41. The Swedes Who Built Modern Pop Music
Allt handlar om låtarna! In this solo ep , Mat outlines the history of pop music since the early 1990s––a story which hinges almost entirely on a handful of Swedish guys.
Jan 10, 2022•48 min
Earbuddies
Music made them friends; now, it's making them podcasters. Join Mat and Tim at the intersection of music, culture, politics, and jokes.
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Episodes
40. New Year, New Buddies!
There’s no forgetting *these* auld acquaintances! In this episode , Mat and Tim share their resolutions for 2022, and introduce the #EarbuddiesArmy to the newest cadet. Enjoying Earbuddies? We want to hear from you! Find us on Twitter at @earbuddies_pod . Or, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts !...
Jan 03, 2022•53 min
39. Tim's Gone
God only knows what Mat would be without Tim! But that's not true, is it? Because in this ep , Mat flies solo and song-explodes the best song ever written.
Dec 27, 2021•46 min
38. It's All About the Christmas Tunes
War is over!* In this ep , Mat and Tim share some Christmas music recommendations for your holiday party playlists, and offer all kinds of context and trivia to go with each tune. SONGS PLAYED: 1) Bing Crosby - I'll Be Home For Christmas 2) Vulfpeck - Christmas in L.A. 3) Gene Autry - Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer 4) Phoebe Bridgers - If We Make It Through December 5) Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas? 6) Chris Thile - Douglas Fir (feat. Aoife O'Donovan) 7) Wham! - Last Christmas 8) [Redac...
Dec 20, 2021•42 min
37. Yacht Rock (feat. 'Hollywood' Steve Huey)
Full sail! In this ep , Mat and Tim are joined by 'Hollywood' Steve Huey, scholar of yacht rock, a genre of music he helped define in the early 2000s. Steve helps us understand yacht rock and its place in the culture today. Then: another edition of See? I Told You So! in which the buddies get mad about Kenny G. SONGS PLAYED: Steely Dan - Peg Christopher Cross - Sailing Toto - Rosanna Kenny Loggins - This Is It Boz Scaggs - Lowdown Steely Dan - Hey Nineteen The Doobie Brothers - What a Fool Belie...
Dec 13, 2021•52 min
36. Did Owl City Rip Off The Postal Service?
We get a thousand hugs from ten thousand lightning bugs! In this ep , Mat and Tim deconstruct the conventional wisdom that "Owl City ripped off The Postal Service." It's time to stop pitting men against each other! SONGS PLAYED: Owl City - Fireflies The Postal Service - Such Great Heights The Postal Service - The District Sleeps Alone Tonight Owl City - Cave In Owl City - Vanilla Twilight Owl City - Hot Air Balloon The Postal Service - Brand New Colony The Postal Service - Recycled Air Owl City ...
Dec 06, 2021•48 min
35. lofi hip hop beats to relax/exploit labor to
Zone out with us! In this ep , Mat and Tim discuss music as background noise, and why the vast majority of artists who create such music are getting a raw deal from music streaming services. The official Earbuddies website has launched! And it's your exclusive home for Earbuddies branded merchandise .
Nov 29, 2021•53 min
34. Is Bruno Mars Cool?
Today, we don't feel like doing anything! (Except podcasting.) In this ep , Mat and Tim talk all things Bruno Mars following the release of An Evening With Silk Sonic , his most soulful project yet. SONGS PLAYED: Silk Sonic - Smokin' Out the Window Silk Sonic - Fly As Me Silk Sonic - Silk Sonic Intro Bruno Mars - Just the Way You Are Bruno Mars - Grenade Bruno Mars - The Lazy Song Bruno Mars - Treasure Bruno Mars - Locked Out of Heaven Mark Ronson - Uptown Funk (feat. Bruno Mars) Bruno Mars - 24...
Nov 22, 2021•51 min
33. In the Name of Being Honest: Taylor Swift Re-Releases Red
Break us like a promise! In this ep , Mat and Tim review the latest re-recording by Taylor Swift: Red. How's the 10-minute version of "All Too Well"? How are the songs from the vault? How's everything else? (Content warning: A keychain with strong language) SONGS PLAYED: Taylor Swift - Red (Taylor's Version) Taylor Swift - I Knew You Were Trouble (Taylor's Version) Taylor Swift - Holy Ground (Taylor's Version) Taylor Swift - We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together (Taylor's Version) Taylor Swift...
