History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff

340 episodes

History in Five Songs Episode 338: Rock ‘n’ Roll Vampires
17/12/2025 | 38 mins.
In Episode 338 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin explores why veteran rock stars like Alice Cooper, Robert Plant, Rob Halford and others collaborate with younger musicians, examining whether it’s for creative renewal, staying culturally relevant, genuine mentorship, or tapping into youthful energy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
History in Five Songs Episode 337: Missed the Pre-Grunge Window
09/12/2025 | 35 mins.
In Episode 337 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin examines rock and metal bands that “missed the pre-grunge window” by failing to release one more album before grunge’s 1991 breakthrough wiped out their commercial momentum. Whitesnake – “Judgment Day" Foreigner – “Counting Every Minute” Accept – “Monsterman” UFO – “Mean Streets” Blue Öyster Cult – “Del Rio’s Song” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
History in Five Songs Episode 336: Snuck One in Before Grunge
09/12/2025 | 34 mins.
In Episode 336 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin ponders the bands who managed—through timing, luck, pivots, or pure momentum—to sneak in a successful album just before grunge exploded and reshaped the entire rock and metal landscape. Alice Cooper – “Little by Little” Pantera – “Domination” Judas Priest – “Hell Patrol” Metallica – “Holier Than Though” AC/DC – “Let’s Make It” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
History in Five Songs Episode 336: Snuck One in Before Grunge
04/12/2025 | 34 mins.
In Episode 336 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin ponders the bands who managed—through timing, luck, pivots, or pure momentum—to sneak in a successful album just before grunge exploded and reshaped the entire rock and metal landscape. Alice Cooper – “Little by Little” Pantera – “Domination” Judas Priest – “Hell Patrol” Metallica – “Holier Than Though” AC/DC – “Let’s Make It” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
History in Five Songs Episode 335: Motörhead and Saxon as Doppelgangers
25/11/2025 | 35 mins.
In Episode 335 of History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff, Martin traces the parallel rise, stumbles, and enduring legacies of Motörhead and Saxon, showing how the two bands evolved like true heavy-metal doppelgängers across debuts, classics, live albums, missteps, and comeback eras. Motörhead – “Keep Us on the Road” Saxon – “Out of Control” Motörhead – “Marching Off to War” Saxon – “Hole in the Sky” Motörhead – “When the Eagle Screams” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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About History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff

History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff is the show that aims to make grand and often oddball hard rock and heavy metal points through a narrative built upon the tiny idea of a quintet of songs. Buttressed with illustrative clips, Martin argues quickly and succinctly why these songs - and the specific sections of these tracks - support his mad professor premise, from the wobbly invention of an “American” heavy metal, to the influence of Led Zeppelin in hair metal or to more succinct topics like tapping and twin leads. The songs serve as bricks, but Martin slathers plenty of mortar. At the end, hopefully he has a sturdy house in which this week’s theory can reside unbothered by the elements. At approximately 7000, Martin has had published in books more record reviews than anybody in the history of music writing across all genres. Additionally, Martin has penned approximately 85 books on hard rock, heavy metal, classic rock and record collecting. Proud part of Pantheon - the podcast network for music lovers.

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