Song 2
- Episodios
- 100
- Se publica
- varias veces por semana
- Último episodio
- 10 Nov 2026
Sobre el podcast
In this podcast, Stephen Steps Lowe takes a classic album and argues that the LP's SONG 2 is the most important one.
Episodios 100
Song 2: S.6 Ep.5: X Ambassadors - Sam Harris, 10/11/2026
The first song on an album makes the introduction. But the 2nd? That's where things get serious. It's the track that has to convince you to stick around" The first song on an album makes the introduction. But …
Notas del episodio
The first song on an album makes the introduction. But the 2nd? That's where things get serious. It's the track that has to convince you to stick around"
The first song on an album makes the introduction. But the second? That's where things get serious. It's the track that has to convince you to stick around, and quite possibly the one that tells you more about the album than anything else.
That's the theory behind Song 2, the podcast where I argue that the second track is either the best or the most important on any album. And then invite musicians to tell me why I'm wrong.
My guest this time is Sam Harris, frontman of X Ambassadors, the band behind enormous hits like Renegades and Unsteady, and a group who've never been particularly interested in sticking to one musical formula.
But when it comes to putting an album together, does Sam share my obsession with what comes second? Or does he reckon I've been giving track two far too much credit?
Let's find out. This is Song 2, with Sam Harris of X Ambassadors.
X Ambassadors brand new single Y.O.T.H (year of the horse) is out NOW via FLG and we have a full length interview on the way.Song 2: S.6 Ep.4: Fleetwood Mac - Dreams, 06/11/2026
Some songs become so familiar that we forget just how extraordinary they are. Fleetwood Mac's Dreams is one of them. Released in 1977 on Rumours, an album fuelled by romantic breakups and considerable tension …
Notas del episodio
Some songs become so familiar that we forget just how extraordinary they are. Fleetwood Mac's Dreams is one of them.
Released in 1977 on Rumours, an album fuelled by romantic breakups and considerable tension within the band, Dreams was written by Stevie Nicks during her separation from Lindsey Buckingham.
And here's what makes it particularly interesting for this podcast: it's track two.
Rumours opens with Buckingham's upbeat Second Hand News, before Dreams completely changes the mood. That hypnotic rhythm, Nicks' beautiful vocal and the quiet bitterness beneath it reveal the emotional heart of the album.
Which brings us to my Song 2 theory. Track one introduces the record, but track two has to convince you to stay.
It became Fleetwood Mac's only US number-one single and one of their most enduring songs.
A brilliant piece of album sequencing, or a great song that would have worked anywhere?
This is Song 2, and today we're looking at Fleetwood Mac's Dreams.Song 2: S.6 Ep.3 - La Roux 30.10.26, 30/10/2026
"maybe it's more important than I realised. Narratively, it's very important on this record I'm about to put out.” Elly Jackson Is the second track on an album really its most important? La Roux joins Stephen …
Notas del episodio
"maybe it's more important than I realised. Narratively, it's very important on this record I'm about to put out.” Elly Jackson
Is the second track on an album really its most important? La Roux joins Stephen ‘Steps’ Lowe to put the theory to the test, and ends up questioning a few of her own decisions along the way.
Best known for hits including Bulletproof and In for the Kill, Elly Jackson, aka La Roux, has spent much of her career doing things her own way. But when presented with the Song 2 theory, that the opening track introduces an album, while the second has to convince you to stay, she admits it's something she's never really considered.
As the conversation develops, however, she begins to see the argument differently. Discussing her forthcoming album, Jackson explains how she's moved away from sequencing songs primarily by key and tempo towards building a narrative, with Cabin Fever occupying a particularly important position.
“Yeah, maybe it's more important than I realised. Narratively, it's very important on this record I'm about to put out.”
From the art of album sequencing to the danger of putting all your biggest songs at the beginning, it's a revealing, entertaining conversation about how records are put together, and whether track two deserves a little more credit.