Nov 15, 2021•53 min
32. Mat's Back, and So Is ABBA!
Keep an eye on Mat and Tim! In this ep , the buddies talk ABBA. Mat loves 'em; Tim's still learning. After digging through their catalog, they hone in on the first new ABBA album in 40 years. SONGS PLAYED: ABBA - Dancing Queen ABBA - Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) ABBA - Waterloo ABBA - Fernando ABBA - Super Trouper ABBA - Just a Notion ABBA - The Winner Takes It All ABBA - Take a Chance ABBA - S.O.S. ABBA - Mamma Mia ABBA - When You Danced With Me ABBA - I Still Have Faith In You A...
Nov 08, 2021•58 min
31. Mat's Gone
За здоровье! In this ep , Tim holds down the fort by sharing his favorite piece of classical music ever composed. Sounds boring right? Well, uh, wrong, we hope! MUSIC PLAYED: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor - Sergei Rachmaninoff SHOW AND TELL: Eric Carmen - All By Myself
Nov 01, 2021•49 min
30. Discussing Deplatforming at the Day Spa
Namaste! In this ep , Mat and Tim consider tough questions surrounding deplatforming problematic artists, in the wake of R. Kelly's sex trafficking conviction. Then, for a palate cleanser, they discuss a movie Tim just saw.
Oct 25, 2021•48 min
29. Coldplay: The Limits of Having No Limits
Look at the stars; look how they shine for us! In this ep , Mat and Tim gush about Coldplay, a band that seems to have lost all sense of time and space and scale. We see the flaws, yet we still love them! SONGS PLAYED: Coldplay - Clocks Coldplay - Higher Power Coldplay x BTS - My Universe Coldplay - Humankind Coldplay - Trouble Coldplay - Yellow Coldplay - Fix You Coldplay - Coloratura Coldplay - Infinity Coldplay - In My Place Coldplay - Viva La Vida Coldplay - Paradise Coldplay - Midnight Cold...
Oct 19, 2021•53 min
28. Burning Bridges: How the Middle Eight Fell Out of Fashion
Take it to the bridge! In this ep , Mat and Tim put the "middle eight" under the microscope. They share some of pop music's great bridges, and consider why fewer artists feel the need to write bridges anymore. Then, they get structural with special guest Matt Schimke ! SONGS PLAYED: Paramore - Ain't It Fun Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper - Shallow Maroon 5 - This Love Olivia Rodrigo - drivers license Jason Mraz - The Remedy (I Won't Worry) BRYAN ADAMS - Summer of '69 The Police - Every Breath You...
Oct 11, 2021•47 min
27. The Former Disney Kid Awards
Presenting The First Annual Former Disney Kid Awards ! Most Improved Aly and AJ Hayley Kiyoko Miley Cyrus Feels the Most Like a Former Disney Star, But Isn't Ed Sheeran Post Malone Billie Eilish Carly Rae Jepsen Best Comeback The Jonas Brothers Keke Palmer Christy Carlson Romano Most Likely To Run For Governor of California As a Republican Kevin Jonas Zac Efron Jake Paul Miley Cyrus Underdog Award Bridgit Mendler Vanessa Hudgens Anneleise van der Pol Most Likely To Be Relevant in 2040 Selena Gom...
Oct 05, 2021•1 hr 1 min
26. Ke$ha, Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry in 2010: The Year of the Pop Queen Trifecta
Wake up in the morning feeling like Mat and Tim! In this ep , the buddies recount a highly consequential year for pop music, and the three pop stars who led the way. SONGS PLAYED: Lady Gaga - Bad Romance Katy Perry - The One That Got Away Lady Gaga - Alejandro Kesha - We R Who We R Lady Gaga - Just Dance Kesha - TiK ToK Lady Gaga - Telephone (feat. Beyonce) Katy Perry - California Gurls (feat. Snoop Dogg) Kesha - Blah Blah Blah (feat. 3OH!3) David Guetta - Sexy B**ch (feat. Akon) Adele - Someone...
