In Defense of Soundtracks. And Fergie.

What’s responsible for the recent soundtrack renaissance that brought albums from “Black Panther” and “The Greatest Showman” to the top of the charts?

Om Podcasten

The Popcast is hosted by Jon Caramanica, a pop music critic for The New York Times. It covers the latest in popular music criticism, trends and news. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Also, for more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.