Podcasts · Music

60 Songs That Explain the '90s

The Ringer

185 episodes

First came '60 Songs That Explain the '90s.' (We did that.) Then came '60 Songs That Explain the '90s: The 2000s.' (We're doing that now—and yes, that's the actual name.) But whether you want to jump back to the Clinton years or join us as we reboot our old iPods, you can find all of the collected works of Rob Harvilla below. Come back each Wednesday for a new episode.

Episodes page 1 of 4

  1. At The Drive-In — “One Armed Scissor”

    · 1 h 38 min

    For a brief moment in 2000, At the Drive-In were the best live band in the world—then they broke up. This week, Rob tracks how the El Paso post-hardcore outfit burned so bright so quickly with their complex,…

  2. Bon Iver — “Skinny Love”

    · 1 h 37 min

    Pack up your winter gear—we’re headed to the Wisconsin woods. This week, Rob retreats into Justin Vernon’s cabin to remember the buzzy indie album ‘For Emma, Forever Ago,’ which launched the career of the eventual…

  3. Black Eyed Peas — “I Gotta Feeling”

    · 1 h 36 min

    Are bad lyrics good lyrics? That’s the question Rob posits as he tackles the Black Eyed Peas, who may have mastered the art of good-bad songwriting. He looks back on how the Peas jumped from hip-hop to pop after they…

  4. Lee Ann Womack — “I Hope You Dance”

    · 1 h 36 min

    She sings both kinds of music—country and Western—and you better be grateful for it. Lee Ann Womack followed in the footsteps of icons like Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, and Tammy Wynette, but she took even greater…

  5. An Overdue 60 Songs Mailbag

    · 1 h 37 min

    It’s been [redacted] years since our last mailbag episode, and Rob is finally back to answer all your burning questions about the ’90s, 2000s, and more. He’s joined by Bandsplain’s Yasi Salek to discuss everything from…

  6. Peter Bjorn and John — "Young Folks"

    · 1 h 31 min

    Twee aesthetics, songs about fleeting youth (sung by people who are objectively young), and lots and lots of blogs—that’s right, we’re talking about indie rock in the aughts. Today, Rob recounts how Swedish trio Peter…

  7. Evanescence — “Bring Me To Life”

    · 1 h 27 min

    Although this podcast has continuously shown that we cheer for the underdog, every now and then we must tip our cap to the suits and head honchos. When Evanescence’s record label insisted that Amy Lee sing alongside a…

  8. Sade — “By Your Side”

    · 1 h 46 min

    This week’s episode is all about comfort. It’s about being remembered and what better person to commemorate that feeling with than the person whose music doesn’t seem to age- Sade. Sade came out with “By Your Side”…

  9. Spoon — “The Underdog”

    · 1 h 36 min

    Today, Rob explains how even after five successful studio albums, Spoon still felt vengeful enough to write the most triumphant song about being the underdog. He reflects on how Spoon's major label dropped the Austin…

  10. My Chemical Romance—“Welcome to the Black Parade”

    · 1 h 37 min

    We should have known that, despite the irony, the kid from New Jersey who defended the purchasing of serial killer comics would grow up to become the defender of the broken, beaten, and damned. Today, Rob recollects…

  11. Bush — “Glycerine”

    · 1 h 31 min

    We’re going back to our roots this week—back to our Toyota Corollas and Chrysler LeBarons or whatever other shitty cars we drove back in the ’90s—to blast some Bush. Rob ponders whether frontman Gavin Rossdale is a…

  12. Shakira — “Hips Don’t Lie”

    · 1 h 25 min

    This episode is for the ladies up in here tonight! Before her hips became internationally renowned, Shakira was making Spanish rock music from the age of 14. Today, Rob looks back at her crossover album 'Laundry…

  13. Feist — “1234”

    · 1 h 26 min

    Imagine, you’re on the road with an indie sleaze band making sock puppets sing obscenities when Sesame Street gives you a call. Leslie Feist’s career can most similarly be compared to the life of Benjamin Button with…

  14. Joanna Newsom — “Emily”

    · 1 h 13 min

    This episode is for all of the people who don’t know the difference between a meteor, meteoroid, and meteorite. Rob finally opens up about his hipster phase of life that nearly got him killed (his words, not ours). He…

  15. Wolf Parade — “I’ll Believe in Anything”

    · 1 h 32 min

    Will you come to my cottage this summer and blast Canadian rock music? Rob is asking … for a friend! This week, we analyze the dramatic comeback of the Wolf Parade song “I’ll Believe in Anything” after its use in the…

