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WMG / Song vs. Song

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    "Song vs. Song" podcast predictions 

Specific pairs:

  • "9 to 5" by Dolly Parton vs. "9 to 5" by Sheena Easton: 1981 female #1 hits of the same namenote .
  • "88 Lines About 44 Women" by The Nails vs. "Mexican Radio" by Wall of Voodoo: 80's new wave songs with distinctly 90's senses of irony by bands who only had one hit.
  • "99 Luftballons" by Nena vs. "Rock Me Amadeus" by Falco: '80s songs sung almost entirely in German that managed to become hits in America.
  • "1944" by Jamala vs. "Stefania" by Kalush Orchestra: Ukranian songs alluding to the artist's family that won the Eurovision Song Contest in a Dark Horse Victory that is assumed to be politically motivated.
  • "2000 Miles" by The Pretenders vs...
    • "Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl: melancholic Christmas Songs from the 80s by bands from the British Isles.
    • "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" by The Proclaimers: '80s "Miles"-themed hits by bands whose names contain a pluralized noun starting with "pr".
  • "Airplanes" by BoB featuring Hayley Williams vs...
    • "Love the Way You Lie" by Eminem featuring Rihanna: Summer 2010 pop-rap smash hits featuring female vocalists.
    • "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" by Eve featuring Gwen Stefani: Hit rap songs featuring a chorus sung by a popular rock band's frontwoman.
    • “Paper Planes” by M.I.A.: Aviation themed rap songs.
  • "All About that Bass" by Meghan Trainor vs...
    • "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen: Early/mid 2010s songs by then-unknown female pop singers that became smash hits and memes.
    • "Royals" by Lorde: Two songs by little known female singers that were the "song of the fall" in 2014 and 2013, respectively.
    • "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea: 2014 hit songs where white artists adopt black accents in a questionable manner.
  • "All of Me" by John Legend vs. "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran: 2010s pop hits about loving a woman's physique.
  • "All the Small Things" by blink-182 vs. "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World: Pop Punk songs of the early 2000s that where their respective band's only crossover hits.
    • Alternately, "The Middle" vs. "Island in the Sun" by Weezer
  • "Anaconda" by Nicki Minaj vs. "WAP" by Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion: Sensational sex-rap hits by black female rappers focusing on different parts of the body, both of which prominently sample a song from the 90s.
  • "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" by Jet vs. "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" by The Darkness: Hit songs from the Glam Rock revival of the mid-2000s.
  • "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter vs. "You're Beautiful" by James Blunt: Spring 2006 smash hits by adult contemporary artists who never had another hit in the United States.
  • "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish vs. "Royals" by Lorde: Award-winning minimalist alternative pop songs of the 2010s by female teenage singers.
  • "Baby Come Back" by Player vs. "Kiss You All Over" by Exile: Chart topping yacht-rock hits of 1978 by flash-in-the-pan groups.
  • "...Baby One More Time" by Britney Spears vs. "Genie in a Bottle" by Christina Aguilera: Breakthrough singles by female teen pop artists of the late 90s, both of which starred in the late 80s revival of The Mickey Mouse Club.
    • Confirmed
  • "Basket Case" by Green Day vs. "Buddy Holly" by Weezer: Mid-90's alternative rock songs that kicked off the pop-punk movement.
  • "Beautiful Day" by U2 vs. "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay: Acclaimed songs by rock bands from the British Isles meant to cater to Adult Contemporary audiences.
  • "Beggin'" by Måneskin vs.
    • "The Sound of Silence" by Disturbed and/or "Zombie" by Bad Wolves: Popular covers by active rock radio artists that became two of the genre’s very few post-2009 songs to enjoy even minor crossover success.
    • "Highway Tune" by Greta Van Fleet: The Signature Songs of 70s rock Genre Throwback artists popular in the late 2010s, both of which were released in 2017 (though the former only became popular 4 years later).
  • "Better Man" by Pearl Jam vs. "Big Me" by Foo Fighters: Mid-90s alternative Black Sheep Hits that are Lighter and Softer than the bands' usual output, and that share initials.
  • "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson vs. "When Doves Cry" by Prince: '80s #1 hits that turned black midwestern R&B singers into flamboyant, genre-busting pop superstars and are credited with helping break down color barriers in pop and MTV.
  • "Birdhouse in Your Soul" by They Might Be Giants vs. "Ocean Man" by Ween: Two alternative songs about befriending strange creatures by cult bands where the two main guys share the same name and would later contribute music for SpongeBob SquarePants.
