PAST 10s: A Top 10 Time Machine - Music of the 70s, 80s and More

Live from the glamorous crossroads of America (a Best Western in Sheboygan, Michigan), Dave and Milt roll out the red carpet—or at least a slightly wrinkled hallway runner—for the Second Annual Tennies, our totally prestigious, minimally regulated awards honoring the very best moments of the podcast year that was. This is the episode where we look back, point, laugh, occasionally wince, and then laugh harder. We hand out trophies (imaginary, but emotionally heavy) for categories like Best Guest, Worst Tale of Woe, Best Use of Creepy AI, and—because we are who we are—the highly competitive Best Penis Joke. It’s a night filled with surprise guest appearances, unnecessary musical detours, tech hiccups that absolutely should not have happened, and stories that somehow got more awkward with time. Between heartfelt moments, holiday chatter, listener emails, and Milt doing things that can only be described as “very Milt,” the Tennies once again prove that when you give two guys microphones and zero adult supervision, magic—questionable, chaotic magic—can still happen. Topics 01:29 – Opening Monologue: Big Energy, Questionable Confidence 04:30 – Best Use of Creepy AI (We’re Sorry, Humanity) 12:22 – Best Guest (Actual Talent Appears) 17:39 – Worst Tale of Woe (Pain + Time = Comedy) 20:38 – Best Invention (Patent Pending, Probably Not) 23:43 – Best Time Machiner Email 34:10 – Parenting Jokes We Immediately Regretted 34:29 – The Susanna Hoffs Concert That Broke Our Brains 35:44 – Best Machiner Email: Champion Emerges 37:21 – Dreams, Delusions, and Podcast Therapy 39:47 – Classic Milt Moments (A Deep Bench) 43:18 – Things We Definitely Didn’t See Coming 53:53 – Rapid-Fire Chaos 56:48 – (We don’t mean to be dicks, but …) Best Penis Jokes  

On this holiday-themed episode of Past Tens: A Top 10 Time Machine, Dave and Milt crank up the festive vibes with a full-blown pop-culture trivia throwdown—covering Christmas songs, movies, TV episodes, and other seasonal nonsense we all pretend not to love (but absolutely do). Along the way, they pause to address the elephant in the studio: the growing list of celebrities who’ve inconveniently passed away shortly after being mentioned on the pod. Is it coincidence? A curse? Or just the most unfortunate branding accident in podcasting history? (Welcome back to the Murder Pod™.) The trivia pulls heavily from ‘80s-style music bar trivia, beloved TV shows like The Office and Friends, and classic holiday films and specials—some heartwarming, some traumatic, all fair game. There’s also a little holiday housekeeping, a stroll down Past Tens memory lane, and a tease for next week’s Second Annual Tennies Awards, because yes, we are absolutely giving trophies to songs again. Festive? Yes. Educational? Occasionally. Slightly unhinged? Always. Topics: 00:00 Welcome back to Past Tens 02:02 Holiday vibes & trivia setup 04:24 The ongoing “Murder Pod” situation 10:17 Holiday pop-culture trivia kicks off 30:50 Christmas movie trivia (brace yourself) 31:44 Bill Murray’s many brothers in Scrooged 34:24 Broadway Christmas movies (somehow a thing) 35:19 Christmas Movie PTSD 36:28 Classic Christmas songs & TV nostalgia 37:51 The Office and Friends holiday episodes 46:05 The Star Wars Holiday Special and other mistakes 56:37 Bonus questions & the wrap-up

Fire up the flux capacitor, because this episode of Past Tens: The Top 10 Time Machine drops Dave and Milt straight into December 1988—a moment in pop history when power ballads were mandatory, New Jack Swing was kicking down the door, and Welcome to the Jungle somehow coexisted with Two Hearts on the same chart. The guys break down the Billboard Top 10, taking respectful (and occasionally reckless) swings at songs from Guns N’ Roses, Bobby Brown, Phil Collins, Anita Baker, Poison, and more. Along the way: personal war stories from the era, cultural detours through VH1 lists and The Simpsons, and a spirited debate over which songs still slap—and which ones are just riding muscle memory. Also on the docket: Milt returns from the Dominican Republic with vacation tales, sunburns, and karaoke decisions that may not age well A pop quiz involving songs with the word “heart” (because 1988 loved feelings almost as much as synthesizers) Diane Warren doing Diane Warren things Chicago… late-period Chicago… that Chicago And yes, Every Rose Has Its Thorn, because of course it’s here It’s music analysis, nostalgia, gentle roasting, and genuine affection for a wildly eclectic Top 10—exactly the way December ’88 deserves.   Topics 00:00 – Welcome back to Past Tens 00:37 – Vacation tales, sunburns, and bad decisions abroad 03:04 – Karaoke: regrets may vary 04:32 – Strap in, time machine engaged 05:53 – Setting the scene: December 1988 12:43 – The Top 10 countdown begins 21:46 – Eddie Money goes full pop 29:37 – The Bangles flirt with psychedelic pop 35:34 – Guns N’ Roses kick in the door 40:39 – Welcome to the Jungle as an opening statement 41:35 – VH1’s “greatest hard rock song” debate 43:19 – The Simpsons enters the chat 45:48 – Phil Collins’ Two Hearts (and Buster) 48:27 – Phil Collins + Lamont Dozier = hit math 51:54 – Heart-themed song quiz (feelings everywhere) 01:05:03 – Boy Meets Girl: pure late-’80s yearning 01:10:25 – Anita Baker delivers, as always 01:14:56 – Late-era Chicago: brace yourself 01:16:11 – The “adult contemporary” era explained 01:17:03 – Diane Warren’s invisible fingerprints 01:21:03 – Bobby Brown and the New Jack Swing takeover 01:25:02 – Top 10 hits with spelling-bee energy 01:32:32 – Every Rose Has Its Thorn (yes, that one) 01:37:43 – Recaps, swaps, and second thoughts 01:40:07 – Final thoughts and the ride home  

