Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs podcast

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.

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.

 

#26

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 ev... more

28 Aug 2024

28 MINS

28:31

28 Aug 2024


#25

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 ... more

21 Aug 2024

31 MINS

31:16

21 Aug 2024


#24

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 ... more

14 Aug 2024

30 MINS

30:33

14 Aug 2024


#23

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 B... more

07 Aug 2024

32 MINS

32:36

07 Aug 2024


#22

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 twic... more

31 Jul 2024

30 MINS

30:43

31 Jul 2024


#21

How BTS Became an International Pop Phenomenon

BTS were already massive in their native South Korea in 2017 when they scored one of their... more

24 Jul 2024

32 MINS

32:48

24 Jul 2024


#20

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 S... more

17 Jul 2024

33 MINS

33:36

17 Jul 2024


#19

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 ... more

10 Jul 2024

36 MINS

36:04

10 Jul 2024


#18

How Daddy Yankee’s ‘Gasolina’ Fueled Reggaeton’s Global Takeover

Daddy Yankee’s original plan was to become a baseball player. However when a stray bullet ... more

03 Jul 2024

29 MINS

29:58

03 Jul 2024


#17

Is The Kinks’ “Waterloo Sunset” The Most Beautiful Song Ever?

The Kinks were heading into uncharted territory in the Sixties. The London rockers blew up... more

26 Jun 2024

28 MINS

28:55

26 Jun 2024


#16

Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock’s Everlasting Hit: ‘It Takes Two’

Rob Base never thought “It Takes Two” would become a massive hit. He and DJ E-Z Rock were ... more

19 Jun 2024

27 MINS

27:09

19 Jun 2024


#15

How 'Midnight Train to Georgia' Gave Gladys Knight & the Pips a Fresh Start

Gladys Knight and the Pips were two decades into their career when they released their sig... more

12 Jun 2024

30 MINS

30:37

12 Jun 2024


#14

Why 'Maps' Is One of Rock's Most Iconic Love Songs

In 2003, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs were not only emerging as one of the most stellar bands in a ... more

05 Jun 2024

31 MINS

31:33

05 Jun 2024


#13

How Drake’s “Hotline Bling” Became His Peak Emo Ballad

Drake has always been a magnet for attention. His strange journey has taken him from teen ... more

29 May 2024

36 MINS

36:05

29 May 2024


#12

How Jeff Buckley’s Legacy Was Immortalized with “Grace”

On this week’s episode hosts Brittany Spanos and Rob Sheffield break down Jeff Buckley's "... more

22 May 2024

28 MINS

28:55

22 May 2024


#11

The Killer’s Ageless Classic: Mr. Brightside

Anyone who’s heard The Killers' "Mr. Brightside" has an almost Pavlovian response to the s... more

15 May 2024

29 MINS

29:36

15 May 2024


#10

The Timeless Raw Power of “Be My Baby”

On this week’s episode of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs, hosts Brittany Spanos and Ro... more

09 May 2024

28 MINS

28:02

09 May 2024


#9

Beyonce’s Solo Career Evolution: From “Crazy in Love” to Cowboy Carter and Beyond

Even before Beyoncé kicked off her solo career, it was clear that she was a legend-in-the-... more

01 May 2024

30 MINS

30:45

01 May 2024


#8

Why Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” Is a Timeless Synth-Goth Anthem

Kate Bush has always been a fiercely original art-pop icon. But with “Running Up That Hill... more

24 Apr 2024

28 MINS

28:38

24 Apr 2024


#7

How Taylor Swift Transformed with “Blank Space”

Taylor Swift knows a thing or two about swerving when her listeners and detractors least e... more

17 Apr 2024

27 MINS

27:09

17 Apr 2024


#6

The Futuristic Pop Genius of Missy Elliott and Timbaland’s “Get Ur Freak On”

On this episode of our 500 Greatest Songs podcast, we dive into the unique chemistry Missy... more

10 Apr 2024

28 MINS

28:33

10 Apr 2024


#5

The Long, Crazy, Never-Ending Story of Big Mama Thornton’s “Hound Dog”

This week our hosts Brittany and Rob look at one of the longest, craziest stories in pop m... more

03 Apr 2024

24 MINS

24:52

03 Apr 2024


#4

How Madonna’s “Into The Groove” Summed Up The History of Dance Music With One Song

This week our hosts Brittany Spanos and Rob Sheffield look at an Eighties dance-floor clas... more

27 Mar 2024

25 MINS

25:49

27 Mar 2024


#3

Britney Spears 'Baby One More Time,' and The Story of Producer Max Martin, Pop’s Mystery Man

You probably don’t know his face or his voice, but you definitely know his music. In this ... more

20 Mar 2024

27 MINS

27:06

20 Mar 2024


#2

Fleetwood Mac's “Dreams”: The Strange and Beautiful Life of a Breakup Classic

Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs list is one of the most popular — and most-argued over ... more

13 Mar 2024

33 MINS

33:01

13 Mar 2024


#1

Introducing: Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs

This exclusive podcast from Rolling Stone tells the stories behind the “500 Greatest Songs... more

06 Mar 2024

01 MINS

01:28

06 Mar 2024