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PAST 10s: A Top 10 Time Machine - Music of the 70s, 80s and More
PAST 10s: A Top 10 Time Machine - Music of the 70s, 80s and More
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70s and 80s Music Fans! It’s PAST TENS: A Top 10 Time Machine! The podcast that looks back at a past list of top 10 hits and breaks down the winners, losers and WTF moments. With Michael ”Milt” Wolfe and David Yas (david@pod617.com)Lots of fun revisiting the music of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and beyond.The best 80s songs of all time. The best 70s songs of all time. The best cover songs. The best TV themes. The best movie soundtracks. The best cowbell songs. The worst songs of all time. The best mashups of all time. The best rock of the 70s and 80s. The best hip-hop of the 70s and 80s. And you will hear more than you new about artists like:Michael JacksonPrinceMadonnaDaryl Hall & John OatesGeorge MichaelBilly JoelLionel RichiePhil CollinsJohn Couger MellencampElton JohnKool & The GangKenny RogersHuey Lewis & The NewsWhitney HoustonStevie WonderDiana RossDuran DuranJourneySheena EastonPointer SistersChicagoRick SpringfieldRod StewartBon JoviOlivia Newton-JohnBruce SpringsteenStarshipPaul...
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We took Past Tens on the road for the first-ever Animated Movie Draft, recorded from a friend’s house in Vermont—which immediately set the tone: cozy, loud, slightly unhinged, and absolutely competitive. Four teams entered, rules were explained (and immediately bent), and chaos followed.
The teams: No Capes (Andy and David), How to Train Your Landau (Addie and Dylan), Ka-rin & Stumpy (Milt and Karen), and Everything’s Fein (Michael and Nicole). The mission: draft the greatest animated movies of all time while filling specific categories—pre-1980s, franchise films, musicals, and wildcards—without completely losing your mind or your credibility.
What follows is exactly what you’d expect: big swings, loud objections, wildly personal logic, and a whole lot of “HOW was that still available?” Along the way we veer into childhood crushes, Disney World ride hot takes, Pixar debates, Broadway adaptations, and the eternal question of whether nostalgia is doing way too much heavy lifting.
The draft board fills up with absolute heavyweights—Toy Story, Shrek, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Charlotte’s Web—plus a few picks that inspire stunned silence and/or yelling. Somehow, through all of it, one team quietly puts together a monster draft and walks away with a surprise win that no one fully saw coming (including them).
It’s loud. It’s nostalgic. It’s opinionated. It’s friends arguing about cartoons like it matters—which, obviously, it does.
Topics
00:14 Recording on Location in Vermont
00:51 Drafting the Greatest Animated Movies
03:19 Team Introductions and Draft Rules
09:51 First Round Picks
15:58 Second Round Picks
28:40 Third Round Picks
36:40 Peter Pan and Childhood Crushes
37:58 Disney World Ride Experiences
39:12 Drafting Disney and Pixar Films
40:37 Ratatouille and Modern Disney Rides
42:39 Musicals and Broadway Adaptations
45:39 Final Draft Picks
49:53 Honorable Mentions
01:01:03 Judging and Announcing the Winner
Dave and Milt crack open the Billboard Top 10 from January 14, 1984 — a chart absolutely stacked with heavy hitters like Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, Duran Duran, Culture Club, Elton John, and more. It’s pop perfection, power ballads, synth hooks, and at least one harmonica discussion that gets wildly out of hand.
Along the way, the guys dig into the songs, the lyrics, and the cultural moment — plus listener emails, high-school flashbacks, and a true story of Dave weaponizing song lyrics. There’s serious love for classics like “Owner of a Lonely Heart” and “Say Say Say,” plus some healthy debate when Milt swaps out “Break My Stride” for Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody,” and Dave pulls an audible by replacing “Talking in Your Sleep” with early-era U2.
Expect deep dives, dumb tangents (baseball makes a surprise appearance), TikTok-era song revivals, harmonica legends, and the usual combination of nostalgia, nitpicking, and laughs that probably goes on five minutes longer than planned — as it should.
Chapters:
01:59 Listener Mail
09:43 Back to 1984
14:21 The Countdown Begins
35:56 Harmonica Jealousy (Yes, Really)
37:40 Elton John Gets the Blues
42:55 “Break My Stride” (or Does It?)
