K-Pop, AI Slop & Ms. Rachel? 2025 Pop Culture Review

The Sam Sanders Show

KCRW & Sam Sanders

Tv & Film, Society & Culture

4.9 • 709 Ratings

🗓️ 12 December 2025

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This year saw some pretty spectacular pop culture moments… but there’s a few we hope to never see again.

We’re breaking down the best and worst of 2025, from blockbuster hits like KPop Demon Hunters and Sinners, to the rebirth of rock with bands like Geese.

Sam takes on this big task with help from Traci Thomas, host of The Stacks podcast, and Franklin Leonard, founder of The Black List. One thing they all agreed on? Ms. Rachel just might be this year’s unsung hero.

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

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey listeners, it is the season of giving.
0:03.0	Get that warm, fuzzy feeling.
0:05.1	Make a donation, pick out some cozy KCRW merch, or send meals to local food banks.
0:11.1	Donate now at kCRW.com slash give.
0:20.2	I also got you to watch Wicked Part 2.
0:23.4	It was so ugly, you guys.
0:25.1	It was so ugly.
0:26.0	I'm sorry.
0:26.7	It's hideous.
0:28.9	Did you like the two original songs?
0:31.8	Let's go.
0:32.6	Cut the cameras.
0:33.3	Cut it.
0:33.7	Cut the cameras.
0:34.5	We're done.
0:35.5	Hey, y'all, Sam Sanders here.
0:37.2	Question for you.
0:38.1	If you had to sum up this year in just one sentence, what would that sentence be?
0:44.0	Mine is that the news was sizzling.
0:48.2	The culture was fizzling.
0:50.9	That's Tracy Thomas.
0:52.0	She hosts a very good book podcast called The Stacks.
	...

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