On this very special episode of Past Tens, your beloved hosts — one recovering from surgery, the other recovering from life — roll out something brand new: The Starter Kit. Think of it as the musical tasting menu nobody asked for but absolutely needed. We each pick a band. We give you the essentials. You pretend to take notes. Everybody wins. Dave kicks things off with Duran Duran, because nothing says “starter kit” like a band that basically invented the MTV era and then refused to leave. Yes, we hit Hungry Like the Wolf — the song that launched a thousand hair products — but we also dig into the weird, wonderful, and criminally underrated corners of their catalog. Then Milt, bless him, grabs his power-pop heart and heads straight into Fountains of Wayne, a band that somehow packed more storytelling into three-minute pop songs than most novelists manage in 400 pages. And yes, we go far beyond Stacy’s Mom. (If you know what I mean. And I think you do.) It’s all here: music geekery, nostalgia, sideways humor, and the occasional moment where we accidentally sound like we know what we’re talking about. Episode Breakdown (aka: Pretending This Is a Real Show With Structure) 00:00 – Welcome! 00:43 – Health updates and the Past Tens community proving once again they’re nicer than we deserve 01:25 – Surgery stories — because nothing pairs with pop music like anesthesia flashbacks 05:27 – Listener shout-outs and general podcast tomfoolery 09:15 – Introducing The Starter Kit (trademark pending, MFers!) 14:19 – Dave’s Duran Duran Starter Kit: hits, deep cuts, Bond themes, oh my 45:16 – Surprise: Public Enemy’s “911 Is a Joke” enters the chat 46:12 – Best pop-culture use: The James Bond theme that actually slaps 49:24 – Milt opens the Fountains of Wayne vault 56:36 – The hits, the almost-hits, and the “why didn’t anyone listen to this?” tracks 58:13 – Hidden gems and critic candy 01:01:23 – The comedy, the lyrics, the stories — this band was funny on purpose 01:13:56 – Live performances and unexpected covers 01:20:41 – The legacy and why they still matter 01:28:00 – Wrap-up, listener love, and an open invitation to argue with us online  

Ladies and gentlemen, what you are about to experience is nothing less than a rollicking romp through the gilded pantheon of televised tomfoolery! In this extraordinary edition of “Past Tens: The Top 10 Time Machine,” your indefatigable host Dave, with the unparalleled, inimitable chartmeister Milt sidelined by injury, in steps a stupendous subsititution, the incomparable Mark Gerber! The duo embark upon a triumphant return to that most spectacular, most ludicrous, most magnificently melodramatic of American institutions: The Battle of the Network Stars! Dave and Mark seize the moment, diving headlong into the swirling waters of nostalgia. They revisit — with the reverence of historians and the joi de vivre of carnival barkers — the unforgettable competitions of the '70s and '80s: the sinew-straining tug-of-war battles, the kayaking cataclysms that defied physics, the controversies that shook the nation, and the races that left audiences gasping for breath. Marvel as Debbie Allen storms back from adversity on the obstacle course! Tremble as kayak after kayak — piloted by celebrities who had no business in watercraft — spirals into beautifully chaotic disaster! Relive the titanic clash between Gabe Kaplan and Robert Conrad, a showdown that echoed through the annals of competitive fluff! And through it all, you’ll hear the resonant ghost of Howard Cosell himself, narrating each triumph and tragedy with Olympian gravitas and trademark incredulity. This is no mere recap, friends — it is a celebration of Trash TV in its purest, most incandescent form. A reminder of why this bizarre, charming, star-studded spectacle remains etched into the hearts of millions.   Topics 00:53 Declaring the Golden Age of Trash TV 01:12 Enter Mark Gerber — a man ready for battle 02:28 Time Machine engaged: Destination, Network Stars 04:35 Celebrity titans reviewed 10:23 The Voice of God: Cosell’s commentary 13:54 Countdown ignites 26:39 Crystal vs. Letterman — an unlikely duel 32:34 Debbie Allen triumphs heroically 36:02 Ow! Injuries aplenty 36:49 Debbie Allen’s unquenchable spirit 37:03 Celebrity connections revealed 38:25 Mark Harmon: athlete among mortals 40:02 “Summer School” reveries 42:48 Kayaks of chaos 1:00:02 Tug of war tension mounts 1:07:21 The climactic heave-ho 1:08:30 A plunge into Real People 1:10:36 CBS vs. NBC — a struggle for the ages 1:15:45 Cosell’s iconic crowning moments 1:30:28 Conrad vs. Kaplan: The myth, the matchup 1:38:09 A wistful farewell to the magic of Network Stars  

Just when you think you know the answers to 80s music trivia, we start changing the questions. Here you go, Machiners. 5 rounds. 5 questions each round.  Choose wisely.

