Encore: The Stories Behind The Songs You Love

This episode of Encore is brought to you by All Your Friends Fest - June 28 and 29 in Burl's Creek, ON - Get Your Tickets

Formed when they were just thirteen years old by lead vocalist and guitarist Pierre Bouvier and Drummer Chuck Comeau in 1993 - it’s hard to believe that just 8 short years later Simple Plan would be signed by Major Label Atlantic Records in late 2001 - and by early 2002, their first single - the aptly name...

TLC are one of the most commercially successful GROUPS of all time. 

TLC came from out of nowhere in the early ‘90s to dominate R&B, hip-hop and pop simultaneously. They won a bunch of Grammys, had multiple #1 hits, and completely changed music in the 1990s. But unfortunately, with all of that came A LOT of drama and heartbreaking tragedy. 

This is the true story of TLC's No Scrubs, with newly unearthed audio fr...

If there’s one thing you learn about hit songs while doing this podcast it’s to ‘never underestimate the power of a good hook - at any cost’ 

From songs in our archive like LEN’s Steal My Sunshine, to Avril Lavigne’s Girlfriend, and even songs we’ve covered this season like Backstreet Boys’ I want it That Way or Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit; It’s proven time and ...

In early 1990, Nirvana were ready to start working on their second album. Their label Sub Pop recommended a producer named Butch Vig, who had produced heavier underground bands like Laughing Hyenas and Killdozer. They met up with Butch at his Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin to begin recording, laying down eight tracks before they had to head out on tour for six weeks. When they returned home, they made the difficult decision to...

You know, one hit wonders get a bad rap. 

Chumbawumba’s Tubthumping, Crazy Town’s Butterfly, Snow’s Informer, - heck even Plain White Ts’ Hey There Delilah are just a few examples off the top of my head of gimmicky little songs that were the hottest songs in music for a number of weeks or months, from bands and artists that could have been all the rage - but fizzled out of the mainstream after ju...

How many Shanias do you know of? Is there such a thing as another Shania? Because when you say the name Shania, there really is just the one.

Shania Twain is without a doubt the greatest Canadian country singer of all time and arguably the person responsible for helping country music cross over into the mainstream - but her journey was not an easy one - and... her name wasn't always even Shania!

This is the story of Shania Twain's ...

Is there anything better than a song that pops up on the radio, a bar or a club - or even unexpectedly in a playlist, and it just makes you happy?

I mean, I know we’re in the business of documenting hit songs here on encore - but I’d argue that the first seconds - scratch that - milliseconds of Sean Paul’s super-hit Get Busy are some of the most euphoric moments in all of music. 

There’s just something ...

What would you say is the greatest music video ever made?

Rolling Stone argues that it’s “Formation” by Beyoncé for its statement on black American history. Esquire says it’s “Weapon of Choice” by Fatboy Slim. You know the one where Christopher Walken dances and levitates? Sure, that’s fun.

The AV Club insists that it’s “Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel, which for yea...

The Strokes… Music’s coolest ‘The’ Band of the early 21st century.

Along with Sweden’s The Hives, Australia’s The Vines, and Detroit’s The White Stripes - The Strokes almost certainly had no intention of getting looped into the phenomenon of wispy haired indie rock bands that all seemed to break out between the summers of 2001 and 2002; because - if we’re being honest - they didn&rsq...

Welcome to Season SEVEN of Encore with brand new host, Ruby Carr!

Boy bands - they really don’t get much cred for being musicians, performers, and entertainers, am i right? From the Jackson 5 in the mid-1960s to the current global phenomenon that is K-pop, boy bands have been a big moneymaker in music for decades now. But at the same time, they have also been subjected to plenty of ridicule, disparagement and even hatred whil...

Way back in Season 2 of Encore we talked about the United Kingdom’s rich history of introducing some of the most iconic Boy Bands of all time into the world. From The Beatles to Wham! Westlife to One Direction, Pop Music is littered with some fine British Exports.

But of course, that’s really only half the story isn’t it? 

Because through all the Boys noise there’s one incomparable group of Girls that r...

Originally founded by current members Singer and Rhythm Guitarist James Hetfiled and Drummer Lars Ulrich, alongside Bassist Ron McGovney and Lead Guitarist Dave Mustaine, Metallica actually parted ways with both McGovney and Mustaine due to various personal and professional conflicts before recording and releasing their 1983 debut album, controversially titled ‘Kill ‘Em All’.

McGovney was quickly replaced by rever...

One of the biggest music stories every year is the battle to see which artist releases the “song of the summer.” But rarely is the winner clear-cut and decisive. For example in 2024, which song would you say best repped the summer: Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso? Post Malone and Morgan Wallen’s I Had Some Help? Shaboozey’s A Bar Song (Tipsy)? Chappell Roan’s Good Luck, Babe?

Debating the candidates...

Laughing My Freaking Ass Off, or LMFAO as they were more commonly known - were one of the most enigmatic duos in pop music history.

Formed in 2006 by Motown Records’ founder Berry Gordy’s youngest son Stefan Kendal Gordy - AKA Redfoo, and Redfoo’s half-nephew Skyler Austen Gordy - or Sky Blu (with no e, of course)... I would hazard a guess that these hyperactive nepo-babies are the single most successful Uncle-Nep...

How often does a band lose its two founding members, one of whom co-writes all the songs, only to survive and become both better and more successful? This is a rhetorical question, of course. I don’t actually know how many times this has happened. But what I do know is that Paramore is the perfect example of this: a band that experienced some truly challenging circumstances and potential catastrophe, only to rise from the ash...

Who doesn’t love a good feature track?

There’s something special that happens when two (or more) artists respect each other enough to get into the studio and hash out some music that inspires them - and their respective fanbases - it’s even better when the song becomes a MASSIVE hit!

Now usually, when a collaboration effort is released - it’s because the artists in question are undeniably hot acts in their o...