Shows
The Dave Chang ShowCooking, Music, and Creativity With Samin Nosrat and Hrishikesh HirwayDave makes Snickerdoodles as their name implies: with Snickers. He then brings the...interesting... results to an interview with Samin Nosrat, author of Salt Fat Acid Heat and new cookbook Good Things, and her co-host of Home Cooking and host of Song Exploder, Hrishikesh Hirway, where the trio discusses successful partnerships, perfectionism, and what the future of creative endeavors looks like. Dave finishes with a home food hack: how to make a delicious and dazzling dumpling skirt.
Dave also announces the inaugural Ask Dave prize package winner. Send yours in for a chance to...
2025-08-111h 41
Meditative StoryGiving myself permission to create, by Hrishikesh HirwayOn his podcast and TV show Song Exploder, Hrishikesh Hirway digs deep into the creative process of legendary songwriters. But before Hrishikesh becomes a podcast creator, he's a working musician himself … who finds his ability to create being slowly drained away by self-doubt. He stumbles into a case of songwriter’s block that lasts him nearly seven years. Today, Hrishikesh shares the story of how he gets drawn back into creating music through an unexpected collaboration.Each episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the trans...
2024-08-2735 minThe Dave Chang Show'Best of Dave Chang Show’: Dinner Music, With Hrishikesh Hirway of ‘Song Exploder’Dave is revisiting some of his favorite episodes and interviews for his ‘Best of Dave Chang Show’ series. In this episode, the creator of the captivating podcast turned TV show ‘Song Exploder’ joins Dave and Chris to explore the kitchen equivalent of demo tapes, the as-yet-unrealized dream that is Cookie Exploder, that time U2 put an album on everyone’s phone, eating like a Buddhist monk, disrobing at a dinner party, what makes great restaurant music, and Dave’s unbroken record of never having watched 'The West Wing.'Listen to Hrishikesh’s dinner party playlist...
2024-07-251h 02
Identified with Nabil AyersSong Exploder's Hrishikesh Hirway on Music's Healing Power.In this episode of Identified, host Nabil Ayers interviews Hrishikesh Hirway, the renowned musician and podcaster behind Song Exploder. They discuss Hrishikesh's family background, including his parents' arranged marriage, the influence of an immigrant upbringing, and the evolution of family traditions. The conversation delves into the impact of loss and grief, particularly the passing of Hrishikesh's mother, and how this shaped his understanding of family. They also touch upon the themes of loneliness, the decision not to have children, and the role of music in processing personal experiences. The episode concludes with reflections on the unconditional love and...
2024-06-1330 min
Makes Sense with Chanel & KarenHEARING feat. Hrishikesh HirwayThis week, we discuss HEARING with musician and podcaster Hrishikesh Hirway (Song Exploder, The One AM Radio, The West Wing Weekly). This episode features references to Shel Silverstein, Columbia House subscriptions, and, of course, ~flan~.Fun fact: All the music you hear in the episode is by Hrishikesh! The song at the beginning is "Cascade," and at the end is "Home (feat. Jay Som)." For more, check him out on Spotify, Bandcamp, and everywhere else you can find music.Btw: this episode was pre-recorded on September 26, 2023. Hence references to things like the WGA strike, book...
2023-11-0228 min
The Art of CurationBetter living through listening 👂🏾 Hrishikesh Hirway, Song Exploder“[Mixtapes were] the ultimate love letter because it’s like saying: ‘This is me looking at you and trying to understand where your taste lies and also imparting some of my taste. This is where we intersect.’ Maybe I can introduce you to new things while recognizing that I'm here in a context that I think you will appreciate.” — Hrishikesh Hirway, musician and podcasterBeing a musician led Hrishikesh Hirway on a quest to understand how songs are born, bit by bit. If he detected a cool sound or curious lyric, he wanted to know why it was there an...
2023-08-2944 min
Creator Science[GREATEST HITS] #89: Hrishikesh Hirway – From full-time musician to Song Exploder and back againEPISODE DESCRIPTIONHrishikesh Hirway is a musician and podcast creator. He’s the host and creator of Song Exploder, an award-winning podcast and a Netflix original television series, where musicians break down the creative process behind their songs. Vulture called Song Exploder “probably the best use of the podcast format ever.” As a musician, he’s released four albums under the moniker The One AM Radio, and an EP with Moors, his project with Lakeith Stanfield.Fast Company named him one of the Most Creative People in Business in 2021. He serves the Library of Congres...
2023-07-181h 00
Creative Pep Talk416 - How to Strengthen Your Connection to Your Audience through Deconstruction with Hrishikesh HirwaySHOW NOTESEpisode TranscriptSign up to the newsletter and receive a FREE copy of The Creative Career Path e-book! https://www.creativepeptalk.com/pathCheck out the Creative Pep Talk shop at creativepeptalk.etsy.comFollow Invisible Things on Instagram!PRE-ORDER INVISIBLE THINGS! Upcoming picture book out July 18th, 2023!*Currently with all pre-orders you can get a FREE poster!Hrishikesh Hirway’s WebsiteWhat you discover when you really listen - TED Talk by Hrishikesh HirwayCALL TO ADVENTURE...
2023-07-121h 06
Dr Bipasha Bose's podcast416 - How to Strengthen Your Connection to Your Audience through Deconstruction with Hrishikesh HirwaySHOW NOTES Episode Transcript Sign up to the newsletter and receive a FREE copy of The Creative Career Path e-book! https://www.creativepeptalk.com/path Check out the Creative Pep Talk shop at creativepeptalk.etsy.com Follow Invisible Things on Instagram! PRE-ORDER INVISIBLE THINGS! Upcoming picture book out July 18th, 2023! *Currently with all pre-orders you can get a FREE poster! Hrishikesh Hirway’s Website What you discover when you really listen - TED Talk by Hrishikesh Hirway CALL TO ADVENTURE The Creative Key. Break down a favorite piece of your work into some behind the scenes kind of way, then cr...
2023-07-121h 05
Level with Emily ReeseLevel 219: Hrishikesh Hirway (The Red Lantern)
** The soundtrack to The Red Lantern is getting a vinyl release. Anyone who is a patron of Level with Emily by midnight (12:00 AM CDT) on April 17, 2023, will be eligible to win one of 5 records. **
Hrishikesh Hirway is a composer, a recording artist, a podcaster (Song Exploder, Home Cooking, The West Wing Weekly) and all-around busy creator. He wrote the music for The Red Lantern, a narrative survival dog-sledding adventure, with warm, relaxing music to counter the cold landscape.
