Zzzzzz... in this palate-cleansing episode, Mat and Tim discuss a topsy-turvy cottage industry within the music industry: "functional noise." That is, white noise! What is it? Why is it so comforting? And should white noise farmers be paid by Spotify at the same rate as musical artists? Answers within! SONGS PLAYED: Vulfpeck - Fugue State Vampire Weekend - White Sky Vampire Weekend - M79 Vampire Weekend - A-Punk Vampire Weekend - Everlasting Arms Disclaimers: Under section 107 of the Copyright A...
Jan 29, 2024•50 min
Drop and give us 100! In this centennial ep, Mat and Tim share ten lists of ten tunes (which equals one hundred. You get it!) They laugh. They cry. They look back. They look to the future. Join them! Visit Earbuddies.Army for the latest from your buddies, as well as exclusive merchandise! Click here to see all ten lists of ten songs. This link contains spoilers for this episode of Earbuddies! --- Disclaimer: Under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” of copyrig...
Jan 22, 2024•1 hr 53 min
Those were the best days of his life! In this ep, Mat and Tim are joined by a songwriter whose work helped define rock and pop music in the 1980s: Jim Vallance. He tells us why for him, songwriting isn’t a choice: it’s what he must do. Plus, he offers insights into his long and fruitful career writing music with Bryan Adams. SONGS PLAYED: Bryan Adams - Summer of ’69 Aerosmith - Rag Doll Bryan Adams - Don’t Ya Say It Bryan Adams - Cuts Like a Knife Bryan Adams - Heaven Heart - What About Love? Br...
Jan 15, 2024•41 min
When good buddies go bad! From ‘irreconcilable differences of ambition’ to ‘ultimate partnership betrayal’ – so many buddies of yesteryear have gone their separate ways. What can Mat and Tim, as buddies themselves, learn from these bygone buddies to ensure that their personal and professional relationship remains fruitful and life-giving? Songs Played: Daryl Hall & John Oates - Kiss On My List The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army The Beatles - Let It Be The Civil Wars - Poison & Wine Si...
Jan 08, 2024•1 hr 1 min
Grab your pitch pipes! In this ep , Mat and Tim discuss the world's preeminent a cappella group, Pentatonix. They ask (and answer!) so many questions: Are they a Christmas band? Why do they make those faces all the time? How in the world do they sound like that? Do they actually like being an a cappella group? And so on and so forth. Buckle up, choir nerds. SONGS PLAYED: Pentatonix - Mary, Did You Know? Pentatonix - E.T. (from NBC's 'The Sing-Off') Pentatonix - Somebody That I Used To Know Penta...
Jan 01, 2024•1 hr 5 min
We'll pod our best for you (pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)! In this festive ep , Mat and Tim unwrap the entire history of the most important drum ever invented: the snare drum. From the nativity of Christ to the end of monoculture, we trace every boom-chick and rat-a-tat-tat throughout history. SONGS PLAYED: Traditional - The Little Drummer Boy Buddy Rich - Talk of the Town Greg Hutchinson - Drum Solo Traditional - Fife and Drum of the Revolutionary War Zac Brown Band - Chicken Fried John Philip Sousa - Se...
Dec 25, 2023•1 hr 7 min
More like 'Rainy Days and Never Missing Mondays'! On this very special ep , Mat and Tim are joined by legendary songwriter Paul Williams. The award-winning musician shares stories about his career as a songwriter, including how he got into the headspace of Kermit the Frog for "The Rainbow Connection". He also discusses his work as an advocate for artists' rights and how he views generative AI in relation to music creation. Learn more about Paul's work and career here . SONGS PLAYED: The Muppets ...
Dec 18, 2023•29 min
Please stop asking about Tim! In this, yet another solo ep , Mat takes us down into his music laboratory to analyze one of the great “middle of the road” musical groups of our time: The Carpenters. Why do so many of us only listen to them in December? Why don't we talk about their tunes very much? It's time to change things the only way Mat knows how to: for the better. -- Disclaimers: Under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” of copyrighted material in a mann...
Dec 11, 2023•38 min
Matty's on the mic to talk about the tunes ! Or rather, a single tune – one that carried an entire feature length film and ran circles around much of the music it paid homage to: That Thing You Do! -- Disclaimers: Under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” of copyrighted material in a manner that constitutes quotation, criticism, review, parody, caricature, pastiche, and other legal copyright exceptions. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that mig...
