Prisoners of Rock and Roll

Prisoners of Rock and Roll takes a wide-angle approach to music history that stretches from Anthrax to Frank Sinatra, the history of the blues to the history of punk, and from Johnny Cash to U2's Joshua Tree. The show has 116 episodes since 2020 and a strong 4.8-star rating from 24 reviewers, releasing biweekly with episodes that typically run 60 to 90 minutes. What makes this show distinctive is its willingness to go thematic rather than just biographical. Recent episodes have covered killer cover songs, songs about marijuana, musicians who served prison time, one-hit wonders of the 1990s, the rise and fall of hair metal, the history of Abbey Road Studios, and artists known for their charitable work. They also run a recurring segment called "The Electric Chair" where the hosts critique poorly received songs with a mix of humor and honesty. The production includes music clips and news discussion alongside the history segments. The hosts are based in Philadelphia and maintain a community around McCusker's Tavern, which gives the show a neighborhood-bar-conversation quality. It's the kind of podcast where an episode about Bruce Springsteen's unreleased recordings sits comfortably next to one about musical duets, and both feel equally well-researched.