In 1995, Björk was a phenomenon without a genre: a critically acclaimed singer-songwriter who mixed dance beats with rock attitude and pop flair, just as likely to release a grinding, ass-kicking industrial anthem as an exuberant ’50s big-band vocal pop cover. She didn’t have big hits — not a single song from her rapturously received ’95 sophomore solo album Post even reached the Billboard Hot 100 — but through her unique personality, her singular talent and her truly spectacular visuals, she still became a celebrity on both sides of the Atlantic, flirting with pop stardom in her own right, and even freelancing for the biggest pop star of them all.
This month on the Greatest Pop Stars podcast, we’re launching a new mini-series spin-off of our Vintage Pop Stardom series, titled Vintage Almost-Pop Stardom — welcoming on some first-time guests to look at four really interesting artists during years in which they brushed against pop stardom, but perhaps never quite got all the way there. First up, Lina Morgan of the excellent Song Vs. Song podcast stops by to discuss one of her all-time favorite artists, Björk, during a year in which she became practically unavoidable in MTV and culture, even if she never scored hits in the conventional sense.
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Along the way, we answer all the most pressing questions about Iceland’s greatest musical export during her (arguable) peak year: Why didn’t top 40 have any interest in her back in the mid-’90s? How did her least obviously Björk-y single — one she didn’t even write — arguably become her signature song? What did the critics get wrong about Björk in 1995? Is Tank Girl worth revisiting? Why hasn’t Björk ever had a major viral moment or TikTok breakout in the modern era? And most importantly: Was 1995 Björk actually a pop star, and would we answer that question differently in 2025 than we would have 30 years ago?
Check it out above — along with a YouTube playlist of some of the most important moments from Björk’s 1995, all of which are discussed in the podcast — and subscribe to the Greatest Pop Stars podcast on Apple Music or Spotify (or wherever you get your podcasts) for weekly discussions every Thursday about all things related to pop stardom!
And as we say in every one of these GPS podcast posts — if you have the time and money to spare, please consider donating to any of these causes in the fight for trans rights:
Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe
Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on 5Calls.org.
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