Episode 154 Recap
Posted inEpisode Recaps Season 4

Episode 154 Recap

Why modern music sounds “perfect” (and why that’s boring). This week on Songs That Don’t Suck, we explore quantization, imperfect tempos, and five standout new songs from The Brook & The Bluff, The Claypool Lennon Delirium, The BAND LIGHT, Lime Garden, and Silversun Pickups.
Episode 153 Recap
Posted inEpisode Recaps Season 4

Episode 153 Recap

Bandcamp takes a bold stand against AI music as Luminate’s 2025 data reveals streaming slowdowns, vinyl’s rise, and rock’s resurgence—plus five killer new songs that definitely don’t suck.
Episode 152 Recap
Posted inEpisode Recaps Season 4

Episode 152 Recap

A fiery Songs That Don’t Suck episode takes on monoculture, streaming 2.0, and the myth of the music industry’s “golden age,” before spotlighting five standout new tracks from Ellur, Dark Sun, Telander, Puscifier, and The Steel Wheels.
Episode 151 Recap
Posted inEpisode Recaps Season 4

Episode 151 Recap

Season 4 of Songs That Don’t Suck kicks off with host Mark resetting the mission, dunking on media “best of” lists, and spotlighting five killer new tracks—from Dicey Hollow to Tom Morello—that prove great new music is still out there if you know where to look.
Episode 150 Recap
Posted inEpisode Recaps Season 3 Special Episodes

Episode 150 Recap

Celebrate the Songs That Don’t Suck Season 3 finale (Episode 150) with a look back at three years of music discovery, Spotify Wrapped insanity, big podcast growth, “concert church” highlights, and the 2025 Don’t Sucky Awards winners across seven gloriously chaotic categories.
Episode 149 Recap
Posted inEpisode Recaps Season 3

Episode 149 Recap

Dive into the holiday spirit as Mark revisits the legacy of A Very Special Christmas and spotlights this week’s four standout tracks from Snocaps, AVTT/PTTN, Van Buren, and The Lone Bellow. A nostalgic, music-packed episode perfect for indie fans and Christmas-playlist builders alike.
Episode 148 Recap
Posted inEpisode Recaps Season 3

Episode 148 Recap

A power-pop-packed week on Songs That Don’t Suck! Mark breaks down Olivia Dean’s battle against scalpers, the live music ticketing crisis, and five retro-influenced tracks you need to hear right now. Discover Beatles-esque harmonies, indie grooves, and baroque-pop brilliance.
Episode 147 Recap
Posted inEpisode Recaps Season 3

Episode 147 Recap

Dive into this week’s episode of Songs That Don’t Suck as Mark contrasts the soul of human-made music with the rising tidal wave of AI-generated tracks. Plus: four incredible new indie, emo-leaning, and atmospheric songs from Juno Pearl, Spanish Love Songs, Searows, and The Rooks.
Episode 146 Recap
Posted inEpisode Recaps Season 3

Episode 146 Recap

Dive into this week’s episode of Songs That Don’t Suck, where host Mark Bradbourne geeks out over a new book that fuses music history with deep data—Uncharted Territory by Chris Dalla Riva. Plus, five must-hear new tracks from The Format, The Boondocks, Ugly UK, The Pale White, and Scarhaven. Data nerds and music lovers, this one’s for you.
Episode 145 Recap
Posted inEpisode Recaps Season 3

Episode 145 Recap

This week on Songs That Don’t Suck, Mark dives into the lost art of mixtapes, what made them magical, and contrasts them with today’s algorithm-driven playlists. Plus, four killer tracks from Robert Delong, Tors with Jade Bird, Black Orchid Empire, and Howl Owl Howl.