It’s probably safe to say that by late 2002, Eminem was the most popular rapper in the world. 

With three full-length solo albums under his belt, Slim Shady had come quite a long way in the four years since taking the world by storm with The groundbreaking Slim Shady LP in 1999 - introducing the world to his devil-may-care madcap rhymes that ranged from insightful, to absurd, to downright offensive; sometimes all at once.

There was no denying Marshall Mathers’ talent on the mic - combining the sounds of the underground with a hurricane flow, lyrical wizardry, and pop culture irreverence - Eminem’s popularity was bolstered by the frustrated angst of the emerging nu metal, horror-core and even pop punk sounds of the era. 

Realistically, he didn’t even *sound* like anything from those genres, but his aura was so strong that he became a sort of crossover artist without even needing to actually cross over. It was just *cool* to like Eminem.

With the backing of music industry heavy hitters like Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, Eminem also had serious critical credibility - He’d won Rap Grammys for the aforementioned Slim Shady LP and it’s lead single ‘My Name Is’ in 2000; He followed it up with three more the following year for the likes of The Real Slim Shady, Forgot About Dre, and his sophomore album The Marshall Mathers LP - and would eventually go on to win two MORE Grammys in 2003 for his ‘02 album The Eminem Show and its lead single ‘Without Me’.

And, while we’re on the topic of the successes of Slim Shady - the records show that by late 2002 Eminem’s 3 Solo LPs had gone no less than 18x Platinum in America alone.

There is just one thing Em hadn’t done yet - and quite honestly I can barely believe it myself - Eminem had never had a US Billboard hot 100 Number 1 Hit.

That all changed when Eminem recorded the lead single for his feature film debut - changing how we all thought about Eminem forever.

This is the story of Eminem's 'Lose Yourself' with newly unearthed audio from Marshall Mathers himself!

When your name means “The highest, most exalted one, the best” you know you’re destined for great things. And Aaliyah definitely achieved great things in her life. An icon of ‘90s R&B, Aaliyah immediately became one of the genre's biggest artists at the young age of 14, eventually redefining the role of what an artist in that genre could be, breaking through into the hip-hop and pop charts.

Since her untimely death in 2001, the proclaimed “Princess of R&B” has left behind a legacy in which, to this day, she continues to be celebrated for her talent as both a recording artist and a motion picture star, while being credited for introducing a sound that is widely considered the blueprint for R&B today.

This is the true story of Aaliyah's 'Try Again' with newly unearthed audio from Aaliyah herself!

Quickly - don’t think too hard - but is there a more immediately recognizable Rock riff of the last 25 years than The White Stripes’ Seven Nation Army? 

Not so much a song owned by a band anymore, and more of a tour-de-force piece of performance art for passionate sporting event-goers worldwide to make their own; Seven Nation Army has become a part of the public consciousness in ways that very few songs since the turn of the century have managed to.

Seven little notes, no real chorus, and a band who spent a lot of their existence arguably trying to *not* follow trends and gain worldwide celebrity status - it doesn’t really seem like the recipe for success on paper. 

This is the story of The White Stripes 2003 Classic - ‘Seven Nation Army’

Featuring newly unearthed audio from the band themselves!

Also contains audio from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-7bSDbIePc

Like Madonna, Bono, Prince and Beyoncé before her, Adele is one of the great mononymous superstars of our time.

Adele Adkins was born on May 5, 1988 in Tottenham, a working class town in northern London known best for its football club, Tottenham Hotspur. Her mom Penny Adkins, was only 18 when she was born and when she was only two, Adele’s father upped and left for Wales; he would never be in the picture as Adele grew up.

From the age of 4, Adele began to sing at every opportunity she would get. When the Spice Girls emerged, young Adele would become obsessed with the Girl Powerful group. In 2016, she would tell Vogue, “People always think I joke about this, but the Spice Girls blew up when I was seven, and seeing them coming from a humble background — there was hope in it. It was really a massive part of my life when the whole Girl Power thing happened.”

When she was 11, her mum and stepdad moved her to West Norwood in south London, which she would immortalize in her 2007 hit “Hometown Glory.” It was there that Adele would fall in love with contemporary R&B and the big, classic voices that would shape her voice in the years to come.

“Hometown Glory,” was first released in October 2007 as a limited 7-inch on a small label called Pacemaker. The song didn’t do much until it was re-released the following year by XL. But the buzz was growing for Adele. As 2008 arrived, she became the youngest artist ever to win the BBC’s Sound of 2008 award, which is selected by music critics and industry figures searching for the UK’s most promising new music talent. She also took home the Critic’s Choice Award at the BRITs, which was given to the top rising star. 

Soon after, Adele released her debut album, 19, on January 28, 2008. She named it 19 because, well, that’s how old she was when she recorded the album. It didn’t take long for critics and fans to fixate on her age, and how mature she sounded for someone who was only 19. 

Adele was quickly popping up everywhere on both sides of the pond. 19 was on the shortlist of nominees for the coveted Mercury Prize, which is awarded for the best album released by a musical act from the United Kingdom or Ireland.”Hometown Glory” popped up all over TV, soundtracking huge dramatic scenes in countless TV shows like Grey’s Anatomy, So You Think You Can Dance, Coronation Street and 90210. But perhaps the greatest achievement, at least in Adele’s eyes, was one of her heroes, Beyoncé calling her “THE British singer,” separating her from the rest of the pack.

Her followup single “Chasing Pavements” earned Adele her first Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, beating out her former classmate Leona Lewis. It was also nominated for Song of the Year and Record of the Year. Even bigger than that, Adele also won Best New Artist.

Now with a lot more pressure on her, Adele was ready to record her followup album Feeling the raw sting of a recent breakup, Adele reached out to Paul Epworth in October 2009 and immediately they headed into the studio. She brought him a ballad she had begun writing a couple years ago about a boy, which he felt needed to be stronger and more aggressive in its arrangement. With Epworth’s help they channeled the anger she felt from her recent split and used some guitar riffs he had previously written down.

As the two worked together, Adele began to feel her heart race, which became the beat of the song. The two of them came up with the verses and the chords of the song in under 15 minutes, with the rest only taking about two hours.

This is the true story of Adele's iconic song 'Rolling in the Deep' with newly unearthed footage from Adele herself!

Also contains clips from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_mj1CuXrPE

and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1wjMGosYa8

As I’m sure you’re mostly aware of already - the lyrical content of Amy Winehouse's breakthrough single ‘Rehab’ is very much a true story. 

Working with up-and-coming producer Mark Ronson in New York city, Amy inspired the entire production of the song simply walking down the street, telling Ronson her true ‘rehab’ story. Ronson initially thought of it as a funny little anecdote - and one worth turning into a song. Unfortunately, the tale of Rehab was far from a funny one - and Winehouse's knack of drawing inspiration from bad situations would lead to tragedy.

Amy Winehouse was a star - a breath of fresh air in the music industry that pulled the Motown sounds of the 60s into the 21st century with edginess, swagger, and admittedly - a sense of glorified self-destruction.

Released in the UK as the Album’s lead single in late October 2006, Rehab was the perfect distillation of Amy the persona and Amy the artist. 

Winehouse truly had nothing to hide and she was ready to expose her talent and her scars to the world unapologetically. This is the story of Rehab, with newly unearthed audio from Amy Winehouse herself.

Also contains audio from:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SBezSiJGfM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0q3Re5ksVg

Content Warning: This episode discusses themes that may be difficult for some listeners, including substance abuse, disordered eating, and interpersonal violence. Please take care while listening.

Did you hear the one about the three sons of a preacher who one day decided to start a rock band with their cousin and somehow sell millions of albums, win some Grammys and have one of the biggest crossover rock songs in recent memory?

No? Well, great! Because I’m here to tell you all about how Kings Of Leon did just that.

Nathan, Caleb and Jared Followill were three good old southern boys from a small suburb about 17 miles east of Nashville, Tennessee. Their parents were Ivan, a Pentecostal church preacher and traveling evangelist, and Betty-Ann, who ran the church worship. At first the Followills traveled across the rural South in a purple Oldsmobile, attending all-night church meetings, tent revivals and healings. The family would be on the road for the better part of the year, making it hard for them to call any place home. But when Jared was born in 1986 they settled down just outside of Memphis until he was about six, and then went back on the road after Ivan began drinking and got into some trouble. 

The boys were home-schooled by their mom and given strict rules that prevented them from swimming with girls, playing competitive sports and even wearing shorts, which made water activities pretty awkward. Movies were also prohibited, the same with music other than what they heard in church. But church music was becoming a bigger part of their lives. Nathan would begin drumming on stage with a band during his father’s sermons, and Caleb followed as a singer, with hopes of becoming a pastor like his father.

The relationship between their parents, however, was heavily strained due to Ivan’s heavy drinking, and in 1997 they split up, following his departure from the church. That seemed to change everything for their three sons.

With their parents apart, the Followill brothers began to stray from their religious upbringing. Nathan and Caleb got into rock’n’roll, alcohol and weed, while Jared became a “little sh*t” with a BB gun, his brothers would tell Rolling Stone. Their cousin Matthew Followill, who lived in nearby Mississippi, was basically welcomed into the fold as an unofficial fourth brother.

Believe it or not, but Nathan and Caleb Followill were originally a country-singing duo called the Followill Brothers. They performed at open-mic nights and signed a publishing deal that helped support their weed-smoking habit. The guy that signed them, Ken Levitan, introduced the brothers to a  songwriter named Angelo Petraglia, and almost immediately he became an intrinsic part of their world, tutoring them on how to write a song.

