Encore: The Stories Behind The Songs You Love

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 r...

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 rever...

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...

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-Nep...

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 ash...

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 o...

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 decad...

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 obsessi...

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 diff...

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 ...

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 yo...

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 y...

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 offi...

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 d...

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 ...

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 form...