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April 10, 2025 53 mins

In this chaotic, music-fueled Movie Memory Machine mini-episode, Landen puts Truman through the ultimate Season One trivia challenge: a game entirely about needle drops from the forgotten films we've watched so far. From Miley Cyrus to MC Hammer, Spoon to Social Distortion, it’s a deep dive into the best, worst, and weirdest pop songs awkwardly dropped into these movies. Can Truman identify the movie (and the scene) based on just the song title and artist? Will the machine accept this episode as "valid input" or is this just an excuse to gush about The Rocker again? Join us aboard the struggling ship as we gamify nostalgia and fend off the void with sick beats.

Topics Covered:

  • Our favorite (and most questionable) needle drops from Season One

  • The surprising musical throughlines across forgotten films

  • Landen’s custom trivia game with easy, medium, and hard rounds

  • Scenes we remember only because of the soundtrack

  • Does a post-apocalyptic spaceship need this many pop songs? Yes.

Key Takeaways:

  • Every single Season One film had at least one pop needle drop—except Gretel & Hansel.

  • A song can elevate a scene... or derail it completely.

  • The right music cue will haunt you for months (Rocket Man, we’re looking at you).

  • Fergie, Höser, UB40, and Hoobastank: icons of the Movie Memory Machine canon.

  • Truman earns the title of Prince of Needle Drops (77% accuracy, baby!).

Listener Engagement: What’s your favorite needle drop in movie history? Did we miss a great one from our Season One lineup? Join the conversation on social media or our Discord using #MovieMemoryMachine.

Support the Show! Help keep Movie Memory Machine ad-free and artist-owned! Here’s how you can support us:

  1. Become a Patreon supporter – For as little as $1/month, you get access to bonus content for all shows on the Grunt Work Podcast Network. Join us at Patreon: https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod.

  2. Leave a positive rating and review – Reviews on Apple Podcasts and other platforms help new listeners discover the show.

  3. Like, follow, and share on social media – Spread the word about Movie Memory Machine!

  4. Tell a friend – Word-of-mouth recommendations help us grow the most!

  5. Join our Discord – Be part of a positive film-loving community and cast your vote on whether films stay in modern memory or are forgotten.

Follow Us & Stay Connected: 🌐 Official website: https://www.moviememorymachine.com 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MovieMemoryMachine 🎞️ Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviememorypod/

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