The rise of podcasts in recent years has led to a boom in users across platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and iTunes, showing that a growing audience is becoming interested in listening to more than just music. Because of this, there are hundreds of podcasts found on most music platforms, making it difficult to separate the good from the bad. Well, hopefully this list can separate the two, as I’ve chosen a few that I think are well worth listening to.
Song Exploder
Hrishikesh Hirway hosts this podcast on musicians from nearly every genre dissecting specific songs of theirs, detailing their motivations, mindsets, and methods of recording. Hirway has had some very high-profile acts come through his show such as Lorde, Arcade Fire, Jack Johnson, Metallica, and R.E.M., just to name a few.
In these intimate sessions, the subjects of love, relationships, and life in general are often brought to the forefront, allowing these bands and musicians to bear all. Listen to Song Exploder today at SongExploder.net, or on iTunes, Tidal, or SoundCloud.
Disgraceland
On the opposite side of the music spectrum, Disgraceland delves into the darker world of musicians and their personal lives, covering such stories as the controversial death of Sam Cooke, The Rolling Stones’ risque party lives, and the mysteries of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G.’s deaths. The list goes on and on, and this podcast will have more than enough to work with for the foreseeable future. If getting a glimpse of the uglier side of Hollywood interests you, Disgraceland should be high on your list.
Questlove Supreme
Musical legend and drummer of The Roots Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson hosts this weekly conversational podcast that covers every and all things music. Guests thus far have included Steve Miller, Solange, Q-Tip, Jack White, and a number of bigger names in entertainment like Chris Rock and Maya Rudolph. You can listen to Questlove Supreme exclusively on Pandora.
Talkhouse Music Podcast
This unique and Webby Award-nominated podcast first staked its claim as a series in which prominent musicians reviewed the latest albums. For example, Lou Reed giving his insight on Kanye West’s album “Yeezus.” Today, Talkhouse is more known for setting up face-to-face conversations between such acts as Chris Frantz of the Talking Heads and Richard Lloyd, Kamasi Washington and Thundercat, and more. This podcast is available for all on iTunes and SoundCloud.