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Artwork for Song Exploder

Song Exploder

Hrishikesh Hirway
You Louisiana Man
Mohabbat
Escapism
Arooj Aftab
Staying
Spirit 2.0
Raye
070 Shake
Music Industry
Basket Case
London
My 21st Century Blues
Independent Artists
Music Production
Black Dog
Mental Health
Shania Twain
Grammy Awards
Do You Realize?
Water Me Down

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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes345Founded12 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Music

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Artwork for Song Exploder

Latest Episodes

Next week, I’m going to be publishing an episode with Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham about the making of the song “Frozen Love,” from their only album as the duo Buckingham Nicks. That song is what eventually led to them joining Fleetwood Mac. S... more

"Take On Me" by A-ha is an iconic hit of the 1980s. It came out in October 1985 with an equally iconic music video that helped define the age of MTV. It hit #1 in the US and in countries all over the world. And it's still massively popular today. It ... more

Lady Gaga is a singer, songwriter, producer, and actress from New York. She’s one of the biggest artists in the world. She’s also won 14 Grammys, 2 Golden Globes, and an Oscar. And in March 2025, she released her sixth album, Mayhem. For this episode... more

My guest today is Chef David Chang. He founded Momofuku Noodle Bar in 2004. That was just the start of his incredible career – he’s opened several restaurants, winning awards and Michelin stars along the way, and becoming a fixture in the upper echel... more

Key Facts

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

Similar Podcasts

Recent Guests

Paul Waaktaar-Savoy
Guitarist and songwriter of A-ha
A-ha
Episode: A-ha - Take On Me
David Chang
Chef, founder of Momofuku restaurants
Momofuku
Episode: Key Change: David Chang on "I See a Darkness"
Jia Tolentino
Author of the essay collection Trick Mirror and staff writer at The New Yorker.
The New Yorker
Episode: Key Change: Jia Tolentino on "I Love You Always Forever"
Melina Duterte
Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist known as Jay Som.
Jay Som
Episode: Jay Som - Tenderness
Gigi Perez
A singer and songwriter from Florida, known for her viral song 'Sailor Song.'
Independent Artist
Episode: Gigi Perez - Sailor Song
Jason Schwartzman
An actor, writer, and musician known for roles in films such as Rushmore and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.
Coconut Records
Episode: Key Change: Jason Schwartzman on the ‘Rushmore’ soundtrack
John Rzeznik
Lead singer and guitarist of Goo Goo Dolls
Goo Goo Dolls
Episode: Goo Goo Dolls - Iris
Shirley Manson
Lead singer of Garbage and rock icon.
Garbage
Episode: Key Change: Shirley Manson on Siouxsie and the Banshees
Ross Hudson Mohawk
Producer and musician known for his work in electronic music.
Episode: Anohni - 4 Degrees

Host

Hrishikesh Hirway
Host and producer, known for his unique storytelling and deep engagement with musical topics.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 12.3k ratings
  • Love love love

    Just listened to how A-ha came up with Take On Me and it made my day hearing how all the pieces came together to make this song THIS SONG! As someone who was a teenager in the 80’s, it had that “pure joy” effect on me. Thank you!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Littlebrgirl
    United States6 days ago
  • This podcast is the best road stop on the road to music discovery.

    This is one of the most awesome podcasts for anyone who appreciates music. The opportunity to listen to the artist talk without pressure about their craft and creative process is so incredibly refreshing and allows me to dig deeper into artist of all genres and explore new ones. I work in music and radio so my job involves listening to music all day.

    The best part of this podcast is waiting through the very end and if you were paying attention hearing all the nuance of the conversation in the ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MikeP64
    United States16 days ago
  • Doesn’t hurt to ask

    Would love love love to hear Troy Sivan on your show.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Wombatmanitou
    United Statesa month ago
  • Talk to much

    I like it but it’s to talkative. I don’t really like talk talk talk talk talk talk talk.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Natural history museum
    United Statesa month ago
  • Why you wanna make me cry?

    I’m not sure why I’ve waited so long to leave a review for your podcast, especially considering how much I love it. I appreciate your willingness to explode songs from every genre and from artists of every ilk. I cannot express how much I enjoy this podcast. I learned of its existence through your podcast with Joshua Molina, The West Wing Weekly. The West Wing being my favorite TV show of all time. So, it seems I was destined to be a fan one way or another. Music has played a huge role in my lif... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Omac247
    United Statesa month ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate the show's unique approach to dissecting songs and the emotional depth that musicians share during episodes.
Many find the exploration of creativity and storytelling refreshing, often leading them to discover new music or gain a deeper appreciation for artists.
Some feedback suggests that while the in-depth conversations are compelling, a minor audience feels the format could benefit from more focus on the music itself rather than the extensive discussions.

Chart Rankings

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

Spotify
#8
United States/Music
Apple Podcasts
#11
United States/Music
Spotify
#6
United Kingdom/Music
Apple Podcasts
#4
Canada/Music
Apple Podcasts
#8
United Kingdom/Music
Spotify
#7
Australia/Music

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Lady Gaga - Abracadabra
Q: What was the first words that you wrote for the song?
It was like a poem said by a lady in red, reflecting on being at a party with someone controlling the evening.
Lady Gaga - Abracadabra
Q: Were there any big picture ideas that you were thinking about or aiming for in making this album?
Returning to my earlier sound and expressing my darkness was something I was excited about.
Key Change: David Chang on "I See a Darkness"
Q: When was the first time you heard it?
David Chang shares that he first heard the song in 1999 during his senior year of high school after winter break and describes his initial reaction to it.
Ethel Cain - Nettles
Q: Can you tell me about that lyric, to love me is to suffer me?
Hayden explained it reflects her self-critical view of love, expressing vulnerability while exploring deeper emotions within relationships.
Ethel Cain - Nettles
Q: Why did you think it needed to be devastating, especially for a love song?
She felt her music needed to reflect the insecurity and depth of her emotions during a challenging time in her life.

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 Song Exploder

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

A unique exploration of the creative process behind music, showcasing musicians as they dissect their own songs. Each episode offers an in-depth look into the intricacies of songwriting, recording, and personal anecdotes, providing listeners a deeper appreciation for the music they love. Notable episodes feature artists reflecting on emotional experiences, industry challenges, and collaborative dynamics, catering to both music enthusiasts and budding artists seeking inspiration.

Where can I find podcast stats for Song Exploder?

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

How many listeners does Song Exploder get?

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

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Song Exploder, 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 Song Exploder have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Song Exploder 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 Song Exploder?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Song Exploder:

1. Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond
2. Switched on Pop
3. 99% Invisible
4. All Songs Considered
5. One Song

How many episodes of Song Exploder are there?

Song Exploder launched 12 years ago and published 345 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 Song Exploder?

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 Song Exploder?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Song Exploder 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 Song Exploder?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Song Exploder. 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 Song Exploder?

Recent guests on Song Exploder include:

1. Paul Waaktaar-Savoy
2. David Chang
3. Jia Tolentino
4. Melina Duterte
5. Gigi Perez
6. Jason Schwartzman
7. John Rzeznik
8. Shirley Manson

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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