Rephonic
Artwork for Primer
City Pop
Japanese City Pop
Japanese Music
Stay With Me
Miki Matsubara
Los Angeles
Anri
Cat's Eye
Eurovangelists
Yosuke Kitazawa
Afrobeat
Saint Seiya
Tatsuro Yamashita
Plastic Love
Pocket Park
Yukihiro Takahashi
Fela Kuti
1980s
Toshiki Kadomatsu
Christian Dueñas

Primer is a music podcast about translation and illumination. Host Christian Dueñas is joined by a different co-host each season to explore a genre of music from outside the English-speaking world. In its debut season, music writer Yosuke Kitazawa (PBS SoCal, Light in the Attic) joins Christian and special guests to explore Japanese City Pop. They celebrate the lives of its artists, explore the cu... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes15Foundeda year ago
Categories
Music InterviewsMusic HistoryMusic

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Artwork for Primer

Latest Episodes

Christian, Producer Richard Robey and Senior Producer Kevin Ferguson all sit down to talk a bit more about the process of making Primer and get into a few artists we didn't get to cover during the regular season. 

This is a teaser for our bonus cont... more

C & Y sit down in the studio one more time to discuss some of their favorite moments, songs the wish they covered, and finally take a crack at the question "what is city pop?" Featuring brand new clips from past episodes! 

Thanks for rockin' with us... more

A special announcement from Christian Dueñas!

If you enjoy Primer please support the show and help us reach our goal so we can produce a second season!

Follow Primer: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

A few songs from Pacific, the album we're discussing today, have made it onto city pop playlists and algorithms on all types of streaming services. It might sound a little loungier, a little  jazzier than what you might expect from a city pop album, ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host

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Recent Guests

Julietta Davis
Duo member of Pearl & the Oysters, a band influenced by City Pop
Pearl & the Oysters
Episode: 10. Frogs, Insects, Birds, Harry (Pearl & The Oysters // Haruomi Hosono & Co.)
Joachim Pollack
Duo member of Pearl & the Oysters, a band influenced by City Pop
Pearl & the Oysters
Episode: 10. Frogs, Insects, Birds, Harry (Pearl & The Oysters // Haruomi Hosono & Co.)
Wyatt Cenac
Writer, comedian, producer, and actor, known for his work on 'The Daily Show' and 'King of the Hill'.
Episode: 09. Music for the Dirt Roads (Wyatt Cenac // Tome Asagami)
Jayson Chun
Professor at University of Hawaii, West Oahu, teaches classes on Japanese and Korean pop music
University of Hawaii, West Oahu
Episode: 08. Smells Like Fireworks (Jayson Chun // Tatsuro Yamashita)
Oscar Montoya
Podcaster, actor, host of Eurovangelists
Maximum Fun
Episode: 07. They Lied to Us (Oscar Montoya // Anri)
Mark Frosty McNeill
DJ, record producer, and founder of Dublab
Dublab
Episode: 06. Missed Connections (Mark "Frosty" McNeill // Yukihiro Takahashi)
Dame Funk
Producer, singer, known for his works with various artists including Mac Miller and Snoop Dogg
Episode: 04. Very 94.7 The Wave (Dam-Funk // Hiroshi Sato)
Patrick St. Michel
Music writer living in Tokyo
The Japan Times, The Atlantic, Pitchfork, NPR
Episode: 03. I Hate the City (Patrick St. Michel // Taeko Onuki)
Devendra Banhart
Singer-songwriter known for his eclectic music style and for being featured in Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist.
Episode: 02. Gravy Is Shaped Like a Heart (Devendra Banhart // Yasuko Agawa)

Hosts

Christian Dueñas
Host of the show and producer at Maximum Fun, known for his passion about music and its cultural significance. He engages with guests to explore themes and stories from various musical backgrounds, helping listeners connect deeply with the content.
Yosuke Kitazawa
Co-host who contributes as a music writer. He brings insights on Japanese music and assists in contextualizing the episodes around City Pop, sharing his passion and special knowledge of the genre.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 102 ratings
  • Big fan of this show, i love other people's takes on music

    Podcast Addict
    5
    melraiser
    9 months ago
  • Amazing

    I definitely listened to the whole thing…

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kutmhdg,yhcg,khgv
    United Statesa year ago
  • Love the topic but they should be going through 4-5 albums per show. One album per show is too slow.

    Podcast Addict
    3
    DistEarth
    a year ago
  • VCITORIA

    POALA

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    paola's78
    United Statesa year ago
  • Very exciting!

    Love the new guest each week format. Learning about albums I never knew, and I’m a pretty big city pop fan already! Very excited to see what future seasons bring! Tropicalia maybe?

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    1517
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

The emphasis on cultural context and artist background resonates well, drawing both newcomers and seasoned fans into discussions.
The production quality and research involved are frequently praised, making the educational aspect enjoyable for all audiences.
Listeners appreciate the engaging format and the deep dives into music genres, with many citing the welcoming approach to exploring City Pop as a highlight.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

01. Crying in the Club (Linda Marigliano // Miki Matsubara)
Q: What is your favorite song off this album?
Of course, there's Stay With Me. It's such a vulnerable line to sing in a chorus.
01. Crying in the Club (Linda Marigliano // Miki Matsubara)
Q: Yosuke, what do you think of when you think of city pop?
When I think of city pop, I see visual things associated with the genre like palm trees, people driving around and convertibles, waves, oceans.
02. Gravy Is Shaped Like a Heart (Devendra Banhart // Yasuko Agawa)
Q: What is City Pop?
Devendra Banhart describes it as a way of fake life, a fantasy that sells itself and is very powerful, akin to Margaritaville but more aspirational.
02. Gravy Is Shaped Like a Heart (Devendra Banhart // Yasuko Agawa)
Q: How did you link up with Augie Johnson and make the song LA Nights?
Miki Howard shares that she was a teenage singer in LA and was brought into sessions by Augie Johnson, leading to her contributions for Yasuko Agawa's project.
03. I Hate the City (Patrick St. Michel // Taeko Onuki)
Q: What is Patrick St. Michel's definition of city pop?
City pop captures a specific period in Japanese history and is a blend of various musical influences, reflective of Japan's economic and cultural landscape.

Audience Metrics

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions About Primer

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

The content revolves around a deep exploration of genres outside the English-speaking world, with a specific focus on Japanese City Pop in its debut season. Hosted by Christian Dueñas along with various co-hosts, each episode celebrates the artistry of different musicians while delving into cultural, historical, and personal contexts surrounding the music. Listeners can expect rich discussions about notable albums, influential artists, and the emotional connections tied to these musical experiences. Noteworthy is the show's open invitation to both seasoned music aficionados and newcomers, fostering a communal environment to appreciate diverse music across generations.

Where can I find podcast stats for Primer?

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

How many listeners does Primer get?

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

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Primer, 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 Primer have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Primer 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 Primer?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Primer:

1. My Brother, My Brother And Me
2. The Besties
3. The Adventure Zone
4. Judge John Hodgman
5. Free With Ads

How many episodes of Primer are there?

Primer launched a year ago and published 15 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 Primer?

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 Primer?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Primer 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 Primer?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Primer. 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 Primer?

Recent guests on Primer include:

1. Julietta Davis
2. Joachim Pollack
3. Wyatt Cenac
4. Jayson Chun
5. Oscar Montoya
6. Mark Frosty McNeill
7. Dame Funk
8. Patrick St. Michel

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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