The Cobain 50

37
Music #31Music History #7

Kurt Cobain’s influence went beyond just the music he created with Nirvana. He also put the masses on to some of his own favorite artists. One particular document from his journals has been instructive to many fans – his top 50 albums. Each week, The Cobain 50 podcast digs into albums from this famous list and how they may have influenced Cobain and Nirvana. While learning the individual histories of the different albums on the list, we gain new insights into artists on the fringes as well as some of the biggest groups of all time. The podcast takes us through the legacies of acts like Sonic Youth, Pixies, The Breeders, Public Enemy, PJ Harvey, Black Flag, Mazzy Star, The Shaggs, Shonen Knife, and more. Episodes drop weekly starting January 10, 2024.

Recent Episodes
  • Daniel Johnston – Yip/Jump Music (1983)
    Apr 23, 2025 – 50:06
  • Half Japanese – We Are They Who Ache with Amorous Love (1990)
    Apr 16, 2025 – 45:43
  • Butthole Surfers – Pee Pee the Sailor (1983) and Locust Abortion Technician (1987)
    Apr 9, 2025 – 34:11
  • Swans – Young God (1984)
    Apr 2, 2025 – 31:04
  • Bonus: Ray Farrell’s Journey Through Indie and Major Labels
    Mar 26, 2025 – 01:06:01
  • Bonus: A Deeper Listen with Matt Cameron
    Mar 19, 2025 – 42:25
  • The Frogs - It's Only Right and Natural (1989)
    Mar 12, 2025 – 32:54
  • What Records? - What Is It. (Compilation) (1982)
    Mar 5, 2025 – 37:57
  • Young Marble Giants – Colossal Youth (1980)
    Feb 26, 2025 – 37:29
  • The Faith and Void – The Faith/Void Split LP (1982)
    Feb 19, 2025 – 37:41
  • Flipper – Album – Generic Flipper (1982)
    Feb 12, 2025 – 39:13
  • Bonus: The Gits on Sound & Vision Live
    Feb 5, 2025 – 32:08
  • The Saints – Eternally Yours (1978)
    Jan 29, 2025 – 39:05
  • Scratch Acid – Scratch Acid (1984)
    Jan 22, 2025 – 38:23
  • Public Image Ltd. – The Flowers of Romance (1981)
    Jan 15, 2025 – 50:52
  • Rites of Spring – Rites of Spring (1985)
    Jan 8, 2025 – 41:03
  • It's Christmas in Seattle: We'll Be Back in 2025!
    Dec 4, 2024 – 04:21
  • Fang – Landshark! (1983)
    Nov 29, 2024 – 20:09
  • Saccharine Trust – Paganicons (1981)
    Nov 20, 2024 – 27:04
  • Fear – The Record (1982)
    Nov 13, 2024 – 35:36
  • Tales of Terror – Tales of Terror (1984)
    Nov 6, 2024 – 37:56
  • Nirvana's MTV Unplugged Turns 30
    Oct 30, 2024 – 39:26
  • Bonus: A Deeper Listen with Pedro the Lion
    Oct 23, 2024 – 42:26
  • Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation (1988)
    Oct 16, 2024 – 01:31:19
  • Mazzy Star – She Hangs Brightly (1990)
    Oct 9, 2024 – 35:53
  • Black Flag – Damaged (1981)
    Oct 2, 2024 – 40:53
  • Revisiting Nevermind and In Utero
    Sep 25, 2024 – 50:54
  • Gang of Four – Entertainment! (1979)
    Sep 18, 2024 – 22:15
  • The Breeders – Pod (1990)
    Sep 11, 2024 – 41:25
  • Roundtable: Respect the Classics
    Sep 4, 2024 – 42:14
  • Lead Belly – Last Sessions, Volume One (1953)
    Aug 28, 2024 – 33:56
  • Aerosmith – Rocks (1976)
    Aug 21, 2024 – 42:53
  • Remembering Charles R. Cross, a Legend in Northwest Music Journalism
    Aug 16, 2024 – 32:54
  • David Bowie – The Man Who Sold the World (1970)
    Aug 14, 2024 – 33:28
  • The Beatles – Meet the Beatles! (1964)
    Aug 7, 2024 – 38:57
  • Roundtable: Kurt <3s Melody
    Jul 31, 2024 – 33:25
  • Marine Girls – Beach Party (1981)
    Jul 24, 2024 – 31:21
  • R.E.M. – Green (1988)
    Jul 17, 2024 – 01:10:25
  • The Knack – Get the Knack (1979)
    Jul 10, 2024 – 33:38
  • Michael Azerrad, the Man Who (Literally) Wrote the Book on Nirvana
    Jul 3, 2024 – 01:04:07
  • Jack Endino on the Northwest Sound and the 35th Anniversary of 'Bleach'
    Jun 26, 2024 – 58:05
  • Beat Happening – Jamboree (1988)
    Jun 19, 2024 – 57:18
  • Wipers – Is This Real? (1980), Youth of America (1981), and Over the Edge (1983)
    Jun 12, 2024 – 42:01
  • Mudhoney – Superfuzz Bigmuff (1988)
    Jun 5, 2024 – 48:14
  • Bonus: Hiro Yamamoto on Soundgarden, Forging New Paths, and the Circles of Power
    May 31, 2024 – 39:12
  • Roundtable: Breaking Punk
    May 29, 2024 – 45:01
  • Black Flag – My War (1984)
    May 22, 2024 – 30:49
  • The Shaggs – Philosophy of the World (1969)
    May 15, 2024 – 31:48
  • Sex Pistols – Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols (1977)
    May 8, 2024 – 48:00
  • Shonen Knife – Burning Farm (1985 via K Records)
    May 1, 2024 – 30:03
Recent Reviews
  • melodie-c
    Essential
