In this nostalgia-fueled episode, hosts Dave and Josh channel their Gen X musical expertise to vent about the current state of music awards. They dissect the infuriating inconsistencies and flawed methodology of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, listing major snubs from Weird Al to The Smiths. The conversation pivots to the declining relevance of the Grammys, comparing the star-studded winners of 1986 to today's auto-tuned landscape. The episode rounds out with lighter segments on hilariously "sinister" heavy metal band names and the lost analog art of backward masking in vinyl records.

The episode opens with high energy as Dave and Josh admire Dave's "smart" attire and briefly touch upon legendary onstage catastrophes, specifically mentioning Krist Novoselic's bass toss and a bloody microphone incident involving The Hives.

The central part of the discussion focuses on their shared anger regarding the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Dave uses the Billboard Top Ten from December 1986 to highlight artists who are notably absent from the Hall, such as Huey Lewis and the News. They argue that the Hall's induction methodology is nebulous and relies too heavily on a fan vote that favors currently active artists. They provide a laundry list of snubs, passionately arguing the cases for Joy Division/New Order, The Smiths, Iron Maiden, Jane's Addiction, Phil Collins (as a solo artist and with Genesis), and, surprisingly, Weird Al Yankovic, citing his massive sales and cultural longevity.

Next, they tackle the Grammys, agreeing that the awards have lost their relevance outside of industry marketing. They review the stacked Grammy winners list from 1986 (Phil Collins, Lionel Richie, Barbra Streisand, Bruce Springsteen) to emphasize the difference in raw vocal talent compared to modern, heavily produced music.

The final segments shift to more humorous musical tropes. They share their favorite over-the-top "sinister" band names, such as Goatwhore and Hellhammer, and recall the Satanic Panic of the 80s surrounding bands like KISS and Judas Priest. They conclude with a discussion on backward masking (backmasking), sharing examples ranging from the very first instance in 1959 by The Eligibles to Soundgarden mocking the practice in the late 80s.

Show Notes & Timestamps:

• [00:00] Intro: Dave's smart dressing, high energy, and a quick detour into onstage catastrophes (Krist Novoselic and The Hives).
• [04:15] The 1986 Quiz: Dave tests Josh on the top ten songs from December 1986 to set up the Hall of Fame discussion.
• [06:45] Rock & Roll Hall of Shame: Analyzing the flawed methodology of inductions, the problem with the fan vote, and why Huey Lewis isn't in the news.
• [12:30] The Great Snub List: The hosts debate who deserves to be in. The case for The Smiths, Joy Division, Iron Maiden, Phil Collins/Genesis, and why Weird Al Yankovic is a musical genius deserving of recognition.
• [23:00] The Grammys Roast: Are they still relevant? A look back at the staggering talent roster of the 1986 Grammy winners versus today's digitized vocals.
• [29:45] Sinister Band Names: From Hellhammer to Goatwhore, plus the hilarious original name of the Drive-By Truckers.
• [35:15] The Lost Art of Backward Masking: Searching for secret messages in vinyl. Examples from Soundgarden, Pink Floyd, Queen, and the very first backmasked song from 1959.