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Artwork for Sound Opinions

Sound Opinions

Sound Opinions
Chicago
Goose Island Beer Company
Soul Music
Punk Rock
Music
Music Industry
Rock Music
Redd Kross
Desert Island Jukebox
Grateful Dead
Purple Rain
Bob Weir
Prince
1984
Neil Young
Witches
Ghosts
Sound Opinions
Fruit Bats
Punk Music

Take two nationally respected rock critics, the latest music news, personal commentary, and exclusive interviews and performances, add a huge pile of records old and new, and the result is Sound Opinions, where people who love music can come together.

PublishesDailyEpisodes1351Founded21 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
MusicArts

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Artwork for Sound Opinions

Latest Episodes

This week, hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot are joined by author Nic Brown for a classic album dissection of the debut from The Violent Femmes. They delve into the unexpected staying power of songs like "Add It Up" and "Blister In The Sun" and Brown ... more

This week on the Desert Island Jukebox, Greg cues up a song inspired by outlaw airwaves. It’s a reminder of a time when discovering music still felt like stumbling onto a secret signal.

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This week, hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot share some of their favorite artists who beat the dreaded sophomore, delivering follow-ups that proved their debuts were no fluke. The hosts will also hear picks from the production staff.

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In this bonus episode, Jim digs up a song that owes more to AM radio nostalgia than to being, well…good.

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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.

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Recent Guests

Nic Brown
Author of a book on The Violent Femmes' debut for the 33 1/3 series
Author
Episode: The Violent Femmes' Debut Album
Will Hermes
Author of Lou Reed, The King of New York
Harcourt Books (author)
Episode: Lou Reed
Julia Steiner
Songwriter and singer of Rat Boys
Rat Boys
Episode: Ratboys & Opinions on Friko
Billy Woods
Fiercely independent voice in hip hop, co-founder of Backwoodz Studios
Backwoodz Studios
Episode: Rapper Billy Woods, Opinions on Robyn & Courtney Barnett
Rob Miller
Co-founder of Bloodshot Records, author of The Hours Are Long, But the Pay is Low
Bloodshot Records
Episode: Bloodshot Records with Co-Founder Rob Miller
Jimmy McDonough
Author of Soul Survivor, biographer of Al Green
Author, Soul Survivor
Episode: Al Green's The Belle Album & Opinions on Mitski
Bonnie Raitt
Late-career encore performer, highlighted by producer Andrew Gill
Bonnie Raitt Band
Episode: Late Career Encores
Beth Streit
Listener and Desert Island Jukebox contributor
Oak Park, Illinois
Episode: A Song About the Dark Side of Organ Donation
Scott Lucas
Local H member, Desert Island pick
Local H
Episode: Guest Desert Island Jukebox Picks & Opinions on Peaches and Danny Brown

Hosts

Jim DeRogatis
Co-host known for his insightful critiques and rich knowledge of music history.
Greg Kot
Co-host who brings a unique perspective to music analysis and a strong background in journalism.

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 2.4k ratings
  • Where is the kneecap review?

    It was advertised on NPR but is not available here

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    frederick7
    United States8 days ago
  • Too short. Go deeper

    Why do a podcast, a platform that allows long from discussions, when you only barley scratch the surface?

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Rivermantengo
    United Statesa month ago
  • Updated review

    Sorry guys but you are losing the plot. You chat about something for 5 minutes, interspersed with smokers cough laughing and the obligatory name dropping (Brian Eno - DING!), and then you play a small snippet of whatever you claimed was so great. But increasingly, the music isn’t great. And you miss dozens of regional bands, innovative players, and even classic sounds from all over the world. PLEASE, play more diverse music besides your favorite punk/grunge acts, and PLEASE lay off the cig... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Another Anonymous ID
    United Statesa month ago
  • This one is special. My introduction to REM was during college attending a tiny venue concert performed and produced by fellow students: rare artsy kids in a conservative engineering university. Themes were youth, DIY, artsy vibe, and music that was in the zeitgeist. The lights were controlled by a Commodore 64 from a student's own project. It was a special experience, and I link it to my introduction to REM. Thanks for doing the deep dive on this lifetime band.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    jdspatula
    2 months ago
  • Old and Out of Touch

