60 Songs That Explain the '90s

Rob explores the Luniz’ weed anthem “I Got 5 on It” by discussing the history of Bay Area rap and how the song’s remix showcases the region’s all-stars.

This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guests: Logan Murdock and Marcus Thompson

Producers: Isaac Lee and Justin Sayles

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Rob explores Tejano superstar Selena’s posthumous crossover hit “Dreaming of You” by discussing her success in both Spanish-language and English-language music as well as the monumental legacy she left behind for Latinx artists.

This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Suzy Exposito

Producers: Isaac Lee and Justin Sayles

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Rob explores Britpop band Pulp’s signature anthem “Common People” by discussing the layers of class criticism in its lyrics and the exciting but combative Britpop moment of the ’90s.

This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Dorian Lynskey

Producers: Isaac Lee and Justin Sayles

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Rob explores Los Angeles metal band Tool’s “Stinkfist” by discussing how they found success mixing visceral shock and poetic depth in their music.

This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Laina Dawes

Producers: Isaac Lee and Justin Sayles

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Rob explores country icon Shania Twain’s crossover hit “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” by discussing her pioneering within and outside of Nashville as well as her professional and personal relationship with producer Mutt Lange.

This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Marissa R. Moss

Producers: Isaac Lee and Justin Sayles

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Rob explores the East Coast rapper the Notorious B.I.G.’s mainstream breakout single, “Juicy,” by discussing Biggie’s life and legacy as it compares to the narrative around him and his music.

This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Jon Caramanica

Producers: Isaac Lee and Justin Sayles

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Rob explores grunge supergroup Temple of the Dog’s signature single “Hunger Strike” by discussing the rise of Seattle as the center of the alternative rock scene, the band’s fixation with darkness, and the genre’s complex relationship with ’70s nostalgia.

This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Eric Harvey

Producers: Isaac Lee and Justin Sayles

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Rob explores TLC’s blockbuster R&B hit “No Scrubs” by discussing the iconic girl group’s underappreciated impact on culture, the unjust media coverage of female artists, and their unique place in history as champions of Black women in America.

This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Danyel Smith

Producers: Isaac Lee and Justin Sayles

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Rob explores ska-punk sensation No Doubt’s feminist anthem “Just a Girl” by discussing the rise of third-wave ska and Gwen Stefani’s turn as a solo artist.

This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Puja Patel

Producers: Isaac Lee and Justin Sayles

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Rob explores legendary producer Dr. Dre’s iconic debut album ‘The Chronic’ and its lead single, “Nuthin’ But a G-Thang,” by discussing Dre’s extraordinary chemistry with other rappers, his towering influence on West Coast gangsta rap, and his dark history of violence against women.

This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Sheldon Pearce

Producers: Isaac Lee and Justin Sayles

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Rob explores the C+C Music Factory’s debut hit “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” by discussing the group’s rise to popularity from the underground dance scene and the controversy surrounding their exclusion of featured singer Martha Wash.

This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Craig Seymour

Producers: Isaac Lee and Justin Sayles

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Rob explores the New Radicals’ signature hit, “You Get What You Give,” performed for the first time in 22 years at President Joe Biden’s inauguration.

This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Rob Sheffield

Producers: Isaac Lee and Justin Sayles

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Rob explores thrash metal icon Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” by discussing the band’s trajectory from their early work to their mainstream turn and their wide influence thereafter.

This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Dave Chang

Producers: Isaac Lee and Justin Sayles

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Rob explores alternative rock darlings The Breeders’ breakout hit “Cannonball” by discussing the band’s predecessor, The Pixies; Kim Deal’s uniquely captivating voice; and the song’s charming disregard for music norms.

This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Open Mike Eagle

Producers: Isaac Lee and Justin Sayles

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Rob explores Master P’s platinum single “Make 'Em Say Uhh!” by discussing the rapper’s famed business acumen, what he means to New Orleans hip-hop, and how his label No Limit Records paved the way for empowering rappers.

This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guests: Micah Peters and Taylor Crumpton

Producers: Isaac Lee and Justin Sayles

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Rob explores one of the greatest boy band songs of all time, “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys, by discussing the nonsensical yet sonically pleasing lyricism and the perception of boy bands in larger cultural criticism.

This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Maria Sherman

Producers: Isaac Lee and Justin Sayles

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Rob explores the Smashing Pumpkins’ shoegazing power ballad “Mayonaise” by discussing how the eccentricities of frontman Billy Corgan directed the band’s trajectory, the band’s ability to tap into the universal feeling of isolation, and where the band was situated within the '90s rock landscape.

This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Bill Simmons

Producers: Isaac Lee and Justin Sayles

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Rob explores Mariah Carey’s modern classic Christmas anthem “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by discussing the transcendent vocalist’s tumultuous early life and career, her oft-overlooked songwriting prowess, and how the song builds on the long canon of Christmas music.

This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Kyla Marshell

Producers: Isaac Lee and Justin Sayles

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Rob explores the revolutionary Geto Boys single ‘Mind Playing Tricks On Me’ by highlighting how it expresses raw vulnerability through its lyrics and its legacy in hip-hop to the present day.

This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Kiana Fitzgerald

Producers: Isaac Lee and Justin Sayles

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Rob explores Guns N’ Roses’ signature power ballad “November Rain” in all of its extremely lengthy glory by discussing the band’s turbulent trajectory, the profound genius of Slash’s guitar playing, the song’s equally recognizable music video, and the moral detriment to enjoying the creative work of Axl Rose.

This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Naomi Fry

Producers: Justin Sayles and Isaac Lee

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Rob explores Missy Elliott’s breakout single “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” and the Hall of Famer’s singular career, highlighting her lasting influence on hip-hop and R&B as well as her longstanding partnership with legendary producer Timbaland.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Clover Hope

Producer: Isaac Lee and Justin Sayles

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Rob explores the Wu-Tang Clan’s 1993 genre-defining classic “C.R.E.A.M.” and the unique circumstances that were seminal to the group’s identity.

This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Lex Pryor

Producer: Isaac Lee and Justin Sayles

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Rob explores the 1992 jangle-rock hit “Hey Jealousy” and how it integrates the darkness of its lyrical content into its bright sonic framework.

This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Hanif Abdurraqib

Producer: Isaac Lee

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Rob explores the iconic 1995 single "You Oughta Know" by Canadian singer Alanis Morissette by examining its cultural influence and distinct sound.

This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.

Host: Rob Harvilla

Guest: Amanda Dobbins

Producer: Isaac Lee and Justin Sayles

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