  • "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd vs. "Don't Start Now" by Dua Lipa: Genre Throwback megasmashes of 2020, both of which were first released in late 2019.
  • "Blister in the Sun" by Violent Femmes vs...
    • "Where Is My Mind?" by Pixies: "Too '90s for the '80s" songsnote , both of which are prominently featured in popular '90s movies.
      • “Where Is My Mind?” jossed, as it was paired against “Teen Age Riot” by Sonic Youth.
    • "Radio Free Europe" by R.E.M.: The opening tracks to classic college rock albums from 1983.
    • "Take the Skinheads Bowling" by Camper Van Beethoven
  • "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" by Eiffel 65 vs. "Barbie Girl" by Aqua: Two of the most maddeningly catchy Eurodance songs of the 90's.
  • "Break My Stride" by Matthew Wilder vs. "I'm Still Standing" by Elton John: 1983 hits about determination and resilience in the face of hardship.
  • "Breakfast at Tiffany's" by Deep Blue Something vs. "Sex & Candy" by Marcy Playground: Mid-to-late '90s one-hit wonders from the grunge-pop movement.
  • "Born in the USA" by Bruce Springsteen vs. "Rockin' in the Free World" by Neil Young: '80s rock anthems with lyrics that criticize American politics but were commonly misinterpreted as patriotic.
    • Confirmed.
  • "Bubbly" by Colbie Caillat vs. "Love Song" by Sara Bareilles: Late 2007 adult contemporary crossover hits.
  • "California Dreamin'" by The Mamas & the Papas vs. "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)" by Scott McKenzie: Folk-y '60s counterculture anthems that made California the center of the movement.
  • "Can't Get You Out of My Head" by Kylie Minogue vs. "Hung Up" by Madonna: 2000s hits by pop divas who got their start in the '80s. While both songs had respectable #7 peaks in the U.S., they were absolutely gigantic chart-topping smashes worldwide.
  • "A Case of You" by Joni Mitchell vs. "Diamonds and Rust" by Joan Baez: 70s ballads by female folk singers about a past romance with another folk singernote .
  • "Centerfield" by John Fogerty vs. "Talkin' Baseball" by Terry Cashman and/or "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" by Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer: Staple tunes about America's favorite pastime.
  • "Cha Cha Cha" by Käärija vs. "Idol" by YOASOBI: J-pop-tinged techno-rap songs associated with TV shows/specials that attained global viral popularity in 2023.
  • “Cha Cha Slide” by DJ Casper (a.k.a. Mr. C the Slide Man) vs. “Cupid Shuffle” by Cupid: The ultimate dance anthems of elementary school parties and wedding receptions.
  • "Cheerleader" by OMI vs. "Rude" by MAGIC!: Mid-2010s reggae summer smashes by one hit wonders.
  • "Chop Suey!" by System of a Down vs. "Down with the Sickness" by Disturbed and/or "Bodies" by Drowning Pool: Battle of 2001 Nu Metal classics that would later turn into memes.
  • "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus vs. "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield: 2000s female hits turned graduation anthems.
  • "Closer" by The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey vs. "The Middle" by Zedd, Maren Morris, and Grey: EDM hit songs that helped bring a popular female singer from another genre into the world of pop music.
  • “Closing Time” by Semisonic vs. “You Get What You Give” by New Radicals: Beloved power pop songs of the late 90’s by acts who never had another hit.
  • "Country House" by Blur vs. "Roll With It" by Oasis: The Battle of Britpop.
    • Or alternately "Song 2" vs. "Wonderwall" if you want to use the most famous songs by each group, though the latter was already paired up against with "Good Riddance"
  • "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" by Soulja Boy vs. "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)" by Silento: Dance Sensation hip hop songs by teenage rappers.
  • "A Day in the Life" by The Beatles vs. "Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys: Multi-part songs with heavy Classical Music influences by '60s bands who frequently took inspirations from each other.
  • "A Design for Life" by Manic Street Preachers vs. "Common People" by Pulp: Working class-centric Britpop anthems from the mid-90s.
  • “Detachable Penis” by King Missile vs “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver” by Primus: Novelty rock songs from the 90’s about/implied to be about genitalia.
  • "Don't Worry, Be Happy" by Bobby McFerrin vs. "In the Summertime" by Mungo Jerry: Self-indulgent novelty songs about simple pleasures that are cherished by some and loathed by many.
