The Fairly KickAss Podcast

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Top 5 Albums That Make You Wanna Start a Band (Pt. 1)

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 13:00:00 +0000

[DEEP INHALE]

The title of the episode is unwieldy, but you get the gist. What album makes you want to jump out of your chair, grab a guitar or a microphone, call up your agent, and get tf after it? We talk about our top 5 of that exact thing.
Perhaps this time, more than any other time, we all went off the rails. Three hosts, three distinctly different approaches. It was all over the map, and it was awesome. So awesome, in fact, that we ran long!
This is Part 1 of the thing. Part 2 of the thing will be next week!
That's just our takes though. What did you think? What albums make you want to go out there and start a band right now? Let us know in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: pop quiz - I already said it! And in case you missed it, it's Part 2 of the thing. The number of the part shall be 2. The number of the Asses. you should Keep. Kicking.? Too many to count.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Rush: Artists That Define the Decade - The 1960s

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:00:00 +0000

So, yeah, maybe we're doing a thing where the very top answer of said thing is a thing that we're not gonna talk about. That's cool, right?
This episode of the Fairly KickAss Podcast is a Rush episode, short for "Mt. Rushmore". Top four, in any order. Got it? Good.
The topic? Artists that defined the 1960s. Now you see why we had to disqualify one out of hand. Because, truthfully, there is one single answer to this question. One band that, if ommitted, would be disingenuous at best.
And that band, of course, is Herman's Hermits The Beatles.
That effectively makes this a Rush+1, a top 5 (but not a capital-T Top 5, that's a different thing).
We discuss, we deliberate, we lobby, and eventually we come up with a combined list for all three of us. Were we right? We think so, but sometimes we're wrong! Tell us how we're wrong, we beg, we plead:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: what makes you want to start a band? We'll tell you what scratches that itch for us. We hope this episode scratches your itches in the meantime. And as always: Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Vibes: Greatness vs. Popularity

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 13:00:00 +0000

This is the part where we talk about what the episode is about. But what if we... can't? What if we have no earthly idea what to even say about it?
Not because it's bad (which it isn't), or because it goes in a hundred different directions (which it... okay yeah it totally does that). But moreso that it's so meta in nature that to describe the thing would be to transcribe the whole episode.
And who has time for that? What with all the 11 PM ravioli and Italian sausage that there is to consume? I'm not speaking from experience, YOU'RE speaking from exeprience.
Anydangway, I'm gonna do my best here: we talk about songs that are popular, and songs that are great, and what sets each of those admittedly-vague concepts apart (and also what brings them together). How's THAT for a description?
Bad? It's bad you say? Hmm. Well I can't really improve on it, so I guessssss you'll have to listen to the episode. Let us know what you thought about... whatever the hell it was... in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: we travel from West Philadelphia to Miami, with a quick stop-off in the Wild Wild West, as well as a soon-to-be extra-terrestrial-riddled New York City. (For real this time... we said that last week, but my wires were crossed, and they've since been uncrossed, so enjoy these free and clear wires for a change. Don't get used to it!) Join us for what ended up being a harrowing journey through a certain artist's discography.
This week? Just one thing on the calendar: Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Monthly Reviews for June 2026

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 16:52:10 +0000

Sometimes, it just goes like that. We have a very short period between monthly releases. I mean, what actually IS the "calendar", anyway? This grid of squares gets to just control our lives and what we do and when we do it?? NO!! DOWN WITH CALENDARS!! DOWN WITH CALENDARS!!
Down with calendars.
All that is to say, monthly reviews for June are here. Newly-charting singles, new album releases. There's one in particular that if you were anywhere near popular music in June, you'll know where a decent portion of our episode will be headed. But there's a lot of other stuff to chat about too! So chat with us! About that stuff!
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/
Next week: we travel from West Philadelphia to Miami, with a quick stop-off in the Wild Wild West, as well as a soon-to-be extra-terrestrial-riddled New York City. Join us for what ended up being a harrowing journey through a certain artist's discography. This week? Just one thing on the calendar: Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Top 5 Blockbuster Jams

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 13:00:00 +0000

You don't wanna close your eyes for this episode! (Or your ears, I guess, since podcasting isn't a visual medium LOOK I'M TRYING TO WRITE AN INTRO OKAY DEAL WITH IT)
In this episode, we talk about our top 5 blockbuster movie jams! What constitutes a "blockbuster"? I dunno, you'll have to ask Dan, J or me (Zack, yo0O). And I ain't tellin'. But we break it all down in the episode, as well as picking five jams that fit each of our bills.
Come join us as we rediscover movies from years past! Is your favorite blockbuster jam not on the list? What did we miss? Please let us know in the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: a quick review turnaround, covering new albums and top 40 charting singles from the month of June. Sometimes it be like that! Sometimes you get two reviews in three weeks. Consider it a gift to each of you, Dearest Listeners. Your gift back to us? You already know: Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Monthly Reviews for May 2026

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Ayyyyyyyyyyyy!
Wait, no that's not it... what I meant to say was
Mayyyyyyyyyyyy!!
We're cashing in those floral chips from the deluge of April, and planting the seeds of May's musical bouquet. That made no sense, and that's fine! Because it ALSO makes no sense for two (but actually four, but really only two) albums to enter the Toppest 40 charts in May.
Safe to say it was an interesting month on that side of the house, as well as the new release album side. Fun all around the block, here at the KickAss! Did you have fun in said month? Did you find anything that you particularly enjoyed? Let us know in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: do you like blockbuster flicks? Do you like the music from blockbuster flicks? It's Top 5 Blockbuster Jams. That's what we're doing. No way we could really make that one a guessing game, so you get a freebie. You also get to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Billboard End-of-Year Reorder: 2002 Edition

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Holy crap, Ass-Kickers - 2002 was a very formative year for the four of us, which makes it even worse that it was such an AWFUL year for popular music. But, because the RNG Gods dictate so much of what we do on this here podcast, we must relent.
From Ja Rule to Jewel, from Creed to Eve, from Ludacris to Elliott, Miss...y. (Did I mention Ja Rule? He's here a LOT.)
We do what we always do: we take the Billboard Hot 100 Year-End list, we correct it, and we present all of you our very correct interpretations. We were all over the map here, and that's fun! We love that for us, and for all of you.
But what say you? What were you bumping in 2002? Did it even make this list in the first place - and if so, did we slot it where it properly belongs? Let us know in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: the floral episode, the output of the April showers. It's a good one. They're all good ones. And so are you. Especially when you Keep. Kicking. Ass. Which is always, obvbiously.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - One Song: Kendrick Lamar

Fri, 29 May 2026 13:00:00 +0000

It's Ones all the way down. SomeOnes last week, One Song this week. The topic: one of the most transcendent, prolific artists of our generation. Some would add the qualifier of "hip-hop" or "rap", and while that would be accurate, it's far from necessary.
To wit: compile the list of all seven humans with 27+ Grammy awards. Take out conductors and producers (John Williams, Quincy Jones, and Sir Georg Solti - legends in their own rights, of course).
That leaves you with four performers: Beyoncé, known for being Beyoncé; jazz standard Chick Corea; expert bluegrass fiddler and EXTREMELY underrated and amazing vocalist, Alison Krauss; and our artist du jour, none other than Kendrick Lamar.
IDGAF who you are, what style of music you release, whether you are part of a band or solo or whatever. It takes a truly stratospheric artist to reach K.Dot's heights. And we talk about all of those heights on this episode.
We all picked one song from his six-album discography (plus a few mixtapes) as the best, with the knowledge that there were no wrong answers to this question at all. Okay, there were a small handful of wrong answers. But very, very few. This discography was a true joy to listen to, and I implore all of you to do the same.
Which song hits as your top from Kendrick's full catalog? Let us know in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/
Next week: the floral episode, the monthly review output of the April showers. It's a good one. They're all good ones. And so are you. Especially when you Keep. Kicking. Ass. Which is always, obvbiously.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - SomeOnes: 1983, 1999, 2002

Fri, 15 May 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Hey! So, yeah, it's SomeOnes time.
A recap of the rules: each of us are given a random year from 1975-2025. Each of us then has to pick a song that was #1 on the chart. On a chart. On any chart. On several charts? We'll allow it! As long as it's one chart.
It can be the Billboard Hot 100, of course. Or it can be a different Billboard chart. Or a different chart in another country. Who knows what weird stuff we'll find? We're very good at that, as you know by now.
We then talk about it for as long as we would like, because, well, vamping about a subject for several minutes is also something we're very good at.
Did we hit the mark this time with our years and our songs? Let us know in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: we fix another Billboard Year-End list. A third thing that we are, in fact, very good at. But we gotta point out something that all of you are good at before we go - and that, of course, is Kicking. Ass. Especially when you Keep doing it.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Monthly Reviews for April 2026

Fri, 08 May 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Since we're talking about April, here's a very quick shout-out to a very little-known pop outfit called Fooled by April. They're what Maroon 5 would be if Maroon 5 were good... so basically Kara's Flowers with more polish. They had one full-length in 2005, and... that's actually about it. But it was rad! Go check it out AFTER you check out this episode... of the Fairly KickAss Podcast.
...
...
...yes I just did the bad intro for the write-up. That's where we are.
Where we were, Dear Listeners, was April. It was a month with a great deal of music. And how great was it? How were the albums? How were the newly-charting singles?
I guess you're gonna have to listen to find out. Report back to us in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: we talk about some #1 chart hits from various years! Which chart, you ask? Beats us. It'll definitely be fun though! I will say that it won't be as fun as you Kicking. Ass. however, as much as we would like to try to make that so.

Fairly KickAss Podcast REWIND - Deep Dive: Divinyls

Fri, 01 May 2026 13:00:00 +0000

[ZACK'S NOTE]Yo! Zack here. This is a little... punch in, I guess? What's it called if I punch in a podcast description? No matter. It's that thing.
What you're about to read is the very first description of the very first Deep Dive episode we ever did, from back in February 2021. We mentioned it, we promised it, and we delivered it: it's the Divinyls! It's a bit rough around the edges, both in terms of audio quality and host quality. We were just baby podcasters! We've gotten better!
What wasn't rough, though, was the level of passion and analysis we brought to the table, even back then. Over five years later, we still love to do this music podcast thing, and we still commit to bringing you fresh, unique content, with the same passion and analysis we have all along.
So with all that said, enjoy the episode! Usual plugs and what's-next-iness to follow.
We are debuting our Fairly KickAss Deep Dive series, where we'll take a lesser-known artist and tell you all you need to know about them. You've probably heard of most of these artists, but we'll take that to the next level. We'll give you history, lineup changes, and interesting tidbits - and of course, reviews of the albums and tracks.
On the first Deep Dive, we spotlight Australian rock band Divinyls. Their big hit was "I Touch Myself", but there's far more to them than that. Come join us for this episode, and learn all about lead vocalist Chrissy Amphlett, guitarist Mark McEntee, and a rotating door of other band members.
That's it! Pretty short descriptions back in those days. And no plugs! Again, baby podcasters. Tell us what you think, and how far you think we've come (or haven't) in the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/
Next week: We review April. All of it. Current events, weather, new snack foods... oh and apparently music, as I have been informed. I'll go ahead and delete my several paragraphs on the new Grogu Nilla Nummies, and instead tell all of you to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - The Rush: FKA Artists

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0000

I admit: this is one of those episodes you have to hear to really understand what's going on. But I'm gonna try to describe it anyway, because that's kinda what this whole thing is for!
So, as we've gone along with this podcast - six freakin' years, give or take! - we've had artists that have factored into things more than others. For you long-timers, you'll know one of these artists immediately, because he's Rule 1 - and that rule is Prince. If we had a mascot of sorts, it would be Mister Rogers... I mean Prince.
But what about all the non-Prince artists we've talked about over the years? The ones we've covered extensively? The ones we love and adore? The ones that all three of us can confidently say are an integral part of this show, and that the show would not be the same without them?
That's what this episode is about. We take all those artists, and - with the power of us three jerks - we come up with our Mount Rushmore list of four (plus Prince, so technically five... SUE US.)
FINE, so I really could describe it. SUE US AGAIN. Litigious much? I digress.
It turned out to be a fun episode in a vacuum, but also a lovely walk down memory lane. So come walk with us, specifically to all of our socials... hope it's not too long of a walk to get to all these lovely places!
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: We go meta with a Vaulted episode that was mentioned during this episode. Will the artist in the Vaulted episode be one of the four? Who knows. Actually, I take that back: we know. We ALSO know that you must Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Monthly Reviews for March 2026

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0000

We've exhausted the entirety of the "First Quarter" category on the Wikipedia "List of 2026 Albums" page, and we've gone through the same amount of charting singles.
(That's 25%, if you're a NERD who does NUMBERS.)
So... yeah! This thing. This thing is our monthly reviews thing, where we review the monthly stuff. I mean, I just don't know how else we can say it after all this time! J and Zack rank new albums, and Dan ranks new charting singles, and a good time is had by all.
I know you're expecting a "...and then excitement happens!", to which I regret to inform you that, no, there is none of that sort of thing here. No fun, no whimsy, no japes or ribs. We don't shenan once, and we definitely don't shenanigan.
But we DO do (heh) some social media stuff. To wit:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: We look within at the meta of FKA. Does that sound dumb? It's probably gonna be dumb. You know the deal by now. And WE know that you must Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - 2026 Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame Preview - Part 2

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0000

(updates in bold)
It's Part 2 of the Hall, y'all!
The Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame in beautiful Cleveland, Ohio, is open to the public, but that doesn't mean you can just waltz in and be enshrined. No, you must be voted in by a group of industry experts with over a thousand members, and one of those members are representative of everyone who is NOT a member of that group of industry experts.
Got all that again? Good.
The 2026 Hall of Fame class has been narrowed down to 17 maybes, which will be further narrowed down to some number of actual entrants into the Hall. How many, you ask? An amount! That's how many. (If you couldn't tell by now, the game is made up and the points don't matter.) (Also, you knew all this from before. If this is news to you, go back and put your ears on Part 1 first! Then report back.)

