DISGRACELAND

Jennifer Hudson shocked her hometown of Chicago when she was eliminated from American Idol in 2004, only to surpass everyone’s expectations when she later raked in awards and rave reviews for her role in  Dreamgirls . Yet grief washed over Chicago again when her mother and brother were found slain in their Englewood home, and the smallest member of the Hudson family was declared missing...

They were slick, clean cut, conservative compared to the punks, rockers, and metalheads, but they were perhaps more dangerous, more transgressive, more wild, and they sang about infidelity, loss, loneliness, and murder from an incredibly authentic point of view. In many cases, they lived it. I’m talking about hardcore country artists in this bonus episode plus your voicemails, texts, dms, em...

George Jones possessed one of the finest and most expressive instruments God ever created: his voice, which is widely considered the greatest in country music. But he was also possessed by demons who haunted him his whole life, and heard voices that tormented and controlled him. His addictions to drugs and alcohol made him legendarily unreliable, earning him the nickname "No Show Jones." But just...

Discover the controversial story behind Marilyn Manson, aka Brian Warner. Accused by multiple women of abuse—allegations he denies—what do his own revelations of past inhumanity reveal about him? And what can those admissions tell us about the serious accusations swirling around his name? Tune in to explore the complexities behind the artist and the allegations against him. This episod...

Which metal bassist could have been a Soccer star? A Rod Stewart myth busted (no, not THAT one), Sir Elton, the Cartel, and the Battle of Britpop on the pitch and beyond. It’s a special rock ‘n’ roll World Cup bonus episode of Disgraceland. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On April 15th, 1989, 95 men, women, and children were crushed to death during a soccer match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest – two additional victims would later die of their injuries. The Hillsborough Disaster ruined lives and communities. But Hillsborough wasn’t just a disaster. It was a fight for justice. It was a war between the establishment and the people, and a cover-up...

In the early 1970s, John Lennon was suspected of conspiring to disrupt an American political convention and contributing to a paramilitary terrorist organization. Authorities took notice. So much so that the President of the United States took action to have the so-called “smart Beatle” deported. Lennon’s politics were way more violent and revolutionary than simply imagining all...

Despite his reputation as “the safe Beatle,” Paul McCartney was a badass. He took wild artistic risks, rubbed elbows with truly dangerous characters and because of his crimes, did hard time in one of the world’s most notorious prisons. His public spats with Beatles bandmate John Lennon are the stuff of legend, as is the “Paul is dead” conspiracy at the end of their ti...

Adele’s love of Al Pacino led us into a Mafia/Music Murder Rabbit Hole. Help us climb out of it in this bonus episode. Plus your voicemails, texts, emails, comments, DMs—and as always, a whole lotta Rosie. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the release of her smash sophomore album 21, Adele became one of the most beloved pop stars of the 21st century. Her songs were the most played at karaoke bars, weddings, and funerals – not to mention a criminal element in America which sought to use Adele’s newfound fame for their nefarious purposes. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.disgracel...

Married to R. Kelly at 15 years old and dead by the age of 22. Aaliyah was supposed to be as big as Beyonce, but drugs, corruption, and a fiery crash prevented that from happening. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com . This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including sexual abuse of a minor. This episode was originally...

How great was 1994 for music? The year Weezer’s “Blue Album” was released? Well, pretty tough to beat. This is a nostalgia episode so turn Beavis and Butt-Head off in the background, throw some Hot Pockets in the microwave, and put down your copy of Sassy magazine, because it’s time to listen to this Disgraceland bonus episode.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

A frontman obsessed with Kurt Cobain. A band trying to outrun its own dorky image. A bass player who burned hot, disappeared, and later seemed to predict his own death. Harvard isolation, hotel-room debauchery, algorithmic songwriting, and a Weezer T-shirt at the center of an LAPD shooting. Listen to find out how Rivers Cuomo’s perfectly controlled rock band found its dark side. To see the f...

