Special Countdown: 12 Years of Last.fm (Part 4) (#20-11)

Counting Crows ca 1994

I'm back with another installment of the countdown of the Top 50 artists that I listened to from 2/14/06-2/14/18. This episode is the much-anticipated Bottom 10 of the Top 20.


12 Years of Last.fm (Part 4)

***Featuring***
Ben Folds
Cartel
Counting Crows
Fall Out Boy
Green Day
Kanye West
Less Than Jake
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
R.E.M.
Radiohead
Red Hot Chili Peppers

2017 Artists of the Year!!!!

Barenaked Ladies

I think the Artists of the Year countdown is consistently my favorite show of the year. It's a fun way to look back at my listening habits and generate a pretty eclectic show to boot! Enjoy it! I know I will!


2017 Artists of the Year

***Featuring***
Barenaked Ladies
The Beatles
Blink 182
Bob Dylan
Busta Rhymes
Cast of Hamilton
Diet Cig
Kendrick Lamar
New Found Glory
P.O.S
Radiohead
Smashing Pumpkins

New Countdown: Full Circle

Beck

It's all coming back around this episode. ....And other circular puns. I thought it would be easier to come up with fun circle puns, but I guess I'm a little below the curve (is that a circle pun?).

Anyways, enjoy this mega-long episode!


Countdown #360

***Featuring***
Beck
Cage the Elephant
Foo Fighters
Imagine Dragons
The Lumineers
A Perfect Circle
Portugal. The Man
R.E.M.
Radiohead
The Revivalists
Thirty Seconds to Mars
Vance Joy
Walk the Moon

New Countdown: Gettin' Weird

30 Seconds to Mars

I think that this episode might start off with the weirdest song I've ever played. I hope you enjoy the craziness as much as I do. The show benefits from it, I think. A good shot in the arm that makes the more straightforward songs all the sweeter!


Countdown #359

***Featuring***
Beck
Cage the Elephant
Foo Fighters
Imagine Dragons
The Killers
The Lumineers
Portugal. The Man
Radiohead
The Revivalists
Thirty Seconds to Mars
Vance Joy

New Countdown: The Swingin' Hits of the Alternative Songs

Radiohead

Sit back and enjoy this new countdown of all your favorite Alternative Songs, plus a couple of songs by the up-and-coming band pictured above!


Countdown #358

***Featuring***
Beck
Cage the Elephant
Imagine Dragons
Judah & the Lion
The Killers
Portugal. The Man
Radiohead
The Revivalists
Thirty Seconds to Mars
Vance Joy

New Countdown: (Nice Podcast)

The Killers

This one came together so quickly! I guess that's what happens when you start talking about a new month and there's some movement on the chart! Enjoy this one and I'll have another one out to you very soon!


Countdown #357

***Featuring***
Beck
Cage the Elephant
Imagine Dragons
Judah & the Lion
The Killers
The Lumineers
Portugal. The Man
Radiohead
The Revivalists
Thirty Seconds to Mars
Vance Joy

NEW MUSIC: Blink-182 "Bored to Death" and Radiohead "Burn the Witch"

I'm very excited about both of these impending releases.

The first, which came out last week, is the new single from Blink-182, the first with Matt Skiba (of Alkaline Trio) taking over Tom DeLonge's duties in the band. It comes from an album called California, which will be out on July 1. The song debuts at #18 on the Alternative Songs chart that came out today

The second was just released today and there is not a lot of information related to it. All I know is, it's a new Radiohead song. And it's good.

New Countdown: Some Wolfs

Mumford & Sons

I'm getting the hang of this "not necessarily posting on Sunday" thing. I think it's making for a better show, though.

Summer episodes are always pretty great, though, aren't they?


Countdown #257

***Featuring***
Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness
Beck
Cold War Kids
Elle King 
Mumford & Sons
Of Monsters and Men
Radiohead
twenty one pilots
Walk the Moon
Wolf Alice
X Ambassadors

One Year, 100 Albums: #16 Radiohead "The Bends"

Radiohead The Bends, 1995

I came to Radiohead via OK Computer. I loved the video for "Paranoid Android" and really really loved the whole album.


I found a book called Radiohead: Hysterical and Useless which was published in 1999 and recounted their history up through OK Computer and it was a fascinating read.

Unsurprisingly, the book covered a lot about the album before OK Computer, The Bends. The way the author and the band talked about the songs, it sounded amazing. I was visiting my Dad in Boston at the time, so we took on a mission to go around to as many record stores as it took to find this album. And it took more than two. It was an age before iTunes allowed for instant gratification the way it does today.