With some guidance from the younger ears of Jared and Matthew, Nathan and Caleb pivoted to rock’n’roll, writing a song called “California Waiting,” which secured them a record deal with RCA, the same label as the Strokes. There was one catch: the label wanted to put a band together for them. In a risky act of defiance, the Followills rejected the offer and instead they told the execs they would bring in their young brother and cousin and put together their own band. They told RCA to give them six weeks to put something together.

And so in 1999 the two brothers recruited their younger sibling Jared, who was only 14 at the time, to play bass, an instrument he had never ever touched. At first he wasn’t happy with the instrument assignment, thinking bass was too uncool, but he decided to give it a shot.

They also kidnapped their cousin Matthew from Mississippi, telling his mom that they’d bring him back after a week. Matthew had only taken two guitar lessons, and they had to buy him a guitar but just like they became a proper rock band. And for the next month, the Followills locked themselves in a basement, smoked a lot of weed and came up with some songs.

Of course, they still needed a name. Petraglia suggested going with one that leaned into their religious connections, like Kings Of Zion. While they turned that idea down they did come up with something close: Kings Of Leon.

This is the story of Kings of Leon leading up to their all-time classic 'Use Somebody' with newly unearthed audio from the band themselves!

There’s quite simply nothing more fascinating in pop music than the ‘sleeper hit’. I can only imagine how a band or artist feels when they introduce themselves to the world to little to no fanfare… then have to swallow their pride, keep on plugging away - and then suddenly blow up almost retroactively. 

The rollercoaster ride of ups and downs that surrounded the release of their breakthrough hit 'Mr Brightside' is an example of Rock Music's greatest sleeper hits in 2003… or is it 2004? 2005? It's not that simple.

This is the true story of The Killers' Mr. Brightside, with newly unearthed audio from the band themselves, and Rob Stevenson - the man who 'discovered' the band.

Also contains references to this great oral history of the band

Amy Lee and LZZY Hale sit down with our team for Encore to discuss the impact of Evanescence's 'Bring Me To Life' 20+ Years later, what it did for Rock Music, and why the 'rap' part of the song has become a blessing in disguise!

Listen to the Season 1 Episode of Encore - 'Wake Me Up Inside'

When Maroon 5 came up with their smash hit “Moves Like Jagger,” they knew Jagger was a name that would resonate with listeners. And in 2011, Maroon 5 definitely knew what their fans wanted to hear.

But it wasn’t always that way.

Have you ever heard of the ‘90s alt-rock band Kara’s Flowers? If you haven’t you’re not alone. They were one of the more forgettable bands of their time. Kara’s Flowers did catch the attention of Rob Cavallo, who you may remember as the guy who produced Green Day’s American Idiot. He saw a lot of potential in Kara’s Flowers and produced their second album, the power-pop-tinged The Fourth World. Upon its release in August 1997, the album only sold 5,000 copies.

In 2001 Kara’s Flowers resumed band activity, changing up their sound by trying a number of different styles, including country and folk, before settling on becoming what they deemed "a soul band, but with five white dudes.” They cut a demo for MCA Records, but the label rejected it. However, they did find an interested label in Octone Records, whose co-founder Ben Berkman had worked at Warner Music and knew of the band from their time with Reprise. 

In a 2004 interview with Hit Quarters, Berkman said he loved what he heard in a song called “Sunday Morning” but couldn’t believe it was the same band because they had such a completely different sound. It was clear to Berkman that the band was ready to take off. All they needed now was another guitarist and a brand new name.

Eventually the band decided on the name Maroon 5. Why “5” and not, say, Maroon Moon? Well, the answer remains to be a secret between band members… and Billy Joel. Wait, Billy Joel?

Now with a record deal and a brand new name, Maroon 5 were a whole new band. Their first single, “Harder To Breathe” was a slow-mover on the charts, but eventually earned the band some airplay. Once it caught on the band decided to re-release the album one year later, and at the beginning of 2004 they issued a second single, “This Love,” a song influenced by Stevie Wonder and written about Jane moving out after the breakup. As you may already know, “This Love” became a smash hit, followed by “She Will Be Loved” and “Sunday Morning.” You know them all. And just like that Maroon 5 were now a household name.

Their second album "It Won't Be Soon Before Long" was an instant hit - thanks to lead single “Makes Me Wonder,” which became the band’s first song to hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It actually broke a record by jumping from #64 to #1 based purely on its first week of iTunes sales. 

Maroon 5 wanted a different experience when it came to making album number three. Luckily they received a phone call from Mutt Lange, the famous South African producer, who asked if he could make their next record with them. 

Mutt has quite the résumé. He got his start in the late ‘70s, by producing both AC/DC’s Highway To Hell and Back In Black. From there he would produce classic records by Def Leppard, The Cars, Michael Bolton, and Canada’s own Bryan Adams.

Maroon 5 released their third album, Hands All Over, on September 2010. It would debut at #2 on Billboard’s album chart and receive mixed reviews, but got some love from Rolling Stone, which called it “the band's brightest-sounding and poppiest yet.” 

The upbeat, funky pop on singles like “Misery” and “Give A Little More” demonstrated a punchier sound. Although the album sold well enough and kept them on the road, something was missing.Up until this point, Maroon 5 had only ever written songs themselves. They had never worked with anyone outside of their circle. But they felt it was time to open the door to other songwriters and see what could happen.Luckily for Maroon 5, two up-and-coming producers were working on a song that would become not just the year’s biggest hit, but the band’s biggest hit ever. 

This is the true story of Maroon 5's 'Moves' Like Jagger' ft. Christina Aguilera - with newly unearthed audio.

Also features audio from:

Adam Levine Revealed the Secret Behind Maroon 5’s Band Name to Billy Joel

'Moves Like Jagger': The Making Of Maroon 5's Megahit

Adam Levine Reacts to Mick Jagger Dancing to "Moves Like Jagger," Teases New Maroon 5 Music

Maroon 5 "Moves Like Jagger" Q&A

Maroon 5 Get 'Overexposed' to Fans

It isn’t easy to shed a boyband or girl group image. 

Over the years, plenty of artists have tried and failed to hit the heights of superstardom that they have seen in a group setting. In many ways; the bigger the group, the more of an uphill battle it is to prove to fans that a solo career is a serious, worthwhile endeavor.  

Without re-litigating the entire NSYNC-to-solo-star trajectory of Justin Timberlake, it is important to look back at what was one of the more seamless breakout transitions to solo stardom in pop history, and where Justin Timberlake stood in the pop world in the years leading to SexyBack.

In 2002, NSYNC finished up their heralded Celebrity Tour that was praised by critics as a more ‘accessible and down-to-earth’ show. 

As if specifically crafted to give all of the boys in the group a glow-up, the tour included medleys of the Beatles and the Temptations, and focused on downtempo songs with more musicality to them. The pop hits were still there of course, but the message was certainly that NSYNC had grown up.

The tour was short; just under two months long - and they even canceled BOTH Canadian dates in Toronto and Montreal in the run-up, (thanks for that boys) and by April 28th - just in time for fans to say “It’s gonna be MAY” - it was all over. 

Justin was just getting started though, and began working on his debut album Justified almost immediately. Working with 2000s hitmakers like The Neptunes, Scott Storch, and Timbaland, JT was ready to embrace the R&B sound that NSYNC had been toying with near the end of their run, but never fully committed to.

Although Jackson-Inspired Singles “Like I Love You”, “Senorita” and “Rock Your Body” didn’t have as much success as the album’s most iconic song “Cry Me A River” they certainly were not flops - and Justified went triple platinum in America, double platinum in Canada, and SIX times platinum in the UK.

By 2004, Justified was nominated for multiple GRAMMY awards, and beat out Christina Aguilera, George Harrison, Annie Lennonx and Michael McDonald for best pop vocal album. 

All of this is to say what is blatantly obvious - Yes, Justin Timberlake was a star, all by himself.

Moving on from music as a whole in the years that followed, Justin Timberlake spent the majority of 2004-2006 getting his feet wet in Hollywood, with roles in such films as Edison, Alpha Dog, Black Snake Moan, and Southland Tales.

While not exactly undeniable successes, the films did help Justin continue to shed any last remnants of boyband smell on him, and allowed him to reinvent himself as a true polymath - Justin wasn’t just a run of the mill every day *singer* - he was a full-fledged *artist*, a tastemaker, and he was ready to bring us into the future - and with him; he was bringing Sexy… back.

This is the true story of Justin Timberlake's 2006 return hit 'Sexyback'

Also Contains audio from: Pharrell On How Prince & Michael Jackson Both Turned Down His Music. Peep What Songs!

Johnny Harris dissects 'Nipplegate'

She is both the Queen of Pop and the Queen of Reinvention. She is the most successful female solo artist of all-time with more than 300 million records sold. In one word, she is Madonna. 

It is safe to say that without Madonna we wouldn’t have the likes of Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Dua Lipa, or insert the name of any up-and-coming pop star that interests you. One could argue that Madonna is the most influential icon of her generation. Emerging from New York City’s underground in the early ‘80s, it was as if a bomb went off in the world of pop music with her arrival. Almost immediately, Madonna would change music’s landscape with her music, while grabbing headlines with her controversial opinions, outfits and actions. 

Madonna ended the ‘90s remaining one of the world’s biggest artists with perhaps her best album, Ray of Light, which flirted with electronic music and integrated the teachings of Kabbalah.

As the ‘90s came to a close and gave way to the new millennium, Madonna would be the mother of two children and be married to English filmmaker Guy Ritchie. But that didn’t slow her down, she was still on top of the world. She won a Grammy for #1 single “Beautiful Stranger,” her contribution to Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, and topped the charts again with her cover of Don McLean’s “American Pie.”.