Hrishikesh describes his music as "secular Christmas," and that is such a fantastic description; his music is a weighted blanket with hot c...
2023-03-3159 min
Unthinkable with Jay AcunzoSong Exploder Exploder (ft. Hrishikesh Hirway)Hrishikesh Hirway is a musician and creator/host of the popular podcast Song Exploder. The show has a simple but powerful premise: each episode, a musician breaks apart a single track and, piece by piece, tells the story of how it was made. He's interviewed Madonna, Billie Eilish, Rick Astley, Lorde, U2, Yo-Yo Ma, and plenty of lesser-known artists creating beautiful music. Vulture even called the show "the best use of the podcast medium ever," and in 2020, Song Exploder became a TV show on Netflix, running for two seasons.Today, we turn the tables on Hrishikesh and...
2023-03-1350 min
The One Recipe46: Hrishikesh Hirway’s Recipe for Chole aka Spiced ChickpeasHrishikesh Hirway talks to Jesse this week about how he turned a baking fiasco into a podcast with Samin Nosrat, what it’s like having a food scientist for a dad, and his one recipe for Chole, or what you might recognize as chana masala or simply spiced chickpeas. Hrishikesh Hirway is a musician, producer, and the host of several podcasts, including Song Exploder and Home Cooking. You can follow him on Instagram @hrishihirway or check out his music on YouTube @oneamradio.If you like our show, don’t forget to hit like and subscribe and...
2023-02-0717 min
Death, Sex & MoneySinging in the Pain: Hrishikesh Hirway on his Mother, Grief and CreativityMusician and “Song Exploder” host, Hrishikesh Hirway, remembers his mother, Kanta, who died in 2020, and the music that’s helped him move through grief. You can listen to Hrishikesh Hirway’s new solo music inspired by Kanta here, the podcast, “Song Exploder,'' here, and the podcast, “Home Cooking,” here. Did you know we have a weekly email newsletter for the Death, Sex & Money community? Every Wednesday we send out podcast listening recommendations, fascinating letters from our inbox, and updates from the show. Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and follow the show on Twitter, Facebook, and In...
2022-10-1935 min
Depresh Mode with John MoeSong Exploder’s Hrishikesh Hirway Becomes a Creative Block ExploderIf you’re a fan of the podcast Song Exploder, and a whole lot of people are, you know that it’s all about creativity. A musician walks the audience through the components of their song and the inspirations and decisions that went into forming those parts as they came together as a whole. Meanwhile, Hrishikesh Hirway, creator of the show, drops in separated tracks so you can follow the story. It’s somewhat surprising then that Hrishi, a musician himself, was unable to write a song for years, even during the run of his show that so many...
2022-10-1749 min
Sound Business with Akash ThakkarThe Creation of Song Exploder with Hrishikesh Hirway#36: Today, our guest is Hrishikesh Hirway - musician and creator of the wildly successful podcast, Song Exploder.
In this interview, we talk about growing up in an Indian immigrant household, the fear of side projects taking away from our main musical interests, how his studies in philosophy and graphic design in college contributed to his career, how he created Song Exploder in the first place, and much more.
Find Hrishikesh Hirway here:
Song Exploder Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/songexploder/
Song Exploder Twitter: https://twitter.com/SongExploder
Personal Instagram: h...
2022-09-2139 min
Book ExploderBook Exploder: Susan Orlean - The Library BookIntroducing a new miniseries: Book Exploder, where authors break down a passage from one of their books, and discuss the creative process that went into writing it. Every other week, in between episodes of Song Exploder, you’ll hear from a new author, in conversation with host Susan Orlean. But for this first episode of the series, Susan is interviewed by Hrishikesh Hirway about her own book, The Library Book.
Susan Orlean is the author of twelve books, including The Orchid Thief (which inspired the Oscar-award winning film Adaptation), a staff writer at The New Yorker . Published in 2...
2022-08-0319 minSong ExploderBook Exploder: Susan Orlean - The Library BookIntroducing a new miniseries: Book Exploder, where authors break down a passage from one of their books, and discuss the creative process that went into writing it. Every other week, in between episodes of Song Exploder, you’ll hear from a new author, in conversation with host Susan Orlean. But for this first episode of the series, Susan is interviewed by Hrishikesh Hirway about her own book, The Library Book.
Susan Orlean is the author of twelve books, including The Orchid Thief (which inspired the Oscar-award winning film Adaptation), a staff writer at The New Yorker . Published in 2...
2022-08-0319 minMeditative StoryGiving myself permission to create, by Hrishikesh HirwayOn his podcast and TV show Song Exploder, Hrishikesh Hirway digs deep into the creative process of legendary songwriters. But before Hrishikesh becomes a podcast creator, he's a working musician himself … who finds his ability to create being slowly drained away by self-doubt. He stumbles into a case of songwriter’s block that lasts him nearly seven years. Today, Hrishikesh shares the story of how he gets drawn back into creating music through an unexpected collaboration.Listen to Andrew Bird's episode of Meditative Story, "Listening to the space around you": https://listen.meditativestory.com/AndrewBirdSpaceAroundYouLearn...
2022-06-3035 min
Best Laid PlansHrishikesh Hirway ("Relative Shades")Hrishikesh Hirway is best known as the creator and host of the popular podcast Song Exploder, a show that speaks to musicians about their unique process in bringing a song to life. What fewer may realize is that Hrishikesh is a musician himself, who has toured and released music under the name The One AM Radio since 1999, and composed music for film and television. But with the success of Song Exploder, instead of focusing on his craft, Hrishi was spending his days interviewing others about theirs, and he lost his way, creatively-speaking. But now Hrishi has overcome his self-doubt...
2022-04-2134 min
Bringin' it BackwardsInterview with Hrishikesh HirwayWe had the pleasure of interviewing Hrishikesh Hirway over Zoom video!Acclaimed musician and Song Exploder host/creator Hrishikesh Hirway’s first EP under his own name, Rooms I Used to Call My Own, is out now. The album features collaborations with a long list of acclaimed artists, songwriters and producers including Yo-Yo Ma, Jay Som, Baths, Jenny Owen Youngs, Jimmy Tamborello (The Postal Service, Dntel), Jonathan Snipes (Clipping), John Mark Nelson and Grammy-winners John Congleton (St. Vincent, Sharon Van Etten, Angel Olsen) and Kimbra.Rooms I Used to Call My Own marks the first time Hirway has re...
2022-04-141h 04
Why Not BothEp 110: Hrishikesh Hirway of "Song Exploder"Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus. For our fifth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.
