What motivates an artist to go beyond performative tweets and truly advocate for a cause they care about? This week, we are joined by Jessica Ilyse Kurn and Michael Stewart Foley, co-hosts of Against the Grain: The Farm Aid Podcast. For over forty years, the Farm Aid music festival has brought legendary artists together to support small family farmers. We talk about what brings them to that stage, what these farmers are up against, and how we’re all united by the same need… to EAT!

Listen to Against the Grain: The Farm Aid Podcast at farmaid.org/podcast and watch for the 2026 festival lineup at farmaid.org/festival!

Music heard in this episode: Bad Religion - “Grains of Wrath”, John Mellencamp - “Rain on the Scarecrow”

Send us your thoughts at NeverMusicPod@gmail.com

Nevermind the Music is part of The Lorehounds Network. Join the Nevermind the Music Discord channel by visiting thelorehounds.com

Is 47.5 times through a guitar riff enough? This week, we grab a ticket to anywhere with Tracy Chapman’s thoughtful 1988 ballad “Fast Car.” Nichole relates this song to people’s sense of whether they are in control of their lives, and, Here in episode #89, Mark finally starts listening to lyrics, and elaborates on how the song’s repetitiveness is actually the key to its moving storytelling. Just maybe this week it will be Nichole’s turn to secrete salty fluid from her optical sensors!

Other music heard in this episode: Tracy Chapman - “Give Me One Reason”, Tracy Chapman - “Stand By Me”, Tracy Chapman - “Baby Can I Hold You”, Shelly Thunder - “Sorry,” Nicki Minaj - “Sorry (feat. Nas)”, Tracy Chapman - “Behind the Wall”, Tracy Chapman - “For My Love”, Tobtok - “Fast Car”, Luke Combs - “Fast Car”, Bob Dylan - “Hurricane”, Suicidal Tendencies - “Institutionalized”, The Eagles - “Lyin’ Eyes”, Aloe Blacc - “I Need a Dollar”

Send us your thoughts at NeverMusicPod@gmail.com

Nevermind the Music is part of The Lorehounds Network. Join the Nevermind the Music Discord channel by visiting thelorehounds.com

Is that episode title just a joke? Mark definitely wishes it was. In this week’s Sidetrack, our hosts give their lists of songs that get the waterworks flowing. Join us for some really awesome music and some major over-sharing! See you next week for a regular, sob-free episode!

Music heard in this episode: Bonnie Raitt - “I Can’t Make You Love”, Earth, Wind & Fire - “September”, Sarah Bareilles - “She Used to Be Mine”, The King’s Singers - “And So It Goes”, Billie Eilish - “The Thirtieth”, Northside Special - “A Place to Call Home”, Taylor Swift - “marjorie”, Tally Hall - “Be Born”, Beck - “The Golden Age”, Say Anything - “Alive With the Glory of Love”

Send us your thoughts at NeverMusicPod@gmail.com

Nevermind the Music is part of The Lorehounds Network. Join the Nevermind the Music Discord channel by visiting thelorehounds.com