Check out Steve Erickson's show, "Radio Not Radio", on Mixcloud!

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In ROUND 7 of BackTalk, Steve Erickson & I discuss the book MOOD MACHINE: THE RISE OF SPOTIFY AND THE COSTS OF THE PERFECT PLAYLIST, by Liz Pelly. It dissects Spotify’s history and its effect on the music industry, recording artists, fans, and music itself.

We use the book as a jumping off point to finally get into exactly why Spotify has been so detrimental to music culture for all but the casual fan, and try to get to some solutions.

Are you a Spotify user? Were you aware of how poorly Spotify has treated its artists? Did you know how intently Spotify works to manipulate its users? Do you think there are any viable alternatives, aside from other streaming services? Discuss dammit!

BONUS MxTRA: My chapter-by-chapter take on MOOD MACHINE

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*intro/outro music credit: REC - "Sing Owwt"

*mid roll music credit: The Drop - "Outerloper"

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FEATURED SONG
NICK – “Punch Your Soul” (from the upcoming album, VALLEY OF THE UNRELEASED)

I couldn’t wait any longer. My must-hear list was growing to the point where it was stressing me out, and since January & February are slower months for work, it’s the perfect time to catch up on my listening. Gotta stay current!

I do quick takes of 23 albums & EPs from ALL KINDS OF GENRES, and end with my top 10 favorite releases. If you wanna hear selections from 19 of them, check out my 2026 playlist:

What is a 2026?

Were any of these your favorites? Do you like how eclectic the selections were? Did you discover something you now love? Did I leave out some you wish I’d covered? Are you able to keep current with your listening? Discuss dammit!

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*intro music credit: REC - "You Make Me Wanna" (from RECcollection: The Best of REC 2007-2020)

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FEATURED SONG

REC feat. Pescelet – “Mind Repüljön” (from IT WASN’T ME!)

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This week’s episode may be one of the most important of Season 8, if not this entire show. And it might be one of the timeliest.

The US has an amazing array of music, but we don’t know everything. While we’ve often gotten crossover artists from the UK, Canada & Australia, as well as a few other non-English countries, most of what we hear is homegrown.

That means there’s a literal WORLD OF MUSIC we know nothing about. Other countries have hugely popular, legendary, million selling artists we’ve NEVER HEARD OF. This episode is my small effort to correct that, and expose us to music we SHOULD KNOW that’s every bit as good as what we DO KNOW.

I profile artists from 25 countries that never quite broke in the States, and hopefully inspire you to give them a listen.

What bands or artists from other countries come to mind that you think American listeners don’t know at all? Are you surprised that the artists I mentioned were so huge? Does any of this make you want to listen for yourself? And does it make you think differently about other cultures? Discuss dammit!

BONUS MxTRA: All Western music has been shaped by Germany

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FEATURED SONG

REC – “Almost Everything About You” (from KITE TO CAMDEN)

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Part 4 of my Great Producers series takes us to the 1980s. The synth & drum machine experiments of the 1970s went everywhere. Disco & punk permeated nearly every genre. And production went from midrange & mellow to bright and big.

I go over all those changes, and discuss many of the top producers of the decade, including some you may have been missing from previous years. And I discuss how very different the production values of the first & second halves of the decade really were.

How do you feel about 1980s production values? Can you hear a clear difference between the first & second halves of the decade? Who were your favorite producers? Which production developments do you feel most shaped the music in subsequent decades? Discuss dammit!

BONUS MxTRA: The 1980s production divide – recommended listening

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Here's yet another BONUS MxTRA for Season 8! It's a PATREON EXCLUSIVE that I'm sharing for THREE reasons: 1. We were just in Vegas, baby, and I needed a week to recover; 2. This is a fascinating topic I'd love your opinion on; and 3. This podcast needs your support, and I want you to know what kind of exclusive content you get when you join me on Patreon.

In this BONUS MxTRA, I talk about all the death clusters that seem to happen in the music world every decade or so, and I rank them from least to most impactful.

If you like these BONUS MxTRAs, you can see the videos, all 60+ MxTRAs, and every future episode if you join me on Patreon. You can get in for as little as ONE DOLLAR A MONTH.

Enjoy!

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FEATURED SONG

REC – “If It Feels All Right”

(from PARTS AND LABOUR)

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This week I give you a long overdue lovefest on Fountains of Wayne, possibly the greatest power pop band ever.

Melding driving rock with hooky pop, Fountains of Wayne set the standard laid out by bands like The Beatles, Squeeze, and Big Star. Every album is full of gems that go far beyond “Stacy’s Mom”.

I go over their history, every album, Adam Schlesinger’s untimely death, and argue that they were one of the most important unsung bands in history.

Do you know Fountains of Wayne beyond “Stacy’s Mom”? Are you a power pop fan? Are you aware of how prolific Adam Schlesinger was? Do you think Fountains of Wayne deserve more recognition? Discuss dammit!

BONUS MxTRA: Where does Fountains of Wayne rank in the POWER POP TOP TEN?

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*intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"

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FEATURED SONG

REC – “Let It Wreck Your Mind”

(from SYNCOPY FOR THE WEIRD)

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Part 3 of my Great Producers series is on the 1970s, the decade when music recording realized its full sonic potential. This was due to massive expansion in both technology and creativity.

Those developments influenced each other in ways that propelled music forward like never before. This episode will discuss that, as well as the producers who made the greatest impact on the music of this decade.

Do you agree that 1970s production values were head over heels above those of previous decades? What are some of your favorites from the decade – genres, producers, artists, albums, songs? How do you think music production from this decade influenced subsequent decades? Discuss dammit!

BONUS MxTRA: Sylvia Robinson – a LEGENDARY music force YOU SHOULD KNOW

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*intro music credit: REC - "Wake Up High"

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Here's yet another BONUS MxTRA for Season 8! It's a PATREON EXCLUSIVE that I'm sharing for THREE reasons: 1. It's just after the holidays & I need an extra week to get new content ready for you; 2. This podcast needs your support, and I want you to know what kind of exclusive content you get when you join me on Patreon; and 3. It's a vital topic that might benefit some listeners out there, especially anyone creating new art.

In this BONUS MxTRA, I talk to MUSIC CREATORS about how NOSTALGIA might be killing both their career prospects AND their creation process, and offer tips for how to use nostalgia in ways that will reverse that.

If you like these BONUS MxTRAs, you can see the videos, all 60+ MxTRAs, and every future episode if you join me on Patreon. You can get in for as little as ONE DOLLAR A MONTH.

Enjoy!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.