Switched on Pop’s Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding love fresh vegetables and guitar pedals
Switched on Pop hosts Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding discuss the tools, habits and influences behind their podcast’s detailed analysis of pop music. The interview matters because the long-running show has expanded from audio into a Netflix video series, bringing its music-theory and production-focused approach to a wider audience.
Sloan, a USC musicology professor and composer, and Harding, a songwriter, journalist and professor, have produced nearly 500 episodes across 12 years. Their Netflix guests include Aaron Dessner, Trevor Horn and Cypress Hill; in the questionnaire, Harding highlights his 1970 Martin D-28 guitar and computer shortcuts, while Sloan names Sibelius notation software, AudioHijack and the metronome.
- Switched on Pop has moved to Netflix after 12 years.
- The hosts combine academic and practical music expertise.
- Their favourite tools include a vintage guitar and notation software.
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Switched on Pop is a podcast that examines how popular music is written, recorded and produced. It often uses examples from well-known songs to explain ideas such as melody, rhythm, lyrics and studio techniques in accessible terms.
Nate Sloan is a musicologist, composer and university professor, while Charlie Harding is a songwriter, journalist and teacher. Together they have made the programme for more than a decade, interviewing artists and exploring the choices behind their music.
The show has also moved into video through a Netflix series, allowing its approach to reach viewers beyond podcast listeners. Its guests include musicians and producers with experience across different parts of the music industry.