  • "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds vs. "The Power of Love" by Huey Lewis and the News: Chart topping hits from iconic 1985 movies.
  • "Don't You Worry Child" by Swedish House Mafia ft John Martin vs. "Wake Me Up" by Avicii ft Aloe Blacc. Two big EDM crossovers from 2012-13 by Swedish DJ's about comfort during the loss of innocence, and were both artists’ only big American hit.
  • "Dragostea din Tei" by O-Zone vs...
    • "Sandstorm" by Darude: Memetic 2000s Eurodance songs by one-hit wonders.
      • Alternatively: Either of them vs. "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" by Eiffel 65.
    • "Stereo Love" by Edward Maya and Vika Jigulina and/or "Mr. Saxobeat" by Alexandra Stan: Two Romanian dance-pop crossover hits that actually charted on the Hot 100.
  • "Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys vs. "California Gurls" by Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg: Odes to opposite coasts of the continental U.S. that pair a female singer with a rapper.
  • "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears vs. "Land of Confusion" by Genesis: Dystopia-themed mid '80s hits that reflect upon sentiments felt during the Cold War era.
  • "Face Down" by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus vs. "Monster" by Meg and Dia: Two emo songs that tackle the heavy topic of abuse. One is based in reality and the other based on fiction.
    • Alternatively, “Monster” by Meg and Dia vs. “Monster” by Skillet
  • "Fantasy" by Mariah Carey vs. "Return of the Mack" by Mark Morrison: Mid-'90s R&B smash hits that sample "Genius of Love" by Tom Tom Club.
  • "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman vs. "What I Am" by Edie Brickell & New Bohemians: Left-field 1988 hits by female singer-songwriters who preceded the Lilith Fair scene.
  • "Feel Good Inc." by Gorillaz vs. "Weapon of Choice" by Fatboy Slim: Two of the most iconic electronic funk songs of the 2000's by artists originally of English pop bands.note 
  • "A Fifth of Beethoven" by Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band vs. "Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band" by Meco: Chart-topping disco renditions of non-pop songs.
  • "Fireflies" by Owl City vs. "Bulletproof" by La Roux: Iconic electropop songs from the late 2000's/early 2010's
  • "Flagpole Sitta" by Harvey Danger vs. "Walkin' on the Sun" by Smash Mouth: Late 90's alternative rock songs about the superficiality of popular music and society.
  • "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins vs. "Flashdance" by Irene Cara: Titular songs from early-to-mid ‘80s music-themed movies beginning with an "F".
    • Confirmed
  • "Found a Way" by Drake Bell vs. "Leave It All to Me" by Miranda Cosgrove (feat. Drake Bell): 2000's power-pop songs that were used as the theme songs for popular Nickelodeon sitcoms.note 
  • "Friday I'm in Love" by The Cure vs. "Shiny Happy People" by R.E.M.: Early '90s alternative hits known for carrying an uncharacteristically cheerful tone compared to their bands' usual outputs.
  • "Fuck You! (Forget You)" by Cee Lo Green vs. "Fuck It (I Don't Want You Back)" by Eamon: R&B songs about angrily disowning an ex-girlfriend with profanity in titles.
  • "Fuck tha Police" by N.W.A vs. "Fight the Power" by Public Enemy: Late '80s hip hop songs addressing racism. The titles of both songs also share initials.
  • "Funky Town" by Lipps Inc. vs. "Let's Groove" by Earth, Wind & Fire: Early-80's Disco hits released at the tail end of the genre's time in the limelight, featuring a more electronic production.
  • "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams vs. "Uptown Funk" by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars: Mid-2010's disco throwback smash hits.
    • Confirmed.
  • "Gold Digger" by Kanye West vs. "Candy Shop" by 50 Cent and/or "Run It!" by Chris Brown: Battle of the 2005 hip-hop chart toppers. Brown is more of an R&B musician than a rapper. If paired against "Gold Digger", it's also a battle between musicians who became two of the most hated people in the industry in 2009.
  • "Ghosts" by Japan vs. "O Superman" by Laurie Anderson: Minimalist, unconventional electronic songs from 1981 that became unlikely top 5 hits in the UK.
  • “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer” by Dr. Elmo and Patsy vs. “The Christmas Shoes” by NewSong: Christmas songs that are widely hated for arguably opposite reasons.
