Rock in Retrospect
“Rock in Retrospect” focuses on the lives, careers and legacies of artists who made a significant impact on the music industry. Host Nick Bambach invites a guest to discuss their favorite artists and why they matter. We also occasionally create episodes focusing on awards shows and music-related institutions such as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Oscars, and the Grammys. If you enjoy stimulating and often-humorous discussions about music history in a laid-back environment, then this is the podcast for you!
Episodes
165 episodes
Movie Talk: Selena y Los Dinos
Albert and Diya join Nick to talk about the 2025 Netflix documentary Selena y Los Dinos.
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2026 Class Reaction
The Rock Hall squad is back! David, Mark, Michelle, and Tom return to share their thoughts on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 inductees. We did things a little differently this time, asking our Patreon supporters for topics the...
Artist Spotlight: Jonathan Richman / The Modern Lovers
Scott and Jon join Nick to discuss the career and legacy of Jonathan Richman. We talk about both his time with the proto-punk pioneers The Modern Lovers and his ever-eclectic solo career. We talk about a variety of topics, but have a lengthy co...
Interview with Daniel Bukszpan (Author of Rush and 2112: Fifty Years)
Historian and writer Daniel Bukszpan returns to discuss his latest book Rush and 2112: Fifty Years. You can purchase a copy of Daniel's book at retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Quarto Books.
Artist Spotlight: New Edition
DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray (Queue Points Podcast) return to discuss the career and legacy of the iconic R&B and pop group New Edition. Topics include the group’s rise to fame, their legendary ...
Artist Spotlight: Shakira
Cally and Loïc (co-hosts of Shakipedia: A Shakira Podcast) join Nick to discuss the career and legacy of Latin pop superstar and cultural icon Shakira...
Movie Talk: Phil Collins: Drummer First
Traci, who runs the Get Phil Voted In campaign to get Phil Collins inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame a second time as a solo artist, returns to discuss Brandon Toews' 2024 documentary P...
Movie Talk: Mystify: Michael Hutchence
To celebrate INXS’ 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nomination, Nick invited several members of the INXS fan base—Jim, Jon, and Shannon—to discuss Richard Lowenstein’s 2019 documentary Mystify: Michael Hutchence.Support the cam...
Artist Spotlight: Oasis
Historian and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame voter Charles Hughes joins Nick to discuss the career and legacy of Oasis. They cover a range of topics, including the band’s status as Britpop legends, the massive success of their tour last year, and...
Movie Talk: Song Sung Blue
Richard and Jordan return to discuss all things Neil Diamond and the 2025 biopic Song Sung Blue starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson.
Movie Talk: Diane Warren: Relentless
Cliff and Helen return to discuss the documentary Diane Warren: Relentless (2024) which focuses on the life and career of legendary songwriter Diane Warren. We give our takes on the movie, the Oscar-nominated song "Dear Me," and conclu...
2026 Oscar Nominees in the Music Categories
Darren and Peter return to discuss the nominees in the music categories at this year's Academy Awards. We analyze all ten scores and songs, give our personal rankings, our predictions on who will win and cap it off with great works that were sn...
Reacting to the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall Nominees Ballot
An all-star panel of Rock Hall experts join Nick to discuss the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees Ballot! Tom, Mark, Michelle, Traci, Jon, and Andrea return to give their takes on all 17 nominees.Disclaimer: We recorded t...
Movie Talk: Stans
Jordan, Kailyn, and Sam return to discuss the 2025 documentary Stans, which explores the career of rap icon Eminem through his superfans. We give our thoughts on the movie, share some personal stories, and cap it off with our favorite ...
Movie Talk: Pavements
Scott and Andrew join Nick to discuss Alex Ross Perry's film 2024 Pavements, which focuses on the legendary indie rock band Pavement.
Artist Spotlight: Night Ranger
Tim Durling (Author of Sing Me Away: The Night Ranger Album Review and host of Tim's Vinyl Confessions) joins Nick to discuss the career and legacy of classic rock legends Ni...
Movie Talk: It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley
The Douche Caravan returns! Jon Lamoreaux (Host of The Hustle Podcast), Patrick Dupuis (Host of The EETF Podcast) and Michael Bagford join Nick to dis...
Top 100 Rock Hall Prospects Project: 2026 Update
Joe Kwaczala (host of Who Cares About the Rock Hall?) returns to discuss Nick's recently updated 'Rock Hall Prospects Project' list, now in its sixth...
Movie Talk: Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery
Cliff and Helen return to discuss the 2025 Hulu documentary Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery, which traces the origins and legacy of the iconic music festival founded by singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan. They share their thoughts on th...
Artist Spotlight: Burton Cummings
Josh Mackenzie (host of Vinyl Spin YVR) joins Nick to discuss the solo career of Burton Cummings. Topics discussed include Cummings' time with the Guess Who, his status as one of Canada'...
2026 Rock Hall Nominees Draft
The Rock Hall Squad (David, Greg, Mark, Michelle, and Tom) join Nick for this year's Rock Hall draft! We ponder which artists could be nominated on the performers ballot for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2026.
Interview with Greg Prato (Author of Alternative for the Masses: The '90s Alt-Rock Revolution - An Oral History)
Prolific author Greg Prato joins Nick to talk about his recent book Alternative for the Masses: The '90s Alt-Rock Revolution - An Oral History. We discuss the many rock stars and personalities he interviewed while working on his book, ...
Movie Talk: Depeche Mode: M
Kailyn returns to discuss the 2025 concert documentary Depeche Mode: M.We discuss Kailyn seeing the movie's premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year, our thoughts on the movie, and cap it off with a rundown of our...
Artist Spotlight: Phil Collins
Traci and Jon join the show to discuss the career and legacy of Phil Collins, one of the most legendary musicians of all time. We focus on Collins’ solo career and explore a wide range of topics, including his years with Genesis, his catalog of...
Movie Talk: One to One: John & Yoko
Richard returns to discuss the 2024 documentary One to One: John & Yoko, which focuses on the years John Lennon and Yoko Ono spent together in a Greenwich Village apartment from 1971 to 1973. The film also centers on the benefit co...