Kelis — “Milkshake”
March 18, 2026
Kelis's career, exemplified by her 2000 Glastonbury performance covering Nirvana, showcases a rich, defiant, and uncategorizable musical lineage that resists neat genre classification, particularly for Black female artists.
Paramore — “Misery Business”
March 11, 2026
"Misery Business" is deemed an ideal car sing-along song due to its propulsion and the communal cover provided by group singing, contrasting with karaoke where its vocal difficulty violates a social contract.
The Darkness — “I Believe in a Thing Called Love”
March 4, 2026
The host's anecdote about being reprimanded by HR for emailing an Aerosmith video illustrates a personal history of being socially inappropriate in professional settings, which contrasts with the over-the-top nature of the music being discussed.
D’Angelo—“Untitled (How Does It Feel)”
February 25, 2026
The 'funeral performance' or in-memoriam tribute by enduring pop stars is identified as one of the hardest and most psychologically fraught parts of a pop star's job, exemplified by performances for Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Aretha Franklin.
Bruce Springsteen — “The Rising”
February 18, 2026
The footage of They Might Be Giants playing "New York City" in Tower Records on the morning of September 11, 2001, serves as a poignant, almost unbearable snapshot of pre-9/11 innocence, highlighting the abrupt shift in the American psyche that day.
Britney Spears – “Toxic”
February 11, 2026
The episode frames Britney Spears' career through the lens of her struggle for personal control amidst overwhelming fame, contrasting her cultural power with her personal vulnerability, exemplified by the iconic song "Toxic."
“Buy U a Drank”— T-Pain
February 4, 2026
The Susan Boyle audition on *
“Hallelujah” — Jeff Buckley
December 3, 2025
Jeff Buckley's cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" is presented as the definitive version, characterized by its intense sincerity and focus on carnal romanticism rather than religious homage.
“A-Punk” — Vampire Weekend
August 20, 2025
The podcast explores the cultural significance of music in defining eras, exemplified by the discussion of albums and songs that capture the spirit of the 21st century so far.