All Episodes

November 24, 2025 20 mins

Dive into this week’s episode of Songs That Don’t Suck as Mark contrasts the soul of human-made music with the rising tidal wave of AI-generated tracks. Plus: four incredible new indie, emo-leaning, and atmospheric songs from Juno Pearl, Spanish Love Songs, Searows, and The Rooks. 

To check out this week’s songs on your platform of choice head to the website Songs That Don’t Suck

Connect with Songs That Don’t Suck ~ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠ | BlueSky


Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:38):
Welcome to Songs that Don't Suckwith your host Mark Bradbourne.
What's up, friend? Welcome to songs that don't
suck. My name is Mark.
I'm your host. And each week, every week, I
listen to hundreds and hundreds of newly released songs.
The whole mission is to find a few that don't suck.

(00:58):
And it's really hard. I promise you that.
But I do it because I enjoy new music and, and I there's an
audience, obviously because you are listening, you enjoy new
music and, and apparently my bias and opinion resonates with
you. And for that I am very thankful.
If you're a new user, welcome. I hope all of that.
What I have said is true. For my long time listeners,

(01:20):
thank you so much for coming back.
Before we get into the new musicthat I have found this week,
I've got a couple of things thatI want to kind of let you know
about. One of them is good and one of
them is bad. And before I get too far into
this episode, I'm just going to be really transparent.
I am fighting some sort of illness, so if my voice goes in

(01:42):
and out, please forgive me. It's not the common way that I
sound. So first, the good.
I got to go see the Cleveland Orchestra again.
Long time listeners may rememberI went, I think it was last
year, I went and saw them perform the Water Concerto,
which was amazing. As a percussionist, it was
amazing. I loved it.
This time they were playing one of my favorites, if not my.

(02:06):
Absolute favorite piece. Of classical music, that is
Dvorak's Symphony for the New World.
I have never seen it performed live and I've seen different
orchestras and wind ensembles, but it's it's not an easy piece,
so. You got to go see a world.
Class orchestra to really kind of witness this and it was

(02:28):
beautiful, absolutely. And after the performance, I was
kind of reflecting and thinking about how music works today.
There are still. Classical composers, but
obviously the the majority of music that that we listen to is,
you know, rock music in the alternative, what have you and.

(02:49):
You know, there's a few people that.
You know will write lyrics and write music and this that and
the other. But if you think about Dvorak,
right, he is one man and alone. He composed this piece.
He's composed many pieces. But this piece in.
Particular, it's got 4 movementsin total, and it.
Crosses a plethora. Of like symphonic voices,

(03:13):
violins, violas, cellos, double bass, flute, clarinet, English
horn is featured a lot, Trumpets, trombones, French horn
is another one. There's Tuba.
Timpani And then there's anotherpercussionist that was doing
like crash cymbals and and triangle and things like that.

(03:33):
But he was able to be. Intimately familiar with all of
these things and. Structure.
Musical. Theme after musical theme.
All of these. Beautiful melodies and counter
melodies and harmonies and swells and this complex
construction, even within its framework, you have these themes

(03:54):
re emerge in different movementsand in different ways and it
connects these 4 distinct movements together in a way that
it's mind blowing. So when you think about.
The creative. Genius.
That is the classical composer. It really.
Humbles you to witness that being able to be performed and

(04:18):
have it emotionally connect withyou.
It's just epic. Now.
I'm pretty sure I said this the last.
Time, but if you've never seen aSymphony or an orchestra, I
highly recommend you go check it.
Out it it. Really is a thing of wonder,
even if you're not a huge classical music fan, one of the
things you could do is. I know the Cleveland Orchestra

(04:39):
does kind of what they call movie night.
Where they'll play like Harry Potter or *.
Wars. And then they'll play the
soundtrack as the movie goes, rather than having the movie
play the sound. And it's a really interesting
way because you know, when we watch a movie, The music.
Is there? And if it wasn't there, we would
miss it. But we don't pay attention to
it. And it's just something

(05:00):
different when you when you see it performed live.
So definitely something to checkout.
And it's very different, you know, hearing it live versus
watching a recording. Because you don't.
Realize how many musicians are on stage and they're all playing
in perfect synchronicity and it's just incredible.
So now the bad news. We have a problem.

(05:25):
We have. We have a big problem.
Deezer did a. Study of 9000 listeners across
eight countries. To see if people could spot.
AI music and. The results?
Were grim. 97% of listeners cannot tell AI generated music

(05:46):
from human performed music so only 3% were able to distinguish
which is frightening. Now look, I'm a Gen.
Xer and I've seen a lot of things that people have claimed
to be musical apocalypses right when the drum machine came to
be. That was supposed to kill Rock.