Listen to the latest episode of Song 2 and find out whether La Roux agrees with the theory, or manages to pull it apart.Song 2: S.6 Ep.2 - Wishy, 26/10/2026
“Once we got the final track list down, we were like, let’s listen back and see if it feels right.” - Wishy Does track two really deserve its special status? Wishy's Kevin Krauter and Nina Pitchkites take on …
Notas del episodio
“Once we got the final track list down, we were like, let’s listen back and see if it feels right.” - Wishy
Does track two really deserve its special status? Wishy's Kevin Krauter and Nina Pitchkites take on the Song 2 theory, make a surprisingly strong case for Covergirl, and talk about why, even in the age of streaming and shuffle, getting an album's running order right still matters.Song 2: S.6. Ep.1 - Jake Bugg, 23/10/2026
“Tracklisting is a huge part of it. It can change the whole entire context of the record.” - Jake Bugg Is track two really the most important song on an album? Jake Bugg puts the Song 2 theory to the test as he …
Notas del episodio
“Tracklisting is a huge part of it. It can change the whole entire context of the record.” - Jake Bugg
Is track two really the most important song on an album? Jake Bugg puts the Song 2 theory to the test as he discusses tracklisting, taking listeners on a journey and why the running order can completely change the context of a record.
And with forthcoming Alamo track two, Never Can Tell also serving as the new single, our theory may just have found another believer.
(image courtesy of Sony Music)Song 2 returns for a Sixth Season, 28/09/2026
Five seasons, countless guests and an awful lot of unexpected detours later, Song 2 is back for a sixth season on RTL Today Radio. The idea remains beautifully simple; the opening track gets you through the …
Notas del episodio
Five seasons, countless guests and an awful lot of unexpected detours later, Song 2 is back for a sixth season on RTL Today Radio.
The idea remains beautifully simple; the opening track gets you through the door, but track two is where an album has to convince you to stay. So, is the second song secretly the most important position on a record?
Over the years, Stephen “Steps” Lowe has tested the theory against some fairly serious evidence. Blur, Björk, Dua Lipa, Linkin Park, Fontaines D.C., Pink Floyd, De La Soul, The Vaccines, Foals and countless others have supplied the songs, while artists including Alice Cooper, Billy Bragg, Gavin Rossdale, Pete Doherty, Chino Moreno, Tim Burgess, Skin, Biffy Clyro's James Johnston and E from Eels have weighed in on the argument themselves.
Some swear by tracklisting.
Some think Song 2 has a special job to do. Others think the whole theory is nonsense. All of which rather helps the podcast.
Now Season Six is ready to start the argument all over again. More classic albums, more brilliant second tracks, more artists explaining how records are actually put together, and probably considerably more evidence that there is no universally accepted answer. Because in the age of playlists, algorithms and shuffle, the bigger question may no longer simply be whether Song 2 is the most important track on an album, but whether where we put songs still matters at all.
Song 2, Season Six. Coming to RTL Today Radio and RTL Play.Song 2 - S5 Ep. 28: Aretha Franklin - Say A Little Prayer, 06/03/2026
On this episode of Song 2, we’re making the case for why track two might be the most important slot on any album, and today’s example is Aretha Franklin an The song appears on her 1968 album Aretha Now …
Notas del episodio
On this episode of Song 2, we’re making the case for why track two might be the most important slot on any album, and today’s example is Aretha Franklin an
The song appears on her 1968 album Aretha Now, released during the peak of her legendary Atlantic Records run, when everything she recorded felt deliberate and powerful. Interestingly, the song didn’t start with Aretha, it was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and first recorded by Dionne Warwick a year earlier.
The writers were inspired by the anxiety of the Vietnam War era, particularly the fear of loved ones being sent overseas, which adds surprising emotional depth to what sounds like such an upbeat pop classic.Song 2 - S.5 Ep.27: Jack Savoretti, 27/02/2026
“I don’t wake up trying to write the big song. I wake up trying to make a great album.” Welcome back to Song 2, the podcast still fighting the good fight for track number two. Five seasons in, we’ve converted a …
Notas del episodio
“I don’t wake up trying to write the big song. I wake up trying to make a great album.”
