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Artwork for Soundcheck

Soundcheck

WNYC Studios
Jazz
New York
Music
New York City
Ambient Music
New York Guitar Festival
Horsegirl
Classical Music
Electronic Music
Blues
Folk Music
Phonetics On and On
New Sounds
WNYC
Nature
R&B
Rodney Crowell
Amelia Earhart
Gadabout Season
Songwriting

WNYC, New York Public Radio, brings you Soundcheck, the arts and culture program hosted by John Schaefer, who engages guests and listeners in lively, inquisitive conversations with established and rising figures in New York City's creative arts scene. Guests come from all disciplines, including pop, indie rock, jazz, urban, world and classical music, technology, cultural affairs, TV and film. Rece... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes321Founded21 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Performing ArtsArtsMusicMusic Interviews

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Artwork for Soundcheck

Latest Episodes

It’s rare to come across a traditional origin story like The Royston Club’s nowadays: a group of small-town kids from Wrexham, Wales, coming together to form a band in high school and taking the stage on open mic nights at their local pub. Their musi... more

Helado Tropical ("tropical ice cream") is a collaboration between Helado Negro, the experimental pop project of Ecuadorian-American singer/songwriter Roberto Carlos Lange, and Reyna Tropical, which is the work of the Mexican-American musician Fabi Re... more

They started as a street band in Mexico City, but Son Rompe Pera has attracted attention as far south as Chile. Formed in 2017, they’re a party band with a distinctive sound centered on brothers who play marimbas and draw on punk, ska, pop, and the u... more

From the 2026 New York Guitar Festival, recorded live at Bryant Park, hear a set from the instrumental trio called The Messthetics -who are Anthony Pirog (guitar), Joe Lally (bass) and Brendan Canty (drums). Pirog has played avant-rock, ambient, and ... more

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Recent Guests

Marc Ribot
Renowned guitarist joining The Messthetics for part of the set
Guest musician
Episode: The Messthetics With Marc Ribot Leave Space For Play and Crunch, From the New York Guitar Festival 2026
Kenean Pipkin
Episode: Best of Soundcheck: Humbe, The Lone Bellow
Zach Williams
Episode: Best of Soundcheck: Humbe, The Lone Bellow
Brian Elmquist
Episode: Best of Soundcheck: Humbe, The Lone Bellow
Mariana de Miguel
Singer, songwriter and the person behind Girl Ultra
Girl Ultra / Mariana de Miguel
Episode: Mexican Alternative R&B/Pop Artist Girl Ultra Reinvents Her Musical History, In-Studio
Lara Somogyi
Harper/composer featured on the episode
Lara Somogyi (artist)
Episode: Adventurous Harpist Lara Somogyi Weaves Time Patterns, In-Studio
Steve Earle
Musician and activist with a career spanning folk, country, and rock; actor
Musician, Grand Ole Opry member
Episode: Best of Soundcheck: Steve Earle, Anjimile
Somi Kakoma
Singer, actor, and playwright; main guest of the episode
Musician/Artist
Episode: Song-Maker Somi Refuses to Fit Inside Any Artistic Box, Plays In-Studio
Grace Cummings
Australian singer-songwriter
Grace Cummings / self-described
Episode: Australian Singer-Songwriter Grace Cummings Brings a Visceral Twist to Pretty Melodies, In-Studio

Host

John Schaefer
Host of the show, guiding conversations and in-studio performances.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 187 ratings
  • A wonderful slice of culture

    Discovered the pod through searching Pierre Bensusan and delighted to find this performance from the guitar festival. Will be working my way through many other episodes. Great work!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Den Of Bears
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • Always inspiring!

    I find so many fabulous music here . Years of fabulous!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ririco007
    Francea year ago
  • Fantastic

    Love the music and the enlightening interviews in between!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Seton Notes
    United States2 years ago
  • Some good finds, but the fact the hosts says "brings his/her band back..." shows the major limitations and narrowness explored...just like All Songs did. Lots of "meh"

    Podcast Addict
    3
    Steve Johnson
    2 years ago
  • Find new favorites here

    I love this wide ranging show and the contribution it makes to my ongoing music explorations. John and his team obviously love what they do, and the artists sound happy to be there.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JLSpring
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Guests bring fresh perspectives across genres and cultures.
Live sessions are a strong draw but interviews anchor the show's value.
In-depth conversations balance music history with current practice.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Mexican Alternative R&B/Pop Artist Girl Ultra Reinvents Her Musical History, In-Studio
Q: How did you become Girl Ultra?
It started about ten years ago with a high school band and the name came from a wordplay that felt like a super heroine; as a 30-year-old, she embraces being connected to the word 'girl' while pursuing a broader artistic identity.
Best of Soundcheck: Humbe, The Lone Bellow
Q: How did the band react to losing their hard drives on the road?
They turned to fans for help via a GoFundMe, which unexpectedly exceeded their goal and enabled them to complete essential vocal work, demonstrating the strong fan-artist bond and the power of community support.
Song-Maker Somi Refuses to Fit Inside Any Artistic Box, Plays In-Studio
Q: What role does community play in your music?
Somi talks about poly vocal play and inviting the room to participate, reflecting African familial and communal singing traditions as a core part of her practice.
Song-Maker Somi Refuses to Fit Inside Any Artistic Box, Plays In-Studio
Q: What inspired the title What Does It Take to Bloom?
Somi explains that the title questions the growth process and centers on inner rootedness, rather than outward shine, tying it to the idea of becoming and identity as an immigrant artist.
Norwegian Chord Progression Artist Sondre Lerche Sings Acrobatic Melodies, In-Studio
Q: So what inspired the big, bombastic approach to the album's arrangements?
Lerche explains that the musical theater influence and his experience performing in Norway shaped a narrative drive, pushing him toward large-scale, cinematic moments while balancing intimate sections.

Audience Metrics

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Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About Soundcheck

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

Listeners tune in for in-depth conversations with a wide array of contemporary artists, scholars, and performers, often paired with intimate live studio performances. Episodes emphasize artistic process, lineage, and cultural context across jazz, world, indie, Latin, and experimental scenes, with a notable focus on the interplay between tradition and innovation. Guests frequently discuss heritage, collaboration, and the evolving music industry, making it a prime listening choice for industry professionals, musicians, and culture enthusiasts seeking thoughtful, well-researched conversations and performances.

Where can I find podcast stats for Soundcheck?

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

How many listeners does Soundcheck get?

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

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Soundcheck, 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 Soundcheck have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Soundcheck 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 Soundcheck?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Soundcheck:

1. Fresh Air
2. The Ezra Klein Show
3. World Cafe Words and Music Podcast
4. The New Yorker Radio Hour
5. On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti

How many episodes of Soundcheck are there?

Soundcheck launched 21 years ago and published 321 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 Soundcheck?

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 Soundcheck?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Soundcheck from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Soundcheck. 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 Soundcheck?

Recent guests on Soundcheck include:

1. Marc Ribot
2. Kenean Pipkin
3. Zach Williams
4. Brian Elmquist
5. Mariana de Miguel
6. Lara Somogyi
7. Steve Earle
8. Somi Kakoma

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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