  • “Happy Together” by The Turtles vs. “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” by The Beach Boys: 1960’s pop tunes about longing for a romantic relationship that lasts forever.
    • “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” jossed. “Happy Together” was paired against “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison
  • "Harlem Shake" by Baauer vs. "The Fox" by Ylvis: 2013 viral meme songs. Could potentially be a three way if "Gangnam Style" by PSY, the biggest viral meme song of 2012, is involved.
  • "Hanging by a Moment" by Lifehouse vs...
    • "How You Remind Me" by Nickelback: 2001 Post-Grunge smash hits by bands who would later "sell out" to the pop music market.
    • "Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down: Another post-grunge act accused of abandoning its roots in search of pop crossover success.
    • "Blurry" by Puddle of Mudd: Unlike the former three, they never sought more pop hits and kept their focus on the rock scene.
    • "Higher" and/or "With Arms Wide Open" by Creed: Like Nickelback, they are one of the most hated rock bands out there. Unlike the others they didn't last much longer after the success of those songs.
      • "With Arms Wide Open" vs. "How You Remind Me" confirmed.
    • "Breathe" by Faith Hill and/or "Levitating" by Dua Lipa: #2 Hot 100 hits turned #1 year-end hits.
    • "Hemorrhage (In My Hands) by Fuel: Another post-grunge song that found pop success.
  • "Heartbeats" by The Knife vs. "Dancing on My Own" by Robyn: Swedish electropop international hits with equally well-known stripped-down cover versions.
    • Alternately, said cover versions by José González and Callum Scott, respectively.
  • "Heat of the Moment" by Asia vs. "The Final Countdown" by Europe: Signature Songs from '80s rock bands named after continents.
  • "Heathens" by Twenty One Pilots vs. "Sunflower" by Post Malone: Late-2010's hits from the soundtrack to a superhero movie.
  • "Heaven" by DJ Sammy vs. "Listen to Your Heart" by D.H.T.: Trance crossover hits of the 2000s that are covers of '80s #1 hits.
  • "Hero" by Chad Kroeger vs...
  • "Heroin" by The Velvet Underground vs "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane: Art rock songs from 1967 about substance abuse.
  • "Hey Jealousy" by Gin Blossoms vs. "Mr. Jones" by Counting Crows: Early hits of the adult-alternative movement.
  • "Hey There Delilah" by the Plain White T's vs. "Apologize" by Timbaland and OneRepublic: Soft-rock Black Sheep Hits of 2007.
  • "Hit Me With Your Beat Shot" by Pat Benatar vs. "I Love Rock and Roll" by Joan Jett: Female Hard Rock hits of the early 1980s.
    • Confirmed
  • "Ho Hey" by The Lumineers vs. "I Will Wait" by Mumford & Sons: Indie-folk songs of 2012-13 that became surprise pop crossover hits.
    • Alternatively, either of those vs. "Home" by Phillip Phillips.
  • "Hot in Herre" by Nelly vs. "Without Me" by Eminem: Summer 2002 hip-hop smash hits.
    • Jossed; "Hot in Herre" was pitted against 50 Cent's "In Da Club" instead.
  • "Hotel California" by the Eagles vs...
    • "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd: 1970s Classic Rock songs with a U.S. state in the title.
    • "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd: Classic rock songs that end with an extended guitar solo that takes up half the song.
      • "Free Bird" is hosed; it's being put up against "Stairway To Heaven" by Led Zeppelin instead.
  • "Hurt" by Johnny Cash vs. "Mad World" by Gary Jules: Stripped-down covers from the early 2000s of songs by electronic music acts.
  • "I Don't Want to Wait" by Paula Cole vs. "I Don't Want to Be" by Gavin DeGraw: Adult alternative hit themes from popular teen dramas. Their titles are also only one word apart.
  • "I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas vs. "Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO: Summer party jams from around the turn of the 2010s.
  • "I Hope" by Gabby Barrett vs. "I Hope You're Happy Now" by Carly Pearce & Lee Brice: Two "hope"-themed 2020 country hits by female singers.
  • "I'll Be Missing You" by Puff Daddy and Faith Evans featuring 112 vs...
  • "I'll Be There for You" by The Rembrandts vs. "Closer to Free" by BoDeans: '90s power pop songs that are best known for serving as the theme songs of popular '90s television shows.
  • "I've Seen That Face Before (Libertango)" by Grace Jones vs. "Fade to Grey" by Visage: 80s new wave hits with Gratuitous French spoken word sections by artists famous for their strong visual identities.
