Where does the next generation of pop stars come from?

In this episode of Tracks On Trial, we step away from global superstars and into the grassroots pop scene where unsigned artists are building careers from the ground up, driven by songwriting, creativity, and sheer determination.

Hosts Sam George, Amy Jo, and Andy put emerging artists on trial in the courtroom of music, evaluating whether these underground talents have the potential to break into the mainstream or whether they fall short under scrutiny.

Featuring a deep dive into Natalie Shay’s “The Edge,” alongside quickfire verdicts on Sanguijuelas del Guadiana, Chloé Bird, and Cameron Sanderson, this episode explores the fragile line between underground promise and mainstream success.

The discussion covers:

• What separates unsigned artists from future global stars
• The importance of songwriting versus production quality
• How grassroots artists build audiences without label support
• The role of social media in modern music discovery
• Whether industry success can be predicted from early releases

Each track is judged, debated, and ultimately sentenced with the show’s signature verdict: Topper or Flopper.

Tracks on Trial is a global music podcast bringing together hosts from Europe, America, and Australia to explore music through debate, analysis, and brutal honesty.

Whether you’re an artist, producer, or music fan, this episode offers a rare insight into how emerging artists are evaluated and what it takes to break through.

Court is now in session.

What happens when experimental music wins the highest honours in the industry?

In this episode of Tracks On Trial, we put award-winning avant-garde music in the dock. These are the boldest, most unconventional songs ever recognised by institutions like the Grammy Awards and the Mercury Prize, tracks that abandoned traditional songwriting, challenged listeners, and still earned universal acclaim.

Featuring music from Radiohead, David Bowie, Fiona Apple, Kate Bush, Burial, and more, this episode explores the emotional power, artistic bravery, and divisive nature of experimental music.

We discuss:

• Why artists like Radiohead and Bowie abandoned conventional song structure
• How experimental music reshaped modern pop, rock, and electronic genres
• Whether awards recognise true innovation or just reward reputation
• The emotional impact of unconventional sound design
• Whether these songs deserve their legendary status

Some of these tracks pushed music forward. Others pushed the jury away.

Because in this courtroom, awards don’t guarantee survival.

Topper or Flopper? The verdict is yours.

Tracks on Trial is the global music podcast where songs face judgment, and nothing is safe.

Jazz and blues have always had a special relationship with cinema, not just as background music, but as emotional drivers, character builders, and storytelling tools.

In this episode of Tracks on Trial, the hosts put iconic jazz and blues soundtrack records on trial to decide whether they truly earn their legendary status, or whether nostalgia has been doing the heavy lifting all along.

From the theatrical swagger of Cab Calloway in The Blues Brothers to the high-pressure intensity of jazz in Whiplash, this episode explores how jazz and blues not only support film scenes but also define them. The jury debates how music shapes narrative tension, psychological depth, and emotional weight, while also unpacking the playful, confrontational, and sometimes brutal side of these genres.

Along the way, the episode features quickfire soundtrack pitches, darkly humorous jazz soundtrack “news,” personal confessions about musical taste, and a trivia quiz that tests how well we really know jazz and blues history.

This is an episode about presence: music that refuses to stay in the background and becomes inseparable from the images it accompanies.

⚖️ Topper or Flopper? The verdict is yours.