Encore: The Stories Behind The Songs You Love

TLC are one of the most commercially successful GROUPS of all time. TLC came from out of nowhere in the early ‘90s to dominate R&B, hip-hop and pop simultaneously. They won a bunch of Grammys, had multiple #1 hits, and completely changed music in the 1990s. But unfortunately, with all of that came A LOT of drama and heartbreaking tragedy. This is the true story of TLC's No Scrubs, with newly unearthed audio from the band themselves! Written by Cam Lindsay for iHeartRadio Canada

If there’s one thing you learn about hit songs while doing this podcast it’s to ‘never underestimate the power of a good hook - at any cost’ From songs in our archive like LEN’s Steal My Sunshine, to Avril Lavigne’s Girlfriend, and even songs we’ve covered this season like Backstreet Boys’ I want it That Way or Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit; It’s proven time and time again that intelligible lyrics are quite simply not one of the key components of a good pop song - as long as some combination of words sound good on a beat - who cares what they are!? Reminder - Howie D LITERALLY told our host Ruby Carr to her face that Backstreet Boys purposely kept lyrics in I Want It That Way that didn’t make any sense. Why? For the vibes, duh. And it’s certainly not just lucidity of thought that can be sacrificed at the altar of catchy hooks and anthemic refrains - and warning - I’m about to sound like a total grandma right now - But Have You Heard Some of Those Lyrics? Yes, I know I’m not really telling you anything you don’t already know, but it’s actually kind of perversely funny to think about so much of the subject matter across all genres of music that we will happily sing or hum along and vibe to, thanks to the power of the killer hook. One such example is of course the topic of today’s episode - Snoop Dogg and Pharrell’s 2004 Hit ‘Drop It Like It’s Hot’ - A Number 1 hit on the hot 100 pop songs for three of its outstanding 30 weeks - with lyrical content so questionable - it has not one but TWO radio edits - a normal one which cuts out swears - and an Extra Clean version for everything else… but we’ll get into that. This is the story of Snoop Dogg and Pharrell's Drop it Like It's Hot! Written by Clayton Taylor for iHeartRadio Canada

In early 1990, Nirvana were ready to start working on their second album. Their label Sub Pop recommended a producer named Butch Vig, who had produced heavier underground bands like Laughing Hyenas and Killdozer. They met up with Butch at his Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin to begin recording, laying down eight tracks before they had to head out on tour for six weeks. When they returned home, they made the difficult decision to fire their drummer Chad Channing. Around the same time, Kurt and Krist were thinking of leaving Sub Pop, as the label was facing some financial trouble. When it came up that Sub Pop had begun talking to major labels about some kind of deal, Kurt and Krist felt they might be better off just signing directly to a major label. While in L.A. for label meetings they caught a gig by a punk band called Scream. Kurt and Krist were impressed with their drummer Dave Grohl and they kept in touch. When Scream broke up, not long after, they called up Dave to fly out to Seattle and jam with them. Within two minutes of playing, they knew Nirvana had found their new drummer. Gary Gersh at Geffen Records was one of the record executives looking to sign Nirvana. He had seen them play in New York with Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, who Gersh had signed to the label. Thanks to their encouragement, Geffen signed Nirvana to a deal on April 30, 1991. Nirvana managed to convince their new label that Butch Vig was still the best producer for the next album, and with a budget of $65,000, they headed to Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California to make it. This is the story of lead single Smells Like Teen Spirit, with newly unearthed audio from the band! Written by Cam Lindsay for iHeartRadio Canada.

You know, one hit wonders get a bad rap. Chumbawumba’s Tubthumping, Crazy Town’s Butterfly, Snow’s Informer, - heck even Plain White Ts’ Hey There Delilah are just a few examples off the top of my head of gimmicky little songs that were the hottest songs in music for a number of weeks or months, from bands and artists that could have been all the rage - but fizzled out of the mainstream after just a single, solitary hit. With that fizzling out often comes a sort of cultural negativity - like “oh you liked that song? Gross - They’re a total flop. And yes I know - plenty of artists have gone on to create cult-followings post their mass-appeal ‘moment-in-the-sun’, and not everyone can or even wants to be Taylor Swift; but in a way, that’s kind of my point! A hit is a hit, and most of these artists shouldn’t be written off as ones who simply didn’t have what it takes; and certainly shouldn’t be maligned musically. Not for nothing, I’m willing to bet that at almost any wedding you’ve ever been to - some of the biggest cheers of the night came when the DJ dropped the needle on a one hit wonder. And sure - you can chalk a bit of it up to a carefree mix of booze and irony, but even a guilty pleasure is one that brings joy. One such example of a ‘one hit wonder’ by an artist that truly deserves their flowers is Vanessa Carlton’s quirky 2002 piano hit ‘A Thousand Miles’; and that is exactly what we’re going to do today. This is the story of A Thousand Miles with newly unearthed audio from Vanessa Carlton herself. Written by Clayton Taylor for iHeartRadio Canada.

