Rephonic
Artwork for Bandsplain

Bandsplain

The Ringer
Britpop
Nirvana
Grunge
Pearl Jam
Music
Oasis
Madonna
Grunge Music
Grief
Blur
Alternative Rock
Soundgarden
Punk Rock
Suede
Kurt Cobain
Dinosaur Jr.
Los Angeles
Seattle Music Scene
Seattle
Pulp

Bandsplain is a show where host Yasi Salek invites experts to explain cult bands and iconic artists—and why people love them.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes245Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Music

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Bandsplain

Latest Episodes

Chris Ryan and Amanda Dobbins join Yasi to revisit the Strokes and their influence on the guitar rock that followed in their wake. They discuss the band's meteoric rise, Julian Casablancas’s distinctive songwriting, the model-filled audiences that he... more

Sarah Lewitinn (music journalist, restaurateur, and the artist formerly known as Ultragrrrl) joins Yasi to revisit Interpol and the early 2000s New York landscape they emerged from. They discuss their international origins, the dogged Joy Division co... more

It’s draft day, and Yasi is joined by Rob Mahoney and Sean Fennessey for a generational Indie Sleaze Draft. But first, what actually counts as indie sleaze? Are the Strokes so important that they get their own category? And can you win by simply draf... more

Jason Stewart (How Long Gone) joins Yasi to talk about “House of Jealous Lovers,” the Rapture’s cowbell-powered anthem that fused punk and dance and helped define the electroclash era. They discuss the band’s early days on Sub Pop, the song taking sh... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Sarah Lewitinn
Ultragrrrl, restaurateur and music journalist
Self-employed/Ultragrrrl enterprises
Episode: Interpol with Sarah Lewitinn
Sean Fennessey
Guest, media professional
Episode: The Indie Sleaze Draft with Rob Mahoney and Sean Fennessey
Rob Mahoney
Guest, writer/analyst
Episode: The Indie Sleaze Draft with Rob Mahoney and Sean Fennessey
Jason Stewart
DJ Them Jeans, co-host of How Long Gone
How Long Gone
Episode: Perfect Song: "House of Jealous Lovers" by The Rapture With Jason Stewart
Jenny Eliscu
Music journalist and expert guest
Rolling Stone, SiriusXM, Bandsplain
Episode: Yeah Yeah Yeahs with Jenny Eliscu
Mary in the Junkyard
South London-based band featured on the episode
All My Friends label
Episode: Best New U.K. Music with Shaad D’Souza, Plus An Interview with Mary in the Junkyard
Whitmer Thomas
LA-based comedian and musician, HBO special Terminal Crew of Dudes
HBO
Episode: Perfect Song: "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls With Whitmer Thomas
Elias Ronnenfelt
Member of Iceage, vocalist/lyricist
Iceage
Episode: Solo Mailbag with Yasi. Plus, an interview with Elias Bender Rønnenfelt and Johan Suurballe of Iceage.
Johan Wieth
Member of Iceage, instrumentalist
Iceage
Episode: Solo Mailbag with Yasi. Plus, an interview with Elias Bender Rønnenfelt and Johan Suurballe of Iceage.

Host

Yasi Salek
Host of Bandsplain, guiding discussion with expert guests and driving the conversation about artist histories and impact.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 5k ratings
  • 😐

    Please no more Amanda Dobbins!

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    LP__84
    Australia5 days ago
  • Expert but not cynical

    Great podcast, and I love that Yasi has such unbelievably deep knowledge of her subject but doesn’t feel like she has to be hypercritical about songs or bands that became popular just to prove her bona fides.

    That kind of knee-jerk cynicism is an affectation so many people seem to adopt to try to convince you that they are “real expert” (deep cuts only!), so I really appreciate her genuine joy for all music, no matter how it was or wasn’t received in the broader public, and I think it underscor... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    DJ20004
    United States2 months ago
  • Yikes

    It’s so depressing how much women have to think about their skin care routine. Yasi is so cool!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Brudd3788
    United States2 months ago
  • Here for the music talk

    Yasi clearly wants to move into the beauty/fashion influencer space. I hope she goes crazy with that content on her IG and stubstack. But when it starts to show up on Bandsplain… when she’s bemoaning why listeners don’t ask her about that stuff for her AMA… I can’t help but feel extremely sad, and hesitant to listen to this pod. I come for the music, I don’t want her to try to make money off me me by shilling for fashion and beauty

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    butfirstcafecubano
    United States2 months ago
  • Ringer-pilled

    I loved this show at first, focusing on bands that typically get far less attention and deserve their flowers. The Afghan Whigs episode is epic and I still revisit it. Same for several other early ones, like Jawbreaker. So yes, Gen X music nerd alert.