(06:06):
And it didn't auto tune was going to.
Destroy vocals. I mean, it kind of did, but it's
not music that I listen to. Napster was supposed to end the
album, which in some ways it did.
Streaming has kind of done that too.
But in totality, music continuesto go on right it.

(06:26):
It figures out. These new elements, how to
manipulate them and have them work in their, you know, way of
being, and then it just kind of moves on and evolves.
But this isn't about how music sounds.
This is about what music means. It's about how art is created.

(06:48):
Because when when the algorithm is writing the lyrics and the.
Chorus, What is left? Of the soul, like it's empty
Now, from from a musician's perspective, I think this is
terrifying because music, musicians can't, can't compete.

(07:11):
With. Limitless floods of AI generated
content that is mistakenly beinglabeled as music human.
Artists are slow. Musicians need time to learn the
instrument, learn how to write songs and and melodies, learn
how to record and produce and refine, to dwell on their.

(07:33):
Art artists are. Finicky like bodies and
emotions. Fatigue in the writing process.
It's why we couldn't take a yearor longer between albums and
releases. And creative processes.
Can't be accelerated without breaking down the quality.

(07:55):
In fact, the concept of acceleration is antithetical.
To the artist. But AI has no limits.
Picture this. Deezer is receiving 50,000 fully
AI generated. Tracks every day that accounts

(08:15):
for 34. Percent of the.
Total daily delivery. That they see now Deezer has put
an AI detection tool in place and they started like tagging
these things as AI generated music but 50,000 songs a.
Day, let's put. It in context now assuming that

(08:36):
there is no growth in the AI content, which you and I both
know is bullshit. 50,000 tracks a day that's. 300 and. 50,000
tracks a week. 1.5 million tracks a month. 18.1 million
tracks a year. Now let's assume the average
song is 3 minutes and 45 seconds.

(08:57):
That's 130 days of music every year or 10.7 years of continuous
playback every month. A 130 years of non-stop AI
generated content uploaded to. Deezer every year.
Who asked for this? Absolutely.

(09:18):
Fucking no one, that's who. Except greedy corporate because
it. Always boils down to money.
Now on the hopeful side. 80%. Of the respondents wanted
anything that's AI generated. To be clearly labeled.
And 73% of streaming users wanted to know if AI music is

(09:40):
being recommended to them. So people want to be aware that
it's happening 65%. Of people oppose.
Using copyrighted materials to train AIS but labels continue to
make deals with. AI generators.
Which is problematic 73. Percent of people call it
unethical. For these companies to do it
without artist consent, which they're doing anyway, and the

(10:05):
majority. Of people.
Believe that AI music. Should have lower.
Payouts than human made work andfor me I think it should be.
Zero as far as payouts if you're.
Generating AI music you should get fuck all but.
The there's the darker picture outweighs all of the good,

(10:25):
right? When 97% of listeners can't tell
the difference, that's a problem.
Because after. That when they let people know,
half of them. Thought that that was really
uncomfortable. To know.
Like that realization? Made them very uncomfortable.
64%. Believe that.

(10:45):
AI will lead to a loss of creativity, which I absolutely.
Believe it's just going to be. Lazy crap yet?
46% think it might help them discover more songs they like
and it suggests the population uneasy but willing to surrender
and. Fuck that fuck.

(11:06):
Surrender in this case. So if you want to keep hearing
songs that don't suck, and they weren't.
Spit out. By a silicone ghost.
Start paying attention. Look up the credits, support
real artists like I always ask you to.
Make playlists with fingerprints, not just
algorithms, because the machinesare coming for the chorus and

(11:28):
they're already riding the bridge.
So with that. Let's get into some human
created music this week, shall we?
The first song this week is JunoPearl and their latest called
100 Days. Starting off this week very laid
back. Cool indie rock vibe from our

(11:50):
friends at Juno Pearl. You may have remember them a few
episodes ago I shared with you atrack from them called Elephant.
These fine fellows are from Sweden and it's always
interesting to hear another culture because there are
differences, but they're cool. Like this is a very chill track

(12:14):
when I compare it to Elephant. Vocally there.
Are moments there where I'm reminded a bit of Bono, oddly
enough, It's kind of, I think when he's in his lower register
in particular when I hear that. But there's also moments where
the vocals way more gritty, you know, in all the right places.

(12:37):
Like, it's funny because like, I'll, I'll picture myself
listening to the song and like what situation I think I would
listen to it in. And this track gives me the
feeling that I get when I'm driving alone late at night in
an area that I'm not totally familiar with.
It's almost like a movie esque. So check out a little bit.
Of 100 days from Juno Pearl. So far from me and it's easy as

(13:09):
a dream, it's just not yours. The second song this week is.