In the second part of the rare FKA two-parter, we tell you (this was a typo fix, sry) who we feel has the best chance of the 17 to get in, who probably won't be enshrined, and how our thoughts stack up to the fan vote. Let me tell you, the fan vote is a WILD ride, which is all I'll say.
Actually, I lied! I will say more. For instance, I will say that you can hit us up in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: March... pre-showers? Clouds, I guess? We do music, not weather. We also make sure that you Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - 2026 Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame Preview - Part 1

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000

It's the Hall, y'all!
The Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame in beautiful Cleveland, Ohio, is open to the public, but that doesn't mean you can just waltz in and be enshrined. No, you must be voted in by a group of industry experts with over a thousand members, and one of those members are representative of everyone who is NOT a member of that group of industry experts.
Got all that? Good.
The 2026 Hall of Fame class has been narrowed down to 17 maybes, which will be further narrowed down to some number of actual entrants into the Hall. How many, you ask? An amount! That's how many. (If you couldn't tell by now, the game is made up and the points don't matter.)
In the rare FKA two-parter, we who we feel has the best chance of the 17 to get in, who probably won't be enshrined, and how our thoughts stack up to the fan vote. Let me tell you, the fan vote is a WILD ride, which is all I'll say.
Actually, I liked! I will say more. For instance, I will say that you can hit us up in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: We find out who shot JR! And we find out which of y'all is a super-old boomer for understanding that reference. Boomer or Zoomer, we appreciate all of you! So join us for Part 2 next week, and until then, Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Billboard End-of-Year Reorder: 2016 Edition

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000

What has 100 songs, and two different Justin Biebers at the top of it?
If you guessed "the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 Singles of 2016 chart?", then, um, that's oddly-specific (which could be an FKA spin-off one day). But yeah, that is this.
We correct the rankings of the oft-misguided year-end charts, because, I'm sorry, it's just wrong. We've done a bunch of these, and they're never right. They're never even close to being right.
And we did something about it.
Is it better now? There are two answers to that question: "it's absolutely, unequivocally NOT better", and "I'd like to answer that question over social media, in all the usual ways". What a segue, Hypothetical You!
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: We finally did the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. We called the episode a "minisode", which, as you already guessed, means that it was so long that it had to be split into two.
So enjoy the first part of our Hall of Fame-stravaganza, and always remember to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Monthly Reviews for February 2026

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Took this long before almost typing "2025". Pretty good run if you ask me.
February 2026 reviews are here! We did them, and now you can hear them. From our mouths to your ears, that's the KickAss slogan that we all know and love. Yep, this bad boy keeps on hummin' along. [Picture us firmly patting the podcast as if it were a very sturdy car. You know the way. We would call it ol' something-or-other. You're picturing it, and I appreciate you for that.]

Did we nail it? Did we have a good list of new albums? Did we do justice to the newly-charting singles? Let us know in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: We lied last time: no RNRHOFWTFBBQ... yet. Instead, it's a Billboard Rerank! Yay! We will absolutely do the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame dealio in the very near future. Until then, just know that all the nominee artists Kick. Ass... and you do too.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Top 5 B-Sides

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Short write-up for this one to get it out the door, because we are in episode arrears like a mug. (SIDE NOTE: can we bring back "like a mug"? It was the best. I digress, in what was supposed to be a "short write-up".)
Life happened, and work happened, and A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF HAPPENED THAT WE DON'T HAVE NEARLY ENOUGH TIME TO SCRATCH THE SURFACE OF. If you exist in the world at large, then you have a good idea already.
It's been scary, it's been exhausting, it's been a million other emotions. (I know, I know, this was supposed to be short, sorry.) And, as I suspect some of your own schedules may have been thrown off a tad, our posting schedule was too.
But we're here, and we have a fun one for you, as we talk all about B-sides, From back when singles were on physical media! Do you believe it?
There were actual sides to music, kids. We discuss the side that is supposed to be the side that no one cares about... and yet, in many cases, went on to be bigger than the corresponding A-side. It was an unexpectedly eye-opening journey.
But it's dangerous to go alone! Take this... opportunity to let us know if there were any B-sides that we missed that you really love, in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/
Next week: RNRHOFWTFBBQ. We talk about the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees for the 2026 class, covering who's in, who's out, and who's on the bubble. Some real Joe Lunardi-type stuff.
You know what you'll never be on the bubble of? Kicking Ass. All of you are #1 seeds in that category.
Once again: "short write-up".

Fairly KickAss Podcast - 2026 Grammy Awards Recap

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 14:00:00 +0000

The 68th Grammys (almost nice). They happened! They sure did happen. Lots of them - 95, to be exact. We should talk about them, being a music podcast and all. And we do! All 95 of them, minus 85.
(To be faiiiiiiiiir, the actual broadcast only showed 9 awards, and we talk about 10. Yes, we have already referenced this. Yes, we will probably reference this again. Eat it, Recording Academy.)
We hit the big four (Recod of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist), along with six other categories near and dear to us - two a piece. There was quite the wide range of discussion... do you like Samara Joy? What about Anoushka Shankar or Turnstile? They all get a shout-out in the ep, along with many, many others.
But who cares what we think? WE care what YOU think. Let us know who deserved to take home awards, who didn't deserve it, and which categories you want us to cover during the nice Grammys next year, in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/
Next week: An unintended week off, and then the opposite of what all of you are. (Hint: each and every one of you is an A-side.)
And we know that all you A-sides will always be showing off your best side, especially while you Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Monthly Reviews for January 2026

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 14:00:00 +0000

The ceremonial first Monthly Reviews ep of the year! It's like a first pitch in baseball, only there's no baseball... or home plate... or field you know what, I miscalculated, that was on me.
But a Monthly Reviews ep by any other name would smell as sweet, as the great William Shakespeare said, or - if you're tight with him like I am - Willy Shakes. He likes that name. Give it a try next time you see him.
It's the usual drill: J and Zack go over their top three albums of the month, Dan hits all the best and worst newly charting singles in the Billboard Top 40, we talk about some outliers, and call it a day.
It's fun! Oh please let it be fun, otherwise I don't know what we're even doing here. I guess that one is up to all of you though... is it fun? Are WE fun? Did you have fun with any new music in January? Let us know in the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: A perhaps slightly-late discussion of those music awards. You know the ones. They come along every year, and yet somehow, someway, we forgot about them this time around. We'll make up for it and move on though!
And we hope all of you move on to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Greatest Sh**s: Maroon 5

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Ugh.
We listened to a LOT of Maroon 5 for this episode.
We listened to TOO MUCH Maroon 5 for this episode.
We made it out the other end, but definitely worse for wear. And yet, these are the lengths that we will go to for all of you, dear listeners.
It's our second-ever Greatest Sh**s episode, where we take an oft-panned band and put together a sort of "greatest hits" release, consisting of one song from each of their albums.
In the process, we try to determine if they deserve the ire that they've received over time. Nickelback was first, because of course they were, but Maroon 5 felt like a good follow-up. Which... I guess it kinda was?
We regretted our choice immediately, but we pushed through 8 albums and 99 tracks - along with another 11 songs on their first album, when they were known as Kara's Flowers. We talked about all of this, with the energy of a halibut that somehow found its way into a non-Newtonian fluid.
(Trust me, that sentence was the most interesting part of this discography, and by extension, this episode.)
So I guess if you really want to, you can let us know on the socials whether our picks were proper, or if there are other songs that you would go with instead for these albums:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: Something much, MUCH more exciting. We're still working on what that is, and as soon as we know, you'll know. You know?
Until then, Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - One Song: Pink Floyd

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 14:00:00 +0000

On today's episode, we're gonna talk about a band that has went through several bad band names (shout-out Tom McGovern) in their early years, including Sigma 6, The Meggadeaths, The Abdabs, The Screaming Abdabs, The Spectrum Five, Tea Set, and Leonard's Lodgers (the band lived in a flat owned by Mike Leonard in their early years).
Thank goodness founding member and initial frontman Syd Barrett had two specific Blues albums in his collection: one by South Carolina's Pink Anderson, and the other from North Carolina's own Floyd Council.
What followed was 15 studio albums, spanning nearly fifty years from 1967 to 2014, as well as 250 million claimed record sales worldwide. Finally, a good band name for legendary English band, and the subject of this here One Song, Pink Floyd.
For those who don't know the drill yet, here it is: we get a discography. We pick the best song in the discography. We have two minutes to convince all of you that each of us is correct.
Easy, right? Well, sometimes it's easier than others, but this wasn't one of those times. There was a LOT of meat on this particular bone, and all of it was succulent and well-seasoned. (I'm hungry, sorry.)
But we still have to do The Thing™, and do The Thing™ we did! Come join us in our quest to find One Pink Floyd song to rule them all, one song to find them, one song that had roast beef, one song that... wait, I got off track. How about some socials instead, if you would like to tell us what you think the One Song truly is for Pink Floyd?
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: A lot of Adam Levine. Some of y'all may have feelings about his body of work. We do for sure, and we're excited to share those feelings.
And we hope that all of your are excited to share some Ass Kickings with the world, and then to Keep doing it.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Top 5 Two-Hit Wonders

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Remember when Henry is doing all the intros in Goodfellas, and he comes across Jimmy Two-Times? The guy who says "I'm gonna get the papers, get the papers"? That guy.
This episode is basically that guy. Lemme explain.
To kick off the year properly, we're taking a time-honored theme - one-hit wonders - and adding MOAR. One MOAR, to be exact, to bring the number of hits to two (ahh-ahh-ahhhh).
There are a million-billion-fufillion examples of one hit wonders, so two-hit wonders should be just as easy... right? Well, about that: it wasn't. We had some guardrails in place to make sure we stayed on-course, which some of us followed more faithfully than others... but ultimately, we did come up with three solid lists.
But what about all of you? Do you have a wonder of two hits that you would like to share with the class? (if it wasn't clear, WE are the class)
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: One Song to rule them all! And considering that we're talking about a sort of prog band from the 1960s/1970s, it's a fair analogy to use. Altho it's not that band... it's the other one. That should be a dead giveaway.
You know what YOU should give away? Your Ass Kickings. And then Keep doing it. Hell yeah.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - End-of-Year-Stravaganza!!

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 14:00:00 +0000

That's it for 2025. Anotehr year of Kicking Ass in the books. This episode gives it a nice little bow on top, as we cover our favorite albums and songs from the entire year. And then we wipe the slate clean and do it all over again!
It was a fantastic year in music, and a fantastic year to be a steward of this Good Ship KickAss. All of you make this awesome, every single year, and we want to say thank you! Serioualy, all of you are the very best listeners we could ask for.
How was the year in music for all of you? What did you like? Artists, albums, songs, events? Let us know in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: A break. We'll be back the following week with our first episode of 2026. Big things on the horizon from us. Very exciting stuff.
And for one more time as 2025 ends around the world, we remind you, this coming year, and in every year, to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Top 5 Holiday Songs

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Happy Holidays, Ass-Kickers! This is an episode that we originally released in December of 2022... over three years ago, sheesh. We gave you our work-up on holiday standards last week (go check it out if you haven't yet), and this week we're going more modern. These are ones that you probably won't find playing at your local department store, or on the tinny speakers at the family get-together that you're taking in. But they're all lovely jams all the same.
We'll keep this brief and let you get to the episode - but as always, let us know what you think in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: Say goodby to 2025! It's our End-of-Year-Stravaganza, with a special guest host to boot. You can't be mad at that.
You know what else you can't be mad at? Kicking. Ass. That's what.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Vibes: Holiday Standards

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 14:00:00 +0000

There's no place like KickAss for the holidays - and that's exactly what we're gonna be talking about here. Specifically, those standards that you hear - on the radio, in the supermarket, walking down the street in some cases. How did those songs come to be "standards", anyway? Which ones were written in the 19th century - or earlier - and which are less than 100 years old? And what does the future hold for holiday standards?
Thankfully, we have answers to all those questions and more in this Vibes episode. We vibe. We talk. We chat. No structure, no lists, no BS. Just vibes.
Did you vibe with the episode? Let us know in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/
Next week: An FKA rewind! We gave you the holiday standards, and next week we'll give you the unique, the weird, the fun.
You know what else is fun? YOU are. Keep being fun, and Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Billboard End-of-Year Reorder: 2003 Edition

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Hi! KickAss here. This is our Billboard Rerank/Rerack/Reorder episode type... call it any/all of the above, or anything else that you'd like!
The premise is simple: we take the Billboard Year-End chart for a given year - this episode was 2003, which was admittedly less than ideal - and we update the ranking to what is correct. And by "correct", we mean each of our three hosts' versions of correct. That's a lot of correctness, I tell you hwhat.
TBut enough about us! It's time to talk about you. Namely, how you can talk to us - preferably about us:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: We finally kick off our holiday episodes, starting with a discussion on what makes a holiday standard. Old? New? Borrowed or blue? We'll cover a great many of them.
But until then, we will be sure to cover when you Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Monthly Reviews for November 2025

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 14:00:00 +0000

We regret to inform you, KickAss Faithful, that there were gremlins afoot.
The previous episode, as you may already know, was either posted, or maybe was unposted, or there was a glitch in the matrix... I don't know. It's weird. It's all weird.
This episode - our November 2025 album and charting single reviews - was also probably impacted by gremlins, and definitely not by just being late to post it. That would be weird. Blame the gremlins, please.
While you're at it, drop us a line and tell us how much you hate those pesky buggers for messing with this lovely podcast
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/
Next week: Billboard. Rerank. 2023. It was a rough year for the charts, and we'll tell you all about it. Right after we tell you to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - SomeOnes: 1981, 1992, 1995

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 14:00:00 +0000

We regret to inform you, KickAss Faithful, that there are gremlins afoot.
(No, unfortunately this isn't how we tell all of you that we somehow secured a partnership with Chris Columbus, Steven Spielberg, and Warner Bros., for the upcoming Gremlins movie, releasing November 19th, at a theater near you!) (Yes, we are actively trying to pursue this very partnership.) (No, it's not going well.)
You might have seen this episode out in the wild already, because, as far as we know, it was already posted. Whyfore is it not posted now? Please see above for discussion of gremlins. But all that matters is that it's here now, for as long as it's here, before it's not. If it ever was. Ugh, maybe we'll have to cut down on the late night McDonald's runs for the lil guys.
Since this is a sort of repost, I'll keep it brief: each of us takes a #1 song and talks about it. #1 on any chart, in any country, on any planet. It's been Earth so far, but will it always be Earth? Hard to say.
What's much easier to say is the names of all of these social media accounts, since it's the same exact name for each, that being @fairlykickass! Seriously, check out how good we did with our brand synergy:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/
Next week: Last review of the year! Only a month or so of Kicking. Ass. left for 2025, but you can't stop now: you gotta Keep. doing it.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Musical Confessions #2

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 14:00:00 +0000

We confessed again!
Musically!!
That's right, our critically-unacclaimed episode type, Musical Confessions, is getting another go-round. For those who didn't catch the first one from back in July of 2025, let me paint the scene for you: each of us poop-for-brains hosts went around and told a music-y thing. A statement, a story... anything. The rub: it may or may not have been true. It was up to the other two hosts to suss out the lies and hitch their wagons to the truths.
Same deal again, but with another batch from Dan, J, and Zack. Are we telling the truth? Are we full of the aforementioned poop?
I'm not tellin'. You gotta listen. Sorry.
And once you listen, let us know what you think about our, uhhh, things. How, you wonder? Observe:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: Ones. Lots of ones. Three of them, at least. Is that "lots"? I dunno, I just write the things. And you just Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Unsung: Maestro David Kyle

