<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1770290/open_sms">Send us a text</a>What makes a Christmas song timeless? We set ourselves a deceptively hard challenge: pick the single most iconic holiday track from each decade, starting with the 1960s and ending in the 2010s, then fuse them into one perfect album side. Right away a pattern emerged—so many beloved songs weren’t immediate smashes. They took years to climb, re-entered charts as rules changed, and found new life through radio, TV specials, movies, and, later, streaming. We start with Darlene Love’s Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), released on the day of JFK’s assassination and later crowned by time, then square it against Burl Ives’ Holly Jolly Christmas, seared into memory by Rankin/Bass. In the 70s, Lennon and Ono’s Happy Xmas reframed the “Christmas song” as purposeful protest while McCartney’s Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time perfected the carefree synth sleigh-ride. The 80s deliver spectacle and sentiment: Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas birthed charity supergroups and Live Aid, while Wham’s Last Christmas kept quietly climbing until it nearly topped the chart four decades later. The 2000s were a tougher hunt, but they showcase platform power. Faith Hill’s Where Are You Christmas rides the Grinch soundtrack into perennial status as Britney’s My Only Wish (This Year) evolves from TRL-era fluff to streaming favorite. Then the 2010s give us precision nostalgia: Kelly Clarkson’s Underneath The Tree, crafted with Greg Kurstin to echo Phil Spector’s wall of sound, stands shoulder to shoulder with Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You, the modern juggernaut that finally reached No. 1 decades after release and returns every year like clockwork. By the end, we’ve got a front-to-back holiday playlist with a story: how classics are born, forgotten, revived, and ultimately adopted as tradition. Hit play, then tell us your decade winners, the sleepers we missed, and the holiday deep cuts you swear by. If you enjoy the show, follow, share with a friend, and leave a quick review—it helps more listeners find their new favorite December soundtrack.One idea. Six songs. Infinite possibilities...

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1770290/open_sms"&gt;Send us a text&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;What makes a Christmas song timeless? We set ourselves a deceptively hard challenge: pick the single most iconic holiday track from each decade, starting with the 1960s and ending in the 2010s, then fuse them into one perfect album side. Right away a pattern emerged—so many beloved songs weren’t immediate smashes. They took years to climb, re-entered charts as rules changed, and found new life through radio, TV specials, movies, and, later, streaming.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;We start with Darlene Love’s Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), released on the day of JFK’s assassination and later crowned by time, then square it against Burl Ives’ Holly Jolly Christmas, seared into memory by Rankin/Bass. In the 70s, Lennon and Ono’s Happy Xmas reframed the “Christmas song” as purposeful protest while McCartney’s Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time perfected the carefree synth sleigh-ride. The 80s deliver spectacle and sentiment: Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas birthed charity supergroups and Live Aid, while Wham’s Last Christmas kept quietly climbing until it nearly topped the chart four decades later.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;The 2000s were a tougher hunt, but they showcase platform power. Faith Hill’s Where Are You Christmas rides the Grinch soundtrack into perennial status as Britney’s My Only Wish (This Year) evolves from TRL-era fluff to streaming favorite. Then the 2010s give us precision nostalgia: Kelly Clarkson’s Underneath The Tree, crafted with Greg Kurstin to echo Phil Spector’s wall of sound, stands shoulder to shoulder with Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You, the modern juggernaut that finally reached No. 1 decades after release and returns every year like clockwork.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;By the end, we’ve got a front-to-back holiday playlist with a story: how classics are born, forgotten, revived, and ultimately adopted as tradition. Hit play, then tell us your decade winners, the sleepers we missed, and the holiday deep cuts you swear by. If you enjoy the show, follow, share with a friend, and leave a quick review—it helps more listeners find their new favorite December soundtrack.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One idea. Six songs. Infinite possibilities...&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Send us a text What makes a Christmas song timeless? We set ourselves a deceptively hard challenge: pick the single most iconic holiday track from each decade, starting with the 1960s and ending in the 2010s, then fuse them into one perfect album side. Right away a pattern emerged—so many beloved songs weren’t immediate smashes. They took years to climb, re-entered charts as rules changed, and found new life through radio, TV specials, movies, and, later, streaming.  We start with Darlene Lov...

Christmas by the Decade!

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1770290/open_sms">Send us a text</a>One idea. Six songs. Infinite possibilities...

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1770290/open_sms"&gt;Send us a text&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One idea. Six songs. Infinite possibilities...&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Send us a text One idea. Six songs. Infinite possibilities... 

2011, Rebuilt: The Perfect Album Side

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1770290/open_sms">Send us a text</a>Windham &amp; Steve weigh the moments that launched rock into the mainstream, from Elvis and the Beatles on TV to Woodstock, Michael Jackson’s moonwalk, and the rise of digital streaming. Then we stress-test rock mythology with the “couch test,” deciding which bands would make good house guests. • Elvis and the Beatles making TV a rock megaphone • Woodstock as the festival blueprint and its lasting imprint • MJ’s Motown 25 moonwalk and live spectacle escalation • Digital music’s access vs ritual tradeoffs • Bad Company tribute highlights and cover craft • New supergroup buzz featuring Rucker, Mills, and more • The couch test for bands: chaos vs courtesy • From Motley Crue to Hootie: who gets a yes • KISS side-roads, nostalgia, and pinball lore • Tease: building the perfect album side of 2011 One idea. Six songs. Infinite possibilities...

