The latest episode of Music Matters is one of MonkeyBoy & Ziggy’s strongest deep‑dives yet — a smart, sharp, and surprisingly gripping look at how a barcode‑scanning system from the early ’90s helped reshape the entire rock landscape.

What makes this episode stand out is how clearly the guys connect the dots. They don’t just explain what SoundScan was; they show how it blew the doors open for rock and metal, revealing just how massive those genres really were. But they also dig into the unintended consequences — the label panic, the over‑signing frenzy, and the industry whiplash that followed.

Then comes the real meat of the episode: the role of corporate radio. MonkeyBoy & Ziggy break down how the 1996 Telecommunications Act and the rise of giant radio conglomerates quietly strangled rock’s mainstream exposure. Their explanation of playlist standardization, DJ elimination, and the shift toward “safe” formats is one of the clearest you’ll hear anywhere.

And just when you think the story’s over, they bring it home by showing how streaming and pop trends finished the job. Not in a doom‑and‑gloom way, but in a way that makes you understand how the entire ecosystem changed around rock — not because the music got worse, but because the infrastructure moved on.

The result is an episode that’s part history lesson, part industry exposé, and part love letter to the genre. It’s informative without being preachy, opinionated without being conspiratorial, and packed with the kind of context that makes you rethink the last 30 years of music.

If you care about rock, radio, or how the music business really works, this episode is essential listening.