Signature Song

From the groundbreaking pop and R&B of Control to the social consciousness of Rhythm Nation 1814 and the sensual experimentation of The Velvet Rope, Janet Jackson has spent decades reinventing herself and influencing generations of pop stars. On this episode of Signature Song, we explore her remarkable career, her innovative production and choreography, and the hits that made her a cultural icon. But with so many different eras and sounds to choose from, which song truly defines Janet Jackson?

Madonna is indisputably one of the most successful and influential singer-songwriters of all time. She’s smashed records, paved the way for countless women in pop music, and wowed fans with her wild sartorial choices and genre-bending music close to 45 years. Join us as we examine Madonna’s impossibly expansive career and creativity on the season 3 premiere of Signature Song.

As we approach the end of our summer break, we take a look at some of the comments listeners have left across various platforms -- and reveal the first artist of season 3!Chapters:00:00 - Welcome to the listener mailbag01:26 - Has Signature Song broken our brains?02:25 - Smash Mouth, Bon Jovi, and obvious signature songs05:06 - What we’ve been listening to07:53 - Diving into listener comments08:48 - Britney Spears: did we underrate “(You Drive Me) Crazy”?12:28 - Pearl Jam: is “Even Flow” actually the answer?17:13 - The Cure: “A Forest” vs. the bigger hits22:03 - The Beach Boys, Pet Sounds, and Brian Wilson28:35 - Bruce Springsteen: Born to Run, Thunder Road, and the early years32:27 - Taylor Swift: the case for "You Belong With Me"34:51 - Kate Bush and how signature songs can change39:07 - Stevie Wonder: things we missed41:03 - Tears for Fears: honorable mentions and changing our minds42:31 - Selena and more non-English-language artists44:51 - Could we do a jazz episode?45:49 - Revealing the Season 3 premiere47:40 - Closing thoughts and the future of the podcast

Few bands have pursued grandeur as relentlessly as U2. Across nearly five decades, the Irish quartet has transformed political urgency, spiritual yearning, romantic conflict, and unabashed optimism into some of the biggest rock songs ever recorded. We trace their journey from the martial intensity of War to the stadium transcendence of The Unforgettable Fire, the emotional sweep of The Joshua Tree, and the polished uplift of All That You Can't Leave Behind. Along the way, we discuss delay pedals, humanitarianism, giant sunglasses, unwanted iTunes albums, and the fine line between inspiring and corny. Which song best captures everything the world loves, respects, and occasionally mocks about U2?

Selena’s career was impossibly brief, but her musical legacy is enormous: Tejano cumbia, Mexican balladry, English-language pop, joy, heartbreak, charisma, and a voice that could make even the simplest hook feel inevitable. We dive into the songs that made Selena a regional superstar, a Latin music icon, and eventually one of the great “what might have been” stories in pop history. We laugh, we debate, we get a little emotional, and we try to answer a deceptively difficult question: what is Selena’s signature song?

Welcome to our deep dive into the Smashing Pumpkins, an act that helped define alternative rock in the 1990s and beyond. From soaring melodies and gauzy production to crushing guitar hooks and Billy Corgan’s one-of-a-kind vocals, we explore the songs that have cemented the band’s legacy, about which Jorge and Lane have differing opinions. Despite all our rage, we’re still two dudes in a podcast cage.

More than just synth-driven sophisti-pop radio mainstays, Tears for Fears embody a spirit of experimentation, intellectualism, and emotional complexity rarely found in Top 10 mainstream pop music. From war to primal scream therapy to gender dynamics, core members Roland Orzabal and Curtis Smith explore cerebral, intense lyrical themes and bend genres seamlessly all at once. What song in their catalog stands the test of time? Listen as we shout (not really), shout, and let it all out in this episode.Follow us on Instagram!Chapters:00:02 - Let's talk about Tears for Fears03:21 - Where do Tears for Fears fit in the 80s?09:46 - Primal therapy, Arthur Janov, and the psychology behind the band13:08 - Contender #1: The haunted synth-pop breakthrough19:44 - Contender #2: The primal stadium-sized protest song26:16 - Contender #3: The massive global pop hit36:54 - Contender #4: The lush cinematic heartbreaker43:26 - Contender #5: The Beatlesque political comeback51:18 - Contender #6: The late-night torch-song epic57:49 - Honorable mentions01:00:42 - Tears for Fears's signature song01:02:33 - What next?

Ariana Grande is one of the defining pop stars of the 2010s and beyond; a vocalist with undeniable range, a hitmaker with multiple number ones, and a cultural figure whose life and music have, at times, become impossible to separate.But what is the song that actually defines her? Let's figure it out!Join the conversation! Follow us on Instagram

Hello my friends, we meet again -- and we're here to figure out Creed's signature song.One of the biggest bands in the history of American rock music and the de facto face of the post-grunge movement. A band that has been both revered and maligned for their earnestness, their bombast, their Christian messaging, and the many controversies surrounding their lead single.So let's go there. Let's figure out Creed's signature song.Together.

Stevie Wonder's massive career spans decades, genres, eras, and identities, from Motown prodigy to ’70s album-era auteur to global pop institution. So what actually defines him in the public imagination? Is it the joyous Motown standard, the paranoid funk breakthrough, the ecstatic horn-driven tribute to music itself, or the ultra-simple love song that conquered the planet?In this episode, we trace Stevie Wonder’s evolution from the late ’60s through the height of his powers and into the ’80s, weighing innovation, legacy, cultural reach, and pure recognition to determine which song truly earns the title of his signature song.Follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/SignatureSongPod