Song Vs. Song

The dawn of '90s alternative rock, in the late '80s! Jael Holzman of punk band Ekko Astral joins us to argue about which abrasive college rock anthem stands up higher in hindsight, is it Sonic Youth's "Teen Age Riot" or The Pixies' "Where Is My Mind?"

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It's a new millennium and we're looking for THE NEW ROCK. And two fantastic garage rock bands have arrived to SAVE ROCK (or not). Which of the two big breakthrough singles of THE NEW ROCK is our favorite, "Last Nite" by The Strokes or "Fell in Love with a Girl" by The White Stripes?

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Sometimes girls kiss girls, and they write songs about it, and we have feelings about it! Who did the better "I Kissed a Girl," Jill Sobule or Katy Perry?

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We do love our country music women getting revenge on men, don't we, whether they're destroying beloved cars or actively taking lives! We invite "Don't Rock the Inbox" writer Natalie Weiner to help us answer who does female justice better, The Chicks with "Goodbye Earl" or Carrie Underwood with "Before He Cheats"?

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How much praise does one woman need??

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Two pop princesses blitzed the charts in 1999, and they would always be compared even though their paths quickly diverged. There's no chance that the iconic "Baby One More Time" by Britney Spears could be upset by Christina Aguilera's "Genie in a Bottle," could there?

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It's the early '80s and shockingly some of the first big rap songs were by white new wave bands. But which is the best of the two big new wave hip-hop (?) hits, "Rapture" by Blondie or "Genius of Love" by Tom Tom Club?

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It turns out they do still make Christmas hits! Two big pop divas have conquered the holiday airwaves in the past ten years with Yuletide jams, but which is the best, Ariana Grande's "Santa Tell Me" or Kelly Clarkson's "Underneath the Tree"?

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The greatest (non-Beatles) British invasion songs of 1965! Is there anything left to say about these towering monoliths of rock? And which is actually better? Is it The Rolling Stones's "Satisfaction" or The Who's "My Generation"?

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It's 2006 and two of the biggest pop songs of the year are from two couples dancing and maybe even doing more than that (but it's not likely). Which is the best flirty duet of 2006, Nelly Furtado ft. Timbaland's "Promiscuous" or Shakira ft. Wyclef Jean's "Hips Don't Lie"?

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Is there anything we love more here at Song vs. Song than '90s alt-rock? Probably not! So now we must debate two of the biggest mid-'90s hits, from the so-called nicest guy in rock vs. the least sympathetic! But does that matter? Who will win, the Foo Fighters' "My Hero" or the Smashing Pumpkins' "Bullet with Butterly Wings"? Please welcome back Joe Kwaczala and check out his new album "Funny Songs & Sketches"!

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White people... rapping?? Comedy gold every time, and in the '00s, two different comedy acts reached new heights with this joke, but only one can be the kings of Caucasian comedy rap, so who reigns supreme? The man myth and legend Weird Al Yankovic with "White and Nerdy" or SNL upstarts The Lonely Island with "I'm on a Boat"?

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The mid-'90s were a sadder time than you remember! For weeks and weeks and weeks, two songs conquered the charts with insanely long runs at #1, and now no one even seems to remember them! Which is the better grief song of the decade, Elton John's "Candle in the Wind 1997" or Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men's "One Sweet Day"?

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As always, we watch the MTV Video Music Awards, an event that these days seems to exist solely to promote Taylor Swift. Everyone loves Taylor Swift!

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Two of the greatest riffs of all time! And they both have songs attached to them! What is the better killer '70s hard rock standard, Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" or Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water"?

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There was once a great movie, "The Producers"! It was made into a successful Broadway musical! And then it was turned into a terrible movie! A convoluted path that gives us this bonus episode. If you want more like it, check out our Patreon at patreon.com/songvssong and donate a couple dollars!

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While the pod is on vacation, we're unlocking a bonus episode just for you! It's "The Muppet Movie," yayyyyy! If you want to hear more great episodes like this, check out our Patreon and donate us some money and you can hear them all!

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It's our annual "Songs from This Year" episode! For some reason in the middle of the year instead of the end! And for this terrible year we have two of the biggest pop stars in the world dealing with their exes. Which is the best #1 hit of 2023, "Flowers" by Miley Cyrus or "Vampire" by Olivia Rodrigo?

