Episode 149: When Christmas Music Got Cool: Nostalgia, New Tracks, and Year-End Vibes

Dive into the holiday spirit as Mark revisits the legacy of A Very Special Christmas and spotlights this week’s four standout tracks from Snocaps, AVTT/PTTN, Van Buren, and The Lone Bellow. A nostalgic, music-packed episode perfect for indie fans and Christmas-playlist builders alike.

A power-pop-packed week on Songs That Don’t Suck! Mark breaks down Olivia Dean’s battle against scalpers, the live music ticketing crisis, and five retro-influenced tracks you need to hear right now. Discover Beatles-esque harmonies, indie grooves, and baroque-pop brilliance.To check out this week’s songs on your platform of choice head to the website Songs That Don’t SuckConnect with Songs That Don’t Suck ~ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠ | BlueSky

Dive into this week’s episode of Songs That Don’t Suck as Mark contrasts the soul of human-made music with the rising tidal wave of AI-generated tracks. Plus: four incredible new indie, emo-leaning, and atmospheric songs from Juno Pearl, Spanish Love Songs, Searows, and The Rooks. To check out this week’s songs on your platform of choice head to the website Songs That Don’t SuckConnect with Songs That Don’t Suck ~ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠ | BlueSky

Dive into this week’s episode of Songs That Don’t Suck, where host Mark Bradbourne geeks out over a new book that fuses music history with deep data—Uncharted Territory by Chris Dalla Riva. Plus, five must-hear new tracks from The Format, The Boondocks, Ugly UK, The Pale White, and Scarhaven. Data nerds and music lovers, this one’s for you.To check out this week’s songs on your platform of choice head to the website Songs That Don’t SuckConnect with Songs That Don’t Suck ~ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠ | BlueSky

This week on Songs That Don’t Suck, Mark dives into the lost art of mixtapes, what made them magical, and contrasts them with today’s algorithm-driven playlists. Plus, four killer tracks from Robert Delong, Tors with Jade Bird, Black Orchid Empire, and Howl Owl Howl.To check out this week’s songs on your platform of choice head to the website Songs That Don’t SuckConnect with Songs That Don’t Suck ~ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠ | BlueSky

On this episode of Songs That Don't Suck, Mark dives into the overuse of nostalgic songs in TV and film, asking when it’s clever versus just lazy. Plus, five killer new tracks you’ve probably never heard — and should.To check out this week’s songs on your platform of choice head to the website Songs That Don’t SuckConnect with Songs That Don’t Suck ~ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠ | BlueSky

Mark dives into the latest episode of Songs That Don’t Suck, where we deliver a high‑voltage concert review featuring the funk‑rock powerhouse High Fade and the prog‑jam juggernaut Round Trip — plus four freshly released tracks you gotta hear.To check out this week’s songs on your platform of choice head to the website Songs That Don’t SuckConnect with Songs That Don’t Suck ~ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠ | BlueSky

This week on Songs That Don’t Suck, host Mark shares an unreal experience: seeing Metallica perform live… at his company’s corporate conference. 🤯 Yes, you read that right. Plus, he unpacks a heavy week of live music and brings us five fresh tracks you need on your radar—from grunge revival to Americana gems.To check out this week’s songs on your platform of choice head to the website Songs That Don’t SuckConnect with Songs That Don’t Suck ~ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠ | BlueSky

America’s indie venues are powering local economies—and still going broke. This episode of Songs That Don’t Suck breaks down why your favorite small venue is barely hanging on, plus fresh tracks from Spanish Love Songs, Blonde Rose, Joel Tyler King, AIRFLO, and Shua.To check out this week’s songs on your platform of choice head to the website Songs That Don’t SuckConnect with Songs That Don’t Suck ~ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠ | BlueSky

Join host Mark on this week’s episode of Songs That Don’t Suck — from a rollicking Bridge City Sinners concert review to deep dives on fresh tracks by Megadeth, The Utopiates, Twin City, The Clause, and Scarhaven. To check out this week’s songs on your platform of choice head to the website Songs That Don’t SuckConnect with Songs That Don’t Suck ~ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠ | BlueSky#MusicDiscovery #NewMusic #IndieMusic #MusicPodcast #GenX #NowPlaying #MusicLovers #MusicIsLife #ListenNow #TuneIn #SupportIndieArtists #DiscoverNewMusic