60 Songs That Explain the '90s - Britney Spears – “Toxic”

Before he vows to leave her alone, Rob breaks down the cataclysmic career of a pop star who did it for the love of the game and the disgust of the fame. Britney Spears had the power to shift culture with a single VMAs performance, yet her music reflected a desperation to control her own personal life. Despite the public’s continuous mistreatment of Britney, she selflessly gifted us one of the most iconic bangers of our time: “Toxic.” Afterwards, Rob speaks with music journalist Jeff Weiss to talk about the unfinished evolution of Britney’s career, the difference in today’s celebrity culture, and creation of his book, ‘Waiting for Britney Spears,’ in the time of the Free Britney movement.


Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Jeff Weiss

Producers: Justin Sayle and Olivia Crerie

Additional Video Editing: Kevin Pooler

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The Indicator from Planet Money - What is going on with gold and silver?

The prices of gold and silver are on rollercoaster rides; Gold has been rising over the last few years, silver shot up like a skyrocket in January … but then both plunged in price and sputtered around the end of the month. 

It raises the question: What is going on? 

Today on the show, we talk with some traders about what this volatility of gold and silver is saying about the state of the world. 

Related episodes: 

Why is everyone buying gold? 

A new-ish gold rush and other indicators 

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.  

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NPR's Book of the Day - George Saunders’ ‘Vigil’ is a ghostly novel about an oil tycoon in his final hours

In his latest novel, George Saunders continues to explore his interest in death and the afterlife. Vigil tells the story of an oil tycoon and climate change denier named K.J. Boone who’s visited by a series of ghosts in his final hours. In today’s episode, NPR’s Scott Detrow asks Saunders about similarities between this novel and A Christmas Carol. They also discuss the author’s Substack, his experience in the oil industry, and the role of storytelling in this political moment.


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