All Episodes

‘Fast Car’ by Tracy Chapman and the Locus of Storytelling

Sidetrack - Mark Cries on Mic (and Nichole Laughs)

‘When You Were Young’ by The Killers and Personal Fables of Dissonance

Sidetrack - Mark’s Son Has a Hot Take on Fleetwood Mac

‘Dreams’ by Fleetwood Mac and Grieving Phrase Structure

Sidetrack - The Superpowers of a Family Band

‘Numb’ by Linkin Park and the Identity of a Scream

Sidetrack - Season 2 Mailbag 2

‘Man! I Feel Like a Woman!’ by Shania Twain and Feminist Falling Fourths

Sidetrack - Authenticity in the Age of A.I. (with Michael Serazio)

‘Motownphilly’ by Boyz II Men and the Rondo of the Mainstream

Sidetrack - The Most Unlikeable Song Characters Ever

‘If I Could Change Your Mind’ by HAIM and Pacing Your FOMO

Sidetrack - Building an Album Track List (with Chris Fafalios)

‘Down Under’ by Men at Work and Copyright Conundrums

Sidetrack - The 2026 Grammy Awards Album Deep-Dive

‘It Wasn’t Me’ by Shaggy and Pacing Your Denial

Sidetrack - In the 90s, the Record Labels Got Weird (with Matt Kelly)

‘Enter Sandman’ by Metallica and Truck Driver Trauma

Sidetrack - Season 2 Mailbag 1

‘Wonderwall’ by Oasis and Reflecting Birth Order

Sidetrack - Talking ‘Bout My Generation (with David Lorehound)

‘Hello’ by Lionel Richie and the Circle of Erotomania

Sidetrack - The NTM Ultimate Holiday Playlist

‘Don’t Let Me Down’ by The Chainsmokers and Rhythmic Distortion

Sidetrack - Why Superman is Hopepunk (with Elysia Brenner)

‘One Way or Another’ by Blondie and Monophonic Grit

Sidetrack - The Ballpark Organist Who Won the World Series (with Steve Hogan)

‘Kiss From a Rose’ by Seal and Picardy Positivity

Sidetrack - When Superfans Get the Keys to the Kingdom (with Bree Nguyen)

‘Emotions’ by Mariah Carey and Oxytocin Octave Displacement

Sidetrack - Mark and Nichole’s Eras Playlist

‘Cardigan’ by Taylor Swift and Episodic Anacrusis

Sidetrack - Season 1 'Awards Show'

'Lithium' by Nirvana and Set Theoretical Ego-Dystonia

Sidetrack - Season 1 Mailbag 3

'Circles' by Post Malone and Running Away With the Tune

Sidetrack - Psychics are Good Psychologists

'I Say a Little Prayer' by Dionne Warwick and Total Meter Institutions

Sidetrack - Michael Jackson and Problematic Artists

'Waiting' by Green Day and Unplugging Your Overtones

Sidetrack - The Best Concerts Ever

'bury a friend' by Billie Eilish and Nightmare Sequences

Nichole Ranks the Weird Instruments in Pop Songs

'Stellar' by Incubus and Backbeat Ambiguity

Sidetrack - Girly and Manly Musical Instruments

'Cuz I Love You' by Lizzo and When Hindsight is Out of Key

Sidetrack - Peaking Too Soon

'Time After Time' by Cyndi Lauper and Off-Beat Personality

Bonus! Music Study Group Part 3

Sidetrack - Mark's Lousy High School Music Teacher

Bonus! Music Study Group Part 2

'Undone - The Sweater Song' by Weezer and the Blue Notes of Depression

Bonus! Music Study Group Part 1

Sidetrack - Season 1 Mailbag 2

‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head’ by Kylie Minogue and Catchy Intrusive Thoughts

Sidetrack - Nichole on the Tragedies and Triumphs of TLC

‘Baby-Baby-Baby’ by TLC and When Ambiguity is Great

Sidetrack - Sharing Song Credit

‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’ by Tears for Fears and Rhythms from the Big Chair

Sidetrack - Nichole Reacts to the NTM Theme Music

‘Grenade’ by Bruno Mars and Codependent Minor Scales

Sidetrack - Why ‘What a Fool Believes’ by The Doobie Brothers is the Greatest Song of All Time

‘Hotline Bling’ by Drake and Possessive Interruptions

Sidetrack - The Barbershop Quartets are Coming for Mark

‘Long Train Runnin’’ by The Doobie Brothers and Flashbulb Cadences

Sidetrack - Mark Geeks Out About Minimalism

Bonus! - Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music (feat. David Lorehound)

‘Levitating’ by Dua Lipa and Modular Melodic Personalities

Sidetrack - Tackling Tough Topics in Class

‘I’m Sprung’ by T-Pain and We’re All Missing the Point About Auto-Tune

Sidetrack - The 2025 Grammy Awards

‘Everybody Talks’ by Neon Trees and Tense Rumors

Sidetrack - Season 1 Mailbag 1

‘Defying Gravity’ from Wicked and Holding Space for add9 Chords

Sidetrack - Culture Shock and Why Nichole Hates California

‘Party in the U.S.A.’ by Miley Cyrus and Pentatonic Life Transitions

Sidetrack - Absurdly Specific Supergroups

‘The Way You Move’ by Outkast and Mental Schema Progressions

Sidetrack - Why ‘For Me This is Heaven’ by Jimmy Eat World is the Greatest Song of All Time

‘Enjoy the Silence’ by Depeche Mode and Interval Introverts

Sidetrack - Mark Pays Tribute to His Old Band, Dream Hydra

‘Jumpin’, Jumpin’ by Destiny’s Child and Leaping Neuroplasticity

Sidetrack - The AI Apocalypse in Music and Therapy

‘Semi-Charmed Life’ by Third Eye Blind and When Radio Edits are Cool

Sidetrack - Nichole’s Superpowered Dreams

‘Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing’ by Stevie Wonder and Descending Worry Lines

Sidetrack - Why Nichole is a Fan of Grief

‘True’ by Spandau Ballet and the Money Notes of a Middle School Dance

Sidetrack - Our Favorite Cover Songs

‘Tha Crossroads’ by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and the Four Rhythms of Grief

‘The Sign’ by Ace of Base and Jung’s Collective Parallel Minor

‘That's What You Get' by Paramore and the Motivic Limbic System

Introducing Nevermind the Music