How many Shanias do you know of? Is there such a thing as another Shania? Because when you say the name Shania, there really is just the one. Shania Twain is without a doubt the greatest Canadian country singer of all time and arguably the person responsible for helping country music cross over into the mainstream - but her journey was not an easy one - and... her name wasn't always even Shania! This is the story of Shania Twain's 'Man I Feel Like A Woman' with newly unearthed audio from Shania herself. Written by Cam Lindsay for iHeartRadio Canada

Is there anything better than a song that pops up on the radio, a bar or a club - or even unexpectedly in a playlist, and it just makes you happy? I mean, I know we’re in the business of documenting hit songs here on encore - but I’d argue that the first seconds - scratch that - milliseconds of Sean Paul’s super-hit Get Busy are some of the most euphoric moments in all of music. There’s just something about that call-to-action ‘Shake that thing’ intro, the doubling up of syllables in Kana-Kana, and Ana-Bella that captivates you - even before the rhythm hits. I bet - and I totally didn’t research this - Get Busy is the most fully listened to three minutes and thirty seconds in all of music; because once you press play - there ain’t no WAY you’re shutting the song off until it’s over. This is the story of Sean Paul's Get Busy - with newly unearthed audio from Sean Paul! Written by Clayton Taylor for iHeartRadio Canada

What would you say is the greatest music video ever made? Rolling Stone argues that it’s “Formation” by Beyoncé for its statement on black American history. Esquire says it’s “Weapon of Choice” by Fatboy Slim. You know the one where Christopher Walken dances and levitates? Sure, that’s fun. The AV Club insists that it’s “Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel, which for years was revered for its groundbreaking stop-motion animation. All of those publications picked great videos, but they are also just flat out wrong. Because the answer to that question is easily and without a doubt “Sabotage” by Beastie Boys. Yes it’s incredibly goofy and sure, it might seem insignificant compared to something like “Formation,” but it’s “Sabotage”! By Beastie Boys! But “Sabotage” isn’t just a music video. It’s also a total banger that still feels fresh and relevant after 30 years. It helped influence the rap-rock revolution of the late ‘90s, it provided countless memorable moments in film and television, and it brought the Beastie Boys back into the mainstream after they nearly sabotaged their own careers in the late 1980s. See what I did there? This is the story of Beastie Boys' Sabotage, with newly unearthed footage from the band themselves. Written by Cam Lindsay for iHeartRadio Canada

The Strokes… Music’s coolest ‘The’ Band of the early 21st century. Along with Sweden’s The Hives, Australia’s The Vines, and Detroit’s The White Stripes - The Strokes almost certainly had no intention of getting looped into the phenomenon of wispy haired indie rock bands that all seemed to break out between the summers of 2001 and 2002; because - if we’re being honest - they didn’t exactly have what you might call an indie origin story. Formed in New York City in as early as 1997 by Frontman Julian Casablancas, Guitarist Nick Valensi and Drummer Fabrizio Moretti at the illustrious Dwight Private School (which lists Truman Capote and Paris Hilton as Alumni) the trio would quickly recruit friend Nikolai Fraiture to play bass with them, as well as Guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. in ‘98. Hammond Jr. had just relocated to New York from Los Angeles by way of Switzerland, where he was childhood friends with Julian Casablancas - at - you guessed it - an even more illustrious Private Boarding School. Within less than 3 years, The Strokes would completely re-define what it would mean to be a trendy modern rock band - and they did it mostly on the back of this hit single; This is the story of The Strokes Last Nite, with newly unearthed audio from the band!

Welcome to Season SEVEN of Encore with brand new host, Ruby Carr! Boy bands - they really don’t get much cred for being musicians, performers, and entertainers, am i right? From the Jackson 5 in the mid-1960s to the current global phenomenon that is K-pop, boy bands have been a big moneymaker in music for decades now. But at the same time, they have also been subjected to plenty of ridicule, disparagement and even hatred while girl groups like Destiny’s Child, Spice Girls and TLC have earned respect and admiration for their empowering and inspirational music. Some even say that the 'Boy Band' was essentially a music industry creation with the sole purpose of capitalizing on the love and devotion of young girls and their allowances. The boys in these bands were almost always reduced to being puppets to just sing and dance to music that was mostly written, recorded and - to use a dirty industry term - “manufactured” by professional songwriters and musicians. This music was designed to be a perfect product that girls of the tween and teen variety couldn’t resist. HOWEVER… there is one song that goes against the grain, that breaks all the rules, and for the past quarter century that has been an exception to everything I just said. It is a song that had the likes of grown men like Adam Sandler, Paul Rudd, Jerry Seinfeld and Jon Hamm singing along to it on live television like true stans when it was performed at the Saturday Night Live 50th anniversary concert this past February. It has been used countless times in movies and TV shows, covered, sampled and parodied to no end. Let's face it, because you can’t deny it, it is the one true boy band song that virtually everyone on Earth gives a pass to - Even more so, it’s a song that everyone flat out loves - whether they will admit it or not. That song is “I Want It That Way” by Backstreet Boys. With Newly Unearthed audio from the Backstreet Boys & a NEW Interview with Howie D!

It's the Best of Encore Seasons 1-6 with a jam-packed Vocal Powerhouses BOXSET. Listen to 4 episodes of Encore featuring the stories behind Mariah Carey's We Belong Together, Amy Winehouse's Rehab, Adele's Rolling in the Deep, and Lady Gaga's Bad Romance. Listen to NEW Episodes of Encore: The Stories Behind The Songs You Love every Thursday on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your Podcasts coming soon!

It's the Best of Encore Seasons 1-6 with a jam-packed Pop-Punk BOXSET. Listen to 4 episodes of Encore featuring the stories behind Green Day's American Idiot, Sum 41's Fat Lip, My Chemical Romance's Welcome to the Black Parade and Jimmy Eat World's The Middle! Listen to NEW Episodes of Encore: The Stories Behind The Songs You Love every Thursday on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your Podcasts coming soon!

It's the Best of Encore Seasons 1-6 with a jam-packed POP BOXSET. Listen to 4 episodes of Encore featuring the stories behind Taylor Swift's We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, Britney Spears' Toxic, Nelly Furtado's Promiscuous and Christina Aguilera's Dirrty! Listen to NEW Episodes of Encore: The Stories Behind The Songs You Love every Thursday on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your Podcasts coming soon!

