One Song

What song taught you how to grieve? We’re getting emotional on this one as we dive into the foundational 90s hip hop track and dedication song: “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)” by Pete Rock and CL Smooth.  Diallo and LUXXURY discuss the emotional nature of the song’s production as a tribute to Pete Rock’s close friend, before getting into their own personal stories of connecting music and the loss of loved ones.  Then, the stems breakdown brings us the return of Clyde Stubblefiel

How many words can we use to describe Sade’s voice? Hint: the answer is more than ten. We’re kicking off a new season of One Song with an all-timer: Sade’s 1984 jazz-soul-pop classic, “Smooth Operator”.  Diallo and LUXXURY discuss the origin and evolution of Sade from a backing singer to a star who blended style, sophistication, and sexiness in one iconic force of nature. We also argue a lot about how to pronounce her name (and there’s technically one correct answer).  Then, we dive

We’re revisiting an episode with all you ever wanted and all you ever needed from Diallo and LUXXURY. Okay, well, not everything, but in Part 2 of our Depeche Mode special, the guys break down the band’s biggest hit, “Enjoy the Silence.” Get ready to learn Depeche Mode’s techniques for crafting moodier, darker, and more atmospheric sounds, why this song took them to global superstar status, and how they paved the way for countless bands to create synth-driven, danceable music. New episodes re

This week, we’re revisiting an important question: How much do Diallo and LUXXURY love Depeche Mode? Answer – so much that they couldn’t pack it all into one episode. So get ready for a thorough two-part deep dive on these pioneers who defined the sound of electronic music! In Part One, the guys discuss Depeche Mode’s early years and their dynamic approach to using synthesizers and drum machines to make their music. Plus, they break down how “People Are People” was made—the song that took them g

Hey One Song Nation, we’re excited to announce a whole spate of new episodes coming your way starting October 15! We’ve got a new partner and a bunch of new songs to break down. But first, we’re opening the Patreon to share the full version of an instant classic: our contentious (but not really) interview with Geoff Barrow (Portishead, Beak>, Ex Machina) where we tried to answer the question: Does breaking down music ruin it?  This feud began in the comments of our Pharcyde "Runnin'" episo

We’re revisiting an episode that goes beyond music’s cultural impact to talk about its meteorological impact. When Rihanna's Umbrella topped the charts in the UK, it coincided with a period of heavy rain and flooding. The same thing happened in Romania and New Zealand. Coincidence, or did Rihanna's hit change the weather? On this episode of One Song, Diallo Riddle and LUXXURY explore the song's backstory, delve into the stems, and get to the bottom of how Rihanna arrived as a global megastar an

This episode is made in partnership with Spotify. SongDNA beta is available on Spotify Premium. Check out “Funky Drummer” on SongDNA via the Spotify mobile app. Why did the drum beat that birthed hip hop only cost 50 bucks? In Part 2 of our “Funky Drummer” breakdown, Diallo & LUXXURY devote an entire episode to the genius and legacy of the funky drummer himself: Clyde Stubblefield. It’s our “Oops! All Drummers!” episode, so strap in for some syncopations, paradiddles, breaks, ghost notes, backb

Was James Brown the inventor of funk? Diallo & LUXXURY dive into “Funky Drummer (Part 1)” the first half of the nine-minute funk epic that cemented James Brown as a true master of the genre. They get into the song’s legacy as a treasure trove for hip hop samples, James Brown’s unique presence as a bandleader, and what makes the song fit in the pantheon of perfect wedding DJ songs. Then, they bust out the stems to discuss the percussive nature of every instrument in the ensemble, including the gr