What happens when an artist makes a song no one expected them to make? That is the question posited by Andy and Alex, aka NJ new wave band Sailor Boyfriend, who join Steve and Dave for a discussion of the random choices artists make and why they make them. Why did rock stars keep trying to rap in the 80s? What is Charli XCX's legacy in pop music? Why did Rush decide to sell out 20 years into being a popular band? All that, plus the worst cover of a Velvet Underground song you could ever hear, await you.

Check out Sailor Boyfriend's music on Bandcamp and Spotify!

Where were you in 2002? We mostly spent it listening to music, and so did Avery Mandeville, who joins us to discuss why she thinks 2002 was the greatest year for music. Some of the finest hit songs and indie gems from 16 years ago lead us to discussing the importance of knowing what's punk when you're 12, how Missy Elliott's legacy has evolved, and whether Wilco's "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" deserved the vaunted Pitchfork 10/10.

Check out the new album from Avery Mandeville and the Man Devils, "Happy Birthday Avery Jane," on Bandcamp and Spotify. And check out the music video for her new single, Get Real!

Returning champion Jessie McCormick is back, and for one week these nerds are total jocks. From favorite teams to favorite players, these are the songs of the sporting world. How did Seven Nation Army become a universal chant? How did wrestling come back? And how does an MLB owner get so thoroughly hosed in a Ponzi scheme?

Go see Jessie's new staged musical God, Forgive These Bastards at the 2018 Fringe Festival in Philadelphia starting September 6th!

Halloween... in August?! Yes dear listener. Nothing matters and time isn't real, so when Adam Bird of aBIRD asked if he could do a Halloween episode, we leapt at the chance. Spooky songs and even spookier off-topic discussions about horror movies, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and AFI await you.

Check out aBIRD's music, available on Apple Music and Spotify.

The boys return after a bout of technical difficulties for a solo episode, detailing some of their favorite songs by artists they otherwise do not enjoy. Along the way they figure out if there's a song that could live up to the Garden State headphones scene, Dave's days at Christian camp, the nostalgic days of trying to be a post-hardcore fan, and just exactly what makes John Mayer so insufferable to people.

Darrel from Quality Living returns to the show as we discuss some of the most notable examples of emo and some we think should be. From mid-80s to the early 2010s, we get into it all, plus a surprising amount of Jason Mraz talk. If you wanna hear about post-hardcore bands that almost made it and Get Up Kids side projects, this is the episode for you. If you don't, well, that makes sense. But listen anyway, please.

Singer and ukulele artist Devon Alana returns to the show and, in between our thoughts on Apu, discusses some of the finest examples of artists who recorded one full album, and only that one album. From Reel Big Fish side projects to Conor Oberst side projects, ska-punk to baroque pop, our discussion ranges from why Hozier didn't choose a different lead single to how Dave's musical brand is "Game Over" music.

Our bud Dave Lynch joins us for a discussion of some great songs to have on when you're on the road. What's the best Springsteen album for someone who hasn't gotten into Bruce yet? How did Head Automatica never get big? What the hell was Killer Mike doing talking to the NRA? All that plus our new video game idea, Daddy Dom Me, awaits you.

The fellas decide it's time for a solo ep and come together to discuss some of their favorite songs that have made it all the way to the top - number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Spanning six decades in ten songs, we discuss the consistency of Usher, Dave's passionate thoughts on the movie Miami Vice, and debut our brand new spinoff podcast Good Delicious.

It happened. We did a whole Mountain Goats episode, determining what we think are the best songs to choose to turn someone into a fan. Along for the ride is massive Mountain Goats fan and musician Chris Dubrow (The Burns, Avery Mandeville and the Man Devils, OneMore with Brian Erickson) who curated some of his favorite tracks and live performances. We discuss the tendency to put hero worship onto John Darnielle and the different "eras" of The Mountain Goats. From the early stuff to Goths, we got it all - plus our expected diversions into Weezer and Billy Joel.