Song Vs. Song

It is time to revisit one of the most storied rap beefs of all time! Between Pac vs. Biggie and Kendrick vs. Drake, we had Jay-Z vs. Nas, an absolutely vicious rap battle that seems almost quaint now. This was already debated to death in 2001 but we're going to relitigate it, so who actually had the best diss, Jay-Z's "Takeover" or Nas's "Ether"?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Two of the greatest soul songs -- heck, maybe *the* two greatest soul songs -- of the '70s??! And they both begin with the word "let's"? Well this is a matchup we have to do, so let's vote now, which preacher's son made the better classic lovemaking song, Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" or Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On"? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amy Winehouse and Adele. Two of the greatest vocalists who ever lived who also both happen to be British white girls. And they absolutely tore your guts out with the saddest song in their respective catalogs. So who did it better, Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black" or Adele's "Someone Like You"?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you listened to the radio in the late '90s, two rock bands had songs about driving and losing loved ones, and seemed to disappear immediately once the '90s ended. And we have Niko Stratis, author of "The Dad Rock That Made Me a Woman," to help up choose the best! What's the greatest adult alternative song of the late '90s, "One Headlight" by The Wallflowers or "The Way" by Fastball?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Get ready to feel the pulse and ride the wave because we're doing our EDM megahit matchup. But which of the biggest hits of 2013 from Swedish megastars drops the beat hardest, Avicii's "Wake Me Up" or Swedish House Mafia's "Don't You Worry Child"?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Strike a pose! Two of the biggest pop divas have a message for the world, but do we unite for Janet or do we move to the music for Madonna? Only one pop diva can be the biggest star of 1990, so let us debate which it is, is it Madonna's "Vogue" or Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation"? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The second-wave of grunge arrives, and "What Makes This Song Stink"'s Pat Finnerty is here to explain if they stink! Bush were considered the poor man's Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots were the poor man's Pearl Jam, but has time shifted people's opinions? Let us decide if these songs stink as we debate Bush's "Machinehead" vs. STP's "Interstate Love Song"!!! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

THE EPIC MATCHUP. THE KING OF POP, vs. THE PURPLE ONE. Only one can be the reigning royalty, the titan of pop music of all time. So we are finally hashing it out for ever, WHO'S BAD, Michael Jackson or Prince, and whose biggest hit will reign supreme over the entirety of music, "Billie Jean" or "When Doves Cry"? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the 2010s, a teenage girl songwriter came out of nowhere to completely redefine cool for the decade, upend the pop landscape and inspire legions of imitators. Twice. But only one of them can reign, so which teen anthem of the decade overwhelms you more with its effortless above-it-all teenage-ness, "Royals" by Lorde or "bad guy" by Billie Eilish? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We're as shocked as you are, but the 2025 Grammys were actually worth watching this year. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Remember when God was cool? In the early '70s, we had one legend and one nobody storm the charts about the greatness of the higher power, and we're going to see how gave glory to the Lord better? What's the better hippie-dippy religious song, George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" or Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky"?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's the meme songs of the early 2010s, made by people we look at very differently now! Did they deserve the derision they got? We dive into the agony and ecstasy of Rebecca Black's "Friday" vs. Insane Clown Posse's "Miracles"! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The two biggest pop girls of 2024 face off!! E-S-P-R-E-S-S-O, is it better than Hot To Go? Sabrina Carpenter's "Espresso" vs. Chappell Roan's "HOT TO GO!", who will win?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Let's turn up the heat for Christmas. If you want something sultry and/or problematic for Christmas, there's only two songs available to you so pick your favorite, "Santa Baby" or "Baby It's Cold Outside"! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Song vs. Song has announced the podcast's official political stance: Down with The Man! And we have two great late '80s hip-hop songs to help us take down the establishment, but which makes us angrier, N.W.A.'s "Fuck the Police" or Public Enemy's "Fight the Power"? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lina takes over the pod and gives us our first open-ended poll!! So it's time to determine -- what is the best rain song??? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's a vaguely-haunted episode about classic rock epics from 1976! Which is the better dark and spooky song with triple-backed guitars, Eagles' "Hotel California" or Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper"?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We've got rhythm, we've got music, we've got our first Broadway showtunes episode, and we're tackling the two weepiest showstoppers of the '80s, so which is the biggest blockbuster heartbreaker of the Great White Way, "Memory" from "Cats" or "I Dreamed a Dream" from "Les Miz"? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our annual look at the VMAs, and they're weirder than ever but were they actually kind of good? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We've seen fire, rain, and clouds. From both sides even! But it is time to decide the most heartbreaking acoustic song from the singer-songwriter movement, so what helps us reflect more, Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" or James Taylor's "Fire and Rain"? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's 1993 and Alternative Rock cares. But what soothes your hurting Gen-X soul more, R.E.M.'s "Everybody Hurts" or Soul Asylum's "Runaway Train"?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hard rock with synthesizers??? We're going to light up the '80s with some anthemic hair metal but whose shall reign supreme, "Jump" by Van Halen or "Here I Go Again" by Whitesnake?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We have some of the fiercest, growliest songs of the '60s for you today! Which is the greatest songs that isn't about the Vietnam War but basically is, "Fortunate Son" by Creedence Clearwater Revival or "All Along the Watchtower" by the Jimi Hendrix Experience?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