Way back in Season 2 of Encore we talked about the United Kingdom’s rich history of introducing some of the most iconic Boy Bands of all time into the world. From The Beatles to Wham! Westlife to One Direction, Pop Music is littered with some fine British Exports. But of course, that’s really only half the story isn’t it? Because through all the Boys noise there’s one incomparable group of Girls that rocked the world in the mid-to-late-nineties. Sporty, Scary, Baby, Ginger, and Posh - The Spice Girls! This is the Story of Spice Girls’ Spice up your Life! With newly unearthed audio from the girls themselves!

Originally founded by current members Singer and Rhythm Guitarist James Hetfiled and Drummer Lars Ulrich, alongside Bassist Ron McGovney and Lead Guitarist Dave Mustaine, Metallica actually parted ways with both McGovney and Mustaine due to various personal and professional conflicts before recording and releasing their 1983 debut album, controversially titled ‘Kill ‘Em All’. McGovney was quickly replaced by revered Bassist, the now-late Cliff Burton, while Mustaine was replaced by legendary member-to-this-day, solo-master Kirk Hammett. Still an incredibly rough-around-the-edges Thrash Metal band, Cliff Burton would have a massive influence on the maturing of Metallica for their second album, Ride The Lightning. Metallica would follow Ride The Lightning up with 1986’s Master of Puppets No longer just making music for the underground metalheads of the world, ‘Puppets’ marked Metallica’s Major Label debut with Elektra Records. The album was roundly received as one of - if not the greatest metal album of the time, with critics noting how much Burton’s influence in particular had progressed the band’s sound. Tragedy would strike Metallica in September of 1986 - mere months after MOP’s release, as Cliff Burton would die in a bus accident in Sweden, while on tour promoting the record. By 1987, Metallica would find their necessary replacement for Burton - Bassist Jason Newsted. With Newsted in the band - Metallica geared up to release their final album of the 80s, called …And Justice For All. Tragedy would strike Metallica in September of 1986 - mere months after MOP’s release, as Cliff Burton would die in a bus accident in Sweden, while on tour promoting the record. Burton was only 24 years old when he was ejected from the window of Metallica’s tour bus as it skidded off the road suddenly, while the band members slept. The bus would land on top of him, killing him instantly. While the fault of the crash was hotly (and legally) debated at the time, ultimately Metallica’s tour bus driver was found not to be at fault for the freak accident. By 1987, Metallica would find their necessary replacement for Burton - Bassist Jason Newsted. Years later, Newsted would tell VH1’s That Metal Show that he secured the gig by stealthily finding a Metallica setlist, learning all the songs on it to note perfection, and demo-ing them out for Ulrich, who hired him two days later. YOUTUBE CLIP VH1 1 With Newsted in the band - Metallica geared up to release their final album of the 80s, called …And Justice For All. By this point, Metallica had very much made a name for themselves as the premiere Metal band, and Justice would prove it; peaking at number 6 on the Billboard album charts, going double platinum across its album cycle. Mainstream critical success would also soon follow for the band; although they would lose out on winning the first (and only) ever Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal or Instrumental GRAMMY Award to very-much-not-a-metal-band Jethro Tull’s very-much-not-a-metal album Crest of a Knave in 1989, Metallica’s song One would snag them the inaugural Best Metal Performance award in retribution at the following year’s ceremony. Eventually - …And Justice For All would follow in the footsteps of its pivotal predecessor, going more than 8x platinum to date. Now, you may be thinking by this point that this is truly unprecedented success for a metal band. Of course, there’s always a place in music for aggressive, heavy tunes, but as the 80s turned to the 90s - you would be forgiven for assuming that the roughly 4 to 5 million records sold in America across 4 monster albums, was about as good as it could get for any metal band, and perhaps they’d finally hit their glass ceiling. But Metallica, simply put - were not just any metal band, and were ready to change the way the world perceived heavy metal forever. For the first time ever, the band understood that they didn’t know everything there was about not only composing music - but producing it, and they were going to need someone to help guide them through the process, if they were going to do it right. So what did they do, you ask? Call in a Canadian, Naturally. This is the story of Metallica's Epic -' Nothing Else Matters' with newly unearthed footage from the band themselves - including interviews live from the studio while recording the iconic Metallica (Black Album).

One of the biggest music stories every year is the battle to see which artist releases the “song of the summer.” But rarely is the winner clear-cut and decisive. For example in 2024, which song would you say best repped the summer: Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso? Post Malone and Morgan Wallen’s I Had Some Help? Shaboozey’s A Bar Song (Tipsy)? Chappell Roan’s Good Luck, Babe? Debating the candidates of songs of the summer is an annual tradition for music fans, but there is one song that I feel will always be the song of any and every summer: “Steal My Sunshine” by Len. Yes, despite its release way back in 1999 there isn’t one person on Earth who can convince me that there is a song better suited for radiating summertime vibes than “Steal My Sunshine.” To me and likely many millions of people, Len’s hit song better exemplifies the summer season than any other song. This is the true story of Len's 'Steal My Sunshine' with newly unearthed footage from the band!

Laughing My Freaking Ass Off, or LMFAO as they were more commonly known - were one of the most enigmatic duos in pop music history. Formed in 2006 by Motown Records’ founder Berry Gordy’s youngest son Stefan Kendal Gordy - AKA Redfoo, and Redfoo’s half-nephew Skyler Austen Gordy - or Sky Blu (with no e, of course)... I would hazard a guess that these hyperactive nepo-babies are the single most successful Uncle-Nephew duo in all of music. As was the style at the time - Foo and Blu’s club bangers included tracks with influences from contemporary pop, hip hop, synthpop, paving the way for a somewhat mindless wave of EDM that focused on the carefree vibes of nightlife, partying, drinking, and just having a good time. After gaining a bit of a following and laying down some demos that truly distilled their party-rocking sound, Redfoo decided to show his demos off to his best friend to get his thoughts on the songs. Now, You may not be surprised to find out that Redfoo’s best friend LOVED the demos; you could even say he had a feelin’ that LMFAO were ready for the big time. Of course, I’m burying the lede here. It PROBABLY didn’t hurt that this ‘best friend’ in question, was none other than Will. I . Am. This is the story of LMFAO's 'Party Rock Anthem' with newly unearthed audio from the group.

