Song Exploder

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Music #11

Song Exploder is a podcast where musicians take apart their songs, and piece by piece, tell the story of how they were made. Each episode features an artist discussing a song of theirs, breaking down the sounds and ideas that went into the writing and recording. Hosted and produced by Hrishikesh Hirway.

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Recent Reviews
  • The Vegan Trucker
    I Got More Than Just A T-Shirt!
    I am deeply in love with this podcast. I lead a solitary life and podcasts fill some of the void of not being part of the world. The presentation format is perfect. I enjoy hearing how each song came to be and often cry at the sweetness the artists express. Thank you for enriching our lives with these masterpieces. ❤️
  • JCJ326
    Pure Delight!!
    Thank you for this magnificent podcast. It brings back all my nostalgia from being a music major and sitting in classes breaking down operas, sonatas, and symphonies. Pure gold!
  • nik khadeeja
    I need help
    I don't know how to download any music at all can someone help me??
  • Mama Z kids
    Creativity is so cool.
    It’s incredible to hear about how artists creat a musical experience. This show inspires me every time I listen to it.
  • Cereal
    interviewee way too loud
    could you do my a favor, and make sure the interviewee isn’t ten times louder than the music clips pretty please. I know there’s going to be a difference with voice memos and such, I’m not asking for perfection, but that episode was terrible.
  • Edouardo Pistol
    Great concept
    I love this podcast although I prefer it when it features someone I’ve heard of
  • jrhuber
    The GOAT
    This podcast makes me feel things and that’s the pinnacle, isn’t it? You feel like the artist is talking directly to you, you get exposed to cool new artists, and it’s just a joy to listen to
  • i❤️podcast
    Thumbs up
    I love it as well as Rishikesh’s other podcast home cooking, and I’m not even interested in music
  • SteventheThorn
    Great breakdown of creativity and songwriting
    I’ve been listening to this podcast for years and find so many creative, inspiring, and poignant moments in it. I recommend it often to friends. It’s well-produced; it’s a good length; the stems and artist interviews are great to hear. One of my favorite podcasts. I wish Book Exploder was its own podcast and didn’t appear on this feed; I’m not interested in Book Exploder.
  • j.michael.j
    Brilliant
    Each episode is done so well and even when I’m not that into the artist/genre/song, I still find myself enjoying every bit of it and finding a new appreciation. Absolutely loved the Iron and Wine episode.
  • rhetmob
    Who’s dead?!
    Love the show but I just listened to the intro to King Princess, where I thought I heard that Alanis Morissette died earlier this year. I had to check the transcript and realized you were talking about Taylor Hawkins. It works okay in text but not the audio. Whew.
  • PodFan032021
    The best!
    This is what podcasts were made for - great audio, enlightening perspectives - makes me love music I’ve never considered before!
  • bg super poop fart face guppy
    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    I just Love! This podcast 😍😍😍
  • Hammi1!
    One of the best podcasts
    Absolutely love this podcast! It’s perfection. And the new addition of book exploder episodes is genius. Love love love what this team brings listeners.
  • the creater of Deady
    Ophelia “The Lumineers” podcast is great!!!
    I love The Lumineers so much and can’t believe how they made all their music so great! This podcast is so interesting and helps you to learn more about your favorite artists. I love that in this podcast you can listen to how they make their stuff and what techniques they have to make it so well.
  • miesvan
    A long-running favorite
    This podcast is one of a half-dozen where I have listened to every episode. It continues to delight. Sometimes I learn more about an artist I love, and other times I discover new artists to explore more deeply. I love how it almost always focuses around a single song. It’s a great length for a walk.
  • derrikdavid
    Not that good
    This podcast is not that good. Says a lot of bologna.
  • Mickeyguitarwes
    Pop music isn’t that interesting
    But this podcast is beautifully designed and executed. I’m not sure that the producers see pop music as an industrial commodity, but that’s my takeaway nonetheless. Very entertaining!
  • mel_foust
    Favorite podcast
    This is by far my favorite podcast. Definitely don’t love all of the songs selected but getting to hear the artist talk through their processes and thoughts is so fun to listen to. If you like music at all, you will love this.
  • VaughnyLo
    Musicians are magicians
    I've always wanted to get into making music, but never understood enough about the process. This podcast is a dream come true. Truly inspiring. Thank you.
  • Reensings
    A peek behind the creative curtain
    This podcast is brilliant. I found Rishikesh through the West Wing Weekly podcast, and I absolutely love his style. Not every song is my cuppa tea, but hearing the artists talk about the origins of their music always help me see their music “in color”, rather than in black and white. Bite-size length, always fascinating!
  • R Mall Lins Hart
    Obsession!
    I love this podcast more than any other. I am constantly recommending it to other people, bordering evangelism! As a musician/music lover, it fills every craving I hope to know about the songs it covers. As a creator, it opens up the creative process and makes me think of my work in so many new ways. It gives me permission to consider myself a songwriter and my ideas of value. The fact that most episodes are ~20 minutes also helps keep it bite sized and accessible. Thank you so much for your work!
  • JayJay in LA
    Danny Elfman episode - amazing
    What a great podcast. Love the Danny Elfman episode. Song Exploder is on another level of care and production. I can listen to the episodes of songs I love over and over again. Great job
