podUMENTARY: Music @ Work – 25 Years Later

A TTHTop40 Special Presentation

“It just didn't click this time.” – Johnny Fay

It was 25 years ago today that The Tragically Hip released Music @ Work—their seventh studio album and possibly their most misunderstood.

In this special edition podUMENTARY episode, we’re cracking open the vault and unspooling the story of Music @ Workwith help from fans, friends, and a few Hip insiders who were there when it all went down.

From behind-the-scenes tension to on-stage experimentation, from Napster leaks to leaky vibes, Music @ Work emerged from a boiling point inside the band—and became a branching-off point for many fans. Some left. Others leaned in. And 25 years later, it’s a record we’re still reckoning with.

We also hear from fans across the continent—those who loved Music @ Work instantly, those who took a 15-year break from it, and those who fell in love (literally) while listening to Lake Fever on an early web stream.

Some call it a summer driving record. Others call it Experiments at Work. But almost everyone agrees: it’s an album that keeps revealing itself, slowly, steadily, and strangely—especially with time.

Next Week on TTHTop40

We return to the countdown with Song #19 and a helluva guest, it's our friend Jeff from Bowmanville —don’t miss it.

Quote

“Music @ Work probably should have been called Experiments at Work—because that’s what it felt like.” – Listener submission

About This Special

podUMENTARY: Music @ Work – 25 Years Later is a one-off documentary-style episode of The Tragically Hip Top Forty Countdown created by jD and the team at Dewvre Podcasts & Such. It’s a sonic tribute to a polarizing Hip record, made with the help of fans, Hip historians, and audio from the band themselves.

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So put on your headphones, take a deep breath, and give Music @ Work another spin.

It just might surprise you.

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