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 13:00:00 +0000

BOO!!!!
Did I sc-oh heck, it's November now. Plus we did that same thing last week. Going to the well too many times? Can't be us. I digress.
This is the Unsung, where we talk about folks that don't typically get talked about. We discuss influential people in the music industry whose popularity and acknowledgement doesn't always match their accomplishments and contributions. And Maestro David Kyle is no exception.
To be faiiiiiir, there's not necessarily a Maestro-ing board. There's no governing body, no application to fill out, no professional development or continuing education credits to maintain your Maestro certification. It's a pretty sweet deal.
And, in this case, it's a fitting title, considering what David Kyle did as a vocal instructor for many uniquely talented - and just downright unique - artists. We wove our way through a number of them, across different genres and styles, but all sharing the distinction of being awesome - and all sharing the disctinction of working directly with Kyle.
But don't take our word for it! Take a listen to the ep instead, and let us know how you feel about the vocalists we mentioned - or if you have other examples of vocal coaches or instructors helping artists reach the next level. Hitting us up is simple! Observe:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/
Next week: I'm gonna level with you: not sure. That's another straight copy from last week, but it fits this time too. We'll figure somethingout, like we always do. Until then, Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Monthly Reviews for October 2025

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 14:00:00 +0000

BOO!!!!
Did I scare ya? I don't need to ask, of course I didn't. I'm sorry for wasting your time trying to tie this review to a nearby holiday. It was a mistake, and I regret the error.
You know what I DON'T regret? These October reviews. That's not to say that things was great though. It was a solid, if mostly unimpressive, month on the album front. And the newly-charting singles were nearly all from one album. You know the one.*
We got one more month of reviews for the year, and then we shelve this particular feature until we cover January 2026 reviews. But fear not! There are plenty of other features to tide you over in the meantime.
But we still need to hear from you. How was your October? What music - new or old - was in your ears this month? Let us know in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/
Next week: I'm gonna level with you: not sure. We have a few options in front of us, and I'm not sure which one we'll go with. But you'll be among the first to know, as long as you follow us wherever you get your podcasts.
And no matter what nonsense we come out with, we're still gonna need every one of you to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - One Song: Oasis

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Over 75 million record sales worldwide.
32 total awards spread out across the biggest of 'em all in the UK - the Brit awards - as well as yearlies handed out on behalf of UK music magazines NME and Q.
10 successful tours, spanning the world over several times - including tour dates every year between 1994 and 2009 (with the execptions of 2004 and 2007).
Responsible for the first billion-stream song on Spotify from the 1990s - a song that still remains in the list of 100 most streamed songs of all time on the platform.
A nomination to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which didn't come through this year, but I doubt it'll be long before it does.
With all those accolades, there's still one thing that Manchester's finest, Oasis, didn't have... and that's a Fairly KickAss episode.
...until now.
We decided to do a One Song for the band, to find the best song in a seven-album discography. Guest host to the stars, Lisa, was kind enough to grace us with her presence as well. As the only true Oasis fan of the lot of us, she brought some awesome perspective, and of course a great song choice.
But was her choice the best? What about the other three jerks? Let us know what you think in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: The penultimate monthly review of 2025. The last one before the start of the holiday season. Get your shopping done early, people!
I would ask y'all to buy some KickAss gifts for the people that you love and care for... but that's a given, because they're coming from all of you. You Keep. Kicking. Ass, and your gifts do too. <3

Fairly KickAss Podcast - The Rush: Hair Metal Songs

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 13:00:00 +0000

I'm keeping this description short, because no matter how many words, or how big of language I use, I could never be as grandiose and over-the-top as hair metal is. It was a huge sound, made by huge personas, and delivered to huge audiences.
We may be a few decades removed here in 2025, but the music still rings true - and we give it the ol' Mt. Rushmore treatment.
It was one of the more interesting podcast results for one of these dealios, based on the songs we all picked.
But jeez Jouise I'm getting ahead of myself! I said short, and short it is. As always, let us know what you thought, and whether we missed a song - or even an entire artist - here:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: A little necessary business to tidy up, as we move closer to the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Which is all well and good, because we know who the real Hall of Famers are. (spoiler: it's y'all) And as HoFers, you know damn well that you gotta Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Billboard End-of-Year Reorder: 1990 Edition

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 13:00:00 +0000

So we did a Billboard Rerank episode, where we reranked the Billboard End-of-Year chart to be more accurate to what is objectively correct. Because we know these things.
We did 1990. Holy moly, 1990 was a year. Bangers, ballads, unexpected tracks from all genres. It truly was the sort of crossroads for the end of the 1980s, and what would come years later in the 90s.
You know a lot of these songs, and perhaps there are some new favorites on this list? Only one way to find out.
Well, two ways, I suppose. You could listen to the list yourself, or you could just ask us! I'm not sure how we can tell you what your new favorites are, but we'll try! And if we can't do that, then we'll send you a funny gif that we may or may not have lifted from Reddit.
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: We goodmouth a band that has been badmouthed throughout the years. We'll probably also badmouth them a bit. That's just how this thing goes.
We would never badmouth you though, listeners! Because you all Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Unsung: Max Martin

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Oh hey! It's a little something I like to call "The Fairly KickAss Podcast". Ever heard of it?
And to that end, have you ever heard of Max Martin?
You may not realize that you are already acutely familiar of him, at least through his songwriting and production work.
Early 2000s darlings like The Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, Britney Spears, Celine Dion, and Bon Jovi? Check. Big artists of today, like Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, Coldplay, The Weeknd, and Lisa of Blackpink? Double-check. Most recently worked on Taylor Swift's latest full-length, The Life of a Showgirl.
This episode is an Unsung episode, in which we talk about those influential folks in the music industry that you may not be familiar with, and I'd say that Max qualifies. From his upbringing in Stockholm County, Sweden, to his initial dabblings in the music industry, I (Zack - your Unsung host for this ep!) give all y'all the skinny.
This is also a Rewind episode that we pulled out of the ol' Vault, and in that brief time - from March of 2023 to now - Martin has added three more Billboard #1 singles to his already-ridiculous list of 25, bringing the sum total to 28. Paul McCartney has written 32. John Lennon has written 26. That's your top three.
Top three all time, of everyone! Safe to say, Max knows his way around a hit song, and I'm stoked to be able to bring his particular brand of songwriting magic to all of you. Again, as it were.
As always, let us know what you think! Which #1 hits that Max Martin wrote are your favorites? Which artists that he worked with do you also vibe with? Let us know in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: We talk about the dawn of a new decade! Albeit a decade that was new like 35 years ago.
You know what's NOT new? You. Kicking. Ass. That's been happening for a long while now. I lost track of how long, that's how long it's been.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Monthly Reviews for September 2025

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 13:00:00 +0000

It's the "30 Days" month! You know the rhyme. You've recited the rhyme to yourself, perhaps during the month of September. Does it have anything to do with music?
Does it ever?
As usual, I digress. It's best albums. It's newly-charting singles. It's a LOT of Sabrina Carpenter. It's the hand that was dealt, as most of her most recent album, Man's Best Friend, charted. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I guess you'll have to listen to find out! (it was a pretty good album, I'll give you that breadcrumb.)
Bread to the side, we always want to hear from you. Was it a good month of listening for you? Hell, what were you listening to full stop - even if it wasn't new? Let us know in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: We talk about the dawn of a new decade! Albeit a decade that was new like 35 years ago.
You know what's NOT new? You. Kicking. Ass. That's been happening for a long while now. I lost track of how long, that's how long it's been.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Top 5 Tailgating Jams

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Oh heck, the game is on! I better make this quick.
Which game, you ask? Any of them! Take your pick. With so many beloved sports, that have been around for so long, fandom is a time-honored tradition. And a time-honored sort of sub-tradition is that of the tailgate. The literal meaning evokes imagery of the open tailgate of a pickup truck, playing the part of buffet table much better than anything else you might find at a random parking lot.
Nowadays, it's a whole production - actual tables, along with all manner of cooking devices, cooling devices (for food and person), and maybe a TV or a radio to keep up with pre-game festivities. The concept is most commonly associated with American football, but could apply to any sport in the same way.
But, regardless of the sport, or the spread, there's one thing I didn't mention: music. It's as integral to a tailgate as it is to any gathering. And you know us - if music is involved, we're involved. (New motto?!?)
We get in, talk about our Top 5 tailgating jams, and get out. All three of us approached the assignment in vastly different ways. You're shocked, I know. That is your shocked face.
But how would you have approached it, Dear Listener? Would you have gone with one of our paths, but using a different list? Or would you have thought up completely different criteria? Let us know what you thought in the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: Do you remember? Because we don't. September has been a BLUR, but we gotta talk about it, and we hope you listen to that episode next week! And this episode this week! And previous episodes in prev-look, just listen to all of 'em. They're all good.
You know what else is good? When you Keep. Kicking. Ass, that's what.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Coverlutions: A Case of You

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0000

To say that Joni Mitchell is one of the most influential songwriters, singers, and guitarists in the history of modern music is not hyperbolic. In fact, it's among the most truthful and least BS-based things we've said on this show.
I believe we've said this about others before, but it applies here as well: Joni Mitchell recorded standards, sure, but she herself IS a standard. Legend. 1 of 1. Folk music was not nearly the same prior to her first album, 1968's Song to a Seagull, and it was forever changed throughout her run of 19 studio albums (and one day growing to 20, hopefully). She has left an indelible mark on the face of music.
And, as we tend to do 'round these parts, we celebrated her. Since this is a Coverlutions episode, you know that we talked about one of her songs. Interestingly, this song was never a single - in fact, it was the B-side to a different song from its album, being California off of 1971's Blue.
But that didn't stop scores and scores of people from covering the song over the past 50+ years. And for good reason: A Case of You is absolutely magnificent. It's subtle, it's understated, it's meaningful, and it's beautiful.
As for the episode, we came equipped with eight different covers, ready to do battle with the other hosts. We went in a round, sharing our versions with each other; any overlaps would be crossed out. Whoever had songs left at the end won nothing, in typical FKA fashion. It was neat.
As always though, we need you to tell us what you thought. Was it actually neat? Was there a version that we didn't cover that you liked better than what we presented? Let us know in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: hang out in the parking lot of your favorite team, fire up your portable grill, and put on these songs before the big game. It's tailgating songs. I kinda gave that one away. That's my bad. That's on me.
You know what you should give away? Ass kickings. Because you should Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Greatest Sh**s - Nickelback

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Is three too many new episode types for one year? Because that's what we're bringing to the table.
Two words: Greatest Sh**s. (You can fill in the blanks. I believe in you.) The premise is this: we take an artist that is seen by a wide group of people - including some or all of us jerk hosts - as not being great. Critically panned. Goofed on.
You can certainly think of some immediately, as could we... but there was always going to be one artist that we dissected as the subject of the first episode. Chances are, it's an artist you thought of as you read this.
Tbat artist is none other than Nickelback.
Once we had the artist nailed down, the goal was simple: build a sort of "greatest hits" album, spanning their entire discography. One song per album. We couldn't skip albums; rather, we had to pick one song from every single full-length release, to make up our Greatest Sh**s album.
Sure, we're covering powerhouse albums such as Silver Side Up and All the Right Reasons. We're also covering far less popular releases, like Curb and Feed the Machine. No stone is left unturned, no sh** left ungreatened. Ew. Sorry.
But how did we do? Was Nickelback deserving of our ire in the first place? Did we find the diamonds in the very, very rough? Let us know in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: hang out in the parking lot of your favorite team, fire up your portable grill, and put on these songs before the big game. It's tailgating songs. I kinda gave that one away. That's my bad. That's on me.
You know what you should give away? Ass kickings. Because you should Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Monthly Reviews for August 2025

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0000

I apparently love August, at least inasmuch as what the "food months" are for August, according to Wikipedia. I haven't looked at other months, so I may love them all - food do be like that, after all. But here's what we were working with in August:
National Catfish Month, National Dippin' Dots Month, Family Meals Month, National Goat Cheese Month, National Panini Month, Peach Month, Sandwich Month.
All of the above, please. Maybe not the dippin' dots... let's just double up on the goat cheese instead. But the rest are solid.
What was I... OH! August reviews. Yes. We review August. Albums, newly-charting singles, the works. And by "the works", I mean "specifically the two things that I pointed out before I said 'the works'". Words are hards.
As always though, our words are only as good as you'll allow them to be. So what do you allow from our lists? What did you like, and what would you replace our albums and charting singles with if you could? Let us know in all the usual ways:

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: a terrible thing. It involves a lot of Nickelback, and we hated it, and we can only hope that you hate it slightly less than we did.
Until then, make sure to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast REWIND - Top 5 Happy-Sounding Sad Songs

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0000

When we write up these descriptions, we love to give you some funny insight, some witty repartee, some... something. However, when the thing does exactly what it says on the tin, it's tough.
Enter: this week's REWIND episode, straight out of our vault, originally posted on September 27, 2023. The episode title is "Top 5 Happy-Sounding Sad Songs". And... yeah. That's pretty much it right there. The songs are sad lyrically, but if you don't listen closely enough they sound happy to the ear. That's the thing. I can't tell you more, as there's no more to tell.
What I CAN tell you, however, is that there were some surprises here! Some unexpected songs that ended up being real bummers, some popular songs with deeper meanings, and tons of fun to be had talking about absolute downer after downer. It's what we signed up for, nearly two years ago from where we sit now, but... damn.
Did we get it right back then? Is it any more right or wrong now than it was in 2023? Let us know in all the usual ways, and think for a minute about how a word as short as "usual" has two u's in it, like really what the hell is up with that:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: August reviews! But for real, since our last description also mentioned August reviews and was very wrong. Will it stack up to the powerhouse that was July? We still don't know! Well, we know, but you will still have to tune in to find out.
And until then, make sure to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - One Song: Led Zeppelin

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0000

John, Paul, George, and Ringo?
Not today.
Instead, let's go with John Paul (that's one guy), John, Jimmy, and Robert.
We One Song'd the HELL out of one of the most legendary bands of all time. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? First ballot, of course. An entry on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, from 2003? Try five... along with six songs on the Greatest Songs list from 2004. GQ Men of the Year from 2008, for what that's worth. Oddly, only one Grammy - for live album Celebration Day, released in 2012, over 30 years after the band's breakup. Let's call that a miss from the Recording Academy.
And, most importantly, one song that can be considered their very best work. 1 of 1. The top of Mount Zeppmore (analogy not to be confused with our Rush episodes, which you can also find wherever you get your ass kicked).
Yes, we tell you exactly which song we feel is the best of their catalog. We made our cases throughout the episode, and as always, it's up to all of you to tell us who was right... or were none of us right? Let us know the correct answer to the question of best Led Zeppelin song of all time, in all the usual ways:
But we're not here to drop insider tennis terms on you: we're here to talk about music. And in this episode, our years were J with 1988, Dan with 2004, and Zack bringing up the rear (front, I guess?) with 2023.
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/
Next week: August reviews! Will it stack up to the powerhouse that was July? Tune in to find out.
And until then, make sure to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - SomeOnes: 1988, 2004, 2023

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Ah, SomeOnes. That time-honored tradition that we have tradished only once before, but traditions gotta start somewhere, right? ...right?

