Rephonic
Artwork for Design Matters

Design Matters with Debbie Millman

Design Matters Media
Rosanne Cash
The Wheel
Music Industry
Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame
Design
John Leventhal
Grammy Awards
Creativity
Human Progress
Black Lives Matter
Creative Growth
Habits
Lucy Wainwright Roche
Dirtbag, Massachusetts
CODA
Stories We Tell
Space Oddity
New York City
Social Media
Roy Wood Jr.

Design Matters with Debbie Millman is one of the world’s very first podcasts. Broadcasting independently for over 15 years, the show is about how incredibly creative people design the arc of their lives.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes668Founded17 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ArtsDesign

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Design Matters

Latest Episodes

Santiago Carrasquilla is a Colombian-born director, designer, and founder of Art Camp, a multidisciplinary creative studio known for blending hand-drawn illustration, 3D animation, live action, and emerging technology to create work rooted in human e... more

YouTube

Timothy Snyder is a leading historian of Eastern Europe, the Holocaust, and political conflict, and the author of more than a dozen books, including Bloodlands, Black Earth, On Tyranny, and, most recently, Unfreedom. He has spent his career using the... more

YouTube

Ada Limón—24th U.S. Poet Laureate and author of seven poetry books, including The Carrying and Bright Dead Things—joins to discuss her new book, Against Breaking: On the Power of Poetry, her childhood between two homes, her deep sensitivity to the na... more

YouTube

Lidia Yuknavitch is the bestselling author of The Chronology of Water, Reading the Waves, and The Big M, and a writer whose work blurs genre to explore themes of memory, embodiment, grief, and transformation. She joins to discuss her childhood, her e... more

YouTube

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.

Design Better
Design BetterThe Curiosity Department, sponsored by Wix Studio
Hidden Brain
Hidden BrainHidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

Recent Guests

Santiago Carrasquilla
Designer and director, founder of Art Camp
Art Camp
Episode: Santiago Carrasquilla
Timothy Snyder
Historian of Eastern Europe, the Holocaust and political conflict
Yale University (historian); author of On Tyranny, On Freedom
Episode: Timothy Snyder
Ada Limón
Poet
Poet; United States Poet Laureate
Episode: Ada Limón
Lidia Yuknavitch
Writer and artist whose work includes The Chronology of Water, Reading the Waves, and The Big M
Author and artist
Episode: Lidia Yuknavitch
Jack Schlossberg
Young candidate for Congress and public figure from a prominent political family
Candidate for New York's 10th/12th district (context within episode)
Episode: Jack Schlossberg
Kim Hastreiter
Co-founder and long-time editor of Paper Magazine
Paper Magazine
Episode: Kim Hastreiter
C. Thi Nguyen
Philosopher and author focusing on the implications of gaming and metrics on personal values.
University of Utah
Episode: C. Thi Nguyen
Quiara Alegria Hudes
Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, known for 'In the Heights' and author of the memoir 'My Broken Language'
Episode: Quiara Alegría Hudes
Chris Duffy
Comedian, teacher, and host of the podcast How to Be a Better Human
How to Be a Better Human Podcast
Episode: Chris Duffy

Host

Debbie Millman
Host of a long-running design and creativity interview series, known for deep research, thoughtful questions, and a warm interviewing style.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 2.3k ratings
  • Not engaging

    Initially was excited to follow this show. But after several tries, had to abandon the effort. Guests seemed intriguing, but missed opportunities by the host to be engaging. It felt like listening to paint dry.

    Unfollowed.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    SheSheOak
    United States4 months ago
  • Listen while I ride

    I’m a long-time listener and absolutely love your show. My husband and I take long motorcycle rides, and getting to binge your podcast along the way is such a treat. I always learn something new—it’s informative, engaging, and full of fresh perspectives. Thank you for all the time and effort you and your team put into making it so consistently great. I’m truly grateful for what you do.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Uslover2001
    United States9 months ago
  • The best podcast out there!

