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Artwork for Song Exploder

Song Exploder

Hrishikesh Hirway
Songwriting
Deceptacon
Waxahatchee
Sadness As a Gift
Fire
Grammy Awards
Los Angeles
Tenderness
Big Thief
Elliott Smith
Climate Change
Anak Ko
Music Production
Heartbreak
Mohabbat
Stay With Me
You Louisiana Man
Waltz No. 1
Four Degrees
We Are

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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes369Founded13 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Music

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Artwork for Song Exploder

Latest Episodes

Hayley Kiyoko is a singer, songwriter, author, and director from Los Angeles. She was a child actor on Disney and Nickelodeon, and briefly in a girl group called The Stunners. But then, she started her career as a solo artist. In 2015, she put out th... more

My guest today is the actor Tatiana Maslany. One of the things I find so compelling about Tatiana and her career is that the roles that she plays often contain multitudes—literally. She played over 10 different characters–clones, but with distinct pe... more

Paul McCartney is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer whose career spans more than six decades. As a member of The Beatles and later Wings and then with his own solo albums, he’s simply one of the most influential artists of all... more

Hot Chip is a band from London made up of Alexis Taylor, Joe Goddard, Al Doyle, Owen Clarke, and Felix Martin. Their second album, The Warning, came out in 2006. It was nominated for a Mercury Prize, and named one of the best albums of the year by NM... 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

Hayley Kiyoko
Singer, songwriter, author and director
Self
Episode: Hayley Kiyoko - Girls Like Girls
Tatiana Maslany
Actor
Orphan Black, She-Hulk, Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed (AppleTV)
Episode: Key Change: Tatiana Maslany on "Faceshopping" by Sophie
Paul McCartney
Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer; former Beatle
Paul McCartney (artist)
Episode: Paul McCartney - Ripples in a Pond
Alexis Taylor
Member of Hot Chip
Hot Chip
Episode: Hot Chip - Boy From School
Joe Goddard
Member of Hot Chip
Hot Chip
Episode: Hot Chip - Boy From School
Emma Straub
bestselling author of This Time Tomorrow, Modern Lovers, The Vacationers; co-owner of Books Are Magic
Books Are Magic
Episode: Key Change: Emma Straub on ‘69 Love Songs’ by The Magnetic Fields
Jamie xx
Member of The xx, producer and musician
The xx
Episode: The xx - Crystalised
Romy Croft
Member of The xx, guitarist and songwriter
The xx
Episode: The xx - Crystalised
Oliver Sim
Member of The xx, bassist and songwriter
The xx
Episode: The xx - Crystalised

Host

Hrishikesh Hirway
Host and producer of Song Exploder

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 12.7k ratings
  • Pls KATSEYE

    I love this podcast

    Can you please do an Episode with KATSEYE and one with Billie Eilish or Taylor Swift♥️

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Te. ka13
    Germany3 months ago
  • 👍

    Verry Good !!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    TomSno
    Germany3 months ago
  • Great Podcast!

    The entire backlog of this podcast got me through studying (and passing each section first-time) the ARE (Architect Registration Exam) a couple of years ago. Just hearing the intro music takes me instantly back to that day & age.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    KMonk821
    United States3 months ago
  • Great diary of glorious songs

    Very inspiring to see how all these hits were made. Also, it brings so many memories.

    Great podcast!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JimmyJoeJames
    Germany3 months ago
  • Amazing!

    This is great, wouldn’t change a thing! Imagine dragons though if you can

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Amazing!!!!!!!!👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
    United States4 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Guests consistently praise the host's thoughtful, insightful questions and ability to extract detailed stories about the production process.
The show is appreciated for high production quality and clear, informative sponsor reads that fit naturally into episodes.
Listeners value the deep technical breakdowns and the personal, human context behind each track.

Chart Rankings

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

Spotify
#22
United States/Music
Apple Podcasts
#26
United States/Music
Spotify
#18
United Kingdom/Music
Apple Podcasts
#9
Canada/Music
Apple Podcasts
#17
United Kingdom/Music
Spotify
#11
Australia/Music

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Hayley Kiyoko - Girls Like Girls
Q: Where did the musical starting place for Girls Like Girls come from?
The starting point was a chorus rooted in the idea of equal experiences for women and a push-pull between confidence and vulnerability, built from personal fear and the desire to express herself honestly.
Hayley Kiyoko - Girls Like Girls
Q: Do you feel like you've always been a performer? Is that just something that's been a part of you since the beginning?
Hayley describes growing up as a performer, the early acting roles, and the realization that her authentic self would shape her music and career, including the courage to come out and write about that experience.
Key Change: Tatiana Maslany on "Faceshopping" by Sophie
Q: What about the song resonated with you on an identity level?
She explains that the combination of industrial clangs and popfeminine energy sparked a sense of duality and potential to explore 'tropes' in unexpected ways, influencing how she approaches character work.
Key Change: Tatiana Maslany on "Faceshopping" by Sophie
Q: When did you first hear this song?
Maslany recalls hearing Faceshopping years ago through her brother Daniel and describes the immediate connection she felt, recognizing the song as a reflection of her own growing artistic identity.
Paul McCartney - Ripples in a Pond
Q: How did you approach working with Andrew Watt as a producer on this track?
I let him lead the production on this song, while I still had the directive to keep the focus on a pop sensibility; we collaborated by sharing ideas and then iterating in the studio.

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?

Listeners get intimate, studio-grade insights into how songs are built, often tracing a track from initial idea through recording to final mix. Episodes spotlight a wide range of guests—from musicians and producers to authors and filmmakers—who walk through creative decisions, collaboration dynamics, and the storytelling embedded in each track. The format blends technical breakdowns with personal anecdotes, offering a rare look at the intersection of music, culture, and craft, often including behind-the-scenes moments, live instrumentation choices, and context for how a song fits into an artist's broader body of work. Noteworthy traits include a consistently thoughtful interviewer, a focus on the songwriting and production process, and cros... more

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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. One Song
3. Switched on Pop
4. 99% Invisible
5. NPR Music

How many episodes of Song Exploder are there?

Song Exploder launched 13 years ago and published 369 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?

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Where can I see ratings and reviews for Song Exploder?

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What guests have appeared on Song Exploder?

Recent guests on Song Exploder include:

1. Hayley Kiyoko
2. Tatiana Maslany
3. Paul McCartney
4. Alexis Taylor
5. Joe Goddard
6. Emma Straub
7. Jamie xx
8. Romy Croft

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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