Strap in, Time Travelers — Dave and Milt are firing up the chart-powered DeLorean and punching in the week of November 21, 1981, a glorious moment when MTV was still shiny and new, Hall & Oates ruled with feathered fists, and your boombox was probably eating AA batteries like Milt eats pretzels. We kick things off with the Hill Street Blues theme — because nothing says “Let’s rock!” like a soft-focus keyboard stroll through cop drama melancholy — and roll straight into gems like the Stones’ “Start Me Up” and ONJ’s gym-class megabanger “Physical.” Along the way, we unpack the significance of each track, including the ones we love, the ones we pretend to love, and the ones we loudly and publicly shame. Naturally, the listener mailbag makes an appearance: grievances, duet arguments, strong opinions delivered politely (and occasionally not). We even dive into the “Should this have been Top 10?” cul-de-sac, where great songs go to be judged and mocked with affection. And yes — we address our brief hiatus, courtesy of Milt’s upcoming surgery, which he insists is “minor,” yet has somehow required him to create a 14-page Google Doc labeled “My Brave Journey.” Timecoded Play-By-Play 00:00 – Welcome back to Past Tens, the podcast that keeps the time machine running on sarcasm and soft rock. 00:34 – Boogie Nights and the fine art of fake rock songs. 02:14 – Listener mail: duet debates, arguments, and emotional damage. 10:16 – Time Machine locked on Nov. 21, 1981. Hold onto your parachute pants. 20:31 – The Hill Street Blues theme wanders in with a soft jazz shrug. 39:31 – Monica’s haircut catastrophe. Blame the ’80s. 41:46 – The Police take the stage. Sting begins brooding. 42:40 – The origin story of The Police — including Sting’s hair, which absolutely deserves its own prequel. 47:12 – The Office vs. The Police: musical connections you didn’t ask for. 52:20 – Little River Band tries to rock. It goes… okay. 58:36 – Bob Seger goes live and proves he only needs two chords and a throat made of sandpaper. 01:04:16 – Listener trivia time: where humiliation meets celebration. 01:16:48 – Air Supply floats in with a cloud made of soft rock and perms. 01:19:28 – The Stones drop their last great song — Dave said it, fight him. 01:22:39 – Stones music video analysis: men running in place and wearing things they shouldn’t. 01:24:03 – Early demos of “Start Me Up,” before it became a sports-arena mandatory. 01:25:09 – Commercial success, i.e., the part where Mick bought another house. 01:26:48 – Trivia bonding — yes, it’s adorable. 01:27:37 – Foreigner melts faces with “Waiting for a Girl Like You.” 01:32:38 – Hall & Oates slap on the trench coats for “Private Eyes.” 01:40:54 – Olivia Newton-John gets physical, and so do we. 01:45:47 – Looking back at 1981: the hits, the misses, the hair. 01:58:36 – Sign-off and a preview of things to come… after Milt survives his lifetime-movie surgery arc.

There once were two hosts, Milt and Dave, Whose duets made the time charts behave. From Loggins and Nicks, To Bowie’s slick mix, They delivered the hits that we crave. They told tales of songs that still shine, Shared memories, both yours and mine. From the gems underplayed, To the legends they made, Each chorus a perfect design. Then came a fast lightning round— More duets, more magic they found! With laughter and cheer, They wrapped up the year, In sweet, two-part harmony sound. 🎙️   topics 00:59:10 Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson — Say Say Say 01:00:05 Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper — Shallow 01:01:20 Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb — Guilty 01:02:10 Johnny Cash & June Carter — Jackson 01:03:05 Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson — Jam (Heavy D cameo love) 01:04:05 David Bowie & Bing Crosby — Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy (improbable and perfect) 01:05:10 Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell — Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing 01:05:45 Natalie Cole (with Dad) — Unforgettable (goosebumps/AI-free tears) 01:06:15 Stevie Nicks & Don Henley — Leather and Lace (this was the wedding duet!) 01:07:00 JAY-Z & Alicia Keys — Empire State of Mind (NY anthem; Boston politely nods) 01:09:00 The Jacksons & Mick Jagger — State of Shock (Freddie demo rabbit hole unlocked) 01:11:00 Don Henley & Axl Rose — I Will Not Go Quietly (this pairing weirdly slaps) 01:14:00 Kenny Loggins & Steve Perry — Don’t Fight It (ambiguously great duo) The Official Top 10 (ranked) Queen & David Bowie — Under Pressure Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty — Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around Barbra Streisand & Neil Diamond — You Don’t Bring Me Flowers Meat Loaf & Ellen Foley — Paradise by the Dashboard Light Tina Turner & Bryan Adams — It’s Only Love Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell — Ain’t No Mountain High Enough John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John — You’re The One That I Want Elton John & Kiki Dee — Don’t Go Breaking My Heart Philip Bailey & Phil Collins — Easy Lover Kenny Loggins & Stevie Nicks — Whenever I Call You “Friend” Running bits & quotables “This podcast is a duet. End of list.” “You don’t bring me McDonald’s Diet Coke anymore. It’s over.” “Nerds Gummy Clusters: the Reese’s Cup of candy collabs.” “Grease’s flying car? My only note: call the tower.” Homework for Time Travelers Hit us with your missing duets (yes, we know, Endless Love fans). Nominate a “Worst Duets Ever” for the inevitable roast episode. If you have the Freddie + MJ ‘State of Shock’ demo link, share it. We’re already halfway down that rabbit hole. Keep the harmony coming Email: Top10TimeMachine@gmail.com Site: TimeMachinePod.com (updated every time we post; still rocking the cheese-fries photo)  