  16. Radiohead — “All I Need”

    · 1 h 44 min

    Keep those negative thoughts to yourself! They are a parasite to those around you, and who knows that better than Thom Yorke? This week, Rob proves that Radiohead has the ability to sully the minds of even the most…

  17. TV On The Radio — “Wolf Like Me”

    · 1 h 23 min

    This week, Rob takes a trip down memory lane, a.k.a. 2000s Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Now that we are in the dark ages of social media and virality, there is a set-in-stone Mount Rushmore of late-night TV band…

  18. Madvillain — “All Caps”

    · 1 h 35 min

    This week, Rob makes a solid argument that the coolest thing a person can do is watch cartoons and play pretend. He breaks down the many personas of Daniel Dumile, starting with Zev Love X and ending with his villain…

  19. The White Stripes — “Seven Nation Army”

    · 1 h 49 min

    You’ve heard the song a million times, and you can sing along with the crowd when it comes on. But come trivia, would you be able to name the artist and song title? Today, Rob is going to drill every jock jam into your…

  20. Kelis — “Milkshake”

    · 1 h 25 min

    Today, Rob talks about the song that left him speechless upon his first listen—“Milkshake”. He retraces his steps back to the beginning of Kelis’s career when she was screaming at a Glastonbury crowd. He analyzes the…

  21. Paramore — “Misery Business”

    · 1 h 35 min

    Imagine the angstiest, cringiest art you made as a teenager. Now imagine the entire world singing to it in their cars and at karaoke forever. Today, Rob is breaking down the emotionally turbulent emo-bop factory…

  22. The Darkness — “I Believe in a Thing Called Love”

    · 1 h 44 min

    There is a select handful of people who were never meant to step foot into an office due to their proclivity to screw around. Just like we sent Rob packing to Ohio to bother no one but himself, Lowestoft, England…

  23. D’Angelo—“Untitled (How Does It Feel)”

    · 1 h 55 min

    Today, Rob breaks down one of the many impossible expectations we have for our musical stars—the memorial performance. After years of staying out of the public eye, D’Angelo paid tribute to the artist he grew up…

  24. Bruce Springsteen — “The Rising”

    · 1 h 34 min

    In the uncertain moments following 9/11, we were searching for comfort and someone to help us make sense of it all. Today, Rob discusses the one musician who was capable of stepping up and capturing the emotions the…

  25. Britney Spears – “Toxic”

    · 1 h 37 min

    Before he vows to leave her alone, Rob breaks down the cataclysmic career of a pop star who did it for the love of the game and the disgust of the fame. Britney Spears had the power to shift culture with a single VMAs…

  26. “Buy U a Drank”— T-Pain

    · 1 h 43 min

    At long last, Rob has returned to your speakers and screens, triumphant in the face of his haters. In this way, he is no different than the subject of today’s episode: T-Pain. Even though he wrote, produced, and…

  27. “Hallelujah” — Jeff Buckley

    · 1 h 43 min

    Today, Rob returns with a gift in time for the holidays, breaking down what many would call the voice of an angel. He takes us back to the ’90s, when one of the most covered songs on the planet was merely a forgotten,…

  28. “A-Punk” — Vampire Weekend

    · 1 h 36 min

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  29. "Grindin’"— The Clipse

    · 1 h 24 min

    This week, Rob explores the biblical complexities of brotherhood throughout popular song, and uses those musical examples to highlight this eternal dichotomy: Some days when you aren’t Abel, there is always Cain. This…

  30. “Heavy Metal Drummer”—Wilco

    · 1 h 32 min

    In this week’s episode, Rob uses the blueprint he learned from all of his favorite rock band movies, like 'Dig!' and 'The Great Muppet Caper,' to better understand the self-proclaimed misunderstood band Wilco. He takes…

  31. "The House That Built Me"— Miranda Lambert

    · 1 h 41 min

    This week, Rob shines a light on the many ways singer-songwriters have utilized the concept of the word ‘home’ to convey where the heart and the human spirit truly reside. These musings serve as a springboard for a…

  32. “Live Like You Were Dying”— Tim McGraw

    · 33 min

    This week, Rob puts his pretensions about country music aside with a closer look at Tim McGraw’s simple but moving song, “Live Like You Were Dying,” that encourages even the most sarcastic of 20-something-year-olds to…

  33. “Ms. Jackson”— Outkast

    · 1 h 41 min

    Why would the best ever want to stop being the best? Rob tries to figure this out in this week's episode covering Outkast. He proves that Big Boi and André 3000 will always be better together by comparing the tag team…

  34. “Can’t Stop”—The Red Hot Chili Peppers

    · 1 h 32 min

    Rob initiates this week’s show by waxing poetic on the mortality of his musical idols and the treasure trove of emotional tribute songs that proliferated after the tragic passing of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. His…