  • "I Wanna Be Your Man" by The Beatles vs "I Wanna Be Your Man" by The Rolling Stones: A third potential "Beatles vs. Stones" matchup, but featuring both bands' performances of the same song.
  • "I Wanna Love You" by Akon vs. "So Sick" by Ne-Yo: #1 R&B ballads of 2006.
  • "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins vs. "Games Without Frontiers" by Peter Gabriel: Minimalistic experimental pop hits of the early 80s by members of Genesis. Collins also worked on the latter song's parent album.
  • "In the Meantime" by Spacehog vs. "Stars" by Hum and/or "Stuck on You" by Failure: Beloved shoegaze/space rock songs from 1995 by acts who only had one pop hit.
  • "Irreplaceable" by Beyoncé vs. "Take a Bow" by Rihanna: mid-to-late 2000s R&B ballads about dumping a guy who was caught cheating that were both co-written by Ne-Yo.
  • "Jessica" by The Allman Brothers Band vs. "Sylvia" by Focus: Seventies instrumental rock tracks named after women.
  • "Jingle Bell Rock" by Bobby Helms vs. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee: Christmas-themed Rock & Roll songs of the 1950s.
    • Confirmed.
  • "Jump" by Kris Kross vs. "Jump Around" by House of Pain: 1992 One-Hit Wonder rap songs about "jumping". The latter actually samples the former.
    • Confirmed.
  • "Keep Your Hands to Yourself" by the Georgia Satellites vs. "Tuff Enuff" by the Fabulous Thunderbirds: Surprise Southern Rock hits of the mid '80s from cult bands who never had another hit.
  • "Killing in the Name" by Rage Against the Machine vs...
  • "Kiss Me" by Sixpence None the Richer vs. "Truly Madly Deeply" by Savage Garden: Schmaltzy adult contemporary love songs from 1997.
  • "Let's Get it On" by Marvin Gaye vs. "Get it On" (a.k.a. Bang a Gong (Get it On)) by T. Rex: Classic 70's glam rock/R&B hits about sex and romance with "get it on" in the title.
  • "Light My Fire" by The Doors vs. "House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals: Classic psychedelic rock songs from the 60's with prominent organs.
  • "Lips of an Angel" by Hinder vs. "Addicted" by Saving Abel: Heavily sexualized and hedonistic post-grunge hits of the mid-to-late 2000s. Expect Todd to rip both songs to shreds, since he stated in his 2011 FAQ that he thinks both bands are worse than Nickelback.
  • "Loser" by Beck vs...
  • "Lose Yourself" by Eminem vs...
    • "In Da Club" by 50 Cent: Iconic late 2002/early 2003 rap anthems.
      • Jossed; "In Da Club" was pitted against Nelly's "Hot in Herre" instead.
    • "It's Hard out Here for a Pimp" by Three 6 Mafia: 2000s rap songs that won Oscars for Best Original Song.
  • "Love Me Like You Do" by Ellie Goulding vs. "Earned It" by The Weeknd: Hit songs from the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack.
  • "Lullaby" by Shawn Mullins vs. "Save Tonight" by Eagle-Eye Cherry: Early-1999 adult-alternative one-hit wonders.
  • "Lump" by The Presidents of the United States of America vs. "The Distance" by Cake: Wacky alternative rock songs from the 90's
  • "Macarena" by Los Del Rio vs...
    • "Despacito" by Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee, and Justin Bieber: Spanish-sung smash summer hits that spent a very long time atop the charts.
    • "Gangnam Style" by PSY: Viral foreign language dance crazes.
  • "Mickey" by Toni Basil vs. "Shake It Off" by Taylor Swift: Cheerleading-themed #1 hits.
  • "Merry Xmas Everybody" by Slade vs. "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" by Wizzard: Battle of 70s British Glam Rock Christmas Songs.
  • "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" by Crash Test Dummies vs...
    • "King of Spain" by Moxy Früvous: Cheesy Canadian folk songs from 1993.
    • "What It's Like" by Everlast: Folksy '90s ballads by one hit wondersnote  that feature three separate stories, all unified by a "be empathetic to those in difficult situations" theme.
  • "More Than a Feeling" by Boston vs. "Carry On Wayward Son" by Kansas: Mid-1970s classic rock songs by bands named after a place in America.
