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Artwork for Political Beats

Political Beats

National Review
Rock Music
Music Industry
Yes
Tom Waits
National Review
The Kinks
Stevie Wonder
Progressive Rock
David Bowie
Jazz
ZZ Top
Iggy Pop
The Stooges
Tales Of Topographic Oceans
90125
Drama
Echo & the Bunnymen
Boston
Blues Rock
Def Leppard

Scot Bertram and Jeff Blehar discuss ask guests from the world of politics about their musical passions.

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes159Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
MusicMusic History

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Artwork for Political Beats

Latest Episodes

Scot and Jeff discuss the second part of XTC’s career (1984-2000) with Andrew Gretes.

Introducing the Band:

Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Andrew Gretes. Andrew is a fiction writer teaching creative ... more

Scot and Jeff discuss the first part of XTC’s career (1977-1983) with Andrew Gretes.

Introducing the Band:

Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Andrew Gretes. Andrew is a fiction writer teaching creative ... more

Scot and Jeff discuss The Apples in Stereo with Jack Butler.

Introducing the Band:

Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Jack Butler. Jack is deputy editor for Free Expression, a new newsletter about polit... more

Scot and Jeff discuss Deep Purple with Ivan Pongracic.

Introducing the Band:

Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) are joined by guest Ivan Pongracic, William E. Hibbs & Ludwig von Mises professor of Economics at Hil... more

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Recent Guests

Andrew Gretes
fiction writer, teaching rhetoric and creative writing at Georgetown and George Washington University
Georgetown University; George Washington University
Episode: Episode 157: Andrew Gretes / XTC [Part 1]
Jack Butler
Deputy Editor for Free Expression, Wall Street Journal Opinion page
Wall Street Journal Opinion page
Episode: Episode 156: Jack Butler / The Apples in Stereo
Ivan Pongracic Jr.
William E. Hibbs, Ludwig von Mises Professor of Economics at Hillsdale College
Hillsdale College
Episode: Episode 155: Ivan Pongracic / Deep Purple
Christopher Scalia
Senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and author
American Enterprise Institute
Episode: Episode 154: Christopher Scalia / The Strokes
Sean Trende
Senior Elections Analyst at Real Clear Politics
Real Clear Politics
Episode: Episode 153: Sean Trende / Van Halen
Dominic Green
Historian, writes for the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Examiner
Episode: Episode 152: Dominic Green / Iggy Pop & the Stooges
Damon Linker
Senior Lecturer in Political Science
University of Pennsylvania
Episode: Episode 151: Damon Linker / Tom Waits [Part 2]
David Lowery
Founder of Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker, producer, artist, rights advocate, and senior lecturer in music business at the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
Episode: Episode 148: David Lowery Interview
Tim Constantine
Political commentator and radio host
Capitol Hill Show
Episode: Episode 147: Tim Constantine / Bob Seger

Hosts

Scot Bertram
Host of Political Beats with a focus on politics and culture; long-running analysis and discussion with a penchant for deep dives into discographies and band histories.
Jeff Blehar
Co-host with expertise in media, politics, and music discussion; known for thoughtful engagement and deep dives.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 595 ratings
  • What a Long Strange Trip

    How do you over 150 episodes and not 1 guest talk focus on Rhe Grateful Dead?

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    I Know That Song
    United States16 days ago
  • XTC!

    Any podcast which dedicates two episodes to XTC has all five of my stars.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Stefan9
    United Statesa month ago
  • Almost great

    Loses two stars only because Jeff cannot stop interrupting or talking over Scot or the guest. Good, insightful show that captures the joy of music, held back by this irritating habit.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Pops Callahan
    United States2 months ago
  • Great show

    I love the show. You really need to do Iron Maiden. You’ve done, Sabbath, AC/DC, and Deep Purple. You have a lot to work with. They made the Rime of the Ancient Mariner into a heavy metal song. What’s not to like.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    A conservative head banger.
    United States3 months ago
  • Great show!

    I really love this show. Where else can you get a deep dive in the weird discography of The Beach Boys or obsessive detail on the Beatles white album or a hard day tonight these guys are great. I think a lot of the guests they have are really smart and knowledgeable and the host themselves really do an excellent job. I learned a ton on the Rolling Stones episodes in particular. love the show.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mindymaxine12468
    United States5 months ago

Listeners Say

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

High appreciation for guest diversity and music-politics intersections.
Audience values well-sourced opinions and engaging storytelling.
Some criticism focuses on host interruptions during discussions.
Listeners praise deep, nerdy dives into discographies and contextual analysis.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 156: Jack Butler / The Apples in Stereo
Q: Jack, how did you first discover The Apples in Stereo and what drew you to them?
I fell in love with their music through the Elephant 6 network, starting with a lo-fi approach that felt playful and adventurous, then watching them evolve into a more ambitious, space-pop sound across their albums.
Episode 150: Damon Linker / Tom Waits [Part 1]
Q: Why do you love Tom Waits, and why should people care about this music?
Damon shares that he finds Tom Waits unique due to the blend of ugliness and beauty in his music, which fascinated him from a young age through his father's influence.
Episode 150: Damon Linker / Tom Waits [Part 1]
Q: Damon, tell us a bit about what you do.
Damon explains that he has had an ideological journey, moving from a political right alignment to a more liberal perspective, while maintaining some conservative philosophical beliefs.
Episode 148: David Lowery Interview
Q: How did the COVID pandemic impact your creative process?
The pandemic provided time and space to dive deep into creating the album, turning it into a classic COVID project.
Episode 148: David Lowery Interview
Q: What was the inspiration behind writing 'Fathers, Sons, and Brothers'?
The album serves as a musical autobiography, reflecting on various chapters of my life and significant relationships.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Political Beats

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

A show that blends deep-dive music history with politics-minded conversation. Episodes routinely feature two hosts arguing playfully about a band's artistic arc while inviting guests from academia, journalism, and music to add context, cross-pollinate perspectives, and illuminate how culture intersects with policy and public life. Listeners can expect meticulous track-by-track analysis, anecdotes from the hosts' and guests' experiences, and a willingness to treat music as a lens on broader social and political themes. Noteworthy elements include high-nerd coverage of both canonical and underrated artists, a willingness to explore niche discographies, and a consistent emphasis on how artists engage with culture, media, and public discourse. ... more

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To see how many followers or subscribers Political Beats 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 Political Beats?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Political Beats:

1. GLoP Culture
2. The Charles C. W. Cooke Podcast
3. The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg
4. The Editors
5. Martini Shot

How many episodes of Political Beats are there?

Political Beats launched 9 years ago and published 159 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 Political Beats?

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.

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What guests have appeared on Political Beats?

Recent guests on Political Beats include:

1. Andrew Gretes
2. Jack Butler
3. Ivan Pongracic Jr.
4. Christopher Scalia
5. Sean Trende
6. Dominic Green
7. Damon Linker
8. David Lowery

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.

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