Sep 27, 2021•49 min
25. Friends Don't Let Friends Become Jazz Guys
Content warning: this episode contains J.K. Simmons using explicit language. It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing! In this ep , Mat and Tim get mad about jazz elitists and gatekeeping within the genre. Enjoying Earbuddies? We want to hear from you! Find us on Twitter at @earbuddies_pod . SONGS PLAYED: Frank Sinatra - New York, New York Miles Davis - Freddie Freeloader Dave Brubeck - Everybody's Jumpin' Kenny G - Songbird Pat Metheny - Better Days Ahead Kenny G - What a Wonderful Worl...
Sep 20, 2021•50 min
24. Sad Old Songs: Country Music At Its Best
Is this loss? In this ep , Mat and Tim dive into a real bummer of a sub-sub-genre: country music about loss and heartbreak! Why does some of it work, and why is some of it unbearably corny? SONGS PLAYED: Chris Janson - Bye Mom Chris Janson - Drunk Girl Steve Wariner - Holes In the Floor of Heaven George Jones - He Stopped Loving Her Today Luke Bryan - Drink a Beer Lee Bryce - I Drive Your Truck Randy Travis - Three Wooden Crosses Kacey Musgraves - angel Kacey Musgraves - Merry Go ‘Round Kacey Mu...
Sep 13, 2021•57 min
23. What's Going On: Motown and K-Pop
Promises made, promises kept! In this ep , Mat and Tim compare the industry structures of K-Pop and Motown, and the similarities therein. Will the working musician ever win? Listen and find out! SONGS PLAYED: Stevie Wonder - Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) BTS - Butter BLACKPINK, Selena Gomez - Ice Cream BTS - Dynamite Red Velvet - Queendom ITZY - WANNABE BRAVE GIRLS - ROLLIN' Barrett Strong - Money (That's What I Want) Gladys Knight & The Pips - If I Were Your Woman Jackson 5 - I Want...
Sep 06, 2021•1 hr
22. The Death of the Drummer
Are we rushing or are we dragging?! In this ep , Mat and Tim discuss the recent death of Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, and use it as a launchpad to consider: what makes a great drummer, anyway? And why are they quickly becoming obsolete? PLUS: We revisit the issue of interpolation, first discussed in Episode 14, and how Olivia Rodrigo has become the latest target of dubious potential legal action. SONGS PLAYED: The Rolling Stones - Paint It Black The Rolling Stones - (I Can't Get No) Sat...
Aug 31, 2021•1 hr 8 min
21. An Earbuddies Guide To Cultural Appropriation, Volume I
You don't need no other buddy! In this ep , Mat and Tim use a significant new Afropop single as a jumping off point to discuss cultural borrowing in pop music, and look at an important example from the 1980s. Plus, they explode a song and choose a new Jeopardy! host. SONGS PLAYED: Paul Simon - Under African Skies WizKid - Essence (ft. Justin Bieber, Tems) Luis Fonsi - Despacito (ft. Justin Bieber, Daddy Yankee) Elvis Presley - Tutti Frutti Little Richard - Tutti Frutti BTS - Boy With Luv (ft. Ha...
Aug 23, 2021•58 min
20. Billie Eilish Is Sadder Than Ever
We're in love with our future! In this ep , Mat and Tim explore Billie Eilish's latest album, Happier Than Ever, and consider whether those three words could possibly be true. Then they play a fun new game they came up with. SONGS PLAYED: Billie Eilish - bury a friend Billie Eilish - my future Billie Eilish - Billie Bossa Nova Billie Eilish - bad guy Billie Eilish - Halley's Comet Billie Eilish - Getting Older Billie Eilish - I Didn't Change My Number Billie Eilish - Ocean Eyes Billie Eilish - N...
Aug 16, 2021•54 min
19. A Leg Up: Privilege and Potential in the Music Industry
Pull yourself up by your bootstraps! In this ep , Mat and Tim consider whether meritocracy and inherited fame should change how we perceive our favorite artists. SONGS PLAYED: Miley Cyrus - The Climb WILLOW - t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l (feat. Travis Barker) Ravi Shankar - Pancham se Gara Dhun The Strokes - Reptilia Eve6 - Inside Out Enrique Iglesias - Bailamos The Wallflowers - One Headlight Clairo - Sofia SHOW AND TELL: Tim: Robin Thicke - Get Her Back Mat: Elle King - America's Sweetheart P...