Sonic Youth and the new Rolling Stone Magazine list of 100 Greatest Punk Albums of All Time has us asking about what the definition of punk rock even is—plus a preview of our upcoming Weezer episode—and your voicemails, texts, DMs and more. Check out our huge archive of hundreds of stories on artists like: The Sex Pistols The Clash The Ramones Patti Smith See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

Viral YouTube star Christina Grimmie built her career one click, one song, and one fan at a time. Her breakout run on the NBC singing competition show The Voice was watched by millions. But one obsessed fan watched her a little too closely. Listen to find out how viral fame, fan access, and one man’s delusion turned into murder – and why time has never let Christina Grimmie’s sto...

The newly revealed evidence from prosecutors detailing the alleged murder of a 14 year old by rising hip hop star D4vd are as shocking as they are dumb. You will not believe what this musician is being accused of. Plus your thoughts on the Mount Rushmore of guitar players, Sean Diddy Combs, and the May-Madness Sitcom Music Slugfest with your voicemails, texts, DMs, and more. For more great music a...

By the time he was 27 years old, Stevie Ray Vaughan was the hottest guitar player in Texas.  But outside of the Lone Star State, he was practically unknown, with no real audience and no record deal.  But all that would change when Stevie Ray Vaughan reached a crossroads and was presented with a fateful choice: be a star in someone else’s universe, or become a guitar god on his own....

The “smart” folks over at The New York Times aren’t the only ones with a list this week. We use the (mostly solid) Times list of Thirty Greatest Living American Songwriters as a jumping off point into a discussion of our Top 5 Most Surprising Musician True Crimes. Warning: You will learn things. Plus your voicemails, texts, dms, emails, and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for p...

The story about Ian Watkins of Lostprophets might be the most disturbing I’ve come across in all my music history research. It involves the abuse of children and a monstrous abuse of power and fame. It also takes place in, among other places, an aptly named prison called “The Monster Mansion”, and like most great stories, it involves an unlikely hero and a twisted sort of justice...

Like the Foo Fighters Taylor Hawkins’ death, the details around the Doors Jim Morrison’s death are mysterious. Was a debonair jetset Count responsible for the singer’s death along with the death of Janis Joplin and possibly others? We get into this incredible story along with your voicemails, text, dms and more in this bonus episode.  For more rock 'n' roll and true crime, c...

How is it that one of the most famous drummers on the planet died four years ago and we still don’t have an official cause of death? We have some ideas. Plus, we get into the story behind one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll bands to ever do it, Dave Grohl’s Foo Fighters. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at  www.disgracelandpod.com . To listen to D...

In this week’s After Party, we dive into the near-death experience of Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan. After a harrowing moment in 1996, he floated above his body, witnessing paramedics trying to save him.  But where do rock stars really go when they die? Is it a dark void or a realm of love? Plus, we hear from you about your favorite unlikely cover songs. Welcome to the After Party, Di...

The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame 2026 inductees were announced, and guess what? You’re pissed! So we are starting our own Hall of Fame. Plus, we are hearing from you through your voicemails, texts, and emails about Tom Waits, Patti Smith, and, of course, this week’s subject, Grace Jones. Welcome to the After Party, Disgos! For more great music and true crime stories, check out our archiv...

Grace Jones was one of the era-defining multihyphenates of the 1980s, an icon of the music, fashion, and movie worlds. From Jamaica to Studio 54, she broke down barriers and smashed glass ceilings at every turn – but she was also a magnet for true crime in the process. She was arrested numerous times. She was set up, the victim of a home invasion, and she wielded a loaded gun in order to get...

Disgos, we’ve got some big news—and you’re hearing it first. Also, Patti Smith has us asking (and answering), which movies about the Chelsea Hotel are worth watching, plus your voicemails, texts, DMs and more on the greatest music memoirs. For more great stories, check out our archive of over 250 episodes, featuring artists like: Mia Zapata Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes Metallica  S...