Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs

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Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs

This exclusive podcast from Rolling Stone tells the stories behind the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time." Hosts Brittany Spanos and Rob Sheffield dissect Rolling Stone's iconic list and explore the magic and mythology behind the songs on this in-depth new series. From classics like Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” to The Ronettes' “Be My Baby,” and modern-era hits like The Killers' “Mr. Brightside,” and Britney Spears' “...Baby One More Time," we talk to artists and insiders about what makes these the greatest songs of all time.

  1. 28 AUG

    How Donna Summer's 'I Feel Love' Changed Pop Music Forever

    When Donna Summer was recording her album I Remember Yesterday, she wanted each song to evoke a different decade. "I Feel Love" was meant to represent the future of music, and as time has gone on, that label has been proven to be a prophecy. Co-produced by Giorgio Moroder and Peter Bellotte, "I Feel Love" is a hypnotic, ethereal piece of synth music that’s left an incomparable mark on music that still lingers to this day. From the house and techno movement to pop and R&B, Summer's song opened new doors and is still wildly beloved and popular on the dancefloor. On this week’s episode, hosts Rob Sheffield and Brittany Spanos celebrate Donna Summer’s massive impact on pop, R&B, electronic music and beyond and are joined by Bruce Sudano, Summer's husband, who began dating Summer around the time she recorded the song. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    29 min

  2. 21 AUG

    Nicki Minaj’s Seminal Pivot to Pop with “Super Bass”

    It took two years for Nicki Minaj to take over the world. Following her 2009 mixtape Beam Me Up Scotty, she caught the attention of Lil Wayne who signed her. Minaj quickly became ubiquitous, taking over the charts and winning over rap heavyweights and pop divas with her next level guest verses. It was Nicki’s debut album Pink Friday and single “Super Bass” that made her a force to be reckoned with across the board. Her pop pivot was a huge risk, especially as she pulled double duty singing and rapping on the hit. But it paid off: the song was her first Top 10 single and became the highest charting song by a female rapper since Missy Elliott’s “Work It.” Joining us to discuss the song’s impact and the ups and downs of Minaj’s legacy is Rolling Stone staff writer Mankaprr Conteh. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    31 min

  3. 14 AUG

    How OutKast Took the World By Surprise with “Ms. Jackson”

    When OutKast dropped “Ms. Jackson” in the fall of 2000, the world was stunned. Nobody had ever heard a hip-hop song that sounded anything like this. But there’s never been anybody like OutKast before. On this week’s episode, hosts Rob Sheffield and Brittany Spanos discuss “Ms. Jackson,” and how it fits into the long illustrious OutKast story. They’re joined by their brilliant Rolling Stone colleague Simon Vozick-Levinson as they break down this song, its timeless appeal and the mighty legacy of OutKast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    31 min

  4. 7 AUG

    How Cher's 'Believe' Has Ruled Dance Floors For Nearly Three Decades

    One thing Cher's career has never been is predictable.This week, hosts Rob Sheffield and Brittany Spanos celebrate Cher's incredible legacy with her 1998 hit and best-selling song "Believe" as the focal point. They are joined by artist and DJ Bright Light Bright Light who opened for Cher on tour several years ago and has been a lifelong fan of the legend. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    33 min

  5. 31 JUL

    Where Did “Killing Me Softly with His Song” Come From?

    Only a few rare songs ever turn into pop classics. But this one turned into a classic twice. “Killing Me Softly” not only made Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time with the 1973 Roberta Flack hit at Number 273, but also with the 1996 Fugees hit which comes in at Number 359. It’s the only song on the list that appears in two different versions. On this week’s episode, hosts Rob Sheffield and Brittany Spanos discuss the long-running story of “Killing Me Softly,” and how both these different versions just keep growing in stature over the years. They’re joined by their brilliant Rolling Stone colleague David Browne, breaking down how a Seventies pop ballad became a Nineties hip-hop smash, and why both versions remain universally beloved. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    31 min

  6. 24 JUL

    How BTS Became an International Pop Phenomenon

    BTS were already massive in their native South Korea in 2017 when they scored one of their defining hits, the emotional ballad “Spring Day.” It was a poignant tale of grief and loss. Three years later, “Dynamite” showed a totally different extreme of their music, going for dance-floor kicks. The Chic-style disco rush of “Dynamite” was a blast of sunshine, during the bleak days of the pandemic in the summer of 2020. But different as they are, both songs show how BTS became international superstars, breaking beyond the world of K-pop and conquering the planet. On this week’s episode, hosts Rob Sheffield and Brittany Spanos discuss “Dynamite” and “Spring Day,” and how they display different sides of BTS’ music. They’re joined by journalist Michelle Hyun Kim to break down the BTS phenomenon: how it began, how it grew, how it spread worldwide, and how these songs play different—but complementary—roles in the group’s story. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    33 min

  7. 17 JUL

    Bun B Can't Believe 'Int'l Players Anthem' Has Become a Wedding Staple

    Coming in at #91 on Rolling Stone’s Greatest Songs of All Time list, this week hosts Rob Sheffield and Brittany Spanos discuss "Int'l Players Anthem" with special guest Bun B. The surviving member of UGK details the fateful way the song came together with OutKast including how their iconic video almost didn't happen. Bun B sings the praises of his UGK partner Pimp C, who died six months after "Int'l Players Anthem" was released as a single. He credits Pimp C's musical intuition with seeing the potential for the song’s sample, which ended up being an accurate prediction. Plus, the rapper notes how impactful the video has been on the song's legacy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    34 min

  8. 10 JUL

    Why Carole King Is The Songwriter All Other Songwriters Want To Be

    There are all other songwriters, and then there is Carole King. Nobody’s ever had an epic career quite like the Brooklyn girl who spent the Sixties writing classic hits for other artists—then spent the Seventies writing her own.    With her 1971 solo classic Tapestry, she set the standards that all young singer-songwriters still aspire to reach. She’s always gone her own way as a performer, a composer, and an environmental activist. When Taylor Swift inducted King into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023, she simply called her “the greatest songwriter of all time.”    On this week’s special episode, hosts Brittany Spanos and Rob Sheffield are joined by the queen herself: Carole King. She tells the story of how she got started in songwriting, how she fell in love with making music, and how her artistry changed over the years as her life did. Our hosts also discuss the legend that is Carole King, why they idolize her, and how she changed all the rules of pop music with Tapestry and “It’s Too Late.”  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    36 min
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About

This exclusive podcast from Rolling Stone tells the stories behind the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time." Hosts Brittany Spanos and Rob Sheffield dissect Rolling Stone's iconic list and explore the magic and mythology behind the songs on this in-depth new series. From classics like Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” to The Ronettes' “Be My Baby,” and modern-era hits like The Killers' “Mr. Brightside,” and Britney Spears' “...Baby One More Time," we talk to artists and insiders about what makes these the greatest songs of all time.

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  • Episodes
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