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/

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/

Mumford & Sons' folk-inspired pop sound pervaded the mainstream for over half a decade, earning them 2 no. 1 albums and 8 Grammy nominations. So why after all these years are we still giving them such a hard time?

I called some friends who ranged from casual cynics, to low-key fans, to seasoned Folk artists, and chatted with them about why the band's music feels so contrived, and why maybe that's not such a big deal. Along the way, I asked questions like:

Are Mumford & Sons trying to hack our brains? Did the band do Folk music any good? And is Ben for real gonna be able to keep up this dumb show during a pandemic?

Plugs:

Jake Blount's Spider Tales: https://jakeblountmusic.bandcamp.com/album/spider-tales

Parsonsfield's Happy Hour On The Floor: https://parsonsfieldmusic.bandcamp.com/album/happy-hour-on-the-floor

Cloud District: https://clouddistrictmusic.bandcamp.com/

Un Auto Arteriado: http://www.notnothing.ooo/books/trilce.html

Nukka and Sirko: https://www.instagram.com/nukkaandsirko/

When most people think about *NSYNC, the first name that comes to mind is Justin Timberlake. But the REAL fans know that the true MVP of the boy band was JC Chasez. So why is it that when JC dropped his solo album, "Schizophrenic" in 2004, everyone tossed it in the trash?

I asked *NSYNC fan and resident big sister, Maya, to talk about all the reasons JC was pushed to the side, as well as all the reasons he should have risen to the top. Along the way, we asked questions like:

Did Justin steal JC's shine? Did JC even want to make this album? And is any song on "Schizophrenic" better than "My Shiny Teeth and Me”?

The Black Eyed Peas are one of the best-selling groups in the history of Hip Hop. They’re also considered to be the most annoying. I asked my friends Matt and Aj to talk about the group’s many phases and see if any of the hate holds water. Along the way we ask questions like:

Did Fergie ruin the group? Is Labor Day the hot new holiday? And what the hell is a Apl.De.Ap?

Mastering by Carter Sanders: www.cartersandersmastering.com

U2 is one of the most successful rock bands of all time. So why do people across generations and oceans love hating on them? I invited my friend and self-professed U2 fan, Alex Sganga to talk about the band and their legacy. Along the way we asked questions like:

What is a surrealist street gang? Can you be allergic to red wine? What is a surrealist street gang? Did anyone actually listen to Songs of Innocence? And seriously... WHAT IS A SURREALIST STREET GANG?