Mariah Carey has more No. 1 hits than any other American artist to date.

“Fantasy,” “Vision of Love,” and “We Belong Together” have all landed at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Part of the magic is in her voice, but it’s also in her songwriting — a skill that has too often been overlooked.

Music journalist Danyel Smith interviewed the artist for The New York Times’ list of “The 30 Greatest Living American Songwriters.” Sam caught up with Danyel to talk about Mariah Carey’s songwriting and sampling prowess, the systemic disrespect for Black women in music, and how Mariah cemented her place in music history.

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The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.

Despite everyone’s nostalgic feelings for the ‘90’s, it was undoubtedly a complicated time for women.

Feminism was alive and well at the start of the decade, but author Sophie Gilbert explains how the movement’s energy collapsed into a problematic media storm that still lingers today.

She chronicles the decline through the ‘90s pop culture that shaped women from the Riot Grrrl movement, to the Spice Girls, and beyond in her book 'Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves.’

“At the beginning of the '90s, third wave feminism was very much alive. Anita Hill was testifying in Congress, it was the ‘Year of the Woman.’ You had Riot Grrrl, you had all this energy and this momentum behind trying to make things better for women,” Sophie explains. “And then over the course of the decade, it just kind of flatlined.”

Sophie talks to Sam about her book, how feminism is more fractured than ever, and how the extreme caricatures of women we see today aren’t that different from the tropes of women in the ‘90s.

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The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.

Models, designers, celebrities and Anna Wintour will soon gather for fashion’s biggest night: The Met Gala. But this year’s event has already spawned protests and boycotts.

Sam breaks it all down with fashion and culture journalist Amy Odell, host of the 'Back Row' podcast and newsletter. They look at how sponsors Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez could be overshadowing the gala’s purpose and ask if the event is more out-of-touch than ever before. Plus, Amy explains fashion's new 'gilded age.'

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The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.

There’s no denying 2026 has been chaotic — but what about pop culture?

Hunter Harris and Peyton Dix (hosts of Lemme Say This) join Sam to break down the biggest moments of the year so far — and what they reveal about where culture is headed.

From reality TV dominating the conversation to debates about monoculture, celebrity overexposure, and what actually breaks through now, they unpack what’s working, what’s not, and why everything feels louder than ever.

Plus: Zendaya’s takeover, Timothée Chalamet discourse, Olympic breakout stars like Alysa Liu, and our enduring obsession with ‘Heated Rivalry.’

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The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.

Justin Bieber headlined Coachella with a stripped down set that quickly divided the internet.

While other artists had intricate sets, Justin sang on a mostly empty stage with nothing but a laptop. If you thought his set was lazy, 'The New Yorker' critic Vinson Cunnighman says you’re missing the point.

Vinson joins Sam to talk about Bieberchella, what Justin was trying to convey about fame and loneliness, and asks how authentic do fans really want their pop stars to be?

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The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.

We’re so excited to be featured this month by Apple Podcasts’ Society & Culture.

This episode, comedian and TikTok star Rob Anderson brings back the '90s!

From 'Boy Meets World’ to 'Baywatch', Rob unpacks the most absurd pop culture from the era. He even breaks down an exceptionally unhinged episode of 'Touched By An Angel’ featuring civil rights icon Rosa Parks. Through jokes, songs and recaps, he breaks down why the ‘90s are the perfect moment to look back on. He also explains our enduring need for nostalgia.

Rob is currently touring his solo show, ‘Are You Afraid Of The '90s?’

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The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.

After years of antisemitic comments, failed business deals and a failed Presidential run, Ye is making a comeback.

The artist, formerly known as Kanye West, recently apologized for his past behavior and released a new album. It’s his usual routine for new music releases. But this round was followed by two massive sold-out shows in Los Angeles. A myriad of fans and famous people were there to support.

So, what does this comeback say about the state of celebrity and society? Sam breaks it all down with Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw.

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The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.

Aparna Nancherla is probably the funniest introvert doing comedy. Although Sam is a total extrovert, he’s admired her work for years.

She tells Sam how she got comfortable on stage and why stand-up is the perfect activity to combat shyness. They also break down the excessive demands of modern life, the internet surveillance state, and why we all need to log off and touch grass. Plus, she shares a 'vicious’ pop culture hot take.

Aparna's latest special ‘Hopeful Potato’ is out now.

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The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.