Episodes

The thirty-ninth Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “Don’t Make Me Wait” by Seal off his 2003 album Seal. After an offer from English DJ Adamski to sing on one of his tracks, Seal found himself on top of the UK charts with “Killer.” It was a quick rise to fame that Seal would maintain for the first half of the 90s, thanks to radio staples such as “Crazy,” “Prayer For The Dying,” and the chart-topping smash “Kiss From A Rose.” However, Seal would soon find himself struggling ...

The thirty-eighth Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “The Great Suburban Showdown” by Billy Joel off his 1974 album Streetlife Serenade. It is hard to imagine Joel ever struggling to write hit songs. With so many successful singles from a series of incredible albums spanning three decades, few peers match his accomplishments. But things were not always easy for Joel. After a shaky start with a botched debut record and a disheartening time on the West Coast, it would take Joe...

The thirty-seventh Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “Beat A Drum” by R.E.M. off their 2001 album Reveal. R.E.M. was one of the biggest alternative rock bands of all-time. Starting in Athens, Georgia, the band made a name for themselves through their live performances and carefully-crafted songs that reflected a band deeply committed to their craft. In the late 80s and early 90s, R.E.M. had a string of hit records that catapulted the band into the spotlight after years of h...

The thirty-sixth Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “Into the Frying Pan” by King Crimson off their 2000 album The ConstruKction of Light. While King Crimson might not be familiar to some of our listeners, the band is revered as one of the pioneers of the progressive rock genre. They made their debut in 1969 with In The Court of the Crimson King, an album that incorporated jazz and classical elements and let listeners know there was no map for where this band might go. Trave...

The thirty-fifth Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “Roter Sand” by Rammstein off their 2009 album Liebe ist für alle da. Rammstein, a German metal band, gained notice in the Western world through contributions to the soundtrack to David Lynch‘s film Lost Highway and a single, “Du Hast,” from their sophomore album, Sehnsucht, which received heavy play on MTV. While known for their outrageous stage antics, obscene and violent lyrics, and graphic visuals in their album art an...

The thirty-fourth Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “John And Elvis Are Dead” by George Michael off his 2004 album Patience. George Michael was already a pop icon when he left the duo Wham! to embark on a solo career. Despite continued fame, countless hits, and his carefully composed image as an unflappable star, behind the scenes he struggled with his identity, sexuality, and artistry. In this episode, Scott and Jason dive into Michael’s incredible career, which Michael h...

The thirty-third Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “I Never Thought I’d See The Day” by Sade off their 1988 album Stronger Than Pride. Sade is a soulful smooth jazz band that found instant international success and acclaim with their debut album, Diamond Life, in 1984. Featuring hits like “Smooth Operator” and “Your Love is King,” the band’s singer, Sade Adu, became the focus of much intrigue by the press. With songs of love and heartbreak, many wondered how much of the sin...

The thirty-second Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “Childhood’s End” by Pink Floyd off their 1972 album Obscured by Clouds. Recognized as one of the most popular rock bands in the world, it might surprise the casual listener to know Pink Floyd had a slow climb to fame. In the mid-‘60s they were led by singer and main songwriter Syd Barrett, who crafted a heavy, psychedelic sound and hallucinatory lyrics for the band’s early singles and debut record, The Piper at the Gates ...

The thirty-first Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “Mr. Pessimist” by Tears for Fears off their 1993 album Elemental. Formed in 1981 by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, Tears for Fears quickly reached mainstream success with their synth-pop debut, The Hurting. They would follow that record up with one of the biggest albums of the ‘80s, Songs from the Big Chair, which featured the signature tracks, “Shout” and “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” As the band went back into th...

The thirtieth Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “Walk On By” by Cake off their 1998 album Prolonging The Magic. Most listeners were probably introduced to Cake, as Scott and Jason were, through their song “The Distance” off their 1996 breakthrough album Fashion Nugget. The band has a unique sound crafted by lead singer John McCrea, who purposely sought to create music that contrasted with his louder and heavier contemporaries in the 90s rock scene. “The Distance” was writt...

The twenty-ninth Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “Deep Kick” by Red Hot Chili Peppers off their 1995 album One Hot Minute. The Red Hot Chili Peppers craft a distinct blend of rock, funk, and punk that makes their songs instantly recognizable. While the band enjoys continued success today, they fought a long and hard battle on their way to fame. Original guitarist Hillel Slovak died of a drug overdose and other band members had their own personal challenges with drugs. Sho...

The twenty-eighth Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “Never The Machine Forever” by Soundgarden off their 1996 album Down On The Upside. Although Soundgarden is frequently lumped in with the Seattle grunge movement of the 90s, the band doesn’t really fit the bill. They were far more experimental than Alice In Chains, far better players than Nirvana, and far heavier and more dangerous than Pearl Jam. In fact, Soundgarden is almost its whole thing altogether. However, the mem...

The twenty-seventh Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “The Smokey Life” by Leonard Cohen off his 1979 album Recent Songs. Leonard Cohen is one of those artists who pretty much everyone loves. Adored by critics, respected by musicians of all kinds, and fawned over by even the pickiest of music listeners, Cohen’s songs transcend “taste” to become almost like essential listening. However, Cohen wasn’t always so revered. In the mid-70s, he released an album that nearly destroye...

The twenty-sixth Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “Human Racing” by St. Vincent off her 2007 album Marry Me. Although Jason is a huge fan of St. Vincent (aka Annie Clark), Scott has never taken the time to listen to her music. This creates an interesting dynamic for this episode of Skipped on Shuffle, as Jason tries to convince Scott of what he’s missing out on. Truth be told, there’s no real solid reason why Scott wasn’t listening to St. Vincent — she’s just one of those...

The twenty-fifth Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “Omegaman” by The Police off their 1981 album Ghost in the Machine. Although The Police had a string of over a dozen huge hits over their very short career, those hits don’t tell the whole story. Every major single from the band was written by lead vocalist/bassist Sting, while the songs penned by the other two members — guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland — languished as album tracks. One of those songs is...

The twenty-fourth Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “Nothing Really Matters” by Madonna off her 1998 album Ray of Light. There likely aren’t too many people out there who haven’t heard of Madonna. Easily one of the most famous people (and famous women) in the world, Madonna has literally defined pop stardom. However, in the mid-90s Madonna was losing her star power due to her addiction to her own fame and her increasingly bizarre and uncouth public appearances. After the b...

The twenty-third Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “Life Without You” by Stevie Ray Vaughan off his 1985 album Soul to Soul. If you talk to any guitarist or musician and ask them who Stevie Ray Vaughan is, you’ll likely hear a response filled with awe and admiration. In Vaughan’s short life, he quickly became perceived as one of the greatest guitarists who’s ever lived. However, as with most mega-famous musicians, Vaughan’s life was troubled by alcoholism and drug abuse, a...

The twenty-second Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “Dollars & Cents” by Radiohead off their 2001 album Amnesiac. Whether you love them or hate them, there’s no denying that Radiohead is one of the most prominent and influential rock acts of all time. Many of today’s biggest musical acts — including Muse and Coldplay — started out by copping the Radiohead formula. At a certain point though, Radiohead stopped having any interest in commercial success and started actively pu...

The twenty-first Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “Pets” by deadmau5 off his 2014 album While(1<2). Electronic dance music is sometimes put down as not really being “music,” per se, in that it isn’t created organically with traditional instruments by traditional musicians. However, just because music lacks an organic origination doesn’t necessarily mean it is without merit. In the case of electronic producer deadmau5 (pronounced “dead mouse,” actually the pseudonym of Joe...

The twentieth Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “Martha” by Tom Waits off his 1973 debut album Closing Time. Tom Waits might be the most enigmatic presence in popular music. His huge catalog has the distinction of being some of the weirdest and most confounding music available, while simultaneously being an influence on nearly every songwriter living today. With Waits’ debut album Closing Time, though, his music was much more straightforward. The sounds of bizarre percussi...

The nineteenth Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “Snakecharmer” by Rage Against The Machine off their 1996 album Evil Empire. Rage Against The Machine has a very small output of albums, especially when you consider the amount of incredible influence the group has over the world of heavy rock music. Of the three original studio releases from the group, Evil Empire stands out as being a bit weirder, stepping away from the more formulaic sounds of the band’s debut and its fina...

The eighteenth Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “Burning Rope” by Genesis off their 1978 album …And Then There Were Three… Genesis began as a semi-obscure but much-loved progressive rock band, fronted by Peter Gabriel. Upon Gabriel’s departure from the group, Genesis drummer Phil Collins stepped in to take over vocal duties. During this transition period, the band had a choice: continue on with its prog-rock sounds or evolve into something else. The band eventually chose t...

The seventeenth Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “A Strange Day” by The Cure off their 1982 album Pornography. The Cure is one of the most popular bands in the alternative music scene, with legions of fans around the world who revere the group — and its leader, Robert Smith — as a kind of second coming. However, the band wasn’t always so popular and iconic. In 1982, the band was making waves with its gloomy post-punk sound, but the release of its fourth album, Pornography...

The sixteenth Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the standalone single “What The Hell Have I?” by Alice In Chains. It’s impossible to turn on any rock radio station without hearing a handful of Alice In Chains songs in the rotation. Along with 90s grunge contemporaries Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden, Alice In Chains literally defined heavy rock music for a decade or more. However, Alice In Chains is a band that drowned in problems, everything from in-fighting between band membe...