We’ve entered the golden period of podcasting, particularly on the subject of music podcasts, however because the ecosystem grows bigger and extra various, determination paralysis inevitably units in. The place to start when there’s a seemingly infinite quantity of choices? From band-specific reveals to genre-, era-, and album-devoted sequence, there’s a podcast for each kind of music fan, from probably the most esoteric obsessives to mainstream-pop heads. Listed here are a number of the perfect music podcasts on the market as we speak.
24: Dolly Parton’s America
On this Peabody Award-winning restricted sequence from WNYC, host Jad Abumrad (identified finest because the co-founder of Radiolab) explores the common enchantment of Dolly Parton. Throughout the nine-episode podcast, which premiered in 2019, Abumrad not solely delves into Parton’s life and music, but additionally examines the artist’s influence inside a historic, cultural, and political context. Alongside the best way, unique interviews with the nation icon add further perception. Enjoyable reality: Abumrad’s father (doctor and professor Naji Abumrad) cared for Parton after a 2013 automobile accident, finally changing into good associates with the singer-songwriter. Their bond later impressed Parton to assist fund Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine.
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23: BBC’s Desert Island Discs
On every episode of this long-running BBC sequence, one visitor “castaway” is requested to pick eight recordings, one e book, and one luxurious merchandise that they might want to have if stranded on a desert island. First broadcast in 1942, Desert Island Discs has aired over 3000 episodes and hosted such venerable castaways as Sir David Attenborough, Bruce Springsteen, Princess Margaret, Dame Judi Dench, Keith Richards, and, maybe probably the most well-known Castaway of all, Tom Hanks. Thought-provoking and deeply candid, every dialog proves the uncanny capability of music to assist us relive crucial moments in our lives.
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22: All Songs Thought-about
Hosted by longtime NPR correspondents/producers/administrators and self-proclaimed “music nerds,” Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton, All Songs Thought-about has been delivering a weekly dose of recent music to followers since 2000. A vital podcast for anybody who desires to remain forward of the curve, the podcast spotlights new releases from rising and established acts and options interviews with a variety of artists from across the globe. Enjoyable reality: each hosts are additionally musicians themselves. Hilton is a multi-instrumentalist and composer, who wrote and carried out the theme music for NPR’s Weekend All Issues Thought-about, whereas Boilen had a psychedelic band within the 70s known as Tiny Desk Unit (which impressed the identify of his NPR video sequence, Tiny Desk Concert events).
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21: For Scores
Ever needed to find out how music involves life in a film or tv present? For Scores explores the compositions from Disney, Pixar, Lucasfilm, Marvel, and twentieth Century Fox initiatives. It’s actually the proper podcast for any movie or musical fan. In every episode, journalist Jon Burlingame speaks to a legendary composer and dives into how the music was composed to inform every film’s full story. Earlier friends embrace Alan Menken, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Alan Silvestri, Robert Lopez, Danny Elfman, amongst others.
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20: Dad Bod Rap Pod
For individuals who take hip-hop severely, wish to hear conversations with a little bit of historic grounding, and luxuriate in listening to outdated associates nerd out collectively, Dad Bod Rap Pod stands out as the music podcast for you. Hosts Demone Carter, David Ma, and Nate LeBlanc have been hip-hop individuals and followers for many years, they usually clearly know their stuff. Listening to them interview musicians and journalists – or just chat in regards to the newest releases amongst themselves – provides you with a wealth of recent music to discover.
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19: Title 3 Songs
Fangirls have lengthy been demonized (or worse), however the music world can be nowhere with out them. Title 3 Songs addresses this reality head-on, seeking to “challenge sexism in the music industry and empower fangirls.” Matters have included “fatphobia in the music industry,” “when idolization goes too far,” and “misogyny in pop music.” Co-hosts Sara Feigin and Jenna Million tackle these points with empathy, making a secure area the place tough conversations might be had.
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18: On Wednesdays We Put on Black
On Wednesdays We Put on Black is hosted by three of us within the different music area which are courageous sufficient to deliver what would usually be taboo matters into public view. As their podcast description places it, “They talk about everything from sex, racism and gigs to myspace emo fashion…. Warning, do not have this on with your gran in the room.” In a scene the place all these voices have lengthy been silent (and silenced), it’s a refreshing pay attention.
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17: The Ringer Music Present
Hosted by music critic Charles Holmes and comic/musician Grace Spelman, The Ringer Music Present has an ideal steadiness between treating music extraordinarily severely and taking it with an infinite grain of salt. Sizzling takes abound, however they’re all the time provided with a thought of point-of-view. The weekly podcast takes its matters from no matter is within the information at any given second, which makes listening to it really feel a bit like having two associates replace you on what everybody else is speaking about.