Strap in, time travelers — Dave and Milt are firing up the Time Machine and heading straight back to a world of ripped jeans, Aqua Net, and questionable rap credibility. It’s November 3, 1990, and the Billboard Top 10 is a glorious mashup of hair metal hangovers, pop perfection, and one dude named Vanilla who made us all say “Yo, VIP, let’s kick it.” Cool, Vanilla. Wax those chumps, bro. The guys chew over Warrant’s sticky-sweet “Cherry Pie” (spoiler: it’s aged like a dessert left in the sun), Janet Jackson’s rock-star moment with “Black Cat,” and, yes, the cultural phenomenon that was “Ice Ice Baby.” There’s a detour into bar mitzvah memories, a look at early-’90s musical growing pains, and even a round of trivia celebrating songs that kick off with iconic sound effects. Expect the usual blend of nostalgia, nonsense, and “Wait, that was this year?” revelations. It’s another totally rad trip through time with your favorite chart-chomping duo. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 – Welcome to Past Tens 01:15 – Weekend shenanigans 04:54 – Remembering MTV’s Remote Control 06:37 – November 1990: a magical, mulleted time 15:34 – The countdown begins 37:47 – That one wildly inappropriate wedding song 39:13 – Alias and the slow death of hair metal 40:07 – New Jack Swing is here to stay 42:04 – Teen slang and nonsense words (we blame Color Me Badd) 43:29 – Babyface and the silky sound of After 7 49:34 – MC Hammer: Can’t touch his chart dominance 57:33 – James Ingram makes everyone cry 01:08:20 – Janet shreds with Black Cat 01:18:20 – The Sound Effects Song Quiz begins 01:22:39 – Somehow, Billie Eilish and The Office show up 01:24:03 – From Love in an Elevator to Civil War: sound effects galore 01:29:57 – The inevitable Ice Ice Baby moment 01:36:46 – What happens when AI meets pop music 01:38:32 – Countdown recap 01:51:57 – Dave and Milt say goodbye (until the next time warp)

Dave and Milt reminisce about MTV's cultural impact following the announcement of its shutdown after 44 years. They share personal stories and memories from appearing on the classic MTV game show 'Remote Control.' Dave and Milt each recount their episodes, including detailed behind-the-scenes antics, their interactions with other contestants, and hilarious moments with Colin Quinn and other cast members. They even encounter a young Adam Sandler. The duo wraps up by honoring MTV's significant influence in their formative years and its transformation over time. SEE THE VIDEO: https://youtu.be/-p9ejRP97Bc?si=vSNrff8QYA09-Bpu Topics 00:57 Remembering MTV's Legacy 03:56 MTV's Remote Control Game Show 11:24 Auditioning for Remote Control 16:15 Milt's Episode on Remote Control 31:57 Behind the Scenes and Final Thoughts 42:28 A Day of Filming: The Struggles and Surprises 44:55 The MTV Play Date: Trivia Time 50:09 Dave's MTV Experience: A Memorable Journey 51:48 The Game Show: Highs and Lows 58:18 Behind the Scenes: Funny and Awkward Moments 01:14:41 Reflecting on the MTV Days 01:18:02 Conclusion: Nostalgia and Farewell

Fire up the time machine, because Dave and Milt are cranking it to 1973—the year rock gods walked among us. Joined by fellow music geeks Scott Ziegler and David Kaufer, the crew dives headfirst into a snake draft of pure, analog glory. From Billy Joel finding his voice on Piano Man to Elton painting the sky on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, and from Pink Floyd’s cosmic masterpiece Dark Side of the Moon to Zeppelin’s mythic Houses of the Holy—this draft’s got more classic riffs than your uncle’s record shelf. Expect heated debates, shameless nostalgia, and more name-dropping than a ‘70s liner note. There’s strategy, there’s sentiment, and yes—there’s a few questionable picks that’ll have you yelling at your cassette player. The guys also round things out with movie soundtracks and TV themes from ‘73, because apparently, we couldn’t stop humming even when the radio was off. PROGRAMMING NOTE: Here's the 2021 episode where Milt and Dave rank the top 10 editions of Schoolhouse Rock (a 1973 debut): https://timemachinepod.podbean.com/e/top-10-of-schoolhouse-rock-recalling-the-kitsch/   Topics 00:00 – Cue the time machine and the dad jokes 01:23 – The rock draft begins (and chaos follows) 11:07 – First-round fireworks: everyone wants Floyd 33:52 – Aerosmith enters the chat 40:15 – George Harrison quietly crushes 44:40 – Elvis says “Aloha,” literally 57:19 – American Graffiti brings the feels 01:24:16 – Paul Simon rhymes his way home 01:39:32 – Honorable mentions and a few dishonorable omissions

