History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff

In Episode 329 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin digs through the decade’s heavy underground to find traces of early U.S. doom metal—spotlighting bands like Sir Lord Baltimore, Blue Öyster Cult, and Kiss—while concluding that true doom wouldn’t fully take shape in America until years after Black Sabbath set the template. Sir Lord Baltimore – “Kingdom Come” Blue Oyster Cult – “This Ain’t the Summer of Love” Kiss – “Strange Ways” Aerosmith – “Nobody’s Fault” Ted Nugent – “Venom Soup” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 328 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin explores “the last hair metal album”—digging into the moment before grunge overtook the charts to pinpoint which glossy, glam-fueled record marked the true end of hair metal’s unironically flashy golden era. Guns N’ Roses – “Think About You” Trixter – “Heart of Steel” Slaughter – “Spend My Life” Extreme – “Get the Funk Out” Jackyl – “Brain Drain” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 327 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin ponders the question of which record truly marked the end of prog’s golden era, tracing the genre’s rise from King Crimson and Genesis through Pink Floyd and Yes, and debating where the vitality of prog finally gave way to punk, new wave, and beyond. King Crimson – “Fallen Angel” Genesis – “Deep in the Motherlode” Pink Floyd – “Waiting for the Worms” Yes – “Does It Really Happen?” Rush – “The Camera Eye” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 326 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin tracks the explosive pre-album stirrings of punk—from the Ramones’ debut and the Saints’ first single to the Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks, and Damned taking shape—marking the moment the underground coalesced into a global movement. Ramones – “Judy is a Punk” The Saints – “(I’m) Stranded” The Damned – “New Rose” Chris Spedding + The Vibrators – “Pogo Dancing” The Sex Pistols – “Anarchy in the UK” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 325 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin explores how Randy Bachman’s relentless pursuit of hit songs shaped BTO, Trooper, Prism, and beyond, sparking a uniquely Canadian glam-infused rock movement that left both successes and curiosities in its wake. Trooper – “Live from the Moon” 0:28 – 0:58 Prism – “Virginia” 0:30 – 0:59 Union – “Mainstreet U.S.A.” 0:12 – 0:42 Loverboy – “Jump” 0:18 – 0:48 Bachman-Turner Overdrive – “Can We All Come Together” 0:00– 0:30 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 324 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin explores how outside songwriters like Desmond Child, Jim Vallance, and Diane Warren sometimes elevated bands such as Kiss, Aerosmith, and the Scorpions, showing that even rock purists can be happily fooled when the collaboration works. Kiss – “Heaven’s on Fire” Aerosmith – “Heart’s Done Time” Scorpions – “Don’t Believe Her” Ratt – “Shame Shame Shame” Ozzy Osbourne – “That I Never Had” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 323 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin rants about "the outside songwriter’s worst sin"—pop vocal melodies—spotlighting how they derailed bands like Aerosmith, Heart, and Ozzy Osbourne by forcing generic, label-driven hooks that undermined each artist’s authentic voice. Aerosmith – “Magic Touch” Heart – “All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You" Alice Cooper – “Bed of Nails” Ozzy Osbourne – “Patient Number 9” Rolling Stones – “Whole Wide World" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 322 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin delves into the tricky art of finding the ideal replacement singer, while breaking down why some frontman swaps succeed or fail—covering cases from AC/DC to Black Sabbath and AC/DC to Fleetwood Mac, Deep Purple and beyond. AC/DC – “Flick of the Switch” Black Sabbath – “Country Girl” Fleetwood Mac – “Monday Morning” Deep Purple – “Stormbringer” Pantera – “Cowboys from Hell” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 321 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin contemplates how the mid-'70s marked a seismic shift in rock as American hard rock, prog, and singer-songwriter acts like Kiss, Aerosmith, Kansas, the Eagles, and more began to eclipse their British counterparts, signaling a new era of U.S. dominance in popular music. Kiss – “Rock Bottom” The Who – “Success Story” The Eagles – “Too Many Hands” Styx – “Light Up” Deep Purple – “Dealer” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 320 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin explores the “curious chaos” of hair metal live albums, as he surveys the patchy, inconsistent releases of the era—ranging from double-gatefold throwbacks to scrappy singles, EPs, and bonus-track hybrids—and examines how changing technology, shifting band abilities, and label strategies shaped a messy, often underwhelming legacy. Dokken – “Tooth and Nail” Great White – “Bad Boys” Y&T – “25 Hours a Day" Scorpions – “Bad Boys Running Wild” Guns N’ Roses – “It’s Alright” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 319 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin explores “Ozzy’s Long Death Reckoning,” tracing lyrical themes of mortality, spiritual reckoning, and existential dread throughout Ozzy Osbourne’s five-decade career—from early doom-laced Sabbath tracks to solo reflections on heaven, hell, and legacy. Ozzy Osbourne – “Centre of Eternity” Ozzy Osbourne – “Road to Nowhere” Ozzy Osbourne – “Facing Hell” Ozzy Osbourne – “Life Won’t Wait” Ozzy Osbourne – "Goodbye" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 318 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin pays tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne by exploring the apocalyptic, anti-war, and deeply personal themes running through Ozzy’s lyrics across his career—what Martin calls “Ozzy’s warnings to the world.” Ozzy Osbourne – “Revelation (Mother Earth)” Ozzy Osbourne – “Thank God for the Bomb” Ozzy Osbourne – “Whole World’s Fallin’ Down” Ozzy Osbourne – “Black Rain” Ozzy Osbourne – “Diggin’ Me Down” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 317 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin ponders the limited success and distinctive characteristics of non-American hair metal, focusing on Canada and the UK, and examining why the genre largely failed to flourish outside the U.S. despite a few notable efforts. 1. Helix – “High Voltage Kicks” 1:13 – 1:432. The Quireboys – “7 O’Clock” 0:24– 0:543. Europe – “On the Loose” 0:26 – 0:564. Scorpions – “Unholy Alliance” 0:54 – 1:245. Krokus – “Out of Control” 0:46 – 1:26 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 316 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin takes a cheeky sideways swipe at the groove: Martin lines up Deep Purple, Queen, The Jam, Boomtown Rats, and The Clash, drops the needle on their “too‑funky‑for‑their‑own‑good” moments, and shows how a fatback beat can splinter line‑ups, sideline guitars, and tank whole careers. If you’re curious why Richie Blackmore bolted, how Freddie’s dance‑floor obsession blindsided Brian May, or where Paul Weller’s mojo wandered, cue this episode and hear Martin’s vinyl‑crackling verdict on bands ruined by funk. Deep Purple – “You Can’t Do It Right” Queen – “Back Chat” The Jam – “Precious” The Boomtown Rats – “Mood Mambo" The Clash – “Ivan Meets G.I. Joe” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 315 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin dives deep into the fascinating world of heavy metal albums that never achieved gold certification, spotlighting legendary but commercially underperforming releases from Black Sabbath, Angel Witch, Slayer, Venom, Mercyful Fate, and more — proving that critical acclaim and genre-defining influence don't always come with big sales. Black Sabbath – “Hot Line” Angel Witch – “Atlantis” Venom – “Sacrifice” Savatage – “On the Run” Scorpions – “Pictured Life” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices