History in Five Songs Episode 312: Unexpected AOR Albums

In Episode 318 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin pays tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne by exploring the apocalyptic, anti-war, and deeply personal themes running through Ozzy’s lyrics across his career—what Martin calls “Ozzy’s warnings to the world.” Ozzy Osbourne – “Revelation (Mother Earth)” Ozzy Osbourne – “Thank God for the Bomb” Ozzy Osbourne – “Whole World’s Fallin’ Down” Ozzy Osbourne – “Black Rain” Ozzy Osbourne – “Diggin’ Me Down” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 317 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin ponders the limited success and distinctive characteristics of non-American hair metal, focusing on Canada and the UK, and examining why the genre largely failed to flourish outside the U.S. despite a few notable efforts. 1. Helix – “High Voltage Kicks” 1:13 – 1:432. The Quireboys – “7 O’Clock” 0:24– 0:543. Europe – “On the Loose” 0:26 – 0:564. Scorpions – “Unholy Alliance” 0:54 – 1:245. Krokus – “Out of Control” 0:46 – 1:26 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 316 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin takes a cheeky sideways swipe at the groove: Martin lines up Deep Purple, Queen, The Jam, Boomtown Rats, and The Clash, drops the needle on their “too‑funky‑for‑their‑own‑good” moments, and shows how a fatback beat can splinter line‑ups, sideline guitars, and tank whole careers. If you’re curious why Richie Blackmore bolted, how Freddie’s dance‑floor obsession blindsided Brian May, or where Paul Weller’s mojo wandered, cue this episode and hear Martin’s vinyl‑crackling verdict on bands ruined by funk. Deep Purple – “You Can’t Do It Right” Queen – “Back Chat” The Jam – “Precious” The Boomtown Rats – “Mood Mambo" The Clash – “Ivan Meets G.I. Joe” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 315 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin dives deep into the fascinating world of heavy metal albums that never achieved gold certification, spotlighting legendary but commercially underperforming releases from Black Sabbath, Angel Witch, Slayer, Venom, Mercyful Fate, and more — proving that critical acclaim and genre-defining influence don't always come with big sales. Black Sabbath – “Hot Line” Angel Witch – “Atlantis” Venom – “Sacrifice” Savatage – “On the Run” Scorpions – “Pictured Life” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 314 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin explores how songwriting credits can shape — or sometimes have little impact on — our understanding of band dynamics, musical identity, and who really deserves the money and credit behind the hits. Whitesnake – “Hot Stuff” UFO – “Too Hot to Handle” Scorpions – “Bad Boys Running Wild” Ozzy Osbourne – “Believer” Deep Purple – “Pictures of Home” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 313 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin delves into how a wide range of hard rock and metal bands navigated the hair metal era—from those who ignored it entirely, to those who subtly adapted, stayed the course, or went in completely bizarre directions. Black Sabbath – “Call of the Wild” Scorpions – “Hit Between the Eyes” Queen – “Pain Is So Close to Pleasure” Kiss – “Good Girl Gone Bad” Starz – “Rock Six Times” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 312 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin explores a curious subset of rock history—unexpected AOR albums—by spotlighting bands like Heart and Yes that made surprising forays into glossy, radio-friendly territory during the early ’80s, blurring the lines between prog, pop, and proto–hair metal. Heart – “Heavy Heart” Yes – “City of Love” Blue Öyster Cult – “Eyes on Fire” Golden Earring – “Enough Is Enough” Sammy Hagar – “Remote Love” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 311 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin argues that the real nail in hair metal's coffin wasn’t grunge, but the wave of uninspired cover songs that undermined the genre’s credibility and alienated metal purists from the very start. Quiet Riot – “Cum on Feel the Noize” Great White – “Gimme Some Lovin’” Mötley Crüe – “Smokin’ in the Boys Room” Twisted Sister – “Leader of the Pack” Poison – “Your Mama Don’t Dance” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 310 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin wrestles with defining the genre and counts down his five favorite—yet genre-challengingly eclectic—new wave bands, kicking off with the Boomtown Rats and Devo in a tightly-defined 1979-focused episode. The Boomtown Rats – “Keep it Up” Devo – “Blockhead” The Police – “No Time This Time” The Jam – “Girl on the Phone” XTC – “Scissor Man” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 309 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin delves into the theory that traditional, conservative pub rock diluted the innovation of New Wave, highlighting how artists like Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, and Rockpile carried this "pub rock problem" into a genre otherwise defined by its creative and edgy origins. Elvis Costello – “The Beat” Joe Jackson – “Kinda Kute” Rockpile – “A Knife and a Fork” Talking Heads – “New Feeling” Patti Smith – “Space Monkey” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices