More than just synth-driven sophisti-pop radio mainstays, Tears for Fears embody a spirit of experimentation, intellectualism, and emotional complexity rarely found in Top 10 mainstream pop music. From war to primal scream therapy to gender dynamics, core members Roland Orzabal and Curtis Smith explore cerebral, intense lyrical themes and bend…
Ariana Grande is one of the defining pop stars of the 2010s and beyond; a vocalist with undeniable range, a hitmaker with multiple number ones, and a cultural figure whose life and music have, at times, become impossible to separate. But what is the song that actually defines her? Let's…
Hello my friends, we meet again -- and we're here to figure out Creed's signature song. One of the biggest bands in the history of American rock music and the de facto face of the post-grunge movement. A band that has been both revered and maligned for their earnestness, their…
Stevie Wonder's massive career spans decades, genres, eras, and identities, from Motown prodigy to ’70s album-era auteur to global pop institution. So what actually defines him in the public imagination? Is it the joyous Motown standard, the paranoid funk breakthrough, the ecstatic horn-driven tribute to music itself, or the ultra-simple…
Kate Bush did more than just write songs; she built entire worlds. From wide-eyed art-pop prodigy to fiercely independent auteur, her career exists slightly outside the normal rules of pop stardom, even as her work keeps finding new generations of listeners. In this episode, we step into Kate Bush’s singular…
Say your prayers, little ones -- we're back with another signature song analysis. This time around we turn our attention to one of the most influential bands in the history of loud music, the mighty METALLICA! We take a look at their storied career and try to figure out the…
It’s exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero. The premiere of Signature Song season 2 features a Swiftie showdown. One of our hosts is a major Taylor Swift fan, and the other… not so much. Will that impact our contenders? Find a blank space on your calendar and, baby, just say…
Green Day went from bratty Bay Area upstarts to globe-straddling hitmakers who smuggled punk hooks into the mainstream. But which single track truly marks them in the public imagination? Is it the slacker jolt that kicked down MTV’s door, the acoustic prom send-off that soundtracked every graduation, the presidential kiss-off…
Leonard Cohen went from bohemian poet with a nylon-string guitar to wry, late-night crooner in a shiny suit, always chasing the same obsessions: love, faith, sex, doubt, and the stories we tell ourselves. In this episode, we ask which one song best defines him to the wider world. We dig…
Mitski has spent the last decade shapeshifting from scrappy guitar poet to disco-tinged architect of yearning, and now, an unlikely chart titan. In this episode, we trace those transformations to figure out which single track defines her to the wider world. Is it a ragged heart-on-sleeve anthem? A dance-floor spiral?…
Umbrellas up. For this episode, we trace the meteoric rise of Rihanna, one of the most influential pop stars of the 21st century. From island rhythms to electro-pop dominance, her career is a story of constant reinvention and HUGE hits. Like, way more than we thought.We break down the moments…
Bruce Springsteen is one of the most iconic figures in American rock... but which song truly defines him to the world? In this episode, we take a look at the Boss’s catalog to find the track that best captures his music, his legacy, and his cultural impact. Huge stadium anthems,…
Surf’s up… or is it? For this episode, we explore the shimmering harmonies, sun-drenched melodies, and surprising melancholy of The Beach Boys. Often written off as the soundtrack to summer barbecues, their catalog tells a much deeper story, one of teenage dreams, artistic ambition, and personal unraveling. From surf bops…
We go back to the post-punk gloom of the late '70s and ride the eyeliner-streaked wave of The Cure’s evolution into goth icons, pop darlings, and festival legends. In this episode, we dive into the many eras of Robert Smith and company, from sparse soundscapes to euphoric anthems, to figure…
We leave the 90s and go straight to the 2010s to analyze the career of The 1975, one of the UK's most significant bands in recent memory. We pick through their discography to find the songs that define them to the general public, discuss their songwriting quirks, and even the…
Put on your flannel and grow out your soul patch, kids. Episode 2 of our quest to nail down the signature song of literally every artist on the planet is all about Pearl Jam, a band with personal significance to our friendship, and a discography as deep as the ocean.…
For the very first episode of our podcast, we take a look at the career of pop legend Britney Spears and ask ourselves: in a career full of hits, what is her signature song? Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/SignatureSongPod