Signature Song

From the groundbreaking pop and R&B of Control to the social consciousness of Rhythm Nation 1814 and the sensual experimentation of The Velvet Rope, Janet Jackson has spent decades reinventing herself and influencing generations of pop stars. On this episode of Signature Song, we explore her remarkable career, her innovative production and choreography, and the hits that made her a cultural icon. But with so many different eras and sounds to choose from, which song truly defines Janet Jackson?

Madonna is indisputably one of the most successful and influential singer-songwriters of all time. She’s smashed records, paved the way for countless women in pop music, and wowed fans with her wild sartorial choices and genre-bending music close to 45 years. Join us as we examine Madonna’s impossibly expansive career and creativity on the season 3 premiere of Signature Song.

As we approach the end of our summer break, we take a look at some of the comments listeners have left across various platforms -- and reveal the first artist of season 3! 00:00 - Welcome to the listener mailbag 01:26 - Has Signature Song broken our brains? 02:25 - Smash Mouth, Bon Jovi, and obvious signature songs 05:06 - What we’ve been listening to 07:53 - Diving into listener comments 08:48 - Britney Spears: did we underrate “(You Drive Me) Crazy”? 12:28 - Pearl Jam: is “Even Flow” ac

Few bands have pursued grandeur as relentlessly as U2. Across nearly five decades, the Irish quartet has transformed political urgency, spiritual yearning, romantic conflict, and unabashed optimism into some of the biggest rock songs ever recorded. We trace their journey from the martial intensity of War to the stadium transcendence of The Unforgettable Fire, the emotional sweep of The Joshua Tree, and the polished uplift of All That You Can't Leave Behind. Along the way, we discuss delay pedals

Selena’s career was impossibly brief, but her musical legacy is enormous: Tejano cumbia, Mexican balladry, English-language pop, joy, heartbreak, charisma, and a voice that could make even the simplest hook feel inevitable. We dive into the songs that made Selena a regional superstar, a Latin music icon, and eventually one of the great “what might have been” stories in pop history. We laugh, we debate, we get a little emotional, and we try to answer a deceptively difficult question: what is Sele

Welcome to this week’s deep dive into the Smashing Pumpkins, an act that helped define alternative rock in the 1990s and beyond. From soaring melodies and gauzy production to crushing guitar hooks and Billy Corgan’s one-of-a-kind vocals, we explore the songs that have cemented the band’s legacy, about which Jorge and Lane have differing opinions. Despite all our rage, we’re still two dudes in a podcast cage.