  • "Mr. Brightside" and/or "Somebody Told Me" by The Killers vs. "Sex on Fire" and/or "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon: Indie rock bands from the United States who have had more considerable success in the United Kingdom. "Somebody Told Me" and "Use Somebody" also both feautre "somebody" in their titles.
    • "Mr. Brightside" jossed. It was pitted against "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" by Panic! at the Disco.
  • "My Ding-a-Ling" by Chuck Berry vs. "You're Having My Baby" by Paul Anka: #1 hits from the early 70s by artists from the 50s. Both are often listed as the worst songs of all time.
  • "My Sharona" by the Knack vs. "What I Like About You" by the Romantics: Classic Power Pop songs from the turn of the '80s by artists who never had sustained commercial success, and are commonly remembered as One Hit Wonders despite it not technically being their band’s only (or in the Romantics’ case, biggest), hit.
  • "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" by Steam vs. "In the Year 2525" by Zager & Evans: 1969 chart topping one-hit wonders.
  • "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley vs. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" by Dead or Alive: 1980s songs by British arists turned 21st century memes. Both were produced by legendary British production team Stock Aitken Watreman.
  • "New York, New York" by Frank Sinatra vs. "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" by Tony Bennett: Traditional pop tributes to famous cities on opposite coasts.
  • "Nookie" by Limp Bizkit vs. "Bawitdaba" by Kid Rock: (In)famous Rap Metal songs of the late '90s.
    • Probably jossed as "Nookie" was pitted against "Freak On a Leash" by Korn instead, unless they pick another Limp Bizkit song.
  • "Novocaine for the Soul" by Eels vs. "Super Bon Bon" by Soul Coughing: The most well known songs by quirky underground cult bands that frequently used samples.
  • "Over The Rainbow" by Judy Garland vs. "Pure Imagination" by Gene Wilder: Songs from iconic children's movie-musicals based on acclaimed novels.
    • Alternatively, either of them vs. "The Rainbow Connection". The former song listed above is also about rainbows, while the latter song also came out in The '70s.
  • "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X vs. "Wild Wild West" by Will Smith: Chart-topping rap songs about cowboys released near the end of their respective decades.
  • "One Headlight" by The Wallflowers vs. "The Way" by Fastball: Rootsy, road-themed '90s songs that were huge hits on the radio but did not chart on the Hot 100 due to neither of them having been released as physical singles. If the general public knows any songs by these bands, it's likely these two.
  • "Owner of a Lonely Heart" by Yes vs...
    • "Jump" by Van Halen: 1984 hits that were legendary rock bands' sole chart toppers.
    • "Invisible Touch" by Genesis: Chart toppers by 70s Progressive Rock bands who turned pop in the 80s.
    • "Burning Down the House" by Talking Heads: The dorks of the 70's who became the pop stars of the 80's.
      • "Burning Down the House" jossed, as it was paired up against Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer".
    • "Tom Sawyer" by Rush: Another 80's pop hit by a progressive rock band.
  • "Peaches" by Jack Black vs.
    • "Almost Unreal" by Roxette: Singles from feature films based on the Super Mario Bros. franchise.
    • "I'm Just Ken" by Ryan Gosling: Showstopping original power ballads from the two highest-grossing films of 2023, both performed in-film by one of the characters despite the films themselves not really being musicals.
  • "Play That Funky Music" by Wild Cherry vs. "Pick Up the Pieces" by Average White Band: Chart-topping hits of the 70s by white funk one-hit wonders.
  • "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People" vs.
  • "Puttin' on the Ritz" by Taco vs. "Funkytown" by Pseudo Echo: Cover songs from the 80s by electronic acts with only one hit.
  • “Radio Radio” by Elvis Costello vs. “Making Plans for Nigel” by XTC: Quirky, upbeat late-70s hit songs that satirizes aspects of British society by two of the quintessential bespectacled British new wave nerds.
  • "The Reason" by Hoobastank vs. "Wherever You Will Go" by The Calling: Early 2000s songs by Post-Grunge one-hit wonders that are much softer than their normal work.
  • "Rico Suave" by Gerardo vs. "Informer" by Snow: Early '90s One-Hit Wonder songs influenced by non-American music by non-black rappers.
  • "Right Now" by SR-71 vs.
    • "Dear Maria, Count Me In" by All Time Low: 2000s pop-punk songs often said to sound like the theme song of a video game and an anime from that era, respectively.
    • ”My Own Worst Enemy” by Lit: Another snotty love gone sour pop-punk song from the 2000’s by a one-hit wonder band
  • "Running Up That Hill" by Kate Bush vs.