    One of the best music podcasts, turning what could easily have been a clickbait for mindless classic rock worship into something much more exciting and thoughtful, bridging eras and genres and making a passionate stand for Cobain (and by extension, much of the punk and alternative music built on his example) as being on the right side of history in both taste and social cobscience more than we often remember (even if less often than would ideally have been the case). One important correction though: Hope Sandoval’s amazing psychedelic band of 2001 to present is called the Warm INVENTIONS. All three of your hosts made the weird mistake of calling it the “Warm Intentions” almost as if you never actually listened to the band, which, if you like Hope as much as you purport to, is your loss.
  • MissileChicago
    No Cheap Trick?
    Hard to believe you can talk about all these influences or possible influences of Kurt Cobain and not reference Cheap Trick?! Some of these shows are way off! I’d expect more from a solid station such as KEXP.
  • brazil_2
    A great review of music, wonderfully hosted
    Enjoyed this entire podcast during my first trimester expecting. I couldn’t watch or read anything due to nausea— but I made it entirely through this podcast. I learned so much! Thank you!
  • M. B. Gonzalez
    A thoughtful podcast for and by creative people
    What a cool way to examine an artist as influential as Cobain. I like listening to it while I draw and paint. I enjoy all the host’s takes, including international perspectives! Give it a listen—it’ll make you excited about the bands you love and may introduce you to new sounds.
  • DKN667
    Astrology?
    If I wanted to listen to unironic discussions of astrology I’d find some New Age podcast to rot my brain with. This is a disappointing and shallow discussion of great records.
  • ravencrowgracklecaw
    A Punk/Grunge Primer
    Nicely produced and in digestible installments, this is a fantastic overview of roughly 20 years of music leading up to Nirvana’s short, brilliant reign in music. If you’re well acquainted with this era and style of sound, yeah, you’re not going to hear anything too revelatory. But that’s not the point. This is an accessible and even inspirational breakdown, curated by Cobain himself (in a slightly removed way) that leads the curious headbangers among us to dig in to the discographies and stories of some awesome artists. It got me to seriously reconsider The Clash and to get into PJ Harvey in earnest! Loving it!
  • ChaucerXIV
    Low IQ
    Dopes trying to sound intellectual instead of making an interesting topic... interesting.
  • Maiden M
    Bad Brains’ Homophobia AndMisogyny
    Why ignore the well-documented severe homophobia and misogyny of the Bad Brains in your episode on them? The hosts repeatedly mention Cobain’s political and social views in the context of the 50 albums, yet conveniently ignore the bigotry of the Bad Brains. Biased journalism, simply put.
  • MM!!toobadcbs
    Why?
    I love KEXP, but I have to say, The Cobain 50 is a disappointing podcast. So much could be said about this list and each production on it, but instead it’s just a boring conversation between two dudes, blah at best.
  • Brosgolbabe
    Remedial
    I simply do not understand the heaps of praise on this podcast. Absolutely no insight, grating “like” commentators, and a hard lean on previously released and far superior source material. Just watch the Jarmusch doc instead of listening to the endless fair-use clips featured here. I guess this is fine for “beginners”, but even there I don’t get any meaningful history or context. Just dull and dim.
  • jflobot
    Exciting
    Thanks for educating us on amazing music history. Look forward to the next show, Cobain 50!
  • Martymall
    Facts
    I fell in love with West Coast Hip Hop in 1980. Since , then I sleep, Hip Hop, eat, Hip Hop, and just live for Hip Hop!!!
  • Vernon Green
    It’s been 50 YEARS Of HIP HOP 1973
    One Of the best years to be born if not the best !?
  • hcs1016
    Thank you!
    I know a lot about hip hop and I learn something new every time I listen to this podcast. I look forward to this every week and so thankful to KEXP for producing amazing content like this.
  • ADJNAMEDSLASH/
    Peace, Peace
    Thank You for your time educating us all. The in depth interviews and choppin’ up other interviews. The pod is well done and done with care.
  • Carm77@
    Love this series!
    Great writing and great series!
  • schlenky1
    WOW
    Thank You 🙏🏻 For 50 years of the Birth of A Genre of Truth to Power!!!! Here’s to the NEXT 50 🍾 !!!!! Can’t wait for what it will bring!! 🙌🏻
  • BikingInSeattle
    Larry Mizell Jr *teaches* through joy
    KEXP’s team has done it again. Amazing podcast. I didn’t have any idea about the history and significance of Hip Hop in music history until tuning into Larry’s new show. Highly recommend! You’ll enjoy listening to the genre even more once you gain the full scope of it’s influence.
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