MGMT are the musical duo of Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser, known for creating irresistibly catchy, genre-blurring music. In this Encore Episode, we dive into how they continually push the boundaries of pop and indie music while still maintaining their unmistakable sound. We also discuss the politics of performing at Madison Square Garden, their unexpected rise to TikTok fame, and how their views on drugs have evolved since their debut album. Since their time as art students in the early 2000s, they’ve released five studio albums, garnered critical acclaim, and cultivated a devoted fan base. Their newest album Loss of Life is available now. Don’t miss this fascinating conversation with the artists behind the hits 'Kids' and 'Little Dark Age 00:00 MGMT on Pop Music vs. Experimentation 00:29 Welcome to The Plug w/ Justin Jay 01:03 Can AI Replace Human Songwriting? 01:59 Introducing MGMT & the Album Loss of Life 02:56 First Reactions to MGMT’s New Album Loss of Life 03:22 Post-Album Letdown & Choosing Not to Tour 05:47 Touring Burnout, Aging & Changing Priorities 07:39 Writing Catchy Pop Songs Without Compromise 10:04 Genre Labels, Adult Contemporary & Steely Dan Influence 13:24 MGMT Influences: Roxy Music, Prince & 80s Synth Pop 17:07 The Role of Producers & Working With Dave Fridmann 21:28 Music Videos, Self-Promotion & Streaming Economics 30:00 Drugs, Lyrics & Growing Older as a Band 31:56 Final Plugs, Artists to Support & Closing Thoughts Check out video clips of this episode and other conversations on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNH5UGRKI5E1AUBWAk-OkrA?sub_confirmation=1 Have any comments, feedback or suggestions for upcoming guests? We'd love to hear from you. Email The Plug w/ Justin Jay at: theplugpodcast.jj(AT)gmail.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theplugwithjustinjay.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://justinjay.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HI 1K - 10 Years / 1000 Moments On Hawaii’s North Shore by Justin Jay: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.hi1k.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices