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Artwork for The Music Show

The Music Show

ABC Australia
Jazz
Folk Music
Music
Bob Dylan
Classical Music
Australian Music
Protest Music
Keith Jarrett
Bach
Arnold Schoenberg
Christine Anu
Australia
Irish Music
Blues Music
Ella Fitzgerald
Improvisation
Mahler
Becoming Ella Fitzgerald
1984-85 Miners' Strike
Midnight Oil

All kinds of music and all kinds of musicians in conversation with Andrew Ford.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes948Founded20 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
MusicMusic Interviews

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Artwork for The Music Show

Latest Episodes

Never Tear Us Apart began its life as a bluesy demo by INXS’s keyboardist and songwriter Andrew Farris. Frontman Michael Hutchence gave it lyrics, producer Chris Thomas gave it synthesisers, and the public gave it a place on every Australian Music be... more

Alina Pash was last on the show back in 2021, before the Russian invasion of her country began. At that point, Pash said that she wanted to stay in Ukraine and be part of a strong emerging music scene there. Circumstances changed and Alina is now bas... more

A love song, a football anthem, and a weapon of war for men with acoustic guitars: Noel Gallagher said he thought Wonderwall was an annoying song when he wrote it.

Cover Story dips more than a toe into the world of Britpop with composer and ex-Go-B... more

As one-half of A.B. Original, Trials was responsible for one of the key moments in Australian hip-hop over the last decade with the album Reclaim Australia. Away from that collaboration he’s worked with everyone from Paul Kelly to the Hilltop Hoods. ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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

Laura Case
Violinist and academic
Unspecified
Episode: Cover Story: Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
Lawrence Power
English violist and director/soloist for ACA program
Australian Chamber Orchestra / English violist
Episode: David Mills' glamour and despair and Lawrence Power shines a light on British music
David Mills
New York-based performer, comedian, and cabaret artist featured in Glamour and Despair
Independent artist / Adelaide Cabaret Festival guest
Episode: David Mills' glamour and despair and Lawrence Power shines a light on British music
Daniel Avery
Producer and DJ, Tremor (original and Midnight Version)
Self/Artist
Episode: Different versions of Daniel Avery and clipping's experimental approach to hip-hop
Gillian Cosgriff
Composer, writer and performer; guest at Adelaide Cabaret Festival
Adelaide Cabaret Festival
Episode: Cover Story: Jolene
Reuben Kaye
Comedian, cabaret artist, and artistic director
Adelaide Cabaret Festival
Episode: Cover Story: Jolene
Gary Bartz
Saxophonist who played with Miles Davis in 1970
Miles Davis' Band member
Episode: Miles Davis: a centenary
Rolf de Heer
Filmmaker who discussed Miles Davis in the film Elevator to the Scaffold and Dingo
Director
Episode: Miles Davis: a centenary
Billy Cross
Musician (trumpet) and narrator within the Dingo segment
Musician
Episode: Miles Davis: a centenary

Host

Andrew Ford
Host of The Music Show, ABC Radio National

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 154 ratings
  • From mixtapes to mtv.

    Pretty disappointing boomer perspective of the 80s from a journo who finds it hard to give women agency - madonna barely gets a mention, Kylie name-checked dismissively at the coda, Tina turner, Janet Jackson and Whitney Houston not even mentioned. Why is this stale / pale perspective not called out?

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Ozdrongo
    Australia7 months ago
  • Very conservative in genres.

    Bring back Lucky Oceans. If your not a fan of classical or very very tame genres this show is not for you. I can’t believe they cut lucky oceans and this is their sole offering. Very poor ABC.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    WilhelmWilson
    Australia2 years ago
  • National treasure

    No weekend would be complete without an episode of RN’s The Music Show. Andrew Ford and the team converse with musicians, composers and creatives the world over - informative, entertaining and always special!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    gavmed
    Australia6 years ago
  • New ideas and discoveries every week

    Even after formally studying music, I’m amazed every week with the diversity of musical ideas and worlds that I never knew existed. The guests are eclectic and always interesting. Andrew Ford does a great job in keeping it accessible and informal with humour.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Wendy5Dock
    Australia7 years ago
  • RN fan

    Yep segments are silly and they dominate every ABC podcast. Just delete them all

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    737B
    Australia7 years ago

Listeners Say

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

- Production quality and live segments are consistently strong, though some listeners wish for even more variety in genres.
- The host's breadth of knowledge and enthusiasm stands out, making complex topics accessible and engaging.
- Interviews are deep and insightful, with a good mix of guests from different musical traditions.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Hilary Geddes' Redleaf and Kae Tempest's Self Titled
Q: What does Redleaf reveal about your relationship to place and memory?
Geddes talks about Redleaf Beach as a creative touchstone, using field recordings and a sense of place to ground the music, while the band's textures and timbres reflect her improvisational approach.
Hilary Geddes' Redleaf and Kae Tempest's Self Titled
Q: How did personal life and identity influence Self Titled?
Tempest discusses transitioning, the impact on voice and performance, and how the collaboration environment supported exploring new vocal and narrative possibilities while staying true to his artistic vision.
Hilary Geddes' Redleaf and Kae Tempest's Self Titled
Q: What was your approach to shaping the album with Fraser T. Smith?
Tempest explains a process of rapid rough demos built over several days, pausing to avoid premature listening, which allowed the ideas to be explored fully before finalizing the direction and inviting collaborators.
Xiu Xiu take on Eraserhead and Pinchgut Opera's first murder
Q: What is unique about their vocal approach and recording philosophy in Shushu's work?
Jamie explains that voice choices are guided by what best serves the song's feeling, often decided by a collaborator, and that the process is less about theory and more about conveying authentic emotion.
Xiu Xiu take on Eraserhead and Pinchgut Opera's first murder
Q: How does Shushu approach covering songs like Jolene or Fast Car within their own sound?
They choose songs based on personal significance and potential for musical translation, ensuring they can learn from the piece and communicate something meaningful through their own arrangements.

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 The Music Show

What is The Music Show about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program features in-depth conversations with a wide range of musicians, composers, conductors, critics, and scholars who explore creative process, historical context, and cross-genre collaborations. Episodes often blend biographical storytelling with technical insight, performance practice, and production concepts, spanning folk, classical, jazz, world, theatre, and contemporary art music. A notable strength is assembling both legendary figures and rising talents, yielding rich discussions about artistry, mentorship, and the evolving landscape of music and culture. It's particularly noteworthy for its accessible yet erudite style, live performance moments, and a penchant for tying music to broader artistic and historical narratives, ma... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Music Show?

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

How many listeners does The Music Show get?

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

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How many subscribers and views does The Music Show have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Music Show 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 The Music Show?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Music Show:

1. Late Night Live — Full program podcast
2. Big Ideas
3. Late Night Live - Separate stories podcast
4. The Minefield
5. Health Report

How many episodes of The Music Show are there?

The Music Show launched 20 years ago and published 948 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 The Music Show?

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 The Music Show?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Music Show 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 The Music Show?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Music Show. 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 The Music Show?

Recent guests on The Music Show include:

1. Laura Case
2. Lawrence Power
3. David Mills
4. Daniel Avery
5. Gillian Cosgriff
6. Reuben Kaye
7. Gary Bartz
8. Rolf de Heer

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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