Earbuddies

Keep an eye on Mat and Tim! In this ep , the buddies talk ABBA. Mat loves 'em; Tim's still learning. After digging through their catalog, they hone in on the first new ABBA album in 40 years. SONGS PLAYED: ABBA - Dancing Queen ABBA - Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) ABBA - Waterloo ABBA - Fernando ABBA - Super Trouper ABBA - Just a Notion ABBA - The Winner Takes It All ABBA - Ta...

За здоровье! In this ep , Tim  holds down the fort by sharing his favorite piece of classical music ever composed. Sounds boring right? Well, uh, wrong, we hope! MUSIC PLAYED: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor - Sergei Rachmaninoff SHOW AND TELL: Eric Carmen - All By Myself

Namaste! In this ep , Mat and Tim consider tough questions surrounding deplatforming problematic artists, in the wake of R. Kelly's sex trafficking conviction. Then, for a palate cleanser, they discuss a movie Tim just saw.

Look at the stars; look how they shine for us! In this ep , Mat and Tim gush about Coldplay, a band that seems to have lost all sense of time and space and scale. We see the flaws, yet we still love them! SONGS PLAYED: Coldplay - Clocks Coldplay - Higher Power Coldplay x BTS - My Universe Coldplay - Humankind Coldplay - Trouble Coldplay - Yellow Coldplay - Fix You Coldplay - Coloratura Coldplay -...

Take it to the bridge! In this ep , Mat and Tim put the "middle eight" under the microscope. They share some of pop music's great bridges, and consider why fewer artists feel the need to write bridges anymore. Then, they get structural with special guest Matt Schimke ! SONGS PLAYED: Paramore - Ain't It Fun Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper - Shallow Maroon 5 - This Love Olivia Rodrigo...

Presenting The First Annual Former Disney Kid Awards ! Most Improved Aly and AJ Hayley Kiyoko Miley Cyrus Feels the Most Like a Former Disney Star, But Isn't Ed Sheeran Post Malone Billie Eilish Carly Rae Jepsen Best Comeback The Jonas Brothers Keke Palmer Christy Carlson Romano Most Likely To Run For Governor of California As a Republican Kevin Jonas Zac Efron Jake Paul Miley Cyrus Underdog A...

Wake up in the morning feeling like Mat and Tim! In this ep , the buddies recount a highly consequential year for pop music, and the three pop stars who led the way. SONGS PLAYED: Lady Gaga - Bad Romance Katy Perry - The One That Got Away Lady Gaga - Alejandro Kesha - We R Who We R Lady Gaga - Just Dance Kesha - TiK ToK Lady Gaga - Telephone (feat. Beyonce) Katy Perry - California Gurls (feat. Sno...

Content warning: this episode contains J.K. Simmons using explicit language. It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing! In this ep , Mat and Tim get mad about jazz elitists and gatekeeping within the genre. Enjoying Earbuddies? We want to hear from you! Find us on Twitter at @earbuddies_pod . SONGS PLAYED: Frank Sinatra - New York, New York Miles Davis - Freddie Freeloader Dave Brub...

Is this loss? In this ep , Mat and Tim dive into a real bummer of a sub-sub-genre: country music about loss and heartbreak! Why does some of it work, and why is some of it unbearably corny? SONGS PLAYED: Chris Janson - Bye Mom Chris Janson - Drunk Girl Steve Wariner - Holes In the Floor of Heaven George Jones - He Stopped Loving Her Today Luke Bryan - Drink a Beer Lee Bryce - I Drive Your Truck Ra...

Promises made, promises kept! In this ep , Mat and Tim compare the industry structures of K-Pop and Motown, and the similarities therein. Will the working musician ever win? Listen and find out! SONGS PLAYED: Stevie Wonder - Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) BTS - Butter BLACKPINK, Selena Gomez - Ice Cream BTS - Dynamite Red Velvet - Queendom ITZY - WANNABE BRAVE GIRLS - ROLLIN' Barret...

Are we rushing or are we dragging?! In this ep , Mat and Tim discuss the recent death of Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, and use it as a launchpad to consider: what makes a great drummer, anyway? And why are they quickly becoming obsolete? PLUS: We revisit the issue of interpolation, first discussed in Episode 14, and how Olivia Rodrigo has become the latest target of dubious potential legal...

You don't need no other buddy! In this ep , Mat and Tim use a significant new Afropop single as a jumping off point to discuss cultural borrowing in pop music, and look at an important example from the 1980s. Plus, they explode a song and choose a new Jeopardy! host. SONGS PLAYED: Paul Simon - Under African Skies WizKid - Essence (ft. Justin Bieber, Tems) Luis Fonsi - Despacito (ft. Justin Bie...

We're in love with our future! In this ep , Mat and Tim explore Billie Eilish's latest album, Happier Than Ever, and consider whether those three words could possibly be true. Then they play a fun new game they came up with. SONGS PLAYED: Billie Eilish - bury a friend Billie Eilish - my future Billie Eilish - Billie Bossa Nova Billie Eilish - bad guy Billie Eilish - Halley's Comet Bill...