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1770290/open_sms"&gt;Send us a text&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Windham &amp;amp; Steve weigh the moments that launched rock into the mainstream, from Elvis and the Beatles on TV to Woodstock, Michael Jackson’s moonwalk, and the rise of digital streaming. Then we stress-test rock mythology with the “couch test,” deciding which bands would make good house guests.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;• Elvis and the Beatles making TV a rock megaphone&lt;br/&gt;• Woodstock as the festival blueprint and its lasting imprint&lt;br/&gt;• MJ’s Motown 25 moonwalk and live spectacle escalation&lt;br/&gt;• Digital music’s access vs ritual tradeoffs&lt;br/&gt;• Bad Company tribute highlights and cover craft&lt;br/&gt;• New supergroup buzz featuring Rucker, Mills, and more&lt;br/&gt;• The couch test for bands: chaos vs courtesy&lt;br/&gt;• From Motley Crue to Hootie: who gets a yes&lt;br/&gt;• KISS side-roads, nostalgia, and pinball lore&lt;br/&gt;• Tease: building the perfect album side of 2011&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One idea. Six songs. Infinite possibilities...&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Send us a text Windham &amp; Steve weigh the moments that launched rock into the mainstream, from Elvis and the Beatles on TV to Woodstock, Michael Jackson’s moonwalk, and the rise of digital streaming. Then we stress-test rock mythology with the “couch test,” deciding which bands would make good house guests.  • Elvis and the Beatles making TV a rock megaphone • Woodstock as the festival blueprint and its lasting imprint • MJ’s Motown 25 moonwalk and live spectacle escalation • Digital music...

PAS Single: Motley Crue Can’t Crash Here, But Hootie Can

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1770290/open_sms">Send us a text</a>Some songs don’t wait for the chorus to hook you—they grab you from the very first word. In this episode of The Perfect Album Side, we explore the magic of vocal hook intros: those unforgettable openings where the human voice alone sets the stage, commands attention, and makes the song instantly recognizable. From haunting whispers to soaring shouts, we dig into why these moments leave such a lasting mark, how they’ve shaped decades of music history, and what makes a vocal hook intro so powerful. It’s a journey through the art of making a first impression—music that doesn’t just start, it arrives.One idea. Six songs. Infinite possibilities...

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1770290/open_sms"&gt;Send us a text&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Some songs don’t wait for the chorus to hook you—they grab you from the very first word. In this episode of &lt;em&gt;The Perfect Album Side&lt;/em&gt;, we explore the magic of vocal hook intros: those unforgettable openings where the human voice alone sets the stage, commands attention, and makes the song instantly recognizable. From haunting whispers to soaring shouts, we dig into why these moments leave such a lasting mark, how they’ve shaped decades of music history, and what makes a vocal hook intro so powerful. It’s a journey through the art of making a first impression—music that doesn’t just start, it &lt;em&gt;arrives&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One idea. Six songs. Infinite possibilities...&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Send us a text Some songs don’t wait for the chorus to hook you—they grab you from the very first word. In this episode of The Perfect Album Side, we explore the magic of vocal hook intros: those unforgettable openings where the human voice alone sets the stage, commands attention, and makes the song instantly recognizable. From haunting whispers to soaring shouts, we dig into why these moments leave such a lasting mark, how they’ve shaped decades of music history, and what makes a vocal hook...

The Power of Vocal Intro Hooks

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1770290/open_sms">Send us a text</a>Finally an episode worth my time and talents! This week on the Perfect Album Side Podcast we get real big focusing on the iconic bass intro riffs! Yes, it’s about damn time.   We scour decades of great music to find those intro rhythms with some serious bottom.  Those first few notes are unmistakable and unforgettable!  Join us this week as we take the PAS All The Way To The Bass!!! One idea. Six songs. Infinite possibilities...

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1770290/open_sms"&gt;Send us a text&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Finally an episode worth my time and talents! This week on the Perfect Album Side Podcast we get real big focusing on the iconic bass intro riffs! Yes, it’s about damn time.   We scour decades of great music to find those intro rhythms with some serious bottom.  Those first few notes are unmistakable and unforgettable!  Join us this week as we take the PAS All The Way To The Bass!!! &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One idea. Six songs. Infinite possibilities...&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Send us a text Finally an episode worth my time and talents! This week on the Perfect Album Side Podcast we get real big focusing on the iconic bass intro riffs! Yes, it’s about damn time.   We scour decades of great music to find those intro rhythms with some serious bottom.  Those first few notes are unmistakable and unforgettable!  Join us this week as we take the PAS All The Way To The Bass!!!  One idea. Six songs. Infinite possibilities... 

All the Way to the Bass!

Two self-proclaimed rock geniuses join forces each week to create The Perfect Album Side.  Utilizing immense musical knowledge, unmatched wit, & amazing insights, the guys uncover the very best tracks that define the topic of the day…..1 idea.  6 songs.  Infinite possibilities.

The Perfect Album Side Podcast

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