Strap in, Time Travelers—because this week on Past Tens: The Top 10 Time Machine, Dave and the Chartmeister himself, Milt, are punching the flux capacitor back to October 18, 1980. That’s right: the hair was feathered, the collars were popped, and the Billboard Top 200 albums were stacked with pure, uncut classic rock and pop cocaine (the musical kind). We’re talkin’: AC/DC at their thunderstruck peak, The Stones proving they’re still cockroaches of rock, The Cars running you down with new-wave horsepower, George Benson smooth enough to butter your bagel, Pat Benatar telling you “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” before you even loaded the Nerf gun, and the Doobies trying to figure out if they’re yacht rock or biker bar blues. Oh, and don’t sleep on Olivia Newton-John and ELO building Xanadu out of neon tubes, Diana Ross finding disco Chic, Babs hanging with the Bee Gees, and Queen dropping The Game that still puts other bands in checkmate. Along the way, Dave and Milt roast, reminisce, and occasionally sound like two guys who’ve had one too many Zimas. Expect hot takes, random tangents, and—of course—our weekly “Substitution,” where we bench one of the charted albums and sneak in a criminally under-loved record. So grab your Members Only jacket, fire up the turntable, and join us for a ride through a truly transformative year in music. Episode Breakdown 00:00 – Welcome to the madness 00:27 – Meet your musical time pilots: Dave & Milt 02:03 – What this pod is and why you’re stuck with it 04:20 – October 18, 1980: cue the DeLorean 14:16 – Deep dive on the Top 10 albums 52:12 – Band tensions, soap operas, and shifting sounds 54:28 – Doobies: breaking up, making up, and reuniting again 54:35 – Movie soundtrack corner: iconic scenes & tunes 57:30 – Musical Brothers Quiz (fight night edition) 01:07:10 – Xanadu: soundtrack, roller skates, and ELO lasers 01:14:58 – Diana Ross meets Chic: disco still lives! 01:21:52 – Babs & the Bee Gees: polyester heaven 01:27:26 – Queen’s The Game: play it loud 01:34:51 – Top 10 recap + substitution smackdown 01:42:23 – Caddyshack soundtrack, gophers, and final thoughts

Break out the Jordache jeans and slap bracelets—we’re firing up the Past Tens DeLorean and crash-landing straight into October 4th, 1986. Hosts Dave and Adam are your snarky tour guides through the Billboard Top 10, a week where Lionel Richie was literally defying gravity, Tina Turner was calling out “Typical Males” (present company excluded… maybe), and Run-DMC teamed up with Aerosmith to smash a wall and music history all at once. Adam admits to surviving a Lionel Richie concert back in the day (dancing on the ceiling, not covered by health insurance), we deep-dive Janet Jackson’s pop domination, and we wonder aloud if Carl Anderson and Gloria Loring’s “Friends and Lovers” was written for a daytime soap opera—or by one. Plus, there’s a Juno Awards trivia smackdown, some righteous Canadian music history, and our patented “swap-a-song” gimmick. It’s nostalgia, pop-culture snark, and synthesizer-drenched storytelling—Past Tens style. Find Adam Yas music at www.adamyas.com Topics 00:00 — Cold Open: Welcome to Past Tens—seatbelts optional, sarcasm mandatory. 00:26 — Meet the Hosts: Dave and Adam: like Hall & Oates, but with more bad puns. 03:54 — Confession Time: Adam cops to seeing Lionel Richie live in ’86. Yes, he’s fine. 06:59 — Pop Culture Check-In: Shoulder pads, Top Gun, and too much Aqua Net. 17:06 — Countdown Kickoff: The Billboard Top 10 begins—cue drum machines. 36:55 — Walk This Way: How Run-DMC and Aerosmith blew up MTV (and a wall). 38:20 — The Collab Heard ‘Round the World: Rap + Rock = mind blown. 42:05 — Studio Secrets: Steven Tyler screaming into the void… for art. 44:55 — MTV Controversy: Rock, rap, and race colliding on your TV screen. 53:12 — Phil Collins at Live Aid: Because Phil had to be everywhere. 57:42 — Stacey Q Spotlight: Two of hearts… but one too many listens. 01:11:37 — Oh, Canada: Glass Tiger teaches us “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone).” 01:19:01 — Trivia Time: Dave vs. Adam in the Great Juno Awards Quiz. 01:19:45 — Sentimental Sidebar: A Nickelback tangent, with bonus dad stories. 01:26:32 — Janet Jackson Rules the World: Control, Rhythm Nation incoming. 01:34:31 — Friends and Lovers: A song that belongs on General Hospital. 01:39:24 — Huey Lewis & The News: “Stuck With You” and dad-rock glory. 01:44:29 — The Big Reveal: Top song of October 1986. Drumroll, please. 01:45:16 — Winner of the Week: Adam swaps out a Top 10 dud for a hidden gem. 01:56:57 — Closing Credits: The flux capacitor cools down—until next time.  

