How many songs can you recognize by hearing the very first note?

Just one note, nothing more. Usually when radio stations play that game where they will give you a prize if you can recognize a quick snippet of a song, they give you at least a few notes, even a few seconds. But there is one song out there, and maybe the only one that immediately comes to mind, where if you know that first note, you’d guess it every time. If you’re near a piano or keyboard try playing a G note. What immediately comes to mind?

If you thought of My Chemical Romance's 'Welcome to the Black Parade' - you're in for a treat - because the season finale of Encore is all about their 2006 hit - with newly unearthed audio from MCR!

Before Sabrina Carpenter became one of the biggest artists of 2024... She dropped a Christmas Album, naturally.

This is the story of Sabrina Carpenter's 'Fruitcake' from our sister podcast Behind The Christmas Hits with Drew Savage!

A song - any song - when done right - can transport you to a different time, a different place, and take you on an emotional rollercoaster.

It’s an exhilarating feeling isn’t it? Whether you’re driving down the highway, volume cranked - singing along, or maybe you’re doing chores at home, and the music transforms the mundanity into something worthwhile. Maybe it’s a killer headphone session with a perfectly curated playlist - by you, or any of the playlist geniuses that work at iHeartRadio Canada - wait - who wrote that??

Dog Days are Over by Florence + the Machine, is just intrinsically just one of those great songs… a slow build with almost timid instrumentation, followed by a heartwarming and gentle voice taking you out on the quiet melodic waters - transporting you away to your own little musical island - when all of the sudden it crescendos with the power and soul of a voice so uniquely resonant, I might even argue that there hasn’t been another voice so special since the song was released into the wild over 15 years ago.

This is the story of Florence and the Machine’s “Dog Days are Over”

Contains interview footage from the following outlets:

RTE2 Ireland https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5e_Uvj0iCbc

ALT 98.7 LA (courtesy iHeartRadio) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJIwK7btO6Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyTYcgC7nLU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkjKxxEWy8I

KROQ LA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdyYdhG44zk

Contains a clip from 'Glee' S02 E09 'Special Education' (2010)

What would you say is the worst song ever written?

Like the absolute worst tune of all time that you and everybody you know hates.

There is almost no way to get a general consensus, but a lot of people sure think it is “You’re Beautiful,” the 2005 single by English singer-songwriter James Blunt.

When that song was released almost 20 years ago, it was everywhere. You couldn’t avoid it. The Gap, the grocery store, your dentist’s office? They were all playing it ‘round the clock. And when that happens it’s rather easy to hate on something as simple as a song. Especially a romantic ballad that’s as sappy and sentimental and innocent as “You’re Beautiful.”

But that’s where the problem lies. James Blunt’s much maligned mega-hit, a song that was virtually #1 all over the planet and likely in other galaxies was not a sappy, sentimental and innocent ballad. Heck, it wasn’t even romantic. Now, you might be saying to yourself, “How is that possible? He’s literally serenading a woman he finds beautiful.”

Well, I’m here to tell you that “You’re Beautiful” is a song with layers to it. Layers that will completely change the way you listen to it.

This is the story of James Blunt's 'You're Beautiful' with newly unearthed audio from James Blunt himself!

It’s really quite the honour to be thought of as the KINGS or QUEENS of a Genre - Think of the likes of The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Madonna, Beyoncé, or Taylor Swift - Artists that have completely become synonymous with the style of music in which they perform, whether it's through their contributions to innovation of the sound, or - quite frankly - through their track record of being the most popular artist or group to have ever done it.

With that in mind, if I were to present the genre of Pop-Punk to you, and ask who the first band that pops in your head is - I would be willing to bet you’d immediately think of the undisputed kings of the sound: blink-182

This is the story of blink 182’s CLASSIC “All The Small Things” with newly unearthed audio from the band.

Also contains audio from Zane Lowe's 2023 Chat with Mark, Tom, and Travis. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE6RpGJJWlQ

What does it mean to you when I say the word “brat”? What even is brat at this point? Are you brat? Am I brat?

In 2024 we learned what brat was and wasn’t, thanks to Charli XCX - who had a major breakthrough in 2024, but it wasn’t exactly her first rodeo. She has been flirting with stardom since she was a teenager.

As early as 2007, Charli took out a loan from her VERY UNDERSTANDING parents in order to make her first album, called 14. While promotional copies of 14 were shared with friends and members of the press - the album was never commercially available. However, a copy of the CD found its way into the hands of Atlantic Records, which offered Charli a record deal. At first Charli XCX wasn’t sure about signing with Asylum, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records. She was only 18 and enjoying making weird rave music on her own terms.

By 2012, Charli had found her niche as a songwriter and featured artist - penning tracks that became hits for Icona Pop and Iggy Azalea.

But in 2013/14, while working on her album True Romance, something weird happened. A song called "Boom Clap", which had been sitting on the shelf for a year -originally planned at one point to be given to Hilary Duff, was given a second chance by Charli as her first real single recording.

This is the story of 'Boom Clap' with newly unearthed audio from Charli XCX.

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.

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!