🎙️ Songs That Don’t Suck, Ep. 97: AI, Industry Idiocy & 5 Tracks That Still Have Soul

Welcome back to another passionate, fiery, and ultimately hopeful episode of Songs That Don’t Suck, hosted by Mark Bradbourne. This week, Mark channels the wisdom of prog legend Rick Wakeman to dig into what’s wrong with the music industry in 2024—and how real artistry still cuts through.

🤖 Rick Wakeman vs. the AI-Generated Apocalypse

Let’s be clear: Rick Wakeman isn’t a nostalgic crank. He’s seen the music industry evolve and devolve. But his recent interview with Ultimate Classic Rock hits hard, and Mark agrees with every word.

Key Wakeman Truth Bombs:

• Music used to be run by music lovers—now it’s run by lawyers and accountants.
• Streaming didn’t complement physical media; it tried to replace it.
• AI music is “creatively bankrupt” and signals a soulless future.
• Physical media offers connection, from liner notes to cover art to shared listening spaces.

“Spotify’s CEO says AI is welcome if people want it. That’s not a fan of music. That’s a fan of money.”

Mark throws down: artists who use AI can’t tour. They can’t jam. They can’t create a human moment at a live show. And that’s the whole point.

💡 Can We Rebuild a Human Music Culture?

Wakeman’s vision? A modern twist on the record store—a hybrid space for:

• Vinyl, CDs, downloads
• Trade-ins and rarities
• Listening booths
• Coffee shop & local artist stage

It’s not nostalgia—it’s about human interaction. Discovery. Serendipity. Music shared.

“Magic in music exists in small, human moments—like chatting in a vinyl bin, or singing the same hook at a stoplight.”

Mark echoes that, reflecting on a year full of solo concerts and spontaneous musical kinship with strangers. There’s still hope for that kind of magic.

🎧 This Week’s 5 Songs That Don’t Suck

It’s been a minute since Mark found a clean five-track week, but we’re back, baby. This list hits folk, indie, alt-country, and classic blues rock vibes with zero skips.

1. Birdtalker – “Seasons of Shared”

🍂 Alt-Country | Beatles DNA | Lush Harmonies
Mark draws the musical family tree: Beatles → Jellyfish → The Licorice Quartet → Birdtalker. Sprinkle in Paper Kites-style vibes, acoustic layers, and textured vocals and you’ve got an absolute gem.

🎧 Album: All Means No End
🎧 Mood: Gentle, reflective, and quietly powerful.

2. Social Animals – “Use Me Too”

🎸 Indie Rock | Reverb-Drenched | Falsetto Breaks
This one haunted Mark—he couldn’t place the familiar feel. Somewhere between reverb-heavy baritone guitars and gritty vocals, there’s a hit of sonic déjà vu. The wet reverb tone and falsetto chorus seal it.

🎧 Call to action: Help Mark figure out what this song reminds him of!

3. Flip Turn – “Sunlight”

🌞 Indie Pop Rock | Tight Production | Fresh Yet Familiar
Smart, hooky, and refreshingly hard to pin down. Flip Turn avoids easy genre comps and delivers balanced instrumentation, lyrical sharpness, and vocals that pop without showboating.

🎧 Mark says: “It piqued my attention—and reminded me I’m not dead yet.”

4. Robert Jon & The Wreck – “Point of View”

🤘 Southern Rock | Dirty Honey x Black Crowes Energy
They’re SoCal-based, but the sound is pure Southern swagger. Think Dirty Honey, Rival Sons, or The Band Feel—but modernized. If you want meat-and-potatoes rock with edge and melody, look no further.

🎧 This band is: Carrying the banner for classic rock in 2025.

5. J Solomon – “Damn Rat Bastards”

🧨 Indie Grit | Raw Production | Strange Structure That Works
Returning to the pod after first appearing in Season 1 Ep. 4, J brings a structurally weird but ultimately addictive track. Gritty, emotional, and underproduced in all the right ways.

🎧 Mark’s take: “The edge and rawness appeal to my old ears.”

📣 Mark’s Final Notes

• Merch is available now—because music lovers deserve cool shirts
• Feedback? Hit up Mark on Threads, Instagram, Facebook, BlueSky, or directly: mark@songsthatdontsuck.net

“Music is what we feel—and how we connect. That’s the fight we’re in.”

📸 …and I quote…

❝ Magic in music exists in small, human moments. And no algorithm will ever replace that. ❞
— Mark Bradbourne, Songs That Don’t Suck 🎧✨