Our guest Hrishikesh Hirway embodies the ethos of Why Not Both: he just released his debut solo EP "Rooms I Used To Call My Own" after spending the better part of the last decade crafting the brilliant podcasts Song Exploder, The West Wing Weekly and Home Cooking w...
2022-03-3058 min
Heritage Radio Network On TourHRN at SXSW 2022: Hrishikesh HirwayIn this conversation, Christine Sykes Lowe speaks with Hrishikesh Hirway, the podcaster behind Song Exploder and Home Cooking. Hrishikesh speaks about his new album under the moniker The One AM Radio, and how podcasting helped him deal with writer's block. He also shares how he bonded with Samin Nosrat over cookies before eventually becoming friends and launching their award-winning food podcast, Home Cooking. He also shares some breaking news about his new cookie collaboration with The Very Best Cookie in the Whole Wide World: The Spicy Chocstachio: A Cookie I Used to Call My Own.Are you a...
2022-03-2422 min
Good Life ProjectHrishikesh Hirway | Life Beyond Song ExploderHrishikesh Hirway has been making music for as long as he can remember and, as an adult, spent years building a career in the industry, writing, performing, producing, and touring. But, it was a moment where he took a bit of a pause to re-evaluate that led him to record an interview with a friend about the story and creative decisions behind a song that would change everything. That conversation eventually became the opening episode of the podcast, Song Exploder, which itself then exploded into a global phenomenon that I’ve been obsessed with since hearing that first episode.
2022-03-241h 03
Follow FridayHrishikesh Hirway (Song Exploder): Dadaist art, writer's block, trolling TrebekHrishikesh Hirway is a prolific creator: A podcaster, a newsletter writer, a TED speaker, a composer, and more. And he's also a musician who has collaborated with everyone from Lakeith Stanfield to Yo-Yo Ma; his first EP since 2011, Rooms I Used to Call My Own, comes out March 30.Today on Follow Friday, Hrishikesh talks about four of his favorite people he follows online, including a collaborator who helped him get over writer's block while making that album:Someone he just started following: Sumesh Hirway, @sumeshhirway on InstagramSomeone he doesn't know in real life, but wants to...
2022-03-0432 min
The New Exchange with Ken Grand-PierreHrishikesh Hirway on his journey in podcasting (Season 4 Premiere)Welcome to season 4 of The New Exchange podcast, a series that’s all about how everyone has a story to tell. My name is Ken Grand-Pierre and today’s premiere episode with Hrishikesh Hirway is something I truly can’t believe. In many ways, he directly inspired this very series you’re listening to now and it’s a true privilege getting to share this conversation with you. Hrishikesh is a talented musician, producer, television host and has become prolific within the podcasting space due to his series, The West Wing Weekly, Home Cooking, Partners, and most famously; Song Exploder...
2022-03-011h 01
Creator ScienceHrishikesh Hirway – From full-time musician to Song Exploder and back againHrishikesh Hirway is a musician and podcast creator. He’s the host and creator of Song Exploder, an award-winning podcast and a Netflix original television series, where musicians break down the creative process behind their songs. Vulture called Song Exploder “probably the best use of the podcast format ever.” As a musician, he’s released four albums under the moniker The One AM Radio, and an EP with Moors, his project with Lakeith Stanfield.Fast Company named him one of the Most Creative People in Business in 2021. He serves the Library of Congress as an advisor on...
2022-01-251h 00The Dave Chang ShowDinner Music, With Hrishikesh Hirway of 'Song Exploder'The creator of the captivating podcast turned TV show 'Song Exploder' joins Dave and Chris to explore the kitchen equivalent of demo tapes, the as-yet-unrealized dream that is Cookie Exploder, that time U2 put an album on everyone’s phone, eating like a Buddhist monk, disrobing at a dinner party, what makes great restaurant music, and Dave’s unbroken record of never having watched 'The West Wing.' Listen to Hrishikesh’s dinner-party playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6Pxi5QSinRtBvQfselifLB?si=9d06714e63a34cd8Hosts: Dave Chang and Chris YingGuest...
2022-01-2058 min
Talkhouse PodcastHrishikesh Hirway with Jay SomThis week’s Talkhouse conversation features a pair of indie musicians—one of whom is known a bit better for another career—who recently collaborated on a song, and who have lots to say about creativity and the current state of the music biz: Hrishikesh Hirway and Melina Duterte, aka. Jay Som.If you recognize Hirway’s name, chances are good it’s from one of his popular podcasts: The best known is probably Song Exploder, on which Hirway and a guest break down a single song, spending time to get at its component parts and to explore th...
2022-01-2047 min
This Is TASTEHrishikesh HirwayToday on the show, we’re talking to Hrishikesh Hirway, the musician behind The One AM Radio, the podcaster behind The West Wing Weekly and Song Exploder, and the host of Netflix’s adaptation of Song Exploder. In addition to collaborating with Yo-Yo Ma and interviewing musicians like Michael Stipe and Alicia Keys, Hrishikesh is also the cohost, with Samin Nosrat, of Home Cooking, which has quickly become one of our favorite food podcasts during the pandemic. We talked about the joys of savory oatmeal, lessons learned from hosting a call-in show about cooking, and a very speci...
2022-01-1424 min
Interesting People Reading PoetryMusician Hrishikesh Hirway Reads William Butler YeatsIn this episode, Hrishikesh Hirway reads “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” by William Butler Yeats. Hirway is the creator and host of several acclaimed podcasts, including Home Cooking (with Samin Nosrat), The West Wing Weekly (with Joshua Malina), and Song Exploder (which is now also a Netflix original series). On top of all that, Hirway manages a career as a composer and recording artist. At the beginning of this interview, you’ll hear a short clip from his new single, “Between There and Here (feat. Yo-Yo Ma).”
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7pu2x8Z3tA2Qzgl058WhGd
“The Lak...
2021-12-2115 min
Object Of SoundChristmas At Home with Hanif Abdurraqib (feat. Hrishikesh Hirway and She & Him)Welcome to our first ever holiday special, ‘Christmas At Home with Hanif Abdurraqib’ an hour long deep dive into the world of Christmas Music. Whether you’re flooded with warm nostalgia at the first beat of Jingle Bells, or like Hanif didn’t grow up with the holiday but are nonetheless enchanted by the aesthetics of it, this episode is for you. We’ve invited special guests Hrishikesh Hirway and the duo She & Him on the show to talk about Christmas standards, eggnog, and lay praise at the feet of Mariah Carey. Plus we hear from listeners from across the countr...
