Jacktical Magic
Jacktical Magic is a deep dive into the strangest radio phenomenon in America: Jack FM — the station that claims to “play what we want,” yet somehow taps directly into our collective memory and delivers the most Jack FM vibes imaginable.
Hosts Amelia Scannell and Cooper Willis investigate how this format works, why these songs feel so instantly familiar, and what cultural forces shaped the playlists we all grew up with. They break down the hidden patterns, industry decisions, and historical moments behind the music — the same forces that created those unexpected, oddly satisfying transitions Jack FM is famous for. (If you’ve ever heard “Fly Away” sandwiched between “Tainted Love” and “Drops of Jupiter,” and thought, yeah, that tracks, this show is for you.)
At the center of the series is a 64-song tournament designed to find the most definitive Jack FM track of all time. Through music analysis, radio history, and cultural storytelling, Jacktical Magic offers an accessible, revealing look at why these songs endure — and what they say about us as listeners, consumers, and accidental archivists of a shared pop memory.
Whether you’re a lifelong radio fan or just curious about how certain songs become cultural fixtures, this podcast gives you a smart, compelling entry point into a world hiding in plain sight.
Jacktical Magic
Little Tiny Episode
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Jacktical Magic moves to Mondays!
In the meantime, there’s something Amelia wanted to say to everyone.
Ask us anything or tell us a story!
Cast Your Vote: Each week, vote for the song you think has the most Jack FM vibes at instagram.com/jackticalmagic/
Call the Hotline: Tell us which song you think should win next week’s matchup. Leave a voicemail at (424) 666-1711.
Email Us: Send your Jack FM stories, questions, memories, or music anecdotes to jackticalmagic@gmail.com.
Theme Song: ‘Heavenly Pop Hit’ by The Chills. Used with permission.
Hey, it's Amelia. If you haven't heard the exciting news. Tactical magic is moving to Mondays starting this Monday, March sixteenth. Cooper and I have always said the first ten to fifteen episodes are simply meant to exist. So, like, we can make mistakes and then adjust it to give our listeners a better podcast. this move will solve a vast majority of mine and Cooper’s logistical problems and it will keep us engaged with you, the listeners, throughout the week. Because we kind of, we kind of all go away on the weekends, don't we? we all scatter. Rightfully so. We need to recharge. So Monday's real good. yeah, ... above all, it's when people actually listen to podcasts.
So we'll call this, we'll call what you're hearing right now a little mini episode, a touch base because Cooper and I, we miss you when we're apart. We are just addicted to this old microphone now. It is. We are gacked out on podcasting.
Anyway. I have something important. Something serious. Okay, so last week I told a story that was completely incoherent, wasn't funny, didn't go anywhere. It was meant to make Tim Burton the butt of a joke, where Helena Bonham Carter and Robert Smith of The Cure were cucking Tim. And that certainly was not the story you ended up hearing. Right off the bat, Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton were never married. So that's my first strike.
Most importantly, I left out a very crucial detail. It was like one line, and as a result, made it sound like someone performed a sex act on Helena Bonham Carter without her consent. when I finally listened to the episode, looking for promo clips, I heard this story as an audience for the first time and I was like, “Oh god, Amelia. That did not come out right." I removed it from the episode, but some of you probably heard it.
Um, when you begin, when you tell a story with only like a vague idea where you want it to go, the words that you use can fail in expressing those thoughts clearly. it's up to me, the storyteller, to communicate an idea to an audience from my head, out of my mouth, into their ears, and then their head. And I didn't do that. Uh, if I had listened to the episode before releasing it. I would have caught that. so I hated that story as much as you guys. I don't think there's anything funny or appropriate about that. believe me,
Hey, there's a reason Revenge of the Nerds isn't on any AFI lists. It's got a scene where Lewis, the leader of the nerds, has sex with a woman and she thinks she's having sex with her boyfriend. But it's really Lewis, the nerd who’s wearing a Darth Vader mask and helmet. And it is an awful scene in nineteen eighty four, And I sure as shit know, it's awful in twenty twenty six. that woman was a victim.
Hearing my story, Ieven though this one hundred percent wasn’t my intention, my story kind of gave me the ick in a way, it was giving Billy Bush, Donald Trump Access Hollywood video, if you know what I mean. we all know and talk about the way Trump talks about women in general and the, you know, and the headline was the grab them by the pussy. But I didn't like the way the two of them laughed and objectified this woman who they were about to meet in a professional setting. and this poor woman, walks into this private joke that she wasn't in on. It's like two wolves inviting a sheep onto the Access Hollywood bus. it’s real "dudes rock" kind of energy. I've observed this firsthand, having access to male spaces my entire life before transitioning, and it's nauseating to witness firsthand or overhearing. And Cooper and my other male friends were never like that. That's why I always felt safe around him. And, you know, my closest circle. And also kind of why I’ve tapered off having male friends. But with that being said, I apologize. MEA culpa. I said itweird. I apologize to you, the listeners. I apologize to Cooper had nothing to do with it. Iapologize to Helena Bonham Carter. Uh, I apologize to Tim Burton and Robert Smith. youknow what? I also apologize to anyone who cooks or likes being cooked. You know, you're not hurting anyone. And if anything, I admire the trust and intimacy you share with your partner and the third person from outside of your relationship. I think my past self owes me an apology for not being a better public speaker and better at conveying ideas.
Yeah, you know, yeah, I just want to say that and maybe it wasn't a big deal to you or maybe you didn't even know. I mean, it was kind of weird, but, um, you know, it was just, it was, it had gross vibes but... We all have areas of growth, don't we? But anyway, thanks for listening. You're going to get a real full episode Monday. So that's pretty exciting. we've got Green Day's “When I Come Around” vs The Rolling Stones' "Start Me Up." Cooper and I will see you in a few days. Bye.
