Pop Decoder

Released on June 20, 1995, HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, wasn’t your typical pop album. The King of Pop, cornered by scandal and media frenzy, chose to fight back — not with a press conference, not with an interview… but with music. Loud, defiant, emotional music. It was Michael Jackson pulling the curtain back on his life, his trauma, his rage, and his legacy — all at once.

We’re diving into one of the most strategic comebacks pop and R&B have ever seen. After years of public scrutiny, media takedowns, and declining commercial momentum, the industry had counted Mariah Carey out. But a very special project brought with it more than a simple comeback but instead a rebrand, a repositioning, and a masterclass in how to rebuild a legacy artist for a new era.

Released on April 12, 2005, The Emancipation of Mimi was Mariah Carey's tenth studio album and a cultural reset! A personal reintroduction and an artistic rebirth that would go on to dominate the airwaves, break records, and remind the world exactly who Mariah Carey was—and still is.

We're breaking down a rollout that pushed boundaries so much that it entirely shattered them. When OutKast released Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, Big Boi and Andre 3000 presented their respective artistic visions at once under the OutKast umbrella. The result? A monumental album that changed what hip-hop—and pop music—forever.

Pop Decoder invites you to hop in a very special spaceship that will take you to the dirty south of the USA, where 2 unique ATL-iens are waiting for you. Two visions, two minds, one groundbreaking double album: pull up your best velvet chaise lounge, turn up the bass, and let’s get into the masterpiece that is Speakerboxxx/The Love Below by legendary Hip-Hop duo, OutKast!

Ready to decode popular music together? Say less!  Pop Decoder, your new favorite podcast is here. Tune in and deep dive into the artistry and the master plans behind the albums that forever impacted pop culture.

Today, we’re meeting up at the perfect intersection between the future and the past, at a party that takes place somewhere between a club and the milky way. Dust off your disco ball and your turntables, this is « Future Nostalgia »!

In this episode we'll be diving into Future Nostalgia by Dua Lipa released in March 2020. We’ll talk about how this album’s roll-out didn’t just push Dua into superstardom but redefined what a modern album rollout should or better yet COULD look like in the age of the anti-popstar.