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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
Christine Anu
Irish Music
Australia
Blues Music
Arnold Schoenberg
Ella Fitzgerald
Improvisation
1984-85 Miners' Strike
Becoming Ella Fitzgerald
Sound
Australian Violin History

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

PublishesDailyEpisodes948Founded20 years ago
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Music InterviewsMusic

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Artwork for The Music Show

Latest Episodes

For hundreds of years, the Copper family have sung for their own pleasure, and for the pleasure of the people of Rottingdean, the East Sussex village where the family have been living since at least the 1500s. Singing together in pubs and houses, the... more

Drawing references to Kerouac, Munch, and Hildegard of Bingen, Bryce Dessner's music builds on a rich tradition of art that extends far beyond music. The classical composer (and guitarist for The National) is presenting the Australian premiere of his... more

To mark Andy’s departure from the show at the end of this year, we’re bringing you some of his favourite conversations from 32 years on air. This week, we’ll hear the American pianist, composer and teacher Seymour Bernstein in a conversation from 201... more

You’re The Voice remains a favourite for generations of Australians and the album it's on, Whispering Jack, has sold more than 1.5 million copies. But John Farnham was 37 by the time he recorded that album and the music industry wasn’t all that inter... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Benjamin Clementine
British Ghanaian singer, pianist, songwriter, and performer
Self / Benjamin Clementine
Episode: Benjamin Clementine isn't a jazz musician
Michael Paynter
Musician involved with Whispering Jack
Theatre/Music professional
Episode: John Farnham: The voice behind The Voice
Gaynor Wheatley
Gay­nor Wheatley, related to Glenn Wheatley
Spouse/Family member of industry figure
Episode: John Farnham: The voice behind The Voice
David Hirschfelder
Composer who worked with Farnham
Musician/Composer
Episode: John Farnham: The voice behind The Voice
Poppy Stockell
Director of Finding the Voice
Director, Finding the Voice (documentary)
Episode: John Farnham: The voice behind The Voice
AJ Kanip
Founding member of the Red Spirit Singers, Ute Nation
Red Spirit Singers, Ute Nation (Utah, USA)
Episode: Robert Forster's Swedish Strawberries and the Red Spirit Singers let their voices ring out
Robert Forster
Musician and songwriter
Solo artist, Strawberries album
Episode: Robert Forster's Swedish Strawberries and the Red Spirit Singers let their voices ring out
Kelly-Dawn Hellmrich
Author, musician (Camp Cope)
Penguin Books (publisher); Camp Cope
Episode: Camp Cope's Kelly-Dawn Hellmrich on the artists rewriting the rules of the Australian music scene
Belinda Webster
Founder of Tall Poppies Records; driving force behind the label's mission to record and preserve Australian music
Tall Poppies Records
Episode: Belinda Webster and Tall Poppies Records: a life's work

Host

Andrew Ford
Host of The Music Show, ABC Radio National

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 155 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
    Australia9 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.

Some critique certain episodes as overly classical or niche, but overall positive sentiment toward quality and curation.
Listeners praise the host's depth and breadth, calling the show informative and enlightening.
Many appreciate the accessible yet rigorous discussions and wide range of guests.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

John Farnham: The voice behind The Voice
Q: Why was Whispering Jack such a breakthrough, both musically and commercially?
The production balanced contemporary 80s pop with a strong guitar edge, creating a sound that was modern yet timeless, and the intense focus on vocal storytelling connected with a wide audience.
John Farnham: The voice behind The Voice
Q: What did Farnham bring to Jesus Christ Superstar vocally that was new?
He brought a sense of self-directed interpretation, stretching and sustaining notes beyond the written score, which made the performance feel alive and unique while retaining the original melody's integrity.
John Farnham: The voice behind The Voice
Q: Can you describe The Voice? I mean, what can it do well?
The voice is remarkable because it belts high notes without sounding like a typical falsetto; it blends chest and head voice in a way that remains natural, making every note feel effortless yet powerful.
Benjamin Clementine isn't a jazz musician
Q: What keeps you from being pigeonholed as a musician?
I refuse to be boxed into a single genre, embracing both jazz and classical influences while acknowledging the fluidity between them, which allows my music to exist beyond labels.
A concerto for accordion and orchestra & the Persian tar gets Comfortable with jazz
Q: How do you balance tradition and improvisation in a mixed ensemble setting?
They balance by keeping a structured written framework while allowing extended improvisation within agreed boundaries, which the musicians understand from their Persian and jazz training.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Location
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Music Show

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

This show features deep-dive conversations with composers, performers, scholars, and critics, focused on music across a wide spectrum—from historical performance practices and classical repertoire to contemporary composition, covers, and cross-genre collaborations. Episodes blend rigorous cultural analysis with practical insights into creativity, performance, and interpretation, often weaving in historical anecdotes, songwriting processes, and conversations about audience engagement and the role of music in society. A standout quality is the host's broad musical literacy, which enables accessible yet richly informed discourse, along with a habit of pairing intimate artist portraits with larger cultural questions. Potential listeners can exp... 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 four 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?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Music Show, 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 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. Rear Vision — How History Shaped Today
4. Late Night Live - Separate stories podcast
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. Benjamin Clementine
2. Michael Paynter
3. Gaynor Wheatley
4. David Hirschfelder
5. Poppy Stockell
6. AJ Kanip
7. Robert Forster
8. Kelly-Dawn Hellmrich

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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