2021-12-1749 min
My Favourite Elliott Smith SongHrishikesh HirwayOur guest today is the musician and podcaster, Hrishikesh Hirway.
Hrishikesh is the creator of the excellent Song Exploder podcast - where musicians dissect their songs and discuss how they were made - which has recently been made into a TV show by Netflix. He's also involved in other popular podcasts including West Wing Weekly, Home Cooking and Partners.
But music is Hrishikesh's first love and he has been working as a musician on and off for the last 20 years or so. From 2002 to 2011, he put out several albums under the name The One AM Radio...
2021-11-0425 min
Song ExploderHrishikesh Hirway TED Talk - What You Learn When You Listen CloselyThis summer, I gave a TED Talk at the TED Conference. My talk was about what you discover when you really listen. It was based on how making Song Exploder has changed the way I think about conversations and connecting with people. My talk came out today on the TED website and on the TED Talks Daily podcast, and the very nice folks at TED asked if I would also put the audio of the talk here, on Song Exploder. And I normally wouldn’t put this much of myself on here, but they asked, and like I said, th...
2021-10-1316 minObject Of SoundBeyond Tastemaking (feat. Hrishikesh Hirway) What does it mean to be a curator of songs? The one friend who recommends new records, specifically with your tastes in mind. Hanif speaks with Hrishikesh Hirway, the creator and host of Song Exploder and a fellow music enthusiast. In this episode, Hanif and Hrishikesh discuss the communal and emotive nature of music sharing. They reflect on the experience of often being the only person of color at punk shows and what it means to, now, be in a position to evaluate music, while moving beyond the role of “tastemaker.” Plus, they collaborate on a playlist of musical under...
2021-04-2333 min
The Hamilcast: A Hamilton Podcast#249: Hrishikesh Hirway // The West Wing Weekly & Song Exploder // Part TwoIn part two, multi-hyphenate Hrishikesh Hirway takes us behind-the-scenes of filming with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Thomas Kail, and Alex Lacamoire Netflix's 'Wait For It' episode of Song Exploder, shares his about his night out at Hamilton with the cast of The West Wing, breaks down his favorite parts of the gig, takes questions from the Patreon Peeps, and much more. EPISODE TRANSCRIPT The One AM Radio The West Wing Weekly Song Exploder Song Exploder on Netflix Home Cooking Partners Everything Sucks...
2021-01-111h 16
The Hamilcast: A Hamilton Podcast#248: Hrishikesh Hirway // The West Wing Weekly & Song Exploder // Part OneCreator of Netflix's new series Song Exploder and The West Wing Weekly podcast, Hrishikesh Hirway, joins me to discuss his journey exploring Hamilton with the show's creators, deep dive the connections between The West Wing and Hamilton, talk about what it means to care about something enough to make discovering its finest details your day job, and why that attention to detail and hard work matters to the artists who make the things we love. EPISODE TRANSCRIPT The West Wing Weekly Song Exploder Song Exploder on Netflix
2021-01-041h 06
10,000 NOsSong Exploder Mastermind Hrishikesh Hirway, on Being Disciplined, All The Way to the Top (Part II)Hrishikesh Hirway is a humble high achiever. He has just released his first Netflix Mini-series, Song Exploder, based on his wildly popular podcast of the same name. On it, he talks to musicians like Alicia Keys, R.E.M., Hamilton creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ty Dollar Sign. To say that it is huge, is an understatement. I met Hrishikesh when I was a guest on his other GIANT podcast that he co-created and co-hosted with my former cast mate from The West Wing and Scandal, Josh Malina – that podcast is The West Wing Weekly, yet another zeitgeist pod...
2020-10-161h 01
10,000 NOsSong Exploder Mastermind Hrishikesh Hirway, on Being Disciplined, All The Way to the Top (Part II)Hrishikesh Hirway is a humble high achiever. He has just released his first Netflix Mini-series, Song Exploder, based on his wildly popular podcast of the same name. On it, he talks to musicians like Alicia Keys, R.E.M., Hamilton creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ty Dollar Sign. To say that it is huge, is an understatement. I met Hrishikesh when I was a guest on his other GIANT podcast that he co-created and co-hosted with my former cast mate from The West Wing and Scandal, Josh Malina – that podcast is The West Wing Weekly, yet another zeitgeist pod...
2020-10-161h 0110,000 NOsSong Exploder Mastermind Hrishikesh Hirway, on Being Disciplined, All The Way to the TopHrishikesh Hirway is a humble high achiever. He has just released his first Netflix Mini-series, Song Exploder, based on his wildly popular podcast of the same name. On it, he talks to musicians like Alicia Keys, R.E.M., Hamilton creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ty Dollar Sign. To say that it is huge, is an understatement. I met Hrishikesh when I was a guest on his other GIANT podcast that he co-created and co-hosted with my former cast mate from The West Wing and Scandal, Josh Malina – that podcast is The West Wing Weekly, yet another zeitgeist pod...
2020-10-091h 0110,000 NOsSong Exploder Mastermind Hrishikesh Hirway, on Being Disciplined, All The Way to the TopHrishikesh Hirway is a humble high achiever. He has just released his first Netflix Mini-series, Song Exploder, based on his wildly popular podcast of the same name. On it, he talks to musicians like Alicia Keys, R.E.M., Hamilton creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ty Dollar Sign. To say that it is huge, is an understatement. I met Hrishikesh when I was a guest on his other GIANT podcast that he co-created and co-hosted with my former cast mate from The West Wing and Scandal, Josh Malina – that podcast is The West Wing Weekly, yet another zeitgeist pod...
2020-10-091h 01
Song ExploderThe 1975 - The Birthday PartyThe 1975 are a band from Manchester, England, made up of Matty Healy, Adam Hann, Ross MacDonald, and George Daniel. They started playing music together in 2002, when they were teenagers. Since then, they’ve released four albums, won three Brit awards, and gotten two Grammy nominations. Their most recent album, Notes on a Conditional Form, came out in May 2020. In this episode, Matty and George break down how they made the song “The Birthday Party.”
songexploder.net/the-1975
2020-08-1218 min
Song ExploderWaxahatchee - FireKatie Crutchfield is a singer and songwriter from Birmingham, Alabama. She’s been making music under the name Waxahatchee since 2010. Her fifth album, Saint Cloud, came out this past March. Pitchfork named it Best New Music, and The Guardian called it the best album of the year so far. In this episode, Katie breaks down how she made the song “Fire."
songexploder.net/waxahatchee
2020-07-2917 min
Song ExploderKhruangbin - So We Won't ForgetKhruangbin is a band from Houston, Texas, who first formed in 2010. NME called them the "low key superstars" of psychedelic music. They’ve released three albums. The most recent, which came out in June 2020, is called Mordechai.