The premise is simple in its complexity: each of us (Dan, J, and Zack, your KickAss Krew) get a randomly-generated year before the show. We then have to find a song that hit #1 on a chart (thus the name!), and write about it. That's it. That's the sum total of the guardrails that we have.
Which chart? All of 'em. Which country even? All of 'em. What do we have to write about our song of choice? Literally anything.
We go in a few directions, as you can guess, but that's part of the fun! Because really, this podcast is about expecting the unexpected, and if you don't even know what to expect, then you don't know what to unexpect either. Game. Set. Win.
But we're not here to drop insider tennis terms on you: we're here to talk about music. And in this episode, our years were J with 1988, Dan with 2004, and Zack bringing up the rear (front, I guess?) with 2023.
How did we do with our assignments? Would you have picked a different song from a different chart for a different reason? Let us know in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: TBD. We're taking our time and casually figuring out which direction to go, but as soon as we know, you'll know.
Luckily, you already know what else you should know: and that's to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Monthly Reviews for July 2025

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0000

I feel like, the more we do this podcast, the quicker things come back around. Like Monthly Reviews: we just did those a few days ago! Or so it seems. In reality, the reviews for June were posted on July 9th, which is about a month ago, which makes perfect sense. And yet... it feels so recent.
Maybe this podcast is aging, right alongside us. Maybe this podcast is no longer "hip" with all the "lingo". Maybe this podcast longs for a better time, a simpler time, a time when Justin Bieber wasn't hogging a good percentage of the Billboard Hot 100.
In a way, we're ALL this podcast.
Thankfully, besides Bieber's Swag (the album, not the personality trait), the rest of the month was pretty solid! Dan has much to say about all the newly-charting top 40 singles, and J and Zack both hit you with the best albums of the month.
But we didn't listen to everything, and certainly missed out on some gems. So let us have it in the comments for overlooking one of your favorite artists/albums/songs:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/
Next week: We transport you all back to 1988, 2004, and 2023 - all at the same time. Eat your sometimes-poisoned heart out, Erwin Schrödinger.
But instead of that, all of YOU should eat a snack! And then you should Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Top 5 Beats

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Beats?
Beats??
BEATS???
Beats.
Beats is good.
[nods]
Yes, I ripped that dumb bit off of The Road to El Dorado... because it's a good bit! And it describes perfectly what we're talking about today, being beats.
We listened to them... we istened to a LOT of them, in fact... and then we ranked them, in our usual way. It was one of the more fun listening journeys that we've been down, and the outcome was awesome too. We had some similar stuff of course, some overlapping picks, and some stuff that was only on one of our lists. Many of the producers that you know and love were represented.
But did we miss any? Did we get any wrong, or leave any out? Let us know what you think!
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: July Reviews! They're like Yelp Reviews, but we make far less money than Yelp does. You know what's never gonna cost a dime though? That's you, having the ability to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Billboard End-of-Year Reorder: 2001 Edition

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 13:00:00 +0000

2001: a year where a LOT of stuff changed. A year that we could talk about, for hours on end, and never once scratch the surface of music. But, despite how important the other historical things were, we absolutely have to scratch. Because our random number generator fell here, and we can't say no to a good ol' RNG.
Specifically, that RNG gave us the year to take the year-end Billboard chart, and to fix it, because it's oh so wrong. Your three hosts always agree that the original list is wrong-wrong-wrong-wrong, wrong-wrong-wrong-wrong... it's wrong.
But we haven't really had a year much like this, where we have match after match on our lists, KickAss synergy after KickAss synergy. It was unsettling. I hope you're unsettled.
...but not too unsettled to hit us up on socials and let us know what you think!

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: the beat goes on, and the beat goes on... and we don't even have to tell you that Kicking. Ass. also goes on. Because you already know what it do. (It Kicks Ass. We just established that.)

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Musical Confessions #1

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 13:00:00 +0000

**NEW EPISODE TYPE ALERT**
**NEW EPISODE TYPE ALERT**

Tell all your friends! The KickAss Krew is back with another pilot episode. We're calling this one Musical Confessions, and the concept is simple: each host comes to the show with an odd, interesting, or generally against-the-grain take in the world of music. It's something that they feel is true... unless it isn't, and it's a total lie.
Who can say? Well, the othe hosts can. They ask questions to try and suss out any mistruths, or to verify that the take has actually been taken by the host in question. The hosts who aren't presenting will then vote on whether they think that it's true or not, after which the big reveal happens. The hosts who were right on their guesses get a point, and if a hosts stumps everyone, they get a point too. Most points at the end get one of the hosts saying "you won the most points" to them. If you're familiar with the Popular British show, Would I Lie To You... it's basically that. If you're NOT familiar, then go watch it because it's an absolute hoot.

Now, we always wanna know what you think of an ep, but with this being a new ep we really wanna know. So let us know how you feel about it!
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: a space odyssey! I think! I didn't read the schedule too closely, so I'm going with it.

And the only place you need to go is wherever you can Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Monthly Reviews for June 2025

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 13:00:01 +0000

Yikes. Big yikes.
Let it be known that we tried to make something out of June for these here monthly reviews, but it was tough. For once, all three of us had a super-mid month, with very few great newly-charting singles or albums to speak of. Not much more to say about it... at least not for us. But perhaps YOU have something to say! Maybe? Possibly?
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: a new thing! Musical Confessions. We're going to confess music... whatever that means. Look, we haven't ironed it out completely yet, but trust me when I say that it will be one of THE episodes of this show, which is already one of THE podcasts that you can listen to.
And no matter what other (and demonstrably better) podcasts you listen to, always remember to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast REWIND - Billboard End-of-Year Reorder: 2011 Edition

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 13:00:00 +0000

OMG! Over here, over here! It's another FKA Rewind, where we take an episode that we already posted and repost it for all of you non-Spotify folk! It's a chance for you to experience new (to you) content without having to move away from your pod provider of choice. And let's just call it what it is: we basically get a week off.
So without further ado's or adon't's, here is what we wrote when this episode initially posted, in March of 2024:

Ah, the Billboard rerank. See, there's a chart at the end of the year, right? Well, see, there's a chart every week... I mean, there are several charts every week, and some of them are also charts that are put out every year, and the yearly charts are separate from the... let me start over.
So back in 1913, the first edition of the "Last Week's Ten Best Sellers Among The Popular Songs" chart was released, giving readers the very best in sheet music of the time. We've come a long way from that. Now, we have a year-end Billboard chart, telling us the best songs of every year, as voted by you. Yes you. All of you.
Actually, I don't know who votes, or how it's decided. I don't know much of anything. All I know is that the year-end charts are ALWAYS wrong, and they need a-fixin', and we a-fix 'em. We reorder the songs to a more digestible sequence, and we tell y'all about it, and y'all tell us that we're wrong and dumb, and we nod. See? Easy.
"How do you tell us?", I hear you opine. Well lemme hit you with these ol' chestnuts:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: a new thing! Musical Confessions. We're going to confess music... whatever that means. Look, we haven't ironed it out completely yet, but trust me when I say that it will be one of THE episodes of this show, which is already one of THE podcasts that you can listen to.
And no matter what other (and demonstrably better podcasts you listen to, always remember to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - One Song: Elton John

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers, meet Sir Elton Hercules John. Sir Elton, Ass-Kickers.
Now that we're properly introduced, let's get to the music! And there is a TON of it.
You see, this is one of our One Song episodes, where we pick the best song of an artist's entire catalog. Thing is, this particular catalog is 31 FREAKING ALBUMS long. That's [counts on fingers] A LOT OF ALBUMS. But, faithful listeners, we don't shy away from a challenge here at Interrobang Media HQ. In fact, we run head-first into challenges, because we're dumb as hell and we don't know any better.
And for once, we were all the better for taking that approach, as this was one hell of a ride. From 1969's debut, Empty Sky, to 2021's Regimental Sgt. Zippo, and everything in between... we went through them all. (Fun Fact: Regimental Sgt. Zippo is actually the newest AND the oldest Elton John album in the discography! You'll have to listen to the ep to find out why, or just look it up, we can't stop you.)
As always, we need to know how YOU felt about our picks. Did we get it right? Did we overlook any great jams? Let us know in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: no idea! We're looking at the Vault, and we're gonna pull something out... your guess is as good as mine.
You know what else is as good as mine? It made no sense, and I don't care. Just... Keep. Kicking. Ass. Whatever.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Top 5 TV Show Themes... Redraft!

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers! We're back with a brand-new-old episode.
You see, back in December of last year, we did our first Top 5 Redraft. "What's that?", you all say on cue because I mailed each and every one of you cue cards before writing this, and let's not talk about the shipping costs, okay?
Anydangway, we took our Top 5 Songs to Ring in the New Year ep, originally posted in 2021, and put a fresh coat of paint on it. We took all the songs - both top 5's and honorable mentions - on all three of our lists, threw 'em in a pool, and selected from them to create a new list. Each of us picked in a round, just like they do it in your sportsball of choice.
The catch? Each song could only be selected once. No overlaps, no sharing. Someone grab a song from your list? Sorry about your luck.
This time around, it's our Top 5 TV Show Themes ep from 2023 getting the Redraft treatment. Will we go with some tried and true choices from our first lists? Will we go off the beaten path to try and snipe one another? Is this a blatant reuse of old content because we couldn't be arsed to think of a new episode topic?
I... well, you see... what about social media? Let's maybe do that like right now!! Hahaha yeah everything is great!!!
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: legend status is maybe something we throw around a bit too much, but this cat practically wrote the book on the topic. We talk about all his work. It's fun.
You know what else is legendary? Well lemme tell ya: it's legendary whenever you Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Rush/Vibes: Song of the Summer

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 13:34:42 +0000

Ass-Kickers! Welcome to the Rush episode for the Song of the Summer.
Ass-Kickers! Welcome to the Vibes episode for the Song of the Summer.
[cue that one gif from Road to El Dorado where Miguel and Tulio are all "Both! Both-both... both."]
Yep, we smashed the two episode types together. It's basically a Rush with more discussion... or is it a Vibes with more rankings? I mean, what even IS a "podcast" anyway? This is getting weird, as per usual. I'll just say that this episode is exactly what it's supposed to be, replete with the typical mediocrity that you've come to expect from us.
...or is it? Do you expect more? Heaven help you if you expect more.
Either way, chime in and let us know if this episode met your expectations, and what we could have done better to win you over as a fan ("get off of my podcast provider of choice" is a valid answer here).
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/
A normal, garden-variety Top 5 for you. No surprises, just great music from a legendary artist.
You know what else is legendary? Well lemme tell ya: it's legendary whenever you Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Monthly Reviews for May 2025

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers! Thanks to technical difficulties, you get a reprieve.
Specifically, a reprieve from the same tired old May Reviews bit... you know the one, we're 5/12ths through the year so let's talk about 5/12ths of this, 5/12ths of that. Fun the first year? Sure! Fun the fifth year? Nah.
I (Zack, clearly) had this year's iteration 90% written - I just needed to update a few more things, slap the socials on, and out the door it went. The problem with that plan is that I have no earthly idea where I put the draft at. It's not in any of the three or so places where I would normally put half-baked text documents. It's not even autosaved as a draft anywhere.
In short, it's gonzo.
So instead, a normal thing! I'm sure all of you are torn up about it. It's monthly reviews for May, with all the usual stuff: albums and newly-charting singles in the top 40 of the Billboard and the American Top 40 charts. We talk about a 37-track album. Good times are had by all, or something like that.
But, as always, we want to hear from you! Whether you listened to 5/12ths of the episode (that would put you at the 31:08.333 mark, if you were curious) or the whole thing, we'd love to find out what albums and singles YOU have been listening to lately. So let us know, k? k.
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: we take two regular FKA concepts and shove them together. It's not as weird as you think it might be, or even as we thought it might be. It was good. Trust me.
And since I want you to trust me, let me say that I will trust you, specifically to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast REWIND - One Song: Drake

Wed, 28 May 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers! There was a bit of news on the music front today. (Wednesday 5/28/2025, a date that was absolutely not backdated to account for an episode that was posted late, couldn't be us, nope.) Specifically, the record for the most RIAA Diamond Certifications by one artist was set. For reference, here's the qualification, according to Wikipedia:
500,000 units: Gold album1,000,000 units: Platinum album2,000,000+ (in increments of 1,000,000 thereafter) units: Multi-Platinum album10,000,000 units: Diamond album
The article goes on to state that a "unit" is either a physical/digital album sale; a download of ten tracks from the album; or a total of 1500 on-demand audio or video streams of tracks from the album.
By these measures, there has been only one artist to ever earn ten of these Diamond classifications... and that artist, believe it or not, is Drake. (I know, we're kinda shocked too.) But ultimately it's not the RIAA's clasification that matters; rather, it's up to what us three podcast jerks decide.
Thus: a One Song, which is actually a REWIND episode that was originally posted in June of 2023. We said the following at the time:
"Whether you refer to him as Drizzy, Champagne Papi, the 6 God, Francisco Mandarin, October's Very Own (that's what OVO stands for?? I'll be damned), Mr OVOXO, Young Sweet Jones, Mr. Damn He Aint' Coppin That Is He?, The Reason Why You Always Getting Faded, The Only 23 Year Old Wine Connoisseur (not anymore you 36-year-old crustbucket), '91 Dan Marino, or simply, Aubrey… he's certainly made his mark on the industry in a huge way. And he's also made his mark on this here episode of the Fairly KickAss podcast."

