Guess the Year

Latest Episodes:

Samuel Hine became a Deadhead after interviewing John Mayer Nov 01, 2026

Show notes

New York Magazine Senior Men’s Style Editor Samuel Hine recounts how interviewing John Mayer turned him into a Deadhead, the rise of Online Ceramics, the return of skinny jeans, his incredible newsletter New York Look, and much more.

Sam's newsletter, The Look:

https://nymag.com/promo/new-york-look-mens-style-email-newsletter-sign-up.html

Sam's newsletter, The Look:

https://nymag.com/promo/new-york-look-mens-style-email-newsletter-sign-up.html

ENCORE: Nick Paumgarten/Marist University Live Show Oct 26, 2026

Show notes

Nick Paumgarten's memoir The Intangibles: Friendship, Fatherhood, and the Love of the Game is available for pre-order. Here's Nick's episode from a few years back. He is one the world's best living writers and best living Deadheads.

Thanks to Dr. Steven Garabedian for the invitation to Marist U. on Friday, November 6th at 1pm at Hancock 2023.

Email info@guesstheyear.net for more information.

Author Chuck Klosterman, Film Critic Mike Ryan, Nike Uniform Designer Daryle Hawkins Oct 22, 2026

Show notes

Mike McClure & Friends consists of 15-25 minute interviews with experts regarding current events in pop culture and sports.

Chuck's new book, Rock*.

Mike's newsletter, The Hard Pass.

Daryle's Instagram.

6/29/26 Jun 29, 2026

Show notes

This week, author and historian John Brackett curates the setlist as 2x defending champ Nick is joined by Kellen, Colby, and Nick.

You may remember John from his wonderful book Live Dead: The Grateful Dead, Live Recordings, and the Ideology of Liveness. Lucky for us, John is set to release its follow-up,Touch of Grey, or How the Grateful Dead Became Pop Stars on August 4th, via Duke University Press. It’s available now for pre-order.

The book follows "Touch of Grey" from Robert Hunter's earliest lyric sketches through the recording of In the Dark, the iconic music video, and the promotional campaign, which turned the Grateful Dead into… pop stars.

6/22/26 Jun 22, 2026

Show notes

This week, comedian Cam Herdt curates the setlist as returning champ Nick is joined by James, Billy, and Josiah.

Check out Cam's hilarious Instagram, Best Show Ever podcast & YouTube channel, and snag tickets to his show at Garcia's Chicago, available now.

6/15/26 Jun 15, 2026

Show notes

This week, Doyle from the music blog Nightswimming curates the setlist as three time defending champ Charles is joined by Mark, Nick, and Luke.

Nightswimming has a brilliant tagline, “a blog about new music, for kids who grew up with VH1 and iPod Shuﬄes.” It features interviews, reviews, playlists, and of course, a Grateful Dead show of the week. Check out Doyle's recent interview with Kevin Morby.

Nightswimming

Nightswimming's Instagram

Charles's ⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠

6/8/26 Jun 08, 2026

Show notes

This week, Peter Conners, author of Cornell '77: The Music, the Myth, and the Magnificence of the Grateful Dead's Concert at Barton Hall, curates the setlist as returning champ Charles is joined by Sean, Jon, and Liam.

Peter is the author of nine books spanning nonfiction, fiction, and poetry, including Growing Up Dead, JAMerica, White Hand Society, and the novel Merch Table Blues. His writing on the Grateful Dead and jam band culture has made him one of the scene’s foremost chroniclers.

Cornell '77

Peter's Website

Charles's ⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠

Seastones

Development and Research

Muddy River Junction

5/11/26 May 11, 2026

Show notes

This week, Tom from Grateful Stats curates the setlist, while returning champ Charles is joined by Archit and Charlie.

Grateful Stats is a database of Grateful Dead shows, with deep search tools and advanced stats, including song sequences and durations. To mine the database’s full depths, there’s a Patreon that helps cover hosting fees, and any revenue beyond that is donated to charities like the Rex Foundation, HeadCount, and TC’s medical bills.

To be a contestant, sponsor the show, or ask questions/make comments, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠info@guesstheyear.net⁠⁠⁠⁠

GTY's ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠
Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠Peter Osta ⁠⁠⁠⁠for the new cover art.
Charles's ⁠website⁠ and ⁠Facebook⁠
Mundane

5/4/26 May 04, 2026

Show notes

This week, 4x Guess the Year champ Gavin curates the setlist as returning champ Dave is joined by Steve, Charles, and Dylan.

To be a contestant, sponsor the show, or ask questions/make comments, please email: ⁠⁠⁠info@guesstheyear.net⁠⁠⁠

GTY's ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠Peter Osta ⁠⁠⁠for the new cover art.
Charles's website and Facebook (amazing guitarist)

4/27/26 Apr 27, 2026

Show notes

This week, Christopher K. Coffman curates the setlist as returning champ Drane is joined by Dave, Paul, and Bart.

Chris is a Master Lecturer of Humanities at Boston University, and the author of Clowns in the Burying Ground: The Grateful Dead, Literature, and the Limits of Philosophy, out now via Duke University Press under its Grateful Dead Studies imprint. The book examines how the Dead’s lyricists drew from European and American literary traditions, using intertextuality and fragmentation to shape meaning in their work.

This week’s prize pack is provided by Seastones, which makes custom hi-fi speakers with psychedelic, custom panels. Seastones recently shared prototypes for the new speakers drawing from the Dead’s pre 1974 sound system, and featuring vintage surfboard inlays.