Song 2

We could have the definitive answer AND track in this week's edition

We have another delicious slice of Song 2 for you here, and this week Jeremy Greenspan of Junior Boys gives us his take on what a decent second track means – going as far as to say that Prefab Sprout’s Cars and Girls is THE definitive Song 2.

Sometimes you’ve just got to squeeze a Song 2 chat into your lunch break, which is exactly what happened here with Jeremy of the Canadian band Kiwi Jr.

Jeremy is not a fan of the Song 2 theory, plumping for track seven for his song of note. There is the small reveal, however, that at least one half of the band believe the second track on the new LP Chopper is the record’s best.

This one is personal to our host and is definitely, 100% the best cut from Placebo's debut.

For this week’s edition of ’ask someone who actually knows about tracklisting and making music’,

I speak with Rival Consoles and get their view on whether or not the second track is the best on the album…though there is a concession that there are a notable number of awesome Song 2’s, Ryan is not onboard the track two train. He does though, detail the need for feel and vibe. Check it out here….

Two massive tracks from two huge albums from a colossal band - how much more proof do you need?

Music For The Jilted Generation and Fat Of The Land helped shaped a whole era, and their second songs are instrumental in defining one the UK's most influential acts.

Can we draw a line under this now? Song 2 is a thing - Amy Lee and Co. prove it

Few songs get such huge success from a track that is so far from their original vision - without Bring Me To Life, though, perhaps there'd be no Evanescence...

Do you know about 'inner groove distortion'? It means the last song on a record is not likely the best.

It’s not often that we get to pick the brains of bone fide legends of rock, so when we got time with Ian Anderson of the incredible Jethro Tull, it would be criminal if we were to skirt the issue of Song 2 – the full interview is available on RTL Play… here, though Ian gives us his viewpoint on track listing and details why it is that the second and last tracks on a record are not the best in show.

I was taken aback by this one, but, goodness, IT IS a DEFINITE SONG 2

Manchild was the second single released from the Swedish singer-songwriter Neneh Cherrs’s debut album Raw Like Sushi – it is also that album’s second track – hence its appearance here.

Further support, sort of, for the Song 2 camp...

On this week’s Song 2, we have needed to bump the order around a little bit as Dutch alt-rock outfit De Staat, as well as being musical chameleons…in that they exist in many, many genres, as opposed to being Lizards with Guitars… are heading to Luxembourg in support of Biffy Clyro…here frontman Torre Florim says he’s onboard the theory, then off, then on again…

Further proof, as if you need it, that second songs are exceptional....Biffy have 5. FIVE!

Biffy Clyro have a bunch of class second Songs…I think they are only, excuse me, second to The Killers in the ratio of albums to barnstorming second tracks… again, we have covered this in a recent episode where Ben disagrees with the theory, citing that the opening track is by far the most vital one on an album…