In the past, most of Khruangbin’s songs have been instrumental, or if they did have vocals, they'd be minimal. Their new album is different. It features vocals prominently, and in this episode, the three of them explain their philosophy on vocals and their process on writing lyrics. I spoke to each of them to get their perspective on how they...
2020-07-1525 min
Song ExploderApparat - Goodbye (Theme from "Dark")The Netflix original series Dark debuted in December 2017. It’s a really mysterious, mind-bending German science fiction show with a unique tone. A big part of that tone is announced every episode with the music in the show’s opening title sequence. It’s the song “Goodbye,” by German electronic artist Apparat, the solo project of Sascha Ring. This song actually came out years ago, on the 2011 Apparat album The Devil’s Walk. Since then, before it was used as the theme song for Dark, it’s been featured in a bunch of films and commercials, and notably, in the Season 4 f...
2020-07-0126 min
Song ExploderMobb Deep - Shook Ones, Pt. IIThe rappers Prodigy and Havoc met when they were still in high school in New York. Havoc grew up in Queensbridge, the biggest public housing projects in the country, and as a teenager, Prodigy lived there for a while, too. The two of them formed Mobb Deep in 1991.
In 1995, they put out their second album, The Infamous. It was a success when it came out, but in the 25 years since then, the influence of the album has only grown. Complex named it one of the 10 best rap albums of the 90s, and Pitchfork gave the album a...
2020-06-1720 min
Song ExploderMichael Kiwanuka - Black Man in a White WorldInstead of a new episode this week, revisiting this episode originally published in May 2017. Please consider donating to local and national organizations engaged in the work of racial equality. Here are some links:
American Civil Liberties Union
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
Community Bail Funds
Michael Kiwanuka is a singer/songwriter from London. His second album, Love and Hate, came out in 2016, and was named one of the Best Albums of the Year from the BBC, NME, The Guardian, GQ, and more. One of the songs on the album was used as the theme for the...
2020-06-0420 min
Song Exploder100 gecs - Money Machine100 gecs is a duo, made up of Laura Les and Dylan Brady. In 2016, they put out an EP called 100 gecs, and three years later, they released their first album, called 1000 gecs. It was named the Best Album of 2019 in Vice and in The New York Times. It was also on year-end lists in Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Stereogum and more. Dylan lives in Los Angeles, and Laura in Chicago—they work remotely, sending files back and forth to each other. In this episode, the two of them break down how they made the song "Money Machine."
songexploder.net/100-g...
2020-05-2016 min
Song ExploderLaura Marling - Song for Our DaughterLaura Marling is a singer and songwriter from London. She won the Brit Award for Best British Female Solo Artist—she’s been nominated five times for that, along with the Mercury Prize, and the Grammy for Best Folk Album. Since 2008, she’s released seven albums. The most recent album is called Song for Our Daughter. It’s also the name of the song that she takes apart in this episode.
songexploder.net/laura-marling
2020-05-0623 min
Song ExploderTame Impala - It Might Be TimeTame Impala is the project of Kevin Parker, a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer from Perth, Australia. Since putting his first EP in 2008, Tame Impala has been nominated for two Grammys and won eight of Australia’s ARIA Awards. Multiple albums of his have been named best of the year. As a producer, he has collaborated with Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, The Weeknd, and more. The most recent Tame Impala album is The Slow Rush, which came out in February 2020. For this episode, Kevin chose to take apart the song, "It Might Be Time."
songexploder.net/tame-impala
2020-04-2216 min
Song ExploderFKA twigs - Mirrored HeartFKA twigs is a singer, songwriter, and producer from London. She’s released three EPs and two albums. Her most album, Magdalene, came out in November, 2019, and was named one of the best albums of the year by Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Time, NME, and more.
For this episode, twigs chose the song "Mirrored Heart" from Magdalene. She wrote and produced it in Los Angeles with a few collaborators, but it’s an intensely personal song.
songexploder.net/fka-twigs
2020-04-0820 min
Song ExploderNathaniel Rateliff - And It's Still AlrightNathaniel Rateliff is a singer and songwriter from Colorado. He’s released four solo albums, and two with his band, the Night Sweats.
Those two Night Sweats albums were produced by Richard Swift, who passed away in 2018. In a statement, his family said that he "suffered from alcohol addiction, and it’s ultimately what took his life." Nathaniel Rateliff’s new solo album, And It’s Still Alright, was supposed to be produced by Richard Swift as well, but Richard died before they could work together again. In this episode, Nathaniel breaks down the title track, which was insp...
2020-03-2523 min
Song ExploderEric Nam - Love Die YoungEric Nam is a Korean-American pop singer from Atlanta. He’s currently lives in Seoul, South Korea, where he found fame as a K-pop star. He was named “2016 Man of the Year” by GQ Korea, and Forbes named him one of their “30 under 30 Asia.”
But his success in Korea has been complicated a little by what he wanted to do with his career versus what he felt he was allowed to do. As his career as an artist has evolved, he’s gotten closer and closer to making the music he wants to make. In November 2019, Eric released Befo...
2020-03-1120 min
Song ExploderSoccer Mommy - Circle the DrainSophie Allison makes music under the name Soccer Mommy. Her debut album came out in 2018, when she was 20 years old, and the New York Times named it one of the best album of the year. Her second album, Color Theory, comes out this week, and it includes this song, "Circle the Drain." In this episode, she takes "Circle the Drain" apart and explains how it was influenced by songs from her childhood.
songexploder.net/soccer-mommy
2020-02-2620 min
Song ExploderCaribou - HomeDan Snaith has been making Caribou records since 2001. He won Canada’s Polaris music prize in 2007, and this month, he’s releasing the seventh Caribou album, Suddenly.
In this episode, Dan breaks down the song “Home.” He talks about how he managed to get past several moments of creative uncertainty to figure out the final track.
songexploder.net/caribou
2020-02-1218 min
Song ExploderVagabon - Water Me DownWhen Laetitia Tamko started making the second Vagabon album, she really wanted to produce the entire thing on her own. It would be a new sound, and producing was still a relatively new skill to her, but she wanted to tackle it head on, and do it all herself. On this song, though, "Water Me Down," Laetitia actually has a co-producer, Eric Littman. It’s the one exception to her otherwise entirely self-produced album. In this episode, she breaks down how she and Eric made the song, and why it was worth making that exception.
songexploder.net/va...
