logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2021
34m 50s

Why ABBA songs just hit different

Vulture
About this episode
Swedish supergroup ABBA is releasing their first album in forty years, making this the perfect time for Nate and Charlie to investigate what makes their music so beloved and reviled in equal measure. For every ABBA stan, there’s a hater lurking, like legendary pop critic Robert Christgau, who once said of the group: “We have met the enemy, and they are them. ... Show More
Up next
Aug 19
All roads lead to Pharrell: Tyler, Clipse, and Cardi
The conversation around the new music this summer has been a dour one. Some of the biggest songs in the country right now are downtempo stomp-clap anthems and wistful Cranberries pastiche. Even on this very show, Nate and Charlie have asked: where's the fun? As it turns out, the ... Show More
52m 36s
Aug 12
A brief history of terrible lyrics (with Sam Sanders)
Why do bad lyrics happen to good people? From "suckin' on a chili dog" to "making love to his tonic and gin," even the biggest hits from our favorite artists can feature lyrical turns that make us feel quizzical, offended, or even downright nauseated. With the help of Sam Sanders ... Show More
43m 5s
Aug 5
Summer Bummer (with Commotion’s Elamin Abdelmahmoud)
Every music critic seems to agree: 2025 has no true song of summer. Last August, Teddy Swims’s “Lose Control” dominated the charts. This year…Teddy Swims’s “Lose Control” dominates the charts. What’s going on? Why is there no new summer song to unite us in collective listening, a ... Show More
37m 1s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2024
ABBA: 5. ABBA Voyage
After establishing themselves as one of music’s pop giants, the ABBA legacy continues in an exciting new chapter - ABBA Voyage. The futuristic and visually groundbreaking show ignites a new love for ABBA, once again.In Episode 5, Sara Cox sits down with the producers of ABBA Voya ... Show More
29m 42s
Sep 2021
Episode 179: From their new upcoming album ABBA Dont Shut Me Down / I Still Have Faith In You
From their new upcoming album ABBA  Dont Shut Me Down / I Still Have Faith In You 
9 m
May 2022
"Découvrez la playlist "Eux aussi, ils ont repris les chansons d'ABBA"
Le spectacle "Voyage", qui marque le retour sur scène du groupe ABBA, sous forme d'avatars, vient de démarrer à Londres. En 2005, Madonna samplait quelques notes de "Gimme Gimme Gimme" dans son morceau "Hung Up". 6 ans plus tôt, Madonna était en studio pour son album "Music" et a ... Show More
3m 52s
Apr 2022
"Dancing Queen" by Abba
In their ongoing effort to explain why the Swedes are so good at making pop, Alex and Jordan dive into the creation of “Dancing Queen.” (Spoiler: It might involve working their recording engineers to the brink of exhaustion.) They also touch on the lengthy writing process for the ... Show More
34 m
Apr 2020
The 1975 vs. Imagine Dragons: Cred Wars
The almost oppressive ubiquity of Imagine Dragons’ songs like “Radioactive” and “Thunder” made the band an easy target for criticism, even from fellow musicians. In 2017, The 1975 lead singer Matty Healy accused Dan Reynolds and Co. of singing songs about “nothingness” and not ta ... Show More
47m 30s
Aug 2020
Anger Mismanagement: Creed vs. Limp Bizkit
In the late '90s, a time of peace and prosperity for America, two of this country's biggest bands were Creed and Limp Bizkit. In retrospect, they seem like perfect signifiers for a decadent, bored nation on the verge of a major fall. But at the time, these groups ended up raging ... Show More
59m 34s