Since this was recorded, some less-than-savory things have come out about Drake, which have certainly soured us - and many others! - a bit from where we once were. But it was still a good episode, with good conversation, and we still wanted to share it, without nary a minor update in post to speak of.
So please check it out, and let us know what you think!
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: remember to drive two miles an hour throughout the entire season, so everybody sees you. Unless you don't want to be perceived, at which point maybe sit back and unwind instead. Either way, you got options in the summer, and we'll talk about some of them.
And while we recognize that you might have options in all seasons for podcast listening, we still have to request - no matter you listen to us or not - that you Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Monthly Reviews for April 2025

Wed, 21 May 2025 13:00:00 +0000

More like "LATE-pril", amirite?
I'm rite, of course.
It's like May Something-or-Other-th. We get it. Sometimes things get weird! For example: the Eurovision Song Contest preview ep taking up residence before the reviews... as well as a couple other odds-and-ends. Thus: late reviews.
But! Better late than never, as they say in "the biz". Industry term.
Usual thing: new albums. Charting reviews. In and out in like an hour. Easy listen.
As always, let us know if we got it right!
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/
Next week: we're headed to the Vault! For what, you may ask? We're not gonna tell you yet, because we want you to be surprised, and not because we haven't decided on the ep yet, that would be ridiculous.
Not at all ridiculous? You Keeping. Kicking. Assing.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - 2025 Eurovision Sound Contest Preview

Wed, 14 May 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers! We're taking a trip across the pond.
It's time once again for the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest. For the uninitiated, the ESC is a yearly contest, by which many European countries (and Australia and part of Asia... it's a thing) bring their best musical acts (which may or may not be from that country... it's a thing) to compete for the title of the Eurovision Song Contest champion. For the already-initiated, douze points for you! (as you guessed already, it's yet another thing.)
We give you a brief rundown of how this whole dealio works, and we also preview the countries - and songs - making up 2025's field. This is one to hear, and see, for yourself though. Use this episode as a sort of "what to watch for" primer, but immerse yourself in the pomp and the circumstance otherwise. The best way to experience the ESC, especially for newer folk, is to just jump in feet-first.
Check it out live, streaming on Peacock, on Saturday at 3:00 PM ET. If you want some extra credit, take a gander at the second semi-final, on Thursday at 3:00 PM ET - also on Peacock. The first semi-final has already come and gone, but you can check it out - along with a plethora of other ESC content - on their YouTube page, at https://www.youtube.com/@EurovisionSongContest.
And you can check US out at the following areas:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: April Reviews! Yes, May's almost over. Yes, shut up.
Actually, I take it back: don't shut up. Instead, channel that energy toward Continuing. to Kick. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Billboard End-of-Year Reorder: 2009 Edition

Wed, 07 May 2025 13:44:00 +0000

Kickers of Ass! I'd like to reintroduce all of you to the year 2009. The biggest news in the music industry was the passing of one Michael Jackson, and sitting here nearly 16 years later, it doesn't feel like it's been that long. On the other side of the spectrum, sometimes-singer and mostly-actor Patrick Swayze also passed away in 2009, which feels like it was way longer ago.
I don't at all mean to minimize how impactful both of these legends were... in fact, just the opposite! With the passing of figures of such prominence, you would think that we would have a better barometer of when they passed - and yet, without fail, we all tend to overshoot or undershoot the mark all so often. Which is just the way it goes, right?
Well I'm here to tell you that it doesn't have to go that way. Because we present to you a podcast episode filled with music that seems exactly as old as it is.
Listen to this episode first, where we re-order the Billboard Year-End chart for 2009. Go and listen to all the songs on the list afterward, and you'll think "yep, that one seems 15 years old... and that one... and that one too!" It'll be great fun for all involved.
You know what else is great fun for all involved? Social media, that's what! And I'm definitely not saying that through gritted teeth, because that would be ridiculous! Awkward chuckle!
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: It's that time of year when we talk about that big ol' music shebang from across the pond. This year's edition is shaping up to be a hootenanny.
You know what else is a... I know, I know, it doesn't always work, and this is one of those times. But you should still Keep. Kicking. Ass. all the same.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Vibes: Five Year Anniversary!

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 13:11:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers! We've been doing this for five years now (over five years, as I write this), and... wow. We never get the chance to toot our own horns, but we're going to - just this once - because, damn. We're proud of what we've been able to do, we're proud of all of the content that we've produced, and we're proud that we get to continue to do this - hopefully for another five years, and beyond.
We talk about all of it in this episode... it's a Vibes episode, which is our more conversational episode type. We felt that this was the perfect way to properly give the last five years its due.
From the beginning, amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown, to several new episode types, countless album/newly-charting top-40 single reviews, dumb bits, and more dumb bits... we feel like we've done a lot. And all of it is thanks to all of you.
We know that we haven't had the largest following, and that's okay! If we did this for no one, we would still love it. If you're reading this - no matter how many of you are reading this - just know that we're absolutely stoked to have you around. And also just know that the next five years will be far better than even the awesome first five have been.
And, as has always been the case, we truly care what all of you have to think. What were some of your favorite episodes or episode types? What about least-favorite? And what would you like to see us do in the future?
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: an episode about a year that was, by all accounts, 2009. A bit of a spoiler, perhaps. The perfect complement to a bit of Ass-Kicking. From you.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Coverlutions: Ain't No Sunshine

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers! It's time for another Coverlutions episode, and this time we're going a bit... melancholy. We talk about a bit of a downer jam, but one that is truly beautiful - that being the song Ain't No Sunshine, by the legendary Bill Withers.
For those of y'all who have no idea what a "Coverlutions" is, lemme back up a bit for ya: we take an oft-covered song, and the three hosts work to find great covers of the song. Traditional, interesting, weird... no stone gets overturned. We each present a certain number of covers (in this case, eight), and whoever has covers remaining after all is said and done wins. The prize is a picture of a set of steak knives.
For those of y'all who are familiar with Coverlutions, I'm sorry. It took us a few swings of the ol' basketball to figure out the best format, and I think we finally nailed it. We'll all be on the same page from this point forward. Probably. Maybe.
Speaking of, would you like to probably-maybe sync up with all of us? If so then lemme tell ya how!
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: We commemorate our five-year anniversary by discussing our surprise at not being kicked off of the internet yet. (Yet.)
Something else being kicked? Ass. By you, dear listener.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - SomeOnes: 1979, 1996, 2010

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 13:00:00 +0000

New ep who dis? [EDITOR'S NOTE: Okay, you can't keep saying that this podcast knows about "the youths" and then use old-ass references like that. Do better.]

What the helly? It's a new episode type, that's what!! [EDITOR'S NOTE: sigh]

We're calling this one SomeOnes. The premise is easy to learn, but takes a lifetime to master... or something. You see, each of us got a randomly-generated year, sometime within the last 50 years. Dan scored 1979, J copped 1996, and Zack ended up with 2010.
Each of us creates a 5-10 minute presentation, akin to a Deep Dive or an Unsung, about a song that hit #1 on the chart from that year. "Which chart?", I hear you say... and I don't have an answer for you. Rather, the answer is any. All. Every. If the song hit #1 on a chart, then it's fair game. SomeOnes. Right? Yeah? Yeah.
You got the premise, and you also see that there are really no guardrails for us at all. Keep that in mind as we go in... directions. It's us. It's expected.
But like all of our new episode types, it's in probation until we know that it's a winner. And how do we know? because you tell us. So tell us what you think!
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: wake up babe, new Coverlutions just dropped! [EDITOR'S NOTE: I'm done.] Problem is you would have to read this next week for it to work. Come back to it, for the sake of the bit.
And for the sake of Kicking. Ass, you should Keep. doing it.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Monthly Reviews for March 2025

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers! Happy April! Well, Happy March as it were, because yes, this is April, from where we sit right now, but the reviews are from March. Truthfully I'm just practicing the use of the HTML bold text tag. But I digress.
You know the drill by now: new albums, newly-charting top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Good and bad in both areas this time around. But if you know this drill (had to give the homie italics some love) then you know the other drill, which is to let us know what you think in all the usual ways!
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: a new thing! As such, I have nothing clever to say about it, because I have no idea how the hell it's gonna go. Good luck, to all of us.
You know what else is good? You do, but lemme tell you anyway: it's good that you Keep. Kicking. Ass. (one for the road)

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Top 5 Guitar Solos

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers! This is a fittingly Ass-Kicking episode, as we're talking about our Top 5 Guitar Solos. Guitar Solos just kick ass! It's a whole thing.
You'll hear some songs that you expect, along with some unexpected songs from artists that you expect... and some unexpected artists altogether. But with 15 (or less?) songs between us, there were MANY that we didn't have time - or knowledge - to cover. Which means that burden, unfortunately, falls on y'all: what did we leave out? Let us know in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: Brad Marchand. Kirill Marchenko. Jonathan Marchessault. Mason Marchment. I hope this bit is landing, considering the totally-not-contrived overlap between NHL lovers and music lovers in our ever-growing fanbase.
You know what else is ever-growing? NOT THAT, YOU SICKOS. I was referring to your ability to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast REWIND - Deep Dive: Tupac Shakur, Pt. 2

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers! If you didn't listen to last week's episode of the Fairly KickAss Podcast, STOP! Like, right in your tracks. Because this episode is Pt. 2, and you, Dearest Listener, need Pt. 1! So hit your handy-dandy "go back one episode" button in your podcastin' doodad, and check out the first part of our Deep Dive into the life and music of Tupac Shakur.
Back from Pt. 1? Good! Now listen to Pt. 2, and then tell us what you think!
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/
Next week: we listen to a whole buncha versions of the same song. If you saw the description of Pt. 1, you might know the song already. If it's a surprise, then that's great too! Surprises are rad.
And you are also rad.
And we know that you will Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast REWIND - Deep Dive: Tupac Shakur, Pt. 1

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers! We have a treat for you today, from all the way back in June of 2021. It's one of our Deep Dive segments, where we take a journey into the lives and times of different musicians. We've rewound a few old episodes in this series before - specifically our work-ups on Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, and the Spice Girls. Adding to that is our two-parter on Tupac Shakur.
We cover his history, during the brief quarter-century that he walked this earth. We talk about the music, of course, and the lasting impact it has, over 50 years later. And, with any luck, we give you at least a few nuggets that you didn't already know about the artist.
But what did we miss? We covered a LOT in these two episodes, but we could've talked for hours more. So let us know what we should've squeezed in:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/
Next week: you already know... it's more Tupac. A little spoiler for the week following though: I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I knoow, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I KNOW you're gonna love it. And yes, those are accurate, I counted them. 26 of them in total. If you know, you know, etc. then you know.
But if there's one thing that WE know, it's that you should Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Monthly Reviews for February 2025

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers! I'll level with you: 2025 has been one of the fastest, and slowest, years in recent memory. One of the fast parts is his here podcast; to wit, February reviews! Already!! The holiday season was just a week ago, I feel, and yet here we are. But, no matter how quickly we get here, we know what we have to do. And that, of course, is to review.
It's your usual dealio - new singles to the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 from Dan, top 3 albums from J, and another top 3 of albums from Zack. As always, there are some old standbys, some fun curveballs, and some things that lived closer to the bottom of the list. A wide range, mainly because we don't know how to do it any differently. But did we do it right? Let us know... you know what I'm about to say, but alas I must say it still:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: We goin' solo dolo. But all of us are! How can it be?? Tune in to find out. And before you do that, make sure to look within and find out what you need to do to Keep. Kicking. Ass. And then, like, do that.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Reverse One Song: The Eagles

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 14:00:00 +0000

For this episode of the Fairly KickAss Podcast, we'll start off with a video, which should help tie the room together.
Because, you see, this is one of our One Song episodes, where we tell you all about the very best song in an artist's catalog, the top of the heap, the cremday lahcrem. Only this one is a bit... different. Because, in honor of the 27th anniversary of The Big Lebowski this week, we will instead be giving you the worst song in, you guessed it, the Eagles catalog.
And lemme tell ya, there are some stinkers!
Will we go with well-known jams? B-sides or even more obscure tracks? How many times will we take shots at Don Henley? (Several, for what it's worth.) Take a listen for yourself and see if you agree with our sentiments. If you don't agree, let us know! We love to know things. Know us the things here:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: February reviews, somehow, someway, are already here. It'll be a good month. Unless it's not, y'know. Only one way to find out, and that's to listen next week. And only one thing for all of you to do, and that's to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - The Unsung: Bernard Purdie

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers! We got a solo dolo for you today, with another one of our Unsung episodes, where we look at those folks in the music industry that are lesser known for their amazing accomplishments. For those who remember, it was the one you were supposed to see a few weeks ago. But hey, better late than never, right?
...right?

Well lemme say that this story is definitely one that should be told, late or otherwise. Because Bernard Purdie may be the best drummer that you've never heard of.
I'll double down and say it again: Bernard Purdie may be the best drummer that you've never heard of. I stand by it! But I'll let his music stand on its own, both from his own releases to collaborations with a veritable who's-who across the music landscape. He also created a shuffle, which is something we could all only hope to do.
Take a little peek, but with your ears, and let us know what you think in all the usual ways:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Website (for Ride-Along Playlists): https://fairlykickass.com/

Next week: last week's next week will become this week's next week, so to steal what I wrote before:
An old concept with a new spin. It's not a great spin. It definitely doesn't bring the room together. But it's all we got for you, and we're sorry for that.

I'll also reuse my outro, to emphasize that one thing that we will NEVER apologize for is encouraging all of you, week after week, to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Monthly Reviews for January 2025

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000

We back! Both with reviews, as this is the first monthly review episode since last November. But also, we back from an unexpected hiatus last week.
You see, I ("I" = Zack... yo0O) had grand intentions on getting out an Unsung episode, due to some scheduling issues with the crew. And then... life happened. I'm being overly dramatic - just had a TON of unexpected work to do, and I stayed up way too late every night, and didn't have time to crank out the ep. Unfortunate.
BUT! My loss is your gain, or something? Because that ep will be released as a little bonus soon. Think of it as the little garlic sauce cup that you get to dip your pizza in.
I'm super hungry, if you couldn't tell, so I'll be quick! You know the drill anyway, and if you don't, I can summarize it as a haiku:
Albums: Zack and J, Charting singles come from Dan, Good and also bad
That's pretty much the sum total of our monthly reviews. But don't take OUR word for it! Let us know which albums you thought were great this month, as well as which newly-charting singles you can't get enough of. Also, our socials have undergone a tiny bit of a makeover, which you'll see below!
Bluesky:https://bsky.app/profile/fairlykickass.bsky.social
Instagram:https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads:https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Next week: an old concept with a new spin. It's not a great spin. It definitely doesn't bring the room together. But it's all we got for you, and we're sorry for that.
But one thing that we will NEVER apologize for is to encourage all of you, week after week, to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - The Rush: Super Bowl Halftime Shows

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000

January 17, 1971: Indianapolis Colts rookie kicker Jim O'Brien drills a 32-yard field goal with five seconds left on the clock to give his team the Super Bowl victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
January 28, 1990: The San Francisco 49ers hang 55 on the Denver Broncos, setting records for the most points scored in a single Super Bowl en route to a decisive victory.
January 30, 2000: Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kevin Dyson was thiiiiis close to scoring a game-tying touchdown, coming two yards short and allowing the St. Louis Rams to hang on and win.
February 3, 2008: 18-1. The only loss of the season, to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl, would sting New England Patriots fans a bit more if they didn't have like a billion championships to their names.
February 5, 2017: One of those New England Patriots championships would come at the expense of the Atlanta Falcons, who amassed a 28-3 lead but ultimately wound up losing in overtime. That would be the first time in 134 NFL games that a team lost after leading by 17 or more points in the fourth quarter, and on the biggest stage no less. Ouch.
February 5, 2025: The Fairly KickAss podcast released an episode that is only minimally related to the football being played during the Super Bowl, rendering the above mostly pointless.
Specifically, we're talking about Super Bowl halftime shows throughout the years. Which ones were the best, according to discussions and agreement upon the FKA hosts? Which ones could have used a little work? Would any performer dethrone Left Shark? Only one way to find out.
So enjoy the episode, and make sure to check out https://www.fairlykickass.com for a listing of YouTube videos on the topic, since the visuals are just as important as the sounds for once.
Also don't forget to get at us and let us know what you think about our choices - you can do that in all the usual ways!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Next week: An Unsung, probably. There are some things that might prevent that though, because Life™, y'know? Either way, we'll be back the following week with January Reviews. Remember monthly reviews? You will, trust us.
Until then, we trust that y'all will Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - 2025 Grammy Awards Preview (feat. Special Guest Lisa!!)