2020-01-2918 min
Song ExploderSemisonic - Closing TimeThe song “Closing Time” by the American rock band Semisonic came out in March 1998. It hit #1 on the Alternative charts, and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Song. It gets played in stadiums, Weird Al covered it, and it’s the last song of the night in countless bars.
Since then, Dan Wilson, the lead singer and songwriter of Semisonic, has become a powerhouse songwriter who has written or co-written for artists like John Legend and Taylor Swift. And he’s won Grammys for his songwriting with the Dixie Chicks and Adele. But over two decades...
2020-01-1525 min
Song ExploderVampire Weekend - Harmony HallThe band Vampire Weekend started in 2006, in New York. Their third album came out in 2013, and was named one of the best albums of the year all over the place, and it won a Grammy. But it took six years for their next album, Father of the Bride, to come out. This album’s also been nominated for a Grammy, for album of the year. And the lead single from it, “Harmony Hall,” was nominated for Best Rock Song.In this episode, Ezra Koenig from Vampire Weekend takes “Harmony Hall” apart. I spoke to him along with producer A...
2019-12-2526 min
Song ExploderIntro Theme and Thao's FarewellThao Nguyen has been guest hosting Song Exploder this year, with Christian Koons producing, to give Hrishikesh a little room to daydream. That’s all been possible because of the support of Radiotopia listeners. In this bonus episode, Thao says goodbye, and we break down the intro music that Hrishi made to go with Thao’s time as guest host. Thanks to everyone who has listened this year. If you’d like to support the future of the podcast, you can donate to Radiotopia. You can help make new things possible for the podcast. Make your mark. Go to radiot...
2019-12-1710 min
Song ExploderMeek Mill - TraumaMeek Mill is a rapper from Philadelphia. He’s put out five albums. His most recent, Championships, debuted at #1 on the charts, and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rap Album.
Back in 2007, He was arrested on a gun charge at the age of 19, and over the last eleven years, he was sent to prison four times for parole violations. But in July 2019, based on evidence of alleged police corruption, the Pennsylvania Superior Court threw out his conviction, and the parole violation that had led to his most recent time in prison, a five-month sentence.
...
2019-12-1118 min
Song ExploderBat for Lashes - Kids in the DarkNatasha Khan makes music under the name Bat for Lashes. She’s released five albums, including Lost Girls, which came out in September 2019.
In this episode, she breaks down the making of the lead single from that album, called “Kids in the Dark.” But just before she started writing it, she wasn't sure if she would make another album at all.
songexploder.net/bat-for-lashes
Right now, Radiotopia is holding its annual fundraiser. You can help support Song Exploder and the network that makes it possible. Make your mark. Go to Radiotopia.fm to donate...
2019-11-2720 min
Song ExploderJay Som - TendernessMelina Duterte goes by the name Jay Som. She’s a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. She’s released three albums as Jay Som, and has produced, engineered, and mixed each one.
Her third album, Anak Ko, came out in August 2019. And in this episode, Melina breaks down a song from it called “Tenderness.”
songexploder.net/jay-som
2019-11-1317 min
Song ExploderSlipknot - UnsaintedSlipknot is a Grammy-winning metal band from Des Moines, Iowa, who first formed in 1995. They’ve sold over 30 million records. In this episode, guitarist Jim Root breaks down how Slipknot made the song, “Unsainted,” from their 2019 album We Are Not Your Kind.
songexploder.net/slipknot
2019-10-3016 min
Song ExploderRaphael Saadiq - Kings FallRaphael Saadiq is a Grammy-winning songwriter, producer, and artist from Oakland, California. He was the lead singer of the legendary ‘90s R&B group Tony! Toni! Tone!. As a producer, he’s worked with D’Angelo, TLC, Mary J. Blige, Whitney Houston, Solange Knowles, and John Legend.
In August 2019, Raphael released his fifth solo album, Jimmy Lee, which is named for his late older brother. In this episode, he breaks down a song from he made with his nephew, Dylan Wiggins, called “Kings Fall.”
songexploder.net/raphael-saadiq
2019-10-1613 min
Inkblot AstrologyThe Elements ft. Hrishikesh HirwayCHRIS IS HOME FROM TOUR. This week we talk about the four Elements, pool jet orgasms, Rain-X, Jessica Rabbit, Chris' hypothetical murder podcast, + more, featuring an Astro Probe with Hrishikesh Hirway of podcasts Song Exploder + West Wing Weekly and of musical projects The One A.M. Radio + Moors. This week's advice: 1. I'm 16 and stressed that I won't be motivated to work hard when I get older, how do I maintain my focus and goals? 2. I'm a triple Scorpio, am I doomed? 3. I've never dated an Earth sign and I want to, is it weird to...
2019-10-0853 min
Song ExploderClairo - AlewifeClaire Cotrill is a singer, songwriter, and producer who goes by the name Clairo. She started releasing music in 2014 as a teenager. A few years later, songs she had uploaded to YouTube had racked up over 40 million views. This year, Clairo put out her debut album, Immunity. She’s recently performed on Ellen and Jimmy Kimmel, and played arenas, opening for Khalid. In this episode, Clairo breaks down her song “Alewife.” I spoke to Claire and her co-producer Rostam Batmanglij about how the song was made.
songexploder.net/clairo
2019-10-0223 min
Song ExploderBrittany Howard - Stay HighBrittany Howard is the guitarist and lead singer of the four-time Grammy-winning band Alabama Shakes. This month, she’s releasing her first solo album, called Jaime. In this episode, Brittany breaks down the song “Stay High,” which was the album’s first single. She started working on it while staying at a house in Topanga Canyon, near LA.
songexploder.net/brittany-howard
2019-09-1818 min
Song ExploderRobyn - HoneyRobyn is a Swedish singer and songwriter. Her first album came out in 1995, when she was 16 years old. It went platinum in the US, double-platinum in Sweden. Since then, she’s been nominated for five Grammys and started her own record label. But there was an eight-year gap between Robyn’s album Body Talk, which came out in 2010, and her most recent album, Honey, which came out last October. Time, Rolling Stone, and Pitchfork all named it one of the best albums of the year.
For Song Exploder, Robyn breaks down the song “Honey,” the title track from tha...
2019-09-0423 min
Song ExploderBon Iver - Holyfields,Justin Vernon founded the band Bon Iver in 2006. Bon Iver’s released four albums, and won two Grammys, including Best New Artist.