Madonna would then follow that up in 2000 with the album Music, which saw her once again reading the zeitgeist and scoring big with an album of kaleidoscopic dance-pop and electronica that saw her return to the top of the Billboard 200 for the first time in 11 years. On top of that, she was cast as a lethal fencing instructor in the James Bond film, Die Another Day, for which she sang the title track. 

There was quite simply no stopping her.

In April 2003, Madonna released her ninth album, American Life. The lead single was the title track, a pointed, hot take on the emptiness of commercialism, pop culture and American values. 

Unfortunately for Madonna, both the song and the album were considered a commercial flop. Despite selling 4 million copies worldwide, American Life was the worst-performing album to that point of her career.

For the first time in 20 years, Madonna was facing potential irrelevance.

When Madonna began working on her next album, she needed to make a change. She reconnected with producer Mirwais, who had helped produce both American Life and her wildly successful 2000 album, Music. Looking to leave the serious tones of American Life behind her, the two recorded a few tracks together before Madonna realized it wasn’t heading in the direction she wanted. It wasn’t just about getting away from politics, Madonna wanted to do a complete 180 and have a good time. Like she did in the early days.

In an interview with MTV, she said, "I was angry. I had a lot to get off my chest. I made a lot of political statements. But now, I feel that I just want to have fun; I want to dance; I want to feel buoyant. And I want to give other people the same feeling. There's a lot of madness in the world around us, and I want people to be happy."

Dance music was nothing new for Madonna. She holds the record for most number one songs on the U.S. Billboard Dance Club Songs chart with 50. But despite their excitement, dance music was experiencing a real slump in America. After undergoing a renaissance in the late ‘90s thanks to electronica, which Madonna was a part of - dance music and club culture had taken a bit of a nose dive when the mid-2000s arrived. Naturally, that didn’t faze Madonna. She was soaking up all different eras of dance music - '70s disco, '80s electro-pop, ‘90s electronica and present-day club anthems - and focusing on classics by Donna Summer, the Bee Gees, Kylie Minogue, Depeche Mode, Daft Punk, and of course, ABBA.

This is the true story of Madonna's comeback Dance Single 'Hung Up' - with newly unearthed audio from Madonna Herself!

Also contains audio from Madonna's 'Confessions on a Promo Tour', and the Making of 'Hung Up'.

Also contains audio from Sirius XM's 2009 Interview with ABBA for OutQ

Welcome to Season 3 of Encore!

When the Landmark Las Vegas sphere opened up in September of 2023, with its $2.3 Billion dollar price tag, its 300 tons of steel, 16K resolution screens, 1,600 speakers and 4D machines capable of pumping in wind, scent and more into the venue… There was never any doubt that there was only one band in the world capable of matching the Sphere’s fantastical ambitions… and that band was the Iconic U2.

Officially forming in 1976,U2 had an unbelievably successful run from around 1980 all the way through to about 1997, culminating with their first Best of Collection released in ‘98 with such classics as Pride (In The Name Of Love), New Year’s Day, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Desire, and many more.

Normally, in any band’s career - this would probably be enough - you’ve had the better part of 20 years on top, with critical and commercial success rivaling *literally* any artist that ever lived - it’s probably time to realize that your best days are behind you. Right?

U2 did *not* get that particular memo to take it easy, because they did none of the above, and as the world prepared to roll over into a brand new millennium... U2 knew there was plenty of a ‘Beautiful Day’ to be had.

This is the story of U2's comeback single, the iconic 'Beautiful Day' with newly unearthed audio from the band.

Also features audio from the official Making Of Beautiful Day Music Video

Encore is now available on the following Radio Stations in Canada!

• Newstalk 1010
• 610 CKTB
• 580 CFRA Ottawa
• AM 1150
• CFAX 1070
• AM800 CKLW
• CJAD 800

Check your local listings for air times

In many ways, the mid-to-late 1990s were the golden age of so-called ‘bubblegum pop’. 

As technology began to evolve, so did the world’s pop stars, with what seemed like an endless supply of perfectly groomed, perfectly styled, young, boy and girl-next-door type pop stars that smoothed off all of the edges found in contemporary Rock, Hip Hop, and R&B, leaving fans with a slew of safe pop idols to worship. There would always be innuendo in pop music - with a sparkle in the eye of a singer belting out suggestive lyrics; or a bit more skin being shown in a music video than you’d normally see at your local community center - but there was a bubble that was not to be popped when promoting pop music, and most stars played it safe.

Christina Aguilera - one of the famed students of the Mickey Mouse club of ‘93 - which, of course also introduced the world to Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez of NSYNC, as well as Canadian Hero Ryan Gosling; debuted her self titled album in August 1999 at Number One on the Billboard 200 with the smash hit ‘Genie in a Bottle’ also topping the Charts mere months after contemporary Britney Spears did the same with ‘Baby One More Time’.

Christina wasn’t shy about her uneasiness around Genie - the song was not her first choice for a debut single, but with the success that followed, she felt like she had to follow the label's direction. Aguilera’s debut would go a nearly unfathomable 8x platinum before the end of the year 2000. 

Now clearly sitting at the head of the pop-star table, and with the sounds of pop music shapeshifting around her. Christina Aguilera was ready to break free from the bubblegum-pop package she had originally been presented in.

By the end of the year 2000, Christina fired her manager Steve Kurtz, hired supermanager Irving Azoff, and was ready to give her image a major shakeup, and show people who she *really* was. It was time to enter the era… of Xtina.

This is the story of Christina Aguilera's 'Dirrty' with newly uncovered audio from Christina Aguilera herself!

Also includes audio from this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doXqDkzFEkQ 

There was no artist bigger than Mariah Carey in the 1990s. She was the Artist of the Decade, according to Billboard, the ​​World Music Awards’ Female Artist of the Millennium, and the owner of 15 number one singles in the ‘90s alone. And that doesn’t even include “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” arguably her biggest song ever. That song didn’t become a #1 hit until 25 years after its release. And it has continued to top the Billboard Hot 100 every year since.

On the surface, Mariah was on top of the world, but as the new millennium struck, Mariah was going through some changes, both privately and professionally.

After years of trying she was finally exiting her tumultuous marriage to record executive Tommy Mottola. Despite filing for a separation in 1997, it wasn’t until the end of 2000 that Mariah was granted her divorce. At the same time she was leaving a bad situation with her label Columbia, where her husband was the Chairman and CEO.

As she was gearing up for the release of Glitter, her feature film debut, Mariah reportedly suffered a physical and emotional breakdown. 

Glitter’s theatrical release was delayed three weeks as a result, but it didn’t really matter - nothing could have saved the film from the savage critics, who called it “heroically bad” and “infinitely mockable.” 

Glitter became one of the decade’s biggest box office flops, winning Mariah Worst Actress at the Golden Raspberry Awards, aka the Razzies. The film’s failure didn’t help Glitter’s soundtrack either. Her first release for new label Virgin, Glitter was neither a hit with fans or critics. One writer called it an "utter meltdown -- the pop equivalent of Chernobyl." 

Mariah’s official follow up to Glitter came out in December 2002. Charmbracelet was her opportunity to make a fresh start, a “new lease on life,” she called it. Unfortunately, Charmbracelet didn’t exactly get things back on track for Mariah. While the album was one of her highest debuts on the Billboard Albums chart, sales dropped off quickly.

Then at the beginning of 2004, famed music executive L.A. Reid left his job at Arista to become the new chairman and CEO of The Island Def Jam Music Group. This would prove to be a pivotal moment for both Reid, who was forced out of Arista following the merger of Sony and BMG, and Mariah, who was in need of some career rehabilitation. 

Reid had just orchestrated a career makeover for Usher, who was riding atop the Billboard Hot 100 with his hit “Yeah!” - With that song, Usher had become the biggest artist on the planet, and Reid was looking to do the same for Mariah. 

The first step was to set her up with the right producer. Enter Jermaine Dupri, Usher’s longtime mentor who co-wrote and produced Mariah’s 1996 #1 hit “Always Be My Baby.” More collaborations followed and Mariah was hooking up with the Neptunes, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, and more.

In November 2004, Mariah presented an album’s worth of songs to L.A. Reid, but Reid felt she needed a few more bangers. Mariah went back to Atlanta to work with Jermaine Dupri again and guess what? They created some magic. In just two days they came up with two songs that would end up being her album’s first two singles: “It’s Like That” and “We Belong Together.”

This is the True story of Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together" with newly unearthed audio from Mariah Carey.

Also contains audio from Genius' Interview with Mariah, Released November 16, 2018.

You've likely heard the news by now; Canadian Pop-Punk Icons SUM 41 are embarking on their final world tour, releasing their final album, and hanging up the Vans and Studded belts forever. 

That’s right, Ajax, Ontario’s finest are calling it quits.

It might surprise you to hear that Sum 41 have been a staple of Rock radio in this country for the better part of 25 years, and that even through lineup changes, health scares, label moves, and  musical experimentation, Deryck Whibley and the boys have helped keep the spirit of pop-punk, heavy metal, and good old fashioned Canadian Rock 'n' Roll alive and kicking.

Originally conceived as young teenagers in 1994, but officially shaped up as SUM 41 in 1996, by 1997 SUM 41 making waves in the underground scene, working with the likes of manager Greig Nori's band Treble Charger, Len, and pre-Broken Social Scene Brendan Canning.

In 1998, the guys recorded a demo tape, and homemade video footage to try and catch record labels attention, and by 1999, SUM 41 ultimately signed on the dotted line with the world famous Island Records.