How often does a band lose its two founding members, one of whom co-writes all the songs, only to survive and become both better and more successful? This is a rhetorical question, of course. I don’t actually know how many times this has happened. But what I do know is that Paramore is the perfect example of this: a band that experienced some truly challenging circumstances and potential catastrophe, only to rise from the ashes like a golden phoenix to become stronger and better than before. While the band’s saga has been full of drama since its very beginning, Paramore evolved from a scrappy teenage punk band based in Nashville, Tennessee to a stadium-rocking headliner in pop music. As you will hear, it definitely wasn’t easy getting there. This is the story of Paramore's 'Still Into You' With newly unearthed audio from the band themselves!

Who doesn’t love a good feature track? There’s something special that happens when two (or more) artists respect each other enough to get into the studio and hash out some music that inspires them - and their respective fanbases - it’s even better when the song becomes a MASSIVE hit! Now usually, when a collaboration effort is released - it’s because the artists in question are undeniably hot acts in their own right. Think of tracks from Maroon 5 and Cardi B, Post Malone and Swae Lee, The Chainsmokers and Halsey, Rihanna and Calvin Harris, or Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes - each artist’s popularity helped bring the other to a whole new level. Of course, this makes sense, after all - Pop music is SUPPOSED to be popular, so whether the genre mashups are a match made in heaven, or even a little off the beaten path - the equation is simple - Hot Artist PLUS Hot Artist EQUALS Hit, Baby! But what if I told you that one of the biggest collab tracks in Billboard history (and the first of the millennium) was made by an old school guitarist who hadn’t released a hit single in over 15 years, and an alt-pop soft rocker who had never actually released music outside of the comforts of his (admittedly quite popular) band? Let’s Don’t Forget About It! - This is the Story of Santana and Rob Thomas’ ‘Smooth’ with newly unearthed audio from Santana and Rob Thomas himself!

There aren’t many pop artists who are at the top of their game 40 years into their career. Let’s be real here, pop music is often considered a young person’s game, one that generally favours younger artists. As we’ve witnessed here on Encore with Justin Bieber, Destiny’s Child, Britney Spears, Usher and others, careers can start in an artist’s pre-teen years, but they often slow down as the decades go by. But there are always anomalies, and that’s where Kylie Minogue comes in. Making her first musical appearance back in 1985 at the age of 17, Kylie Minogue - or simply Kylie, sans last name - has officially been in the music industry for 40 years now. Of course, that’s not any kind of record - Tony Bennett had an 85-year career! - but when it comes to consistently maintaining relevance in pop music, Kylie might be in a league of her own. This is the story of Kylie Minogue's 'Can't Get You Out of My Head' with newly unearthed audio from Kylie Minogue herself.

Before being known as one of the greatest guitarists of modern times - John Clayton Mayer was just a kid from Connecticut who was obsessed with three things: Canadian Actor Michael J. Fox in his Iconic role as Marty McFly in the 80s sci-fi adventure romp Back To The Future. The Blues. And of course - the instrument that tied those other two obsessions together - The Guitar. And, by the way - I don’t use the word obsession lightly - According to John, this wasn’t your run-of-the-mill relationship with the instrument that many a teenage boy find themselves enamoured with - John was so single minded with becoming a guitar virtuoso his parents actually took him to be psychologically evaluated over his commitment to guitar playing - it was the only thing he ever wanted to do - like… ever. After high school, John Mayer had hoped to skip college completely to become a full time independent musician - but he was convinced by his parents to seek further education, and enrolled in the lauded Berklee College of Music at age 19. At Berklee, Mayer met eventual Zac Brown Band musician Clay Cook, who swiftly convinced him to… Drop out of Berklee after only two semesters. By 1999, John would package up his 9 best songs for his debut EP Inside Wants Out as a companion record to all of his touring - and by the year 2000 - with the help of a lawyer, he would sign with small label Aware Records, who would fund the original recording of an internet-only release of his debut record Room For Squares. Although it was originally a bit of a slow-burner, Room For Squares would spend 95 weeks on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, eventually going platinum off of the successes of No Such Thing and Grammy-Award Winning Follow up single ‘Your Body is A Wonderland'. Just like Room For Squares before it, Mayer’s virtuosity in both guitar playing and songwriting got him over the line with discerning pop music fans; his followup, Heavier Things would debut at Number One on the Billboard 200 - and with the success of single 'Daughters', would beat Squares’ 95 week run with a 98 week sprint on the chart. But, after three big hits that launched him into the ‘sensitive songwriter guy’ stratosphere, John Mayer was ready to break the space-time Continuum. This is the story of John Mayer's Waiting on the World to Change, with newly unearthed audio from John Mayer himself.

How do we determine what the biggest song is in an artist’s catalogue? A few decades ago it was generally decided based on sales and airplay, but then along came digital downloads, followed by YouTube views and finally, streams across the various platforms out there. A band like Weezer is a good example of this, considering they have had multiple hits throughout multiple decades. But chances are different fans have different ideas of what song is considered their biggest. Is it “Buddy Holly,” their 1994 breakout with the mind-blowing, award-winning music video directed by Spike Jonze? Or maybe it’s “Beverly Hills,” the gimmicky earworm that has divided Weezer fans for two decades now? How about their more recent cover of Toto’s “Africa” that became a surprise chart-topper? Or perhaps it is “Island in the Sun,” the laidback jangle pop song that has become a beloved anthem and streaming sensation over time. This week, join Myles Galloway as he tells you how Island in the Sun became the most successful tune Weezer has ever written. With newly unearthed interviews with Weezer themselves!

