Apple News In Conversation

The United States turns 250 years old this summer — and there’s no shortage of ways to mark the moment. One of the most revealing lenses through which to view the country’s history may be music. Anna Harwell Celenza, professor at Johns Hopkins University and author of On the Record: Music That Changed America, joined Apple News In Conversation guest host David Greene to discuss the hidden political history of American music — from why “The Star-Spangled Banner” became the national anthem to how “Strange Fruit” helped pass anti-lynching legislation — and what music still has to say about democracy now.

This year’s World Cup will be the largest in history, with 48 teams and 104 matches — and, for the first time in more than 30 years, the tournament is being played on American soil. Brendan Hunt, co-creator, writer, and star of Ted Lasso and cohost of the Apple News Original podcast After the Whistle, joins Apple News In Conversation guest host David Greene to talk about how he fell in love with soccer as an adult, the U.S. Men’s National Team players he’ll be watching, and whether the United States is finally a soccer country.

On July 4, 2025, catastrophic flooding tore through Central Texas, killing more than 130 people and destroying communities along the Guadalupe River. Aaron Parsley, a senior editor at Texas Monthly, was there — and though he survived, his family suffered a devastating loss. His harrowing account of what happened when floodwaters overwhelmed their house and ripped them apart won the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing. Now he’s out with a new essay and a podcast about what their recovery has looked like. Parsley joined Apple News In Conversation guest host David Greene to talk about grief, the evolution of his faith, and what survival really means.

The summer travel season is upon us — and this year is more complicated and more expensive than most. The war in Iran has driven up jet-fuel prices globally, and Spirit Airlines, one of the biggest budget carriers in the country, has just shut down. On top of that, a possible super El Niño could cause widespread disruptions. Zach Wichter, a consumer-travel reporter at USA Today, joins Apple News In Conversation guest host Sam Sanders to explain what it all means for travelers this summer — and his tips for how to fly smarter.

This episode originally aired on July 10, 2025.

Americans have a long history of obsession with the ultrarich, from Carnegie and Rockefeller to Bezos and Musk. And today, the gap between the rich and the poor is bigger than ever as the billionaire class has ascended to new heights. In his book, The Haves and Have-Yachts, New Yorker staff writer Evan Osnos explores the extravagant lifestyles of the wealthy and their outsize influence on politics. He sat down with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu to talk about this unique moment — when billionaires are both resented and envied by the public — and what it means for the rest of us.