WAKE UP! Because we're about to get down with the nu-metal and figure out our favorite wacky metal song of the early ''00s, System of a Down's "Chop Suey!" vs. Disturbed's "Down with the Sickness"! And fittingly for this crazy-ass moment in nu-metal, we've got Holiday Kirk in the episode to help us out! Open up this podcast and let it flow into you! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the 2000s, despite some resistance, the alt-rock stations finally discovered hip-hop, or at least something resembling it. But which was the superior UK hip-hop inflected alt-rock song, the Gorillaz' "Feel Good Inc." or M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes"? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Let 'em say we're crazy, but we're gonna do another movie theme poll. Yes, I swear, it's the truth. This time we're heading off to the magical year of 1987, when mannequins came to life and no one put baby in a corner. But only one can see off our end credits, so which one will it be, Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes' "(I've Had) the Time of My Life" or Starship's "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now"?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The world is too depressing, let's do some happy-go-lucky '60s sunshine pop love songs! Or are they? Which is your favorite over-covered golden oldie from 1967, Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" or The Turtles' "Happy Together"? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sometimes gangstas have happy, pleasant stories! They take cars full of girls to the Eastside Motel, and they don't even have to use their AK. Back up, back up, 'cause it's on, which story about being a smooth gangsta hits the spot for you, Ice Cube's "It Was a Good Day" or Warren G and Nate Dogg's "Regulate"?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Shawty! The year is 2007, and the twin juggernauts of Akon and T-Pain are running the charts! But can Akon's reedy tenor match T-Pain's autotuned bliss? Which is the better signature tune with the bad rap verse, "Smack That" by Akon or "Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')" by T-Pain? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The dawn of '90s alternative rock, in the late '80s! Jael Holzman of punk band Ekko Astral joins us to argue about which abrasive college rock anthem stands up higher in hindsight, is it Sonic Youth's "Teen Age Riot" or The Pixies' "Where Is My Mind?"See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's a new millennium and we're looking for THE NEW ROCK. And two fantastic garage rock bands have arrived to SAVE ROCK (or not). Which of the two big breakthrough singles of THE NEW ROCK is our favorite, "Last Nite" by The Strokes or "Fell in Love with a Girl" by The White Stripes? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sometimes girls kiss girls, and they write songs about it, and we have feelings about it! Who did the better "I Kissed a Girl," Jill Sobule or Katy Perry? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We do love our country music women getting revenge on men, don't we, whether they're destroying beloved cars or actively taking lives! We invite "Don't Rock the Inbox" writer Natalie Weiner to help us answer who does female justice better, The Chicks with "Goodbye Earl" or Carrie Underwood with "Before He Cheats"? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How much praise does one woman need??See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Two pop princesses blitzed the charts in 1999, and they would always be compared even though their paths quickly diverged. There's no chance that the iconic "Baby One More Time" by Britney Spears could be upset by Christina Aguilera's "Genie in a Bottle," could there?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's the early '80s and shockingly some of the first big rap songs were by white new wave bands. But which is the best of the two big new wave hip-hop (?) hits, "Rapture" by Blondie or "Genius of Love" by Tom Tom Club?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It turns out they do still make Christmas hits! Two big pop divas have conquered the holiday airwaves in the past ten years with Yuletide jams, but which is the best, Ariana Grande's "Santa Tell Me" or Kelly Clarkson's "Underneath the Tree"?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The greatest (non-Beatles) British invasion songs of 1965! Is there anything left to say about these towering monoliths of rock? And which is actually better? Is it The Rolling Stones's "Satisfaction" or The Who's "My Generation"?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's 2006 and two of the biggest pop songs of the year are from two couples dancing and maybe even doing more than that (but it's not likely). Which is the best flirty duet of 2006, Nelly Furtado ft. Timbaland's "Promiscuous" or Shakira ft. Wyclef Jean's "Hips Don't Lie"? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is there anything we love more here at Song vs. Song than '90s alt-rock? Probably not! So now we must debate two of the biggest mid-'90s hits, from the so-called nicest guy in rock vs. the least sympathetic! But does that matter? Who will win, the Foo Fighters' "My Hero" or the Smashing Pumpkins' "Bullet with Butterly Wings"? Please welcome back Joe Kwaczala and check out his new album "Funny Songs & Sketches"!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