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Pickitup pickitup pickitup pickitup. I mean, seriously, pick up your plaid fedora and matching pants because we have a ska matchup! And boy, did those ska bands like covers. So we have two ska covers songs to pit against each other today, which is the best, Save Ferris's "Come on Eileen" or Reel Big Fish's "Take on Me"?

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It's the '80s and we love America! Or do we? Two of our all-time greatest rockers have thoughts about the ways the good old United States has let us down, but which one hits harder, Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" or Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World"?

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The '90s pop explosion begins! And it begins with complete nonsense!! The dour grungy world of the '90s was suddenly full of mmmbopadubadops and zigazigahs. But only one could be the greatest pop song of 1997 so which will it be?? "Wannabe" by The Spice Girls or "MMMBop" by Hanson?

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Oi! It's the late '70s and we're sticking it to Buckingham Palace! Which legendary punk anthem ruffles feathers and makes monocles drop into the River Thames better, the Sex Pistols' "Anarchy in the UK" or The Clash's "London Calling"?

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They're two of the biggest gangsta hits of all time. But who is more of a gangsta? Is it Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg's "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" or Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise"?

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It turns out the art-rockers of the '80s could make big pop songs too! What's the best new wave crossover MTV jam, Talking Heads' "Burning Down the House" or Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer"?

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We're keeping it real in the 2000s and we're not letting our fame and success change us. But which pop diva pulls it off better, "Jenny from the Block" by Jennifer Lopez or "Glamorous" by Fergie?

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Here we go! We're cold kickin' it live with some '80s hip-hop, and I think it's very vital that we decide who's the best at rockin' the mic! Does Run-DMC show us that "It's Tricky"? Or are rockin' this party eight days a week with the Beastie Boys' "No Sleep Till Brooklyn"?

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Oh, it's one of those episodes! In the early '00s two mega-popular bands were derided as the worst bands alive, but are Todd and Lina going to keep beating that dead horse? We argue what's the best buttrock song, Creed's "With Arms Wide Open" or Nickelback's "How You Remind Me"!

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She's a brick.... freak. She's super freaky! Well, we've decided that she can only be one of two things, so we're going to tackle the subtle differences between '70s funk and '80s funk and decide between The Commodores' "Brick House" and Rick James's "Super Freak"! 

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OUR ONE HUNDREDTH NUMBERED EPISODE!! How have we gotten this far? We don't know, but we're going to celebrate it with a jumbo-sized podcast about two songs that are near and dear to our hearts, the alternative teen angst songs that changed the lives of so many '90s kids, especially us. What is the great alt-rock game-changer of the decade, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana or "Closer" by Nine Inch Nails? 

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Literally the only reason for this Grammy ceremony to exist was to finally give Beyonce one of the big awards, and they screwed it up again! It's the Grammys, everyone! 

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The great new wave pioneers of 1980! The unexpected crossover smash hits that proved that the record buyers of the '80s might like this "synth-pop" thing! But only one can be crowned champion, so which will it be, Devo's "Whip It" or Gary Numan's "Cars"? 

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1996! A wonderful year to be a woman with a guitar, or to listen to one! As the new crop of female singer-songwriters become the biggest names in music, two of the biggest hit the airwaves with songs concerned about your spiritual well-being! Who has the strongest and best answer to your inner emptiness, Sheryl Crow's "If It Makes You Happy" or Jewel's "Who Will Save Your Soul"?

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It is our annual year-end podcast where we always try to take a look at two current hits and these are some pretty big ones! Taylor Swift and Harry Styles emerged from their post-pandemic quarantines with songs about their cooped-up self-loathing, but which #1 of 2022 will emerge as the best! 

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It's the late '50s, and Christmas music has taken a turn to this new fad called "rock and/or roll." And 65 years later, we're still listening to them! So what is the Christmas song of the late '50s, Bobby Helms's "Jingle Bell Rock" or Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"? 

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I've been working so hard, and when there's nothing but a slow aching pain, sometimes you just gotta DANCE! What '80s movie theme makes you want to get down and boogie harder, Kenny Loggins's "Footloose" or Irene Cara's "Flashdance...What a Feeling"?