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers! It's Grammy Awards time - for the 67th time, in fact - and we wanted to give you a little preview of the same. But the three of us are not well equipped enough to speak on this (or any, let's be real) topic, so we had to go and call in a favor.
Thus: the Grammy closer herself, the Senior Music Award Correspondent of FKA: it's none other than Lisa!
We talk about who we think will be taking home the Big Four categories (Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist), and we cover a couple of the other awards to boot. We disagree. A lot. Vegas gets involved. It's a whole thing.
But we'd like to hear from you too! Who do you think should have taken the bacon? If you're listening to this after the awards show and want to dunk on us for getting literally everything wrong, that's groovy too. Here's how!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Next week: we celebrate that 12-15 minute spectacle that hits smack-dab in the middle of the Yearly Large American Football Event. Some were great, some were far less than great, and we chat about 'em all.
Until then, we hope that y'all Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Billboard End-of-Year Reorder: 1981 Edition

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers! We're rewinding back [counts on fingers and toes] [abandons fingers and toes and opens up calculator app instead] 44 years for one of our Billboard Rerank episodes! We're talking about the Billboard Year-End charts for the year 1981.
It was a transitional year, as we moved away from the sounds that made up the 1970s - especially the latter half of the 1970s - and began to usher in what we would come to know and... love? about the 1980s.
It's an interesting journey, and - as usually happens with these things - we all looked at it a little differently. That's what makes it fun though! It would be boring if we all had the same list, and there was a lot of variety on offer in this episode.
So, as always, let us know: did we get it right? Did we miss with any of our picks - good OR bad - or were we all on-point? (Strike that last one from the record, it'll never happen.) Let us know in all the usual ways:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Next week: we preview the biggest show of 'em all, at least in terms of US-based music awards shows. Get lost, AMAs.
Until then, we hope that y'all Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly Kick-Ass Podcast - Top 5 Obscure Songs

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Welcome to 2025! Us here at Fairly KickAss hope the best of your todays end up as the worst of your tomorrows, and those tomorrow's start now. The profundity of this episode is apparently contagious, as you will soon see. Hear! That's what you do with your ears. Senses.
We had a conundrum right off the bat: start off with something more recognizable, something to ease you into the Year of the Pod 2025? Maybe a Billboard Rerank, with songs that you're familiar with? Or perhaps the exact opposite of all that? You already know what we went with.
So here you go. Top 5 Obscure Songs. Songs that very few of you have ever heard, from artists that very few of you have ever heard of. So much for easing into things.
The awesome part about this episode is that, perhaps more than most, many of you have some of these in your playlist too. Maybe a random band that you heard from a Spotify Radio or Pandora session? Perhaps a small local outfit, or even a friend or family member? No matter how obscure, we want to hear about them:
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Next week: actual home cookin': one of them aforementioned Billboard Reranks. Make sure to shake that Aqua Net can before use.
Until then, we need y'all to also keep shaking. Oh! Almost forgot: also make sure to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Top 5 Songs to Ring in the New Year... Redraft!

Tue, 31 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Let's ring in the new year with old content! Everybody wins! Yaaaaaay!!

(Okay, do maybe we just win. That’s how it goes sometimes.)
Here’s the deal: we have a New Year's episode in the Vault, from waaaaaay back in 2021. It was pretty good! Content-wise, at least. Audio quality? Not so good. We couldn't use it as-is, so why not repurpose the content? Thus, the Fairly KickAss Redraft™ was born.
We're taking that old Songs to Ring in the New Year episode, throwing all the songs in a pot, and picking our favorites… including honorable mentions. J’s #3 last time could end up as Dan’s #1 this time! Speaking of Dan, it's just him and Zack for this shindig, but the New Year will still be rang. Rang? Runged? Ringadingied?? Who knows.
There is one thing I know, though… and that's that you should let us know what songs you prefer to ring in the new year. You can do that here!
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Next week: songs you've probably never heard of. Moreso than usual, even.
Until then, as you have done for years now, we're gonna have to ask y'all to Keep. Kicking. Ass. Happy New Year, Ass-Kickers.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - 2024 End-of-Year Extravaganza!!

Wed, 25 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

I (Zack - I feel like I should claim this idiocy) wanted to make the dumb "2024 Urine Review" joke that I mentioned in the previous episode's description, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Shout-out to all the PA's out there... you know who you are.)

Anyway! Look at us. Not just Podcast Us, but You Us as well. All the Us's. The Royal Us.
Because we did it. We got through another year, a year filled with ups and downs, with triumphs and hardships, with happiness and sadness and relaxation and stress and friends and enemies. Actually... scratch that last part - we don't give the opps the time of day.
This is our ode, our homage, our revisiting of the Year of our Pod 2024. We did a LOT! 49 episodes, spanning 23 hours and 32 minutes of podcast goodness. You can spend nearly a full day listening to us talk about music. But, like, maybe not all in one sitting, because sleep is important!
You know what else is important? You are. We greatly appreciate every single one of you, no matter whether you listened to one minute of one episode, or the entire 23:32 of 2024 (and beyond). So thank you, all of you, for coming along for any part of that ride.
Speaking of, we want to know about your ride throughout the year. We gave you our Albums of the Year, Songs of the Year, and favorite Up-and-Coming Artists - and some of the worsts as well. Now it's your turn! Hit us up and let us know what you thought of 2024's tunes:
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Next week: Forget about all those old acquaintances! Dan and Zack (and a litle Rabbie Burns cameo) take you over the hump and head-first into 2025. It's gonna be a Tuesday episode insead of the usual Wednesday drop, so make sure to watch out for it!
And, of course, as always, make sure to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - The Rush: Diss Tracks

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 14:51:00 +0000

I have a riddle for you, Dear Listener:
What do Kendrick Lamar, Alanis Morissette, The Sex Pistols, and "Macho Man" Randy Savage have in common?
Not a whole lot, truly. But one thing they share, as does everyone we talk about in this episode, is that they've released a diss track of some form or fashion. There's a lot of dissin' to go around here, targeting specific individuals, rival bands, music labels - even an entire coast of the US.
Stakes range from lowest of low, up to - and, sadly, including - death. Yes, diss tracks get very, very real in some cases, and we talk about that aspect too.
As with all Rush episodes, we come equipped with our own Mt. Rushmore - the top four, with no regard to order - and we come together to agree on a top four for the show. Discussions were had. Backroom deals were struck. Disses were hurled. It was great.
But we are but three hosts + one producer! As always, we wanna here from you: did we get it right? What tracks did we miss? Let us know in all the schmusual ways:
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Next week: Our Fairly KickAss 2024 Year In Review! I can't remember if we made the "urine review" joke or not, but I hope we did.
What's not at all a joke though, Dear Listener, is our sincere hope that you Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Monthly Reviews for November 2024

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Remember, remember, reviews of November
The reason, the se-[EDITORS NOTE: Hi. So, I try not to be involved too much, but when I see the beginnings of a bit that only means to take up valuable minutes of your day, I have to step in.
This episode consists of reviews of new album releases, as well as newly-charting singles, for the month of November 2024. That's it! Nothing fancy. You can instead channel that fancy focus into reaching out to us on all of our socials:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Next week: I don't like you, and I'm going to tell you why. I mean, not YOU specifically, listener, but more like as an example. You'll see. It's fine.
Also fine? When each and every one of you Keeps. Kicking. Ass.
And now, I'll hand it back off to Zack to finish the write-up.]
...and then he said, "you're fawkin' RIGHT that you should Keep. Kicking. Ass.!" And he was right.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Coverlutions: Hallelujah

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers!
We're back with our second Coverlutions episode, where we take an oft-covered song - this episode was the epic, sweeping, beautiful masterpiece of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah. We go back and forth, throwing out covers to one another until we run out. Or we throw out ten of the covers. You'll get both of those, because - and y'all should take a seat now for what I'm about to say - we were not on the same page with the episode format. Yes, this was our own format. Yes, we literally created it, and we called all the shots with it. Yes, it wasn't really that difficult for us to all grasp in the first place.
And yet we somehow still messed it up.
BUT! It's still fun, despite us basically recording two different shows at the same time. It's like that one play, where it's just like a comedy of errors... the name will come to me eventually. Until it does, let us know what you thought about all these awesome covers in the usual ways:
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Next week: the last monthly reviews of 2024. It's sad to see the year go, but it's... fun to watch the year leave, I guess? I dunno. I dunno anything.
There is one thing I DO know, though: and that's that y'all should Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - One Song: Madonna

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000

First off - Happy Thanksgiving to all our American homies! As we set off on travel across the country, or cook 100 lbs. of food for those who are traveling to us, we do the thing where we give thanks for people and things that have been good to us. Sources of joy and happiness. Rays of light in our lives.
Music can certainly qualify, and there aren't many that have provided as many great albums and tracks as the Queen of Pop in the flesh, Madonna. She has been one of the true legends in the music game, leaving an indelible mark thanks to releases that span four different decades, notching 12 #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 during that time.
Because of all that, she's the perfect artist to give the One Song treatment to. So we did: we reached into her mighty and vast catalog, pulled out what each of us felt was her very best song, and tried to convince all of you that we were right. But were we? That's for you to decide. So go forth and decide!
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Next week: the next installment of our newest episode type. We talk about Shrek. it's good times.
Until then, as you drift off for your third turkey nap of the day, we hope that you dream about Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Top 5 No-Skip Albums

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers!
Typically, the only time we talk about full albums is during the monthly reviews; otherwise, it's all songs. Well lemme tell ya - if you love albums, then this is the episode for you.
It's a patent-pending Top 5 episode, and this time we cover our Top 5 No-Skip Albums. Not necessarily our favorite albums; not necessarily what we would consider the best albums either (although there may be overlap). Rather, albums without a single track that you want to skip to get to the next track. If an album has 12 tracks and 11 bangers? Well it doesn't qualify.
We cover 5 albums each - which you guessed already, by virtue of the whole "Top 5" thing - and a few honorable mentions as well. But we certainly missed a bunch of them! So hit us up in all the standard ways and let us know which album you would add to - or remove from - the list:
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Next week: we talk about the illustrious catalog of the Queen of Pop. Should be all I need to say.
Actually, I'll say one more thing: Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Billboard End-of-Year Reorder: 2014 Edition

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Well, well, well.
Sorry, was just finishing up watching three episodes of Lassie at the same time. What did I miss?
Oh! 2014! Hello.
Music was a bit different 10 years ago. But, as different as it was, it was still pretty much the same. And it was also entirely different. It was a very interesting stroll down Memory Lane, but - believe it or not - it was not the most recent year that we've done! We did a Reorder of both 2019 and 2020 back in 2022. Maybe you'll get to hear those episodes from the Vault eventually. And maybe not? Who can say? (We can. We can say.)
We can also say that we need y'all to tell us what some of your favorite songs of 2014 were - whether they made this list or not! You can do that in all the normal standard ways:
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Next week: ever listen to an album where it's maybe not your favorite album but you like every song on the album and you don't need to skip any song on the album because very song on the album is so good. Yeah. That thing.
Until that thing happens, we hope that you Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Music Reviews for October 2024

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers! The time has come for us to provide our October 2024 reviews. You know the drill by now: J and Zack give their top three albums (and some HM's, which is short for "Honorable Mentions", because we're fans of brevity [editor's note: LOLOLOL]). Dan then comes in with the newly-charting singles in the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. It's a good list. Or is it? You'll have to listen to find out, I suppose.
Or - here's a neat option - you can ask us on the Socials Media, and we can throw you a couple of hints as far as the episode goes. Like "oooooh you'll REALLY dig J's #2 album!", or "buckle your seatbealts for the bottom of Dan's newly-charting top 40 list, it's a DOOZY!", or something else appropriately cheesy. Do it here:
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Next week: another one of our patented Billboard Rerank episodes, this time for a year that saw humans land a lander on the surface of a freakin' comet! Also the Ice Bucket Challenge. Hard to believe all that was only a decade ago. Oops, I believe I spoilt it.
Also, as I (Zack! Hi.) sit here and pen this into the early part of November, I just want to remind all of you to take care of yourselves as best as you possibly can. Do nice things for yourself. Treat yourself to your favorite meals and activities. Set aside time to do what is most beneficial for your physical/mental/emotional health. All of that is a very tall order right now for a great many of you - and we understand that. It's far easier said than done, and we're struggling with it too. (Also we're a bunch of assholes that talk inelegantly about music, and taking any advice - self-care or otherwise - from us is probably ill-advised.) No matter what though, we love you all, and we know damn well that all of you will Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast REWIND - Top 5 Halloween Songs

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers!
As mentioned in the first few minutes, what you're hearing is our second go-round with the Top 5 Halloween Songs list, as the first one was never released on Spotify - or, of course, wherever you get your podcasts now. It was such a great episode (and we're suckers for being able to reuse content to bring to more of your earballs) that we decided to run it back. So here! It's Top 5 Halloween Songs Pt. 2... Pt. 2. I think.
It almost worked out perfectly too: We're releasing this on "Wednesday" "morning", which is October 30th. But if you squint real hard, you might think that it was actually already Halloween in some Eastern time zones! Just a little extra bonus candy in your bucket from the Fairly KickAss team.
And while you're downing you're seventh 100 Grand or Mr. Goodbar, hit us up to let us know what you thought about this ep, and how your Halloween haul was (or your kids' haul, it all counts):
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Next week: October reviews. The penultimate monthly review of the year, since we skip December! There's some good stuff here, lemme tell ya. You won't want to miss it.
You also won't want to Not. Keep. Kicking. Ass. Yes, exactly what I wanted to say, probably.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Vibes: The Billboard Hot 100

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Whew. This one was a JOURNEY.
The plan was simple: we have talked quite a bit over the [checks calendar] nearly five years? Really?? That can't be right... well, then the nearly five years of this podcast, about the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Many different episodes, most notably including our Monthly Reviews and our Billboard Reranks, leaned heavily on this chart - and many more will in the future. So why not do a bit of a workup on what exactly the Billboard Hot 100 chart is? And, perhaps just as interesting... what it was?
So that's what we did. Eventually. As you'll hear, it took us (read: Zack) about an hour of technical difficulties to get this ship afloat. Uninstalling a browser, uninstalling like a bajillion other apps, reconfigurating this and that and the third... but dammit, we made it. And we're all the better for it.
Perhaps not "better". But at least not too terribly worse. And, in a trying time such as we had during this recording, "not too terribly worse" is sometimes all you can ask for.
So yeah! Vibes! It's our chatty episode type, where we sit around a virtual campfire and eat virtual s'mores and wax poetic. And the topic was the aforementioned Billboard Hot 100 chart. Once we got going, the conversation was great! And thanks to the magic of Producer Nikki's crisp editing, y'all don't even need to spend an hour waiting for it to get going. Whatever will you do with all that time we just saved you? I have some suggestions:
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Next week: a very spooooooky Rewind episode that originally aired last year. Keep the lights on for this one!
Until then, the only thing you need to Keep. is Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - One Song: A Tribe Called Quest

