Auto-Tune may be the most divisive effect in music. Artists have protested it publicly at the Grammys, and critics have derided the effects for its inauthentic reproduction of the voice. And yet, nearly a decade since Jay-Z prophesied the death of Auto-Tune, the sound is alive and thriving in contemporary pop and hip-hop. Journalist Simon Reynolds has written a definitive history of Auto-Tune for Pitchfork that fundamentally changed how we hear this sound. This deep dive criss crosses geology, technology, and the evolution of pop as we know it.
Songs Discussed:

Cher - Believe

Katy Perry - Firework

Rihanna - Diamonds

Future - F*ck Up Some Commas

Emma Robinson - Stay (Cover) 

Imogen Heap - Hide And Seek 

Zapp & Roger - Doo Wa Ditty (Blow That Thing) 

T. Pain - Chopped N Screwed ft. Ludacris 

Lil Wayne - “How To Love”

Kanye - “Heartless”

The Black Eyed Peas “Boom Boom Pow”

Jay-Z - Death Of Auto-Tune

Elvis - Mystery Train

The Beatles - Tomorrow Never Knows

Whispering Jack Smith - Baby Face

Kesha - Tik Tok Bon Iver - Woods

Future & Juice WRLD - Jet Lag ft. Young Scooter 

Shek Wes - Mo Bamba

The Carters - Apeshit


Further Reading: Simon Reynolds - “How Auto-Tune Revolutionized the Sound of Popular Music" Simon Reynolds -Energy Flash: A Journey Through Rave Music and Dance Culture 
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