About this podcast
First came '60 Songs That Explain the '90s.' (We did that.) Then came '60 Songs That Explain the '90s: The 2000s.' (We're doing that now—and yes, that's the actual name.) But whether you want to jump back to the Clinton years or join us as we reboot our old iPods, you can find all of the collected works of Rob Harvilla below. Come back each Wednesday for a new episode.
Episodes
The newest 50 of 186 episodes
- Fountains of Wayne — “Stacy’s Mom” · 1 h 20 minA song played at every wedding, at every dance, and in every store, “Stacy’s Mom” has cast a great shadow over the rest of the discography of Fountains of Wayne. Today, Rob is…
- At The Drive-In — “One Armed Scissor” · 1 h 38 minFor a brief moment in 2000, At the Drive-In were the best live band in the world—then they broke up. This week, Rob tracks how the El Paso post-hardcore outfit burned so bright…
- Bon Iver — “Skinny Love” · 1 h 36 minPack up your winter gear—we’re headed to the Wisconsin woods. This week, Rob retreats into Justin Vernon’s cabin to remember the buzzy indie album ‘For Emma, Forever Ago,’ which…
- Black Eyed Peas — “I Gotta Feeling” · 1 h 36 minAre bad lyrics good lyrics? That’s the question Rob posits as he tackles the Black Eyed Peas, who may have mastered the art of good-bad songwriting. He looks back on how the Peas…
- Lee Ann Womack — “I Hope You Dance” · 1 h 36 minShe sings both kinds of music—country and Western—and you better be grateful for it. Lee Ann Womack followed in the footsteps of icons like Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, and Tammy…
- An Overdue 60 Songs Mailbag · 1 h 36 minIt’s been [redacted] years since our last mailbag episode, and Rob is finally back to answer all your burning questions about the ’90s, 2000s, and more. He’s joined by…
- Peter Bjorn and John — "Young Folks" · 1 h 30 minTwee aesthetics, songs about fleeting youth (sung by people who are objectively young), and lots and lots of blogs—that’s right, we’re talking about indie rock in the aughts…
- Evanescence — “Bring Me To Life” · 1 h 26 minAlthough this podcast has continuously shown that we cheer for the underdog, every now and then we must tip our cap to the suits and head honchos. When Evanescence’s record label…
- Sade — “By Your Side” · 1 h 46 minThis week’s episode is all about comfort. It’s about being remembered and what better person to commemorate that feeling with than the person whose music doesn’t seem to age…
- Spoon — “The Underdog” · 1 h 36 minToday, Rob explains how even after five successful studio albums, Spoon still felt vengeful enough to write the most triumphant song about being the underdog. He reflects on how…
- My Chemical Romance—“Welcome to the Black Parade” · 1 h 36 minWe should have known that, despite the irony, the kid from New Jersey who defended the purchasing of serial killer comics would grow up to become the defender of the broken…
- Bush — “Glycerine” · 1 h 30 minWe’re going back to our roots this week—back to our Toyota Corollas and Chrysler LeBarons or whatever other shitty cars we drove back in the ’90s—to blast some Bush. Rob ponders…
- Shakira — “Hips Don’t Lie” · 1 h 25 minThis episode is for the ladies up in here tonight! Before her hips became internationally renowned, Shakira was making Spanish rock music from the age of 14. Today, Rob looks…
- Feist — “1234” · 1 h 25 minImagine, you’re on the road with an indie sleaze band making sock puppets sing obscenities when Sesame Street gives you a call. Leslie Feist’s career can most similarly be…
- Joanna Newsom — “Emily” · 1 h 12 minThis episode is for all of the people who don’t know the difference between a meteor, meteoroid, and meteorite. Rob finally opens up about his hipster phase of life that nearly…
- Wolf Parade — “I’ll Believe in Anything” · 1 h 32 minWill you come to my cottage this summer and blast Canadian rock music? Rob is asking … for a friend! This week, we analyze the dramatic comeback of the Wolf Parade song “I’ll…
- Radiohead — “All I Need” · 1 h 43 minKeep those negative thoughts to yourself! They are a parasite to those around you, and who knows that better than Thom Yorke? This week, Rob proves that Radiohead has the ability…
- TV On The Radio — “Wolf Like Me” · 1 h 22 minThis week, Rob takes a trip down memory lane, a.k.a. 2000s Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Now that we are in the dark ages of social media and virality, there is a set-in-stone Mount…
- Madvillain — “All Caps” · 1 h 34 minThis week, Rob makes a solid argument that the coolest thing a person can do is watch cartoons and play pretend. He breaks down the many personas of Daniel Dumile, starting with…
- The White Stripes — “Seven Nation Army” · 1 h 48 minYou’ve heard the song a million times, and you can sing along with the crowd when it comes on. But come trivia, would you be able to name the artist and song title? Today, Rob is…
- Kelis — “Milkshake” · 1 h 24 minToday, Rob talks about the song that left him speechless upon his first listen—“Milkshake”. He retraces his steps back to the beginning of Kelis’s career when she was screaming…
- Paramore — “Misery Business” · 1 h 34 minImagine the angstiest, cringiest art you made as a teenager. Now imagine the entire world singing to it in their cars and at karaoke forever. Today, Rob is breaking down the…
- The Darkness — “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” · 1 h 44 minThere is a select handful of people who were never meant to step foot into an office due to their proclivity to screw around. Just like we sent Rob packing to Ohio to bother no…
- D’Angelo—“Untitled (How Does It Feel)” · 1 h 54 minToday, Rob breaks down one of the many impossible expectations we have for our musical stars—the memorial performance. After years of staying out of the public eye, D’Angelo paid…