Formed over 30 Years ago - back in 1993 - Jimmy Eat World was founded by Frontman Jim Adkins and his good friend since toddler-dom, drummer Zach Lind in Mesa, Arizona. The band toiled on the local indie scene as a sort of scrappy skate punk band for the better part of two years, self-releasing and split-releasing their own music with other bands before being discovered by a talent scout from the world famous Capitol Records. Jimmy Eat World’s Major Label Debut ‘Static Prevails’ was released in July of ‘96 to… mixed results. Despite their limited success - Capitol decided to give Jimmy Eat World another go, and the band would produce their second effort on the label; the album Clarity in February of 1999.If you’re a Jimmy Eat World mega-fan - you are likely aware of Clarity’s retrospective Cult Status as one of the most important emo records of all time, so of course - within six months of the release of the masterpiece that is Clarity - Jimmy Eat World was dropped by Capitol Records altogether in August of 1999. Quite literally back at the drawing board, the band members had to temporarily take part time jobs to keep the dream of Jimmy Eat World alive. Piece-by-painful piece, Jimmy Eat World slowly began working on their followup to Clarity - recording just the minimum viable product for each song idea - not letting a dollar go to waste. This is the story of Jimmy Eat World's 'The Middle', with newly unearthed audio from the band themselves!

How many songs can you recognize by hearing the very first note? Just one note, nothing more. Usually when radio stations play that game where they will give you a prize if you can recognize a quick snippet of a song, they give you at least a few notes, even a few seconds. But there is one song out there, and maybe the only one that immediately comes to mind, where if you know that first note, you’d guess it every time. If you’re near a piano or keyboard try playing a G note. What immediately comes to mind? If you thought of My Chemical Romance's 'Welcome to the Black Parade' - you're in for a treat - because the season finale of Encore is all about their 2006 hit - with newly unearthed audio from MCR!

Before Sabrina Carpenter became one of the biggest artists of 2024... She dropped a Christmas Album, naturally. This is the story of Sabrina Carpenter's 'Fruitcake' from our sister podcast Behind The Christmas Hits with Drew Savage!

A song - any song - when done right - can transport you to a different time, a different place, and take you on an emotional rollercoaster.  It's an exhilarating feeling isn't it? Whether you're driving down the highway, volume cranked - singing along, or maybe you're doing chores at home, and the music transforms the mundanity into something worthwhile. Maybe it's a killer headphone session with a perfectly curated playlist - by you, or any of the playlist geniuses that work at iHeartRadio Canada - wait - who wrote that?? Dog Days are Over by Florence + the Machine, is just intrinsically just one of those great songs… a slow build with almost timid instrumentation, followed by a heartwarming and gentle voice taking you out on the quiet melodic waters - transporting you away to your own little musical island - when all of the sudden it crescendos with the power and soul of a voice so uniquely resonant, I might even argue that there hasn't been another voice so special since the song was released into the wild over 15 years ago. This is the story of Florence and the Machine's “Dog Days are Over” Contains interview footage from the following outlets: RTE2 Ireland https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5e_Uvj0iCbc ALT 98.7 LA (courtesy iHeartRadio) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJIwK7btO6Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyTYcgC7nLU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkjKxxEWy8I KROQ LA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdyYdhG44zk Contains a clip from 'Glee' S02 E09 'Special Education' (2010) 

What would you say is the worst song ever written? Like the absolute worst tune of all time that you and everybody you know hates. There is almost no way to get a general consensus, but a lot of people sure think it is “You're Beautiful,” the 2005 single by English singer-songwriter James Blunt. When that song was released almost 20 years ago, it was everywhere. You couldn't avoid it. The Gap, the grocery store, your dentist's office? They were all playing it ‘round the clock. And when that happens it's rather easy to hate on something as simple as a song. Especially a romantic ballad that's as sappy and sentimental and innocent as “You're Beautiful.” But that's where the problem lies. James Blunt's much maligned mega-hit, a song that was virtually #1 all over the planet and likely in other galaxies was not a sappy, sentimental and innocent ballad. Heck, it wasn't even romantic. Now, you might be saying to yourself, “How is that possible? He's literally serenading a woman he finds beautiful.” Well, I'm here to tell you that “You're Beautiful” is a song with layers to it. Layers that will completely change the way you listen to it.  This is the story of James Blunt's 'You're Beautiful' with newly unearthed audio from James Blunt himself!

It's really quite the honour to be thought of as the KINGS or QUEENS of a Genre - Think of the likes of The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Madonna, Beyoncé, or Taylor Swift  - Artists that have completely become synonymous with the style of music in which they perform, whether it's through their contributions to innovation of the sound, or - quite frankly - through their track record of being the most popular artist or group to have ever done it. With that in mind, if I were to present the genre of Pop-Punk to you, and ask who the first band that pops in your head is  - I would be willing to bet you'd immediately think of the undisputed kings of the sound: blink-182 This is the story of blink 182's CLASSIC “All The Small Things” with newly unearthed audio from the band. Also contains audio from Zane Lowe's 2023 Chat with Mark, Tom, and Travis. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE6RpGJJWlQ 

What does it mean to you when I say the word “brat”? What even is brat at this point? Are you brat? Am I brat? In 2024 we learned what brat was and wasn't, thanks to Charli XCX - who had a major breakthrough in 2024, but it wasn't exactly her first rodeo. She has been flirting with stardom since she was a teenager. As early as 2007, Charli took out a loan from her VERY UNDERSTANDING parents in order to make her first album, called 14. While promotional copies of 14 were shared with friends and members of the press - the album was never commercially available. However, a copy of the CD found its way into the hands of Atlantic Records, which offered Charli a record deal. At first Charli XCX wasn't sure about signing with Asylum, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records. She was only 18 and enjoying making weird rave music on her own terms. By 2012, Charli had found her niche as a songwriter and featured artist - penning tracks that became hits for Icona Pop and Iggy Azalea.  But in 2013/14, while working on her album True Romance, something weird happened. A song called "Boom Clap", which had been sitting on the shelf for a year -originally planned at one point to be given to Hilary Duff, was given a second chance by Charli as her first real single recording.  This is the story of 'Boom Clap' with newly unearthed audio from Charli XCX.