We saw Spinal Tap 2, flipped the big red switch, and counted down the best 1980s songs that peaked at #11. Because these… go to 11. Also: sexy drummers, armadillos, and Milt trying to make Kenny Loggins a sports anthem (again). Quick Hit Summary Mini-review of Spinal Tap 2 (Paul! Elton! Still loud.) Countdown: our blended Top 10 “peaked at #11” bangers from the ’80s Playdate: 11 questions about… 11 (of course) A respectable pile of “also-rans” that just missed the podium Chapter Guide 00:00 – Cold open / mic check / Past Tens roll call 06:05 – Fire up the Time Machine 07:06 – What we’re doing: ’80s songs that peaked at #11 (Spinal Tap salute) Tap Talk 07:50 – Spinal Tap 2 quick take: tone matched, laughs landed 09:45 – Cameos: Paul McCartney (charming), Elton John (scene-stealer) 10:55 – Aging rockers, commitments vibes, and a very funny new drummer 12:40 – Why sequels usually whiff and why this one didn’t The Countdown — The ’80s Songs That Went to 11 #11 – 00:15:00 Thompson Twins – “Doctor! Doctor!” (1984) Second-British-Invasion synth-pop sugar rush. “How was this not Top 10?” energy. #10 – 00:16:00 Gary U.S. Bonds – “This Little Girl” (1981) Boss-built boomerang: written/produced by Springsteen & Stevie Van Zandt; Clarence on sax. Roots-rock strut with comeback swagger. #9 – 00:22:00 Sheila E. – “A Love Bizarre” (1985) Prince pixie dust, 12-minute club glide, percussion queen doing queen things. #8 – 00:27:00 Michael Jackson – “Another Part of Me” (1987) From the Captain EO era: Quincy groove, Disney cheese, undeniable bounce. #7 – 00:34:00 The Contours – “Do You Love Me” (re-charted 1988) Dirty Dancing rocket fuel: Motown growl makes the Catskills naughty again. Playdate – 00:43:00 11 Questions about “11” (Kyrie, Larkin/Rollins, 7-Eleven’s rogue lowercase n, Swingers, Messier, Bledsoe & Edelman, Ocean’s Eleven = Matt Damon, Marshall amps, Eleven = Millie Bobby Brown, Jeter wore 11 in the minors, etc.) #6 – 00:52:00 Kenny Loggins – “This Is It” (1980) Blue-eyed soul with Michael McDonald cosign; NCAA montage hall-of-famer. #5 – 00:57:00 Loverboy – “Hot Girls in Love” (1983) Aerosol, hooks, and harmless himbo energy. Dumb? Sure. Fun? Absolutely. #4 – 01:01:00 Prince – “I Wanna Be Your Lover” (1980) Pre-Purple Rain princelet: falsetto glide, post-disco snap, future royalty loading. #3 – 01:07:00 Bryan Adams – “Somebody” (1985) Reckless sweet spot: denim-rock churner with live-aid mojo. Ballad break = beer run. #2 – 01:11:00 Go-Go’s – “Head Over Heels” (1984) Pop truffle perfection. Jane Wiedlin piano break = pure dopamine. #1 – 01:26:00 Stevie Nicks – “Edge of Seventeen” (1981) The white-wing-dove war cry. Signature solo cut. A Top 10 snub so egregious it should be a congressional hearing. Also-Rans & Near-Misses (rapid fire) Stevie Wonder – “I Ain’t Gonna Stand for It” Bangles – “Walking Down Your Street” Little River Band – “The Other Guy” (The Other Guys synergy!) Toto – “I’ll Be Over You” Debbie Gibson – “Electric Youth” (Dave votes yes; Milt files an appeal) Soul II Soul – “Keep On Movin’” (Milt’s neo-soul crush) Benny Mardones – “Into the Night” (we heard you, Internet) The Police – “Spirits in the Material World” Paul Davis – “Cool Night” (yacht softness) Naked Eyes – “Promises, Promises” Dead or Alive – “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)” If this episode made your dial go to 11, share it with a friend, drop a 5-star on Apple/Spotify, and come argue with us at timemachinepod.com or toptentimemachine@gmail.com. Rock responsibly, Time Travelers.  