Welcome back to Song 2, the podcast still fighting the good fight for track number two.
Five seasons in, we’ve converted a few believers, and this week might add another. With We Will Always Be The Way We Were on the horizon, Jack Savoretti joins the debate and, as it turns out, he doesn’t just agree with the theory… he’s been quietly living by it for years.Song 2 - S.5 Ep.26: Heather Woods Broderick, 26/02/2026
“It’s not my favourite song on the record… but it’s the point where you realise it’s not going to be another acoustic singer-songwriter album.” Welcome back to Song 2, the podcast where we keep pushing the idea …
Notas del episodio
“It’s not my favourite song on the record… but it’s the point where you realise it’s not going to be another acoustic singer-songwriter album.”
Welcome back to Song 2, the podcast where we keep pushing the idea that track two might just be the album’s quiet MVP.
This time, it’s Heather Woods Broderick stepping into the debate, reflecting on how the second song on her record Labyrinth shifts expectations and resets the listener’s compass.
It’s less about being the “best”, and more about being the moment you realise what kind of journey you’re actually on.Song 2 - Sprints: Episode: 25 25.02.26, 25/02/2026
“The second song is kind of like another opening track… if the first one doesn’t work, then the second one has to.” Welcome back to Song 2, the podcast that continues to argue (no convince) that the second …
Notas del episodio
“The second song is kind of like another opening track… if the first one doesn’t work, then the second one has to.”
Welcome back to Song 2, the podcast that continues to argue (no convince) that the second track on an album might just be the most important one.
This episode features a conversation Sarah Tapp had with Sprints (a little time back now) but timely, as it lands ahead of their show at Den Atelier, one of Luxembourg’s premier live venues.
The band were promoting their album All That Is Over, and what followed was a refreshingly honest look at the chaos, compromise and near-existential spirals that come with finalising a tracklist.
From vinyl-side constraints to anxiety-inducing sequencing, Sprints pull back the curtain on how albums are actually ordered, and whether track two really carries that much weight.
(image: David Wallis)Song 2 - S.5 Ep.24: Loyle Carner - Nobody Knows (Lada Road), 23/02/2026
Nobody Knows might not be the biggest song on Hugo, but it’s the one that grounds the album and tells you exactly what kind of record you’re listening to Welcome back to Song 2, the podcast that keeps flying …
Notas del episodio
Nobody Knows might not be the biggest song on Hugo, but it’s the one that grounds the album and tells you exactly what kind of record you’re listening to
Welcome back to Song 2, the podcast that keeps flying the flag for track number two.
This week we rewind to 2022 and dive into Hugo, the Mercury-nominated album from British rapper and poet Loyle Carner.
Sitting second on the record is Nobody Knows, a track that doesn’t shout the loudest, but quietly defines everything that follows.Song 2 S.5 Ep.23: Harry Buonaccorsi - Maruja, 19/02/2026
“If you listen to it as one piece, it’s almost like one song anyway… it’s about taking the listener on a journey.” Welcome back to Song 2, the podcast where we try, sometimes stubbornly, mostly …
Notas del episodio
“If you listen to it as one piece, it’s almost like one song anyway… it’s about taking the listener on a journey.”
Welcome back to Song 2, the podcast where we try, sometimes stubbornly, mostly enthusiastically, to convince you that the second track on an album is either the best or the most important. Sometimes we win the argument. Often we don’t.
This time, we put the theory to Harry from Maruja, in a slightly chaotic pre-Christmas chat recorded from a car park in Germany with questionable Wi-Fi and strong opinions on tracklisting.