    Hard to believe (or is it?) that these two have agreed on the best album of the year. I dare you to venture outside of this echo chamber.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    ronaldacunajr13
    United States5 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Overall, listeners express a blend of love for the content alongside frustrations about certain repetitive themes.
Engagement with contemporary issues in music and culture has been positively noted, making it a staple for many music fans.
Listeners appreciate the insightful music discussions and the exploration of lesser-known artists.
While there are negative reviews regarding perceived biases, many still find valuable insights into the music discussed.
Critiques mention the hosts' tendency to focus on their preferences, which may alienate some audience segments.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#46
United States/Music
Apple Podcasts
#57
Canada/Music
Apple Podcasts
#241
Australia/Music
Apple Podcasts
#48
Finland/Music
Apple Podcasts
#129
New Zealand/Music
Apple Podcasts
#198
Colombia/Music

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Lou Reed
Q: What motivated you to undertake a scope-heavy biography of Lou Reed?
Will Hermes explains that being a Velvet Underground fanatic and a desire to tell a comprehensive, readable story with a narrative arc drove the work, even though it required sifting through vast amounts of data and endnotes to balance accessibility with detail.
Ratboys & Opinions on Friko
Q: When did the songwriting become a central focus for you, and how did you evolve as a writer?
Steiner describes starting to write around age 13, using songs to process personal feelings, and growing through experiences, including formal writing prompts and workshops, which helped her confidence and honesty in her craft.
Rapper Billy Woods, Opinions on Robyn & Courtney Barnett
Q: Where would you point a novice Woods fan?
A good starting point is to begin with Blood Simple and then move through Maps, Golliwog, and History Will Absolve Me, as these titles showcase different facets of his storytelling, production choices, and collaborations, helping new listeners understand his range.
Beach Bunny (Lili Trifilio) Live, Plus Opinions on Charli XCX
Q: How do you take that step from being so honest with yourself in the lyrics and then putting it out for the public to hear it?
I've found confidence in being vulnerable; each time I open up, I connect with my audience more deeply.
Beach Bunny (Lili Trifilio) Live, Plus Opinions on Charli XCX
Q: Did you think about a totally new direction?
I had a lot of pressure from the record label about how to capitalize on our viral moment, which led to writer's block.

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 Sound Opinions

What is Sound Opinions about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The content primarily revolves around discussions on notable music artists, their legacies, and the evolving landscape of the music industry. With themes ranging from modern protest songs and critically analyzing significant bands like R.E.M. to highlighting new underground musicians, a blend of historical context and contemporary relevance stays at the forefront of conversations. Interviews with musicians, biographers, and cultural figures contribute to an engaging exploration of music's role in society, often pairing personal anecdotes with insightful commentary on the industry's intricacies. The combination of critical analysis, a focus on lesser-known artists, and humorous banter adds a unique flavor likely to appeal to devoted music lo... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Sound Opinions?

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How many listeners does Sound Opinions get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Sound Opinions, 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 Sound Opinions?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Sound Opinions, 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 Sound Opinions have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Sound Opinions 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 Sound Opinions?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Sound Opinions:

1. NPR Music
2. Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond
3. Kreative Kontrol
4. Rolling Stone All Access
5. Fresh Air

How many episodes of Sound Opinions are there?

Sound Opinions launched 21 years ago and published 1351 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 Sound Opinions?

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 Sound Opinions?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Sound Opinions 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 Sound Opinions?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Sound Opinions. 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 Sound Opinions?

Recent guests on Sound Opinions include:

1. Nic Brown
2. Will Hermes
3. Julia Steiner
4. Billy Woods
5. Rob Miller
6. Jimmy McDonough
7. Bonnie Raitt
8. Beth Streit

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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