Fire up the Time Machine, people—Dave and Milt are going full throttle back to ’75, and it’s a funky, feathered-hair free-for-all. On this Past Tens episode, your fearless hosts trash-talk, gush, and generally geek out over Billboard’s Top 10 from September 27, 1975. Bad Company growls, Sweet glitters, and somewhere in there Dave derails the whole thing with a personal “I almost died in a hospital gown” story. Milt, ever the Chartmeister historian, connects the dots between these jams and the cultural circus of the mid-’70s, while Dave sprinkles in snarky asides, dad jokes, and a rant or two about sandwiches. They bounce between rock, funk, country, and schmaltz, drop a few under-the-radar nuggets, and even debate whether Glen Campbell’s Broadway references were about, y’know… actual Broadway. Then it’s Playdate time: Dave throws down a Generation X Rock Hall challenge that makes Milt sweat. By the end, they’re arguing about whether this whole lineup deserves a permanent plaque in the Time Machine Hall of Fame—or just a polite golf clap. Timestamps for your nostalgic pleasure: 00:00 – Past Tens roll call 00:25 – Sandwich rambling commences 01:34 – Dave’s hospital misadventure 06:05 – Time Machine ignition 07:06 – Top 10 countdown starts 13:52 – Bad Company brings the thunder 20:59 – Sweet turns the glam up to 11 28:56 – Freddie Fender’s tear-stained road trip 34:52 – Famous Freds ranked (because why not?) 35:12 – Fender deep dive 36:01 – Janis Ian breaks every heart in the room 40:23 – Seventeen-year-old angst songs dissected 48:31 – Barry Manilow achieves… let’s call it a musical climax 54:09 – Gen X Rock Hall face-off 01:04:19 – “Run Joey Run” and the tragedy of teen melodrama 01:12:22 – The Isley Brothers get funky 01:14:19 – Disney, algorithms, and mild outrage 01:14:53 – Tragic news + media gripes 01:19:10 – Glen Campbell mysteries solved (or not) 01:22:54 – Bowie goes funky chic 01:29:06 – John Denver’s swan song 01:33:12 – Wrap-up, wisecracks, and reflection

Milt and Dave fired up the Time Machine and landed smack in September of 1991, when mullets were plentiful and Blockbuster late fees could bankrupt you. We’re running down the box-office champs—from Arnold blowing stuff up in Terminator 2 to Billy Crystal roping cattle in City Slickers, with pit stops at Woody Harrelson’s baby-faced cameo in Doc Hollywood and the horror sequels nobody really asked for. Along the way, we: Trade war stories about seeing these flicks in sticky-floored theaters. Act out scenes like idiots (you’re welcome). Dish out Rotten Tomatoes scores and wildly unfair judgments. Wonder aloud why The Commitments still slaps and why Dead Again deserved more love. Debate whether Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is epic or just Kevin Costner cosplaying with a bad accent. And yes—some of these movies aged like fine wine (T2), while others… let’s just say they’ve turned to vinegar (Child’s Play 3, I’m looking at you). Episode Breakdown 00:00 – Bickering & Banter 01:19 – Dave apologizes for… something. Again. 02:17 – Nostalgia bomb: our ’91 movie memories 03:56 – The countdown begins 07:20 – The Commitments review 17:27 – Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves 27:44 – City Slickers 38:40 – The Doctor 45:47 – Child’s Play 3 (spoiler: nope) 47:03 – Box office chatter & that weird UK crime link 51:40 – Doc Hollywood + baby Woody Harrelson 58:25 – Hot Shots! (Charlie Sheen’s golden era) 01:08:10 – Terminator 2 drops the hammer 01:16:40 – Dead Again review 01:23:09 – Freddy’s Dead autopsy 01:31:28 – Winner of the Week & closing thoughts It’s loud, it’s nostalgic, it’s a little snarky—just another ride in the Top 10 Time Machine.

It’s time travel, disco balls, and questionable fashion choices as Dave, Milt, and our buddy Adam Ya Ooh Ya Yas crack open the Billboard Top 10 from September 8, 1979. What holds up? What makes us cringe? What still makes us want to roller-skate in short-shorts? We’ve got opinions. Expect heated debates on “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” vs. “My Sharona,” detours into random trivia, and the usual cocktail of nostalgia, snark, and stories you didn’t ask for but can’t stop listening to. Spoiler: Bruce makes an accidental cameo. Highlights include: 🎲 Dave stumbles into Lady Gaga while prepping for ’79. Don’t ask. 🎬 Licorice Pizza, John Peters, and other Hollywood detours. 🎤 Yacht Rock therapy session. 🎻 Devil vs. Fiddle Showdown. ⚡ ELO teaches us not to bring them down (but we do anyway). 💍 Celebrity marriages, Taylor Swift tangents, and Bar Mitzvah flashbacks. 🎶 Chic’s “Good Times” and why it’s secretly behind everything. 🎸 The Knack still smacking us with “My Sharona.” And of course, the Past Tens patented Substitution Segment™—where we rip out one of the so-called “hits” and jam in a better one from that week. Then we slap a grade on the whole list like we’re back in homeroom. Settle in. This episode’s longer than a disco 12-inch single.

Dave and Milt welcome Alan Siegel — yes, that Alan Siegel, the guy who literally wrote the book Stupid TV: Be More Funny – How The Golden Era of The Simpsons Changed Television and America Forever. If you thought you loved The Simpsons, wait until you hear Alan dissect his top 10 episodes with a surgeon’s precision and a fanboy’s heart. We’re talking Radio Bart, Bart Sells His Soul, Marge vs. The Monorail, and the rest of the Mount Rushmore of Springfield. These aren’t just funny episodes — they’re cultural autopsies of America served up with Duff Beer and a Sideshow Bob cackle. Along the way we get trivia nuggets, writer shoutouts, and Alan’s camp stories (yes, summer camp connects here — don’t ask, just listen). Bottom line: it’s a nerdy lovefest for the show that taught us how to laugh at society, politics, and ourselves — long before Twitter ruined jokes forever. Topics 00:54 Special Guest: Alan Siegel 01:20 The Simpsons: A Shared Passion 02:09 Alan’s Summer Camp Connection 04:09 How Alan Ended Up at The Ringer 07:28 Why The Simpsons Still Rules 09:20 Bart Sells His Soul 13:41 Homer at the Bat 44:19 Smooth Segue (or not) 44:38 Itchy & Scratchy & Marge 46:10 Simpsons as Social Commentary 48:06 Simpsons the Fortune Teller 50:27 Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie 54:19 Fan Interaction, Simpsons Style 57:10 Marge vs. the Monorail 01:04:04 Homer the Heretic 01:08:33 Last Exit to Springfield 01:13:11 Lisa’s Substitute 01:18:12 Mr. Plow 01:21:49 Simpsons Trivia + Wrap-Up

