The Death of the Middle-Class Musician & 5 Songs That Don't Suck

~Episode 161~Dive into the reality of Spotify's Loud and Clear report, the "infinite shelf" myth, and 5 fresh tracks from Marc Valentine, Michael Stipe, and more that actually deserve your ears.Head to the Songs That Don’t Suck website to check out this week’s songs, join the Patreon (it’s Free), and more. Be sure and like, review, and subscribe to the podcast where ever you may be listening, and if you want,  connect with Songs That Don’t Suck on social media including ⁠⁠Instagram⁠,  BlueSky, and  Threads.

~Episode 160~From a "totally f***ing acoustic" set with folk legend Ellis Paul to swampy crooner covers by Barns Courtney, Mark breaks down this week's top tracks and shares a "kismet" encounter with an old friend.Head to the Songs That Don’t Suck website to check out this week’s songs, join the Patreon (it’s Free), and more. Be sure and like, review, and subscribe to the podcast where ever you may be listening, and if you want,  connect with Songs That Don’t Suck on social media including ⁠⁠Instagram⁠,  BlueSky, and  Threads.

Episode 159Dive into the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominations with host Mark  and guest Seymour. They break down the fan vote math, the 17 nominees, who’s a lock (and who isn’t), plus why the Rock Hall keeps lighting the internet on fire every single year... oh, and after all that, there are 4 songs that do indeed not suck! Head to the Songs That Don’t Suck website to check out this week’s songs, join the Patreon (it’s Free), and more. Be sure and like, review, and subscribe to the podcast where ever you may be listening, and if you want,  connect with Songs That Don’t Suck on social media including ⁠⁠Instagram⁠,  BlueSky, and  Threads.

Episode 158Is music still capable of being “unavoidable” in the streaming era? From Michael Jackson’s MTV dominance to Taylor Swift’s algorithm-powered empire, we explore how monoculture died and what replaced it. Plus, new music from Cardinals, Evermore, Highland Cinema, Alan Doyle, and The Sophs.Head to the Songs That Don’t Suck website to check out this week’s songs, join the Patreon (it’s Free), and more. Be sure and like, review, and subscribe to the podcast where ever you may be listening, and if you want,  connect with Songs That Don’t Suck on social media including ⁠⁠Instagram⁠,  BlueSky, and  Threads.

Episode 157!Can a city engineer a music scene? This week on Songs That Don’t Suck, Mark dives into Huntsville’s music strategy, questions whether scenes can be optimized, and spotlights killer new tracks from Hollerado, Leith, Big Big Train, Crooked Fingers, and The Other End.Head to the Songs That Don’t Suck website to check out this week’s songs, join the Patreon (it’s Free), and more. Be sure and like, review, and subscribe to the podcast where ever you may be listening, and if you want,  connect with Songs That Don’t Suck on social media including ⁠⁠Instagram⁠,  BlueSky, and  Threads.

Episode 156Rock isn’t dead it’s just exhausted. In this episode of Songs That Don’t Suck, Mark reflects on the brutal reality of band life, the slow fade of rock on the charts, and four killer new tracks that prove the genre still has a pulse.Head to the Songs That Don’t Suck website to check out this week’s songs, join the Patreon (it’s Free), and more. Be sure and like, review, and subscribe to the podcast where ever you may be listening, and if you want,  connect with Songs That Don’t Suck on social media including ⁠⁠Instagram⁠,  BlueSky, and  Threads.

Episode 155From Dirty Dancing to Barbie, we break down why iconic movie soundtrack hits have disappeared—and spotlight 5 new indie songs that absolutely don’t suck. A deep dive into music, movies, culture, and discovery in the streaming age.Head to the Songs That Don’t Suck website to check out this week’s songs, join the Patreon (it’s Free), and more. Be sure and like, review, and subscribe to the podcast where ever you may be listening, and if you want,  connect with Songs That Don’t Suck on social media including ⁠⁠Instagram⁠,  BlueSky, and  Threads.

Episode 154Why modern music sounds “perfect” (and why that’s boring). This week on Songs That Don’t Suck, we explore quantization, imperfect tempos, and five standout new songs from The Brook & The Bluff, The Claypool Lennon Delirium, The Band LIGHT, Lime Garden, and Silversun Pickups.Head to the Songs That Don’t Suck website to check out this week’s songs, join the Patreon (it’s Free), and more. Be sure and like, review, and subscribe to the podcast where ever you may be listening, and if you want,  connect with Songs That Don’t Suck on social media including ⁠⁠Instagram⁠,  BlueSky, and  Threads.

Episode 153: Bandcamp takes a bold stand against AI music as Luminate’s 2025 data reveals streaming slowdowns, vinyl’s rise, and rock’s resurgence plus five killer new songs that definitely don’t suck.Head to the Songs That Don’t Suck website to check out this week’s songs, join the Patreon (it’s Free), and more. Be sure and like, review, and subscribe to the podcast where ever you may be listening, and if you want,  connect with Songs That Don’t Suck on social media including ⁠⁠Instagram⁠,  BlueSky, and  Threads.

A fiery Songs That Don’t Suck episode takes on monoculture, streaming 2.0, and the myth of the music industry’s “golden age,” before spotlighting five standout new tracks from Ellur, Dark Sun, Telander, Puscifier, and The Steel Wheels.Head to the Songs That Don’t Suck website to check out this week’s songs, join the Patreon (it’s Free), and more. Be sure and like, review, and subscribe to the podcast where ever you may be listening, and if you want,  connect with Songs That Don’t Suck on social media including ⁠⁠Instagram⁠,  BlueSky, and  Threads.