Content Warning: This episode of Encore discusses struggles with addiction and mental health issues. Believe it or not, Red Hot Chili Peppers were formed all the way back in 1982 as ‘Tony Flow and The Majestic Masters of Mayhem' - no idea why that name didn't ever catch on. But, with all due respect to original members - the late great guitarist Hilel Slovak, and drummer Jack Irons; the current lineup that we all know and love formed some six years later in the final months of 1988. Joining original members Tony Flow - aka Anthony Kiedis from here on out, and Flea - aka… well… Flea… were guitar genius John Frusciante, and the world's most successful Will Ferrell Look Alike - Chad Smith. Go on and picture the Red Hot Chili Peppers in your head; chances are it is this core four that you're thinking of… although there were at least another 8 transient members of RHCP throughout the years, with Frusciante especially coming-and-going throughout the band's history. With so much turmoil within a band - it's crazy to think that the Chili Peppers have never actually broken up, despite well documented addictions, tragedy and loss, lack of focus, changes in sound, and the aforementioned lineup changes over their 40+ years in Rock.  So, for this episode of encore we're going to zoom in on perhaps their most successful pivot of all, becoming what felt like a brand new band all over again some 15+ years into their career - this is the story of Red Hot Chili Peppers' 2000 Hit - Californication with newly unearthed audio from the band themselves.

After no less than 5 name changes, and a revolving door of band members, by the year 2000, budding R&B group Destiny's Child were finally in their most recognizable form as a three-piece. By the time the album cycle for their third record 'The Writing's on The Wall' Destiny's Child had two #1 singles in “Bills Bills Bills” and “Say My Name,” while “Jumpin' Jumpin'” would reach #3, and “Bug-A-Boo” would be recognized for its boundary-pushing production. The Writing's On The Wall would go on to sell more than 13 million copies and become one of the biggest R&B albums of all time. Destiny's Child were on top of the world. And they weren't about to stop. In October 2000, they released a song called “Independent Women Part 1,” an empowering anthem recorded for the Charlie's Angels movie starring Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu. That song held the #1 for 11 consecutive weeks, becoming the group's biggest song to date and the Guinness Book of World Records' longest-running number-one song by a female group. While all this was happening, Destiny's Child were wrapping up the recording of their third album - and it was about to take them down a path of even bigger superstardom. This is the story of Destiny's Child's 'Survivor' with newly unearthed audio from the group!

Consider this your public service announcement - this episode is about the kings of nu-metal, the royalty of rap-rock, and the band responsible for the most red New York Yankee hats sold this side of the millennium - Limp Bizkit. If you've seen any of the footage from either of the Woodstock ‘99 Docs that came out a couple of years ago, or if you are of a certain age to have lived through it - you'll know that Limp Bizkit - for better or for worse - were a BIG deal… like really big. You can head back in to the Encore Archives in our Evanescence, Linkin Park, Sum 41 or Finger Eleven episodes to get a sense of how popular aggressive, metal-tinged, hip-hop appropriating music was in the early 2000s, but one could argue that none of it would have been given such a wide blast radius in that era if it wasn't for the groundwork laid down by Fred Durst and the Boiz. Of course *purists* will tell you that bands like Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against The Machine, and even Faith No More were the true innovators of the genre - and they'd be right! But where we're going - we're not bothering with such high minded concepts as ‘innovation' or ‘musicality' - after all, the song we're talking about today is from a record called ‘Chocolate Starfish and The Hot Dog Flavoured Water'; released in an era where ‘Good' music was defined as any song that had too many swears on it.  This is the Story of Limp Bizkit's Rollin' With newly unearthed audio from the band themselves!

Welcome to Season 5 of Encore! We'll have new episodes until the end of the year to keep you going with even MORE stories from the songs you love! Perhaps more than any artist so far on Encore, Ed Sheeran has been the most difficult one to determine just which song to feature. The guy is just such a consistent and reliable hitmaker. He's also a bit of an outlier. Although he established himself as an acoustic troubadour, over the span of his two-decade career, he has evolved and adapted as an artist to suit just about any style: from bubblegum pop to hip-hop to country to rock. And it doesn't matter what type of music he's making, it always seems to be at the top of the charts. But I think we found the right song for this episode. Not only one of the biggest songs he's ever released, but one of the most interesting and dare I say, even a little controversial? You'll understand by the end of this, trust me. This is the story of Ed Sheeran's 'Thinking Out Loud' with newly unearthed audio from Ed Sheeran!

Welcome to the Season Finale Of Encore! What would you say is the catchiest song of all time? You know that one earworm that you hear once and then for the rest of the day it plays over and over in your head? Well, according to researchers at St. Andrews University in Scotland a song needs to have five things to make it an earworm: surprise, predictability, rhythmic repetition, melodic potency and, most importantly, the listener must be receptive to the creation on a basic level. In their study they determined the catchiest song of all time is Queen's “We Will Rock You,” which alone can be identified by its rhythm. I'm sure you've attended some sporting event and stomped or clapped that song without even singing a note. It's catchy, there's no denying it and these people are actual scientists sure, but have they ever heard a song by the name of “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen? Because that wins my vote. And I'm not alone. Justin Bieber agrees with me. He once tweeted:  “Call me maybe by Carly Rae Jepson is possibly the catchiest song I've ever heard lol” How can anyone argue with the Biebs! This is the true story of the iconic Carly Rae Jepsen song 'Call Me Maybe' - with newly unearthed audio from Carly Rae Jepsen herself! Encore will return for season 5 in October 2024!