It’s August 21, 1982, and Dave and Milt are back in the Time Machine, swimming in the Billboard Top 10 like it’s the world’s most awkward pool party. Chicago is apologizing all over the place with “Hard to Say I’m Sorry,” Fleetwood Mac is politely asking you to “Hold Me,” and Survivor is still living off that “Eye of the Tiger” Rocky money. Along the way, we detour into soda-related TikTok challenges (yes, apparently Sprite is dangerous now), celebrity death news (spoiler: not good news), and listener emails that range from insightful to “are you sure you hit send on the right show?” You’ll also get trivia, remakes, a live “Kids in America” cameo from Billy Joe Armstrong, and a heated swap-out session where we boot some Top 10 squatters in favor of better songs from the same era. We break down Chicago’s yacht-rock-adjacent apology, Fleetwood Mac’s post-breakup awkward magic, and Steve Miller’s “Abracadabra” (spoiler: it’s about bras). Then it’s all Mellencamp all the time—his name changes, his childhood surgery, his failed acting gigs, and yes, the time Mark Wahlberg tried to rap “Hurt So Good” for reasons unknown to mankind. By the time we get to “Eye of the Tiger,” we’ve covered Paul Anka swing covers, the movie Swingers (which is not about what you think), and every ridiculous tangent your mother warned you about. We close with some song swaps, listener feedback, and a reflection on how the early ’80s somehow made both syrupy ballads and aggressive workout anthems coexist on the same chart without anyone’s head exploding. Topics  00:24 – Banter and Soda Talk 01:10 – The Sprite Challenge: Darwinism in a Can 02:14 – Pop Culture News & Celebrity Deaths 04:11 – Listener Emails (Some of Which We Actually Read) 06:02 – Music Trivia and Useless but Fun Facts 07:28 – Countdown Recap + Air Supply: The Musical NyQuil 10:06 – Chicago’s Over-Apologetic Hit 18:46 – Fleetwood Mac’s Polite Cry for Affection 29:19 – Steve Miller’s “Abracadabra” (Yes, Really) 39:29 – Mellencamp Evolution: From Cougar to Heartland Icon 42:01 – Wahlberg Raps Mellencamp (You’ve Been Warned) 44:25 – Pulp Fiction & The Soul Theory (Because Why Not) 46:56 – Top 10 Recap of August 21, 1982 48:52 – “Eye of the Tiger”: From Rocky to Ringtone 54:45 – Paul Anka Swings the Tiger 56:35 – Swingers: False Advertising 58:32 – Song Substitutions & Why We’re Right 01:15:58 – Closing Thoughts & Open Season on Feedback

Break out the confetti and questionable fashion choices—we’re turning six! To mark the occasion, Dave and Milt jump into their chart-shaped time machine and land smack in the neon glow of 1982, where Paul McCartney was still cranking out hits, Air Supply hadn’t yet exhausted their supply of feelings, and the Go-Go’s were busy corrupting the youth on VHS tape. You’ll get chart commentary, deep cuts of trivia, unsolicited opinions, and a listener email so good it made us want to binge a Billy Joel documentary (and maybe some Billy Joel himself). Also: CSN takes a nap, REO regrets an album, and we discover something called Johnny Aloha which... yeah, you’ll just have to listen. Oh, and there’s a game at the end where Milt tries to identify artists from insane lists Dave cooked up in a fever dream. It’s harder than it sounds. Topics & Timestamps: 01:06 – 🎂 Past 10s turns 6! (No cake. Just vibes.) 02:06 – 📬 Listener Mail: Billy Joel, Hawaiian covers, and other detours 07:35 – 🧪 Playing with podcast formats because we can 09:46 – 📻 Countdown begins: Billboard Top 10 of 1982 20:26 – 🎹 Paul McCartney takes it away (but where?) 28:30 – 🎶 Crosby, Stills & Nash still got it... kinda 34:17 – 🏖 The Go-Go’s go on Vacation and never come back 42:08 – 📉 Why that band broke up (and maybe deserved it) 42:42 – 🌺 Johnny Aloha: Hawaiian covers for people who hate normal covers 44:34 – 📼 That infamous Go-Go’s hotel video 46:50 – 👙 Sydney Sweeney controversy (because of course) 50:40 – 🚫 REO Speedwagon wishes this album never happened 56:15 – 💔 The rise and soft-rock fall of Air Supply 01:03:25 – 🎲 Play Date: The music trivia game you didn’t know you needed 01:18:08 – 🧠 Wrap-up and tease for next week (it’s gonna be good)