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16: Rolling Stone Music Now
Ever needed to snoop on an editorial assembly of the world’s most well-known music journal? That’s what it typically seems like when Rolling Stone Music Now brings on a cadre of its writers to speak a few particular matter. Along with listening to knowledgeable listeners debate the deserves of the newest releases, host Brian Hiatt additionally conducts in-depth interviews with news-making musicians. For these eager to dive deep into what’s happening on the planet of music, this is likely one of the finest podcasts round.
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15: Tape Notes
The key to Tape Notes is within the premise itself. Reuniting artists and producers to speak about nice initiatives, it typically finds the friends speaking to 1 one other for the primary time in ages. Listening to the individuals reliving particular moments collectively is like eavesdropping on a dialog between outdated associates. As if that wasn’t sufficient, the podcast typically comes full with unreleased materials from these classes, giving listeners a front-row seat to the artistic course of.
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14: Mogul
One of many first nice narrative podcasts about music, Mogul’s debut season adopted the lifetime of report firm exec Chris Lighty, whose path appeared to intersect with nearly each main motion on the planet of hip-hop. (Lighty managed 50 Cent, LL Cool J, and Missy Elliott, simply to call just a few.) The podcast returned just a few years later to inform yet one more iconic hip-hop story: The beginning of Southern hip-hop and the way 2 Reside Crew’s express music ended up at the USA Supreme Court docket.
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13: Damaged Document
With interviews performed by producer Rick Rubin, author Malcolm Gladwell, and former New York Instances editor Bruce Headlam, you understand that the standard of Damaged Document might be excessive. The visitor record, as you may think, isn’t any much less spectacular: Brian Eno, Liz Phair, Pharrell Williams, and John Legend are just some of the names which have gone deep on their craft. Regardless of the number of interviewers, Damaged Document largely takes its guiding philosophy from Rick Rubin, whose affected person and empathetic conversational model typically brings out shocking insights from the high-profile friends.
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12: Afropop Worldwide
The long-running Afropop Worldwide shines a light-weight on a number of the most fascinating music from across the globe, telling the tales behind artists and tunes that always don’t get prolonged and cautious remedy from media shops. Since its beginnings, Afropop has operated beneath a non-profit mannequin, counting on beneficiant donors to ship its audio documentarians out into the world. They’ve come again with unbelievable materials, working to satisfy the self-described mission of accelerating “the profile of African and African diaspora music worldwide, and to see that benefits from this increased profile go back to artists, music industry professionals, and the countries that produce the music.”
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11: Twenty Thousand Hertz
“The stories behind the world’s most recognizable and interesting sounds” is the tagline for Twenty Thousand Hertz, and that’s precisely what it does. It’s top-of-the-line music podcasts round as a result of it takes a broad view of what music really is… and digs deep into these tales. Ever needed to know the way the “Netflix sound” got here to be created? What you would possibly hear when you have been on a distinct planet? Or what it’s wish to dub films in a international language for George Clooney? There’s an episode for all of these eventualities and far more.
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10: Punch Up the Jam
Comedians are recurrently known as upon to punch up a joke or repair a script, however to enhance a pop track? Not a lot. Enter Punch Up The Jam, the comedic tag crew of Miel Bredouw and Demi Adejuyigbe who each champion and tear aside a few of in style music’s enduring hits. Every week the duo (and visitor) break down successful track after which try to re-arrange it with hilarious outcomes. Look no additional than their tackle Weapons N’ Roses’ iconic hit “Welcome To The Jungle” or ‘Escape (The Pina Colada Song)’. Nothing is off limits.
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9: R U Talkin REM Re: Me
Comedy author Scott Aukerman had just a few musical-comedy podcasts beneath his belt earlier than beginning R U Talkin REM Re: Me together with his buddy and collaborator Adam Scott (of Parks And Recreation fame). What began out as just a few sporadic episodes of U Talkin’ U2 To Me? later advanced into their better ardour… R.E.M. Much less a deep dive into the musicality of the band than addictive banter and wild tangents that additionally revolve round R.E.M., clearly the duo have been onto one thing, as they counted Mike Mills and Peter Buck as friends within the present’s run. Now full, the duo extra lately did a full season dedicated to Speaking Heads, however the R.E.M. archives are nonetheless accessible and properly price exploring.