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In 2005, it sucked seeing your girl with someone else, and the two dueling kings of Las Vegas bands had feelings about it. But who wrote the superior jealousy song, The Killers with "Mr. Brightside" or Panic! at the Disco's "I Write Sins Not Tragedies"? 

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There's nothing better than rocking down the highway and reflecting on your restless life while listening to some Boomer-y dad rock! But what's the better soundtrack, Jackson Browne's "Running on Empty" or Bob Seger's "Against the Wind"?

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It's time to swing from something suspended on a chain! In 2013, former Disney star Miley Cyrus busted through the wall with a giant ball of emotion, but then the not-yet-scandal-ridden Sia swung in a year later with her own lung-busting powerhouse single. Sia's "Chandelier" vs. Miley Cyrus's "Wrecking Ball," which is the better belter anthem?

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Our second bonus episode while we take a month vacation! If you want to hear a whole bunch of these bonus episodes, go to our Patreon and check us out! In the meantime, here's a sampler: Our amazing and quite difficult look at Peter Jackson's "Get Back," a documentary that corrects the record but also is way way wayyyyyy too long!

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Song vs. Song is on vacation, and while we are out, we are putting up some of our exclusive Patreon bonus episodes that we put out every month! If you want to hear a whole bunch of these, go to our Patreon and check us out! In the meantime, here's a sampler: Our amazing and quite difficult look at 2021's "Dear Evan Hansen," the extremely rough Broadway adaptation that didn't take the world by storm! 

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As long as MTV keeps trotting out the zombie VMAs we'll keep covering them, but they keep getting lamer and sadder, and this one is probably the most depressing yet, featuring an NFT appearance and a weird Johnny Depp appearance that will probably not launch his comeback. 

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Are you ready to feel feelings?? We have some Grey's Anatomy-core music from the mid-'00s from some UK bands ready to make your heart burst! Can the big hit single "Chasing Cars" from plucky underdogs unseat the giants of stadium rock Coldplay and their fan favorite single "Fix You"?

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The year is 2011 -- a year of stunningly huge pop songs, but two of the biggest pop/r&b/rap stars of the day are going head to head here with some of the most intense love songs ever. But who shall reign supreme among the divas of the year, is it Rihanna's "We Found Love" or Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass"?

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In the grand world of mid-'90s alt-rock, two female-led bands burst through and conquered the world. But of the two, which one's expression of anger debut hit punched hader, No Doubt's "Just a Girl" or Garbage's "Stupid Girl"?

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Who is the queen of '80s hard rock?? There are only two real options, so it's time for our Joan Jett vs. Pat Benatar episode, and their legendary early '80s hits "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" and "I Love Rock n' Roll"! Is Joan too rock n' roll for Pat or will Pat hit back with her best shot? Fire away! 

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The pianos, they are a-duelin'! And the piano man, he takes a stand in the auditorium, but is it THE Piano Man, Billy Joel, or is it Sir Elton? We debate Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" and Billy Joel's "Piano Man," which piano star will end up on top?

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Summer's here! It's pool party time so put your  sunglasses over your frosted tips and let's listen to the classic SoCal songs of the mid-'90s! What is the better laid-back fratboy summer jam, Sublime's "What I Got" or Sugar Ray's "Fly"? 

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It's time to get twee! Belle & Sebastian exploded across college dorm rooms in the late '90s but they were not the only Scottish indie pop band making waves, facing competition from upstarts Camera Obscura. So who is the favorite Scottish indie pop song of 2006, Camera Obscura's "Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken" or Belle and Sebastian's "Another Sunny Day"?

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We watched Eurovision and this time we brought in an expert, Navah Wolfe, to teach us the ways of Europe and their silly song contest! And some expert opinions were needed because this is the most politically fraught Eurovision in decades. Did Ukraine's song deserve all its goodwill? Was the UK robbed? What did Germany think it was doing? Find out now!

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TO THE WINDOWWWW! BOOTS WITH THE FURRRR! It's time to get low, get low, get low low low low low low. But what's the better jam to get low to, "Low" by Flo Rida and T-Pain or "Get Low" by Lil Jon and the Ying Yang Twins? 

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