(image: Sony Music)
Harry doesn’t fully buy into the “second song supremacy” idea but what he does offer is something arguably more interesting: a defence of albums as cohesive journeys in a streaming world that increasingly fragments them.Song 2 S.5 Ep.21: Jolly - Bad Omens, 06/01/2026
"I truly believe that an album is a journey that needs to flow from first song to the last" Bad Omen’s are having a bit of a renaissance at present with new music being drip fed and a new album touted for …
Notas del episodio
"I truly believe that an album is a journey that needs to flow from first song to the last"
Bad Omen’s are having a bit of a renaissance at present with new music being drip fed and a new album touted for release in 2026, we caught up with Jolly from the band some time back – the full interview is available on RTL Play, on demand so get onto that after finishing up here. Jolly has some fantastic points on Song 2, unfortunately none of them support the theory… at all, but Jolly’s take on track-listing is a terrific listen. So go ahead and check it out. Joll of Bad Omen’s on the Song 2 theory….Song 2 - S.5 Ep.20: Pink Floyd - Breathe (In The Air), 29/12/2025
Now, The Dark Side of the Moon really doesn’t need an introduction but let’s give it one anyway... Released in 1973, it was the band’s eighth studio album and the one that took them from underground cult …
Notas del episodio
Now, The Dark Side of the Moon really doesn’t need an introduction but let’s give it one anyway...
Released in 1973, it was the band’s eighth studio album and the one that took them from underground cult favourites to global superstardom.
Before that, Pink Floyd had spent the late 60s experimenting with long psychedelic jams and, yeah a fair bit of chemical inspiration which earned them a loyal following but not exactly mass appeal.Song 2 - S.5 Ep.19: Paolo Nutini - Last Request, 26/12/2025
This week we are looking at Scottish musician Paolo Nutini, and his mega-smash Last Request. Now, Paolo Nutini released his debut album These Streets in 2006, an instant hit which shot up the UK Albums chart …
Notas del episodio
This week we are looking at Scottish musician Paolo Nutini, and his mega-smash Last Request.
Now, Paolo Nutini released his debut album These Streets in 2006, an instant hit which shot up the UK Albums chart, only to be topped by his next album Sunny side up which went straight to number one.
The song Last Request was the second tune on his debut and became a fan favourite immediately, receiving tons of global acclaim.
It’s a sweet song inspired by his relationship with his then girlfriend Teri Brogan, which became one of the defining songs of his career.Song 2: S.5 Ep.18 - 23.12.25 : Skin - Skunk Anansie, 23/12/2025
"I always give an album 3 songs. If you're not into an album by track 3, then your switching off" Another one that we've had on the back burners for a little while. Skin is a fascinating character - check out …
Notas del episodio
"I always give an album 3 songs. If you're not into an album by track 3, then your switching off"
Another one that we've had on the back burners for a little while. Skin is a fascinating character - check out the full interview (on demand) via RTL Play. Since this interview was recorded, SA have been in Luxembourg a couple of times and the band show no signs of slowing down. Skin is categorically NOT a Song 2 believer. But does take the view that artist front load their records with the best stuff.Song 2: S.5 Ep.17 - Jay Boland of Kodaline - 17.12.25, 17/12/2025
"The first song is why people bought the record, song two is why they KEPT listening" Kodaline were, for a while MASSIVE, that they decided to call it quits makes a large statement about the music business …
Notas del episodio
"The first song is why people bought the record, song two is why they KEPT listening"
Kodaline were, for a while MASSIVE, that they decided to call it quits makes a large statement about the music business. Recorded a long while back when Kodaline last visited the GD. Sam Steen's full interview with Jay is available on demand via RTL Play.Song 2 - S.5 Ep.16: Black Pumas - Colors, 12/12/2025
What begins as a personal meditation quickly turns into something larger - gospel backing vocals and a communal spirit. track, one that not only drew listeners in but also earned the band a Grammy nomination …
Notas del episodio
What begins as a personal meditation quickly turns into something larger - gospel backing vocals and a communal spirit.
