Category: 60 Songs

There is a select handful of people who were never meant to step foot into an office due to their proclivity to screw around. Just like we sent Rob packing to Ohio to bother no one but himself, Lowestoft, England shipped us The Darkness. During the post-grunge era when rock was murkily defined, we were gifted front man and lead singer Justin Hawkins on a silver platter (his manager’s shoulders) to give us crude operatic hair metal ballads. This week, Rob discusses, “I Believe in a Thing Called Love,” a song that proves if you dive head first into cheesiness, it becomes ironic and cool. Later, he is joined by Jill Hopkins who talks about the experience of watching The Darkness live and then comparing that to the people who feel confident enough to sing The Darkness at karaoke.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Producers: Justin Sayles and Olivia Crerie

Additional Video Editing: Kevin Pooler

Guest: Jill Hopkins

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Today, Rob breaks down one of the many impossible expectations we have for our musical stars—the memorial performance. After years of staying out of the public eye, D’Angelo paid tribute to the artist he grew up imitating, Prince, not because he was expected to but because he had something to share. The bulk of D’Angelo’s career was spent defying our expectations, from taking his time between each of his three studio albums to refusing to become a one-dimensional sex symbol after the release of his “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” music video. Rob speaks to author and poet Hanif Abdurraqib about how we misinterpreted this music video and how we should all be grateful we were born at a time when we could listen to D’Angelo.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Producers: Justin Sayles and Olivia Crerie

Additional Video Editing: Kevin Pooler

Guest: Hanif Abdurraqib

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In the uncertain moments following 9/11, we were searching for comfort and someone to help us make sense of it all. Today, Rob discusses the one musician who was capable of stepping up and capturing the emotions the American people were feeling: Bruce Springsteen. Rob recaps the political statements Springsteen had been making in the decades before, which prepared him for the creation of “The Rising.” Finally, he is joined by music critic and Springsteen expert Steven Hyden to discuss where the album ‘The Rising’ ranks in his discography.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Producers: Justin Sayles and Olivia Crerie

Additional Video Editing: Kevin Pooler

Guest: Steven Hyden

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Before he vows to leave her alone, Rob breaks down the cataclysmic career of a pop star who did it for the love of the game and the disgust of the fame. Britney Spears had the power to shift culture with a single VMAs performance, yet her music reflected a desperation to control her own personal life. Despite the public’s continuous mistreatment of Britney, she selflessly gifted us one of the most iconic bangers of our time: “Toxic.” Afterwards, Rob speaks with music journalist Jeff Weiss to talk about the unfinished evolution of Britney’s career, the difference in today’s celebrity culture, and creation of his book, ‘Waiting for Britney Spears,’ in the time of the Free Britney movement.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Jeff Weiss

Producers: Justin Sayle and Olivia Crerie

Additional Video Editing: Kevin Pooler

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At long last, Rob has returned to your speakers and screens, triumphant in the face of his haters. In this way, he is no different than the subject of today’s episode: T-Pain. Even though he wrote, produced, and performed some of the greatest hits of the 2000s, T-Pain’s use of auto-tune overshadowed his talent. However, after his 2014 Tiny Desk Concert, it is safe to say we all owe T-Pain an apology (and a drank). Finally, Rob talks to The Ringer’s Tyler Parker, who speaks to the shock of hearing “I’m n Luv (wit a Stripper)” for the first time and becoming fascinated with T-Pain’s style and his version of the club.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Tyler Parker

Producers: Justin Sayle and Olivia Crerie

Additional Video Editing: Kevin Pooler

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Today, Rob returns with a gift in time for the holidays, breaking down what many would call the voice of an angel. He takes us back to the ’90s, when one of the most covered songs on the planet was merely a forgotten, horny track from Leonard Cohen’s catalog. While many artists cover songs in an attempt to replicate the original (or just sing it more loudly), Rob explains how Jeff Buckley covered the song and made it new. Later, Rob is joined by documentary filmmaker Amy J. Berg to discuss her new project ‘It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley.’ She describes the intimate moments of Buckley’s mother she captured, how Buckley’s father affected his relationship with success and music, and the difficulties of what to do with an artist’s unfinished discography posthumously.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Amy J. Berg

Producers: Justin Sayles, Chris Sutton, and Olivia Crerie

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This week, Rob explores the biblical complexities of brotherhood throughout popular song, and uses those musical examples to highlight this eternal dichotomy: Some days when you aren’t Abel, there is always Cain. This sentiment rings glaringly true as he dissects the career of Virginia brothers The Clipse and their massive 2002 hit ‘Grindin’’, arguably the Neptunes finest production moment. Later, Rob is joined by Ringer alum Shea Serrano to explain why Malice and Pusha T’s elegant street poetry transcends the simple ‘coke rap’ designation critics have hastily assigned to their legacy.

Host: Rob Harvilla
Guest: Shea Serrano
Producers: Chris Sutton, Olivia Crerie, and Justin Sayles

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In this week’s episode, Rob uses the blueprint he learned from all of his favorite rock band movies, like 'Dig!' and 'The Great Muppet Caper,' to better understand the self-proclaimed misunderstood band Wilco. He takes us through Jeff Tweedy’s journey, starting with Wilco’s predecessor Uncle Tupelo, which diverged from the marketable grunge movement of its time to make forthright folk music. Unsurprisingly, Tweedy continued not to write music for the masses and the labels, inadvertently making hits like “Heavy Metal Drummer.” Later, Rob is joined by Dylan Tupper Rupert, who explains how she discovered Wilco as a 12-year-old and how a band can make even the most childless of listeners feel like a dad (in the best way).

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Dylan Tupper Rupert

Producers: Olivia Crerie, Chris Sutton, and Justin Sayles

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This week, Rob shines a light on the many ways singer-songwriters have utilized the concept of the word ‘home’ to convey where the heart and the human spirit truly reside. These musings serve as a springboard for a thorough analysis of country superstar Miranda Lambert’s hit song from 2010 ‘The House That Built Me’, and the defiantly authentic discography that preceded it. He’s then joined by friend and culture writer Elamin Abdelmahmoud from CBC’s ‘The Commotion’ podcast to expound further on Lambert’s infectious Texas charm.

Host: Rob Harvilla
Guest: Elamin Abdelmahmoud
Producer: Chris Sutton, Olivia Crerie, and Justin Sayles

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