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The Skip Button

The Skip Button

Written by: Ben Barzilai
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About this listen

 Welcome to The Skip Button! This is a podcast all about the music we love to hate. I’m Ben Barzilai, a music scholar, writer, and publicist. Each episode, I invite my friends to talk about some of the most hated on artists, albums, and moments in the history of pop music. We'll learn about the stories behind the music, and try to get to the bottom or where all the ridicule comes from. Are they actually trash, or do we just love to hate? Decide for yourself!810835 Music
Episodes
  • Against Bald Odds: Why Do People Hate Phil Collins?

    Against Bald Odds: Why Do People Hate Phil Collins?
    Feb 19 2021

    Corny. Shallow. Sell-out. Dad. These are only a few of the names that Phil Collins - one of the best selling artists of the 80's - has been called.

    On this episode of The Skip Button, I do a deep dive into the multi-faceted career of the prog-rocker turned pop icon and try to investigate some theories as to why he became such a musical pariah. Along the way, I ask questions like:

    Did Phil Collins ruin Genesis? Is there a post-Phil Collins artist? And is the balding mullet a look?


    Find me on Twitter: @BarzNearMe

    Bernard Zuel's article on Phil Collins: www.theguardian.com/music/2019/jan/14/in-defence-of-phil-collins-what-is-the-genesis-of-all-the-hatred

    Check out more of Zuel's writing: www.BernardZuel.net

    Switched On Pop podcast: switchedonpop.com/

    Switched On Pop Book: switchedonpop.com/book

    How a recording-studio mishap shaped '80s music: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bxz6jShW-3E

    Jonah Bayer's article on Phil Collins: www.vice.com/en/article/687jzr/why-there-will-never-be-another-pop-star-like-phil-collins

    Check out more of Jonah Bayer's writing: www.jonahbayer.com/
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    42 mins
  • Mediocre Gods Are Crazy: Why Do People Hate Paris Hilton?

    Mediocre Gods Are Crazy: Why Do People Hate Paris Hilton?
    Dec 22 2020

    Paris Hilton has been an American punchline for almost two decades, so when it comes to her music career, few people were willing to give her a chance. I do a deep dive into her pop album and her DJ career to see if that was a mistake. Along the way, I ask questions like:

    Did Scott Storch ruin Paris Hilton’s album? Is the backlash against her DJ career sexist? And how many connections can Ben make between Paris and Shaq?

    Plugs:

    Steven J Horowitz's writing: stevenjhorowitz.com

    Find Rich Juzwiak's writing on Slate and Jezebel, and check out his podcast, Pot Psychology: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pot-psychology/id1496859784

    DJ Magazine : DJMag.com

    Stream G|K's music: soundcloud.com/gk305/b2b04

    Discwoman: www.discwoman.com/

    Umfang's label, Thanks For Enlightening Me: thanksforenlighteningme.bandcamp.com/
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    45 mins
  • Live. Love. Birds: Why Do People Hate Coldplay?

    Live. Love. Birds: Why Do People Hate Coldplay?
    Jun 8 2020
    When the NFL announced that Coldplay was going to play the 50th Superbowl Halftime Show, people lost their damn minds. So much so that one brave journalist, Matt Cantor from The Guardian, felt the need to come out as a Coldplay fan, and defend the band's decade-and-a-half-long career. Why did people hate them so much that it took all these years to admit to being a fan? I sat down with Cantor, as well as some good friends, to discuss the band's ever-evolving and ever-hated sound. Plugs: Where to Donate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ab_mn "How I Came To Terms With My Coldplay Fandom": https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/dec/04/coldplay-fan-confession-superbowl-new-album The Golden Years of Dutch Pop: https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-golden-years-of-dutch-pop/1486279096 Jack Confrey's Art: https://www.jackconfrey.com/ Lawrence: https://lawrencetheband.com/ More of Matt Cantor's writing: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/matthew-cantor Cantor: https://cantorband.bandcamp.com/releases
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    42 mins
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