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Song Talk Radio | Songwriting Tips | Lyrics | Arranging | Live Feedback

Song Talk Radio : Songwriting Folks
Songwriting
Music Production
Holiday Songs
Songwriting Challenge
Odd Time Signatures
Country Music
Songwriting Process
Songwriting Challenge 2024
Mental Health
Toronto
R&B
Music Collaboration
Music Industry
Sync Licensing
Canadian Country Music
Cadences
New Orleans Music
Kaleb Hikele
Creativity
Independent Artists

Songwriters sharing tips and techniques on better songwriting – and the odd bad joke.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes217Founded11 years ago
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Music InterviewsMusicMusic Commentary

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Artwork for Song Talk Radio

Latest Episodes

We chatted with Montreal-based artist Avril Jensen about writing an abstract song from personal experience. Download the lyrics to Dog (everybody learns) to follow along.

We talked about:

* Songwriting Challenge 2026: Write a Traditional Countr... more

Mike and Barbara Borok of New Middle Class joined us to talk about writing a pop song with a super crazy bridge. Download the lyrics to Television Sky to follow along.

We talked about:

* How Angine de Poitrine use Microtonality

* Our songwri... more

Toronto artist Robert Ball joined us to talk about writing a smooth soul-drenched song with a theatrical musical in mind. Download the lyrics to I Want a Man to follow along.

We talked about:

* Neel’s engagement with Suno from the Toronto Libra... more

Our songwriting challenge for 2026 is to write a traditional country song. To help us launch this challenge, we were joined by singer-songwriter and music educator Blair Packham. Thanks Blair!

We talked about:

* Phil has an issue with Everybody... more

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Recent Guests

Avril Jensen
Canadian artist discussed on the show
Artist (Canada)
Episode: Spinning real life into an abstract song with Avril Jensen
Mike Borok
Singer-songwriter from New York's Hudson Valley; part of New Middle Class
New Middle Class
Episode: New Middle Class: Writing a folk-pop song with a really weird bridge
Barbera Borok
Singer-songwriter and member of New Middle Class
New Middle Class
Episode: New Middle Class: Writing a folk-pop song with a really weird bridge
Robert Ball
Toronto-based artist, singer, vocal coach and mentor
NIA Center for the Arts and Vocal
Episode: Robert Ball: Smooth songwriting for a musical
Blair Packham
Singer-songwriter, producer, educator; founder of Song Studio; longtime music educator
Blair Packham / Song Studio
Episode: Songwriting Challenge 2026 Launch: Write a Traditional Country Song
John Flansburgh
Member of They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants
Episode: Considered songwriting with They Might Be Giants
Garrett Lajoie
Hamilton-based singer-songwriter and producer
Independent musician
Episode: Garrett Lajoie: Writing with FAWM for ten years
Delyn Grey
Canadian rock artist
Independent musician / Canadian artist
Episode: Goin’ all punk with Delyn Grey
Amanda Keeles
Canadian country artist
Self-employed musician
Episode: Songwriting from a drum beat with Amanda Keeles

Hosts

Neil Modi
Co-host of Song Talk Radio; active in guiding songwriting discussions and guest interactions.
Phil Emery
Co-host of Song Talk Radio; focuses on songwriting technique discussions and guest storytelling.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 49 ratings
  • Keeps me in the loop

    Great guests well interviewed. Discussing songwriting strategies, techniques, musical theory etc. it’s easy to drift away from the practice of writing songs. I find this podcast helps motivate me to get back to it.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Pat Johnson the Angry Canadian
    Canada3 years ago
  • Lots of Talk, Not Much Content

    I have some experience in writing songs and came to this podcast looking for new ideas and tips to hone my skills. I selected episode titles that sounded most helpful, but was disappointed at how little relevant content there was among the chat between the presenters.

    For example, in the “Dos and Don’ts” episode, I had to wait fifteen minutes to get to the first one (while they chatted about their new competition, for which they hadn’t actually agreed the rules. We had to listen while they tried... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    JacobINNITBRAPBRAP
    United Kingdom5 years ago
  • Entertaining, informative

    This was the first songwriting podcast I found and one of the best.

