No Stairway? Denied! In this week’s episode, Mark and Nichole share some artists they really love… by sharing some songs they really don’t love by those artists! Please let us know what we got wrong in the Discord or at [email protected]. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

In this week’s episode, we revel in Toto’s 1982 masterpiece “Africa.” Nichole talks about how our memories play tricks on us, and Mark tries to uncover how this song’s iconic riff fits in with the various keys of the song. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

This week, we are thrilled to welcome rock critic and host of the 60 Songs That Explain the ‘90s podcast, Rob Harvilla. We reveal those embarrassing times we were dead wrong about an iconic artist… and one of us may have put some of those earlier thoughts in print! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

This week, we vibe with No Doubt’s 1995 radio smash “Don’t Speak.” podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

Why do violinists hate violists? Is Flipper actually evil? We comb through the listeners’ increasingly deranged questions with another Mailbag episode! Hear listeners test Nichole’s rhythm and shill their music in another fun check-in with our audience. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

In this episode, we swoon to Kendrick Lamar and Sza’s 2024 slow jam “Luther.” Mark goes gaga over the surprising long-term trajectory of this song’s melody. Nichole brings us a good one: the triangular theory of love! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

This week, we welcome writer and Tedx speaker Sadie Higgins. Sadie talks to us about how we can use music in our everyday lives to regulate our emotions and find a sense of community. Will Nichole actually sing on-mic? podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

This week, somewhere between the sacred silence and sleep is System of a Down’s 2001 rock hit “Toxicity.” podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

www.farmaid.org/against-the-... www.farmaid.org/against-the-... Hey everyone! And this week episode, we talked to the awesome hosts of the Farm Aid m podcast, Against the Grain. We talk a lot about the new miniseries they dropped. Check it out here!

What motivates an artist to go beyond performative tweets and truly advocate for a cause they care about? This week, we are joined by Jessica Ilyse Kurn and Michael Stewart Foley, co-hosts of Against the Grain: The Farm Aid Podcast podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

Is 47.5 times through a guitar riff enough? This week, we grab a ticket to anywhere with Tracy Chapman’s thoughtful 1988 ballad “Fast Car.” Just maybe this week it will be Nichole’s turn to secrete salty fluid from her optical sensors! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

Is that episode title just a joke? Mark definitely wishes it was. In this week’s Sidetrack, our hosts give their lists of songs that get the waterworks flowing. Join us for some really awesome music and some major over-sharing! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

This week, we’re burning down the highway skyline to The Killers’ 2006 anthem “When You Were Young.” podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

Who better to judge Boomer music than a member of Generation Alpha? In this Sidetrack, Mark’s son makes a surprising and controversial proclamation about the production of the universally-acclaimed 1977 Fleetwood Mac opus, Rumours. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

In this episode, we are entranced by Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 masterpiece “Dreams.” podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

In this week’s Sidetrack, Mark and Nichole create a family tree of iconic family bands and artists. From twins to parents and uncles, we talk through the superpowers these groups get through their family connections. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

What happens when you have to replace an iconic voice? This week we rock out to Linkin Park’s 2003 hit “Numb.” podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

This week, we dig back into the e-mail inbox for more listener feedback! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

In this episode, we dress up for Shania Twain’s 1997 country-rock smash “Man! I feel like a Woman!” podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

This week, we welcome author and communication professor Michael Serazio to talk about authenticity in pop music, especially with the arrival of A.I.-created music. Can a machine be a tortured artist… or at least fake it better than a human? podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

This week, Mark and Nichole enjoy all the Philly steaks they can eat with Boyz II Men’s iconic 1991 jam “Motownphilly.” podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

In this Sidetrack, the hosts share their top three songs with main characters that you really wouldn’t want to hang out with, whether they’re just awkward, or full-on evil. The most important rule, though: the songs have to be good! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

This week, we don’t regret listening to the 2013 jam “If I Could Change Your Mind” by the sisters of HAIM. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

Hey! Bandcamp Friday! If you want to support Mark’s band, The Slackademics, if you preorder their new record today (digital format), they get 100% of the revenue: theslackademics.bandcamp.com/album/pass-f...

