🎧 Songs That Don’t Suck – Episode 35: TikTok, Payola, and the Rock Rebellion Continues
Welcome to Episode 35 of Songs That Don’t Suck, where Mark Bradbourne slices through the streaming noise to deliver the best new music that actually deserves a spot on your playlist. 🎶
This week we’re talking TikTok’s quiet takeover of the music industry—and how it’s rewriting the rules for everyone, from pop stars to indie bands still figuring out how to use a ring light. But don’t worry, we also get to the music, and trust us: these songs definitely don’t suck.
📲 TikTok & the New Payola: Is It Helping or Hurting Music?
It’s not just Gen Z dance clips anymore. TikTok is now an essential tool for music marketing—and a massive disruptorfor labels, artists, and fans alike.
🎯 Hot take highlights:
- TikTok is the new radio: Labels pay influencers ~$200 to use a song in a viral clip. If it pops? Billboard charts, baby.
- Rock bands and alt/indie artists? Not so much. Their TikToks barely register in views.
- TikTok’s algorithm is a laser-guided dopamine machine—but it favors short-term trends, not long-term artistry.
- It feels a lot like payola 2.0, but now it’s above-board.
- Oh, and TikTok is testing its own streaming platform. 👀
“Bands are going to have to choose between being artists or content creators.”
Let that one sink in. 💥
🎵 Brain-Bending Cover: Small Town Titans – “Folsom Prison Blues”
Fresh off seeing them live, Mark shares Small Town Titans’ heavy-hitting, hard-rocking version of Johnny Cash’s iconic “Folsom Prison Blues.”
- 🔊 Bass vocals? Check.
- ⚡ Screaming highs? Check.
- 💣 Big guitars? Double check.
It’s Cash meets crunch, and it slaps.
“It just works—especially live. If you get a chance to catch them, do it.”
🎶 This Week’s Songs That Don’t Suck
1. 🐈 Turnpike Troubadours – “A Cat in the Rain”
Genre: Americana / Alt-Country
🎧 Vibe: Storytelling you can feel in your bones
🔊 RIYL: Jason Isbell, Lucero, Old 97’s
Back after a 6-year hiatus, this track delivers lyrical intimacy with classic folk instrumentation.
“It hit me just right this week. The kind of song that feels like a mirror.”
👋 Shoutout to listener Clayton for the rec. Keep ’em coming!
2. 💀 Royal Tusk – “Head Up”
Genre: Alt-Metal / Hard Rock
🎧 Vibe: Punch-the-air, mow-the-lawn-in-record-time intensity
🔊 RIYL: Chevelle, Shinedown, Nothing More
First release since 2018, and a triumphant return after their vocalist battled long COVID. It’s aggressive, anthemic, and fully back on track.
“This one moves—perfect for the gym, yard work, or any task requiring beast mode.”
3. 🥁 Cam Cole – “Know What I Mean”
Genre: One-Man Band Blues Rock
🎧 Vibe: Street-busking stomp with technical genius
🔊 RIYL: Reignwolf, Seasick Steve, Black Pumas
From Ted Lasso to your headphones, Cam Cole returns with another layered, percussive, all-himself track. Yes, he plays everything. At once.
“Syncopated drums with your feet while playing guitar and singing? Insane talent.”
🎥 Watch him on YouTube. Then pick your jaw off the floor.
4. 🚘 The Paper Kites – “June’s Stolen Car”
Genre: Indie Folk / Storytelling Pop
🎧 Vibe: Moody drive down a rainy road
🔊 RIYL: Gregory Alan Isakov, Wild Feathers, The Lumineers
The verses feel long—but intentionally so. Harmonies and vocal interplay keep things captivating.
“Took me a couple listens, but now I’m in deep.”
5. 😈 The Last Dinner Party – “Sinner”
Genre: Baroque Pop / Indie Rock
🎧 Vibe: Tori Amos meets ABBA in a velvet lounge
🔊 RIYL: Florence + The Machine, St. Vincent, Bat for Lashes
Layered harmonies, theatrical melodies, and powerful vocals define this unique offering. Played Leeds and Reading recently—and crushed it.
“This one grew on me. Theatrical, weird, but man—it works.”
🎤 Final Thoughts
“Disruption is good. But don’t lose sight of the art.”
Whether it’s a one-man band in a London alley or a powerhouse Americana comeback, music that doesn’t suck stillexists. You just need someone to dig it up.
🎙 Until next time… keep searching for—and listening to—songs that don’t suck.
