Best Song of 2006
In 2006, the United States had a wildly unpopular Republican president, was embroiled in a pointless war in the Middle East, and was heading straight toward a major economic crisis. Sound familiar? But at least 20 years ago we had some amazing music to make those terrible times at least somewhat more enjoyable. Belting pop-rock ballads. Infectious hip-hop tracks, foundational emo-punk, and what can only be described as total bangers in de clurb. So join us as the Great Pop Culture Debate goes back 20 years and attempts to name the Best Song of 2006.
Songs discussed: “Crazy” by Gnarles Barkley, “Hung Up” by Madonna, “How to Save a Life” by The Fray, “SOS” by Rihanna, “Rehab” by Amy Winehouse, “Dance, Dance” by Fall Out Boy, “Pump It” by Black Eyed Peas, “Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira feat. Wyclef Jean, “Because of You” by Kelly Clarkson, “Put Your Records On” by Corinne Bailey Rae, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” by Panic! At the Disco, “SexyBack” by Justin Timberlake feat. Timbaland, “You’re Beautiful” by James Blunt, “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield, “Irreplaceable” by Beyonce
Join host Eric Rezsnyak and panelists Andrea Guerrero, Curtis Creekmore, and Jake Pitochelli as they discuss and debate 16 of the most iconic songs from 20 years ago.
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Round 1 Match-Ups:
Play along at home by finding the listener bracket here. Make a copy for yourself, fill it out, and see if your picks match up with ours!
Match-Up 1: “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley (1) vs. “Hung Up” by Madonna (4)
Match-Up 2: “How to Save a Life” by The Fray (3) vs. “SOS” by Rihanna (2)
Match-Up 3: “Rehab” by Amy Winehouse (1) vs. “Dance Dance” by Fall Out Boy (4)
Match-Up 4: “Pump It” by Black Eyed Peas (3) vs. “Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira feat. Wyclef Jean (2)
Match-Up 5: “Buttons” by Pussycat Dolls (1) vs. “Because of You” by Kelly Clarkson (4)
Match-Up 6: “Put Your Records On” by Corinne Bailey Rae (3) vs. “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” by Panic! At the Disco (2)
Match-Up 7: “SexyBack” by Justin Timberlake (1) vs. “You’re Beautiful” by James Blunt (4)
Match-Up 8: “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield (3) vs. “Irreplaceable” by Beyonce (2)
Want a playlist with all 16 discussed songs, plus additional picks from our panelists? Here it is for you:
Want to play along at home?
Download the Listener Bracket and see if your picks match up with ours!
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Episode Credits
Host: Eric Rezsnyak
Panelists: Andrea Guerrero, Curtis Creekmore, Jake Pitochelli
Producer: Derek Mekita
Editor: Bob Erlenback
Theme Music: “Dance to My Tune” by Marc Torch