Well, the album was even more amazing than described! And it turned out that I'd heard a song from it, "High and Dry" many times on DC101. I just never knew it was Radiohead! It was quite the revelation.

I was surprised when I determined that this was my favorite Radiohead album, but I guess it makes sense. It has all of their weirdness, all of their softness, and all of their hard rocking guitar-ness. It's kind of a blueprint for everything they'd done before and everything they've done since.....except maybe Kid A. That album, I'm convinced, was given to them by God or aliens or something out of this world.

It was incredibly tough to pick feature songs from this album. I decided to include a softer song ("Black Star") and a harder song ("Just") and to include the single that Cher in Clueless referred to as "the maudlin music of the University station" and "cry-baby music", "Fake Plastic Trees" (It's apparently Clueless week....for these two days (Yesterday and Today).)

Radiohead - Just
Radiohead - Black Star

You can buy The Bends at Amazon, Amazon MP3, and iTunes

New Countdown: K is for Kwaito

The Black Keys

It's a fun countdown that was pretty easy to put together and I am really glad that that's the case. I don't know why I'm so tired, but it's not even midnight yet and I feel like it's 3 AM (I must be lonely).

Enjoy this one and let me know what you think of the current batch of songs on the countdown!

Countdown #195

***Featuring***
Arctic Monkeys
Bastille
The Black Keys
Cage the Elephant
Coldplay
Fitz & the Tantrums
KONGOS
Lorde
Phantogram
Radiohead

New Countdown: I'll Take Things Rising Again for 1000, Alex

Fitz & the Tantrums

I feel like the countdown these days is super eclectic and I love it so much. We have a great batch of songs as usual this week and I had a fun time, also as usual, making this podcast! I hope you enjoy it!

Countdown #194

***Featuring***
Arctic Monkeys
Bastille
Ben Folds Five
The Black Keys
Cage the Elephant
Fitz & the Tantrums
KONGOS
Lorde
Phantogram
Radiohead
Young the Giant

New Countdown: Gonna be sleeping in the podcast doghouse for a bit here...

The Black Keys

Well, once again, I've forgotten the anniversary of the podcast. Actually....now that I think of it, this is the first time that's happened. I was thinking of the anniversary of the blog itself, which i have missed, I believe, every single year. No, I usually remember the podcast's birthday. Hopefully, the 4th birthday isn't a big one.

It's a great show this week. A bunch of movement and surprises and bonus songs and stuff that I included without remembering that i could be playing bonus songs to celebrate, but rather just playing bonus songs because I like them! (Idea for t-shirt: "Live life like it's your podcast's birthday")

Countdown #193

***Featuring***
Alan Wilkis
Arctic Monkeys
Bastille
The Black Keys
Cage the Elephant
Fitz & the Tantrums
Foster the People
Jaydiohead
KONGOS
Lorde
Phantogram
Radiohead
Young the Giant

New Countdown: It's April, Fools!

Bastille

Well it's a new month, so that means it's time for a bunch of change, apparently. Some of the change was expected (new Alternative Album Grammy winner) and some of it wasn't (New Song?!). Enjoy, you guys!

Countdown #192

***Featuring***
Arctic Monkeys
Bastille
Cage the Elephant
Fitz & the Tantrums
Foster the People
KONGOS
Lorde
Phantogram
Radiohead
Young the Giant

Monthly Poll: Coldplay - Parachutes

So I want to focus a little more on these Alternative Album Grammy Winners that I'm playing for bonus songs on the Countdown. So I think, on the first Monday of every month, I'm going to do a little retrospective poll related to the album from the proceeding month.

August's album was Coldplay's Parachutes.

Please answer the following questions in the comments section. (If you don't have an answer, feel free to skip the question)

1. What is your favorite track on Parachutes

Don't Panic

Shiver

Spies

Sparks

Yellow

Trouble

Parachutes

High Speed

We Never Change

Everything's Not Lost

Life is For Living (hidden track)

2. What is your favorite Coldplay album?

3. Which do you feel should have won the Grammy, if not Parachutes:

• Tori Amos Strange Little Girls
• Bjork Vespertine
• Fatboy Slim Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars
• Radiohead Amnesiac

Monthly Poll: Radiohead - Kid A

So I want to focus a little more on these Alternative Album Grammy Winners that I'm playing for bonus songs on the Countdown. So I think, on the first Monday of every month, I'm going to do a little retrospective poll related to the album from the proceeding month.

August's album was Radiohead's Kid A.

