History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff

349 episodes

History in Five Songs Episode 346: Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel as Doppelgangers
10/2/2026 | 37 mins.
In Episode 346 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin traces the parallel career arcs of Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel, comparing their conservative early albums, synchronized creative peaks, shared technologies and collaborators, commercial high points, and eventual semi-retirement marked by long gaps, home studios, and artistic mystique.

Peter Gabriel – “Modern Love”

Kate Bush – “Delius”

Peter Gabriel – “Mercy Street”

Kate Bush – “Snowed in at Wheeler Street”

Peter Gabriel – “Intruder”

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History in Five Songs Episode 345: Rock Stars with No Gold Records
08/2/2026 | 38 mins.
In Episode 345 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin explores surprisingly famous rock stars across metal, prog, and punkrock who—despite major influence, acclaim, and ticket-selling power—never earned a single U.S. gold record.

Scorpions – “Top of the Bill”

Status Quo – “Down Down”

Porcupine Tree – “Shallow”

The Replacements – “I Don’t Know”

Motörhead – “(Don’t Need) Religion”

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History in Five Songs Episode 344: Infiltrated by Americans
03/2/2026 | 36 mins.
In Episode 344 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin explores how famously British and international bands—from Yes and Black Sabbath to Bowie, Foreigner, and Peter Gabriel—gradually absorbed American members, not to “become American,” but through creative instinct, convenience, touring realities, and fresh energy that subtly reshaped their sound and identity.

Yes – “Cut from the Stars”

Foreigner – “Lonely Children”

Sepultura – “Unconscious”

Rainbow – “Freedom Fighter”

Peter Gabriel – “The Family and the Fishing Net”

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History in Five Songs Episode 342: Title Track as Last Track
28/1/2026 | 36 mins.
In Episode 342 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin contemplates the unusual choice of albums where the title track appears last, and examines what that placement says about the songs and albums, using examples from Slayer, Alice in Chains, David Bowie, and more.

Slayer – “Seasons in the Abyss”

Nazareth – “No Mean City”

Alice in Chains – “Black Gives Way to Blue”

April Wine – “The Whole World’s Going Crazy”

David Bowie – “Heathen (Rays)”

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History in Five Songs Episode 343: Biggest Left Turns
20/1/2026 | 32 mins.
In Episode 343 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin explores the most surprising and often baffling musical “biggest left turns,” spotlighting bands that radically and unexpectedly reinvented their sound—from punk to prog, metal to synth-pop, and rock to funk—often defying logic, trends, and their own pasts.

The Saints – “See You in Paradise”

Alice Cooper – “Leather Boots”

The Meat Puppets – “Paradise”

The Tubes – “Tip of My Tongue”

Rush – “Lock and Key”

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About History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff

History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff is the show that aims to make grand and often oddball hard rock and heavy metal points through a narrative built upon the tiny idea of a quintet of songs. Buttressed with illustrative clips, Martin argues quickly and succinctly why these songs - and the specific sections of these tracks - support his mad professor premise, from the wobbly invention of an “American” heavy metal, to the influence of Led Zeppelin in hair metal or to more succinct topics like tapping and twin leads. The songs serve as bricks, but Martin slathers plenty of mortar. At the end, hopefully he has a sturdy house in which this week’s theory can reside unbothered by the elements. At approximately 7000, Martin has had published in books more record reviews than anybody in the history of music writing across all genres. Additionally, Martin has penned approximately 85 books on hard rock, heavy metal, classic rock and record collecting. Proud part of Pantheon - the podcast network for music lovers.

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