🎸 Indie Gems, Queen’s Billion-Dollar Deal & 5 Songs That Definitely Don’t Suck

Hey friends—welcome back to Songs That Don’t Suck, the podcast that skips the algorithms and goes straight for the soul of new music. Mark Bradborn here, your Gen X host and new-music evangelist, with a passion project that’s a year and a half deep and still going strong 💪🎶.

This week’s episode is powered by YOU—the indie musicians who responded to a Friday-night thread with tunes that don’t suck. We kick things off with a community shoutout, dive into the multi-billion dollar music catalog wars (hello, Queen 👑), and close it out with five standout tracks you’re going to want on repeat.

🚨 Community Shoutout: Lightning Round Edition

Three indie artists rose above the digital pile this weekend, and Mark gave them the spotlight they deserve:

🎧 “City Lights” – Carved (aka K4RV3D)

Lo-fi electronic vibes built with neurodivergent listeners in mind. Chill, layered, and perfect background music for focused minds.

🎸 “Shifting Again” – M. Walker

Gorgeous stripped-down guitar instrumental with an intimate vibe. Great for Sunday evenings or rainy mornings.

🎻 “Ghost Rider” – Stress Dolls

An indie-rock standout from Buffalo with surprising fiddle work that elevates the whole track. Imagine The Cranberries with Americana bite.

💰 Queen’s $1.2 Billion Catalog Deal – What It Means

Queen just sold their catalog—for a staggering $1.2 billion. And while that sounds wild, it’s part of a much bigger trend:

• 🏢 Major companies like Hipgnosis, Primary Wave, and Concord Music have collectively spent nearly $10 billion buying music rights.
• 🎮 These catalogs are licensed across streaming, film, TV, commercials, and even video games.

👑 Other Artists Who’ve Cashed In:

• Bob Dylan
• Bruce Springsteen
• Imagine Dragons (yup)
• Silverchair
• Jet

Mark’s takeaway? “I’ll gladly sell the rights to my high school band if anyone’s buying.” 😂

🎶 This Week’s Songs That Don’t Suck

🪩 1. “Birthday Baby / The Girl with No Smile” – Joe P

An atmospheric slow-burner blending folk, indie rock, and tasteful pop production. Tasty bass licks, spacey keys, and emotive vocals make this a low-key masterpiece.

🌅 2. “Can’t Stand the Morning” – American Authors

A stripped-back Americana track about losing a parent, wrapped in steel guitar and vocal harmonies. A surprising emotional depth from a band known for upbeat anthems like Best Day of My Life.

💥 3. “In Front of Me Now” – Nada Surf

Yes, that Nada Surf. And no, it’s not another Popular. This track is an indie-pop gem full of retro synths and Fountains of Wayne energy. You’ll be bobbing your head by the first chorus.

⚡ 4. “Black Road” – Return to Dust

Grunge is back and sounding fresh. Imagine Alice in Chains with modern polish. Big guitars, tight harmonies, and that slow-burning heaviness you didn’t realize you missed.

🧠 5. “Symptom of Life” – WILLOW

Odd time signature alert! This 7/4 jazz-rock ballad from Willow is overflowing with musicality—lush vocals, jazzy piano, monster bass, and a rhythm section you’ll want to loop. From her eclectic new album Empathogen.

🔥 …and I quote…

❝Every band starts as a local band. Don’t miss the openers—because one day, they’re the headliner.❞
— Mark Bradbourne, Songs That Don’t Suck