Please answer the following questions in the comments section. (If you don't have an answer, feel free to skip the question)

1. What is your favorite track on Kid A

Everything in Its Right Place

Kid A

National Anthem

How to Disappear Completely

Treefingers

Optimistic

In Limbo

Idioteque

Morning Bell

Motion Picture Soundtrack

Untitled (hidden track)

2. What is your favorite Radiohead album?

3. Which do you feel should have won the Grammy, if not Kid A:

• Fiona Apple When the Pawn...
• The Cure Bloodflowers
• Beck Midnite Vultures
• Paul McCartney Liverpool Sound Collage

New Countdown: When I'm 164...(doot doo)

Capital Cities

This was one of those weeks where it felt like the podcast had been in production FOREVER. It was really only a couple of days, but I feel like it has literally been months since I started recording #164.

We're also in one of those waves where the bands on the countdown (with a few minor exceptions) aren't that well known, so it gives me the feeling that I'm really sharing some NEW music. Which I like :)

Speaking of which, I am pondering starting a series for Mondays called "Mailbag Mondays" where I play songs by bands who I first heard about because they emailed me. So, you heard it here first. And if it doesn't come to pass, then you get first dibs on the ridicule and shaming.

Countdown #164

***Featuring***
Atlas Genius
Bastille
Capital Cities
Fitz & the Tantrums
Grouplove
Imagine Dragons
Lorde
The Neighbourhood
New Politics
Radiohead

New Countdown: James's Bonus Song Emporium!

Imagine Dragons

If you were looking for the nonsensical, seemingly random ravings of a madman, you're in the wrong place, bub! But if you want a podcast where sometimes we have more than 2 bonus songs, then step right in, my friend, have I got the podcast for you!!!

The weather is becoming increasingly fall-like and we're going to have to start to accept the fact that our summer anthem this year was a song about needing to put on a sweater because the weather is too chilly.....which I think we can all do. I'm really excited for some fall weather, actually.

Countdown #162

***Featuring***
Atlas Genius
Capital Cities
Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams
Fitz and the Tantrums
Grouplove
Imagine Dragons
Lorde
The Neighbourhood
New Politics
Radiohead

New Countdown, or, a Descent into Madness

Fitz and the Tantrums

Here's another episode where you hear me in various states of consciousness/fatigue. Which can either be a fun ride or a descent into madness....no, not the Muse song. :)

I'm really loving the songs on the countdowns of late. I hope you are too!

Countdown #161

***Featuring***
Atlas Genius
Capital Cities
Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams
Fitz and the Tantrums
Grouplove
Imagine Dragons
Lorde
The Neighbourhood
New Politics
Radiohead

Monthly Poll: Beastie Boys - Hello Nasty

So I want to focus a little more on these Alternative Album Grammy Winners that I'm playing for bonus songs on the Countdown. So I think, on the first Monday of every month, I'm going to do a little retrospective poll related to the album from the proceeding month.

May's album was Beastie Boys' Hello Nasty.

Please answer the following questions in the comments section. (If you don't have an answer, feel free to skip the question)

1. What is your favorite track on Hello Nasty?

Super Disco Breakin'

The Move

Remote Control

Song For the Man

Just a Test

Body Movin'

Intergalactic

Sneakin' Out the Hospital

Putting Shame In Your Game

Flowin' Prose

And Me

Three MC's and One DJ

The Grasshopper Unit (Keep Movin')

Song For Junior

I Don't Know

The Negotiation Limerick File

Electrify

Picture This

Unite

Dedication

Dr. Lee, Ph.D.

Instant Death

2. What is your favorite Beastie Boys album?

3. Which do you feel should have won the Grammy, if not Hello Nasty:

• Tori Amos From the Choirgirl Hotel
• PJ Harvey Is This Desire?
• Radiohead Airbag/How Am I Driving?
• Smashing Pumpkins Adore

Monthly Poll: Radiohead - Ok Computer

So I want to focus a little more on these Alternative Album Grammy Winners that I'm playing for bonus songs on the Countdown. So I think, on the first Monday of every month, I'm going to do a little retrospective poll related to the album from the proceeding month.

May's album was Radiohead's Ok Computer.

Please answer the following questions in the comments section. (If you don't have an answer, feel free to skip the question)

1. What is your favorite track on Ok Computer?

• Airbag
• Paranoid Android
• Subterranean Homesick Alien
• Exit Music (For a Film)
• Let Down
• Karma Police
• Fitter Happier
• Electioneering
• Climbing Up the Walls
• No Surprises
• Lucky
• The Tourist

2. What is your favorite Radiohead album?

3. Which do you feel should have won the Grammy, if not Ok Computer:

• Bjork Homogenic
• David Bowie Earthling
• The Chemical Brothers Dig Your Own Hole
• The Prodigy Fat of the Land