Our ‘Waste or Taste’ Podcast Is Back!
The new season kicks off with an episode all about our most controversial favorite songs of the past year—the ones we’re kind of embarrassed to enjoy, but enjoy nonetheless.
The long wait is over. After many emails and comments from Hearing Things devotees politely asking, “What the hell happened to your podcast?!” we are once again offering our thoughts and opinions on music in audio form! For the uninitiated, the concept behind Waste or Taste is simple: Every episode, a group of Hearing Things founders gets together, with each person bringing a new song to the table. Then we debate whether those songs are “waste” or “taste.” Sometimes we reach a critical consensus; other times there’s fisticuffs, absurdity, or both.
This time, all five of us connected to discuss our most controversial faves of 2025. These are songs that are almost definitely not cool to like, but we (or at least one of us!) like them anyway. So get ready for some spirited—and at times incredulous—conversation about Sabrina Carpenter’s conflicted pop-country trifle “Manchild,” Ian’s harrowingly dead-eyed “XXL Freshman Freestyle,” Ice Spice’s SpongeBob ode “Big Guy,” Raye’s trad-wife anthem “Where Is My Husband!,” and Zeddy Will’s Fresh Prince-style goofball-rap hit “Can’t Go Broke.” We laughed a lot!
Programming note: This episode of Waste or Taste is available to everyone, but moving forward only paying subscribers will have access to the podcast. So if you like what you hear, consider joining our ever-growing community of music obsessives! In addition to Waste or Taste, you’ll be able to read our weekly Five Albums roundups, check out our weekly Discord listening sessions, and bask in the glory of supporting independent media during a time of unprecedented corporate conglomeration. In celebration of the podcast’s return, we’re extending our 20% holiday discount offer for an annual Hearing Things subscription through the weekend.
This episode of Waste or Taste was produced by Hearing Things and Mark Yoshizumi.