    This is the single podcast I consistently listen to. Debbie does such a great job of researching and asking great and sometime hard questions. She talks to perfect amount. I’d listen to anyone if Debbie was leading the way.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Suzeet
    United Statesa year ago
  • A treasure

    The Design Matters podcast is an absolute treasure for anyone who loves creativity and storytelling! Debbie Millman’s conversations with artists, designers, and thinkers are so insightful and beautifully crafted. Every episode feels like an intimate look into the minds of some of the most inspiring and innovative people, covering not only their creative journeys but also the philosophies and personal stories that drive their work. Debbie’s interviewing style is warm, thoughtful, and truly brings... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    savvy_entrepreneur
    United Statesa year ago
  • Quality content

    Debbie & Roseanne are beyond compare. Quality & care shine from these episodes. I have learnt so much, from people I would never have crossed paths with. I’m so grateful. I hope this podcast stays for a long time to come. Nothing compares to what Debbie does 💖

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lostincolour
    United Kingdom2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

A highly respected interviewer known for thoughtful, well-researched conversations that surface deep insights from diverse guests.
Listeners appreciate the breadth of guests and the depth of storytelling, though some episodes may feel slower or more introspective depending on the guest.
Feedback often highlights high production quality and the host's ability to let guests shine while guiding with strong questions.
The show is a treasure for creatives, offering inspiration and practical takeaways across disciplines.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#6
United States/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#102
United States/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#5
Canada/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#5
United Kingdom/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#111
United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#120
Canada/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Timothy Snyder
Q: What actions does he suggest ordinary citizens take to defend freedom?
Have conversations with people on the fence, support journalism financially, engage in protests, and participate in community actions that challenge authoritarian tendencies and promote democratic norms.
Timothy Snyder
Q: How does Snyder view the role of truth and journalism in defending democracy?
He argues that truth must be affirmed as a public good, with investments in local journalism and institutions that produce reliable facts; simply opposing individuals is not enough—one must build a system that sustains truth as a collective good.
Timothy Snyder
Q: What does Timothy Snyder define as the true meaning of freedom?
Freedom, for him, is the value of values and the positive condition that enables other values to flourish; it requires courage, moral commitments, and social structures that allow people to be free, not merely escape from oppression.
Lidia Yuknavitch
Q: What early experiences shaped your sense of self and your art?
Trauma, family dynamics, and a profound relationship with water and swimming formed a framework where the body and memory became central to my art; I learned to translate pain into storytelling and visual work to survive.
Jack Schlossberg
Q: What would be the first thing you would do if elected?
He would prioritize winning back the House and then use that position to subpoena and investigate misconduct, ensuring accountability and transparency for the public.

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 Design Matters

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

A long-running, design- and creativity-focused interview series featuring a diverse roster of designers, artists, writers, filmmakers, and thinkers. Episodes center on creative process, personal journeys, and the broader social and cultural implications of design, storytelling, and art. Guests range from legendary typographers and photographers to acclaimed directors and writers, often weaving in lessons about resilience, collaboration, and the power of interdisciplinary thinking. The show is noted for deeply researched questions, thoughtful pacing, and a warm, exploratory interviewing style that surfaces both craft technique and human-centered insights. It's particularly noteworthy for its peerless access to high-profile guests and its abi... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Design Matters?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Design Matters. 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 Design Matters and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Design Matters get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Design Matters, 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 Design Matters?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Design Matters, 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 Design Matters have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Design Matters 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 Design Matters?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Design Matters:

1. Design Better
2. Hidden Brain
3. On Being with Krista Tippett
4. Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso
5. Fresh Air

How many episodes of Design Matters are there?

Design Matters launched 17 years ago and published 668 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 Design Matters?

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 Design Matters?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Design Matters 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 Design Matters?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Design Matters. 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 Design Matters?

Recent guests on Design Matters include:

1. Santiago Carrasquilla
2. Timothy Snyder
3. Ada Limón
4. Lidia Yuknavitch
5. Jack Schlossberg
6. Kim Hastreiter
7. C. Thi Nguyen
8. Quiara Alegria Hudes

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