After a stop-start major label foray with their EP Half Hour of Power, it was make or break time for SUM 41 as they geared up for their full length debut 'All Killer, No Filler' luckily, the band was sitting on a secret weapon of a song that Deryck Whibley had been working on for years... albeit one they didn't even know how to play!

This is the true story of SUM 41's classic 'Fat Lip' featuring an ALL NEW interview with Deryck Whibley for Encore.

Also features footage from the Chris Demakes a Podcast Episode 31

Did you ever catch Bieber Fever? The first reported cases of this communicable disease began popping up in 2009, throughout Canada, or maybe it was the United States.

It was hard to tell considering the fever was spread via performance videos on YouTube by an aspiring teenager named, you guessed it, Justin Bieber.

Before he was captaining NHL all-star teams and selling over 150 million records, Justin Drew Bieber was just a young boy being raised by a single mother and his grandparents in Stratford, Ontario.

From the young age of seven, Justin took a shine to music, first singing around the house, then performing in front of others at church. He taught himself how to play piano, guitar and trumpet, and took drum lessons. Soon after he began covering popular songs. Then one day he took his guitar with him and began singing on the streets of Stratford.

Busking led to Justin competing in the Stratford Star talent contest when he was 12 years old. He sang a cover of Ne-Yo’s “So Sick” that earned him a respectable second place. His mom filmed his performance and proceeded to upload the video to YouTube for family and friends to see. But soon it wouldn’t just be friends and family watching his videos.

Singing the songs of Ne-Yo, Chris Brown, Justin Timberlake and more and posting homemade videos of the performances online, Justin was beginning to build an audience at the age of 12. He was one of the first real YouTube sensations. And he was getting noticed. Some executives from a few record labels reached out to Justin’s mom, but she couldn’t afford to hire a lawyer to look over any offers so they were forced to pass. And then along came a guy named Scooter.

This is the true story of Justin Bieber's first hit 'One Time' with newly unearthed audio from Justin Bieber, including interviews from the Encore team.

Contains audio from 'And The Writer Is... Tricky Stewart!'

It might be hard to think of Rihanna as anything other than the multi-hyphenate superstar that she is today. 

At time of recording, fans have been waiting for more than eight years for a proper new RiRi album, with 2016’s ANTI being the last full release from the original Bad Gal - but this period of waiting hasn’t made Rihanna any less popular.

Back in the year 2007, Rihanna was at a bit of a crossroads - She’d released two albums as a teenager in ‘05 and ‘06, and although her second record A Girl Like Me achieved a decent amount of success in the US, and ended up becoming her first Platinum album in Canada, critics were starting to become… well… critical of her sound. 

Despite the fact that she was still so young, Some critics were growing tired of the Caribbean sound she’d made her name on with ‘Music of the Sun’ and ‘A Girl Like Me’  and some were anticipating that Rihanna would pan out to be nothing more than a Beyoncé knockoff. 

Still only 19, Rihanna just needed a chance to grow, and she had the superstar quality that afforded her the support she needed to bet on herself, and experiment with her sound. 

In the early days of 2007, Rihanna began working on her third album, which would of course go on to be titled ‘Good Girl Gone Bad’ - a not so subtle message to the world that she was shedding the innocent-girl image that she was synonymous with. 

This is the true story of the monster first single off of that album 'Umbrella' ft. Jay Z. With newly unearthed audio and additional clips from MTV News and Genius.

It’s hard to remember a time when Drake wasn’t the biggest rapper in the world. He is Canada’s most successful AND influential artist of the 21st century. As both a rapper and a singer he has pretty much single-handedly put our country on the map for hip-hop and R&B. 

He is a five-time Grammy winner, has 85 million monthly listeners on Streaming Services- more than any other rapper - and holds the record for most number 2 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. He also ranks fifth behind the likes of the Beatles and Mariah Carey with the most number 1 singles.

By the mid-2000s when Drake embarked on a rap career, Canadians already knew him from Degrassi The Next Generation. Of course, His name wasn’t Drake back then, it was Aubrey Graham, a teenager from the Toronto neighbourhood of Forest Hill, who caught his break when he was cast as Jimmy Brooks. 

Aubrey left the show during its eighth season to pursue music full time. As much as he had become a star on Canadian television as an actor, he wanted to go global with his music career. 

Drake dropped his first mixtape, Room For Improvement, on Valentine’s Day 2006. He was still working on Degrassi at the time, but had already made some connections in the rap game. Drake would wait a year before he followed up Room For Improvement. But in that time he had already made connections that would help him advance his music. Among the producers he brought in to make beats for him were 9th Wonder, who had worked with Jay-Z, Destiny’s Child and De La Soul, Atlanta’s DJ Toomp and a couple of local guys: Boi-1da once, and Noah “40” Shebib.

Jas Prince was an aspiring rap mogul from Houston, Texas looking to become a legit rap mogul like his father, J Prince, founder of Rap-A-Lot Records. 

While he was looking around MySpace one day in 2006, he found Drake’s artist page and saw a lot of promise in the tracks posted. He played some of the songs for his dad, J Prince, but he couldn’t hear what Jas was so excited about.

Then one day Jas shared Drake’s music with New Orleans rapper Lil Wayne, who had just struck gold with his album Tha Carter II. At first, Wayne wasn’t impressed.

Jas persisted though, and months later on New Year’s Day, he played Wayne a few more songs in the car, one of which was Drake’s remix of Wayne’s own “A Milli,” a song that had yet to be released commercially. That was the moment Drake became legit.

Jas put Lil Wayne in touch with Drake and the next day Drake was flying to Houston to meet with one of his heroes.

Drake ended up joining Lil Wayne for his I AM Music Tour at the end of 2008 and the Toronto kid quickly became the New Orleans legend’s protege. 

Every opportunity they could get they would record new tracks, some of which ended up on Drake’s next project. So Far Gone, Drake’s third mixtape, was released on February 13, 2009. One song on the mixtape stood out more than others and it began to catch fire, leading Drake to make a video with one of the biggest artists in the world.

This is the true story of Drake's 'Best I Ever Had' with newly unearthed audio from MUCH, as well as sound from Rap Radar, MTV News, Myspace, and CBS News.

Usher was born to entertain. It might be hard to believe, but this year marks the 30th Anniversary of his debut album!

Usher was discovered at the age of 13 on television by famed record exec, L.A. Reid, who wasted no time signing him to his LaFace label. Usher’s ascent truly began three years later with the release of his second album, the game-changing My Way, which catapulted him from baby-faced R&B up-and-comer to bona fide casanova.

By the age of 20, he was winning Billboard and Soul Train Awards for his music, but he was also making a name for himself as one of the best dancers in the business, taking cues from his idol Michael Jackson.

Throughout 2001, Usher showed he could evolve as an artist while giving his fan base what they wanted. His next record, 8701 was a smash hit, outselling My Way and establishing Usher as one of the biggest stars on the planet. Songs like “U Got It Bad” and “U Remind Me” both topped the Hot 100 for multiple weeks.

But having finished touring 8701 in 2002, Usher felt the need to get back to music. And this time he wanted to leave an even bigger mark. 

Over the better part of 2003, Usher and his expansive pool of producers recorded 40 tracks for his next album. But there was a problem. Usher presented songs to Arista but the album was rejected by the label. Not only that, but Usher’s label boss, L.A. Reid, had reservations about the R&B star’s appeal to audiences. He told Usher to go back into the studio and record some bangers. But Usher was feeling dejected. 

Usher needed a hit. And he would find one with some help from the King of Crunk. This is the true story of Usher's Yeah! With newly unearthed audio from Mr. Entertainment himself.

When it comes to the origin cities of hip hop stars over the last 20 plus years - it's safe to say St. Louis, Missouri is not the first to come to mind.

But St. Louis, Missouri is the home of at least one rap superstar that had the world of music following his every move for the better part of the 2000s; Cornell Iral Haynes Jr. Better known to you and I as Nelly.

Nelly released his first single ‘Country Grammar (Hot Sh*t)’ in early 2000, with album release plans on hold until he could prove to his label that he was worth the investment. 

He soon proved to be worth the investment and more, spawning 4 hit singles from his first record, and featured on a number of turn-of-the-century classics as well. 

While all pretty ubiquitous in their own right; none of these tracks went any higher than #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.  

Perhaps Nelly really *was* too tied to St. Louis, much like the label feared back in ‘99. 

Maybe what he needed to do to get that Chart topping single was to relocate… maybe he needed to move on from St. Louis and show the world what it was like in a place called Nellyville, because in Nellyville it was getting Hot.

This is the story of Nelly's iconic single 'Hot in Herre' with newly unearthed clips from Nelly Himself, and Interviews conducted by Encore's Myles Galloway.

Also includes audio from: The Fader, June 8th 2017.

Nelly Reveals The Secret History Behind "Hot In Herre"

Previous Encore episodes referenced: 

I'm Looking Crazy Right Now: The True Story of Beyoncé and Jay Z's 'Crazy in Love'

This Song is B-A-N-A-N-A-S: The True Story of Gwen Stefani's 'Hollaback Girl'

The United Kingdom and Ireland has a long, rich history of creating boy bands that have taken the British isles, and often the world by storm. 

From the early ‘British Invasion’ and the aptly named ‘Beatlemania’ brought on by the Beatles in the 1960s, to the British glam pop influence of the Bay City Rollers in the 70s, Wham!’s iconic sound of the 1980s, to the well established 90s groups like Take That, Westlife, and Boyzone, to the modern pretenders to the throne like JLS, The Wanted, and McFly - British and Irish boy bands have been influencing music and pop culture consistently for more than 6 decades.

