The New Dad Rock

Steve Nelson & Keith Nottonson
  • 5.0 (43)
  • Music Commentary
  • Updated Semimonthly

Two college radio DJs during the 90s, hosts Keith and Steve helped expose bands like Nirvana, Pavement and PJ Harvey. They went to shows, interviewed musicians and reviewed albums for various zines and papers. They worked security at concerts and once, even did load-in for Phish. Now they’re dads. Whether you want to explore lesser-known music or take a trip down memory lane, tune in to The New Dad Rock. Join hosts Keith and Steve as they navigate the ages together, sharing their love of music across various eras and genres. Always well intentioned, often well informed, seldom boring, The New Dad Rock will expand your mind. 

  1. EP 114. Are They Making a New Led Zeppelin Album?

    Jun 23

    EP 114. Are They Making a New Led Zeppelin Album?

    What if the next Led Zeppelin album isn't made by Led Zeppelin? This week, Steve and Keith tackle a question that sounds ridiculous today and inevitable tomorrow. From the first time Cleveland listeners heard Rush's "Working Man" and thought it was Led Zeppelin, to the rise of AI-generated music that can recreate almost any sound, we ask whether the world's most famous bands are ever really finished. Along the way we discover that Ed Sheeran is worth how much?!? Then we follow the money to answer a deceptively simple question: how do musicians actually make a living in 2026? Streaming royalties, touring, merch, VIP experiences, posters, limited-edition foil prints, and the strange economics of modern fandom all make an appearance. We revisit Radiohead's famous pay-what-you-want experiment and compare it to today's creator economy, where music itself sometimes feels like the least profitable part of being a musician. Plus: • Why a King Gizzard foil poster can cost more than a month of streaming revenue • The enduring magic of The Fillmore poster tradition • Whether legacy bands should keep making new music or simply tour the classics • King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard's seemingly impossible business model • Who actually gets paid when you press play Most importantly, Steve and Keith debate whether we're heading toward a future where every great band can release "new" albums forever. Maybe the question isn't whether there's going to be a new Led Zeppelin album. Maybe it's who gets to make it. Welcome to possibly our best episode yet. Let us know what’s up. Support the show Did you know that The New Dad Rock has swag? Coffee mugs, pillow and t-shirts in a multitude of colors and arm lengths.

    36 min
  2. EP 113. Am I My Own Favorite Artist?

    Jun 9

    EP 113. Am I My Own Favorite Artist?

    What happens when your favorite musician is... you?  This week on The New Dad Rock, Keith reveals a startling discovery: he's become the world's biggest fan of an artist who doesn't actually exist. Thanks to AI music generators, he's been creating songs tailored precisely to his own tastes—and then listening to them. A lot. Steve, naturally, finds this deeply troubling. The conversation begins with "The Ohio Afterglow Incident," where Steve's daughter mistakes one of Keith's AI-generated songs for Ed Sheeran, then mistakes a real artist for one of Keith's AI songs. Suddenly nobody knows which direction influence is flowing anymore. From there, Steve and Keith wrestle with increasingly uncomfortable questions: If someone made the perfect song just for you, would you ever need another artist? If discovery disappears, does music become less meaningful? Is curation more valuable than creation? And at what point does Keith have to start paying himself royalties? Along the way they explore the future of music, the Netflix-ification of culture, personalized nostalgia manufacturing, and whether infinite customization ultimately leaves us more isolated than connected. They also share the correct way to pronounce the band Hooveriii   For decades technology helped us find our tribe. AI might help us become a tribe of one. Plus: CocoRosie, Ed Sheeran, monthly listener counts of exactly one, and the debut of a brand-new genre: Self-Rock. Listen now before Keith releases another album and immediately becomes its biggest fan. Let us know what’s up. Support the show Did you know that The New Dad Rock has swag? Coffee mugs, pillow and t-shirts in a multitude of colors and arm lengths.

