What makes a truly great comeback song, and how does an artist return after years away, declining commercial fortunes or a dramatic change in the musical landscape?

In the Tracks On Trial Season 2 finale, Sam, Andy and AJ explore some of the greatest vocal-driven comeback songs in music history, putting the songwriting, vocal performances, production and cultural impact behind several extraordinary career revivals on trial.

From Cher's "Believe" and its enormous influence on modern pop production to ABBA's return after four decades, Heart's powerhouse "Alone", Meat Loaf's remarkable career resurrection, and Duran Duran's reinvention with "Ordinary World", this episode asks what an artist actually needs to achieve for a new release to qualify as a genuine comeback.

Is commercial success enough? Does an artist need to have disappeared completely? Can a change of sound rescue a declining career? And is the greatest comeback the one that recreates past success, or the one that finds an entirely new audience?

We explore the stories behind famous comeback songs and discuss how artists adapt their voices, songwriting and production as musical tastes change around them.

In this episode:

• Cher and "Believe", one of pop music's most influential comeback records
• How the distinctive vocal production of "Believe" helped popularise an entirely new pop aesthetic
• ABBA's extraordinary return after a 40-year hiatus and the challenge of revisiting an enormous musical legacy
• Heart's "Alone" and the power of Ann Wilson's vocal performance
• Meat Loaf and one of rock music's most remarkable career revivals
• Duran Duran's "Ordinary World" and the band's transition from 1980s pop phenomenon to a more mature 1990s sound
• What actually defines a musical comeback
• Why great singers can survive enormous changes in genre, production and popular culture
• The relationship between nostalgia, reinvention and commercial success
• Songwriting and music production techniques behind enduring comeback records
• Music trivia, games, quickfire recommendations and the final Topper or Flopper verdict

Along the way, the conversation inevitably goes considerably off course. There are strong opinions about the Spice Girls' vocal abilities, confusion involving Dolly Parton and Stevie Nicks, and the rather extraordinary conclusion that one legendary country singer occasionally sounds like a billy goat.

And because this is the Season 2 finale, there's another matter to settle.

After an entire season of pitches, quizzes, bonus points, dubious tactical decisions and arguments over what does and does not constitute good music, the final scores are decided and the Tracks On Trial Season 2 champion is crowned.

Tracks On Trial is a music podcast for people who want to go deeper into the songs they love. Each episode explores music history, songwriting, music production, famous artists, classic songs, forgotten tracks and the stories behind the music, with three hosts from Europe, Australia and the USA arguing their cases before delivering the ultimate verdict:

Topper or Flopper?