This week we welcome Chris Fafalios from the band Punchline and the One Hit Thunder Podcast to talk us through how a band chooses which of their songs to put on an album. Chris gets into nuanced band dynamics that have been a part of Punchline’s ten-album run. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n... When can a bit of nursery rhyme cost you six figures of royalties? In this episode, the hosts deep dive on Men at Work’s 1981 international hit “Down Under” and the crazy story of its authorship and accusations of plagiarism.

In this week’s Sidetrack, we come back once again to discuss the eight nominees for “Album of the Year” at the 2026 Grammys. Tune in to hear our hosts deep-dive on the high and low points of this year’s crop of nominees. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

In this episode, we are lied to by the fun 2000 hit “It Wasn’t Me” by Shaggy and Rikrok. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

This week we are joined by podcast super-host Matt Kelly from the Geekscape network to talk about the mid-90s! For a wild few years, it seemed like the record labels were signing every quirky band they could to try to recreate the magic of Nirvana. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

In this week’s episode, we rock out to Metallica’s 1991 metal powerhouse “Enter Sandman.” podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

Is it flutist or flautist? Would you want to know the setlist before you see the concert? What’s going to be our hosts next side-hustle? It’s Season 2 and time for listener questions! See you next week for our next regular episode! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

This week, there are many things that we would like to say to you about Oasis’ 1995 sing-along classic “Wonderwall.” podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

Can we predict the next musical revolution? We welcome Lorehounds co-host David as we unpack the Generational Music Theorem, which links major changes in popular music with the coming of age of each generation’s youth. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

Mark’s band, the Slackademics, released a new single, “This Dance”. Check it out and give them a follow! music.apple.com/us/album/thi... open.spotify.com/album/50nqGQ...

In this episode, we pine after “Hello,” Lionel Richie’s 1983 mega-hit. While Nichole falls hard for obsessive romantic delusions, Mark yearns for classic chord patterns used in interesting ways. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

Is Thanksgiving week already too late to start talking about Christmas music? In this Sidetrack, Nichole and Mark put on their festive sweaters, spike the eggnog, and share the greatest holiday songs. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

This week, the team nod their heads to The Chainsmokers’ catchy dance hit “Don’t Let Me Down” from 2016. While Mark shows off some shifty rhythms, Nichole is let down by all-or-nothing thinking… and some therapists. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

We welcome Lorehound and Wool-Shift-Dust co-host Elysia Brenner to do what she does best: we talk the literary movement “hopepunk” as a new form of counter-culture, and wonder at the musical aspects of this unique way of looking at stories. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

Here our hosts follow along with the 1978 punk anthem “One Way or Another” by Blondie. Mark marvels at the simplicity and unity between the song’s tune and chords, while Nichole wonders if the modern world has lost all its toughness. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

Our guest on this episode, Steve Hogan, is musically responsible for three World Series championships with the San Francisco Giants. We talk with Steve about the way music plays an important role in sporting events and, we have to get deep into the details. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

This week, the light hits the gloom on Seal’s 1994 baroque pop gem “Kiss From a Rose.” podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

On this Sidetrack, we talk with Bree Nguyen about the crazy story of how one Mariah-obsessed teen was put in charge of online marketing for one of the greatest performers of all time, and turned it into a full career. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

Can a song be a hit when everyday people aren’t good enough to sing along? In this episode, we embarrass ourselves following along with Mariah Carey’s 1991 classic “Emotions.” podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

What songs explain the twisted minds of our co-hosts? In this sidetrack, Mark and Nichole share the soundtracks to their own life stages. What toys was a young Mark obsessed with? Just how evil were Nichole’s middle school bullies? podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

Welcome to season 2 of Nevermind the Music! Here, we look under someone’s bed and pickup that old “Cardigan,” Taylor Swift’s vibey hit from 2020. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

Check out this Spotify playlist with ALL the songs from NTM season 1! Which is your favorite? open.spotify.com/playlist/2Oo...

What were the best moments of NTM Season 1? In this finale podcast, Nichole and Mark rate their favorite songs, funniest moments, deepest thoughts, biggest misses, and more. Come back next week as we start Season 2! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

In this episode, we finally turn to Nirvana, with their iconic 1994 anthem “Lithium.” podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

Can we nap to heavy metal? Did Evanescence save a plane full of people? Did we really miss the mark with Weezer? In this super-sized episode, we hear one last batch of listener questions for Season 1! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

Check out Mark as he joins the awesome podcast One Hit Thunder, talking the 1983 hit ‘Always Something There to Remind Me’ by Naked Eyes! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a...