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Ready for a time machine that still grooves? We kick off the year by rewinding to the Billboard Hot 100 from the first week of January 1980 and taking a lively, story-rich tour through the songs that defined a moment when radio rotation and word of mouth made hits last. From the O’Jays’ soulful return to Blackfoot’s Southern crunch, from ABBA’s elegant sweep to the Sugarhill Gang’s breakthrough Rapper’s Delight, every stop on this countdown reveals how different genres shared the same stage.

We dig into why certain tracks climbed for months, how a duet like Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer rocketed to number one, and what made bands like the Eagles, Supertramp, and Fleetwood Mac soar even as internal tensions rose. You’ll hear the case for Tom Petty’s Damn the Torpedoes era, the debut power of Mickey Thomas on Jefferson Starship’s Jane, and the velvet glide of Smokey Robinson’s Cruisin’. Then it’s a top-ten sprint: Cliff Richard’s global smash, the club-shaping joy of Kool and the Gang’s Ladies Night, Kenny Rogers’ story-song mastery, Lionel Richie’s ballad brilliance with the Commodores, and Styx’s tender Babe that almost stayed off the album.

We close with Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall gem Rock With You, Rupert Holmes’ cultural earworm Escape (The Pina Colada Song), and KC and the Sunshine Band’s Please Don’t Go sealing the decade with a soft-voiced number one. Along the way we swap concert notes, playlist tips, and a reminder that charts once rewarded patience and craft. If you love pop history, R&B velvet, AOR hooks, disco shimmer, and the thrill of a great countdown, this ride delivers.

If you had to pick three tracks from this list for the perfect starter playlist, which would you choose? Follow, subscribe, leave a rating, and share this episode with a friend who loves a good musical deep dive. Your picks might show up in a future segment!

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A different backdrop, the same heartbeat. We took the year-end show to the patio and opened the door to a free-flowing conversation with friends—part celebration, part confession, all connection. Between mic tests, guest links, and a stubborn winter cough, we found a groove that felt like a living room: holidays recapped, family updates shared, and a few brave toasts to what’s next.

We zoomed out to see where the show traveled this year—six continents, 57 countries, and a surprising wave from Singapore—then zoomed in on who’s actually watching on YouTube. The data sparked a larger question: how do we build content for the people who show up, without losing the spark that drew them here? That led to plans for a bigger studio and a second show that explores politics and faith, giving the original program space to keep telling personal stories and spotlighting artists, authors, and everyday voices.

Our guests brought the heart. Larry walked us through his ambitious history series—every president and each year since 1776—reminding us why Prohibition, organized crime, the Dust Bowl, and civil rights aren’t distant chapters but living context. Pepper Ann shared two new book projects set in the 80s and offered sharp advice on writing memoir: start with your deepest passion and let that scene pull readers in. We detoured into baseball—catchers, pitch calling, Greg Maddux, and what leadership looks like when only one person sees the whole field. And we held space for grief and legacy as Larry honored his son-in-law and a final song recorded near the end, a story about copyright, distribution, and doing justice to the work before chasing a big name.

We closed with warmth and a little mischief—eggnog spiked, Irish toasts raised, and a call to make 2026 braver, kinder, and more creative. If this conversation moved you, subscribe, tap the bell, and share it with someone who needs a hopeful sendoff to the year. Leave a comment with your bold goal for 2026—we’ll be reading and cheering you on.

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram
and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAM
I also welcome your comments. email: pl8blocker@aol.com

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Holiday shows should feel like a living room: a little noisy, full of laughter, and anchored by stories that matter. This Christmas special does exactly that. We start with a simple question—what does Christmas mean to you?—and follow it into memories of ping pong tournaments in the garage, first stereos with eight-track decks, and the shared magic of waking up to a tree that somehow made a whole year feel brighter. Then we read Luke 2 and sit with the humility and hope of a child in a manger, letting the season’s center settle the rest.

Music is our throughline. I share a top-10 Christmas list built for feeling, not clicks: MercyMe’s towering take on God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Nat King Cole and Mel Tormé trading places for The Christmas Song, the Kinks’ irreverent Father Christmas, Bruce Springsteen’s joyful live Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, Alabama’s Joseph and Mary’s Boy, and Kenny Rogers’ Carol of the Bells. Each track earns its spot for emotion, story, or sheer delight—perfect for your own playlist overhaul. We also dig into Advent, daily reflections, and why small rituals help us slow down when the world speeds up.

Two guests join the celebration. Country artist Olivia Harms checks in from a twinkling tree to talk last-show-of-the-year vibes, cookie deliveries by “sleigh,” and her favorite deep-cut carol, The Gift. Then author and energy expert Chris Skates calls from Washington with a surprising thread: how AI is driving a new wave of nuclear energy, and why grid reliability will shape our next decade. He shares D.C. holiday plans—Museum of the Bible, vintage department-store windows, and the National Christmas Tree—then tells a gripping Christmas Eve story of Washington’s crossing of the Delaware and the battle at Trenton. It’s a reminder that courage and sacrifice sit beneath the lights we hang each year.

We close with gratitude, a nudge to love your neighbors now rather than later, and a full reading of ’Twas the Night Before Christmas. If you need a show that mixes faith, nostalgia, music, and a couple of tech hiccups we somehow survived, pull up a chair. Subscribe, rate, and share with someone who needs a little light this week—what’s your number one Christmas song?

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram
and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAM
I also welcome your comments. email: pl8blocker@aol.com