Music podcasts you should be listening to. (Part 1)

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.

Tape Notes

Tape notes is, in their words, a podcast about the art and craft of music production. I was introduced to the show after listening to an episode with Adam Buxton, another podcasting favourite of mine. Buxton, who is normally the interviewer, was asked about his process when making his absolutely joyous and stupid jingles, delving into his influences as well as his production methods. While it was Adam Buxton’s appearance on the pod that drew me in I was immediately taken by the format and John Kennedy’s hosting. As you might be able to tell by a few entries on this list, dissecting the various components of a song, album or specific sound or instrument is vastly fascinating to me. Tape Notes is a show that does exactly that and it’s clear that Kennedy takes similar levels of pleasure from this pursuit.

He is an effortless host, happily taking the back seat while moving the conversation along, putting the emphasis on the artist’s story. He does, however, really know his stuff when it comes to the music production process. Within an episode JK will interview the artists, alongside their producers and engineers, after giving some background exposition at the start. We get insight into the writing process; the initial idea that gets breathily hummed into an iphone before steadily blossoming into a fully instrumented rock track. We learn how vocal parts get recorded, from the microphone choice to the way it's mixed. We hear how a producer will help shape an artist's initial vision into a cohesive finished article.

Personally the excitement comes from hearing those hastily recorded voice notes or demo recordings. It makes the creation process seem all the more tangible and achievable. The shaky vocals and uncertainty in those moments help to humanise the artists, it’s definitely a brave thing to expose the unpolished and imperfect version of your work.

Listen to TapeNotes on Spotify here:
https://open.spotify.com/show/5Br33snnJU90k2NcYskuM9?si=dDuGalroSua0_jnV-lYtsA&dl_branch=1

Listen To Tape Notes on Apple Podcasts here:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/tape-notes/id1249834293

Perfect Sounds with James Acaster

I’m unashamedly a fan of anything and everything James Acaster does. He is an absolute clown and his voice is brilliantly cartoonish. Yet I was initially hesitant about the idea of having to take him seriously while he interviews guests about music. Luckily the concept isn’t as run-of-the-mill as I just described. James had a really rough year in 2016 and, like for many of us, music provided a great deal of solace for him. So much so that he ended up buying 500 albums released in 2016 and convinced himself that it’s the greatest year in music of all time. There’s no irony here though - he is 100% confident in that ranking.

Within the podcast James will interview a guest, usually a fellow comedian, having provided them with one album from his vast 2016 collection. The interviewee will be quizzed on their reactions to the album, their favourite tracks and whether or not they would listen to it again. The payoff comes at the end of the episode where the guest is asked whether or not they believe 2016 is the greatest year for music of all time. I’ll be honest with you - not many people agree with him.

What this show is great for is acknowledging the albums that would otherwise slip under your radar. Acaster’s eclectic music taste means there might be something for everyone here. I became obsessed with an album, Jeff Rosenstock’s ‘Worry’, as a result of listening to this podcast and I wouldn’t have discovered it elsewhere. There is, of course, a lot of laughs to be had but there’s a lot of integrity to be found here too.

Listen to ‘Perfect Sounds’ on Spotify here:

https://open.spotify.com/show/5zR7VUlNzu7bHtEUnC2otn?si=LhosQdmgQ3SgBfqEtSYg2g&dl_branch=1

Listen to ‘Perfect Sounds’ on Apple Podcasts here:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/james-acasters-perfect-sounds/id1508552713

Listen to ‘Perfect Sounds’ on BBC Sounds here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p089rfmk

Hip Hop Saved My Life with Romesh Ranganathan

I would heartily recommend any Hip-Hop listeners, or total newcomers to the genre, give Romesh Ranganathan’s podcast a go. With a background as a freestyler, Romesh has an exhaustive knowledge of the genre and, alongside his co-host RuMaj, picks the brains of musicians, comedians and plenty of other celebrity fans of Hip-Hop.