- Bruce Springsteen — “The Rising” · 1 h 33 minIn the uncertain moments following 9/11, we were searching for comfort and someone to help us make sense of it all. Today, Rob discusses the one musician who was capable of…
- Britney Spears – “Toxic” · 1 h 36 minBefore he vows to leave her alone, Rob breaks down the cataclysmic career of a pop star who did it for the love of the game and the disgust of the fame. Britney Spears had the…
- “Buy U a Drank”— T-Pain · 1 h 42 minAt long last, Rob has returned to your speakers and screens, triumphant in the face of his haters. In this way, he is no different than the subject of today’s episode: T-Pain…
- “Hallelujah” — Jeff Buckley · 1 h 42 minToday, Rob returns with a gift in time for the holidays, breaking down what many would call the voice of an angel. He takes us back to the ’90s, when one of the most covered…
- “A-Punk” — Vampire Weekend · 1 h 36 minLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
- "Grindin’"— The Clipse · 1 h 24 minThis week, Rob explores the biblical complexities of brotherhood throughout popular song, and uses those musical examples to highlight this eternal dichotomy: Some days when you…
- “Heavy Metal Drummer”—Wilco · 1 h 32 minIn this week’s episode, Rob uses the blueprint he learned from all of his favorite rock band movies, like 'Dig!' and 'The Great Muppet Caper,' to better understand the…
- "The House That Built Me"— Miranda Lambert · 1 h 40 minThis week, Rob shines a light on the many ways singer-songwriters have utilized the concept of the word ‘home’ to convey where the heart and the human spirit truly reside. These…
- “Live Like You Were Dying”— Tim McGraw · 33 minThis week, Rob puts his pretensions about country music aside with a closer look at Tim McGraw’s simple but moving song, “Live Like You Were Dying,” that encourages even the most…
- “Ms. Jackson”— Outkast · 1 h 41 minWhy would the best ever want to stop being the best? Rob tries to figure this out in this week's episode covering Outkast. He proves that Big Boi and André 3000 will always be…
- “Can’t Stop”—The Red Hot Chili Peppers · 1 h 31 minRob initiates this week’s show by waxing poetic on the mortality of his musical idols and the treasure trove of emotional tribute songs that proliferated after the tragic passing…
- “Since U Been Gone”— Kelly Clarkson · 1 h 36 minRob contemplates the art of making an ironic cover song sincere as he enters the dark realm of the 2000s hit TV show, ‘American Idol’. He follows the inevitable success of Season…
- “How to Save a Life”—The Fray · 1 h 26 minThis week, Rob examines the hallowed art of employing songs within the soundtrack of a crucial TV scene to emotionally manipulate the viewing audience. Along the way, he evokes…
- “Ether”—Nas · 1 h 36 minThis week, we’re breaking down the Nas vs. Jay-Z feud, and Rob has to argue, which makes him deeply uncomfortable. After he breaks down the basic contents of a diss track, he is…
- “No One Knows”—Queens of the Stone Age · 1 h 35 minIt’s Queens of the Stone Age Day here at 60 Songs! Listen as Rob finds a way to juxtapose heavy metal and stand-up comedy like only he can on his journey to celebrate the song…
- “Jenny From the Block”—Jennifer Lopez · 1 h 33 minRob peruses the limelight love story of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck while celebrating J.Lo’s 2002 smash hit, “Jenny From the Block.” Later, he is joined by writer Julianne…
- “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue”—Toby Keith · 1 h 44 minRob homes in on the specific and strange political moment in which Toby Keith made "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue." Then, he’s joined by New Yorker music writer Kelefa…
- “Maps”—Yeah Yeah Yeahs · 1 h 28 minRob heads back to Brooklyn to explore the 2003 indie-rock staple “Maps” and the history of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Later, he is joined by Niko Stratis to further explore the indie…
- “Feel Good Inc.”—Gorillaz · 1 h 31 minRob is back from hiatus with a loaded episode! Join him as he straddles the line between real life and virtual reality when discussing the virtual band Gorillaz and the career of…
- Proof of Life: 60 Songs is Back on April 30 · 2 minWe know, it's been a while. But, Rob and his producer pals are working hard on the show. See you in two weeks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
- Poetic Justice: The Year of Kendrick Lamar · 1 h 22 minAhead of Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance, Ringer senior staff writer Justin Charity explores some of the critical moments of Kendrick’s story: from a legendary…
- The Soundtrack Draft | 60 Songs x Bandsplain LIVE · 1 h 38 minListen to Rob and Yasi, joined by Chris Ryan and Sean Fennessey live from the Lodge Room in Los Angeles! In this song draft, the crew is picking between the best soundtracks of…
- “How You Remind Me”—Nickelback · 1 h 34 min · Season 1 Episode 15This week, we’re celebrating the Canadian rock band Nickelback! Along the way, Rob discusses butt rock, anti-Nickelback memes, and his friend stealing his girlfriend in high…
- “Umbrella”—Rihanna · 1 h 29 min · Season 1 Episode 14Rob celebrates pop icon Rihanna while looking back at her smash hit “Umbrella.” While combing through Rihanna’s expansive career, Rob also discusses whether Jay-Z’s guest verse…
- “Amber”—311 · 1 h 22 min · Season 1 Episode 13Rob explores the genre-fluid positive energy of rap/reggae/rock ‘90s holdovers 311 and their hit ‘Amber.’ Among other things, he also talks about them as a bridge from a previous…
- “Yeah!”—Usher · 1 h 21 minRob examines the crossroads of Usher’s pop star persona and Lil Jon’s unique vocal and musical genius this week when taking a look back at the smash hit “Yeah!” (1:00). Then, he…