Aug 09, 2021•36 min
18. Wimpcore: Bad Music For Good Boys
We'll be your crying shoulder! In this ep , Mat and Tim celebrate another niche genre of music that sucked up a lot of oxygen in the early 2000s: wimpcore. Along the way they learn a lot about themselves. SONGS PLAYED: James Blunt - You're Beautiful Edwin McCain - I'll Be Daniel Powter - Bad Day Howie Day - Collide Five For Fighting - 100 Years Ryan Cabrera - On the Way Down The Fray - How To Save a Life Coldplay - The Scientist Daniel Bedingfield - If You're Not the One Lifehouse - You and Me F...
Aug 02, 2021•50 min
17. Power Ranking the Black Eyed Peas
Let's get it started, obviously! In this ep , Mat and Tim prepare a definitive ranking of the members of the Black Eyed Peas. Who's the best? Who's the worst? Who's in the middle somewhere? The answer lies within. SONGS PLAYED: Black Eyed Peas - Don't Phunk With My Heart Black Eyed Peas - Boom Boom Pow Black Eyed Peas - Let's Get It Started Black Eyed Peas - Shut Up Black Eyed Peas - My Humps Black Eyed Peas - Pump It will.i.am - Yes We Can will.i.am - #thatPOWER Black Eyed Peas - The Apl Song B...
Jul 26, 2021•51 min
16. John Mayer Needs a Girlfriend
Our podcast is a wonderland! In this ep , Mat and Tim ask: what will it take for John Mayer to finally be happy? SONGS PLAYED: John Mayer - Last Train Home John Mayer - Born and Raised John Mayer - Daughters John Mayer - Vultures John Mayer - Why Georgia John Mayer - New Light John Mayer - Wild Blue John Mayer - Dreaming With a Broken Heart WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Vanessa Carlton - A Thousand Miles Jessica Simpson - These Boots Are Made For Walking Taylor Swift - Dear John John Mayer - Who You Love ...
Jul 19, 2021•47 min
15. Justice For T-Pain
Do you believe in pods after casts? In this ep , Mat and Tim dole out takes on Auto-Tune, pitch correction, and artistry. Is T-Pain bad or good? Was Usher mean to him for no reason? Can any schmuck sound like a superstar in the studio now? Answers await within! SONGS PLAYED: Kanye West - Heartless Cher - Believe Daft Punk - One More Time T-Pain - Up Down (Do This All Day) Usher - OMG (feat. will.i.am) Michael Bublé - Feeling Good Billie Eilish - bad guy Kanye West - Welcome to Heartbreak (feat. ...
Jul 12, 2021•48 min
14. There Is Nothing New Under the Sun
What has been done will be done again! In this ep , Mat and Tim break down the confusing world of interpolation in pop music. What's allowed? Who deserves to get paid? Are we doomed to hear only recycled ideas for the rest of our days? And how is LeBron James in the new Space Jam? SONGS PLAYED: Halsey - Without Me Justin Timberlake - Cry Me a River Machine Gun Kelly, Camila Cabello - Bad Things Fastball - Out of My Head Fall Out Boy - Uma Thurman Sam Smith - Stay With Me Tom Petty and the Heartb...
Jul 05, 2021•53 min
13. When People Become Commodities: Britney Spears
In this ep , Mat and Tim react to Britney Spears's request in court to have her conservatorship ended – and recall other artists in the 20th century who were taken advantage of for profit or otherwise. SONGS PLAYED: Britney Spears - ...Baby One More Time Britney Spears - Stronger The Beach Boys - God Only Knows The Beach Boys - Wouldn't It Be Nice Fleetwood Mac - Dreams The Ronettes - Be My Baby Britney Spears - Toxic Britney Spears - Sometimes WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Justin Timberlake - CAN'T STOP ...
Jun 28, 2021•47 min
12. It's Time To Talk About Jack Antonoff
Are we out of the pod yet/are we out of the pod yet/are we out of the pod yet/are we out of the pod? In this ep , Mat and Tim explore Jack Antonoff's career arc from cool indie kid to producer of the stars. Brace yourself for a measured take! SONGS PLAYED: Taylor Swift - Cruel Summer Fun - We Are Young (feat. Janelle Monae) Sara Bareilles - Brave Bleachers - I Wanna Get Better Taylor Swift - I Wish You Would Taylor Swift - Out of the Woods Taylor Swift - Look What You Made Me Do Lorde - Green Li...
Jun 21, 2021•45 min
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