Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium

Nick and Ben are cracking the record that inspired the podcast - Red Hot Chili Peppers’ 2006 double album Stadium Arcadium. Can too much good material dull the impact of the individual songs? Why is this album John Frusciante’s masterpiece? Who was the Martian that died? Is Anthony Kiedis too creative for AI? Check out our playlists: https://open.spotify.com/user/31vn5rxrwinadnzasqcpasmhea6m?si=KpNYuMSfTpGHDllWAGbJhg Find us on social media:  https://linktr.ee/cracktherecord

Nada Surf - Let Go

For a traditional 23rd anniversary retrospective, Ben and Nick crack Let Go by Nada Surf. How did the album alter the band’s career trajectory? Why did the band change the tracklist themselves? Does Nada Surf mean anything? How much time can Nick spend listening to one song? Check out our playlists: https://open.spotify.com/user/31vn5rxrwinadnzasqcpasmhea6m?si=KpNYuMSfTpGHDllWAGbJhg Find us on social media:  https://linktr.ee/cracktherecord

Grammy Preview?

Ben and Nick listen to a lot of music, but it doesn’t necessarily overlap with the Grammy awards. Who are the Grammy nominated artists they did listen to in 2025? How do the Oscars and Grammys compare? What is the benefit of award ceremonies for the artists? Check out our playlists: https://open.spotify.com/user/31vn5rxrwinadnzasqcpasmhea6m?si=KpNYuMSfTpGHDllWAGbJhg Find us on social media:  https://linktr.ee/cracktherecord

Bloc Party - Silent Alarm

In 2025, Bloc Party commemorated the 20th anniversary of their debut album Silent Alarm and now Ben and Nick are going to crack the record. What is indie rock? Where do you find track 0? How does lyrical repetition and refrain drive the impact of the album? Why does production and engineering matter? Check out our playlists: https://open.spotify.com/user/31vn5rxrwinadnzasqcpasmhea6m?si=KpNYuMSfTpGHDllWAGbJhg Find us on social media:  https://linktr.ee/cracktherecord

Queens of the Stone Age - Rated R

In the year 2000, Queens of the Stone Age released their second album Rated R. Now Ben and Nick are going to crack the record with Kenny, their first guest, good friend, and huge QOTSA fan. What is the album about? Can Nick decipher the complex metaphors? Will Nick’s new tracklist even be possible? Is this a Nick episode? Check out our playlists: https://open.spotify.com/user/31vn5rxrwinadnzasqcpasmhea6m?si=KpNYuMSfTpGHDllWAGbJhg Find us on social media:  https://linktr.ee/cracktherecord