(13:43):
Life or two. From Spanish love songs
featuring the Wonder Years it is.
Very safe. To say at this point I've become
a fan of Spanish love songs, this is the. 4th track that I
have shared with you. From them, and as someone who is
not a fan of traditional emo, honestly I think that's a little
impressive. There's just something about

(14:05):
their lyrical writing style. And and honestly just the way
their approach. To composition and the way they
write music, it just really resonates within me.
I don't, I don't know how to. Explain it.
But you know when you like it, you like it, you can't really
complain. This is off of their latest EP
release. It's called a.
Brief intermission in the flattening of time and all the

(14:28):
tracks on this. EP are collaborations with other
artists. This one features The Wonder
Years as well as Dan Campbell, things that I love about this
track. There's a cool.
Synthy. Keyboard part that.
Floats in and out between lyrical lines and it's just very
infectious, like it's. A good.
Driving rock beat and I like that.

(14:50):
So here is a bit of life or two.From Spanish love songs this.
Creeping nostalgia, The wrinkleson your hands.
They're singing songs about the 90s.
So now I can't forget about me. We don't need this photo, so we
just let it roll. You thought I was a lifer.

(15:18):
I never thought I. The third song this week is.
Photograph of a cyclone by C Rose.

(15:40):
This one I found last week if I remember correctly, but I went
back and forth on it to be 100% transparent with you.
But I continued to listen to it because I knew there was
something there that I was enjoying, but I couldn't tell
you what it was. But the more I listen to it, it
did grow on me. And the weird part?
Is I still? Don't know why.

(16:01):
Like vocally it's got. Kind of that haunting delivery
that every now and then I do enjoy.
Most of the times I don't, but Ireally enjoy this one.
Musically it's obviously well constructed, otherwise it
wouldn't. Be here.
The chorus is just. Like humming, which if you know
me, I. Love a good hooky chorus.

(16:21):
Humming isn't. Really it?
The last humming vocal that I really enjoyed or the humming?
Chorus was crash. Test dummies so.
Yeah, it's a rarity, but. But in the end, I think it
matters more how a song makes you feel rather than your
ability to lay. Out exactly.

(16:41):
Why you like something? Some people will refer to that
as a guilty pleasure. And I don't think there's any
such thing. Either you like it or you don't
and just own it. And that's the beauty of music
and and of art of that matter. If it effects you emotionally or
psychologically then. Art has served its purpose and.
If it didn't. Affect you?

(17:02):
It'll affect somebody else. So maybe it will, maybe it
won't, but. Here is photograph of A.
Cyclone by C Rose. You forgive your words with
pain, poison them a key photograph a cyclone, the spirit

(17:44):
moon cycles masterpiece destroy your.
The 4th song this week is Noise and Confusion from The Rooks.
Long time listeners will remember The Rooks as a band I
featured a couple of times during the second season of
Songs That Don't Suck. Lay Me Down was the first one,

(18:05):
and then Renegade was the secondone.
This track is off their latest EP, also titled.
Noise and confusion and this release.
Has a slightly. Different tone to it and more
from a production standpoint than a music standpoint.
I was looking at the credits between like Lay Me Down and
this EP and there's no. Producer credit for.
The new EP So I'm wondering likeif.

(18:28):
They self produce this one or or.
What happened Because on? This EP it.
Has a much fuller sound than their previous.
Releases and it. Could be just a natural maturity
or evolution as a band. Either way, it's.
Really good the the thing that Ireally.
Like about it? The production is in the mix.

(18:48):
The vocal is sitting inside the Sonic wall rather than on top of
it. Like it's just mixed down a
little bit, almost treating it like another instrument, which
it is in a lot of ways. As long as you can disseminate
the vocal from everything else, I think that.
Is the sweet. Spot and that's where this.
Track. Sits.
It's golden, so check out noise and confusion from the rooks.

(19:54):
And that my friend. Is it for this week?
Songs that don't suck dot. Net is the website, go there
for. All the podcast needs.
Newsletter Show recaps. Merch, whatever you want, it's
all there. You can contact me through
there. It's all good.
Don't forget to like. Review.
Subscribe the podcast wherever you.

(20:16):
Listen to it, that helps and always tell your friends
because. People who share music with
other people. Are really, really important in
their lives, whether they know it or not.
So thanks again for listening and as always go out and
support. These artists.
Thanks for listening, and until next week, keep searching for
and listening to songs that don't suck.
Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Dateline NBC

Dateline NBC

Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

Stuff You Should Know

Stuff You Should Know

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

The Breakfast Club

The Breakfast Club

The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2026 iHeartMedia, Inc.