45:33 Songs That Refuse to Die on TikTok
55:21 Olivia Newton-John Curveball
01:01:46 Duran Duran Era Begins
01:19:22 “Owner of a Lonely Heart”
01:25:54 McCartney + MJ
01:34:12 The Substitution Chaos
01:44:51 Final Thoughts & What’s Next
Dave and Milt fire up the DeLorean and head straight for the 1980s—specifically, the Grammy Awards’ Record of the Year decisions, many of which now feel… let’s say debatable. With equal parts reverence and side-eye, the guys re-litigate whether the Grammys nailed it, blew it, or flat-out whiffed.
Spirited debates, personal memories, a few “wait—that won??” moments, and plenty of good-natured sniping as each year gets put back on trial. Along the way, there are trivia detours, surprise segments, and the occasional musical sacred cow being gently (or not so gently) tipped over. It’s nostalgia with receipts—and just enough wisdom earned the hard way.
Topics
01:27 Listener love, Spotify Wrapped, and setting the mood
03:07 The Grammys do-over: ground rules and grievances
04:14 1980 Record of the Year on the stand
13:43 1981: justice served… or appealed
21:34 1982: vibes vs. legacy
28:50 1983: hits, hindsight, and head-scratching
35:37 1984: peak ’80s energy
41:29 Playdate: Grammy trivia chaos
48:05 1985: the year that wouldn’t behave
48:57 Nominees under the microscope
50:09 Tina Turner reminds everyone who’s boss
51:28 Iconic ’80s hits and cultural whiplash
54:43 1986: the nominees speak for themselves
57:55 USA for Africa takes the trophy
01:06:30 1987: a crowded field
01:08:14 Steve Winwood’s surprise victory lap
01:14:41 1988: tough calls and tougher opinions
01:16:36 Graceland and the controversy that won’t die
01:21:56 1989: joy, confusion, and whistling
01:23:23 Bobby McFerrin sparks debate
01:26:29 Michael Jackson vs. Tracy Chapman (and why this is hard)
01:33:56 Final verdicts, revised history, and closing arguments
Hop in the Time Machine and buckle up, because in this episode of Past Tens, Dave and Milt do what they do best: stare directly into the pop-culture sun and ask, “So… how did we get here?”
The fellas break down Billboard’s Top 10 songs of 2025 — praising the bangers, questioning the head-scratchers, and revisiting a few familiar names that refuse to leave the charts (looking at you, Bruno). Along the way, they dig into artist backstories, chart momentum, and whether these songs are future classics… or just temporarily living rent-free in our brains.
As always, there’s a twist: every modern hit gets paired with an older song that shares its DNA — same vibe, same arc, same “I’ve heard this before but can’t quite place it” energy. Is pop music evolving, looping, or just wearing a new jacket? Dave and Milt investigate.
Expect karaoke stories, party chaos, musical crescendos, country-rap identity crises, unexpected love songs, and at least one moment where someone asks, “Wait… how old is that guy?”
It’s nostalgia, analysis, laughs, and just enough musical snobbery to feel like home.
Topics (or: Things We Somehow Spent 90 Minutes Talking About)
01:02 – Karaoke and party highlights (regrets were made)
03:16 – Credit cards, cookies, and adult responsibility creeping in
03:50 – Reflecting on past music trends (and how we swore this wouldn’t happen again)
04:29 – The Top Songs of 2025, with a nostalgic twist
10:22 – Chappell Roan, Pink Pony Club, and the long road to overnight success
21:28 – Bruno Mars & ROSÉ: APT. and the art of pop precision
29:41 – Post Malone & Morgan Wallen: I Had Some Help (did they though?)
33:44 – Alex Warren: influencer → musician → wait, this kinda works
40:53 – Benson Boone and the beauty of a well-timed emotional explosion
44:01 – Music tastes, aging, and coming to terms with both
44:38 – The science of crescendos (aka “why this song suddenly slaps”)
47:32 – Billie Eilish and her ongoing evolution
52:02 – The Cure, because somehow they always come up
54:12 – Teddy Swims and vocal gymnastics
01:00:24 – Country-rap, reinvention, and genre identity crises
01:06:12 – Kendrick Lamar’s unexpected love song moment
01:15:33 – Bruno Mars & Lady Gaga: when pop royalty teams up
01:24:25 – Final thoughts, year-end reflections, and closing the book on 2025
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.