But let’s be honest, there is only ONE DIRECTION this episode could be headed when talking about a British and Irish Boy Band that took the world by storm - this is the story of One Direction’s very first single ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ with newly unearthed audio from Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne

If you want to see Myles' Journey opening for 1D in Dubai: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMaJJYnP4y0 

Since the turn of the millennium, Nelly Furtado has been cementing her legacy as one of Canada’s most successful pop stars. 

The Victoria, BC native went from unknown newcomer to overnight sensation in 2000 with the release of her debut single, “I’m Like A Bird.” That song won her a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, over heavyweights like Janet Jackson and Sade. 

At a time when music was obsessed with teen pop, nu-metal and hip-hop, Nelly emerged with a genre-hopping sound that felt very much her own. She struck gold with her debut album, Whoa, Nelly!, which spawned two hit singles - “I’m Like A Bird” and “Turn Off The Light”. 

For her second album, 2003’s Folklore - Nelly chose to take a more focused path for her music. Crediting her pregnancy at the time as the reason for its mellower direction, Nelly wanted to create “a modern folk record.” 

Folklore featured a variety of instruments like the banjo, the Portuguese ukulele, and the dulcimer, as well as “Força,” which Nelly sung in her parents’ native Portuguese. That song even gained a ton of exposure when it was chosen as the official theme of EURO 2004, held in Portugal… But in the end, the album proved to be both a critical and commercial disappointment. 

Luckily Nelly already had a vision for her next release. 

Nelly wanted to make something that was “smooth but sexy, universal, epic, iconic,” she told Fader in 2016. Madonna’s massive comeback album, Ray of Light, was her main inspiration and the template she began working from.

During a meeting with Interscope president Jimmy Iovine, Nelly was referred to work with Timbaland, who was riding high from his recent success with Justin Timberlake.

As the album was taking shape, Nelly began to see she was changing as an artist. 

The whole world was about to see a new side to Nelly Furtado. And she was ready to show it off. Released in April 2006, the first single from Nelly Furtado’s third album, Loose, introduced a new era for the 27-year-old singer. 

This is the story of Nelly Furtado's hit song 'Promiscuous' ft. Timbaland, with newly unearthed audio from Nelly Furtado, Timbaland, and Director X.

By early 2004, Britney Spears had FIRMLY established herself at the pinnacle of pop Music. 

Britney had already claimed the title of being the best selling teenage artist of all time thanks to the successes of her albums Baby One More Time and …Oops I Did it Again, and she had just become the youngest artist to be inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame at age 21. 

Britney had also already gone a whopping 26x times platinum for her first three mega hit records released in 1999, 2000, and 2001, and she would quickly add another 2 million records to that tally for her 2003 Effort In the Zone, essentially as soon as it was released.

The debut single from In The Zone; a Madonna collab called 'Me Against The Music' peaked at a very un-Britney-like #35 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it wouldn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things, 

because like the album title implied - Britney Spears was In The Zone, and as 2003 turned to 2004 - we were all about to go on a ride.

Just in time for it's 20th Anniversary; this is the story of Britney Spears' 'Toxic' with newly unearthed audio from Britney Spears herself.

Note: a previous version of this episode identified Joseph Kahn as Joseph Hahn. We regret the error.

Disclaimer: This Episode contains discussions of physical and sexual abuse. To skip past these discussions skip to (4:54)

There is no shortage of innovators in Hip-Hop, though for the most part the genre has been a world dominated by male artists. But from her mind-bending, award-winning music videos to her experimental approach to producing, Missy Elliott has changed the game. She has been one of the most forward-thinking minds in hip-hop since she first made her debut in 1997 - regardless of gender.

In her early days as an artist, Missy would form a R&B group called Fayze with friends La'Shawn Shellman, Chonita Coleman, and Radiah Scott. Through her friend Melvin Barcliff, who rapped under the name Magoo, she met Timothy Mosley, a local DJ producer operating as Timmy Tim. He would produce some demos for Fayze, including a single called “First Move.” 

Fayze would impress DeVante Swing, a producer, songwriter and singer for the rising R&B group Jodeci, after singing a cappella for him following a concert. Swing invited the group to record in New York City, along with their producer Tim, who Swing renamed “Timbaland” after the popular Timberland construction boots that were taking over hip-hop fashion.

Missy got her first gig as a songwriter, producer and rapper on a song called “That's What Little Girls Are Made Of,” the debut single by Raven-Symoné, the eight-year-old star of The Cosby Show. But Missy quickly learned the hard way that the music biz wasn’t ready to welcome her with arms wide open. Missy was blindsided though when they cast a smaller, lighter-skinned actress to lip-sync to her lines in the song’s music video. At that point, she realized that she would have to work even harder to be taken seriously as an artist.

Eventually Missy and Timbaland would become their own as a songwriting/production team. They co-wrote songs for artists like 702, Busta Rhymes and the debut album by Ginuwine, which Timbaland produced in full. But it was their work on One In A Million, the second album by teenage R&B sensation Aaliyah, that really opened the door for Missy as an artist. 

Timbaland’s flickering, clap/snap sounds on One In A Million set Aaliyah apart from the rest of R&B, introducing a fresh and futuristic style that no one had ever heard before. And the duo would hit it big when the album’s lead single "If Your Girl Only Knew" topped Billboard’s US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, while peaking at #11 on the Hot 100. One in A Million would end up going triple platinum in the US, selling more than eight million copies worldwide, but the impact was immediate. Overnight, labels were scouring to offer Missy a record deal, but she was quick to see right through them.

Through her own label, distributed by Elektra records - Missy Elliot would release the albums Supa Dupa Fly and Miss E... So Addictive - which gave her mainstream exposure as an artist - with her and Timbaland pushing their production into new territory.

By 2001, Missy would release the seminal Miss E... So Addictive which not only included lead single "Get Ur Freak On", but her most popular song of all time...

This is the story of Missy Elliot's "Work It" with newly unearthed audio from Missy Elliott herself!

Hey Everyone, this week on Encore: The Stories Behind the Songs You Love we've got a special episode from our sister podcast Behind The Christmas Hits all about Taylor Swift's Holiday Hit 'Christmas Tree Farm'!

You can check out all four seasons of Behind The Christmas Hits with Drew Savage here, or wherever you get your podcasts!

Myles will return with NEW Episodes of Encore on January 11, 2024!

Katy Perry is one of the biggest names in pop music today. 

Her albums have sold in the millions and she’s had numerous number one singles, including five consecutive songs that topped the Billboard Hot 100 from her 2010 album, Teenage Dream, alone.

But things didn’t come easy for Katy, and her early career looked much different to that of the megastar we know today.

Katheryn Hudson was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California. Her parents were both Pentecostal ministers, and restricted her from such things as cartoons and sugary cereal, claiming something as harmless as Lucky Charms were evil because the word “lucky” reminded her mom of Lucifer.

Her parents did allow her to pursue her dream of becoming a singer. She sang in church and her parents would drive her to local farmers markets where she would perform weekly. When she turned 13, they escorted her to Nashville, where she promoted herself as a young gospel singer. Katy later left high school to pursue music, eventually setting herself up in Nashville where she was discovered by some songwriters. They helped her record a demo of contemporary Christian music and at the age of 16 she signed a deal with Red Hill Records. 

Despite its cool, alternative pop sound, the album was a flop, selling only 200 copies, largely due to her label going bankrupt months later. 

By 2004, Katy Perry was all set to launch a new, exciting chapter in her new recording career.  She signed with Glen Ballard’s label, but that quickly fell through. Not long after that opportunity, Ballard helped her get a deal with Columbia Records, and she began writing her next album she called Fingerprints... which was also soon shelved. 

Finally in June 2008, Katy released her debut album proper, One Of The Boys, a collection of provocative, tongue-in-cheek bangers that announced pop’s newest sensation had arrived. With her controversial first single, “I Kissed A Girl,” Katy was all of a sudden everywhere, and One of The Boys earned her plenty of accolades in its own right. 

Things would only get bigger for Perry, with 2010's Teenage Dream aiming to launch Katy Perry in the the stratosphere. While California Gurls and Teenage Dream brought success - it was Firework that lit up Katy's career.

This is the story of Katy Perry's Firework, with unearthed audio from Katy Perry herself!

As the ‘90s came to an end, rock music was in a very aggressive state. Bands like Deftones, Korn and Limp Bizkit were reaching the Billboard charts with their loud, angry and often rapped vocals, leading the way for a new breed of heavy music that was referred to as nu-metal. 

But there was one overwhelming observation with this type of music: it was all just a bit too… bro-y. 

With the exception of Canada’s own Kittie, the nu-metal scene was dominated by men in backwards baseball caps, dreadlocks and JNCO jeans. It was time for a change, and in the early 2000s, one band from Little Rock was on the verge of something.

As a teenager, Amy Lee was an aspiring songwriter. Music was in the family. Her dad was in a rock band but gave it up to be a radio disc jockey when Amy was born. Growing up in Chicago, Lee was a happy kid, but then her family moved to Little Rock when she was 13, and things changed. 

Amy described herself as “miserable,” and an outcast who couldn’t fit in because she didn’t want to dress and act like everyone else. She channeled these feelings, using them to write poetry and music - something she would continue to do throughout the years.

That summer in youth camp she met Ben Moody, a fellow teenager who also felt like he didn’t belong. He and Amy hit it off immediately and eventually they were an item. With Amy on piano and Ben on acoustic guitar, the two began writing and recording songs that reflected their feelings of teen angst. Amy would also give him songs and ask Ben to make them sound “cool”. Soon, Evanescence was born.

