This week on Songs on the Couch, we unpack the song that captured hearts around the world and took out triple j’s Hottest 100 - Olivia Dean’s Man I Need.

We explore Olivia’s rise from soulful newcomer to global pop-soul powerhouse, and dive into why this track resonated so deeply with Gen Z and beyond. From its retro-inspired groove to its emotionally direct lyrics, Man I Need isn’t just a catchy hit - it’s a bold declaration of self-worth, vulnerability, and knowing exactly what you want.

This week on Songs on the Couch, we sit with one of the darkest and most confronting songs of the grunge era: “Would?” by Alice in Chains.

Written as a response to the death of Andrew Wood from Mother Love Bone, Would? isn’t a song about drugs - it’s a song about judgment, shame, and empathy. We unpack how Alice in Chains became the only major grunge band to write openly about heroin addiction while still living inside it, and how Layne Staley’s voice turned vulnerability into something impossible to ignore.

On the couch, we explore the psychology of addiction, internalised stigma, and why this song doesn’t ask for forgiveness - it asks a question. One that still makes listeners uncomfortable decades later.

Heavy music, heavy themes, and a reminder that understanding doesn’t mean approval.

Love it. Hate it. Hear it against your will every December.

This week on Songs on the Couch, we tackle the most unavoidable Christmas song of all time: Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” We break down how a song written in 1994 became a yearly cultural event, a retail worker’s nightmare, and a festive juggernaut that refuses to die.

On the couch, we explore the psychology behind why this song brings some people joy and sends others into a blind rage. From nostalgia manipulation and overexposure fatigue to forced cheer and seasonal emotional overload, we ask the big question: do people actually hate the song…or what it represents?

Lets unwrap the song everyone pretends they don’t know all the words to!