New Kids on the Block changed pop music forever — and Garrett and Mike are breaking down the full story from Boston to the blockbuster comeback. In this episode of The Cool Check-In, we cover the NKOTB origin story, how Donnie Wahlberg, Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Danny Wood, and Jon…
#50For50 #MusicHistory #MusicPodcast #TurningFifty #AlbumDeepDive #MusicReflection #50thbirthday Both Mike Joseph and Garrett Gonzales have officially hit 50 — and we're celebrating with the most personal Cool Check-In yet. We look back on the first 20 episodes of 50 For 50, the music history podcast where two lifelong friends dig into…
#WhitneyHouston #Top5Songs #MusicReview #50For50 #Diva 🎤 What Are the Absolute Best Whitney Houston Songs of All Time? In this episode of 50 For 50, Mike Joseph and Garrett Gonzales count down their definitive Whitney Houston Top 5 tracks and debate her legendary musical legacy. From infectious 80s dance-pop anthems to…
#WhitneyHouston #ILookToYou #50For50 #MusicHistory #WhitneyHoustonLegacy #2009Music Dive deep into the legendary legacy of Whitney Houston as we unpack the powerful and heartbreaking story behind her final studio album, I Look To You. In this episode of 50 For 50, hosts Mike Joseph and Garrett Gonzales break down her historic rise…
#MaryJBlige #RnBMusic #50For50 #HipHopSoul #GreatestHits #MusicPodcast What are the best Mary J. Blige songs of all time? In this episode of 50 For 50, hosts Mike Joseph and Garrett Gonzales countdown their definitive Top 5 Mary J. Blige tracks to celebrate the undisputed Queen of Hip-Hop Soul! 🎤✨ From her…
#MaryJBlige #WhatsThe411 #90sRnB #HipHopSoul #50For50 #1992Music How did Mary J. Blige completely shift the landscape of modern R&B with a single debut album? In this milestone episode of 50 For 50, hosts Mike Joseph and Garrett Gonzales break down the legendary 1992 release 'What’s The 411?' and explore why 1992…
#ArsenioHall #ArsenioMemoir #90sNostalgia #TheCoolCheckIn #50For 50 #LateNightTV #BookReview #EddieMurphy #dogpound Is Arsenio Hall’s new memoir the ultimate backstage pass to 90s late-night TV? Today on The Cool Check-In, Mike Joseph and Garrett Gonzales dive deep into Arsenio: A Memoir to see if the book captures the electric energy of the…
#NeYo #RandB #50For50 #MusicReview #2000sNostalgia #Top5 What are the absolute best Ne-Yo songs of all time? In this episode of 50 For 50, Mike Joseph and Garrett Gonzales count down their Top 5 tracks from the R&B gentleman himself, diving deep into the hits that defined an era. Ne-Yo didn't…
#NeYo #YearOfTheGentleman #2008Music #RnB #50For50 #Songwriting #Stargate #musicanalysis Is Ne-Yo’s Year of the Gentleman the peak of 2008 R&B? Today, Mike Joseph and Garrett Gonzales break down the "Rat Pack" evolution of one of the industry's most prolific songwriters-turned-superstars. In this episode of 50 For 50, we take a deep…
#MichaelJackson #KingOfPop #50For50 #MJFam #Thriller #MusicRanking #pophistory What are the best Michael Jackson songs from his most iconic era? In this episode of 50 For 50, Mike Joseph and Garrett Gonzales count down their Top 5 Michael Jackson songs, spanning the legendary run from Off The Wall (1979) to Dangerous…
#MichaelJackson #OffTheWall #MJ #MusicHistory #50For 50 #QuincyJones #ClassicAlbums #1979Music Is Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall actually the perfect pop album—even better than Thriller? In this episode of 50 For 50, Mike Joseph and Garrett Gonzales dive deep into the 1979 masterpiece that redefined MJ's career and set the stage for…
The music is legendary, but the movie is a mess. In this episode of The Cool Check-In, Mike Joseph and Garrett Gonzales explain why the Michael biopic succeeds as a theater experience while failing as a film. 🕺🎶 While the Michael Jackson Estate ensured every song and dance move hit…
