Jarrett House NorthSecond verse, same as the first.

Did you ever notice how many songs there are about the music business itself? I think the popular music industry is possibly even more self-referential than the newspaper industry (though not nearly as self-referential as the Internet…). I started hearing the connection a few years ago and began collecting examples in a playlist, and I finally have enough to share with you in this mix (see also Art of the Mix).

Of special note is the hip-hop section (coming just after Joe Pernice’s wry anti-anthem decrying touring, “We Love the Stage”), featuring “Check the Rhime,” origin of “Music industry rule #4080/record company people are shady,” followed by Steinski’s record industry slag off mix of “Hit the Disco,” wrapping up with J-Live’s epochal “Them That’s Not,” which features the most astonishing bit of tempo bending that I’m aware of.

Enjoy…

1. Radio Song – R.E.M. (Out Of Time)
2. Legend of Paul Revere – Paul Revere & The Raiders (Paul Revere & The Raiders: Greatest Hits)
3. Suits Are Picking Up The Bill – Squirrel Nut Zippers (Perennial Favorites)
4. A Sermon – The Police (Message In A Box: The Complete Recordings)
5. Hey, Mr. DJ, I Thought You Said We Had A Deal – They Might Be Giants (Miscellaneous T: B Side / Remix Compilation)
6. Radio, Radio – Elvis Costello (The Very Best of Elvis Costello And The Attractions)
7. Do You Remember Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio? – The Ramones (Mania)
8. I Bet You They Won’t Play This Song on the Radio – Monty Python (Monty Python’s Contractual Obligation Album)
9. Hello Radio – They Might Be Giants (Miscellaneous T: B Side / Remix Compilation)
10. Spirit of Radio – Rush (Permanent Waves)
11. Formed A Band – Art Brut (Bang Bang Rock & Roll)
12. Rock Notes – Monty Python (Monty Python’s Contractual Obligation Album)
13. So You Want to Be a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star – The Byrds (The Byrds: Greatest Hits (Remastered))
14. Playing Your Song – Hole (Celebrity Skin)
15. Left Of The Dial – The Replacements (Tim [Expanded Edition])
16. We Love the Stage – Pernice Brothers (Goodbye, Killer)
17. Check The Rhime – A Tribe Called Quest (The Low End Theory)
18. Hit The Disco (Mc Enuff Mix) – Steinski (What Does It All Mean?: 1983-2006 Retrospective)
19. Them That’s Not – J-Live (The Best Part)
20. Pay to Play – Nirvana (DGC Rarities, Vol. 1)
21. The Late Greats – Wilco (A Ghost Is Born)