Listening To Greatness

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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.

Red Bird Studio + OTW Music


    • Jun 11, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 19m AVG DURATION
    • 21 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Listening To Greatness

    20 - Radiohead - Kid A

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2024 85:38


    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.

    19 - Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2024 87:35


    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.

    18 - Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2024 82:13


    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.

    17 - Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2024 88:39


    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.

    16 - The Clash - London Calling

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2024 80:09


    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.

    15 - Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2024 89:03


    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.

    14 - The Rolling Stones - Exile On Main Street

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2024 83:55


    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.

    13 - Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved A Man The Way That I Love You

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2024 87:05


    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.

    12 - Michael Jackson - Thriller

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2024 87:05


    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.

    11 - The Beatles - Revolver

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2024 83:46


    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.

    10 - Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2024 86:10


    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.

    9 - Bob Dylan - Blood On The Tracks

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2024 88:01


    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.

    8 - Prince - Purple Rain

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2024 76:40


    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.

    7 - Fleetwood Mac - Rumors

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2024 78:33


    In episode seven, the guys tackle Fleetwood Mac's iconic album "Rumors." Discussion topics include crazy band drama, drum fills, and writing personal lyrics.

    6 - Nirvana - Nevermind

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2024 83:00


    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.

    5 - The Beatles - Abbey Road

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2024 79:49


    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.

    4 - Stevie Wonder - Songs In The Key Of Life

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2024 76:28


    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.

    songs stevie wonder songs in the key of life
    3 - Joni Mitchell - Blue

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2024 77:33


    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.

    2 - The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2024 79:21


    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.

    1 - Marvin Gaye - What's Going On?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2024 74:10


    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.

    What is this podcast?!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2024 14:56


    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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