Dec 05, 2023•26 min
Get by with a little help from your buddies! In this ep , Mat and Tim finally – finally – talk about the lovable lads from Liverpool. Are they actually underrated? How's that new single of theirs? And are they actually a children's band? SONGS PLAYED: The Beatles - With a Little Help From My Friends The Beatles - Now and Then The Beatles - Come Together The Beatles - Penny Lane Little Richard - Good Golly, Miss Molly The Beatles - Eleanor Rigby The Beatles - Can't Buy Me Love The Beatles - Somet...
Nov 28, 2023•1 hr 4 min
Go buddies, give us nothing! In this ep , Mat and Tim try to discern the superstardom of Dua Lipa, the reigning queen of disco pop in 2023. What's beneath the surface of her tunes? Listen and find out, maybe! SONGS PLAYED: Dua Lipa - Houdini Dua Lipa - Levitating Dua Lipa - Dance the Night Zetta Bytes - Nothing's Wrong With Me Dua Lipa - Don't Start Now Kesha - TiK ToK Chic - Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah) Dua Lipa - New Rules Kylie Minogue - Can't Get You Out of My Head Rihanna - ...
Nov 20, 2023•51 min
Won't you be my buddy? In this ep , Tim shares his love of the joyful, jazzy music of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood . SONGS PLAYED: Fred Rogers - It's You I Like Fred Rogers - Won't You Be My Neighbor? Fred Rogers - There Are Many Ways To Say "I Love You" Fred Rogers - Please Don't Think It's Funny Fred Rogers - This Is Just the Day Jon Batiste - Space Maker Art Tatum - Yesterdays Fred Rogers - It's Such a Good Feeling -- Disclaimers: Under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made ...
Nov 14, 2023•27 min
Don't say we didn't warn you! In this ep , Mat and Tim discuss 1989 (Taylor's Version). Were the buddies wrong to be worried about this one? Is it good that Taylor's a billionaire now? Answers lie within! SONGS PLAYED: Taylor Swift - Bad Blood (Taylor's Version) Taylor Swift - Blank Space (Taylor's Version) Taylor Swift - You Are In Love (Taylor's Version) Taylor Swift - "Slut!" (Taylor's Version) [From the Vault] Taylor Swift - Now That We Don't Talk (Taylor's Version) [From the Vault] Taylor S...
Nov 07, 2023•53 min
Maybe together, we can get somewhere! In the season three premiere of Earbuddies, Mat and Tim consider the state of country music – and heck, all of music – and heck, all of art, maybe! – by examining the massive success of Luke Combs's cover of Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car". SONGS PLAYED: Tracy Chapman - Fast Car (performed by Cover Orchestra) Tracy Chapman - Fast Car Luke Combs - Fast Car Cole Swindell - She Had Me At Heads Carolina Jo Dee Messina - Heads Carolina, Tails California Jake Owen - On...
Oct 30, 2023•1 hr 4 min
Listening to Earbuddies tonight – it's a bad idea, right? In this special episode, Mat and Tim discuss the sophomore effort by Olivia Rodrigo, GUTS. Does it live up to its predecessor? Is it embarrassing for adults to listen to? Plus: circling back to our feelings on album lengths.
Sep 19, 2023•57 min
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. In this ep , Mat and Tim reflect on the journey they've been on as part of Season Two of Earbuddies. Are we better equipped to face the pop music landscape of 2023? Find out! Thank you for your continued support of Earbuddies. Regular episode releases will continue in the fall of 2023. You may also receive bonus episodes in your feed as the summer progresses. So, you know, don't unsubscribe! Gosh, please don't unsubscribe. SONGS PLAYED: Cody Fry - I Hear a Symphony...
May 30, 2023•30 min
Hit the road, Jack! In this ep, Mat and Tim are joined by marathoner Thomas Stromme, who just achieved the major milestone of completing the Boston Marathon. So what kind of tunes does he recommend training to? Plus: a trip to Planet Money to talk about BANKS. THE HOUR OF ANGST PLAYLIST: Ocean Avenue - Yellowcard Sugar we’re going down – Fall Out Boy Holiday – Green Day Uma Thurman – Fall Out Boy Dance Dance - Fall Out Boy Centuries - Fall Out Boy Teenagers - My Chemical Romance Face Down - Red ...