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8: KCRW’s Misplaced Notes
The very best music podcasts fill within the blanks, offering context and telling the tales behind a number of the music you like, however KCRW’s Misplaced Notes takes it one step additional, interrogating the previous by the lens of as we speak and the way to reconcile these variations. Seasons have been hosted by music author Jessica Hopper (writer of The First Assortment Of Criticism By A Residing Feminine Rock Critic) and poet and cultural critic Hanif Abdurraqib, however the concept all the time stays the identical: Highlighting “the greatest music stories never told,” from a punk-rocker turned father who revisits his misogynistic previous, to the legacy of John Fahey re-evaluated by the ladies who have been in his life.
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7: Sound Opinions
Dubbed because the “world’s only rock and roll talk show,” Sound Opinions has existed in lots of varieties since its first incarnation as a Chicago radio present again in 1993. Hosted by veteran rock critics Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis, the duo has many years’ price of musical data at their disposal, but additionally an insatiable curiosity for what’s taking place in music as we speak. Formidable in scope, the pair will deal with something from the legend of Robert Johnson to De La Soul and the Paisley Underground, alongside unique interviews and stay performances. With greater than 800 episodes, you’ll by no means run out throughout a protracted street journey.
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6: Dissect
Whereas most of the finest music podcasts break down traditional songs, genres, and artists, the Dissect podcast trains their lens on the album, dismantling a single title throughout an entire season. From unpacking Beyonce’s Lemonade to analyzing Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly, Dissect is much less cultural criticism and extra musical sleuthing. Initially began as a ardour mission by host Cole Cuchna, it’s now a part of the Spotify podcast community.
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5: Switched On Pop
What makes pop songs so catchy? Musicologist Nate Sloan and songwriter Charlie Harding make it their aim to unravel this query with out taking away the magic of the music. Like all the most effective music podcasts, Switched On Pop is democratic in scope, pondering the key formulation of pop music and going off the rails in one of the simplest ways potential. From the weirdness of 90s pop to the timeless catharsis of Martha And The Vandellas’ “Dancing In The Street,” life after Auto-Tune, and what “Cotton Eye Joe” tells us a few century-plus of pop music, Switched On Pop is there to reply life’s large questions.
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4: Cocaine & Rhinestones
Because the son of outlaw-country artist David Allan Coe, Tyler Mahan Coe is aware of a factor or two about nation music. On the primary season of his podcast, Cocaine & Rhinestones, Coe doesn’t simply recount the wild tales of nation music, however backs them up with an arsenal of information. Together with overlaying the large names of the style – Hank Williams, Johnny Money, Patsy Cline – Coe additionally highlights a number of the neglected names in nation – from The Louvin Brothers to Doug and Rusty Kershaw. Coe doesn’t simply let you know the story behind Loretta Lynn’s banned track “The Pill,” he digs into US historical past and the cultural politics of contraception. Season two, launched in 2021, ostensibly focuses on the nation music legend George Jones, however covers a lot extra.
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3: Track Exploder
Explaining the artistic course of might be, properly… a course of, however hit podcast Track Exploder has succeeded in explaining the origins behind the most important hits with out getting misplaced within the weeds. Usually copied however by no means replicated, Track Exploder lets the artists themselves break down their songs with out getting in the best way. Since 2014, musician and composer Hrishikesh Hirway (now musician Thao Nguyen) host and produce the present, revealing the artistic technique of artists as various as Lorde, The Mountain Goats, and John Carpenter, to call just a few.
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2: Questlove Supreme
Whilst extra musicians are entering into the podcasting recreation (Hozier, Nicki Minaj, Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig, Perry Farrell, and even Rick Rubin), no different host holds it down fairly like Questlove. The Roots drummer and writer possesses an encyclopedic musical data fairly like no different and might persuade his friends to fall down the rabbit gap with him. Previous friends have included the likes of Chaka Khan, Michelle Obama, Herb Alpert, and even Michael McDonald. It’s nirvana for music nerds but additionally one of the crucial partaking discuss reveals on air.
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1: New York Instances Popcast
It might be known as Popcast, however the New York Instances’ music podcast covers a large scope of music. Hosted by music critic Jon Caramanica, you may rely on the roundtable of critics to deal with each material with rigorous enthusiasm, from the rise of Put up Malone to Chris Cornell’s legacy, the bootleg merch commerce, the way forward for jazz, and the unfair hand dealt to Ashlee Simpson. Whereas every episode normally consists of an knowledgeable visitor (or friends) on the subject at hand, the dream crew of writers Joe Coscarelli, Caryn Ganz, Jon Pareles, and Caramanica every supply various experience in genres and eras to maintain the discourse piping scorching.
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