Welcome to the latest episode of the Billboard.com Pop Shop Podcast, Billboard’s weekly breakdown of the Billboard charts, hottest music news and year’s biggest musical events. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard co-director of charts Keith Caulfield and Billboard.com senior editor Katie Atkinson 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 on Billboard.com).
On the latest episode, the legendary James Taylor calls in to the show to discuss his big year — and his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, Before This World. The five-time Grammy Award winner talks about receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, his thoughts on President Obama, performing at the Kennedy Center Honors (to pay tribute to his friend Carole King), and his recent Grammy Award nomination for Before This World.
Also on the show, we chat about Adele‘s continued success at the top of the charts, our wish list of music stars we’d like to see on Broadway (Adele! Jennifer Lopez! Cher!), and a discussion about possible contenders for best original song at the upcoming Academy Awards. (Will “See You Again” get a nomination? Could Lady Gaga or The Weeknd nab a nom? Might Eminem snag a second Oscar?) Plus: a fun Chart Stat of the Week about an unlikely No. 1 duet from an Oscar winner and an Oscar nominee.
Listen above and click here to subscribe/rate the Pop Shop Podcast on iTunes. And be sure to sound off about this week’s episode in the comments section below!