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.)

Join Alex and Jonathan on a side quest through the fascinating world of music in video games. Which extra considerations need to be made for music in games compared to music in films? How do extreme sports games use music to enhance the atmospheres they are creating? What is it about retro video games' soundtracks that the guys speculate shields them from becoming annoying, even when they're simple and repetitive? Pick up the spare controller and join us for an episode decades in the making! (Recorded August 2025.)

Alex introduces the gang to not only his album of the year but one of his all-time favourite albums... ever! What does Alex mean when he says he finds silence in music heavy? How does Jonathan think the album's structure aids in developing and conveying its core themes? Which of the record's guitar parts does Dan find most fun? Join us and bask in the warmth of Alex's admiration for this somewhat icy, undead project. (Recorded July 2025.)

Stop us if you've heard this one before...! Joe leads the gang in a discussion centred around covers while Dan has his co-hosts guess which tracks he grew up not realising were cover versions. How does additional context enhance No Doubt's take on 'It's My Life'? Is it even worth an artist covering something as iconic as 'We Will Rock You'? Did Dan really think 'Since U Been Gone' was an A Day To Remember song? Listen along to some of our favourite covers (Song Smart Ep #24: Cover Versions - playlist by Song Smart | Spotify) and strap in for a rollercoaster ride through totally new territories as of yet untouched on this podcast! (Recorded May 2025.)

The (silver) tongues are out for another game night! Play along as Alex, Dan and Jonathan try to guess the correct endings to lyrics while also attempting to sell their own fake offerings as the real deal. Can Dan reclaim his crown as game episode champion? Will Alex's theory of the best option usually being the correct one take him to victory? Does Jonathan have too much faith in anaphora? Listen along and see just how difficult it can be to spot fact from fiction. (Recorded July 2025.)