Welcome to Live From Mars, the ultimate podcast for pop music enthusiasts! Hosted by Alex, known as @vinylbymars, Live From Mars dives deep into the latest hits, hidden gems, and trending music industry news from the pop universe. Each episode blends Alex’s bold opinions, expert album reviews, artist deep dives, and insightful industry commentary to deliver a fresh, authentic take on today’s music scene. From chart-topping singles to underrated tracks, Alex brings listeners along for the ride, creating a space where music lovers can connect, discover new favorites, and explore the stories behind the sounds.
Every episode finds Alex and a mix of music creators, journalists, and songwriters dissecting current releases, exploring music trends, and sharing must-hear recommendations to elevate your playlist. Whether you’re here for the artist rankings, exclusive guest interviews, or to catch the latest music news, Live From Mars promises a pop music experience that keeps you coming back for more.
Tune in, turn it up, and let’s take off—straight from Mars to your headphones!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to Live From Mars, the ultimate podcast for pop music enthusiasts! Hosted by Alex, known as @vinylbymars, Live From Mars dives deep into the latest hits, hidden gems, and trending music industry news from the pop universe. Each episode blends Alex’s bold opinions, expert album reviews, artist deep dives, and insightful industry commentary to deliver a fresh, authentic take on today’s music scene. From chart-topping singles to underrated tracks, Alex brings listeners along for the ride, creating a space where music lovers can connect, discover new favorites, and explore the stories behind the sounds.
Every episode finds Alex and a mix of music creators, journalists, and songwriters dissecting current releases, exploring music trends, and sharing must-hear recommendations to elevate your playlist. Whether you’re here for the artist rankings, exclusive guest interviews, or to catch the latest music news, Live From Mars promises a pop music experience that keeps you coming back for more.
Tune in, turn it up, and let’s take off—straight from Mars to your headphones!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Live From Mars, Alex is joined by returning guest Nick Palmai to unpack Justin Bieber’s surprise new album SWAG. From the rollout and first impressions to the features, lyrical content (or lack of it), and how this record fits into Bieber’s larger discography, they dive into everything. The album is cohesive, moody, and full of bold choices... some of which work, and some that definitely don’t.
Alex and Nick debate whether SWAG is a Journals spiritual sequel, a SZA-inspired vibe album, or just a chaotic mixtape in disguise. They also get into THAT Sexyy Red feature, the confusing interludes, the Michael Jackson and Usher comparisons, and why this era of Bieber might be his most interesting yet -- even if it's not his best.
Topics covered:
Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro
01:28 – Welcoming Back Nick
08:50 – First Impressions of SWAG
16:50 – The Songwriting of SWAG
21:16 – Interludes, voice notes & filler tracks
28:59 – Today's Male Pop Stars
34:47 – Our Favorite Tracks
40:32 – SWAG's Lasting Impact
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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.