White people... rapping?? Comedy gold every time, and in the '00s, two different comedy acts reached new heights with this joke, but only one can be the kings of Caucasian comedy rap, so who reigns supreme? The man myth and legend Weird Al Yankovic with "White and Nerdy" or SNL upstarts The Lonely Island with "I'm on a Boat"? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The mid-'90s were a sadder time than you remember! For weeks and weeks and weeks, two songs conquered the charts with insanely long runs at #1, and now no one even seems to remember them! Which is the better grief song of the decade, Elton John's "Candle in the Wind 1997" or Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men's "One Sweet Day"?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As always, we watch the MTV Video Music Awards, an event that these days seems to exist solely to promote Taylor Swift. Everyone loves Taylor Swift! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Two of the greatest riffs of all time! And they both have songs attached to them! What is the better killer '70s hard rock standard, Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" or Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water"? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There was once a great movie, "The Producers"! It was made into a successful Broadway musical! And then it was turned into a terrible movie! A convoluted path that gives us this bonus episode. If you want more like it, check out our Patreon at patreon.com/songvssong and donate a couple dollars!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

While the pod is on vacation, we're unlocking a bonus episode just for you! It's "The Muppet Movie," yayyyyy! If you want to hear more great episodes like this, check out our Patreon and donate us some money and you can hear them all! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's our annual "Songs from This Year" episode! For some reason in the middle of the year instead of the end! And for this terrible year we have two of the biggest pop stars in the world dealing with their exes. Which is the best #1 hit of 2023, "Flowers" by Miley Cyrus or "Vampire" by Olivia Rodrigo?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Pickitup pickitup pickitup pickitup. I mean, seriously, pick up your plaid fedora and matching pants because we have a ska matchup! And boy, did those ska bands like covers. So we have two ska covers songs to pit against each other today, which is the best, Save Ferris's "Come on Eileen" or Reel Big Fish's "Take on Me"?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's the '80s and we love America! Or do we? Two of our all-time greatest rockers have thoughts about the ways the good old United States has let us down, but which one hits harder, Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" or Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World"?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The '90s pop explosion begins! And it begins with complete nonsense!! The dour grungy world of the '90s was suddenly full of mmmbopadubadops and zigazigahs. But only one could be the greatest pop song of 1997 so which will it be?? "Wannabe" by The Spice Girls or "MMMBop" by Hanson?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oi! It's the late '70s and we're sticking it to Buckingham Palace! Which legendary punk anthem ruffles feathers and makes monocles drop into the River Thames better, the Sex Pistols' "Anarchy in the UK" or The Clash's "London Calling"? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.