome to the latest episode of the Billboard.com Pop Shop Podcast, Billboard’s weekly half-hour audio breakdown of the Billboard charts, hottest music news and year’s biggest musical events. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard.com associate editor Jason Lipshutz and Billboard co-director of charts Keith Caulfield every Tuesday on the free Pop Shop Podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in iTunes (click here to listen to the previous episode).
Demi Lovato stops by a jam-packed episode of the Pop Shop Podcast, calling in late last week prior to her VMAs performance to discuss her new album Confident, working with Iggy Azalea, the success of “Cool For The Summer” and why the smash hit almost wasn’t her new album’s lead single. Before that, Jason and Keith (and special panelist, Billboard senior editor Katie Atkinson) recap the MTV Video Music Awards: the best performances, the biggest surprises, Miley Cyrus’ spat with Nicki Minaj, Kanye West’s epic speech, Taylor Swift owning another awards show and Justin Bieber’s tears-inducing stage return. The crew also discusses Bieber’s new single “What Do You Mean?” and its chances at debuting at No. 1 on the Hot 100, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ wild new single “Downtown,” Demi Lovato’s “Cool For The Summer” remix with Iggy Azalea, the Weeknd’s return to the top of the Hot 100 chart, and Miley Cyrus’ backstage antics — she apparently passed around a joint in the press room!
Listen above, and check back soon for an iTunes download link. Click here to rate the Pop Shop Podcast on iTunes! And be sure to sound off about this week’s episode in the comments section below!