Is “Kidz Bop: It’s the Devil” the song of the summer?

It's Been a Minute

NPR

News Commentary, Society & Culture, News, Spirituality, Religion & Spirituality

4.6 • 8.8K Ratings

🗓️ 5 September 2025

⏱️ 22 minutes

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Summary

KPop Demon Hunters, or as Brittany's mom keeps mistakenly calling it "Kidz Bop: It's the Devil," is dominating the music charts. And, thank god! These bombastic bangers are a welcome reprieve after a summer full of sad songs.

We need to talk about those bangers, but we also need to talk about the void KPop Demon Hunters is filling. This summer was lacking a true shiny, shimmering song of the summer. Where were the bops? Where were the ubiquitous, undeniable culture uniting hits? It's disappointing we don't have an anthem to point to – but it's also telling.

Brittany sits down with Stephen Thompson, host for NPR Music and co-host of Pop Culture Happy Hour, to discuss what we had instead of songs of the summer – and what that tells us about how our musical landscape has changed.

To find out Brittany's song of the summer follow her on Instagram: @bmluse

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This message comes from CVS Studios.
0:02.9	The number one show in Late Night is delivered straight to your ears.
0:06.6	Keep up with all the whip-smart writing, hilarious monologues,
0:09.6	and revealing conversations with celebrity guests only on the Late Show Pod Show,
0:14.3	available wherever you get your podcasts.
0:19.6	Hello, hello. I'm Brittany loose, and you're listening to It's Been a Minute from NPR, a show about what's going on in culture and why it doesn't happen by accident.
0:37.1	This week, we're connecting the dots between demons, daisies, and dreary vibes.
0:42.7	I know, I know.
0:44.0	How are all of these things connected?
0:47.5	Well, we're going to find out with NPR music host and pop culture Happy Hour co-host, Stephen Thompson.
0:53.3	Brittany, it is so great to be here.
0:55.6	I am so pumped to talk about what we're going to talk about today.
0:58.5	Okay.
0:59.3	It's funny that I say that I'm pumped to talk about it when it's like also grave disappointment.
1:05.3	You know, for me, like, fun and grave disappointment always go hand in hand.
1:09.9	Hand in hand.
1:10.6	There you go.
1:11.7	Well, we are here to discuss one of my biggest disappointments of the year to be frank.
1:15.8	In my opinion, there has not been a single song of the summer.
1:20.3	Yes, the only thing that has gone wrong in 2025.
1:25.1	I got to say, in my opinion, there is not a single, popular, collective, more widespread song of the summer.
1:32.0	Which disappoints me because I really like the kind of ubiquitous fun, viety summer banger that all of us can share in and turn up.
	...

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