Jonathan Coulton

There’s no better way of making love to your inner geek than spending the evening with troubadour Jonathan Coulton. The man slings ditties about science and technology the way most rockers navigate sex, drugs, and fame—and he does it with a big, gooey heart-on. Internet chart-toppers like “Code Monkey” and a buttery folk cover of Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Baby Got Back” are the ones the nerds are bound to scream out, but it’s hummers like “First Of May” (inspired by a collegiate rhyme whose next line is “outdoor fucking starts today”) that are bound to win over even those not in the Mandelbrot set. Coulton’s 2011 album, Artificial Heart—produced by John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants—may dial down a few of the nerdy references, but it reveals the singer-songwriter’s true talent of writing smart, catchy, and surprisingly earnest pop tunes.

Updated 05/21/2012