There aren't too many global superstars out there who got their start impersonating Elvis at the age of 2, but that's exactly how Bruno Mars began his career in music. Yes, you heard me right, Bruno Mars began entertaining while he was still in diapers - and I'm gonna assume it all happened pre-potty training! That is apparently what it takes to become one of the biggest musicians in the world: gyrating your hips and dancing to the jailhouse rock in your nappy. But all of that hard work so early on in his life led to stardom for Bruno Mars, who has built an impressive career as a singer, songwriter, producer, all-around entertainer and 15-time Grammy winner.  This is the story of Bruno Mars' Iconic hit: Locked Out of Heaven, with newly unearthed audio from Bruno Mars!

It's probably safe to say that by late 2002, Eminem was the most popular rapper in the world.  With three full-length solo albums under his belt, Slim Shady had come quite a long way in the four years since taking the world by storm with The groundbreaking Slim Shady LP in 1999 - introducing the world to his devil-may-care madcap rhymes that ranged from insightful, to absurd, to downright offensive; sometimes all at once. There was no denying Marshall Mathers' talent on the mic - combining the sounds of the underground with a hurricane flow, lyrical wizardry, and pop culture irreverence - Eminem's popularity was bolstered by the frustrated angst of the emerging nu metal, horror-core and even pop punk sounds of the era.  Realistically, he didn't even *sound* like anything from those genres, but his aura was so strong that he became a sort of crossover artist without even needing to actually cross over. It was just *cool* to like Eminem. With the backing of music industry heavy hitters like Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, Eminem also had serious critical credibility - He'd won Rap Grammys for the aforementioned Slim Shady LP and it's lead single ‘My Name Is' in 2000; He followed it up with three more the following year for the likes of The Real Slim Shady, Forgot About Dre, and his sophomore album The Marshall Mathers LP - and would eventually go on to win two MORE Grammys in 2003 for his ‘02 album The Eminem Show and its lead single ‘Without Me'. And, while we're on the topic of the successes of Slim Shady - the records show that by late 2002 Eminem's 3 Solo LPs had gone no less than 18x Platinum in America alone. There is just one thing Em hadn't done yet - and quite honestly I can barely believe it myself - Eminem had never had a US Billboard hot 100 Number 1 Hit. That all changed when Eminem recorded the lead single for his feature film debut - changing how we all thought about Eminem forever. This is the story of Eminem's 'Lose Yourself' with newly unearthed audio from Marshall Mathers himself!

When your name means “The highest, most exalted one, the best” you know you're destined for great things. And Aaliyah definitely achieved great things in her life. An icon of ‘90s R&B, Aaliyah immediately became one of the genre's biggest artists at the young age of 14, eventually redefining the role of what an artist in that genre could be, breaking through into the hip-hop and pop charts. Since her untimely death in 2001, the proclaimed “Princess of R&B” has left behind a legacy in which, to this day, she continues to be celebrated for her talent as both a recording artist and a motion picture star, while being credited for introducing a sound that is widely considered the blueprint for R&B today. This is the true story of Aaliyah's 'Try Again' with newly unearthed audio from Aaliyah herself!

In many ways, the mid-to-late 1990s were the golden age of so-called ‘bubblegum pop'.  As technology began to evolve, so did the world's pop stars, with what seemed like an endless supply of perfectly groomed, perfectly styled, young, boy and girl-next-door type pop stars that smoothed off all of the edges found in contemporary Rock, Hip Hop, and R&B, leaving fans with a slew of safe pop idols to worship. There would always be innuendo in pop music - with a sparkle in the eye of a singer belting out suggestive lyrics; or a bit more skin being shown in a music video than you'd normally see at your local community center - but there was a bubble that was not to be popped when promoting pop music, and most stars played it safe. Christina Aguilera - one of the famed students of the Mickey Mouse club of ‘93 - which, of course also introduced the world to Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez of NSYNC, as well as Canadian Hero Ryan Gosling; debuted her self titled album in August 1999 at Number One on the Billboard 200 with the smash hit ‘Genie in a Bottle' also topping the Charts mere months after contemporary Britney Spears did the same with ‘Baby One More Time'. Christina wasn't shy about her uneasiness around Genie - the song was not her first choice for a debut single, but with the success that followed, she felt like she had to follow the label's direction. Aguilera's debut would go a nearly unfathomable 8x platinum before the end of the year 2000.  Now clearly sitting at the head of the pop-star table, and with the sounds of pop music shapeshifting around her. Christina Aguilera was ready to break free from the bubblegum-pop package she had originally been presented in. By the end of the year 2000, Christina fired her manager Steve Kurtz, hired supermanager Irving Azoff, and was ready to give her image a major shakeup, and show people who she *really* was. It was time to enter the era… of Xtina. This is the story of Christina Aguilera's 'Dirrty' with newly uncovered audio from Christina Aguilera herself! Also includes audio from this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doXqDkzFEkQ 

