Gather round, there's something we need to tell you. And it's not just that Louis Tomlinson has released a really good single with Bebe Rexha. Seriously, Back to You is all sneaking charm. It has such a beautiful slow churn. No chorus, ju

Episode 19: Flying Solo

Jul 17th, 2017 12m 24s

Laura's work has conspired to keep her away this week, but fear not Fraser is on hand to deliver the all-important Top 10 and put everyone out of their misery with regards to what the beginning of J-Hus's Did You See sounds like. Oh, but he'

Episode 18: The Kesha Spesha

Jul 10th, 2017 44m 44s

Kesha's solo comeback Praying is a song that strikes at the heart of how pop is made and where the power lies. It also raises the question of whether authenticity is a prerequisite when listening to highly emotive songs. Source material for

Episode 17: Rebreak My Chart

Jul 3rd, 2017 46m 39s

The Official Charts Company have issued new rules to tackle the Sheeran Singularity, and they appear to be partly based on suggestions that have appeared in previous Unbreak My Chart episodes. We take a look at the new rules, and give them a

Episode 16: Songs of the Summer

Jun 26th, 2017 50m 58s

At last! The results of our Song of the Summer poll are in, and they are mighty, although a little predictable in some cases (take a bow, Fraser McAlpine). The Zayn Malik piece mentioned by Elizabeth is here: https://melmagazine.com/two-d

Episode 15: Ed is Dead

Jun 19th, 2017 45m 33s

It's the first week in Unbreak My Chart history that Ed Sheeran does not have a song in the Top 10, but Laura is not here to enjoy the moment. Fraser is joined by the comic artist, writer and chart-keeper John Allison, designer of the UMC lo

Episode 14: Witless vs. 1984

Jun 12th, 2017 44m 42s

Anyone in the mood for old beef? Taylor Swift and Katy Perry are on hand to dispense their leathery grumps, and Fraser appears to be trolling Laura. Elsewhere, there's a realisation that nice people aren't always nice, we finally nail our po

Episode 13: Pants on Fire

Jun 5th, 2017 46m 10s

Political discourse has invaded the charts, in the shape of Captain Ska and his Theresa May-baiting social media hit Liar Liar. But will this usher in a new era for pop and politics, or is it just the Boaty McBoatface of popular song? Also,

Episode 12: Fandemoanium

May 29th, 2017 45m 12s

This week, in an act of fannish solidarity with everyone who has been affected by the Manchester bombing, we're adopting a positive, gushing tone, putting all moans to one side and celebrating Great Things in pop music. The Smash Hits Black

Episode 11: Where's the Beef?

May 22nd, 2017 45m 3s

This week, why Harry Styles didn't saturate the charts, a consideration of all the One Direction boys' solo careers, and Katy Perry's pitiful Swish Swish.Ann Powers' opus on Harry Styles and rock masculinity is here: http://www.npr.org/secti

Episode 10: You're a Vision

May 15th, 2017 44m 45s

This week we have thrown open the doors and welcomed guest contributors from around the world, to celebrate the spirit of Eurovision. We also have our first Unbreak My Chart guest mash-up, which is a remarkable thing. And there's a new No.1!

Episode 9: Hey Maca-Bieber!

May 8th, 2017 45m 49s

The podcast that tapes the Top 10 and then talks about it in school the next day, with Laura Snapes and Fraser McAlpine.This week! A brilliant email from a listener in Sweden, touching on the Norwegian Russ phenomenon and Britain's Eurovisio

Episode 8: Finally Clean

May 1st, 2017 46m 15s

The podcast that tapes the Top 10 and then talks about it in school the next day, with Laura Snapes and Fraser McAlpine.After last week's riffle through the vinyl top 10, we take a quick gander at Record Store Day's effect on that chart, bef

Episode 7: Put the Needle on the Record

Apr 24th, 2017 48m 49s

The podcast that tapes the Top 10 and then talks about it in school the next day, with Laura Snapes and Fraser McAlpine.In honour of Record Store Day, Laura and Fraser examine the vinyl singles chart, and find a whole new world. Also, Laura'

Episode 6: He Is Risen

Apr 17th, 2017 48m 46s

The podcast that tapes the Top 10 and then talks about it in school the next day, with Laura Snapes and Fraser McAlpine.It’s Easter, Laura’s in the City of Angels, and the No.1 slot has undergone its own moment of death and rebirth. Everythi

Episode 5: O Solo Me-O

Apr 10th, 2017 58m 13s

The podcast that tapes the Top 10 and then talks about it in school the next day, with Laura Snapes and Fraser McAlpine.This week, the charts are pretty stagnant, so we're swizzing quickly through the Top 10 before getting on to this week's

Episode 1: The Sheeran Singularity

Apr 10th, 2017 35m 28s

The podcast that tapes the Top 10 and then talks about it in school the next day, with Laura Snapes and Fraser McAlpine.In the week that Ed Sheeran has dominated the Top 20 with all 16 tracks from his new album ÷, we take a look at the Top 1

Episode 4: Music Sounds Better With EU

Apr 3rd, 2017 55m 13s

The podcast that tapes the Top 10 and then talks about it in school the next day, with Laura Snapes and Fraser McAlpine.This week, as the UK triggers Article 50, we look back at the last chart before Britain joined the EU, and find some (pos

Episode 3: The DrEd Duality

Mar 27th, 2017 46m 12s

The podcast that tapes the Top 10 and then talks about it in school the next day, with Laura Snapes and Fraser McAlpine.This week, we find that Drake has arrived with a Sheeran-sized parcel of songs to invade the Top 40. What does it all mea

Episode 2: Breaking The Rules

Mar 20th, 2017 47m 56s

The podcast that tapes the Top 10 and then talks about it in school the next day, with Laura Snapes and Fraser McAlpine.Week 2: The Sheeran Singularity still holds, so two weeks in, we're breaking the terms of our own podcast (a wise idea we