It helps if you’re a fan of Ranganathan’s dry, listless delivery and interview technique; I, for one, certainly am. His tangents and disdainful outlook might not be for everyone. However, what himself and RuMaj objectively succeed at is exploring their guest’s Hip-Hop background; the story of their love affair with the genre and culture, as well as their favourite acts both current and past. HHSML also features hip-hop artists coming on the show to dissect their own careers and promote their new music. DJ Shadow appears on an episode from back in 2019 which I was particularly jazzed about. (Not sure if I can get away with writing “jazzed” in the written word… or at all to be honest.)

This pod is definitely heavy on the humorous chat so if you’re looking for a chuckle and less of the nerdy, in depth musical analysis then give this one a go. I’m not the biggest Hip-Hop head but I massively enjoy tuning in.

N.B. It seems as though the podcast is no longer being uploaded to Spotify; the most recent episode on there was back in 2019. Apple Podcasts continue to host the new episodes though.

Listen to ‘Hip-Hop Saved My Life’ on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/hip-hop-saved-my-life-with-romesh-ranganathan/id982388481

The Read

Want the tea on Kanye’s latest japes? Want to unpack why Lil Uzi Vert thinks that he can buy a planet? Want to pray at the altar of Beyoncé? The Read has got you covered on all fronts plus a lot more. This podcast differs from the other recommendations featured here in that it deals more so with the culture around music, specifically Pop and Hip-Hop, than the actual tunes themselves. Hosts Kid Fury and Crissle hilariously weave from topic to topic, frequently cackling over the most bizarre and entertaining stories that the music industry has to offer.

The big draw to The Read is the chemistry between the hosts and their hilarious takes on some of the biggest personalities in pop culture. The two met through Twitter back in 2013 and it’s joyfully evident that they have been podcasting together for over 8 years. Not only do we happily ingest their “reads” on cultural icons but we get insight into the pair’s lives away from the mic; they openly acknowledge that the podcast is essentially a form of therapy. They are enchanting in their own right - the fact that in over 400 episodes there has only been a small handful of special guests is a testament to that.  It’s not just their close relationship that makes this chat so special though. Being two Black, LGBTQ+ creators, their perspective was vital for representation when they started nearly a decade ago and, while it thankfully isn’t as unique today, they still offer something that isn’t found in enough places.

Listen to ‘The Read’ on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/1YZW7v12Ty11OSJ2hoIXtG?si=WJ_c_mJyR1ayTXLxOiyQCw&dl_branch=1

Listen to ‘The Read’ on Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-read/id619369512

We Are The Road Crew

It’s a shameful truth: we don’t give backstage crews enough praise. We also don’t give them enough podcasts to share their experiences on. Luckily ‘We Are The Road Crew’ has arrived on the scene to give voice to the black t-shirted geniuses that make our favourite gigs and events look and sound so special. In each episode of WATRC host Stephen Hill interviews a different prominent figure from the production side of the live music industry. He’s chatted with pyrotechnics expert George Baker, female sound tech trailblazer Michelle Pettinato, top promoter and stage manager Rishi Louis-Gowry and many more top figures in their respective industries. It’s fascinating to hear how the career of a crew member can evolve; starting out as a nervous apprentice having nightmares about a bad gig to becoming a sort-out expert, mentoring future generations of engineers, techies and stage hands.

Particularly of interest is the fact that many of the episodes were recorded during the depths of the COVID19 pandemic. While musicians were able to carry on creating in their studios or bedrooms, many, if not all roadies and backstage crew members weren’t able to work. Hearing from distinguished industry professionals about the struggles of this unprecidented period was particularly eye opening. The uncertainty of not knowing when gigs and tours would be rescheduled for, while being frustrating for ticket holders, was devastating for anyone with a career in the events industry. On a lighter note though it is absolutely fascinating to hear the trials and tribulations of a road crew member. Each guest provides their own insight into different area of the live music world and it’s a perspective that most music fans won’t have given the time of day to before.

Listen to ‘We Are The Road Crew’ on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/0bniQV3jgzFRPk9mt58j8s?si=IjuFxGk3Rou5kgyerLC6Cw&dl_branch=1

Listen to ‘We Are The Road Crew’ on Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/we-are-the-road-crew-podcast/id1481579080

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.