Song Exploder
Hrishikesh HirwaySong 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.
| Publishes | Twice monthly | Episodes | 380 | Founded | 13 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Category | Music | |||
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Latest Episodes
Allison Russell is a singer and songwriter originally from Montreal and now based in Nashville. She’s a Grammy-winner and an eight-time Grammy nominee. And she’s also won Canada’s Juno Award, an Americana award, and more. She starred in Hadestown on ... more
30 years ago, DJ Shadow released his debut album, Entroducing… and it changed my life. I listened to it so much. And when I first started Song Exploder, he was on my list of dream guests. And then 10 years ago, that dream came true, and I got to make... more
Elvis Costello is a singer and songwriter whose career spans five decades and over 30 albums. He’s a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriter Hall of Fame. He’s won Grammy Awards, Ivor Novello Awards, a BAFTA, and he’s on Rolling S... more
Olivia Rodrigo is a Grammy-winning singer and songwriter. In June 2026, she released her third album, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love. The day it came out, it broke streaming records on Spotify and Amazon Music, and it debuted at number one... more
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Reviews
- OMG AMAZINGG
As a music lover, this podcast is amazing! It goes into depth about every part the songs: lyrics, production, the story, etc. Love, love, love it!!
Apple Podcasts5Ellie_192
United Statesa month ago - SO WONDEFOUL
I looved this podcast, i was begining to listen the the series on Netflix and wooow is crazy how make the music.
Please make more new episods to the Netflix series 🤞🧐
Apple Podcasts4CESAR_EL_CRACK_10
Mexico2 months ago - Nice
🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🤭🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢
Apple Podcasts5Cool lizard 67United States2 months ago - Meh
Cool idea but way too many no name pop artists
Apple Podcasts1TheOneAndOnlyDDCUnited States4 months ago - WOULD RECOMMEND
I love this podcast so much and I am so mad at my self for listening to this when I’m sleeping bc now I can’t listen to it regularly! I would like some newer artists tho
Apple Podcasts5April fools y’all
Canada4 months ago
Listeners Say
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Spotify | #35 | United States/Music |
Apple Podcasts | #27 | United States/Music |
Spotify | #24 |  United Kingdom/Music |
Apple Podcasts | #21 | Canada/Music |
Apple Podcasts | #21 | United Kingdom/Music |
Spotify | #29 |  Australia/Music |
Talking Points
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Audience Metrics
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Song Exploder
What is Song Exploder about and what kind of topics does it cover?
This show offers intimate, creator-focused breakdowns of how songs come together, with guests detailing writing, recording, and production decisions that shaped each track. Conversations often center on personal history, collaboration, and studio experiments, from crafting vocal performances to unusual sound choices, and are interwoven with sponsor reads and cross-promotional segments. The result is a revealing look at songwriting as a craft, appealing to listeners who want technical insight alongside storytelling and artistic context. A standout aspect is the breadth of guests, spanning indie to legacy artists and even actors or writers who connect music to broader creative processes, making it useful for listeners seeking deep, craft-forw... more
Where can I find podcast stats for Song Exploder?
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How many listeners does Song Exploder get?
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What are the audience demographics for Song Exploder?
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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. This American Life
5. One Song
How many episodes of Song Exploder are there?
Song Exploder launched 13 years ago and published 380 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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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Song Exploder?
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What guests have appeared on Song Exploder?
Recent guests on Song Exploder include:
1. Allison Russell
2. DJ Shadow
3. Elvis Costello
4. Olivia Rodrigo
5. Dan Nigro
6. Natalie Merchant
7. Paula Cole
8. Charli XCX
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.