Disclaimer: This Episode contains discussions of physical and sexual abuse. To skip past these discussions skip to (4:54) There is no shortage of innovators in Hip-Hop, though for the most part the genre has been a world dominated by male artists. But from her mind-bending, award-winning music videos to her experimental approach to producing, Missy Elliott has changed the game. She has been one of the most forward-thinking minds in hip-hop since she first made her debut in 1997 - regardless of gender. In her early days as an artist, Missy would form a R&B group called Fayze with friends La'Shawn Shellman, Chonita Coleman, and Radiah Scott. Through her friend Melvin Barcliff, who rapped under the name Magoo, she met Timothy Mosley, a local DJ producer operating as Timmy Tim. He would produce some demos for Fayze, including a single called “First Move.”  Fayze would impress DeVante Swing, a producer, songwriter and singer for the rising R&B group Jodeci, after singing a cappella for him following a concert. Swing invited the group to record in New York City, along with their producer Tim, who Swing renamed “Timbaland” after the popular Timberland construction boots that were taking over hip-hop fashion. Missy got her first gig as a songwriter, producer and rapper on a song called “That's What Little Girls Are Made Of,” the debut single by Raven-Symoné, the eight-year-old star of The Cosby Show. But Missy quickly learned the hard way that the music biz wasn't ready to welcome her with arms wide open. Missy was blindsided though when they cast a smaller, lighter-skinned actress to lip-sync to her lines in the song's music video. At that point, she realized that she would have to work even harder to be taken seriously as an artist. Eventually Missy and Timbaland would become their own as a songwriting/production team. They co-wrote songs for artists like 702, Busta Rhymes and the debut album by Ginuwine, which Timbaland produced in full. But it was their work on One In A Million, the second album by teenage R&B sensation Aaliyah, that really opened the door for Missy as an artist.  Timbaland's flickering, clap/snap sounds on One In A Million set Aaliyah apart from the rest of R&B, introducing a fresh and futuristic style that no one had ever heard before. And the duo would hit it big when the album's lead single "If Your Girl Only Knew" topped Billboard's US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, while peaking at #11 on the Hot 100. One in A Million would end up going triple platinum in the US, selling more than eight million copies worldwide, but the impact was immediate. Overnight, labels were scouring to offer Missy a record deal, but she was quick to see right through them. Through her own label, distributed by Elektra records - Missy Elliot would release the albums Supa Dupa Fly and Miss E... So Addictive - which gave her mainstream exposure as an artist - with her and Timbaland pushing their production into new territory. By 2001, Missy would release the seminal Miss E... So Addictive which not only included lead single "Get Ur Freak On", but her most popular song of all time... This is the story of Missy Elliot's "Work It" with newly unearthed audio from Missy Elliott herself!

Scott and James from Finger Eleven sit down with Encore's Myles Galloway for an exclusive retrospective on the band's biggest international hit 'Paralyzer'!  

Rainbow Butt Monkeys. No, you didn't catch me doing my vocal warmups, and our editor forgot to cut this part out - and no, I haven't been partaking in some pre-podcast psychedelics… Rainbow Butt Monkeys happens to be the name of one of Canada's preeminent rock bands of the 2000s. OK I'm bending the truth JUST A BIT  - it's only the FORMER name of one of Canada's preeminent rock bands of the 2000s.  You may be more familiar with them by their multiplatinum name; Finger Eleven.  Yes, the hard rocking five-piece from Burlington Ontario spent a resounding six years under the Rainbow Butt Monkeys moniker in the 90s, before giving themselves an edgier rebrand as Finger Eleven and riding the waves of early 2000s nu-metal, post-grunge and alt-rock. A stalwart on radio stations from coast-to-coast in this country to this very day, Finger Eleven were certainly no strangers to success in the late 2000s But as the band told me earlier this month, something strange happened on one fateful day in 2006 that would give the band a level of success they'd perhaps never expected. This is the story of  Finger Eleven's Paralyzer - Featuring an exclusive interview with Finger Eleven's Scott Anderson and James Black, taking you even deeper behind the story of the song! Listen to Myles' Full Chat with Finger Eleven

Choosing a song that truly defines the Foo Fighters in the 2000s is somewhat of a Herculean task: Dave Grohl and his Merry Band of Rock Stars have been putting out such consistently solid Rock N Roll since the mid 90s, one might be forgiven for having a hard time choosing just one. After all, in the 2000s alone there's the last hurrah of the 90s with the anthemic and sentimental ‘Learn to Fly'.  In 2002/2003 there a dose of heavy and the heartfelt with the back to back smash hits ‘All My Life' and ‘Times Like These',  And in the closing years of the aughts we were blessed with the frantic sounds of ‘07's The Pretender and the smooth ride of 2009's ‘Wheels' I'll forgive you if you want to take a brief pause to take a walk down memory lane and put on some Foo Fighters Artist Radio right now. But perhaps the track that really gets the blood pumping and the devil horns raised to the sky is 2005's aptly named ‘Best of You'  This is the story of Foo Fighters' Best of You with newly unearthed audio from the band! Also contains audio from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCmi_xLoH7Q  

How many pop songs can you name that are universally adored? There aren't many, are there?  I think I can name one though: “Dancing On My Own” by Robyn. In case you're unfamiliar with it, the 2010 banger was widely acclaimed by critics but not so much by the public. In fact, the only country it reached #1 in was Sweden - Robyn's homeland. But man, oh man, if you can name a song from this millennium that has encapsulated pop music better than “Dancing On My Own,” well, I wouldn't believe you. It is as perfect as pop songs get. And yet, the story behind it is just as good as the song. It's a multi-faceted narrative that would make a great movie one day. A real underdog, comeback story about a young girl who becomes world famous as a teenager, then chooses to give up everything when she realizes she's viewed as a commodity, only to do it all over again on her own terms and become an archetype for so many artists out there who value making art and having full control over their careers.  This is the story of Robyn's Dancing on My Own with newly unearthed audio from Robyn hereself! Also Features Clips from: Chappelle's Show S2 E01: Racial Draft Red Bull Music Academy  Lilla Sportspegeln