Episodes

  • Sincerity or self-branding: what defines millennial music?

    Sincerity or self-branding: what defines millennial music?
    Apr 20 2018

    From the unstoppable rise of hip-hop to the 'millennial whoop', what does today's new music sound like? And how has social media changed the relationship between artists and fans?


    Harriet Fitch Little, India Ross and Griselda Murray Brown discuss Drake, Cardi B and DJ Khaled - in particular 'Wild Thoughts' ft. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller from 2017, which leans heavily on the melody and mood of Santana's 1999 hit 'Maria Maria', the coming-of-age soundtrack for the oldest cohort of millennials.


    Warning: this podcast contains a live 'millennial whoop'.

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    21 mins
  • Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights

    Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights
    Mar 15 2018
    When "Wuthering Heights" was released 40 years ago this year, it became the first song written and performed by a woman to reach number one in the UK charts. What was the song's — and Bush's — special appeal? Why have there been more parodies than straight covers? And why is it so popular now, with re-enactments of the music video taking place around the world? FT music writers Jude Rogers, Helen Brown and David Cheal discuss the song and its afterlife.

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    26 mins
  • 1968: The Year that Music Changed

    1968: The Year that Music Changed
    Jan 23 2018
    Set against a backdrop of protest and upheaval, the songs released in 1968 represent a turning point in music. FT pop writers David Cheal and Peter Aspden are joined by author Tot Taylor to debate the year's most important songs and artists, from Tyrannosaurus Rex, The Beatles and Pink Floyd to Joni Mitchell and Tim Buckley.

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    29 mins
  • The best Christmas music: a definitive guide

    The best Christmas music: a definitive guide
    Dec 19 2017

    What makes a good Christmas song? Should it be cheesy or serious? And why do millennials love them?

    FT pop writers discuss festive classics old and new - from carols to Mariah Carey, Greg Lake to Phil Spector, Sufjan Stevens to Run-DMC. Plus, which 2017's best Christmas song: Gwen Stefani's 'You Make it Feel Like Christmas' or Sia's 'Santa's Coming for Us'?

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    20 mins
  • The Life of a Song: Strange Fruit

    The Life of a Song: Strange Fruit
    Nov 17 2017
    Billie Holiday’s 1939 'Strange Fruit' was called 'the first significant protest in words and music, the first unmuted cry against racism'. Other singers attempted it, from Nina Simone and Diana Ross to Jeff Buckley and Kanye West. But could any match the power of the impassioned original? FT pop writers David Cheal, Fiona Sturges and Helen Brown discuss the song's origins and afterlife.

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    22 mins
  • The Life of a Song: Make You Feel My Love

    The Life of a Song: Make You Feel My Love
    Oct 19 2017
    From Bob Dylan to Adele, the song that was first called 'a spare ballad undermined by greetingcard lyrics' is now a karaoke tearjerker. FT pop writers David Cheal and Helen Brown debate the origins, meanings and cover versions of 'Make You Feel My Love'.

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    16 mins
  • The Hits that Shook the World

    The Hits that Shook the World
    Sep 15 2017
    In a special episode to mark the publication of The Life of a Song book, FT pop critics Helen Brown, David Cheal and Ludovic Hunter-Tilney debate whether a song can really change the world. Hear the stories behind the hits, from Bowie's 'Starman' to Jay-Z's 'Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)'.

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    37 mins
  • The Life of a Song: Wild Thing

    The Life of a Song: Wild Thing
    Aug 14 2017
    It achieved distinction in an era of elemental riffs, and journeyed effortlessly to and fro across the Atlantic. It also marked a turning point in the career of the greatest guitarist who ever lived: Jimi Hendrix. FT pop writers Peter Aspden and David Cheal discuss "Wild Thing" 50 years after Hendrix's groundbreaking performance at the Monterey Pop festival.

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    18 mins