Rephonic
Artwork for Sound Opinions

Sound Opinions

Sound Opinions
Chicago
Goose Island Beer Company
Soul Music
Punk Rock
Music
Desert Island Jukebox
Rock Music
Grateful Dead
Music Industry
Bob Weir
Neil Young
Redd Kross
Witches
Ghosts
Sound Opinions
Fruit Bats
South African Music
Roberta Flack
D'angelo
Bob Dylan

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.

PublishesDailyEpisodes1382Founded21 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
MusicArts

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Sound Opinions

Latest Episodes

In this bonus episode, Jim pays tribute to L7 bassist Jennifer Finch, a key figure in the ’90s alternative-rock scene, who died July 18, 2026, at age 59.

Join our Facebook Group: bit.ly/3sivr9T

Become a member on Patreon: bit.ly/3sl... more

Hazy guitars, buried vocals and walls of distortion– the shoegaze sound may have peaked in the '90s, but it never really went away. This week, hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot highlight some of the genre's pioneers along with more recent favorites. T... more

In this bonus episode, Greg pays tribute to Jeff “Monoman” Conolly, the garage-rock pioneer and leader of Lyres, who died July 31, 2026, at the age of 69.

Join our Facebook Group: bit.ly/3sivr9T

Become a member on Patreon: bit.ly/3s... more

To celebrate Buddy Guy's recent 90th birthday, hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot re-air their 2007 with the blues legend. They'll also give an update on what he's been up to and share some of their favorite Buddy Guy tracks.

Join our Facebook Group: ... 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

Buddy Guy
Renowned blues guitarist and living legend
Buddy Guy's Legends / Chicago blues scene
Episode: Buddy Guy's 90th Birthday Celebration
Erin Osmon
Author of Won't Back Down, Heartland Rock and The Fight for America
Author/Writer
Episode: Heartland Rock with Erin Osmon, RIP Glen Hansard
Glen Hansard
Leader of The Frames and member of The Swell Season
The Frames; The Swell Season
Episode: RIP Glen Hansard
Markéta Irglová
Musician and actress, part of The Swell Season
The Swell Season
Episode: RIP Glen Hansard
Steve Almaas
Beat Rodeo member, former Suicide Commandos member, central figure in Minneapolis punk scene
Beat Rodeo
Episode: RIP Steve Almaas of Beat Rodeo
Yi Ling Liu
Author of The Wall Dancers: Searching for Freedom and Connection on the Chinese Internet
Author/Scholar
Episode: Chinese Hip Hop
Bill Million
The Feelies member and main songwriter
The Feelies
Episode: The Feelies' "The Good Earth"
Bill Millian
Band member, The Feelies
The Feelies
Episode: The Feelies' "Crazy Rhythms"
Glenn Mercer
Band member, The Feelies
The Feelies
Episode: The Feelies' "Crazy Rhythms"

Hosts

Jim DeRogatis
Host of Sound Opinions
Greg Kot
Host of Sound Opinions

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 2.4k ratings
  • Sound Interviews, Unsound Opinions

    The interviews are good but the new music reviews drag the whole program down. If they don’t like something they’re just going to dump on it and provide little in the way of actual informative music criticism. A good review should inform the audience about the music, just telling us how much you hate something is not enough. It’s okay to not like everything but they’re so negative when they don’t like something I can’t listen anymore. I was genuinely surprised to learn how long they’ve been on t... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    binibob
    United States2 months ago
  • Where is the kneecap review?

    It was advertised on NPR but is not available here

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    frederick7
    United States4 months 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 States4 months 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 States5 months 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
    5 months ago

Listeners Say

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

A portion of reviews call for more diverse artists and broader genre coverage.
Overall, the show is praised for its thoughtful critique and strong guest lineups.
Audience enjoys nostalgic looks at classic albums and detailed discussions of production and arrangement.
The hosts' music expertise and long-form interviews are highly valued by listeners who want depth over quick takes.
Some listeners feel political commentary or sampling of guests can polarize, but many appreciate the historical and cultural context.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#65
United States/Music
Apple Podcasts
#215
Canada/Music
Apple Podcasts
#174
Germany/Music
Apple Podcasts
#222
France/Music
Apple Podcasts
#246
Australia/Music
Apple Podcasts
#169
Colombia/Music

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Heartland Rock with Erin Osmon, RIP Glen Hansard
Q: What is your definition of Heartland Rock?
Erin Osmon explains it as a spiritual geography of artists aligned by work ethic and community values, tied to the American Heartland but not strictly geographic, and she emphasizes its focus on middle-class struggles, family, and social issues.
RIP Glen Hansard
Q: Markéta, what was it like being cast at a young age and working with Glen on this project?
She discusses being cast due to a shared musical chemistry, the experience of acting and piano performance, and how the process felt both unusual and transformative for her.
RIP Glen Hansard
Q: Where's Glen Hansard's head at right now after the film's success and the tour?
He expresses gratitude and describes the whirlwind of attention as overwhelming yet exciting, acknowledging the long journey and the overnight-tinged success of years of work.
Chinese Hip Hop
Q: Can you discuss a track that pokes fun at national pride without being state-driven propaganda?
Made In China by The Higher Brothers is discussed as tongue-in-cheek, balancing national pride with a critique of global dependence on Chinese-made goods, without being overtly propagandistic.
Chinese Hip Hop
Q: Why do you think some artists want to cross over to global audiences?
Crossovers depend on language and audience; English-language accessibility can help but is not the sole determinant, and some artists prefer to stay rooted in Chinese language and culture while still achieving international recognition.

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?

Two veteran music critics deliver long-form conversations that blend deep dives into classic and contemporary rock with timely culture critique. Episodes span intimate interviews with legendary artists, historic album retrospectives, and roundups of new releases, all anchored by strong opinions, archival clips, and care for the craft of making and presenting music. The show often features tributes, nostalgia-soaked explorations of influential records, and context on how music intersects with culture, politics, and the industry ecosystem. A standout aspect is the willingness to foreground musicians' stories and studio processes while maintaining a sharply informed, opinionated lens that can guide listeners toward both discovery and evaluatio... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Sound Opinions?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Sound Opinions. 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 Sound Opinions and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Sound Opinions get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four 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. Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond
2. Rolling Stone All Access
3. Life of the Record
4. NPR Music
5. World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

How many episodes of Sound Opinions are there?

Sound Opinions launched 21 years ago and published 1382 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. Buddy Guy
2. Erin Osmon
3. Glen Hansard
4. Markéta Irglová
5. Steve Almaas
6. Yi Ling Liu
7. Bill Million
8. Bill Millian

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days