
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.
| Publishes | Twice monthly | Episodes | 378 | Founded | 13 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Category | Music | |||

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
Paula Cole is a singer, songwriter and producer from Massachusetts. She put out her first solo album, Harbinger, in 1994. Her second album, This Fire, came out in 1996 and was a real breakthrough; she was nominated for seven Grammys, and she won the ... more
Charli XCX is a Grammy-winning artist who has been making music since she was a teenager. In July 2026, she released her eighth album, Music, Fashion, Film. It debuted at number 1 on the UK charts—her 4th album in a row to hit number 1 there. In addi... more
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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!!
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 🤞🧐
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Cool idea but way too many no name pop artists
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
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Spotify | #27 | |
Apple Podcasts | #5 | |
Spotify | #18 | |
Apple Podcasts | #5 | |
Apple Podcasts | #11 | |
Spotify | #20 |
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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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
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These podcasts share a similar audience with Song Exploder:
1. Switched on Pop
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3. 99% Invisible
4. Articles of Interest
5. NPR Music
Song Exploder launched 13 years ago and published 378 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on Song Exploder include:
1. Olivia Rodrigo
2. Dan Nigro
3. Paula Cole
4. Charli XCX
5. Mitski Miyawaki
6. Suki Waterhouse
7. Ahmir Thompson
8. Emily Haines
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