Evanescence released their first EP, titled Evanescence in 1998, followed by the Sound Asleep EP in 1999. A local radio station began to play some of their music, which helped them earn a modest following and get some gigs in the area. When mastering their demo tape 'Origin' - the band got the attention of label Wind-Up Records, who didn't exactly know what to do with the band.

As months and years went by. Evanescence were blindsided by their label. As the album was coming together, the label threw them a curveball: they wanted a male singer in the band to share vocals with Amy.

This was an immediate no-go for Amy and Ben, and when they refused to cooperate, the label pulled the plug on the album and the record deal. So the two of them headed back to Little Rock. And just like that, the dream was apparently over.

Flash forward a few weeks and Wind-up came back with a new offer: if they hired a rapper to contribute vocals to their chosen first single, “Bring Me To Life,” the label would honour their deal.

The band begrudgingly agreed to this compromise - they wanted their album to see the light of day after all. But the introduction wouldn’t be with the album, it would be through the Marvel Universe.

This is the true story of Evanescence's smash hit - complete with unearthed audio from Amy Lee.

Formed back in 1996 in California as rap-rock band XERO, Linkin Park went through massive changes to become the band we know today.

Original singer Mark Wakefield left the band in 1999 when record labels began noticing the group - but felt he wasn’t a strong enough vocalist to truly push the band forward. 

Mark was soon replaced with Chester Bennington, a singer from Arizona who had just left his band Grey Daze.The Chemistry between Xero and Chester was much better; the Hybrid of sounds between rapper and vocalist Mike Shinoda’s Rap influences and Chester’s hard rock background inspired the band to change their name to Hybrid Theory.

Hybrid Theory *the band* self-released Hybrid Theory *the EP*  in 1999, and although initially still struggling to court a major label to sign with- they were signed to Warner Brothers records on the third time of trying.

Warner Brothers was still quite skeptical of Hybrid Theory - they asked the band to change their name so that people wouldn’t confuse them with a Welsh band called ‘Hybrid’ and even suggested they demote or fire Mike Shinoda and refocus their efforts to creating a more traditional rock record with Chester as the sole frontman.

The band took the label’s first piece of advice - They officially re-christened themselves as Linkin Park, but they refused the second directive - the ‘Hybrid’ in Hybrid theory was important to Bennington and Shinoda and they carried on with both vocalists playing a crucial part in the band.

Not only was the album a success, it was the MOST successful album of 2001, and included hit after hit after hit, with singles Crawling, One Step Closer, and In the End topping charts worldwide. 

Pressure was now incredibly high for Linkin Park - they went from being a band that very few people believed into the biggest band in the world. They knew that in order to avoid the 'second album slump', they'd need to make a really great record.

Recorded all throughout 2002, and released in March 2003, Linkin Park’s second effort entitled Meteora gave Linkin Park fans what they wanted and then some.

This is the story of the third and most recognizable single, with words from MIke Shinoda and Joseph Hahn from the time.

For such a fun and chaotic band, No Doubt was always a safe space for Gwen Stefani.

The flexibility in the band’s style and sound paired with Stefani’s undeniable star power as front woman of the group meant that you could be forgiven for thinking that Gwen Stefani the artist, and No Doubt the band were interchangeable. 

In an alternate timeline - No Doubt could have carried on through the 2000s and beyond with hit after hit - but artists rarely play it safe; it’s part of the reason we love them so much.

After playing the Super Bowl in 2003, and releasing a solid No Doubt Greatest Hits collection, the iron was hot for Gwen to move forward with what MTV initially reported as an intended ‘fun little dance record’ - a hiatus from the band that would let Stefani Flex her creative muscles a little bit… but nothing too serious. Initially she was even hesitant to call it a solo project at all!

Love. Angel. Music. Baby. or L.A.M.B. was released on November 12, 2004 - after a painstaking year of writing and recording with everyone from Linda Perry, to Andre 3000, to Canada’s Chantal Kreviatzuk, and even her No Doubt Cohort Tony Kanal. 

From the get-go Stefani was intentional, but open. She wanted control, but to be free - and it seemed like her artistic vision wasn’t always the easiest to nail down.

Even after recording more than 20 songs for the project, Gwen felt as if she was yet to nail down her 'attitude song'. A chance reconnection with Pharell Williams and an uncalled for diss in the media by a Grunge Music legend was about to change all of that.

This is the True Story of Gwen Stefani's 'Hollaback Girl'.

Listen to NEW Episodes of Encore: The Stories Behind The Songs You Love every Thursday on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your Podcasts.

By the time the new millennium arrived, Green Day were thriving as one of the world’s biggest rock bands.

The ‘90s had been good to the band. After years of building a following as an independent act, in 1994 the trio of Billie Joe Armstrong, Tre Cool and Mike Dirnt signed to a major label and released their third album, Dookie. 

To just about everyone’s surprise, Dookie became a cultural phenomenon, bringing punk rock back to life in the mainstream, winning the band’s first Grammy Award, allowing them to steal the show at Woodstock ‘94, and go on to sell 20 million copies. 

It is credited as an influence on everyone from Blink-182 and Fall Out Boy, to Sum 41 and even Billie Eilish, who has said “growing up, there was no band more important to me.”

But, after fulfilling all of their commitments in 2002, Green Day were at a standstill. The band met up and questioned whether they wanted to even keep going anymore. While their personal lives were in shambles, the band’s existence was on the verge of crumbling.

One idea Green Day decided to pursue was a radical one, based on a dream Armstrong had of writing a punk rock “‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ of the future.” That song would eventually become “Jesus of Suburbia,” which helped shake up the foundations of the band and push them into a brave new world. 

From that point on, Green Day had begun writing a full-on rock opera. Even better: the first ever PUNK ROCK opera. Green Day announced that their seventh album would be called American Idiot.

Released as the album’s first single, “American Idiot” wasted no time declaring Green Day’s mission: to address their sociopolitical concerns and kick-off their new punk rock opera opus with three minutes of politically-charged fire.

Listen to NEW Episodes of Encore: The Stories Behind The Songs You Love every Thursday on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your Podcasts.

By the time 2008 arrived, Coldplay were arguably the biggest rock band in the world. With their uplifting, emotionally charged soft rock, Coldplay quickly established themselves as heirs to U2. From the release of their debut album, Parachutes, in 2000, the band caught lightning in a bottle. The album’s wistful second single, “Yellow,” was an international hit.

Their second album, 2002’s A Rush of Blood to the Head, elevated them to the next level, selling more than 17 million copies and netting them 3 Grammy Awards. Coldplay were no longer the little Brit band that could, they were the big Brit band that did! Singer Chris Martin was now a bona fide heartthrob, but he wasn’t on the market for long. He met Gwyneth Paltrow on tour and - boom - one year later they were married! 

After that, life and touring slowed things down a little for Coldplay, but in 2005 they returned with their third album, X&Y. Although it didn’t show much progress creatively, the album once again sold kajillions of copies and gave us the mega-ballad “Fix You,” which Martin wrote for his famous wife after her father died.

X&Y closed the book on what Coldplay’s album trilogy, as guitarist Jonny Buckland would call it. He told Rolling Stone in 2008, “We felt like the first three albums were a trilogy, and we finished that. So we wanted to do something different.” The band found a new studio, converting an old bakery squished between an estate agent and a restaurant that they could use as both a headquarters and a space to rehearse and record. 

Taking a page out of U2’s book, the band hired Brian Eno, the father of ambient music, to co-produce their next album. Known for helping artists like U2 and Talking Heads expand their sound, when Coldplay first asked the producer what they should do differently this time around, he was, well, brutally honest.

In a 2008 interview with Rolling Stone, Chris Martin recalled how Brian Eno did not hold back, saying quote 

“Your songs are too long. And you’re too repetitive, and you use the same tricks too much, and big things aren’t necessarily good things, and you use the same sounds too much, and your lyrics are not good enough.”

With Eno now on board, and a hunger to truly reinvent every facet of themselves, Coldplay would embark on their most ambitious project yet: Viva La Vida.

Listen to NEW Episodes of Encore: The Stories Behind The Songs You Love every Thursday on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your Podcasts.

In 2003, It is fair to say that rap duo Outkast were at a bit of a creative crossroads.

Their 2000 album Stankonia had people rethinking what hip hop music could be - with songs such as B.O.B., Ms. Jackson, and So Fresh, So Clean winning them Grammy Awards for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Album.

“Ms. Jackson”; their Billboard hot 100 hit from Stankonia was a sultry, tongue in cheek affair that gave the duo of Andre 3000 and Big Boi a rare trifecta of accolades in pop culture: Hip Hop Cred, Mainstream Pop Appeal and Hipster Acknowledgement all at once.

But Andre 3000 was looking for new avenues to express himself creatively, and moved from Atlanta to Los Angeles to begin his acting career.

When acting didn't work out, Andre 3000 envisioned a new kind of project- a solo project, one influenced by, but also completely different than the Outkast records before it - a pop record, a jazz record, a funk record all in one; A record and a concept that would come to be known as “The Love Below” 

Originally written as Andre 3000 and his guitar, and inspired more by bands like The Ramones, The Hives and The Smiths than by what was going on in hip hop; Hey Ya! Was part of the grander cinematic vision of The Love Below and the complexities and frustration with modern relationship dynamics. Or, as Andre 3000 would day in the song: 

"Don't want to meet your daddy, just want you in my Caddy."

This is the true story of Outkast's Smash Hit 'Hey Ya' with newly unearthed audio from Andre 3000 in 2003.

Listen to NEW Episodes of Encore: The Stories Behind The Songs You Love every Thursday on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your Podcasts.

