The Perfect Album Side Podcast

Send us Fan MailOne idea.  Six songs.  Infinite possibilities...

Send us Fan MailWe argue our way through Rock and Roll Hall of Fame picks, then zoom back to 1989 and draft a six-song “perfect album side” using strict categories and release-date rules. The final tracklist surprises us by leaning hard into pop, dance, MTV videos, and one-hit wonders rather than rock. • rapid-fire yes or no takes on Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees and next-year nominees • quick 1989 scene setting through news, movies, TV, and everyday prices • the category rules that shape the 1989 perfect album side draft • best debut single showdown with Skid Row vs Technotronic • we discuss best movie soundtracks, Madonna, Paula Abdul, Martika, Janet Jackson, Young MC, Metallica and more!   • the final 1989 perfect album side and what it says about the year Thank you guys for listening. Check us out @perfectalbumside on Twitter, Perfect Album Side on Instagram, Perfect Album Side on Facebook.One idea.  Six songs.  Infinite possibilities...

Send us Fan MailSome music stories refuse to die, not because they’re true, but because they’re irresistible. We go myth-hunting through rock and pop’s greatest legends: Paul Is Dead, Elvis is alive, “Eric Clapton is God,” Ozzy’s onstage infamy, and the backward-masking panic that turned Stairway to Heaven into a courtroom rumor mill. Along the way, we talk about why a single detail like a missing shoe or a misspelled name can become “evidence,” and how the internet helps conspiracies spread faster than the truth.Then we flip the record and jump into music biopics. With the Michael Jackson movie landing in theaters, we ask why music biography films hit so hard when they’re done right. We stack-rank favorites, argue about what holds up, and come back again and again to the movie that sets the modern standard: Bohemian Rhapsody. From there we shout out essentials like La Bamba, Walk the Line, The Doors, Coal Miner’s Daughter, and Ray, plus curveballs like 8 Mile, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, and even Amadeus for the reminder that musical genius and rivalry didn’t start with guitars.We also get personal about how these movies and songs land at home, from sharing Queen with the kids to the brutal truth that our podcast might be the world’s most effective sleep aid. Listen, laugh, then tell us what we missed: what rock myth do you secretly love, and what’s your all-time best music biopic? If you enjoy the show, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review.One idea.  Six songs.  Infinite possibilities...

Send us Fan MailFor Episode 95, we finally take on the King of Pop: Michael Jackson.Sounds easy, right? Just grab six monster hits and call it a day? Not so fast, moonwalker. This is The Perfect Album Side, which means rules, categories, painful omissions, questionable research, and at least one moment where Steve has to look directly into the man in the mirror and admit he screwed up.We build the perfect Michael Jackson side across album openers, iconic videos, duets, number-one hits, wild cards, and album closers...Along the way: the glove, the fedora, the moonwalk, Janet Jackson, Paul McCartney, a rat ballad, “Annie, are you okay?”, and enough massive songs left off the final side to start a street fight at a karaoke bar.It’s Michael Jackson. It’s impossible. We did it anyway.One idea.  Six songs.  Infinite possibilities...

Send us Fan Mail# Grunge## Episode Info- **Episode**: S03E94- **Title**: Grunge- **Original Air Date**: March 2026- **Duration**: 1 hour, 26 minutes## Episode SummarySteve and Windham throw on their imaginary flannel and build a Perfect Album Side for grunge, focusing on the songs, videos, soundtrack moments, and closers that defined the genre’s brief but massive takeover. Along the way they talk about how grunge steamrolled hair metal, salute David Hudson and *State of Amorica*, and argue through what really belongs under the grunge umbrella.## Topics Covered- How grunge disrupted late-80s hair metal almost overnight- The Seattle scene, Sub Pop, and the anti-corporate identity of grunge- Why Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains became the center of the movement- The role of movie soundtracks and MTV in making grunge unavoidable- The gray area of “is this actually grunge?” with bands like Stone Temple Pilots, Smashing Pumpkins, Sonic Youth, and The Breeders- The emotional weight of Andrew Wood’s legacy in songs by Temple of the Dog and Alice in Chains## Deep Dives- **Temple of the Dog – "Say Hello 2 Heaven"** as a tribute to Andrew Wood and a statement opening track- **Pearl Jam – "Jeremy"** as the era’s defining music video juggernaut- **Alice in Chains – "Would?"** and the *Singles* soundtrack as central grunge artifacts- **Soundgarden – "Outshined"** in *True Romance* and the wider movie-soundtrack moment- The case for outliers and neighboring acts like The Breeders’ "Cannonball" and Stone Temple Pilots’ "Plush"- **Nirvana – "Rape Me"** and the band’s role in making the whole grunge explosion possible in the first place## Fun Facts & Highlights- The episode quickly escalates into a George Costanza-style block-of-cheese visual.- Steve realizes he no longer owns any flannel shirts, which leads to the instant fake-band name **Final Flannel**.- There’s a heartfelt shoutout to David Hudson and Ian Rice of *State of Amorica*, with David’s exit from the mic helping inspire the episode.- The guys keep circling back to the same glorious grunge question: was the music the revolution, or was it also the look, the attitude, and the backlash to purple sequined jackets?- Andrew Wood’s shadow hangs over the episode in a meaningful way, with multiple songs tied back to him.## Referenced Artists, Songs & Content- Temple of the Dog- Pearl Jam- Alice in Chains- Soundgarden- Nirvana- Stone Temple Pilots- The Breeders- Sonic Youth- Smashing Pumpkins- Mudhoney- Screaming Trees- Mother Love Bone- Chris Cornell- Eddie Vedder- Kurt Cobain- Andrew Wood- "Say Hello 2 Heaven"- "Jeremy"- "Would?"- "Outshined"- "Cannonball"- "Plush"- "Rape Me"- "Smells Like Teen Spirit"- "Hunger Strike"- *Singles*- *True Romance*- *State of Amorica*## Episode TakeawayGrunge wasn’t just a sound—it was a correction, a mood, a look, and a cultural hard left turn. This episode works because Steve and Wyndham don’t just list songs; they capture why this music felt like a detonation when it arrived.One idea.  Six songs.  Infinite possibilities...

