🎙️ Songs That Don’t Suck – Episode 56
Big Changes, Streaming Drama & 5 Killer New Songs
Welcome back, music explorers. Episode 56 isn’t just another installment—it’s a turning point. Mark Bradford pulls back the curtain on Spotify’s Talk + Music shutdown, ponders the ripple effects of Universal Music Group’s power plays, and reaffirms his mission: to deliver songs that don’t suck.
🎧 The Big Podcast Pivot: No More Music Embeds
Spotify is shutting down the Talk + Music feature in June. Here’s what that means:
- One Episode Only: No more “Cliff Notes” and “Full” versions—just one streamlined episode each week.
- No Embedded Music: Licensing restrictions strike again. The music can’t be directly included anymore.
- But Wait! There’s Songwhip 🎵
Every track discussed now comes with a Songwhip link in the show notes. One click = access to every platform from Apple to Tidal to Bandcamp. ✨
Also: Mark’s building a 2024 master playlist (Spotify only, but it’s something).
🎤 “I don’t have the money to license the music. And I certainly don’t have the money to pay the lawyers when I get sued for not licensing the music.”
đź“° Industry Notes: Streaming, Swift, and Super Fans
Key takeaways from Luminate’s music data report:
- Taylor Swift = 1.7% of U.S. recorded music market
One in every 79 on-demand streams? Swifties rise. - Music streaming is up 34% YoY
Genres on the move: - 🎤 Hip Hop = most consumed
- 🌍 K-pop & Afrobeat = fastest growing
- 48% of most-streamed songs are from 2019–2023
Translation? “Old” music still rules the charts. - 18% of music listeners are “super fans”
These folks spend 76% more on music and 126% more on merch.
If you’re an artist, figure out how to level-up those casual fans.
🔥 5 Songs That Don’t Suck This Week
1. Burial Ground – The Decemberists
🎻 Baroque pop meets Merseybeat nostalgia
- First new release since 2018
- Violin, horns, great vocal layering
- Production is pristine—chef’s kiss
- Mark calls this the “kind of quality that’s missing in most DIY recordings today”
🧠For fans of: Hermann’s Hermits, Colin Meloy’s unmistakable voice, rich arrangements
2. Peter Pan – Supine
🌌 Psychedelic Norwegian pop-rock surprise
- AIDJ discovery (kudos, algorithm)
- Bass and drums drive the groove with swagger
- Melodic guitar lines + Jellyfish vibes = win
- Killer interlude with syncopation and half-time switch
🎸 For fans of: Jellyfish, Tame Impala, Prince on a day off
3. How Can I Love You Without Breaking Your Heart – The Struts
🎤 UK glam rock still going strong
- Not on Pretty Vicious—but sounds like it could be
- Classic Struts: swaggering guitars, infectious hooks
- Luke’s vocals = always on point
- Mark praises their consistent evolution and songwriting chops
🔥 For fans of: The Darkness, Queen, high-octane singalongs
4. Once Upon a Time at Texaco Pt. 1 – Amigo the Devil
🚨 Lyrical cliffhanger alert
- Dark folk meets outlaw storytelling
- Banjo + tequila + Mexican border = chaotic brilliance
- Ends with: “And then it hit me…”
- Mark is now emotionally invested in Part 2
đź’€ For fans of: Murder ballads, The Dead South, Johnny Cash on a bender
5. Don’t Forget Me – Maggie Rogers
đź’” Subtle, strong, and soul-stirring
- Unique rasp in her upper register = vocal fingerprint
- Lyrical twist: not asking for forever, just not to be forgotten
- Mark applauds her originality in a sea of breathy sameness
🌙 For fans of: Phoebe Bridgers, Brandi Carlile, honest songwriting with staying power
đź’¬ …and I quote…
“All I know is that if UMG left Spotify, that would take a huge chunk of their library away. But whatever it is—it is what it is.”
— Mark Bradbourne
📡 Stay Connected
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📱 Socials:
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🎧 Listen on all platforms. Stream the 2024 Spotify playlist. Discover music that doesn’t suck.
That’s a wrap for Episode 56. A lot’s changing, but Mark’s still here, digging through the digital crates so you don’t have to.
Until next week: keep searching for and listening to songs that don’t suck.