    And as an avowed music nerd, I appreciate that Yasi is a great researcher, but she’s become just another Ringer host now, saddled with their staff as guests most of the time and making space for their endless fascination with rankings and analogie... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    stoutbr
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Audience often highlights cross-media insights (film, fashion, culture) as a strength
Listeners praise the thorough research and long-form storytelling
Critics note strong interviews but some discuss format consistency and episode length
Fans appreciate nuanced deep-dives into both beloved and obscure artists

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Spotify
#18
United States/Music
Apple Podcasts
#19
United States/Music
Spotify
#20
United Kingdom/Music
Apple Podcasts
#18
United Kingdom/Music
Apple Podcasts
#27
Canada/Music
Spotify
#13
Australia/Music

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Perfect Song: "House of Jealous Lovers" by The Rapture With Jason Stewart
Q: At first you were playing indie rock, and Interpol started coming around; what was the crowd like?
The crowd was diverse, blending rocker types with fans of crossover dance and electronic music as the scene began to fuse cultures.
Solo Mailbag with Yasi. Plus, an interview with Elias Bender Rønnenfelt and Johan Suurballe of Iceage.
Q: How did you stay together for so long without it turning into a prison?
We stayed together because no one forced anyone to stay; the band grew from genuine friendship, shared curiosity, and a commitment to progress rather than clinging to early success.
The Music Biopic Hall of Fame With Sean Fennessey
Q: What is the difference between a canon and a hall of fame in this context?
The canon is treated as the set of works that are functionally essential to the genre as a whole, while the Hall of Fame focuses on individual figures—people—who exemplify the genre's impact, with the host acknowledging the distinction and debating its boundaries.
SOUNDTRACK: 'Working Girl' With Amanda Dobbins
Q: What would change if a different lead actress were attached in the late 80s?
Casting shifts (e.g., Demi Moore) would have altered audience perception, star power dynamics, and the film's tonal balance, potentially changing the film's box office trajectory and how the soundtrack interacts with the narrative.
SOUNDTRACK: 'Working Girl' With Amanda Dobbins
Q: How did Carly Simon's Let the River Run shape the film's reception?
The song anchored the mood and helped sell the film's aspirational energy, and its Oscar win afterward amplified the movie's cultural footprint, feeding ongoing dialogue about women in business and pop music's role in film.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Bandsplain

What is Bandsplain about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A deep-dive music show where host blends rigorous research with expert guests to unpack the histories, impact, and cultural context of cult bands and iconic artists. Episodes frequently pair long-form interviews with artists or scene insiders with thematic discussions (soundtracks, biopics, era-defining moments), offering thorough storytelling, production anecdotes, and careful analysis of how music and culture intersect. Notable strengths include multi-guest perspectives, archival context, and a willingness to tackle both niche histories and blockbuster legends, making it a strong fit for listeners who love deep-dan exploration of music culture and its wider storytelling. A standout trait is the emphasis on historical context and artist tr... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Bandsplain?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Bandsplain. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Bandsplain and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Bandsplain get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Bandsplain, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Bandsplain?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Bandsplain, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Bandsplain have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Bandsplain has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Bandsplain?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Bandsplain:

1. 60 Songs That Explain the '90s
2. The Big Picture
3. The Watch
4. The Prestige TV Podcast
5. The Rewatchables

How many episodes of Bandsplain are there?

Bandsplain launched 4 years ago and published 245 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Bandsplain?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Bandsplain?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Bandsplain from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Bandsplain?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Bandsplain. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Bandsplain?

Recent guests on Bandsplain include:

1. Sarah Lewitinn
2. Sean Fennessey
3. Rob Mahoney
4. Jason Stewart
5. Jenny Eliscu
6. Mary in the Junkyard
7. Whitmer Thomas
8. Elias Ronnenfelt

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days