Music podcasts you should be listening to. (Part 2)
While there seems to be a limitless amount of content out there, especially after a year of lockdown, I’ve tried my best to pick out some of my favourite music-based podcasts.
I am BIG into Podcasts. I genuinely struggle to exist in a silent room, which is definitely a larger problem, but luckily between Podcasts, Music, YouTube and listening to crows outside my window I’m able to constantly surround myself with noise. Podcasts offer so much more than white noise though; apart from the ‘Relaxing White Noise’ podcast which is actually great. Discovering new viewpoints and wading through new subject matter has become hugely accessible with the vast array of podcasts out there and as a result you’ve got no excuse but to know all there is to know about everything.
While there seems to be a limitless amount of content out there, especially after a year of lockdown, I’ve tried my best to pick out some of my favourite music-based podcasts. Let me know if I’ve missed out any of your favourites. Here’s part two of the list.
The Line-Up with Shaun Keaveny
Many music lovers will know Keaveny from his long-running 6 music show, which has now sadly come to an end, and his off-kilter, often hilarious presenting style. Obviously, being a BBC 6 Music host, he’s got indie deep-cut knowledge and a penchant for the obscure but in this show he puts the focus on the guest’s musical tastes. It’s much more than a simple list of favorite bands and albums though, Shaun asks his guests for their ideal festival line-up, hence the show’s title.
Weaving from the opening act, here referred to as ‘the dawn chorus’, to the headliners at the close, the interview unpacks the specifics of artist choices for certain time slots at the festival. It’s not just the acts though, we get a full picture of the event from the specific setting to the perfect snacks and dubious substances to be enjoyed throughout. If you need a good entry point the recent episode with ex-Spiderman and all-round lovely bloke Andrew Garfield is cracking.
Listen to ‘The Line-Up with Shaun Keaveny’ on Spotify here:
https://open.spotify.com/show/33s83KnjAp5DxtLUfEIQdW?si=dc113a1a86184009
Listen To ‘The Line-Up with Shaun Keaveny’ on Apple Podcasts here:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-line-up-with-shaun-keaveny/id1584491956
Switched on Pop
Winner of ‘Best Arts & Culture Podcast’ at the 2020 Webby Awards, ‘Switched on Pop’ takes a deep dive into how and why some of the biggest and best pop hits have had their impacts. From The Beatles to Olivia Rodrigo and from Taylor Swift to J Cole, this show covers a wide range of artists and topics that all fall under the grand umbrella of ‘pop music’.
Hosts Nate Sloan (a musicologist) and Charlie Harding (a songwriter) are no slouches when it comes to dissecting the magic of a pop tune. They examine James Blake’s ‘harmonic chordal sensibility’, what exactly the ‘current state of pop’ in 2021 is and the various tropes and motifs of James Bond themes. A huge variety of topics crop up across the episodes of Switched on Pop but the thing that links them all is Sloan and Harding’s educated and microscopic examination of the music. When they notice connections between different tracks or illuminate a particular trend that you immediately recognise and say “OH YEAH” about, it’s a massively satisfying feeling. You might be put off by just how nerdy they get but I, for one, love it.
Listen to ‘Switched on Pop’ on Spotify here:
https://open.spotify.com/show/1sgWaKtQxwfjUpZnnK8r7J?si=16b64d48e0ee4e61
Listen to ‘Switched on Pop’ on Apple Podcasts here:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/switched-on-pop/id934552872
Song Exploder
Similar to the podcast before, Song Exploder does not shy away from getting into the weeds of the intricacies of the formulation and meaning of music. However here we aren’t led by two detached hosts, instead the original artists behind a certain track tell the story of how it came into existence and detail how it was made. Much like with Tape Notes in the previous post in this series, it really feels like a privilege to hear from the artists themselves speaking on their craft.
Now also presented as a tv series on Netflix, Song Exploder has featured a huge amount of artists, representing various genres, throughout its history. Within its library of over 200 episodes we get unprecedented insight into the journey of a track, from what creates the original spark of creativity to the specific sound choices and any challenges that the artist encounters throughout. Every now and then the show’s host Hrishikesh Hirway will interject with any helpful context but aside from his introduction and outro an episode is fairly exclusively a monologue by the artist. You’ll also be treated to the title track of the episode in full if you listen to the end.
I’ve found it very difficult to listen to an episode of Song Exploder without being overcome with a wave of creative inspiration. Hearing an artist break down their thought process can make it appear incredibly simple and achievable while being undoubtedly fascinating and impressive in equal measure.
Listen to ‘Song Exploder’ on Spotify here:
https://open.spotify.com/show/10lMwCjvzLCLwth2AW6cLG?si=1bd8f4e25f134bd1
Listen to ‘Song Exploder’ on Apple Podcasts here:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/song-exploder/id788236947
Broken Record
Broken Record plays out in a more familiar, traditional format - an interview between host and artist. That doesn’t make it any less notable though, the show features conversations with some of the biggest and best names in music, speaking on their history, their craft and their music. The guests aren’t the only recognisable names found within though - the ones asking the questions and leading the discussion are luminaries in their own fields. Interviews are hosted by legendary producer Rick Rubin, highly esteemed writer Malcolm Gladwell and journalist Bruce Headlam. Their knowledge of both music theory, the industry and music history make the episodes all the more insightful.
This podcast aims to fill in the gaps a music listener will have when enjoying the work of an artist - providing greater context and a motivation behind the music we love. They say themselves on their website that they “intuitively understood that great music required not just listening but conversation between the artist and the audience and the audience and the rest of the world.”
Listen to ‘Broken Record’ on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/6UsuhRMTD9O71DznRP8540?si=5f68be4ae9064581
Listen to ‘Broken Record’ on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/broken-record-with-rick-rubin-malcolm-gladwell-bruce/id1311004083
Sodajerker on Songwriting
As a songwriting team themselves, Simon Barber and Brian O’Connor (aka Sodajerker) are particularly well positioned for a podcast focussed on the topic. Throughout their many episodes, interviewing titans of the industry, you’re able to get a grasp of how the songwriting process has vastly changed and evolved over the years but how each writer’s process can be totally individual to anyone else’s. What comes first, music or lyrics? Where does an artist fit songwriting into their day? Do they sit and struggle over melody and lyrics for hours in a studio or do they wait for the infrequent waves of inspiration to hit?
A wide spectrum of music is represented on the show but the consistent component is how the artist deals with the struggle, or alternatively the apparent ease, of making music. Paul McCartney breaks down how he shapes his melodies and approaches a writing session in episode 122, frustratingly uttering “it just comes to me” at one point. Birdy touches on how she conquers writing block in episode 199 and how a trip to Nashville led to her most personal work to date. With legendary figures and the brightest new artists featured on the podcast, a clear and vivid picture of the evolution of songwriting is painted by Sodajerker on Songwriting.
Listen to ‘Sodajerker on Songwriting’ on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/4oTBzqC3DHbaKNFq2YXpQw?si=fd12feb824464f20
Listen to ‘Sodajerker on Songwriting’ on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/sodajerker-on-songwriting/id479679002
This is just a small handful of music podcasts which have peaked my interested over the last couple of years. I'll be sharing more of my favourites in months to come but if you're frothing at the mouth because I've missed out a podcast that you love then hit Aux up on social media (links below).