Entering Beard Phase with Mike Posner

EPISODE #99

Mike Posner has written hits for himself (“I Took a Pill in Ibiza”) and for stars from Justin Bieber (“Boyfriend”) to Maroon 5 (“Sugar”), so you better believe he has insights for days on what makes a pop song work. We dig into Mike’s new track “Song About You,” which leads to an exploration of songs that reuse the same melody for verse and chorus—from Prince to The Boss to Post Malone. Last, we consider “beard phase”: a moment of artistic reinvention that every artist has in their career, whether you’re Mike Posner, Ludwig van Beethoven, or Taylor Swift. True blue music nerds won’t want to miss this one.

SONGS DISCUSSED

Mike Posner – Song About You

Jean Ritchie – Barbary Allen

Original Sacred Harp Singers – New Britain (Amazing Grace)

Prince – I Wanna Be Your Lover

Prince – Let’s Go Crazy

Bruce Springsteen – Born in the U.S.A.

Post Malone – Rockstar

Beethoven – String Quartet No 1 Op. 18/1

Beethoven – String Quartet No 10 Op. 74/III

Beethoven – String Quartet “Grosse Fuge”

Taylor Swift – Teardrops on My Guitar

Taylor Swift – We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

Taylor Swift – …Ready For It?

Beatles – Strawberry Fields Forever

Dennis Wilson – River Song

Peaches ft. Iggy Pop – Kick It