by Joe Bennett | Sep 23, 2026 | 5live, Forensic Musicology, musicology, Popular Music, Research, Songwriting
This week Johnny I’Anson and I got behind the wheel! The car is among the most enduring cultural symbols of the modern age, and perhaps nowhere is this seen more obviously than in the sphere of Popular music. On the show, we looked at examples of “car... 
by Joe Bennett | Jun 11, 2026 | 5live, Forensic Musicology, musicology, Popular Music, Songwriting
This week on the show we marched to the beat of our own (snare) drum! The snare drum is descended from the medieval tabor, a drum with a single-gut snare strung across its bottom. It has its origins in warfare, but is now a central feature of any modern... 
by Joe Bennett | Jun 9, 2026 | 5live, Forensic Musicology, music education, musicology, Popular Music, Research, Songwriting
This week, Tony and I Hit the North (stay tuned for more on that)! Lancashire is a ceremonial county in North West England, and is bordered by Greater Manchester. Cumbria, North and West Yorkshire, Merseyside, and the Irish Sea. The county has a long tradition of... 
by Joe Bennett | Jun 9, 2026 | 5live, Forensic Musicology, musicology, Popular Music, Songwriting
On the show this week, Tony and I opened The Hot List and listened to songs about A-listers. Songs about celebrities have existed for around a century; essentially since the birth of celebrity culture. This week we explored some notable names who have found themselves... 
by Joe Bennett | Jun 9, 2026 | 5live, fm, Forensic Musicology, musicology, Popular Music, Songwriting
This week, Tony and I explored the ii-V-I! The ii-V-I, or 2-5-1, is a type of harmonic progression known as a cadence. Cadences are sequences of two or more chords used to conclude a passage, section, or song; they are a kind of musical punctuation. The ii-V-I is a... 
by Joe Bennett | May 26, 2026 | 5live, Forensic Musicology, musicology, Popular Music, Research, Songwriting
This week Tony and I tuned up the twelve-string! Twelve-string guitars date back to the nineteenth century, and feature 12 strings in six courses (each pair are closely spaced) that produce a thicker and more ringing tone than a standard six-string guitar. Their use... 
by Joe Bennett | May 16, 2026 | Education, Eurovision, musicology, Popular Music, Research, Songwriting
[The next day] results v my predictions So, even though I was right here in Vienna, soaking up the vibes, this wasn’t my best prediction work! All my top 3 made the top 10, but although I loved Bangaranga, I didn’t see its runaway success coming! Top 10 at... 
by Joe Bennett | May 7, 2026 | 5live, Forensic Musicology, musicology, Popular Music, Research, Songwriting
!sdrawkcab tnew I dna ynoT keew sihT! Backwards – or reversed – audio became a possibility with the advent of recording technology, and has been employed by artists and producers across decades to ornament songs and intruige listeners. On the show this... 
by Joe Bennett | Apr 17, 2026 | 5live, Forensic Musicology, musicology, Popular Music, Research, Songwriting
This week Tony and I took to the Streets! Streets, whether real or fictional, have inspired songs throughout the history of Popular music; they serve as narrative settings, metaphorical destinations, or as cultural symbols. On the show this week we looked at a... 
by Joe Bennett | Apr 15, 2026 | 5live, berklee, boston, Forensic Musicology, musicology, Popular Music, Research, Songwriting
In honour of St. Patrick’s day, this week Tony and I took a trip to the emerald isle! Ireland is famously a country of music and poetry, and has consistently punched above its weight – as far as population is concerned – in contributing to Popular... 
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