Listening to Greatness tracks the journey of Aaron Troyer and Ben Roth as they listen to each of the albums on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums Of All Time" list. The two (with some occasional guests) will listen to each album, and then record a podcast discussing the context of the album, their thoughts, a breakdown of some musical ideas related to the album, and a discussion about how the album fits into the "bigger picture" of music.
In the season finale, the guys are joined by Andrew Kaufman as they discuss Radiohead's 2000 album, "Kid A." Topics of discussion include Napster, time signatures, and thoughts on the top 20.
In this episode the guys are once again joined by Kyle Spinnel as they chat about Kendrick Lamar's "To Pimp A Butterfly." Topics include Apple's 100 greatest albums list, Kendrick's lyrics, and playing ahead or behind the beat.
The guys are joined by Michael Pearson for their journey into another Bob Dylan record - "Highway 61 Revisited." Topics of discussion include bicycles, guitar pickups, and favorite lyricists of all time.
In this episode, the guys tackle Kanye West's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy." Topics of discussion include maximalist music, fuzz and distortion, and the impact lyrics have on culture.
The guys, with special guest Chris (Yanni) Yannayon, discuss the 1979 record London Calling by the Clash. Topics of discussion include Svengoolie, the importance of rhythm accents, and how important musical diversity is to musicianship.
The guys are joined by Kyle Spinel for their journey into Public Enemy's "It Takes A Nation..." Topics of discussion include Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, the skill behind sampling, and how sampling affects the music industry today.
In this episode, the guys are joined by the one and only Log Dog as they discuss the Rolling Stones' album "Exile On Main Street." Topics of discussion include taxes, 12 bar blues, and how life impacts lyrics.
In episode 13, the guys are joined by another special guest and the crew give their thoughts on one of Aretha Franklin's greatest albums. Topics of discussion include dune, stereo vs mono, and what drives an artist to keep going.
The guys plus a special guest explore the sounds of "Thriller" - the best selling album of all time. Topics of discussion include vocal stylings, bass lines, and the separation between art and artist.
The guys, along with a special guest, tackle the Beatles' classic album, "Revolver." Topics of discussion include recording techniques, Avril Lavigne, and what role technology has in modern music.
In episode 10, the guys take on the one and only studio album from Lauryn Hill - "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill." Topics of discussion include the genre of neo-soul, swung rhythms, and personal top lists.
In the ninth episode, Ben & Aaron discuss Bob Dylan's classic folk album "Blood On The Tracks." Topics of discussion include Christmas albums, word pronunciation, and what era is the greatest for albums.
In episode 8, the discussion centers on Prince's iconic 1980s album, "Purple Rain." Topics of discussion include the accompanying film, guitar pedals, and era defining sounds.
In episode seven, the guys tackle Fleetwood Mac's iconic album "Rumors." Discussion topics include crazy band drama, drum fills, and writing personal lyrics.
In the sixth episode, the guys explore the birth of grunge music while talking about Nirvana's "Nevermind." Topics discussed include WWE wrestling, chord harmonies, and how important maintaining originality is to music.
On the fifth episode, the guys dive into the Beatles final recorded album, "Abbey Road." Topics of discussion include Michael Jordan, Pawn Stars, the blues, and what makes the Beatles so great.
On the fourth episode, the guys dive deep into what many call the pinnacle of Stevie Wonder's career - "Songs In The Key Of Life." On this episodes the guys talk about keyboard sounds, and how important it is to have collaboration in music.
In the third episode, Ben and Aaron dive into the lyrical world of the deeply personal "Blue" by Joni Mitchell. This album was a new experience to both of the guys, and they share some thoughts on all things Blue.
In the second episode, Ben and Aaron talk about the Beach Boys' famous album, "Pet Sounds." The guys touch on wild chord progressions, the genius of Brian Wilson, and the impact instant or not-so instant success has on artists.
In the "pilot episode" of the podcast, Ben and Aaron discuss the first album on Rolling Stone's list: "What's Going On?" by Marvin Gaye. They also have a discussion on bass riffs, and why they think this album sits at the top of the list.
In this (technically) first episode, Aaron and Ben discuss what we are doing on this podcast, and why they think it's cool.
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