Pull yourself up by your bootstraps! In this ep , Mat and Tim consider whether meritocracy and inherited fame should change how we perceive our favorite artists. SONGS PLAYED: Miley Cyrus - The Climb WILLOW - t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l (feat. Travis Barker) Ravi Shankar - Pancham se Gara Dhun The Strokes - Reptilia Eve6 - Inside Out Enrique Iglesias - Bailamos The Wallflowers - One Headlight Cl...

We'll be your crying shoulder! In this ep , Mat and Tim celebrate another niche genre of music that sucked up a lot of oxygen in the early 2000s: wimpcore. Along the way they learn a lot about themselves. SONGS PLAYED: James Blunt - You're Beautiful Edwin McCain - I'll Be Daniel Powter - Bad Day Howie Day - Collide Five For Fighting - 100 Years Ryan Cabrera - On the Way Down The Fray -...

Let's get it started, obviously! In this ep , Mat and Tim prepare a definitive ranking of the members of the Black Eyed Peas. Who's the best? Who's the worst? Who's in the middle somewhere? The answer lies within. SONGS PLAYED: Black Eyed Peas - Don't Phunk With My Heart Black Eyed Peas - Boom Boom Pow Black Eyed Peas - Let's Get It Started Black Eyed Peas - Shut Up Black E...

 Our podcast is a wonderland! In this ep , Mat and Tim ask: what will it take for John Mayer to finally be happy? SONGS PLAYED: John Mayer - Last Train Home John Mayer - Born and Raised John Mayer - Daughters John Mayer - Vultures John Mayer - Why Georgia John Mayer - New Light John Mayer - Wild Blue John Mayer - Dreaming With a Broken Heart WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Vanessa Carlton - A Thousand Miles J...

 Do you believe in pods after casts? In this ep , Mat and Tim dole out takes on Auto-Tune, pitch correction, and artistry. Is T-Pain bad or good? Was Usher mean to him for no reason? Can any schmuck sound like a superstar in the studio now? Answers await within! SONGS PLAYED: Kanye West - Heartless Cher - Believe Daft Punk - One More Time T-Pain - Up Down (Do This All Day) Usher - OMG (feat. will....

What has been done will be done again! In this ep , Mat and Tim break down the confusing world of interpolation in pop music. What's allowed? Who deserves to get paid? Are we doomed to hear only recycled ideas for the rest of our days? And how is LeBron James in the new Space Jam? SONGS PLAYED: Halsey - Without Me Justin Timberlake - Cry Me a River Machine Gun Kelly, Camila Cabello - Bad Thing...

In this ep , Mat and Tim react to Britney Spears's request in court to have her conservatorship ended – and recall other artists in the 20th century who were taken advantage of for profit or otherwise. SONGS PLAYED: Britney Spears - ...Baby One More Time Britney Spears - Stronger The Beach Boys - God Only Knows The Beach Boys - Wouldn't It Be Nice Fleetwood Mac - Dreams The Ronettes - Be M...

Are we out of the pod yet/are we out of the pod yet/are we out of the pod yet/are we out of the pod? In this ep , Mat and Tim explore Jack Antonoff's career arc from cool indie kid to producer of the stars. Brace yourself for a measured take! SONGS PLAYED: Taylor Swift - Cruel Summer Fun - We Are Young (feat. Janelle Monae) Sara Bareilles - Brave Bleachers - I Wanna Get Better Taylor Swift - I...

We don't know we're great podcasters; that's what makes us great podcasters! In this ep , Mat and Tim consider the echoes of David Bowie that can be found in Harry Styles's cultural contributions. Is Harry playing a dangerous game? And what the h*ck happened to The Wanted? SONGS PLAYED: Harry Styles - Adore You Harry Styles - Watermelon Sugar One Direction - What Makes You Beautifu...

It's really good to hear our voices! In this ep , Mat and Tim dive into the deep, nourishing waters of DUMB ROCK, a genre of music worthy of much reverence and discussion. Later, they offer a defense of one of the most maligned bands of this century – and Tim gives Mat a little gift. [Note: this ep contains explicit language.] SONGS PLAYED: Buckcherry - Crazy B***h Saving Abel - Addicted Hinde...

In this ep , Mat and Tim take time to remember two musicians of tremendous influence whose lives were cut short by COVID-19. SONGS PLAYED: John Prine - I Remember Everything Fountains of Wayne - Hackensack Fountains of Wayne - Stacy's Mom Cast of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend - Let's Generalize About Men Ivy - Edge of the Ocean The Click Five - Just the Girl Hugh Grant & Haley Bennett - Way Back...

I know we're not perfect, but we've never done a pod for no one! In this ep , Mat and Tim celebrate the first blockbuster album release of the year: SOUR by Olivia Rodrigo. Why does her teenage angst work so well? Why does she remind Tim of Blue October? And should Joshua Bassett be fired into the sun? Grab your strawberry ice cream, take a car ride to Malibu, and find out with us! [Note:...