    • "Pass the Dutchie" by Musical Youth and/or "Master of Puppets" by Metallica: Popular 80s songs that were brought back into the public consciousness by their appearances in season 4 of Stranger Things.
    • "Enemy" by Imagine Dragons ft. JID: Songs that became Top 10 hits in 2022 on the strength of their appearance in a Netflix show (in Imagine Dragons' case, their song came from Arcane).
  • "Say It Ain't So" by Weezer vs. "Don't Speak" by No Doubt: Melancholic alternative/grunge songs from the mid-90's with titles alluding to silence.
  • "September" by Earth, Wind & Fire vs. "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)" by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons: '70s disco hits named after months.
  • "Seven" by Sunny Day Real Estate vs. "Never Meant" by American Football: Trailblazing songs that helped establish the midwest emo genre.
  • "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes vs.
    • "Clocks" by Coldplay: Iconic 2003 indie-rock songs.
    • ”Hate to Say I Told You So” by The Hives: Another iconic band from the 2000’s garage-rock revival.
    • ”Last Nite” by The Strokes: The most successful act of the garage-rock revival.
      • "Last Nite" jossed, as it was paired against a different White Stripes song, "Fell In Love With a Girl".
    • "Robot Rock" by Daft Punk: Classic repetitive rock songs from the mid-2000's.
  • "SexyBack" by Justin Timberlake vs. "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke: Highly sexual dance songs by white R&B singers.
  • "Shipbuilding" by Robert Wyatt or Elvis Costello vs. "Army Dreamers" by Kate Bush: Early '80s British art-pop anit-war ballads.
  • "Smooth Criminal" by Alien Ant Farm vs.
    • "The Boys of Summer" by the Ataris: Covers of 80s songs by 2000s rock bands who would never produce another hit.
    • "Boyz-n-the-Hood" by Dynamite Hack: Another one-hit wonder from the 2000's covering a black song in an overwhelmingly white way.
  • "Somebody's Watching Me" by Rockwell vs. "Who Can It Be Now?" by Men at Work: '80s pop hits about the anxiety brought on by invasion of privacy.
  • "Stacy's Mom" by Fountains of Wayne vs. "1985" by Bowling for Soup: 2000s Power Pop "MILF anthems" by bands who never had another Top 40 hit.
    • Confirmed
  • "Steal My Sunshine" by Len vs. "Summer Girls" by LFO: Summer-themed 1999 hits with Word Salad Lyrics by bands with three-letter names (both beginning with an "L"), both of which are seen as relics of that particular year.
  • "Such Great Heights" by The Postal Service vs. "First Day of My Life" by Bright Eyes: Indie pop hits from the early to mid-2000's about love and relationships.
  • "Sugar, Sugar" by The Archies vs. "Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows" by Lesley Gore: 60's bubblegum pop songs using candy as a metaphor for the pleasure of love.
  • "Supper's Ready" by Genesis vs. "Close to the Edge" by Yes: Two early seventies Progressive Rock epics.
  • “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” by Eurythmics vs. “Don’t Go” by Yazoo: Early 80s synthpop songs with prominent synth lines and powerful female vocals.
  • "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell vs. "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood: '80s synth-rock songs by British bands with openly gay members who never had another hit in the U.S.
  • "Take Me Home, Country Roads" vs. "Rocky Mountain High", both by John Denver: 70s country-folk songs by the same artist that became official state songs of West Virginia and Colorado, respectively.
  • "Take Me Home Tonight" by Eddie Money vs. "Higher Love" by Steve Winwood: 1986 soft rock hits featuring female R&B veteransnote .
  • "Take On Me" by A Ha vs. "Come On Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners: The only American hits from popular European '80s music groups.
    • Confirmed (however, they covered the Reel Big Fish and Save Ferris covers respectively.)
  • "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton vs. "Everywhere" by Michelle Branch: Early 2000s pop-rock hits by "anti-Britney" female singer-songwriters.
    • Confirmed
  • "The Time (Dirty Bit)" by The Black Eyed Peas vs. "She's Like The Wind" by Lumidee: Late '00s/early '10s songs based off of songs from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack.
    • Alternatively, either of them vs. "Back in Time" by Pitbull (it sampled "Love is Strange", which wasn't written for the movie, only featured, but it should still count) which, like the Peas' song, contains the word "Time" in its title.