  • Karlos Littos
    A little late to the SE party…
    … but love it top to bottom. I just heard the Cheap Trick episode and I was so praying you were going to break construct at the end and try to hit the post like a 70s FM jock when introducing the song (with the weather and time, of course).
  • Steh#1
    Songs exploded!
    Best music podcast!
  • Tyler Durden 99
    Awesome
    This kind of behind the scenes, how it’s made, method behind the madness stuff is awesome! Some songs I’ve never heard of and others I’ve been listening to for years all highlighted brilliantly and given more depth and texture here. Keep it up!
  • nicole.l.z
    Game changer
    Best podcast ever made about how music is made
  • mseam18
    LOVE Song Exploder, But...
    Please stop mentioning your "new" podcast Partners. Or actually make new episodes of it. Thanks.
  • Solitaire Gal
    Song Exploder: run or walk? Doesn’t matter, but listen to this podcast!
    I enjoy this podcast so much. There is such a wide array of music and musicians. I even enjoy learning about the stories behind songs that don’t speak to my musical interests or preferences. Hrishikesh Hirway creates such wonderful connections with the musicians. I think his program is so creating and unique. Absolutely do not miss the NETFLIX series by the same name. It’s just as phenomenal. Special request for Mr. Hirway: Neil Diamond, any song, just think that interview would be phenomenally interesting. Also, Joan Jett and LL Cool J. Also any song they want to share. Thanks for the fabulous and fun Song Exploder podcast. (P.S. I enjoyed the TED Talk extra!)
  • ProfessionalCritic1243
    An incredible podcast
    Hrishikesh is a beautiful soul. His passion for music, coupled with the dive into musical creativity and production, makes for a wonderful listening experience. I am filled with awe and inspiration after every episode.
  • freak for fun
    Amazing
    I love this podcast, I’m obsessed with it. I was wondering if maybe you could do another Billie eilish on about her new song happier than ever.
  • Klm7875
    Excellent podcast!
    This show offers something unique in the music podcast genre. Hirway does an amazing job of allowing the voices of the musicians to come through in an intimate and revealing way as they describe their creative processes.
  • Merriemichelle
    🤩👏🤩👏
    Great podcast! I would like to hear about Bahamas and “Lost in the light”
  • ValDali_
    Please add Wild Nothing!!
    I’m really digging this podcast.
  • Music4mr
    So, so sad
    What’s going on here? Really enjoyed these podcasts but they’re all so sad now: family violence, suicide, abuse, addiction, heartache…every week. I get it that they all can’t be happy, but when was the las time this podcast DIDN'T start with a warning?!
  • WSEMUSIC
    Fantastic
    I really enjoy this podcast! It has been so fun to learn about some of my favorite artists and the songs they have written. I would love to hear more! Keep it up!
  • Random32234568900
    Amazing!
    I love this podcast so much! The artists are free to relate their inspirations and styles without any extra talk from a host. For runners, this is an incredible podcast to listen to on any distance run—music and thoughtful conversation. Also learning about artists with whom I was unfamiliar. Awesome!
  • bravoCALI
    Kinda lame now
    Used to be about real awesome seasoned hits Now it’s become an avenue for artists to promote music and nothing else. Should’ve never taken all that corporate money
  • Cupscout
    One of the greatest podcasts ever created
    Truly brings a new appreciation to the music we so often take for granted. I also love the host and how he takes care to choose songs from ALL genres/vibes/artists. No matter what you’re into, you WILL find a song you love on this podcast. Please don’t ever stop making this! It brings me endless joy and stirs true reverence to the entire teams of artists (production, vocals, instrumental, etc) who create the magic that we narrate specific memories in our lives out to and therefore can go back to relive our past experiences, all of which by just by pressing play… out of literal thin air?? It’s enough to strike awe into anyone. -Sorry if that was convoluted and a run-on but I wish more people would take a second to think about all the work that goes into making this medium of art. It’s nothing short of amazing.
  • Mlynndahle
    They gave me a framework
    As a novice, this podcast gave me a framework to understand music I’ve been listening to for a long time, a new way to hear and appreciate. I particularly loved Alaska with Maggie Rogers. Any chance you could interview Moving Mountains by ANIMA! ?‽
  • Ihearttwat
    Irreplaceable - every musician/songwriter needs this
    Streaming these vibrations into the brain is an endless source of creativity and inspiration. Don’t pass go, just subscribe to this and listen to every episode.
  • jennyyy285
    Fascinating
    So cool to hear some of my favorite artists explain their songwriting process.
  • gnauck
    Hai
    I really like this podcast because it kinda looks into the songwriter’s life and the inspiration for the song. Do you think you could do the song Sugar Crash?
  • Andrew Campbell
    amazing
    such a spectacularly produced show - illuminating, fascinating, all of the good things. as a musician and producer myself i cannot say enough good things about this show. love it!
  • anahatastar
    Love it
    i. Love this podcast and I love a lot of the songs make more
  • What-A-Save-Dave
    5/5
    Underrated
  • sax_music
    👍🏼
    👍🏼🐼
  • jazmyn king
    Makes music fun
    I used to think I was weird and just didn’t like music. This podcast made me love music
  • dmb383
    Please Interview
    Hey Hrishikesh Would it be possible for you to interview Mabe Fratti regarding her song “Hacia El Vaci’o?” You RAWK!
  • NikolasKite
    HAIM ruins everything
    Unfortunately the first episode I listened to involved HAIM admitting in detail how they ripped off Lou Reed’s “Take a Walk on the Wild Side”. Sad really.
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