Dan and Jonathan are back with an entirely new format, armed to the teeth with some of their favourite songs of all time! Listen along to the tracks (Song Smart Ep #35: The Best Songs... Ever? - playlist by Song Smart | Spotify) and discover: why does Jonathan consider 'The Roof (Back In Time)' to be one of the best songs ever written from a lyrical perspective? What is it about Anaïs Mitchell's delivery in 'Young Man In America' which Dan finds so successful on the storytelling front? Is 'Diary' the right track to finally help Jonathan convince Dan of Alicia Keys's excellence? Sidestep the cynicism and snobbery as we share some of the music we love most with each other and all of you. (Recorded March 2026.)

It's finally happening - ! Join Joe on an investigation into Dan's relatively recent (and still developing) love of jazz. How did Dan navigate the labyrinthine world of jazz when he was first starting to explore it in earnest? What impact did World War II have on the history of jazz? Why is it that the titans of jazz played with so many different bands over the years? Whether you don't know your bebop from your elbow or you're head of the Miles Davis fan club, strap in for a joyful journey of passion, discovery and massive hands. (Recorded February 2026.)

The guys are finally back together and ready to weigh up the assorted values and demerits of musical reviews. What extra information does Jonathan think Metacritic scores can reveal about an artist's career? Why does Dan not consider reaction videos to be a form of review? Are negative reviews ever worth perusing? Ease back into Song Smart with us as we try and decide whether or not reviews are worth the paper on which they used to be printed! (Recorded February 2026.)

Finally, a short episode - ! This is just a quick update to let you know that we'll be back proper from next week, June 10th.

The Song Smart Awards are back! Join Dan, Joe and Jonathan as they shine a light on some of their top picks from 2025 in categories including 'Best Song', 'Best Album / EP' and 'The New Horizons Prize'. Whose song of the year connects them with their inner child? What gives the edge to Jonathan's pick for best album in a year with such stiff competition? Why is Joe generally wary of handing out 'The New Horizons Prize'? As 2026 looms large ahead of us, raise a toast and help us celebrate another year positively overflowing with excellent music! (Recorded December 2025.)

One man, 13 chart-toppers and no holds barred! Hang out with Jonathan as he sifts through the tracks which went to #1 in the UK this year and decides which of them - if any - are worth getting excited about. Why is he surprised that Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us' managed to top the singles chart? Which two established British pop traditions does he think Lola Young exists somewhere between? How can he defend describing Alex Warren's 'Ordinary' as "a load of old rubbish"? From predictions of continued success to somewhat politely phrased criticisms brace for impact as Jonathan discloses what he really thinks about some of this year's biggest hits. (Recorded November 2025.)

Dan earns his Santa's helper stripes by getting Scrooge and The Grinch - Joe and Jonathan - to share their feelings towards Christmas music and music at Christmas. How is it that all 3 of us consider 'Driving Home For Christmas' a classic? Who fondly remembers growing up attending carol concerts by the local primarily euphonium (citation needed) brass band? What was Dan's starring role in the Nativity at school? Listen along to some of our Christmas favourites (Song Smart Ep #30: Christmas Music - playlist by Song Smart | Spotify) and raise a glass with us to what many insist is indeed the most wonderful time of the year. (Recorded October 2025.)

Card-carrying pop punk lovers Alex and Dan relive the genre's golden era (by their own reckoning circa 1994 - 2009), from Green Day and blink-182 to Sum 41, Avril Lavigne and beyond! Which artists does Alex use as the benchmarks on his 'is it just pop? is it just punk?' spectrum? Why does Dan think the genre felt a little past its prime by the end of the noughties? What important discovery has Alex made recently about the Good Charlotte track 'Wondering'? Join us this time for a laid-back, laugh-filled journey down memory lane. (Recorded August 2025.)

Join Jonathan as he goes head-to-head with the latest album from the behemoth of pop music herself, Taylor Swift. Which latent theme does Jonathan think critics and fans alike have overlooked? To whom does he think 'Eldest Daughter' is addressed? Why does he have such a problem with tracks 7 to 10? If you're after a review which tunes out the background noise surrounding Taylor Swift and hones in on the album's various accomplishments and shortcomings, this might be just the one for you! (Recorded October 2025.)

To celebrate one year of Song Smart officially launching the gang sit down and talk over the project so far, from the fantastic to the fumbled. Which early episodes were left on the cutting room floor? How did the podcast end up with its squawking seagull logo? What have the guys learnt about themselves through a year of listening back to their own musings? Grab a slice of cake and join us as we cover the past, present and future of this podcast, including announcing which member will be taking a step back for a while in the immediate future... (Recorded September 2025.)