Song 2: S.5 Ep.10 - Tim Burgess, 31/10/2025

"It depends on the album, but I'd say the 1st song is most important, for the 2nd one, you need to back it up. For Hickey, it was more about the first" Check out the full interview with Otis on The Lunchbox AND on-demand via RTL Play. Here though Otis tells us about the band's track listing and whether or not he agrees with our rather muddled theory....

What a tune this is.... For many of us, the song I’m still standing is up there as one of the best songs of all time, with the best music video too. I mean the video is over 40 years old and I can still picture the beach, the sunglasses and hats, all of it. But if you’re having trouble remembering, we’ll go back to the start.

"Generally the most important songs are the ones on the first half - with streaming you can skip songs easily, so there's no need to consider placement" Welcome back to Song 2, the podcast where we make a bold claim and back it up track by track: that the second song on any album isn’t just filler… it’s the statement. The moment where a band plants the flag and says, “Here’s who we really are.” This week, we’re going dark, dramatic, and gloriously heavy, because joining us is Cristina Scabbia, the powerhouse voice of Lacuna Coil. We’ll talk riffs, sequencing, and why that all-important second track often holds the emotional key to an entire record. Lacuna Coli are playing Rockhal in a couple of weeks, and we’ve a full length interview on Today Radio and via RTL Play. So, plug in, turn it up, and prepare to rethink your playlist, because on Song 2, the follow-up track is always the one that hits hardest. (image: CUNENE Official Press)

Go ahead and get the pronunciation right on first go... I dare you. Today, we’re jumping back to 1972 Italy, to an artist who somehow managed to predict mumble rap, YouTube virality, and the power of rhythm over meaning, all in one glorious nonsense track. That artist is Adriano Celentano, and the song is the magnificent, the bizarre, the utterly infectious “Prisen colinens inain ciusol”, track two on his album Nostalrock.

"With algorithms, people might not get to your best songs. I think albums are great - and our fans seemed to love them too. Listen to all of it" Tim Burgess of The Charlatans had already provided a great conversation for our full interview on RTL Play. Tim gained huge praised for his 'Listening Party' show. So I was not sure where this was going to go. Tim's writing a book called Closer - all about the final track, so it was not looking good for Song 2. Track 7 crops up again but we've got Tim onboard. And I'll put that on a t-short than you very much.

“It’s crucial that you draw people in when you’re making records. Putting a track listing together can be very complex” Joining us this time is legendary troubadour Billy Bragg. For over four decades, Billy has blended sharp political insight with heartfelt storytelling, from early anthems like Between the Wars to recent records that prove his voice is as vital as ever. Few artists understand the power of a perfectly sequenced album like Billy, and his catalogue is full of second tracks that land like mission statements, passionate, pointed, and unforgettable. There’s a great Joshua Tree Anecdote too.

"If I'm good through Song 2, then I'm probably going to listen to the whole thing (album)" There is a FULL interview with Brandon on LOUDER and NEW Noised (plus it's on-demand) via RTL Play. Atreyu will tear the Rockhal a new one in their upcoming show......

“I don’t think you can make rules like that (Song 2) about music. No track is more important than the other” Shortly after the release of latest LP ‘Futique’ James of Biffy Clyro gives us his thoughts on the merits of Song 2. As Ben has already done this, we just need Simon to get the memo and we can complete the set. Full interview on the way. (Image: Nostromo Management)

"Number 7 was always my favourite - I still believe in albums, they remain important, the order of songs matter to me" Today we’re testing that theory with someone who knows all about building an album’s tension and release: Jehnny Beth. Musician, actor, and former frontwoman of the electrifying band Savages, Jehnny has a gift for sequencing songs that feel like carefully staged dramas.

This week, what was potentially one of the songs of the year in 2024. An absolute, certified banger. We’ve had ABBA, the Spice Girls, the McRib, and of course, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior – supposedly rising from the dead. Welcome to our very own musical bible, where we follow the doctrine that the second song on an album is the best – or at least the most important.