May 23, 2023•59 min
Or is it the American Idol of Europe? In this ep , Mat and Tim explore Eurovision: the massive annual pop music event that Americans just don't really care about. SONGS PLAYED: Noa Kirel - Unicorn (Israel) Lys Assia - Refrain (Switzerland) Conchita Wurst - Rise Like a Phoenix (Austria) Kalush Orchestra - Stefania (Ukraine) ABBA - Waterloo (Sweden) Käärijä - Cha Cha Cha (Finland) Loreen - Tattoo (Sweden) Igor Cukrov feat. Andrea - Lijepa Tena (Croatia) Mariya Yaremchuk - Tick-Tock (Ukraine) Barba...
May 16, 2023•55 min
This one's for all you mathematicians! In this ep , Mat and Tim finally consider the life and times of Ed Sheeran, who 1) just released a new album, and 2) just saved pop music(?!). SONGS PLAYED: Ed Sheeran - Shape of You Ed Sheeran - Boat Ed Sheeran - The A Team Justin Bieber - Love Yourself Ed Sheeran - Sing One Direction - Little Things Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud Ed Sheeran - Bad Habits Damien Rice - The Blower's Daughter Taylor Swift - Picture To Burn Taylor Swift - Blank Space Ed Sheera...
May 08, 2023•1 hr 2 min
We LOVE computers! But... In this ep , Mat and Tim share their feelings on the rise of generative artificial intelligence in the world of pop music. Is it a useful tool for artists? Or a threat to art itself? Sponsored by Mojave Max. SONGS PLAYED: Imogen Heap - Hide and Seek Holly Herndon - Frontier Ghostwriter - Heart on My Sleeve Brian Eno - Discreet Music Olafur Arnalds - ekki hugsa David Guetta - Live excerpt Brooklyn Duo feat. Dover Quartet - Hide and Seek (Imogen Heap cover) Brian Eno - 1/...
May 01, 2023•56 min
There must be more than this provincial pod! In this ep , Mat and Tim give flowers to Alan Menken, whose Disney songs and film scores in the 1980s and 1990s gave the Mouse the strength he needed to tower over us today. Plus: each buddy shares his top three Menken tunes.
Apr 24, 2023•1 hr 6 min
They said North Dakota in that song!! In this ep , Mat and Tim dissect the tunes of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. How did they impact Tim so significantly at a young age? Does their stuff hold up today? Should we have gone to see them at the Fargodome a few weeks ago? The answers lie ahead!
Apr 17, 2023•51 min
Now that's what I call hospital soap opera montage music! In this ep , Mat and Tim are joined by Courtney Olson to discuss Regina Spektor, one of her favorite artists. Then they consider the subgenre of Greycore: the heartstring-pulling needle drops from Grey's Anatomy . Choose us! Love us! Sponsored by The Super Mario Bros. Movie....
Apr 10, 2023•57 min
It's all so clear! In this ep , Mat and Tim check out 100 Gecs and the subgenre they helped define, hyperpop – and against all odds, the buddies reach an epiphany.
Apr 03, 2023•47 min
Thirty-six songs...? In this ep , Mat and Tim discuss the rise, brief fall, and then even bigger rise of Morgan Wallen, and what his persistent stardom says about the broader music industry. LINK: Pitchfork's review of One Thing at a Time by Morgan Wallen Sponsored by Subway.
Mar 27, 2023•52 min
Hon hon hon! In this ep , Tim is flying solo and talking through one of the most beloved classical music pieces of all time. LINK: Gilles-Claude Thériault reads Paul Verlaine's Promenade sentimentale
Mar 20, 2023•37 min
THIS IS OUR SCORE. In this ep , Mat and Tim are joined by certified film expert Caleb Steele to discuss the year's biggest music movie, TÁR. Sponsored by Lydia Tár.
Mar 13, 2023•1 hr 1 min
Matty's on the mic for another great ep ! This time he's examining the career and tunes of Meghan Trainor, including her latest, "Mother." And of course, he looks into the cultural discussion surrounding the tune. NOTE: Next week's episode will include a spoiler-full discussion of the film Tár. We invite you to watch the movie by next Monday so the ep makes sense!
Mar 07, 2023•42 min
"CALL 911 NOW!" In this ep , Mat and Tim share their first impressions of Skrillex's latest album releases – then they look at the growing trend of early 2010s artists chasing resurgences. Is it all for naught? Or is there hope for some of the most viral stars of that era?
Feb 27, 2023•53 min
Better have our money! In this ep , Mat and Tim break down why they loved Rihanna's Super Bowl halftime performance, and why her big moment has them considering whether artists owe consumers anything. Plus: America's Anchorman returns to say "See? I told you so!" about TikTok and Miley Cyrus. Sponsored by Rihanna....
Feb 20, 2023•53 min
