Why we need bad music

For the 500th(!) episode of Switched on Pop, Charlie and Nate try to answer the question that has stumped critics and philosophers since the dawn of sound: does bad music exist? Their quest to answer something so nebulous leads them through the annals of taste, and in the process, they recruit several other critics and journalists to give their two cents on the topic. Can things actually be bad, and if so, how do we define them?CREDITS  Reanna Cruz: Producer  Iris Gottlieb: Illustrator  Charlie Harding: Host, Executive Producer  Dion Lee: Art Director  Brandon McFarland: Audio Engineer  Nick Ripps: Video Editor  Nate Sloan: Host  Lissa Soep: Editor  Zach Tenorio & Jocie Adams: Theme Composers Switched On Pop is a co-production of Vox Media Podcast Network, Vulture, and Rock Ridge Productions.Links: ⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠ Songs discussed: Kristin Chenoweth, “Taylor the Latte Boy” Komar and Melamid & Dave Soldier, “The Most Unwanted Song" Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, "Violin Concerto in D major,...

For the 500th(!) episode of Switched on Pop, Charlie and Nate try to answer the question that has stumped critics and philosophers since the dawn of sound: does bad music exist? Their quest to answer something so nebulous leads them through the annals of taste, and in the process, they recruit several other critics and journalists to give their two cents on the topic. Can things actually be bad, and if so, how do we define them?

CREDITS 

• Reanna Cruz: Producer 
• Iris Gottlieb: Illustrator 
• Charlie Harding: Host, Executive Producer 
• Dion Lee: Art Director 
• Brandon McFarland: Audio Engineer 
• Nick Ripps: Video Editor 
• Nate Sloan: Host 
• Lissa Soep: Editor 
• Zach Tenorio & Jocie Adams: Theme Composers 

Switched On Pop is a co-production of Vox Media Podcast Network, Vulture, and Rock Ridge Productions.

Links: ⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠ 

Songs discussed:

• Kristin Chenoweth, “Taylor the Latte Boy”
• Komar and Melamid & Dave Soldier, “The Most Unwanted Song"
• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, "Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35: III. Finale. Allegro vivacissimo"
• Johann Strauss II, The Blue Danube"
• Johann Sebastian Bach, "The Well-Tempered Clavier No. 2: Prelude and Fugue in C minor"
• Pete Rock & CL Smooth, "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)"
• Lil Yachty, "1 Night"
• Sam Laxton, Lonskii, “Adagio For Strings”
• Daft Punk, Pharrell Williams, Nile Rodgers, “Get Lucky”
• Florence Foster Jenkins, "Queen of the Night’s Aria"
• BB King, Eric Clapton, “Riding With the King”
• Paul McCartney, "Temporary Secretary"
• The Beatles, "Here Comes the Sun"
• Paul McCartney, "Wonderful Christmastime"
• Lou Reed, "Who Am I? (Tripitena’s Song)"
• Insane Clown Posse, "Miracles"
• Primus, "DMV"
• Iggy Azalea ft. Charli xcx, "Fancy"
• The Killers, "Human"

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