    I like the way this one is more geared toward people who write songs for the love of it, as opposed to factory farming.

    And as they play songs by their listeners, it’s a good way to get a rough feel for your level of ability/polish/potential with others in the community.

    Plus they do a (monthly?) online song-share, which I’ll definitely be signing up to.

    They provide a forum and much encouragement to the song-writing comm... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ushi1ushi1
    United Kingdom5 years ago
  • Songwriting

    I still dont no how to do it

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    sipper24
    United States7 years ago
  • Songtalk is my favourite!

    My friend introduced me to this podcast about a month ago and I have already binged so many episodes! I love all the facts and inspiration I get from the wide variety of artists and genres. Hearing other artists talk about their music, their inspirations, and whatever else is very fascinating. Also, the hosts Bruce, Neel, and Phil are great as well! I enjoy listening to the podcasts live and following along 🎶 One day I hope to be a guest on the show!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    OP Nation
    Canada7 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate the practical songwriting tips and real-world insights from guests.
Guests and hosts have strong chemistry, contributing to engaging, educational conversations.
Some episodes are heavy on chat, but many listeners value the deep dives into craft and technique.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Spinning real life into an abstract song with Avril Jensen
Q: Is your approach to chords and melody guided by your classical violin training or do you rely more on ear and instinct?
She describes having basic musical knowledge but relying more on lyric-driven writing; the production and chords are shaped in collaboration with her producer and often lean on practical feel rather than deep theory.
Spinning real life into an abstract song with Avril Jensen
Q: Now, how about the writing? Are you like a lyrics first person, then you do the music or?
Avril explains she prioritizes lyrics, using a strong story first and then matching melodies and chords to serve that narrative, often starting with sentences that sound cool and building the melody to fit them.
Considered songwriting with They Might Be Giants
Q: What's the value of home recording in your workflow, and how has technology shaped your collaboration over the years?
Home recording became foundational as we could experiment freely, share tracks digitally, and keep a steady flow of ideas, which still informs our practice today.
Considered songwriting with They Might Be Giants
Q: How did you discover and incorporate modal concepts into your songwriting, and did that change your approach to crafting melodies?
I gradually understood modal concepts by playing with scales and hearing how different modes affect mood, which led to more adventurous melodic choices while keeping the core hook intact.
Considered songwriting with They Might Be Giants
Q: Is there a clear process you follow when you write together or do you present songs as finished products?
We tend to work independently and present songs as finished or close to finished, then collaborate to polish them and juggle multiple ideas in the same project.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Song Talk Radio

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

A laid-back, songwriter-focused show where guests—from indie artists to Canadian acts—discuss craft, technique, and the realities of making music. Across episodes, topics include writing to a beat, crafting lyrics and melodies, collaboration, production decisions, distribution, and navigating bilingual markets. The format combines practical tips with behind-the-scenes storytelling, live song discussions, and listener-driven demonstrations. Its strengths lie in deep dives into songwriting processes, clear examples, and a warm, humorous host dynamic that keeps the conversation approachable for both aspiring songwriters and industry fans. A notable edge is the show's willingness to tackle both theory (chord choices, time signatures, AI ethics ... more

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How many listeners does Song Talk Radio get?

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To see how many followers or subscribers Song Talk Radio 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 Talk Radio?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Song Talk Radio:

1. SongTown on Songwriting | Mastering the Art of Great Songs
2. Songwriter Theory
3. Global News Podcast
4. The David Frum Show
5. TED Talks Daily

How many episodes of Song Talk Radio are there?

Song Talk Radio launched 11 years ago and published 217 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 Talk Radio?

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 Talk Radio?

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What guests have appeared on Song Talk Radio?

Recent guests on Song Talk Radio include:

1. Avril Jensen
2. Mike Borok
3. Barbera Borok
4. Robert Ball
5. Blair Packham
6. John Flansburgh
7. Garrett Lajoie
8. Delyn Grey

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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