Nevermind the Music

What motivates an artist to go beyond performative tweets and truly advocate for a cause they care about? This week, we are joined by Jessica Ilyse Kurn and Michael Stewart Foley, co-hosts of Against the Grain: The Farm Aid Podcast. For over forty years, the Farm Aid music festival has brought legendary artists together to support small family farmers. We talk about what brings them to that stage, what these farmers are up against, and how we’re all united by the same need… to EAT! Listen to Against the Grain: The Farm Aid Podcast at farmaid.org/podcast and watch for the 2026 festival lineup at farmaid.org/festival! Music heard in this episode: Bad Religion - “Grains of Wrath”, John Mellencamp - “Rain on the Scarecrow”Send us your thoughts at NeverMusicPod@gmail.comNevermind the Music is part of The Lorehounds Network. Join the Nevermind the Music Discord channel by visiting thelorehounds.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Which songs just make you cringe? In this Sidetrack, the hosts share their top three songs with main characters that you really wouldn’t want to hang out with, whether they’re just awkward, or full-on evil. The most important rule, though: the songs have to be good! Check us out next week for a full episode!Music heard in this episode: Oingo Boingo - “Little Girls”, Toadies - “Possum Kingdom”, The Police - “Don’t Stand So Close to Me”, The Postal Service - “Nothing Better”, Ariana Grande - “break up with your girlfriend, i’m bored”, Bryan Adams - “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You”, Lily Allen - “Smile”, Bobby McFerrin - “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”, Robin Thicke - “Blurred Lines (feat. T.I. & Pharrell)”, Usher - “Confessions, Pt. II”, “Weird Al” Yankovic - “Confessions Pt. III”, Sabrina Carpenter - “Tears” Send us your thoughts at NeverMusicPod@gmail.comNevermind the Music is part of The Lorehounds Network. Join the Nevermind the Music Discord channel by visiting thelorehounds.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Which songs will make the cut? This week we welcome Chris Fafalios from the band Punchline and the One Hit Thunder Podcast (among others!) to talk us through how a band chooses which of their songs to put on an album. Chris gets into the tough decisions and nuanced band dynamics that have been a part of Punchline’s ten-album run. How many songs is enough? When to rerecord an old favorite? Who gets to sing lead vocals? This and more in a fun conversation that would just barely fit on a CD. Check us out next week for more!Music heard in this episode: Punchline - “I Don’t Wanna Live in This World Anymore”, Punchline - “Another One”, Punchline - “Focus on Yourself”, Maggie Rogers - “Alaska”, Punchline - “Green Hills”, Punchline - “Darkest Dark” Send us your thoughts at NeverMusicPod@gmail.comNevermind the Music is part of The Lorehounds Network. Join the Nevermind the Music Discord channel by visiting thelorehounds.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Which critically-acclaimed albums this year do Mark and Nichole actually kind of hate? In this week’s Sidetrack, we come back once again to discuss the eight nominees for “Album of the Year” at the 2026 Grammys. Tune in to hear our hosts deep-dive on the high and low points of this year’s crop of nominees. As a bonus: our thoughts on the “Song of the Year” and “Record of the Year” categories! Check us out next week for a normal episode!Music heard in this episode: Tyler, The Creator - “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch”, Tyler, The Creator - “Sugar on My Tongue”, Tyler, The Creator - “Noid”, Tyler, The Creator - “Darling, I (feat. Teezo Touchdown)”, Lady Gaga - “Abracadabra”, Lady Gaga - “Can’t Stop the High”, Justin Timberlake - “Like I Love You (feat. Clipse)”, Clipse - “Chains & Whips (feat. Kendrick Lamar)”, Clipse - “Ace Trumpets”, Kendrick Lamar & SZA - “Luther”, Kendrick Lamar - “Reincarnation”, Dan + Shay & Justin Bieber - “10,000 Hours”, Justin Bieber - “Daisies”, Justin Bieber - “Yukon”, Sabrina Carpenter - “Tears”, Bad Bunny - “Moscow Mule”, Bad Bunny - “BAILE INoLVIDABLE”, SZA - “Snooze”, Leon Thomas - “Snooze”, Leon Thomas - “MUTT”, Leon Thomas - “HOW FAST”, Doechii - “Anxiety”, Rosé and Bruno Mars - “APT.”, Huntrix - “Golden”, Bad Bunny - “DtMF”, Chappell Roan - “The Subway”Send us your thoughts at NeverMusicPod@gmail.comNevermind the Music is part of The Lorehounds Network. Join the Nevermind the Music Discord channel by visiting thelorehounds.