Welcome to another week, Indaba!  It's monday and that means it's time to argue.  Last week I put forth two annoying songs and asked which one was worse.  Either nobody had an opinion or you were all smart and didn't listen to them.  Either way, we never got an answer (the answer, BTW, is that 'Banana Phone' is the most annoying song in the world).  This week I want to shift gears and move to the world of advertising.  Anyone who watches "Mad Men" knows that a great deal of time and energy goes into coming up with catchy ad jingles and one company has been known for them for years: Coca-Cola.  Now, there are plenty of Coca-Cola jingles to choose from but for our purposes here I want to offer up the two most famous.  The first is from another era, an era when kids got on mountaintops and sung to high heaven about how much they enjoyed each other's company and also how much they enjoyed Coca-Cola.  The second is more modern but still heartily dates itself (just watch, you'll see why).  So, give me this: which Coca-Cola kingle is a better song, "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing", or "Always Coca-Cola"? 

Hey Indabanas, we skipped the showdown this Monday so why not do it today.  Last week we tried to figure out who was the better Beatle, John or Paul and you guys unanimously voted for Ringo.  Just kidding.   It seems we couldn't come to a decision.  So this week let's try to flesh out an argument that you guys might feel more comfortable taking a stand on.  Music, like anything else, is full of great works.  It is also full of really annoying songs and that's what we're going to be arguing about today.  So I want to know which of these two songs is more annoying and, I warn you, if you listen to them you may never come back here again.  I've selected two horrible songs that have both been stuck in my head for years now: Raffi's "Banana Phone" and Lambchop's "The Song That Doesn't End."  Which one is more annoying?

Welcome to another week, Indaba!  It's Monday and that means it's showdown time.  Last week we talked about drummers, this week let's talk about frontmen, shall we?  It's a rare band that has two of them, but one of the most famous bands in the world did.  And, surprisingly, we've never debated their merits on this blog before.  So let's have it out: who was the better Beatle, Lennon or McCartney?  You can base your judgment on whatever you want: songwriting ability, singing voice, showmanship, post-Beatles career, etc.  Let's just have it out once and for all.  Lennon vs. McCartney!  Leave your answer in the comments.

Hey Indaba, welcome back to another wonderful week.  Last week we talked about the all-around best music videos and you guys were quiet in the comments.  What will it take to get you to argue?  I don't know, but damn if I'm going to stop trying.  This week we'll narrow it down a bit and see if we can't provoke som passion.  We're not going to argue about obscure musical ideologies or industry-wide marketing strategies.  No, we're going to argue about two drummers - perhaps the two greatest drummers - of the Jazz age.  They are Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa.  Below is a drum battle between the two but I encourage you to listen further. So that's it, which drummer is better and why.  Go to town, Indaba! 

Hey everyone, welcome to another week here on Indaba!  I know Mariah has been the topic of almost every conversation (and comment) around here but humor me, won't you.  Maybe - maybe - we can talk about something else for a post?  But how to get your attention?  Simple, the only thing that could hone my ADD-stroked mind as a child: music videos.  So here's what I want to argue about today: the best music video ever made.  I will put some favorites down below, but you don't need to vote for one of them.  You can nominate your own in the comments and link it to YouTube.  Back up your argument.  Think Feist's "1,2,3,4" is better than "Thriller"?  Tell me why?  Think Blind Melon's "No Rain" is more iconic than A HA's "Take On Me"?  Back it up, buddy!  To get you started, here are a few videos that I think are in the running.  Enjoy, and let 'em rip in the comments! 

The Smashing Pumpkins "Tonight, Tonight"

The Darkness "I Believe in a Thing Called Love"

A HA "Take On Me"

Feist "1,2,3,4"

Justice "D.A.N.C.E"

Welcome back from the nice, long weekend, Indaba.  I did a quick run through some of the blogs and it appears that everyone is abuzz with Mariah contest news.  I figured that since we're all thinking about her, why not make the Monday Showdown this week Mariah-themed.  But what to debate?  It could be her different sounds over the years or her different producers. Perhaps we could argue about her different styles or even her different romantic entanglements?  No, no, no, this is a community of musicians and we have to remain "on message."  Therefore, let's talk about Mariah's voice.  Now, nobody is saying she lacks the vocal dexterity to be called one of the most talented singers on earth, but there can be some debate as to which song best exemplifies her glass-cracking skills.  So this week, there aren't going to be any choices to pick from, instead I want to know which of Mariah's songs you think best shows her vocal talents.  Make sure to defend your answer in the comments!  Ready?  Go!

Happy Monday, everyone.  We're back in the saddle and ready to discuss - argue? - some music.  Now we've been in TV/Movie territory a lot recently and I think it might be time to explore some other facets of this wonderful thing we call music.  For instance, what makes a song great?  Of course, there are so many answers you could start writing a book on the topic and never stop.  However, what makes a song epic?  That seems a little more quantifiable, doesn't it?  Is it orchestration?  Layered vocals?  A generally inspiring theme?  All of those - or none of those - could be true.  However, we all know an epic tune when we hear one and today I want to see if any of you guys might help me figure out which of the following rock songs is more epic: Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" or Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody."  Both are epic, for sure, but one has to be more epic, right?  Right.  Argue away in the comments!

Welcome to another wonderful week, Indaba!  It's Monday and that means its time to argue about music.  Now, last week we talked about movie scores and the week before we talked about TV show themes.  I think we should finish off our foray into the moving picture with one final TV show theme song battle.  These two songs are iconic in the worst possible way: iconic-ly cheesy.  But that's what makes them so damn memorable and so damn catchy.  What I want to know is this: Which of these two songs is cheesier?  It's simple: listen to each song, form an opinion in your brain and then back it up in the comments.  And with that, let's re-visit two of television's most corndog songs: the Gilligan's Island theme and the Brady Bunch theme. 

It's Monday and you know what that means: Argument.  Last week we discussed how well two movie theme songs - Rocky and Superman - worked with their respective films.  This week, let's stay in Hollywood and discuss two more theme songs.  The two I've selected I consider to be two of the most inspired film scores ever written, but only one can be tops.  So, I want to know which is better, the theme from "Jurassic Park," or the theme from "Chariots of Fire"?  Both are moving, theatrical scores but only one can be the best.  Let fly in the comments. 

Is it Monday already?  I was just getting used to taking it easy, weekend-style.  Oh well.  At least there's one bright spot in my Monday routine, and that's trying to spark arguments about music.  That's right, it's time for the Monday Showdown.  Last week we talked about which had a better theme song, The Simpsons or South Park.  The vote went to The Simpsons and, really, they deserved it.  So this week I want to continue the battle of theme songs but switch from the small screen to the big one.  This week's argument will be truly epic, and I mean that in every sense of the word.  Why?  Because this week we'll be debating the merits of two of the most popular and recognizable movie theme songs ever written.  They are, respectively, the theme songs from Rocky and Superman.  Both are the very definition of epic and both accompany their movies well, but one has to be better, right? Right!  Let loose in the comments.