Originally signed by major label Columbia Records in 1999 with a planned release of an album called “Power of the Dollar”. A young 50 Cent intended on tapping into underground hype with a lead single called ‘How to Rob’ in August 1999.

Within a year of How To Rob’s release, 50 Cent was dropped from the label, and the album was canceled after he was shot nine times in Queens, New York in May 2000. After this blacklisting, 50 Cent had to look for alternative locations to record new music, as he was too hot and too controversial of a figure by the time he recovered from the shooting.

According to records obtained by The Smoking Gun - 50 Cent was not able to find work in the United States, so he packed up shop and began working on independent releases in the Great White North - In Canada he recorded two known mixtapes called Guess Who’s Back, and 50 Cent is the Future.

As legend has it, Eminem got his hands on a copy of “Guess Who’s Back” through 50’s attorney, who was working with Eminem’s manager, Paul Rosenberg. They liked what they saw, 50 signed with Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment, and Eminem’s Shady Records... and 50's journey to superstardom began.

Join Myles Galloway as he tells you the true story of 50 Cent's 'In Da Club' complete with unearthed footage from 50 Cent at the time.

Sources: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/crime/surveilling-50-cent 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/sep/08/arts.usa

Listen to NEW Episodes of Encore: The Stories Behind The Songs You Love every Thursday on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your Podcasts.

In 2003, the world couldn’t have been more ready for a Beyoncé Knowles breakout.
Beyoncé’s group Destiny’s Child was one of the most successful groups of the late 90s and early 2000s, and she’d made her film debut the year prior, in the Austin Powers Sequel “Goldmember”, as well as contributing to its soundtrack.

By late 2002, it was clear that Beyoncé’s solo star was ready to shine with a feature on her at-the-time-rumored boyfriend Jay-Z’s hit “‘03 Bonnie & Clyde”. 
- it added some edge to Beyonce’s more polished R&B sound at the time, and it gave Jay-Z some serious mainstream airplay. The video was sultry, dangerous, and played up the pair’s undeniable chemistry. The Media were obsessed with the pair but couldn’t get official confirmation on their relationship status.

Originally slated for a 2002 release, Beyoncé's label wanted to ride the wave of success of fellow bandmate Kelly Rowland's 'Dilemma' before risking a Beyoncé release they didn't have a lead single for.

Beyonce kept recording through the delays and in sessions completed in early 2003 “Crazy in Love” was finally born. With blaring horns and a retro-soul vibe Beyoncé knew the Rich Harrison-produced track was for her, but what lyrics would truly make the song pop, and where would she find her inspiration?

Join Myles Galloway as he tells you the true story of Beyoncé & Jay Z's 'Crazy in Love' complete with unearthed footage from Queen Bey at the time.

Listen to NEW Episodes of Encore: The Stories Behind The Songs You Love every Thursday on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your Podcasts.

Scott and James from Finger Eleven sit down with Encore's Myles Galloway for an exclusive retrospective on the band's biggest international hit 'Paralyzer'!

In 2012, Taylor Swift was one of the biggest country music stars in the world. She was also one of the biggest pop stars in the world too. Like her hero Shania Twain before her, Taylor was able to walk a tightrope between the two genres - something that many artists had failed to do.

Taylor always seemed to have her eyes set on becoming a pop star despite being one of country music’s most recognizable names. 

Usually Taylor worked either alone or in a closed circle of collaborators, so she had a decision to make when it came time to start writing for her new album, Red.

Swift immediately thought of someone who could help, so she called Max… as in Max Martin, arguably the most successful pop songwriter and producer of the past 25 years.

With Max Martin and Shellback's help, Taylor was now in a position to redefine herself as an artist, and a chance meeting with a friend of her ex-boyfriend provided the inspiration needed to create the now-iconic 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together"

Join Myles Galloway as he tells you the true story of 'We are Never Ever Getting Back Together', complete with unearthed footage from Taylor at the time.

Listen to NEW Episodes of Encore: The Stories Behind The Songs You Love every Thursday on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your Podcasts.

Despite what you may think -2003’s Elephunk is *not* The Black Eyed Peas’ debut record. Will i am, taboo and apl de ap recorded and released two full major label albums before making it big; 1998’s “Behind the Front” and 2000’s “Bridging the Gap”. Both records, while critically well-reviewed, and loved by hipster hip-hop heads, had little to no success on the charts, and looked nothing like the Black Eyed Peas of today. 

Original lead singer Kim Hill left the group soon after the release of “Bridging the Gap", leaving the Peas open to a new style, and a new female voice of the band.

By mid-2001 A&M president Ron Fair approached the band and suggested that a change in style could be exactly what the band needed - he also suggested someone like Justin Timberlake for a chorus feature - but the song almost never saw the light of day.

Join Myles Galloway as he tells you the true story behind the Black Eyed Peas' iconic 'Where is the Love?".

Listen to NEW Episodes of Encore: The Stories Behind The Songs You Love every Thursday on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your Podcasts.

By 2005, Nickelback could already lay claim to being one of the most ubiquitous bands in the world. 

Having already achieved unbelievable success with Hits like “How You Remind Me” “Too Bad” and “Someday”, Nickelback had long crossed over from being a little band from Hanna, Alberta into bonafide global Rock Stars. 

Armed with earnest lyrics, catchy melodies, and of course the aforementioned heartstring-tugging video - it’s no surprise that Photograph was a smash success. 

Photograph topped the Mainstream Rock charts, The Hot 100 charts, it went double platinum in America, and remained number one in Canada for 7 weeks.

But it would be dishonest to say that the band was without a legion of critics and naysayers. 

Join Myles Galloway as he tells the story of 'Photograph' and hear from the band themselves as they give their thoughts on the song that immortalized them in music and memes forever.

Listen to NEW Episodes of Encore: The Stories Behind The Songs You Love every Thursday on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your Podcasts.

Do you remember where you were the first time you heard Outkast tell you to 'Shake it like a Polaroid Picture'?

How about when Nickelback told you to 'Look at this Photograph'?

Or when Taylor Swift provided the soundtrack to your Love story?

Join Myles Galloway as he takes you through the biggest songs in the world - with new interviews and newly unearthed archive footage from the artists themselves.

Listen to NEW Episodes of Encore: The Stories Behind The Songs You Love every Thursday on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your Podcasts.

Rainbow Butt Monkeys.

No, you didn’t catch me doing my vocal warmups, and our editor forgot to cut this part out - and no, I haven’t been partaking in some pre-podcast psychedelics… Rainbow Butt Monkeys happens to be the name of one of Canada’s preeminent rock bands of the 2000s.

OK I’m bending the truth JUST A BIT  - it’s only the FORMER name of one of Canada’s preeminent rock bands of the 2000s. 

You may be more familiar with them by their multiplatinum name; Finger Eleven. 

Yes, the hard rocking five-piece from Burlington Ontario spent a resounding six years under the Rainbow Butt Monkeys moniker in the 90s, before giving themselves an edgier rebrand as Finger Eleven and riding the waves of early 2000s nu-metal, post-grunge and alt-rock.

A stalwart on radio stations from coast-to-coast in this country to this very day, Finger Eleven were certainly no strangers to success in the late 2000s

But as the band told me earlier this month, something strange happened on one fateful day in 2006 that would give the band a level of success they’d perhaps never expected.

This is the story of  Finger Eleven’s Paralyzer - Featuring an exclusive interview with Finger Eleven's Scott Anderson and James Black, taking you even deeper behind the story of the song!

Listen to Myles' Full Chat with Finger Eleven

Choosing a song that truly defines the Foo Fighters in the 2000s is somewhat of a Herculean task: Dave Grohl and his Merry Band of Rock Stars have been putting out such consistently solid Rock N Roll since the mid 90s, one might be forgiven for having a hard time choosing just one.

After all, in the 2000s alone there’s the last hurrah of the 90s with the anthemic and sentimental ‘Learn to Fly’. 

In 2002/2003 there a dose of heavy and the heartfelt with the back to back smash hits ‘All My Life’ and ‘Times Like These’, 

And in the closing years of the aughts we were blessed with the frantic sounds of ‘07’s The Pretender and the smooth ride of 2009’s ‘Wheels’

I’ll forgive you if you want to take a brief pause to take a walk down memory lane and put on some Foo Fighters Artist Radio right now.

But perhaps the track that really gets the blood pumping and the devil horns raised to the sky is 2005’s aptly named ‘Best of You’ 

This is the story of Foo Fighters' Best of You with newly unearthed audio from the band!

Also contains audio from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCmi_xLoH7Q

How many pop songs can you name that are universally adored? There aren’t many, are there? 

I think I can name one though: “Dancing On My Own” by Robyn. In case you’re unfamiliar with it, the 2010 banger was widely acclaimed by critics but not so much by the public. In fact, the only country it reached #1 in was Sweden - Robyn’s homeland. But man, oh man, if you can name a song from this millennium that has encapsulated pop music better than “Dancing On My Own,” well, I wouldn’t believe you. It is as perfect as pop songs get. And yet, the story behind it is just as good as the song.

It’s a multi-faceted narrative that would make a great movie one day. A real underdog, comeback story about a young girl who becomes world famous as a teenager, then chooses to give up everything when she realizes she’s viewed as a commodity, only to do it all over again on her own terms and become an archetype for so many artists out there who value making art and having full control over their careers. 

This is the story of Robyn's Dancing on My Own with newly unearthed audio from Robyn hereself!

Also Features Clips from:

Chappelle's Show S2 E01: Racial Draft

Red Bull Music Academy

 Lilla Sportspegeln

Welcome to Season FOUR of Encore!