    27 min
  3. EP 112. How Old Is Too Old?

    May 26

    EP 112. How Old Is Too Old?

    On this episode of The New Dad Rock Podcast, we ask the question every aging music fan eventually faces: when is a band too old to keep going — and are we too old to care? Using the 2026 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a jumping-off point, we dig into the strange, emotional lifecycle of legacy artists, reunion tours, and rock immortality. From the long-overdue induction of Iron Maiden and New Order/Joy Division in the same Hall class, we unpack what “classic rock” even means anymore. We also talk retirement — or the apparent impossibility of it — through the lens of Ozzy Osbourne, Motley Crue and Slayer, while checking in on enduring cult heroes like Mercury Rev, Afghan Whigs, led by the intrepid Greg Dulli. Along the way, we revisit unforgettable tours from Pavement, and Modest Mouse, say goodbye to late-night TV as we know (featuring Tom Waits and David Byrne), and ask whether bands like LCD Soundsystem and Hawkwind have discovered the secret to aging gracefully — or just loudly. Let us know what’s up. Support the show Did you know that The New Dad Rock has swag? Coffee mugs, pillow and t-shirts in a multitude of colors and arm lengths.

    30 min
  4. EP 111. Is John Mayer Dead?

    Feb 10

    EP 111. Is John Mayer Dead?

    Episode 111 finds Steve and Keith riding the chairlift straight into the soul of music discovery. Inspired by that eternal mountain question — what is the liftie listening to right now? — the dads talk skiing, snow culture, and the strange magic of hearing life-changing music while dangling above the trees. Along the way, they dig into a mix of new discoveries and familiar names seen from a fresh altitude: The Grateful Dead, John Mayer, Wet Leg, Lily Allen, Amaarae, ROSALÍA (LUX), Fomies, and Hooveriii. Some of it’s warm, some of it’s icy, some of it hits like fresh powder, and some of it feels like the weird playlist blasting from a shack at the top of the mountain. It’s a little less talk, a little more glide — music first, banter second — as The New Dad Rock continues its long, strange trip in episode 111. Strap in, lower the bar, and enjoy the ride. 🎿 Let us know what’s up. Support the show Did you know that The New Dad Rock has swag? Coffee mugs, pillow and t-shirts in a multitude of colors and arm lengths.

    26 min
  5. EP 110. Are CDs Still A Thing?

    Jan 27

    EP 110. Are CDs Still A Thing?

    Steve goes up into the attic to sort through his CDs, what he finds will change the course of The New Dad Rock. Tune in to reminisce about spending $20 on imported CD singles that had two crappy songs on them. Settle the debate of whether Sugarbush is better than Killington. And most importantly...f**k ICE! Let us know what’s up. Support the show Did you know that The New Dad Rock has swag? Coffee mugs, pillow and t-shirts in a multitude of colors and arm lengths.

    25 min
  6. Episode 109: The Top 25 Albums of 2025 — From #1 All the Way Down

    12/16/2025

    Episode 109: The Top 25 Albums of 2025 — From #1 All the Way Down

    The dads are back—and this time, the list is real. After months of listening, debating, reshuffling, and second-guessing, Steve & Keith finally unveil their definitive Top 25 Albums of 2025. But in classic New Dad Rock fashion, they do it backwards: starting with their Album of the Year and counting all the way down to #25, unpacking the twists and surprises hidden inside every pick. This is the victory lap. The payoff. The moment the spreadsheets, late-night texts, and questionable life choices all point toward. Along the way, the dads break open what made 2025 such a wild, shape-shifting year in music: the art-damaged provocateurs, the bands leveling up, the newcomers melting faces, the legends refusing to quit, and the records that came out of nowhere to absolutely own their heads and their headphones. Expect passionate defenses, good-natured outrage, accidental agreements, and at least one “Wait, that made it where on your list?” It’s thoughtful, chaotic, sentimental, and deeply nerdy—the exact energy you tune in for. Whether you're here to discover new favorites, validate your impeccable taste, or yell at your speakers about what got snubbed, Episode 109 is your essential guide to the very best music 2025 had to offer. Queue it up. Count it down. And long live The New Dad Rock. Let us know what’s up. Support the show Did you know that The New Dad Rock has swag? Coffee mugs, pillow and t-shirts in a multitude of colors and arm lengths.