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Kickers of Thine Ass!
Had to use the royalty-speak because we are in the presence of royalty on this episode of the Fairly KickAss Podcast. Hip hop royalty. Critically acclaimed. Revolutionary. Hall of Fame members.
We couldn't pass up a chance to wax poetic about Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Jarobi White, and the late-great Phife Dawg, comprising the legendary group A Tribe Called Quest. And as they enter the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, we tasked ourselves with determining the very best song in their illustrious catalog.
You may be surprised at the selections. You may not be. Should we have picked a different jam? Let us know what you think as per the usual methods:
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Next week: we talk about one of the most important things to this podcast, the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. We talk a LOT about it. It's fun, it's insightful, it's chart-y. Join us for it!
And, as always, join us as we Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Music Reviews for September 2024

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Hello.
Hey.
Hi.
We say goodbye to the warm times this month, as summer's baking breath gives way to the cool chill of autumn. We also inch closer and closer to the end of the year, that time of year when things start to slow down a bit. Not us though! We have a full slate lined up for 'all y'all, with episodes planned as far out as February 2025. So fear not - no matter the time of year, no matter the holiday, the KickAss crew will be there every step of the way.
Actually - is that a good thing? I may end up rewriting that later.
Until then, enjoy the month in music that was September 2024! Usual deal: top albums, newly charting singles, some honorable mentions. You know how we do.
But do you like how we do? Let us know in all the ways that you've come to know and love:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass
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Next week: a fun episode on one of this year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees, and one of the most influential acts in music history. (And yes, you have to say the whole thing.)
Until then, we all hope that you Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast REWIND - The Rush: Record Labels

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 13:00:00 +0000

It's another Rewind episode, y'all! For the uninitiated: we moved in May 2024 to be available "wherever you get your podcasts". Before then, all episodes were Spotify-exclusive (and still available there if you wanted to peruse!)
But we've been moving those over periodically, making sure that anyone on any platform can hear that good-good without going back to Spotify. Today's episode is no exception!
We did a Rush episode, which for the further uninitiated: we make a "Mt. Rushmore" of the top four things in a category. Not ranked 1-4, but relayed in any order. We discuss, we cuss, and we eventually come up with one FKA Rush for each category. This episode's category, you might ask? Record Labels. It was a hoot.
So check this out, and check out the rest of our offerings as well - all found wherever you get your blah-blah-blah, you know how these things go by now.
And, heck, check out our social media dealios as well:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Next week: a fun episode on one of this year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees, and one of the most influential acts in music history. (And yes, you have to say the whole thing.)
Until then, we all hope that you Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Unsung: Grandmaster Caz and Big Bank Hank

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 13:00:00 +0000

I'm gonna level with y'all. I (Zack!! Hi.) am going on like 3 hrs. of sleep. So to avoid a weird typo, or falling asleep at my laptop in the middle of writing this description, I'm gonna keep it short. You're welcome.
This is one of our patented Unsung episodes, where we look at those important individuals in the music industry that you may not be familiar with. This episode covers the genesis of one of the most pivotal songs in hip hop history, from allllll the way back in the 1970s, and the unlikely path that brought it to existence - and beyond.
And after typing that, I'm wondering what brought you to our existence. Was it one of these?
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Next week: the latest Rewind ep, were we discuss our picks for best record labels. Do you favorites make the cute? Only one way to find out!
Until then, we all hope that you Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Were We Too Hard On... Metallica's St. Anger?

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Welcome to a new Fairly KickAss Original! We're calling this one Were We Too Hard On... and for once, it doesn't need a book's worth of explanation!
Lemme explain. We take a thing that we (and many others) were too hard on, and we figure out if that was fair. Were we jaded by certain factors? Did we not appreciate the thing as much then as we do now? Maybe we had a bad sandwich that day. It happens! Not all sandwiches are good.
Either way, our job is to figure out if the initial assessment still fits. And this episode is a doozy: from the donk-donk-donk, to the rough-around-the-edges vocals and lyrics, to the long lengths of each song, the Metallica album St. Anger has not been seen in a positive light too often. (Pitchfork saying that the guitars "underwent more processing than cat food" was a particular favorite critique.)
Listen to find out how Dan and Zack feel about this 21 year old album! And while you're at it, pop in for a visit to any or all of the offerings from our Social Meadery:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
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Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass
Next week: Vituperation! Opprobrium! Upbraiding! Billingsgate! I don't think that these are real words, regardless of what Thesaurus.com says. But if we're believing those Thesaurus chaps, then those terms essentially boil down to saying mean things about someone... and we're gonna have a LOT of examples of that to talk about. It's The Rush: Diss Tracks! Get your bowl of popcorn ready. Until then, we hope that you always stay ready to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - August Reviews

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers! We did the usual monthly deal, serving up a heaping helping of albums and charting singles for yas. It was a month chock-full of stuff, and we bring you all the best of that stuff for your listening pleasure.
"But FKA!" you exclaim. "How can we listen?" That's a great question, Audience Member That We Definitely Didn't Plant. This episode's ride-along playlist - and playlists for all the other eps - can be found on our website, https://fairlykickass.com.
You can also hit us up in all the ways that you can hit us up... so hit us up!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass

Next week:
**NEW EPSIODE TYPE ALERT**
**AIRHORN SOUND EFFECT**
**IT'S HARD TO DO THAT IN PRINT, BUT WHATEVER, IT'S FINE, LET'S MOVE ON**

We take something that has been said to be pretty bad throughout the years... but is it as bad as you think? Or we think? Or anyone thinks? Tune in to find out!
Until then, we can assure you that it's not at all bad - in fact, it's very very good - to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Top 5 Songs You Forgot About

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 13:00:00 +0000

As we were discussing this episode, Producer Nikki made a great point: "how can you talk about songs if you've forgotten about them?" which led to the official title of this episode: Top 5 Songs You Forgot About For A Longish Period Of Time, And Then Remembered In The Last Few Weeks, In Enough Time To Add Them To A List To Discuss During A Podcast Episode. Chumbawamba had The Boy Bands Have Won... - and we have Top 5 Songs You Forgot About... under our belt now.
This was a fun one, both in preparation and recording, with many of the selections being met with a "oh I forgot about that song too!" from the other hosts. Perhaps you've forgotten about any of these? Maybe you had a song of your own that you recently remembered? If so, then do the things to tell us the things:
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Next week: August reviews. Reviews from August. Augustus Reviewstus. Pre-September review meals. If I had a blog, I would call it Blogust, and only blog in the month of (ed. note: you're done, Zack. Get out of the booth. Someone else will be writing the description next week; until then, always remember to Keep. Kicking. Ass.)(ed. follow-up: yes we put this dumb bit on the wrong description before, we fixed it now, SUE US)

Fairly KickAss Podcast - WeRank: Tony Hawk Soundtrack Songs

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Kind of like a "rerank", but since there's no definitive ranking, we get to do it. See? WeRank. Right? Like, because of the words in the term. You see the vision. And what we saw in our vision was a ton of great, great tracks. Because, Ass-Kickers, if you remember the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater video game series, you also remember the amazing soundtracks - and that, my friends, is what We are Ranking. (ed. note: Yeah, Zack drove this one into the ground. Rest assured that's he's had a stern talking-to.) We listened to each track in the base game series - Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 through 4 - and we... ummm... sorted them into a numbered list? (ed. note: Better! We'll work on it though.) This list has it all... from ska, to nu metal... from punk to hip-hop... and everything in between. We talk about our lists from top to bottom, but we gotta give you the full deal, right? The entire ride-along playlist, sans a few omissions that aren't available on Spotify, is available on our website: https://fairlykickass.com. Now, if you wanna talk to the three of us, there's a couple easy ways to do it. Observe: Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass Email: fairlykickass@gmail.com Next week: August reviews. Reviews from August. Augustus Reviewstus. Pre-September review meals. If I had a blog, I would call it Blogust, and only blog in the month of (ed: note: you're done, Zack. Get out of the booth. Someone else will be writing the description next month; until then, always remember to Keep. Kicking. Ass.)

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Unsung: Steve Albini

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers! We have a new-ish episode type to share with you, called the Unsung. Our Unsung episodes cover folks in the music industry - artists and otherwise - that are just that... unsung. Ones that haven't gotten the visibility and recognition that they should for the contributions that they made toward shaping the music industry. Today's episode covers a very polarizing figure, in the late recording engineer Steve Albini. In music terms, Steve's resume is nearly comical in how unrealistic it looks: thousands of artists worked with, by Steve's own account, and there's no reason to think that's not true. Steve had his own unique sound, which you can hear on several albums, the most famous of which being Nirvana's In Utero. (Don't worry, we have a good sampling in the ride-along playlist over on our website, https://fairlykickass.com.) In more human terms, Steve's takes about the music industry and social issues ranged from solid to abhorrent, with many falling on the negative side of the spectrum. It's an important bit to discuss, and Zack covers it throughout the episode, with a portion at the end devoted to the topic too. Let us know what you think, as usual, where usual, and when usual I guess: Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass Email: fairlykickass@gmail.com Next week: Put on your nostalgia caps, break out the Doritos, and pick up your favorite gaming console controller. You'll need it to practice your Kickflip McTwists, Darkslides, and 360 Shove-It Rewinds. IYKYK. Until then, always remember to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast REWIND - Deep Dive: The Spice Girls

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0000

The Wayback Machine has been fired up again, and this time it's hopping across the pond! For those who are new, let me give you a quick history lesson: up until May of 2024, we were a Spotify exclusive joint. Most of those episodes are still within the Spotify exclusivity window, and we would like for them to not be - so that we can share them with all of you, whether you use Spotify for your podcasts or not! So here we are... doing that. This episode, originally aired on 7/27/2022, was (and is!) one of our Deep Dive episodes, where we take a look at the entire history of an artist - both the music, and all the other stuff. To pull back the curtain a bit, some of those artists we assumed would have a ton of meat on the bone for us to work with. A great example was the first Rewind that we posted - another Deep Dive episode on Cleveland's finest, rap artists Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. Other times, we're simply fools who don't know a great many things, including how interesting and entertaining the rise to prominence was for the Spice Girls - which is why we chose it to be our next Rewind episode. It's an astonishing story with some twists and turns, and we're stoked to be able to share it with you. Again. Now, in the description of the first posting of this back in 2022, I ranked a bunch of spices. I'm not doing that again, because you deserve a break, dear listener. (If you wondered: black pepper was best, and allspice was worst.) What I will do instead is tell all of you how to tell all of us what you thought about this episode of the podcast, and all episodes of the podcast, and all episodes of any podcast I guess, we can't tell you what to do: Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass Email: fairlykickass@gmail.com The Fairly Kickass website at https://fairlykickass.com is where we house all of our ride-along playlists, including lots of Spice for this episode. We could all be so lucky! Next week: The Unsung episode that we promised last week. These things take time, and we wanted to make sure to do the legendary topic justice. You'll see what we mean next week. Until then, always remember to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - July Reviews

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers! Another month in the books, and - dare we say - a fine month of music! Dan and Zack take you through the particulars, as always: Dan with the newly-charting Billboard Hot 100 tracks, and Zack with the newly-released albums of the month. J is still taking a powder, but we promise it won't be long before he's back in the saddle... but never fear! You can still reach him (and any of us!) via any or all of the usual ways: Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass Email: fairlykickass@gmail.com The Fairly Kickass website at https://fairlykickass.com is where we house all of our ride-along playlists, including two for this episode: one for the albums, and the other for the singles. Easy peasy. Next week: Zack is going solo dolo with our first Unsung episode since making this podcast dealio available wherever YOU get your podcast. Intrigued? Unsure what an Unsung is? You'll have to tune in to find out. Until then, always remember to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - One Song: Rihanna

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Welcome back in, Ass-Kickers! On offer for your podcast feed today is a little something we'd like to call our One Song episode. What's the catch? I mean, I wouldn't call it a "catch" - more like an "entertaining and exhilarating stipulation". But do you y'know, we can't stop you. We take an artist's full discography, go through each and every song with a fine-toothed comb, and decide on the very best of the bunch. And what a bunch it is: in this episode, we covered the media mogul, the style icon, the billionaire, one of the 11 National Heroes of Barbados for goodness sake... of course, all those amazing words and glowing endorsements could only refer to the indomitable Rihanna. Banger after banger. Album after album. Rihanna has done it all without falling off, from 2005's Music of the Sun to 2016's Anti, and everything in between. But we have an oath to provide you with the tippy-top, and dagnabit, tippy-top is what we did! With aplomb, if I do say so myself. But don't take my word for it! Listen to the episode, then take your own word for it, then send that word to us in all the usual ways Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass Email: fairlykickass@gmail.com The Fairly Kickass website at https://fairlykickass.com is where we house all of our ride-along playlists, including for this episode. We'll throw in some Honorable Mentions too, for funsies. Next week... uhhhh, lemme think... OH! Next week is July reviews. We review July. That's what we'll do. Fun will be had. Until then, we sincerely hope you Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Top 5 Concept/Theme Albums

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers! We come to you with a... breakfast podcast, I guess? We're talking about our Top 5 Concept/Theme Albums on this episode. Those albums that tell a story from beginning to end, or maybe center on a common motif, or where the tracks have enough similarity that they can be grouped together in a logical way, or... you get the gist. (I hope). If you don't get the gist, then the episode will definitely explain it better. (I hope). Hit us up in all the usual ways - let us know if our choices were good, or if you felt that our choices even qualified as concept/theme albums to begin with: Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass Email: fairlykickass@gmail.com The Fairly Kickass website at https://fairlykickass.com is where we house all of our ride-along playlists, including for this episode. We'll have all of our albums laid out for you in the order you heard them in the podcast, so... yeah. Do that, I guess. Next week, we'll hit you with a One Song from one of the most prolific, popular, successful music artists of all time, as well as one of 11 National Heroes of her home country. None of that is hyperbole, I promise, so come check it out. Until then, Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Vibes: Usage of AI in Music