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Who’s ready for a feeding frenzy? This week we are joined by podcast super-host Matt Kelly from the Geekscape network to talk about the mid-90s! For a wild few years, it seemed like the record labels were signing every quirky band they could to try to recreate the magic of Nirvana. We talk trend-chasing corporations, confusing genre labels, Mark’s deep regrets, and more in this wide-ranging conversation. Check us out next week for a regular episode!Music heard in this episode: Butthole Surfers - “Pepper”, Fastball - “The Way”, U2 - “Bullet the Blue Sky”, U2 - “Staring at the Sun”, Foo Fighters - “Alone and Easy Target”, Local H - “Bound for the Floor” Send us your thoughts at NeverMusicPod@gmail.comNevermind the Music is part of The Lorehounds Network. Join the Nevermind the Music Discord channel by visiting thelorehounds.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Is it flutist or flautist? Would you want to know the setlist before you see the concert? What’s going to be our hosts next side-hustle? It’s Season 2 and time for listener questions! See you next week for our next regular episode!Music heard in this episode: Fiona Apple - “Paper Bag”, Less Than Jake - “Hows My Driving, Doug Hastings?”, Taylor Swift - “Wood”, Taylor Swift - “Wi$h Li$t”, Taylor Swift - “Fifteen”, Drive Shaft - “You All Everybody”, Bob Welch - “Ebony Eyes”, The Clash - “White Riot”, The Clash - “Train in Vain”, Seal - “Colours”, Seal - “Still Love Remains”, Bruno Mars - “When I Was Your Man”Send us your thoughts at NeverMusicPod@gmail.comNevermind the Music is part of The Lorehounds Network. Join the Nevermind the Music Discord channel by visiting thelorehounds.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Can we predict the next musical revolution? We welcome Lorehounds co-host David as we unpack the Generational Music Theorem, which links major changes in popular music with the coming of age of each generation’s youth. The conversation is wide-ranging and, while we aren’t all totally sold on the theory, David brought charts so it must be true! Check us next week for a regular episode!David’s charts are here Send us your thoughts at NeverMusicPod@gmail.comNevermind the Music is part of The Lorehounds Network. Join the Nevermind the Music Discord channel by visiting thelorehounds.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Is Thanksgiving week already too late to start talking about Christmas music? In this Sidetrack, Nichole and Mark put on their festive sweaters, spike the eggnog, and share the greatest holiday songs. What’s the laziest holiday banger? Which Jewish songwriter wrote the best Christmas song? Does Nichole finally understand what “new wave” means? Tune in to find out, and catch us next week for a normal episode!Music heard in this episode: Fugees - “Ready or Not”, Ohio Players - “Jive Turkey”, Punchline - “It’s a New Year (Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself)”, Hannah Waddingham and Jason Sudeikis - “(Christmas) Baby Please Come Home”, Danny Elfman - “What’s This?”, The Civil Wars - “Tracks in the Snow”, Taylor Swift - “Last Christmas”, Bing Crosby - “White Christmas”, Peter, Paul and Mary - “Light One Candle”, Bruce Springsteen - “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”, Earth, Wind & Fire - “December”, Mykola Leontovych - “Carol of the Bells”, Mariah Carey and Justin Bieber - “All I Want For Christmas is You (Superfestive!)” Send us your thoughts at NeverMusicPod@gmail.comNevermind the Music is part of The Lorehounds Network. Join the Nevermind the Music Discord channel by visiting thelorehounds.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy