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Artwork for Song Exploder

Song Exploder

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

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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes328Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Music

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Artwork for Song Exploder

Latest Episodes

Tears for Fears is a duo formed in 1981 in Bath, England by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith. They’ve sold over 30 million albums, starting with their first, The Hurting, which went to number one in the UK. But it was their second album, Songs from the ... more

Lizzo is a Grammy- and Emmy-winning singer, rapper, songwriter, and actress. She’s been putting out music since 2013, and her last two albums both went platinum. Her fifth album, Love In Real Life, comes out this summer. For this episode, I talked to... more

My guest today is my friend Samin Nosrat, the author of the bestselling, award-winning cookbook Salt Fat Acid Heat, and the host and executive producer of the hit Netflix show that's based on it. Her second cookbook comes out this fall, and it's call... more

Jake Lenderman plays and records under the name MJ Lenderman. He put out his first album in 2019. In addition to his solo work, he’s been a member of the band Wednesday, and he’s also featured on the Waxahatchee hit song “Right Back to It." In Septem... 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

James Acaster
Comedian, author, and musician
Musical project Temps
Episode: Key Change: James Acaster on OutKast
Lucy Dacus
Singer and songwriter from Richmond, Virginia
Boygenius
Episode: Lucy Dacus - Thumbs (Re-Issue)
Hanif Abdurraqib
A poet, cultural critic, and New York Times bestselling author
Episode: Key Change: Hanif Abdurraqib on The Clash
Kevin Barnes
Lead singer and songwriter of of Montreal.
of Montreal
Episode: of Montreal - Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games
Sophie Thatcher
Actor and musician known for her role in 'Yellow Jackets' and her work on the film 'Companion'.
Episode: Key Change: Sophie Thatcher on Elliott Smith
Sean Douglas
Co-writer and producer, often collaborates with musicians to create impactful songs.
Episode: Yola - Symphony
Adrianne Lenker
Singer and songwriter, lead singer of Big Thief
Big Thief
Episode: Adrianne Lenker - Sadness As a Gift
Philip Weinrobe
Engineer, mixer, and producer of the song 'Sadness As a Gift'
Independent Music Producer
Episode: Adrianne Lenker - Sadness As a Gift
Gracie Abrams
A singer and songwriter from Los Angeles, nominated for Grammy Awards.
Independent Artist
Episode: Gracie Abrams - I Love You, I'm Sorry

Host

Hrishikesh Hirway
Host and producer of the podcast, known for his engaging discussions with musicians about their creative processes and stories behind their songs.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 12k ratings
  • Prominent

    This show is absolutely outstanding and one of my most favorite shows to watch!😁

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Gecewheb
    United Statesa month ago
  • Love key change!

    I’ve loved listening to this show for years, with its unique style walking alongside an artist in the creation of one song. But the interview with Hanif Abdurraqib, about his deep listening to one song, was also wonderful! Their conversation invited me into new ways of thinking about the songs I love. Thank you!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    c_p_m
    United States2 months ago
  • Hi!

    One of my favorite podcasts! The Sabrina episode was the hardest time I’ve ever listened to as a musician across any platform. Listen as a way to absorb how not to make music.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Battle Duck
    United States3 months ago
  • Dislike the new format

    I much prefer the older cuts where the content is all the artist speaking; no hate against Hrishikesh who is a fantastic voice and has a great host but Song Exploder was always exceptional bc it didn’t have the typical q&a podcast style and was always so polished and calm in its flow

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Valerie2501
    United States3 months ago
  • Getting Weirder

    I can’t identify with a lot of the guests that are on the show. Wraith into the Mist and Key Change were just weird. Please have on some people that write songs about real life.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    DSa234
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate the deep insights and emotional depth provided by artists about their songwriting process.
Overall, many fans find it enlightening and enjoyable, citing it as a unique platform for music discovery.
The podcast is praised for its high production quality and engaging storytelling, making complex topics accessible to a broad audience.
Some listeners express a desire for a wider variety of musical genres and artists featured, suggesting a preference for more diverse content.

Chart Rankings

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

Spotify
#9
United States/Music
Apple Podcasts
#7
United States/Music
Spotify
#6
United Kingdom/Music
Apple Podcasts
#5
Canada/Music
Apple Podcasts
#15
United Kingdom/Music
Spotify
#6
Australia/Music

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Jon Batiste - We Are
Q: Was there ever a point of tension where you were like, I'm singing about something that is so essentially about the black experience in America, and yet I'm inviting all of these other people to participate?
Jon expressed that the specific is the most universal and emphasized that shared experiences can resonate across cultural divides.
MJ Lenderman - You Don't Know The Shape I'm In
Q: What was your feeling about the thing that you had made?
I was probably maybe a little confused. It doesn't really sound like anything else that I'd made before.
Key Change: James Acaster on OutKast
Q: Was it tough for you to make that switch from being like, this is exactly what I listen to, to now I'm going to let in other kinds of music?
Acaster reflects that it wasn't tough as it naturally began to make sense to explore diverse music genres and he was ready for that change.
Key Change: James Acaster on OutKast
Q: When did you hear the song for the first time?
James Acaster shares that he heard it for the first time during a music course where a band played an acoustic version of it, prompting him to seek out the original track.
Theodore Shapiro - Severance (Main Title Theme)
Q: What are the projects that you two have done together?
Shapiro lists several projects, including Dodgeball, Tropic Thunder, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Zoolander 2, and Severance.

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?

This podcast features musicians sharing the intricate stories behind their songs, offering listeners a unique and intimate understanding of the creative process involved in music-making. Each episode centers around a specific song where artists dissect their work, exploring the sounds, influences, and emotions that contributed to the final product. With insights into their personal and professional journeys, listeners gain a deeper appreciation for the artistry of songwriters and the narratives behind their music. The podcast stands out by fostering candid conversations that unveil the often complex relationships between musicians and their creations, making it appealing to music enthusiasts and aspiring artists alike.

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. 99% Invisible
3. Switched on Pop
4. All Songs Considered
5. This American Life

How many episodes of Song Exploder are there?

Song Exploder launched 11 years ago and published 328 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. James Acaster
2. Lucy Dacus
3. Hanif Abdurraqib
4. Kevin Barnes
5. Sophie Thatcher
6. Sean Douglas
7. Adrianne Lenker
8. Philip Weinrobe

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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