track, one that not only drew listeners in but also earned the band a Grammy nomination for Record of the Year.Song 2: S.5 Ep.15 - 27.11.25: Otis Pavlovic - Royel Otis, 27/11/2025
"It depends on the album, but I'd say the 1st song is most important, for the 2nd one, you need to back it up. For Hickey, it was more about the first" Check out the full interview with Otis on The Lunchbox AND …
Notas del episodio
"It depends on the album, but I'd say the 1st song is most important, for the 2nd one, you need to back it up. For Hickey, it was more about the first"
Check out the full interview with Otis on The Lunchbox AND on-demand via RTL Play. Here though Otis tells us about the band's track listing and whether or not he agrees with our rather muddled theory....Song 2: S.5 Ep.14 - 12.11.25 - Elton John: I'm Still Standing, 12/11/2025
What a tune this is.... For many of us, the song I’m still standing is up there as one of the best songs of all time, with the best music video too. I mean the video is over 40 years old and I can still picture …
Notas del episodio
What a tune this is....
For many of us, the song I’m still standing is up there as one of the best songs of all time, with the best music video too. I mean the video is over 40 years old and I can still picture the beach, the sunglasses and hats, all of it.
But if you’re having trouble remembering, we’ll go back to the start.Song 2: S.5 Ep.12 - Cristina Scabbia : Lacuna Coil, 07/11/2025
"Generally the most important songs are the ones on the first half - with streaming you can skip songs easily, so there's no need to consider placement" Welcome back to Song 2, the podcast where we make a bold …
Notas del episodio
"Generally the most important songs are the ones on the first half - with streaming you can skip songs easily, so there's no need to consider placement"
Welcome back to Song 2, the podcast where we make a bold claim and back it up track by track: that the second song on any album isn’t just filler… it’s the statement. The moment where a band plants the flag and says, “Here’s who we really are.”
This week, we’re going dark, dramatic, and gloriously heavy, because joining us is Cristina Scabbia, the powerhouse voice of Lacuna Coil.
We’ll talk riffs, sequencing, and why that all-important second track often holds the emotional key to an entire record. Lacuna Coli are playing Rockhal in a couple of weeks, and we’ve a full length interview on Today Radio and via RTL Play.
So, plug in, turn it up, and prepare to rethink your playlist, because on Song 2, the follow-up track is always the one that hits hardest.
(image: CUNENE Official Press)Song 2: S.5 - Ep.11 - Prisencolinensinainciusol - Adriano Celentano, 05/11/2025
Go ahead and get the pronunciation right on first go... I dare you. Today, we’re jumping back to 1972 Italy, to an artist who somehow managed to predict mumble rap, YouTube virality, and the power of rhythm …
Notas del episodio
Go ahead and get the pronunciation right on first go... I dare you.
Today, we’re jumping back to 1972 Italy, to an artist who somehow managed to predict mumble rap, YouTube virality, and the power of rhythm over meaning, all in one glorious nonsense track.
That artist is Adriano Celentano, and the song is the magnificent, the bizarre, the utterly infectious “Prisen colinens inain ciusol”, track two on his album Nostalrock.Song 2: S.5 Ep.10 - Tim Burgess, 31/10/2025
"With algorithms, people might not get to your best songs. I think albums are great - and our fans seemed to love them too. Listen to all of it" Tim Burgess of The Charlatans had already provided a great …
Notas del episodio
"With algorithms, people might not get to your best songs. I think albums are great - and our fans seemed to love them too. Listen to all of it"
Tim Burgess of The Charlatans had already provided a great conversation for our full interview on RTL Play. Tim gained huge praised for his 'Listening Party' show. So I was not sure where this was going to go. Tim's writing a book called Closer - all about the final track, so it was not looking good for Song 2. Track 7 crops up again but we've got Tim onboard. And I'll put that on a t-short than you very much.Song 2 : S.5 Ep. 09 - Billy Bragg, 15/10/2025
“It’s crucial that you draw people in when you’re making records. Putting a track listing together can be very complex” Joining us this time is legendary troubadour Billy Bragg. For over four decades, Billy has …
Notas del episodio
“It’s crucial that you draw people in when you’re making records. Putting a track listing together can be very complex”
Joining us this time is legendary troubadour Billy Bragg. For over four decades, Billy has blended sharp political insight with heartfelt storytelling, from early anthems like Between the Wars to recent records that prove his voice is as vital as ever.
