Mark And Sarah Talk About Songs

Bleav Life & Leisure
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Mark Blankenship and Sarah D. Bunting are journalists, friends, and music fans who love talking about pop music of all stripes.

  1. 1D AGO

    The Dolly 64 E01: Round Of 64

    Welcome to our Dolly 64 season -- in which we use a highly scientific*, legally binding* March Madness-style bracket to determine the most quintessential Dolly Parton track of all time! In our first episode, we make Final Four predictions, scheme in the style of Tammany Hall, wonder why Mark's parents aren't president, distinguish between country and kuntree, and honor the "old coot at the edge of town" Partonian subgenre. Daddy, come and get an all-new episode of MASTAS! *...no Intro and outro by Andrew Byrne. Visit us on Patreon for more! SHOW NOTES Dolly the sheep March MASTAS: Britpop Edition The "5 to 9" Squarespace ad The "Sad Ass Songs" episode of Dolly Parton's America Episode 62: "Ode To Billie Joe" And "Harper Valley PTA" Episode 133: Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers, "Islands In The Stream" Just a couple of what Wikipedia diplomatically calls Chuck Berry's "controversies" Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    1 hr

  2. 12/22/2025

    Madonna's Studio Albums, Ranked Episode 2 (1998-2019)

    It's Part 2 of our ranking of Madonna's studio albums! When did Madonna stop dictating the culture and start chasing it? When should listeners write to their Congressional reps over our heatmaps, and when are heatmap "yellows" actually "reds" but they're too boring to skip? We're not sure we can answer these questions...but we're pretty sure we know when it's time for the endeavor of rapping to cease. Get psyched or eff off: it's an all-new MASTAS episode. Intro and outro by Laura Barger and Jack Baldelli. Visit us on Patreon for more! SHOW NOTES Madonna's Studio Album's Ranked, Episode 01 Madonna A to Z The rumored 2026 Madonna project Episode 107: Bond-Movie Songs, Ranked Episode 3: Madonna, "Get Together" Episode 211: Madonna, "Everybody" and "Medellín" Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    1h 13m

  3. 12/15/2025

    Madonna's Studio Albums, Ranked Episode 1 (1983-1994)

    Welcome to Part 1 of our ranking of all 15 of Madonna's studio albums! The Material Girl's woeful underrepresentation on our podcast continues, as we start with the eponymous Madonna and continue through Bedtime Stories. Along the way, we explain the ranking and heatmapping processes we used, and discuss MTV imprinting, the "dust bunnies" of otherwise-solid albums, how The Immaculate Collection shifted our perceptions of Madonna's '80s output, and that time the Good Lord Himself gave Mark permission to buy a record at WalMart. Limber up those skip-button fingers and join us! Intro and outro by David Gregory Byrne. Visit us on Patreon for more! SHOW NOTES Madonna A to Z MB's review of The Man Nobody Killed at Best Evidence Episode 36: Madonna's Immaculate Collection, Ranked Lost Madonna Hits Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    1h 26m

  4. 09/29/2025

    Billy Joel's "The Stranger," Ranked (with Dan Rogge!)

    Dan Rogge is back (-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack) to help us discuss and rank William's 1979 breakthrough release, "The Stranger" -- complete with derogatory Lost In Translation references, mediocre parental reviews of jukebox musicals, coherent statements on alienation, Mrs. Dash sponcon, the sound of the Fortunoff elevator, and why Mark needed a looseleaf notebook at the gym. Grab some stale boardwalk popcorn, Virginia, because it's on! Intro and outro by Laura Barger and Jack Baldelli. Visit us on Patreon for more! SHOW NOTES Billy Joel's "Glass Houses," Ranked (with Dan Rogge!) Record Of The Year Showdown, Episode 2: 1975-1990 America's Damp 40, Episode 05: 25 For Fighting Extra Hot Great 571: Bringing Honesty To Billy Joel: And So It Goes "Every Billy Joel Song, Ranked" at Vulture The Middle Aged Dad Band covers "Vienna" Weird Al vs. Everybody Episode 1: "Amish Paradise" Episode 109: Def Leppard, "Pour Some Sugar On Me" "Only The Good Die Young (Alternate Version)" Nathan Rabin explains the failure/fiasco spectrum Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    1h 22m

  5. 05/26/2025

    Billy Joel's "Glass Houses," Ranked (with Dan Rogge!)

