Can't Get Much Higher

Have you ever disliked an artist because you thought their music was dishonest? Maybe they were pretending to play an instrument that they couldn’t really play. Maybe they were doctoring up their vocals with pitch correction and effects. This week we dive deep into the idea of musical honesty to learn that it has no objective meaning. Whether you listen to folk or EDM or rock or anything, you’ve been fooled by recorded music.

As a reminder, this is the podcast version of the newsletter Can’t Get Much Higher. Click here to read the newsletter. It contains charts, graphs, and pictures that will color your listening. Click here to listen on Apple or Spotify. For a playlist of every new song that I’ve recommended, click here. For a playlist of every old song that I’ve recommended, click here.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.cantgetmuchhigher.com/subscribe

This week’s story comes from George Ball, a recent graduate with a love for all things music and data. Ball recently came across the fact that Avril Lavigne released her hit song “Girlfriend” in multiple languages, including Mandarin, Spanish, and German, among others. He uses Lavigne’s translations as a jumping off point to dive into the past and future of artists singing in different tongues.

As a reminder, this is the podcast version of the newsletter Can’t Get Much Higher. Click here to read the newsletter. It contains charts, graphs, and pictures that will color your listening. Click here to listen on Apple, Spotify, or Substack. For a playlist of every new song that I’ve recommended, click here. For a playlist of every old song that I’ve recommended, click here.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.cantgetmuchhigher.com/subscribe

Over the last decade, many popular publications have claimed that music festivals are getting more similar. I decided to look at 12 of the biggest festivals to investigate. As a reminder, this is the podcast version of the newsletter Can’t Get Much Higher. Click here to read the newsletter. It contains charts, graphs, and pictures that will color your listening. Click here to listen on Apple, Spotify, or Substack. For a playlist of every new song that I’ve recommended, click here. For a playlist of every old song that I’ve recommended, click here.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.cantgetmuchhigher.com/subscribe

Inspired by a fan question about tons of young artists dying in the 1960s and 1970s, I try to understand if that was when the most actually did die. As always, you can click here for the written version of this podcast. The written version contains charts, pictures, and graphs to color your understanding of the topic. For a playlist of every new song that I’ve recommended, click here. For a playlist of every old song that I’ve recommended, click here.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.cantgetmuchhigher.com/subscribe

In 2024, The Recording Academy pushed that it was the year of women at the Grammys. This week, we decide to investigate that claim, along with sharing a fascinating anecdote about Johnny Mercer and Sadie Vimmerstedt. As always, you can find the written version of this podcast here. It contains images, graphs, and charts to color this discussion. For a playlist of every new song that I’ve recommended, click here. For a playlist of every old song that I’ve recommended, click here.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.cantgetmuchhigher.com/subscribe

Last week, was the 65th anniversary of Buddy Holly’s death. Inspired by that sad anniversary, I want to talk a bit about the tragedy of dying young. Please note that this is the audio companion to my newsletter. For the written version of this episode, click here. For a playlist of every new song that I’ve recommended, click here. For a playlist of every old song that I’ve recommended, click here.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.cantgetmuchhigher.com/subscribe