#JayZ #KanyeWest #HipHopDebate #50For 50 #TheBlueprint #TheBlackAlbum #RapTop5 #MusicPodcast Is The Blueprint actually better than The Black Album? Or is it the other way around? Mike Joseph and Garrett Gonzales break down the ultimate Jay-Z vs. Kanye West debate, ranking their Top 5 songs and deciding which legendary run reigns…
#WatchTheThrone #JayZ #KanyeWest #HipHopHistory #50For50 #Ye #Hov #MusicLivestream #2011Music Is Watch The Throne the greatest collaborative album in hip-hop history? Join Mike Joseph and Garrett Gonzales as they dive deep into the 2011 Jay-Z and Kanye West masterpiece that redefined luxury rap and global dominance. In this live episode of…
#AlanisMorissette #90sMusic #50For50 #AltRock #JaggedLittle Pill #MusicRanking #Top5Songs Mike Joseph and Garrett Gonzales count down their Top 5 Alanis Morissette songs, debating the hits that defined a generation from "You Oughta Know" to "Uninvited." Is Jagged Little Pill the greatest debut of all time, or do her later deep cuts…
#AlanisMorissette #JaggedLittlePill #90sMusic #MusicHistory #50For50 #Grammys #AlternativeRock Is Alanis Morissette’s "Jagged Little Pill" the most influential album of the 90s? In this episode of 50 For 50, Mike Joseph and Garrett Gonzales break down the 1995 masterpiece that defined a generation and swept the Grammy Awards. We dive deep into…
#AliciaKeys #RnB #50For50 #MusicReview #Top5 #EmpireStateOfMind Is Alicia Keys the undisputed queen of 2000s R&B, or do some of her biggest hits not stand the test of time? In this episode of 50 For 50, Mike Joseph and GG dive deep into the discography of the 15-time Grammy winner to…
#AliciaKeys #TheDiaryOfAliciaKeys #50For50 #RNBMusic #2003Music #AlbumReview #MusicPodcast Is "The Diary of Alicia Keys" the definitive R&B masterpiece of the early 2000s? Mike Joseph and Garrett Gonzales dive deep into Alicia Keys' sophomore effort to see how it cemented her legacy following a massive debut. 🎹📖 In this episode of 50…
#HueyLewisAndTheNews #80sMusic #50For50 #Top5Songs #ClassicRock #MusicPodcast Is it hip to be square? You better believe it. In this episode of 50 For 50, Mike Joseph and Garrett Gonzales dive deep into the discography of Huey Lewis and the News to debate and deliver their definitive Top 5 favorite songs. Whether…
In 1984, you couldn't turn on a radio or watch MTV without seeing Huey Lewis and the News dominating the cultural landscape with their landmark album, Sports. While the 80s were filled with synth-pop and hair metal, Huey Lewis brought a "regular guy" charm and blue-collar rock sound that resonated…
#MCHammer #90sHipHop #MusicRanking #50For50 #UCantTouchThis #HipHopHistory #Top5Songs In this Top 5 edition of 50 For 50, we are ranking the Top 5 MC Hammer songs to see if his discography holds up decades later. From the global phenomenon of "U Can't Touch This" to the high-octane energy of "2 Legit…
#MCHammer #DiamondAlbum #HipHopHistory #PleaseHammerDontHurtEm #50For50 #90sRap #MusicIndustry #StanleyBurrell How did the first Diamond-certified rap album in history lead to the ultimate downfall of its creator? In this episode of 50 For 50, Mike Joseph and Garrett Gonzales explore the massive impact of MC Hammer’s Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em and…
#Beastie Boys #HipHop #Top5 #MusicReview #50For50 #Sabotage #VinylCommunity #MikeJoseph #GarrettGonzales What are the greatest Beastie Boys songs ever recorded? In this episode of 50 For 50, Mike Joseph and Garrett Gonzales dive deep into the discography of Ad-Rock, MCA, and Mike D to rank their personal Top 5 Beastie Boys…
#Beastie Boys #PaulsBoutique #HipHopHistory #50For50 #VinylCommunity #MCA #DustBrothers #ClassicHipHop Is Paul’s Boutique the greatest Beastie Boys album of all time? Today on 50 For 50, Mike Joseph and Garrett Gonzales dive deep into the 1989 sampling masterpiece that redefined the Beastie Boys' history in hip hop and showcased their incredible…