    41 min
  7. Episode 108: A Sneak Peek at the Top 25 Albums of 2025

    12/02/2025

    Episode 108: A Sneak Peek at the Top 25 Albums of 2025

    Steve & Keith return to The New Dad Rock with their annual year-end ritual: sorting the chaos, controversy, and unexpected brilliance of 2025 into a definitive Top 25. Consider this episode your backstage pass to how the list is made—before the list is actually made. In this preview, the dads look at the albums that shaped the year’s conversations: the boundary-pushing weirdos, the stadium-level juggernauts, the surprise returns, the late-career reinventions, and the underground records that quietly changed everything. They compare notes, swap arguments, expose blind spots, and celebrate the wildly different ways two lifelong friends hear the same year in music. If you want to be fully armed for year-end list season—or just want to know what the dads can’t stop blasting—this is the episode to cue up. A fast, fun, opinionated warm-up lap before the official Top 25 drops. Turn it up. Argue along. And get ready for 2025’s victory lap. Let us know what’s up. Support the show Did you know that The New Dad Rock has swag? Coffee mugs, pillow and t-shirts in a multitude of colors and arm lengths.

    29 min
  8. 🎙️ Episode 107 - TNDR Radio (Return of the College DJs)

    11/25/2025

    🎙️ Episode 107 - TNDR Radio (Return of the College DJs)

    🎙️ The New Dad Rock – Episode 107: TNDR Radio (Return of the College DJs) This week, Steve and Keith spin the dial all the way back to their roots—college radio, where the knobs were dusty, the playlists were handwritten, and the banter was always optional. Welcome to TNDR Radio, the station where the music comes first, the dads come second, and the FCC probably has some questions. Inspired by a wise man who once said “a little less conversation, a little more action…” the dads do their best to honor Elvis by talking less than ever before. Whether they succeed? Well—that’s between you and the ghost of The King. Steve and Keith pull tracks from across The New Dad Rock archives, including classics from EP 32: Going to Polygondwanaland with King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard and EP 42: PS I Saved the Planet.  This episode is built like a proper radio set:  📻 Songs first.  🎤 DJs second.  👨‍🦲 Dad energy throughout. ✨ Keith forgetting which fader controls what and Steve trying to sound like a real DJ and absolutely nailing it So tune in, turn it up, and let TNDR Radio take over your speakers like it’s 1994 and you’re in a dorm room that smells faintly of ramen and spilled Rolling Rock. TNDR Radio where the music is loud, the commentary is light, and—just for this episode—the dads let the records do most of the talking. Let us know what’s up. Support the show Did you know that The New Dad Rock has swag? Coffee mugs, pillow and t-shirts in a multitude of colors and arm lengths.

    31 min
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5
out of 5
43 Ratings

About

Two college radio DJs during the 90s, hosts Keith and Steve helped expose bands like Nirvana, Pavement and PJ Harvey. They went to shows, interviewed musicians and reviewed albums for various zines and papers. They worked security at concerts and once, even did load-in for Phish. Now they’re dads. Whether you want to explore lesser-known music or take a trip down memory lane, tune in to The New Dad Rock. Join hosts Keith and Steve as they navigate the ages together, sharing their love of music across various eras and genres. Always well intentioned, often well informed, seldom boring, The New Dad Rock will expand your mind. 

Information

  • Creator
    Steve Nelson & Keith Nottonson
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    124
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The New Dad Rock
  • Show Website
    The New Dad Rock