The most recent album, i,i, came out in August 2019, and in this episode, Justin breaks down a song from it called “Holyfields,.” He’s joined by producers Chris Messina and Brad Cook. We spoke to him in July, from his studio in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where the song started. They finished it at Sonic Ranch studio, in Tornillo, Texas, on the border of the US and Mexico.
songexploder.net/bon-iver
2019-08-2116 min
The West Wing Weekly7.06: The Al Smith DinnerAt long last, everyone is ready to unleash their negative ad campaigns. Here's one Hrishi came up with. JOSH MALINA—he's not nearly as mean as he makes himself out to be! He says he "ruined The West Wing," but even Richard Schiff says 'Arctic Radar' is one of the best episodes of the series. What else is Josh hiding? JOSH MALINA—actually pretty nice. (My name is Hrishikesh Hirway, and I approve this message.)
For more, visit thewestwingweekly.com/706
Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
2019-08-2151 min
Song ExploderSleater-Kinney - The Future Is HereSleater-Kinney was formed in 1994 by Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein. Drummer Janet Weiss was a member of the band from 1997 until 2019. In Time Magazine in 2001, author and critic Greil Marcus named Sleater-Kinney “America’s Best Band.” Over the years, they’ve made nine albums, including this year’s The Center Won’t Hold, which was produced by Annie Clark of St. Vincent. In this episode, Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein break down how the song “The Future Is Here” was made.
songexploder.net/sleater-kinney
2019-08-0718 min
The West Wing Weekly7.04: Mr. FrostJoshua Malina and Hrishikesh Hirway (collectively, “The Hosts”) have been served a subpoena to appear on this episode of the podcast, to testify in regards to the above television episode. Pursuant to this agreement, you (“Listener”) are required to listen to our nonsense. Failure to do so may result in missing out on some dumb thing that gets called back later, like a reference to a 2004 movie about dance battles.
For more, visit thewestwingweekly.com/704
Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
2019-08-0754 min
Song ExploderDenzel Curry - RICKYDenzel Curry is a rapper from Miami. He started his career at age 16 as part of the hip hop collective Raider Klan. He released his first solo album while still in high school.
In May 2019 Denzel released his fourth album, ZUU. He made it with the Australian production duo FnZ, who have been collaborating with him since 2016. The album was named Best New Music by Pitchfork, and Denzel made his TV debut on The Tonight Show.
songexploder.net/denzel-curry
2019-07-2414 min
Song ExploderJamila Woods - BALDWINJamila Woods is a singer, songwriter, and poet from Chicago. She’s released two albums, and she’s collaborated with artists like Chance the Rapper, Noname, and Macklemore.
In May 2019, she put out her second album, LEGACY! LEGACY!, to critical acclaim. NME called it one of the albums of the year, Rolling Stone called it a “revelation,” and Pitchfork named it “Best New Music.”
In this episode, Jamila and her producer Slot-A break down a song from that album, called “BALDWIN,” named after the late author and civil rights activist James Baldwin.
songexploder.net/jamila-woods
2019-07-1020 min
Song ExploderBig Thief - CattailsBig Thief is a four piece folk-rock band from Brooklyn, New York. In May 2019, they released their third album, U.F.O.F., to critical acclaim. Pitchfork named it “Best New Music.”
In this episode, singer Adrianne Lenker and drummer James Krivchenia break down a song from that album called “Cattails.”
songexploder.net/big-thief
2019-06-2616 min
Song ExploderSheryl Crow - Redemption Day (feat. Johnny Cash)Sheryl Crow is a singer-songwriter from Missouri. She’s released ten studio albums, sold over 50 million records, and has won nine Grammys.
In April 2019, Sheryl Crow released a new version of her song “Redemption Day,” which was first released on her self-titled album in 1996. This new version features vocals from Johnny Cash, who recorded a cover of the song that was released posthumously in 2010. And in this episode, Sheryl Crow breaks down how it all came together.
songexploder.net/sheryl-crow
2019-06-1222 min
Song ExploderRaleigh Ritchie - Time in a TreeRaleigh Ritchie is the musical alias of Jacob Anderson, a musician and actor who’s probably best known for playing the character Grey Worm on Game of Thrones.
Raleigh Ritchie released his first album in 2016, and he’s put out a handful of EPs. In September 2018, he put out the single, “Time in a Tree.” He made the song with Grammy-nominated producer Daniel Traynor, aka Grades. In this episode, the two of them take apart “Time in a Tree” to explain how it came together, and how it was influenced by classic Hollywood movies, Billy Joel, and overwhelming...
2019-05-2917 min
Song ExploderThe Mountain Goats - Cadaver Sniffing DogJohn Darnielle has been writing and recording songs as the Mountain Goats since 1991. He’s released 17 studio albums, and also written two books of fiction.
In April 2019, the Mountain Goats released the album In League with Dragons, and in this episode, John Darnielle breaks down a song from it, called Cadaver-Sniffing Dog. We’ll hear his original demo, and then, hear how the song evolved at Blackbird Studios in Nashville, with the help of John’s band, some incredible session musicians, and producer Owen Pallett.
songexploder.net/the-mountain-goats
2019-05-1525 min
Song ExploderThe Cranberries - All Over NowThe Cranberries formed in Limerick, Ireland in 1989. Singer Dolores O’Riordan joined a year later, and the group went on to become one of the defining bands on the ‘90s, eventually selling over 40 million records worldwide.
In January 2018, while the band was working on their eighth album, Dolores O’Riordan passed away unexpectedly. Later that year, remaining members Noel Hogan, Mike Hogan, and Fergal Lawler announced that they would end the band, and that this would be their final album. It's called In The End.
It was released in April 2019, and in this episode, guitarist and so...
2019-05-0123 min
Song ExploderPanda Bear - DolphinPanda Bear is musician Noah Lennox. He’s a founding member of the experimental, genre-defying band Animal Collective, and as a solo artists, he’s released six albums.
In February 2019, Panda Bear released the album Buoys, and in this episode, he and his co-producer Rusty Santos break down the opening song, “Dolphin.” You’ll hear the original demo, and how they drew inspiration from music from all over the world.
songexploder.net/panda-bear
2019-04-1713 min
Song ExploderSharon Van Etten - SeventeenSharon Van Etten is a singer and songwriter who’s put out five albums. She's also an actress—she’s in The OA and Twin Peaks. Her most recent album, Remind Me Tomorrow, came out in January 2019.