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers! We have another one that might be a bit heavy for some of you - and for good reason - but we felt it was an interesting conversation to have. Dan and Zack (still minus a J) are here with this Vibes episode, where we just... vibe. Good vibes, bad vibes, WTF vibes - all the vibes. It's more conversational and less structured than our other episodes, and as such we use these episodes to cover topics that don't fit neatly into any of the other episode types. The usage of AI in all walks of life has been very hotly contested, especially over the past several years, and music is no exception. We both discuss the topic best we can. (Spoiler: we're both dumb as hell and are far from experts on ANYTHING, much less this.) In other episode types, we absolutely are the authorities; for example, in our Billboard Rerank episodes, each of us is confident that our reranking is correct, and will hear nothing to the contrary! But for this one, there's none of that going on. There are no answers or conclusions at the end of this one. Just vibes. As always, we want each and every one of you to participate in the conversation! Let us know what you think in all the usual ways: Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass Email: fairlykickass@gmail.com The Fairly Kickass website at https://fairlykickass.com is where we house all of our ride-along playlists, among other things, so check that out too. No playlist with this ep, but you'll find the goods for all of our previous episodes for the past couple months - and everything before that is on Spotify with all the music interspersed within the episodes. You have options! Options are cool. We'll be hopping in the Wayback Machine next week for two episodes (7/24 and 7/31) that we recorded before J flew the coop, to make sure y'all don't forget what he sounds like. August reviews after that on 8/7, then... well we can't give you all the keys to the kingdom, y'know? [EDITOR'S NOTE: We don't know yet. we We don't plan here. You know that.] You know what else you know? That's right, you know to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Music Reviews for June 2024

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Oh hello there! Yes you, you who are wanting to talk about the new albums and charting singles from June of 2024. Well let me tell you that... that this is the thing that you want. Yeah. This thing. Our friendly neighborhood J is still on break, and certainly living the dream. Dan and Zack (it me) held down the fort for the reviews this month, and they did... C+ work, maybe? C-? All credit to Producer Nikki for chopping a TON of crap out of this one, because Dan and I can yap with the best of them. We will strive to do better on the next one! Until then, hit us up and let us know how we did: Website: https://fairlykickass.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass Email: fairlykickass@gmail.com Dan and I will have an interesting look at the role of AI in the music world next week - it should be a very interesting conversation. Until then, we hope that you Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast REWIND - Deep Dive: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Pt. 2

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +0000

We're back with Pt. 2 of the Deep Dive into Cleveland's own Bone Thugs-N-Harmony! In Pt. 1, our crew discussed the other crew's history and discography, leading up to BNTHResurrection. In Pt. 2, we pick up at Thug World Order, covering the moving and shaking that lead to the final (for now) album, New Waves. There's still a lot of meat on this... well, you know... so please join us for the conclusion of this fascinating, amazing, wild, and skeletal story. And by "join us", I mean it! Here's some ways that you can join us: Website: https://fairlykickass.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass Email: fairlykickass@gmail.com June reviews will be coming next week! The format will be a bit different, since our trio will be a duo for a spell. It's all good stuff though! Don't worry, because unlike Bone, there is no infighting going on here. (Editor's Note: there's no infighting going on yet.) We should get back to the usual three's company sometime in August! Until then, we hope that you Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast REWIND - Deep Dive: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Pt. 1

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Why hello there! Fairly KickAss here, with our first of many REWIND episodes. These episodes were originally posted back when we were a Spotify-exclusive podcast, and we're pulling them out to allow all of you to listen, no matter where you get your podcasts. (For you Spotify faithful, we will be deleting the original episode so it doesn't show up for you twice!) Also keep in mind that some of these are several years old, and may not be quite up to the level of quality that you have come to enjoy from us. Please be patient and enjoy the ride nonetheless! But enough preamble - let's talk about the episode, shall we? You may be familiar with them from their big hit Tha Crossroads, or you may have listened to some of their other work. You may even be a huge fan of the crew that hails from E. 99th St. and St. Clair Avenue, in the heart of Cleveland. I am talking about none other than Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, one of the most influential hip hop groups of the 1990s, or truly any decade. Bone revolutionized the game with a unique, melodic, songlike delivery of very quick-paced lyrics, with slang to match. You had to take notes to understand it all, but it was a joy to do so. But there's more to the story than just the music - WAY more. This is one of our Deep Dive episodes, where we look at things like the artist's history, their beginnings in the music industry, and all the various stops they made along the way. And boy oh boy, did the members of Bone have some history. So much so, that we had to split this into two episodes. But I'm gonna stop before I spoil too much! Go listen to the ep, and let us know what you think: Website: https://fairlykickass.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass Email: fairlykickass@gmail.com As I mentioned, this is Pt. 1, with Pt. 2 coming next week! Until then AssKickers, we hope that you Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Coverlutions: Yesterday

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 13:00:00 +0000

We went to the well again! This week's episode of the Fairly KickAss Podcast is our very first Coverlutions episode. "What's Coverlutions", you ask, well lemme tell ya all about it. Each of your hosts listen to, and compile, a list of a whole litany of covers of a certain song. We started at the top for this episode, with - from what I could gather - the most covered song of all time, that being Yesterday by The Beatles. The hosts then go rapid fire in a round, firing off a cover one after the other. Each cover can only be... well, covered... once. If it's on your list and someone else says it, then tough luck, you gotta cross it off. If you run out of covers, you're out. Last host standing wins a set of steak knives, or something. The other hosts have veto power as well, over a cover that may be too out there, too ridiculous, too far away from the original, or too "hey my neighbor banged out Yesterday on his acoustic last night". Basically, we had to bring it in order to get it through, and we all did just that. I won't tell you who won, but I will tell you that it was exciting to the very end. So check it out, and especially with this being a new concept, let us know how the heck you feel about it! Website: https://fairlykickass.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass Email: fairlykickass@gmail.com We pair something new this week with something old next week! We think you'll really enjoy it. For now, we hope you enjoy Continuing. to Kick. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Music Reviews for May 2024

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 13:00:00 +0000

May is the worst. Let me explain. So back in 2021, I (Zack - yo) did a dumb bit in the podcast description of the May monthly reviews for new albums and charting singles. I talked about how May marks the 5/12ths point of the year. And then I talked about a lot of other 5/12ths of things. It doesn't make sense yet, I know. But one of my fatal flaws is that I can't let go of a bit. So, in that spirit, and in the spirit of this being one of our first few episodes that aren't Spotify exclusive, let's go back and refresh some of the best (read: worst) of this stupid-ass bit, and then we can put it to bed and just do a regular thing for May 2025's reviews. Please. - 5/12ths of a sandwich: GOOD, but ANNOYING. That likely means that some jerk cut the sandwich juuuuuuust off of right down the middle, and then took the bigger piece. If your cutting skills are bad, you get the smaller piece. It's incentive to cut better. Please consult the Sandwich Bylaws, Chapter 5, Section 12, for more information on this very important topic. - 5/12ths of a car: BAD, although it might be workable if it's the front half. Take that with a grain of salt actually, because I am very much not a CarPerson™ and anything I say about Cars™ is likely false and wrong. - 5/12ths of a dozen bagels: GOOD if you don't have to eat them all at once; otherwise BAD. Can you imagine? Downing five bagels in a single sitting? All the water in the Atlantic won't quench that thirst. Spread 'em out. - 5/12ths of a million dollars: $416,666.66. You tell me. - 5/12ths of a company: OOOOOH. I mean, you own a good portion of it - and I'm gonna guess the company makes something worthwhile, like hamburgers or bingo cards or little replicas of Academy Awards, that you can give yourself in the mirror, with no one else within earshot. "Best Podcast, you say? I did NOT expect this at ALL! Let me take out my list of people to thank." Wait, what the hell was I talking about? - 5/12ths of Radiohead's OK Computer: Exit Music (For A Film); Let Down; Karma Police; Electioneering; Lucky. Throw the rest of the album away. (NOTE: this was from my post last year, and I'm gonna admit it: it was a bad take. That album has no skips. Okay, Fitter Happier is a skip, but it's less a song and more a skit, so we don't have to count it.) - 5/12ths of a platter of tater tots: VERY GOOD, always, in May and every other month and in every year. If you wanna be friends, you will bring me a platter of tater tots. - 5/12ths of The Fairly KickAss Podcast: THE WORST, JUST THE ABSOLUTE WORST. There are choices! There are tons of choices! ...which is why we're always honored to have you here. Whether you listen to one episode or all of them, y'all are the best, and we love and appreciate you. Now go forth and social us! Website: https://fairlykickass.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass Email: fairlykickass@gmail.com And as always, you all better Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - The Rush: Emo Songs

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Do you consider yourself to be a fan of emo music? Are you not a fan, but willing to reconsider? Are you unfamiliar with the genre altogether? Were you looking for an Earwolf or Headgum podcast, and got lost somehow and ended up here? Well in order then: you're in the right place, let us change your mind, we're looking forward to introducing you to the genre, and we understand if you have to go but hopefully you'll stick around for a while! This is our episode type called The Rush, which is short for The Mt. Rushmore. We take a topic - this episode's topic being Emo Songs - and each of us brings our own personal Rushes to the table. We deliberate, argue, bargain, and eventually come up with a collab Rush that we can all agree (mostly) on. All of our Rush selections, as well as a whole heap of honorable mentions, can be found on our website, https://fairlykickass.com, in a handy-dandy Spotify playlist. The first four tracks will comprise our FKA Rush, followed by our individual Rush selections, and finally our honorable mentions. We always like to know what you think though! Did we get the right four tracks? Did we miss anything on our lists? Let us know: Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass Email: fairlykickass@gmail.com A new concept will be coming your way next week! Until then, Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss - Billboard End-of-Year Chart Rerank: 1996

Wed, 29 May 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers! We present to you one of our Rerank episodes, where we take a pre-determined list and sort of... undetermine it. We chop it up, rearrange it, flip it and reverse it, and wright all the rongs of the original list. We then present the highs and lows of our shiny new lists, and give you the rest (along with the appropriate ride-along playlists) over on https://fairlykickass.com. This episode specifically is around the year 1996. As a kid growing up in 1996, I distinctly remember two things: Bill Clinton playing saxophone (the famous clip from the Arsenio Hall show happened in 1992, so I know nothing), and the Olympics in Atlanta. Oh and the Nintendo 64 launched! I've been told that there were games on the console not called "GoldenEye", but I don't buy it. But I digress! Check out the episode, and let us know what you think in all the usual ways: Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fairlykickass Email: fairlykickass@gmail.com More goodness next week! Until then, Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - One Song: Fleetwood Mac

Wed, 22 May 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Ass-Kickers! This is our One Song episode, in which we take an artist's entire discography, listen to every song, and pick the best of the best of the best. With honors. We each get two minutes to make our individual cases for our One Song, and then the other hosts discuss their thoughts. Finally, we present our choices you, Dearest Listener, in hopes that you will pick us accordingly. The ride-along Spotify playlist will be available on https://fairlykickass.com, or directly on our Fairly KickAss Spotify account (https://open.spotify.com/user/w8i7um7s27sbuuav0ou8hrgwc). Once you've listened to all of our submissions, let us know if we got it right - or very, very wrong - in all the usual ways: Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass Email: fairlykickass@gmail.com Make sure to follow us on your podcast platform of choice, to be notified of new episodes. We have our schedule... well, scheduled... out through mid-August, and let us tell you that there's some good stuff on the horizon. Stay tuned for that on your podcast platform of choice. And if you could just do us one more favor, we would like to request that you Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Top 5 Songs For When The World Ends

Wed, 15 May 2024 13:00:00 +0000

What's good Ass-Kickers! We're here with a fun one today. Now, yes, it may not seem fun, based on title alone... but let me tell you all that this one was a blast. After a brief detour into Fortnite Festival, we launched into the episode, with each of us putting our own unique spin on our favorite songs for those good ol' end times - hopefully a scenario that won't come to pass for many generations to come. So grab a beverage, heat up your favorite flavor of Hot Pocket, and settle in for this fun episode. The ride-along Spotify playlist will be available on https://fairlykickass.com, or directly on our Fairly KickAss Spotify account (https://open.spotify.com/user/w8i7um7s27sbuuav0ou8hrgwc). Here are a few other links for your perusal as well: Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass Email: fairlykickass@gmail.com Make sure to follow us on your podcast platform of choice, to be notified of new episodes (which was hopefully something that worked for this episode). Also, we'll be bringing our first Spotify-exclusive episode over next month, as well as a slew of great new content coming throughout the next several wee, so keep your ears peeled for all that. And last (but certainly not least), I hope that you all Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Fairly KickAss Podcast - Music Reviews for April 2024

Wed, 08 May 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Make new friends, but keep the old; those are silver, these are gold.
New-made friendships, like new wine, age will mellow and refine.
Friendships that have stood the test—time and change—are surely best;
Brow may wrinkle, hair grow gray, friendship never knows decay. - Joseph Parry We gather here today for the beginning of the next chapter of the Fairly KickAss Podcast. From our beginnings in April of 2020, to being a Spotify-exclusive podcast in October of 2020 (where you can still find over 150 episodes), to now being back to publishing wherever you get your podcasts - we've had ourselves a journey. First and foremost, to the new listeners, I'd like to offer each and every one of you a warm welcome. If you listened to our podcast trailer, then you got the gist of what we do already! If not, then just know that we are one of THE music podcasts there is. Not one of the best, mind you, but one of THE nonetheless. We'll bring you a ton of music-related content with an episode every week. From monthly reviews to top 5 lists, from finding the best song in an artist's entire discography to deep dives throughout an artist's life and music, and more. We like to make sure that everyone has something that they enjoy. No matter the episode type, you can always expect a few things:

shenanigans from our regular hosts, Dan, J, and Zack, along with surprise guest hosts every so often
music takes that range from "meh" to "delete the podcast immediately"
all of that made to sound sterling, thanks to our esteemed Producer Nikki

This week's episode is our monthly review episode for April. J and Zack will cover the newly-released albums that they liked the most, and Dan will rank all the newly-charting singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, covering the top and bottom of that list. An accompanying playlist will be available on our website, https://fairlykickass.com. Website overhaulin' is a work in progress, so bear with us as we spruce that up! Also go check us out on many of the major social media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairlykickass Instagram: https://instagram.com/fairlykickass TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairlykickass Email: fairlykickass@gmail.com Make sure to follow us on your podcast platform of choice, to be notified of new episodes. Go check out our Spotify-exclusive back catalog, which we will be bringing over to all the platforms slowly but surely. And above all else, whether you're the new friends or the old, always make sure to Keep. Kicking. Ass.

Welcome to the Fairly KickAss Podcast!

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 02:05:54 +0000

Hello, and welcome to the Fairly KickAss Podcast! Whether you're brand new to the podcast, or wanting to find out more about what we do, we appreciate you all the same. This trailer highlights all of the things that we do: - Monthly album/Billboard charting single reviews - Deep Dives into an artist's discography - One Songs, where we debate the very best song in an artist's discography - Billboard Reranks, where we take a year-end Billboard Hot 100 chart and rearrange the songs to the correct order - Top 5's, where we make music-related lists and discuss them We make sure to include a healthy amount of fun and hijinks in every episode, but we bring insightful, well-researched conversations to the party too! Sprinkle in some special features and some outstanding guest hosts, and you've got the recipe for a great podcast. Check us out, and let us know what you think: Fairly KickAss on Facebook, @FairlyKickAss on Twitter, via email at FairlyKickAss@gmail.com, and on the web at fairlykickass.com. And whether you listen to 5 minutes of one episode, or if you become a regular... either way, don't forget to Keep. Kicking. Ass.