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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
Number of ListenersCategories
MusicMusic InterviewsMusic Commentary

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Artwork for Song Talk Radio

Latest Episodes

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

Maclayne joined us to talk about writing songs from concepts and her song There You Are. Download the lyrics and chords to follow along. We were treated to a rare live performance by Maclayne!

We talked about:

* Writing lyrics or music first

more

Grammy-winning They Might Be Giants’ John Flansburgh joined us to talk about songwriting from listening and intuitions. Download the lyrics to Outside Brain to follow along.

We talked about:

* Modal writing when you don’t know what modal writin... more

Hamilton-based singer-songwriter Garrett Lajoie talked about taking on February Album Writing Month for the last ten years and how that experience has shaped his approach to songwriting. Download the lyrics to Window Shopping to follow along.

We ta... more

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Recent Guests

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
Max Tojicic
Hobby musician with focus on harmonization and chords for ballads and jazzy tunes
Independent musician
Episode: Intersecting interesting chords and personal experiences with Max Tojicic
Geneviève Racette
Canadian folk pop artist
Geneviève Racette
Episode: Turning a personal experience into an accessible pop song with Geneviève Racette
Mark Ippolito
Seattle-based singer-songwriter known for his debut album 'New Moon'.
Episode: Writing an album in a month with Mark Ippolito and FAWM
Emma K
Pop singer and songwriter originally from Penhold, Alberta, with a professional background in dance.
Episode: Pop songwriting with Emma K
Ursula Hegge
A singer-songwriter from Toronto with a larger-than-life voice and a passion for storytelling through music.
Episode: Naturally defying genre with Ursula Hegge
Saska Limmila
Leader of the band Ravvo Jackson, a versatile Americana band from Helsinki, Finland
Ravvo Jackson
Episode: Writing a medieval folk song with Raivo Jackson

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.

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.
Turning a personal experience into an accessible pop song with Geneviève Racette
Q: Is this a normal thing for you, or do you ever write a chorus that's just like three words?
Geneviève explains that she used to write shorter lines as a musician, but now she writes lyric-oriented songs where the emphasis is on what she has to say, allowing the chorus to vary in length and density depending on the message of the verse.
Intersecting interesting chords and personal experiences with Max Tojicic
Q: What came first in Max's process for Lavender Bouquet: the chord sequences or the lyrics?
Max describes writing the chord progression first and then shaping the lyrics to fit the mood and storytelling of the music, with the narrative and imagery evolving after the melody and harmony were established.

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. Hidden Brain
4. The Rest Is Politics: US
5. The David Frum Show

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?

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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. John Flansburgh
2. Garrett Lajoie
3. Delyn Grey
4. Max Tojicic
5. Geneviève Racette
6. Mark Ippolito
7. Emma K
8. Ursula Hegge

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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