Few artists understand the power of a perfectly sequenced album like Billy, and his catalogue is full of second tracks that land like mission statements, passionate, pointed, and unforgettable.
There’s a great Joshua Tree Anecdote too.Song 2: S.5 Ep.8 - Brandon Saller (Atreyu), 10/10/2025
"If I'm good through Song 2, then I'm probably going to listen to the whole thing (album)" There is a FULL interview with Brandon on LOUDER and NEW Noised (plus it's on-demand) via RTL Play. Atreyu will tear …
Notas del episodio
"If I'm good through Song 2, then I'm probably going to listen to the whole thing (album)"
There is a FULL interview with Brandon on LOUDER and NEW Noised (plus it's on-demand) via RTL Play. Atreyu will tear the Rockhal a new one in their upcoming show......Song 2: S.5 Ep.7 - James Johnston - Biffy Clyro, 08/10/2025
“I don’t think you can make rules like that (Song 2) about music. No track is more important than the other” Shortly after the release of latest LP ‘Futique’ James of Biffy Clyro gives us his thoughts on the …
Notas del episodio
“I don’t think you can make rules like that (Song 2) about music. No track is more important than the other”
Shortly after the release of latest LP ‘Futique’ James of Biffy Clyro gives us his thoughts on the merits of Song 2. As Ben has already done this, we just need Simon to get the memo and we can complete the set. Full interview on the way.
(Image: Nostromo Management)Song 2: S.5 Ep.6 Jehnny Beth, 03/10/2025
"Number 7 was always my favourite - I still believe in albums, they remain important, the order of songs matter to me" Today we’re testing that theory with someone who knows all about building an album’s …
Notas del episodio
"Number 7 was always my favourite - I still believe in albums, they remain important, the order of songs matter to me"
Today we’re testing that theory with someone who knows all about building an album’s tension and release: Jehnny Beth. Musician, actor, and former frontwoman of the electrifying band Savages, Jehnny has a gift for sequencing songs that feel like carefully staged dramas.Song 2: S.5 Ep. 5 - Fontaines D.C - Starburster, 24/09/2025
This week, what was potentially one of the songs of the year in 2024. An absolute, certified banger. We’ve had ABBA, the Spice Girls, the McRib, and of course, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior – supposedly …
Notas del episodio
This week, what was potentially one of the songs of the year in 2024. An absolute, certified banger.
We’ve had ABBA, the Spice Girls, the McRib, and of course, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior – supposedly rising from the dead. Welcome to our very own musical bible, where we follow the doctrine that the second song on an album is the best – or at least the most important.Song 2: S.5 Ep. 4 - Lauri Ylönen: The Rasmus, 19/09/2025
"When we put this new one (listing) together, we were all really close in choice, I thought 'it could not be THAT easy'" Steps caught up with the effervescent Lauri from Finnish megagroup, The Rasmus, this is …
Notas del episodio
"When we put this new one (listing) together, we were all really close in choice, I thought 'it could not be THAT easy'"
Steps caught up with the effervescent Lauri from Finnish megagroup, The Rasmus, this is Lauri's take on the Song 2 theory.Song 2 - S.5 Ep.3: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Aeroplane, 17/09/2025
Today we’re getting airborne, quite literally, with the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Aeroplane”, from the 1995 album One Hot Minute... ...a song that isn’t just track two, it’s bass heavy, unhinged and brilliant …
Notas del episodio
Today we’re getting airborne, quite literally, with the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Aeroplane”, from the 1995 album One Hot Minute...
...a song that isn’t just track two, it’s bass heavy, unhinged and brilliant.
One Hot Minute was the band’s first album after guitarist John Frusciante left the group, mid-tour, mid-breakdown, mid-lots-of-things. The Red Hot Chili Peppers were coming off a career-defining high. Their 1991 album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, had sold over 13 million copies worldwide and turned them from cult funk-rockers into global stadium-fillers.
Tracks like Give It Away and Under the Bridge had become massive MTV hits, and the band was now a household name.
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