    Don't ask us why* we decided to hurl a rock at William Joel's 1980 release, "Glass Houses" -- but we're ranking that album with the help of Ambassador To Long Island Pop Culture Dan Rogge. Along the way, we met a shark named Leyna, contemplated essential Billy-ness and Blondie cosplay, added to the list of songs Mark can't retain, and went behind the scenes of an ill-advised French mash note. Grab a "Monsieur Massapequa" tee and get your karaoke picks in; it's time for another MASTAS ranker! *it was not the terrible news about the tour cancellation; we'd recorded well before that -- and we hope he's better soon! Intro and outro by Laura Barger and Jack Baldelli. Visit us on Patreon for more! SHOW NOTES Episode 111: Bruce Willis And Don Johnson (with special guests Dan and Tracie!) MASTAS Presents: Money Can't Buy You Podcast 01, "Money Can't Buy You Class" America's Damp 40, Episode 00: An Introduction Episode 51: Billy Joel, "Sleeping With The Television On" Billy Joel live in Uniondale

    1h 23m

  6. 02/03/2025

    Grammys 2025: Underdogs and Roller Rinks

    We end the Best New Artist season where it all began for the podcast: the Grammys. We're talking today about the 67th Grammy Awards' "big 4" categories, plus a couple of wildcards -- and along the way, the American need for underdogs, nominations of encouragement, Mark's "Folkmore" playlist, Uncanny George Valley nightmares, couples skate, and a purse dog named Aristotle. Grab an electric clarinet and join us! (Throw the clarinet in the garbage first. THEN join us.) Intro and outro by David Gregory Byrne; for more information, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Nominations list at Grammys.com Episode 1: Heavy D and the Boyz, "Now That We've Found Love" Record Of The Year Showdown, Episode 1: 1959-1974 The "Now and Then" video Episode 224: Dua Lipa, "Levitating" (allegedly) shirts are on sale at Exhibit B. rn "Chappell Roan Confronts The Sickness Of Modern Fandom" Episode 166: Taylor Swift ft. The Dixie Chicks, "Soon You'll Get Better" Best New Artist Breakdown 07: 2009-2016 The "Die With A Smile" video Record Of The Year Showdown, Episode 4: 2007-2022 Doechii's Tiny Desk concert The "Tailor Swif" video Emma Pittman and Brody Grant sing "Hopeless War"

    1h 31m

  7. 12/23/2024

    Best New Artist Breakdown 08: 2017-2024

    It's the Best New Artist Breakdown season finale, featuring a MASTAS greatest-hits line-up, the return of sprung rhythm, grand unifying complaints about breakthrough categories, Elt Zeppelin, and how to evolve past Wolfman Jack in pop-music discovery. Do we agree with the Grammys' most recent BNA choices? Have we decided how to tackle the 2025 nominees? Should jerks win awards? Come spook the Recording Academy herd with us! Intro and outro by Laura Barger and Jack Baldelli; for more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Ms. Warwick "roasts" Chance The Rapper Episode 68: "Stay" Title Bout Episode 247: Julia Michaels, "All Your Exes" MB's Top 10 Songs of 2024 at The Lost Songs Project Episode 224: Dua Lipa, "Levitating" Record Of The Year Showdown, Episode 4: 2007-2022 Do Call It A Comeback, Episode 3: The NEXT Next 15 Episode 189: Yola, "Faraway Look" NPR's Stephen Thompson on Ingrid Andress's upsetting anthem Phoebe Bridgers in The New Yorker Single 19: Favorite Discoveries on NPR's Women+ Song List

    1h 7m

  8. 12/16/2024

    Best New Artist Breakdown 07: 2009-2016

    Our penultimate Best New Artist Breakdown moves into the teens; we're talking about Amy Clonehouses, lost anthems of lady rage, gold-watch nominations, the Overton window of band-name ludicrosity, and much more. Grab those Kendrick Lamar seminar syllabi and have a listen! Intro and outro by Andrew Byrne; for more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Episode 107: Bond-Movie Songs, Ranked Duffy's return to social media after her ordeal Episode 166: Taylor Swift ft. The Dixie Chicks, "Soon You'll Get Better" Episode 182: The Stills, "Changes Are No Good" Episode 74: Four By Pink Pop Goes The Actor 4: '80s Movie Gents Episode 68: "Stay" Title Bout Episode 14: Bastille, "Pompeii"

    1h 20m
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Mark Blankenship and Sarah D. Bunting are journalists, friends, and music fans who love talking about pop music of all stripes.

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