  35. “Since U Been Gone”— Kelly Clarkson

    · 1 h 37 min

    Rob contemplates the art of making an ironic cover song sincere as he enters the dark realm of the 2000s hit TV show, ‘American Idol’. He follows the inevitable success of Season 1 winner Kelly Clarkson, who proves…

  36. “How to Save a Life”—The Fray

    · 1 h 26 min

    This week, Rob examines the hallowed art of employing songs within the soundtrack of a crucial TV scene to emotionally manipulate the viewing audience. Along the way, he evokes classic moments from ‘General Hospital’ ,…

  37. “Ether”—Nas

    · 1 h 37 min

    This week, we’re breaking down the Nas vs. Jay-Z feud, and Rob has to argue, which makes him deeply uncomfortable. After he breaks down the basic contents of a diss track, he is joined by The Ringer’s Joel Anderson to…

  38. “No One Knows”—Queens of the Stone Age

    · 1 h 36 min

    It’s Queens of the Stone Age Day here at 60 Songs! Listen as Rob finds a way to juxtapose heavy metal and stand-up comedy like only he can on his journey to celebrate the song “No One Knows.” Later, Rob is joined by…

  39. “Jenny From the Block”—Jennifer Lopez

    · 1 h 34 min

    Rob peruses the limelight love story of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck while celebrating J.Lo’s 2002 smash hit, “Jenny From the Block.” Later, he is joined by writer Julianne Escobedo Shepherd to discuss the music and…

  40. “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue”—Toby Keith

    · 1 h 44 min

    Rob homes in on the specific and strange political moment in which Toby Keith made "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue." Then, he’s joined by New Yorker music writer Kelefa Sanneh to discuss the song’s themes,…

  41. “Maps”—Yeah Yeah Yeahs

    · 1 h 29 min

    Rob heads back to Brooklyn to explore the 2003 indie-rock staple “Maps” and the history of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Later, he is joined by Niko Stratis to further explore the indie jam’s success. Host: Rob Harvilla Guest:…

  42. “Feel Good Inc.”—Gorillaz

    · 1 h 31 min

    Rob is back from hiatus with a loaded episode! Join him as he straddles the line between real life and virtual reality when discussing the virtual band Gorillaz and the career of its creator, Damon Albarn. Later, Rob…

  43. Proof of Life: 60 Songs is Back on April 30

    · 1:41

    We know, it's been a while. But, Rob and his producer pals are working hard on the show. See you in two weeks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  44. Poetic Justice: The Year of Kendrick Lamar

    · 1 h 23 min · Bonus · Explicit

    Ahead of Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance, Ringer senior staff writer Justin Charity explores some of the critical moments of Kendrick’s story: from a legendary come-up in the rap blog era of the late…

  45. The Soundtrack Draft | 60 Songs x Bandsplain LIVE

    · 1 h 39 min

    Listen to Rob and Yasi, joined by Chris Ryan and Sean Fennessey live from the Lodge Room in Los Angeles! In this song draft, the crew is picking between the best soundtracks of the 2000s. Hosts: Rob Harvilla and Yasi…

  46. “How You Remind Me”—Nickelback

    · 1 h 35 min · S1 E15

    This week, we’re celebrating the Canadian rock band Nickelback! Along the way, Rob discusses butt rock, anti-Nickelback memes, and his friend stealing his girlfriend in high school. Later, author and columnist Leslie…

  47. “Umbrella”—Rihanna

    · 1 h 29 min · S1 E14

    Rob celebrates pop icon Rihanna while looking back at her smash hit “Umbrella.” While combing through Rihanna’s expansive career, Rob also discusses whether Jay-Z’s guest verse on “Umbrella” is the worst of his career.…

  48. “Amber”—311

    · 1 h 23 min · S1 E13

    Rob explores the genre-fluid positive energy of rap/reggae/rock ‘90s holdovers 311 and their hit ‘Amber.’ Among other things, he also talks about them as a bridge from a previous era, the musicality of their bass in…

  49. “Yeah!”—Usher

    · 1 h 22 min

    Rob examines the crossroads of Usher’s pop star persona and Lil Jon’s unique vocal and musical genius this week when taking a look back at the smash hit “Yeah!” (1:00). Then, he is joined by Clover Hope to talk about…

  50. “Complicated”—Avril Lavigne

    · 1 h 20 min · S1 E11

    Rob looks back at the music career of pop star Avril Lavigne while celebrating her smash hit “Complicated.” Along the way, Rob dives deep into the idea of the anti-Britney Spears and much more! Later, he is joined by…

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