By 2007, Avril Lavigne was Canada’s Undisputed Pop-Punk Queen. The 22- Year old Avril was two wildly successful albums deep into a career that seemingly knew no bounds.

Her Debut, the influential ‘Let Go’ had introduced her to the world at the young age of 17 - and would go a resounding SIX times platinum in America in less than a year. 

Songs like ‘Complicated’ and ‘Sk8er Boi’ blew up charts worldwide, winning her Juno Awards, MMVAs and MTV VMAS, and granting her critical acclaim with a handful of prestigious GRAMMY Nominations to boot. 

Her followup record - 2004’s Under My Skin was a darker, more moody affair that top the Canadian and US Billboard Album charts, also go multi platinum and give us such hits as ‘My Happy Ending’ and ‘Nobody’s Home’. 

After Touring the world with a gruelling 140 dates  throughout 2004 and 2005 Avril had entered her 20s and was ready to make some big changes to her music. 

Clearly, Lavigne had done some great things… but now she was ready to make: The Best Damn Thing. 

This is the story of Avril Lavigne's 'Girlfriend' - with newly unearthed audio from Avril Lavigne!

Lady Gaga is more than your average pop star. From the early modest days of sewing her own costumes and singing about disco sticks, she has continually reinvented herself along the way to become one of the planet’s biggest stars of both music and film.

She’s won Grammys, an Oscar and every award in between. She’s sold over 170 million records and generated hundreds of millions of dollars with her groundbreaking tours. She’s stolen the screen next to leading men such as Bradley Cooper in A Star Is Born and Joaquin Phoenix in this year’s Joker: Folie à Deux. Heck, she even pivoted to jazz with remarkable success, becoming BFFs with her mentor and collaborator, the late, great Tony Bennett. 

She’s also become a tireless advocate for UNICEF, the Rainforest Foundation, the LGBTQ+ community, and mental wellness. And let’s not forget, she is the matriarch to millions of little monsters out there who continue to worship their Mother Monster. How’s that compare to your résumé?Yes,

Lady Gaga is one of music’s greatest overachievers, but to quote one of her biggest hits: she was born this way.

Her breakthrough single, “Just Dance” instantly became a club hit, reaching the Billboard dance charts soon after. It would also hit the Hot 100 in the U.S., but it was in Canada where “Just Dance” would first reach #1.

Finally, Lady Gaga’s debut album, The Fame, was released via Interscope on August 19, 2008. The album would produce hit after hit - with fans waiting to see what she would be wearing, and how she would creatively one-up herself with ever video, and every public appearance.

On November 10, 2009, she released the song that would become arguably the biggest song and video of her career. “Bad Romance” was an instant smash hit, with its “Rah, rah-ah-ah-ah, Roma, roma-ma, Gaga-ooh-la-la” chant, Hitchcock references and a pounding beat that channels German techno.

This is the story of Lady Gaga's Bad Romance - with newly unearthed audio from Gaga herself!

Encore will be going on a brief summer hiatus! See you in July for season 4!

Also contains audio from:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPmeKqC4H_M

https://soundcloud.com/howardstern/ladygaga-vomitartrape?utm_source=clipboard&utm_campaign=wtshare&utm_medium=widget&utm_content=https%253A%252F%252Fsoundcloud.com%252Fhowardstern%252Fladygaga-vomitartrape

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0101Sm7HAjs 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPGwSgfGBB8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ5UQOMlEQo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5Cfi7U4eL4 

Welcome to the Season Finale Of Encore!

What would you say is the catchiest song of all time? You know that one earworm that you hear once and then for the rest of the day it plays over and over in your head?

Well, according to researchers at St. Andrews University in Scotland a song needs to have five things to make it an earworm: surprise, predictability, rhythmic repetition, melodic potency and, most importantly, the listener must be receptive to the creation on a basic level. In their study they determined the catchiest song of all time is Queen’s “We Will Rock You,” which alone can be identified by its rhythm. I’m sure you’ve attended some sporting event and stomped or clapped that song without even singing a note. It’s catchy, there’s no denying it and these people are actual scientists sure, but have they ever heard a song by the name of “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen? Because that wins my vote.

And I’m not alone. Justin Bieber agrees with me. He once tweeted:  “Call me maybe by Carly Rae Jepson is possibly the catchiest song I've ever heard lol” How can anyone argue with the Biebs!

This is the true story of the iconic Carly Rae Jepsen song 'Call Me Maybe' - with newly unearthed audio from Carly Rae Jepsen herself!

Encore will return for season 5 in October 2024!

There aren’t too many global superstars out there who got their start impersonating Elvis at the age of 2, but that’s exactly how Bruno Mars began his career in music. Yes, you heard me right, Bruno Mars began entertaining while he was still in diapers - and I’m gonna assume it all happened pre-potty training! That is apparently what it takes to become one of the biggest musicians in the world: gyrating your hips and dancing to the jailhouse rock in your nappy.

But all of that hard work so early on in his life led to stardom for Bruno Mars, who has built an impressive career as a singer, songwriter, producer, all-around entertainer and 15-time Grammy winner. 

This is the story of Bruno Mars' Iconic hit: Locked Out of Heaven, with newly unearthed audio from Bruno Mars!

Welcome to Season 5 of Encore! We'll have new episodes until the end of the year to keep you going with even MORE stories from the songs you love!

Perhaps more than any artist so far on Encore, Ed Sheeran has been the most difficult one to determine just which song to feature. The guy is just such a consistent and reliable hitmaker.

He’s also a bit of an outlier. Although he established himself as an acoustic troubadour, over the span of his two-decade career, he has evolved and adapted as an artist to suit just about any style: from bubblegum pop to hip-hop to country to rock. And it doesn’t matter what type of music he’s making, it always seems to be at the top of the charts. But I think we found the right song for this episode. Not only one of the biggest songs he’s ever released, but one of the most interesting and dare I say, even a little controversial?

You’ll understand by the end of this, trust me.

This is the story of Ed Sheeran's 'Thinking Out Loud' with newly unearthed audio from Ed Sheeran!

Consider this your public service announcement - this episode is about the kings of nu-metal, the royalty of rap-rock, and the band responsible for the most red New York Yankee hats sold this side of the millennium - Limp Bizkit.

If you’ve seen any of the footage from either of the Woodstock ‘99 Docs that came out a couple of years ago, or if you are of a certain age to have lived through it - you’ll know that Limp Bizkit - for better or for worse - were a BIG deal… like really big.

You can head back in to the Encore Archives in our Evanescence, Linkin Park, Sum 41 or Finger Eleven episodes to get a sense of how popular aggressive, metal-tinged, hip-hop appropriating music was in the early 2000s, but one could argue that none of it would have been given such a wide blast radius in that era if it wasn’t for the groundwork laid down by Fred Durst and the Boiz.

Of course *purists* will tell you that bands like Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against The Machine, and even Faith No More were the true innovators of the genre - and they’d be right!

But where we’re going - we’re not bothering with such high minded concepts as ‘innovation’ or ‘musicality’ - after all, the song we’re talking about today is from a record called ‘Chocolate Starfish and The Hot Dog Flavoured Water’; released in an era where ‘Good’ music was defined as any song that had too many swears on it. 

This is the Story of Limp Bizkit's Rollin' With newly unearthed audio from the band themselves!

After no less than 5 name changes, and a revolving door of band members, by the year 2000, budding R&B group Destiny's Child were finally in their most recognizable form as a three-piece.

By the time the album cycle for their third record 'The Writing's on The Wall' Destiny’s Child had two #1 singles in “Bills Bills Bills” and “Say My Name,” while “Jumpin’ Jumpin’” would reach #3, and “Bug-A-Boo” would be recognized for its boundary-pushing production. The Writing’s On The Wall would go on to sell more than 13 million copies and become one of the biggest R&B albums of all time. Destiny’s Child were on top of the world. And they weren’t about to stop. In October 2000, they released a song called “Independent Women Part 1,” an empowering anthem recorded for the Charlie’s Angels movie starring Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu. That song held the #1 for 11 consecutive weeks, becoming the group’s biggest song to date and the Guinness Book of World Records’ longest-running number-one song by a female group.

While all this was happening, Destiny’s Child were wrapping up the recording of their third album - and it was about to take them down a path of even bigger superstardom.

This is the story of Destiny's Child's 'Survivor' with newly unearthed audio from the group!

Content Warning: This episode of Encore discusses struggles with addiction and mental health issues.

Believe it or not, Red Hot Chili Peppers were formed all the way back in 1982 as ‘Tony Flow and The Majestic Masters of Mayhem’ - no idea why that name didn’t ever catch on.

But, with all due respect to original members - the late great guitarist Hilel Slovak, and drummer Jack Irons; the current lineup that we all know and love formed some six years later in the final months of 1988.

Joining original members Tony Flow - aka Anthony Kiedis from here on out, and Flea - aka… well… Flea… were guitar genius John Frusciante, and the world’s most successful Will Ferrell Look Alike - Chad Smith.

Go on and picture the Red Hot Chili Peppers in your head; chances are it is this core four that you’re thinking of… although there were at least another 8 transient members of RHCP throughout the years, with Frusciante especially coming-and-going throughout the band’s history.

With so much turmoil within a band - it’s crazy to think that the Chili Peppers have never actually broken up, despite well documented addictions, tragedy and loss, lack of focus, changes in sound, and the aforementioned lineup changes over their 40+ years in Rock. 

So, for this episode of encore we’re going to zoom in on perhaps their most successful pivot of all, becoming what felt like a brand new band all over again some 15+ years into their career - this is the story of Red Hot Chili Peppers’ 2000 Hit - Californication with newly unearthed audio from the band themselves.