Send us Fan MailWe kick off the new year debating whether music before 1996 truly hits harder and why easier tools may not equal better songs. Then we switch gears for a spirited soundtrack trivia run, crowning the top five best-sellers and arguing about Grease, Dirty Dancing and the Bee Gees.• tech lowering barriers while raising noise• the lost magic of bands in garages• why friction and scarcity shaped taste• record stores, ticket lines and shared rituals• AI tools like Suno and creative shortcuts• rock’s roots in regional sound migrations• the new Black Crowes and Stones comparisons• the highest selling movie soundtracks since 1970One idea.  Six songs.  Infinite possibilities...

Send us Fan MailWhat makes a Christmas song timeless? We set ourselves a deceptively hard challenge: pick the single most iconic holiday track from each decade, starting with the 1960s and ending in the 2010s, then fuse them into one perfect album side. Right away a pattern emerged—so many beloved songs weren’t immediate smashes. They took years to climb, re-entered charts as rules changed, and found new life through radio, TV specials, movies, and, later, streaming.We start with Darlene Love’s Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), released on the day of JFK’s assassination and later crowned by time, then square it against Burl Ives’ Holly Jolly Christmas, seared into memory by Rankin/Bass. In the 70s, Lennon and Ono’s Happy Xmas reframed the “Christmas song” as purposeful protest while McCartney’s Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time perfected the carefree synth sleigh-ride. The 80s deliver spectacle and sentiment: Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas birthed charity supergroups and Live Aid, while Wham’s Last Christmas kept quietly climbing until it nearly topped the chart four decades later.The 2000s were a tougher hunt, but they showcase platform power. Faith Hill’s Where Are You Christmas rides the Grinch soundtrack into perennial status as Britney’s My Only Wish (This Year) evolves from TRL-era fluff to streaming favorite. Then the 2010s give us precision nostalgia: Kelly Clarkson’s Underneath The Tree, crafted with Greg Kurstin to echo Phil Spector’s wall of sound, stands shoulder to shoulder with Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You, the modern juggernaut that finally reached No. 1 decades after release and returns every year like clockwork.By the end, we’ve got a front-to-back holiday playlist with a story: how classics are born, forgotten, revived, and ultimately adopted as tradition. Hit play, then tell us your decade winners, the sleepers we missed, and the holiday deep cuts you swear by. If you enjoy the show, follow, share with a friend, and leave a quick review—it helps more listeners find their new favorite December soundtrack.One idea.  Six songs.  Infinite possibilities...

Send us Fan MailOne idea.  Six songs.  Infinite possibilities...

Send us Fan MailWindham & Steve weigh the moments that launched rock into the mainstream, from Elvis and the Beatles on TV to Woodstock, Michael Jackson’s moonwalk, and the rise of digital streaming. Then we stress-test rock mythology with the “couch test,” deciding which bands would make good house guests.• Elvis and the Beatles making TV a rock megaphone• Woodstock as the festival blueprint and its lasting imprint• MJ’s Motown 25 moonwalk and live spectacle escalation• Digital music’s access vs ritual tradeoffs• Bad Company tribute highlights and cover craft• New supergroup buzz featuring Rucker, Mills, and more• The couch test for bands: chaos vs courtesy• From Motley Crue to Hootie: who gets a yes• KISS side-roads, nostalgia, and pinball lore• Tease: building the perfect album side of 2011One idea.  Six songs.  Infinite possibilities...

Send us Fan MailSome songs don’t wait for the chorus to hook you—they grab you from the very first word. In this episode of The Perfect Album Side, we explore the magic of vocal hook intros: those unforgettable openings where the human voice alone sets the stage, commands attention, and makes the song instantly recognizable. From haunting whispers to soaring shouts, we dig into why these moments leave such a lasting mark, how they’ve shaped decades of music history, and what makes a vocal hook intro so powerful. It’s a journey through the art of making a first impression—music that doesn’t just start, it arrives.One idea.  Six songs.  Infinite possibilities...