  • "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis vs. "Royals" by Lorde: 2013 chart topping Breakthrough Hits about materialism.
  • ”Thriller” by Michael Jackson vs. “Dead Man’s Party” by Oingo Boingo: Two Halloween themed 80’s party songs.
  • "Tik Tok" by Kesha vs. "Last Friday Night" by Katy Perry: 2010 female pop hits about getting drunk and partying recklessly.
  • "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" by Johann Sebastian Bach vs. "Symphony No. 5" by Ludwig van Beethoven: Majestic and foreboding classical compositions that feature two of the most memorable sequences of notes in all of music history.
  • "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler vs. "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" by Belinda Carlisle: Dramatic 80's pop rock songs about love by female artists.
  • "Try That in a Small Town" by Jason Aldean vs. "Rich Men North of Richmond" by Oliver Anthony Music: Summer 2023 controversial country #1 hits made popular as a result of conservative spite-buying.
    • Alternatively, either of them vs. "Am I the Only One?" by Aaron Lewis.
  • "Two Princes" by Spin Doctors vs. "Run-Around" by Blues Traveler: Crossover hits from the '90s jam band scene by Two-Hit Wonder bands whose other hit isn't nearly as remembered. Coincidentally, Chris Barron and John Popper, their respective frontmen, are good friends in real life, with Popper even being a founding member of Spin Doctors before starting Blues Traveler.
  • "Undone - The Sweater Song" by Weezer vs. "Popular" by Nada Surf: Surreal power pop songs about struggling with one's self-worth from the mid-'90s produced by Ric Ocasek with spoken dialogue between each chorus/verses.
  • "Unskinny Bop" by Poison vs. "Cherry Pie" by Warrant: Late-period hair metal hits from 1990 notorious for their silly lyrics and earworm qualities.
  • "Walking on a Dream" by Empire of the Sun vs. "Kids" by MGMT and/or "1901" by Phoenix: Battle of the late 2000s indie-electronic surprise hits.
  • "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves vs. "Walk of Life" by Dire Straits: Summery feel-good anthems from 1985 with the word "walk" somewhere in the title.
  • "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge vs. "Y.M.C.A." by the Village People: #2 disco smash hits of 1979.
  • "We Are The Champions" by Queen vs "Sweet Victory" by David Glen Eisley: Iconic power ballads about triumph.
  • "We Are the World" by USA For Africa vs. "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band Aid
    • Confirmed.
  • "We Are Young" by fun. vs. "Somebody That I Used To Know" by Gotye: 2012 indie-pop crossover smash hits that became popular thanks to Glee. Todd already reviewed them together on his own show and may be inclined to revisit them for this episode.
  • “Weird Science” by Oingo Boingo vs. “She Blinded Me With Science” by Thomas Dolby: New wave novelty songs about mad science by acts who(se central figures) would go on to have influencial careers outside of pop musicnote .
  • “Werewolves of London” by Warren Zevon vs. “Short People” by Randy Newman: Piano based novelty rock songs which loom over the respective artists other work.
  • "What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction vs. "Glad You Came" by The Wanted: Boybands who were part of the brief British boyband revival of 2012 whose careers went in completely opposite trajectories afterwards.
  • "What Would You Do?" by City High vs. "Rockabye" by Clean Bandit: Seemingly upbeat songs that have lyrics about single parenting.
  • "What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye vs. "Living for the City" by Stevie Wonder: Socially-conscious 70s Motown hits.
  • "What's Up?" by 4 Non Blondes vs. "Swallowed" by Bush: Todd's least favorite pop song of the 90s vs. Lina's least favorite pop song of the 90s.
  • "Where Is The Love?" by the Black Eyed Peas and Justin Timberlake vs. "This is America" by Childish Gambino: Socially-conscious rap songs that became big hits.
  • "Whip My Hair" by Willow Smith vs. "Friday" by Rebecca Black: Widely hated viral hits from the early 2010s by then-teenaged female artists who managed to turn the critics in their favor in the following decade.
  • "Wicked Games" by The Weeknd vs. "Escapism" by RAYE featuring 070 Shake: R&B hits about using hedonism to deal with heartbreak.
  • "You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt vs. "You're So Vain" by Carly Simon: Chart-topping salty breakup songs from the early-mid-70s by female artists.

    Possible "Artist vs. Artist" podcast predictions 
This could be similar to "Song vs. Song", except it focuses on artists' discographies as a whole rather than just individual songs.

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