In this episode, Sharon breaks down a single from that album called “Seventeen.” She shares the original demo she made with the song’s co-writer Kate Davis, and we’ll hear from producer John Congleton, who helped craft Sharon’s new, more electronic sound.
songexploder.net/sharon-van-etten
2019-04-0326 min
Song ExploderNakhane - New Brighton (feat. Anohni)Nakhane is a singer and songwriter from Johannesburg, South Africa. His first album, Brave Confusion, won the South African Music Award for best alternative album in 2014. He starred in the award-winning film “The Wound,” which was shortlisted for the Oscar for Best Foreign Film.
Nakhane’s second album, You Will Not Die, was originally released in 2018, and then released in the US in 2019, as a deluxe version. The deluxe version includes this song,“New Brighton,” featuring guest vocals from Anohni. In this episode, as Nakhane breaks the song down, he talks about his complicated relationship with Christianity, why the so...
2019-03-2022 min
Song ExploderMumford & Sons - BelovedMumford & Sons are a Grammy-winning band that formed in London in 2007. They’ve put out four albums, and sold millions of copies. Their last three albums have all debuted at number one on the Billboard charts. The most recent of those albums is Delta, which came out in November 2018. The band is made up of Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall, and Ted Dwane, and in this episode, Marcus and Ben break down a song from Delta called “Beloved.” You’ll how the song went from Marcus’s original raw voice memo to the intricate finished track.
songexplod...
2019-03-0620 min
Song ExploderPhoebe Bridgers - Scott StreetPhoebe Bridgers is a singer-songwriter from Los Angeles. In September 2017, she released her debut album, Stranger in the Alps. One of the breakout songs from that album was “Scott Street,” a song Phoebe cowrote with her drummer, Marshall Vore. In this episode, Phoebe and Marshall break down how the song went from an unfinished cassette recording, to an acoustic demo, to the finished album version.
songexploder.net/phoebe-bridgers
2019-02-2022 min
Song ExploderWonderly - The Daily (Theme)The Daily is a hit podcast from The New York Times, hosted by Michael Barbaro. Every weekday, over 1.7 million people download the show. It launched in February 2017, and in honor of its two-year anniversary, we’re publishing a bonus episode about the show’s theme song, which was composed by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. It was originally published on the New York Times website, in 2018.
songexploder.net/the-daily
2019-02-0611 min
Song ExploderJapanese Breakfast - BoyishJapanese Breakfast is the musical project of Michelle Zauner, who’s been making music under that name since 2013. In July 2017, she released her second album, Soft Sounds from Another Planet, to critical acclaim.
In this episode, Michelle breaks down a song from that album called “Boyish,” along with her co-producer and bandmate Craig Hendrix. We’ll hear the original demo, plus a version Michelle recorded with her old band. And she’ll talk about how her perspective on the song has changed over the years.
songexploder.net/japanese-breakfast
2019-01-2318 min
Song ExploderHozier - Nina Cried Power (feat. Mavis Staples)Andrew Hozier-Byrne is a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter from Ireland. His debut single from 2013, “Take Me to Church,” was a massive, multi-platinum hit.
In September 2018, Hozier released the song “Nina Cried Power,” which features the legendary gospel singer Mavis Staples. In this episode, Hozier breaks down how he made the song, and Mavis Staples tells the story of how she got involved.
songexploder.net/hozier
2019-01-0919 min
This SongThis Song: Hrishikesh Hirway // Thao NguyenFor the last episode of 2018, This Song decided to celebrate some exciting changes at one of our favorite music podcasts. Starting in 2019, Song Exploder host, creator, and producer Hrisikesh Hirway will hand over hosting duties to Thao Nguyen of Thao and the Getdown Staydown.
Listen as Hrishikesh Hirway tells us how listening to Asha Bhosle’s “Yeh Hai Reshmi Zulfon Ka Andhera” as a young child helped open up a well of emotion that continues to inspire him to this day. Then we hear how Lucinda Williams helped Thao Nguyen understand the power of “the good hurt.”
Have a Happy...
2018-12-2633 min
Song ExploderYo-Yo Ma - Prelude, Cello Suite No. 1 in G MajorYo-Yo Ma is perhaps the most famous and well-loved cellist in the world. He was born in Paris in 1955; his family moved to the U.S. when he was seven. He played for President Kennedy that year. He played at Carnegie Hall for the first time when he was 16. He’s won 18 Grammys, and he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
For this special episode of Song Exploder, Yo-Yo Ma talks about the Prelude to Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cello Suite No.1 in G Major. He discusses learning, performing, and recording the piece across 58 years of his...
2018-12-2015 min
Song ExploderThao & The Get Down Stay Down - Astonished ManThao Nguyen is taking over as the new host of Song Exploder in 2019. This is a reissue of an episode from 2016 in which she was the guest.Thao & the Get Down Stay Down released the album A Man Alive in March 2016. In this episode, Thao Nguyen breaks down the song "Astonished Man." Thao talks about working with Merrill Garbus of Tune-Yards, who produced the album, and she speaks candidly about her relationship with her estranged father, the subject of the song.songexploder.net/thao
2018-12-1314 min
Song ExploderFleetwood Mac - Go Your Own WayLindsey Buckingham is a singer-songwriter, a guitarist, and a producer. In 1974, he joined the band Fleetwood Mac, along with Stevie Nicks, his girlfriend at the time. A few year later, in 1977, Fleetwood Mac released the album Rumours, which would go on to sell over 40 million copies and become the eighth highest-selling album in history. In this episode, Lindsey Buckingham breaks down “Go Your Own Way," a song he wrote for that album about his relationship with Stevie Nicks.
songexploder.net/fleetwood-mac
2018-12-0521 min
Song ExploderBreakmaster Cylinder - Reply AllFour years ago, on November 24, 2014, the first episode of the podcast Reply All came out. It’s a podcast about the internet hosted by Alex Goldman and PJ Vogt. And since then, they’ve put out 131 episodes. The show has gotten over 100 million downloads so far. Robert Downey Jr. is going to star in a movie based on one of their episodes. And from the debut, it’s been one of my favorite podcasts. A while back, in 2015, I did a special edition of Song Exploder for Reply All, about their theme song by Breakmaster Cylinder. I’d hear the guys...
2018-11-2612 min
Song ExploderEmpress Of - When I'm With HimLorely Rodriguez is a singer, songwriter, and producer who goes by the name Empress Of. She’s released two albums, and she’s sung on tracks with Khalid, Blood Orange, and Dirty Projectors. Her first album, Me, was made on her own. But her second album, Us, features a bunch of collaborators. In this episode, Lorely breaks down the Empress Of song “When I’m With Him.” She co-produced it with Jim-E Stack and Dan Nigro, and I spoke to Jim-E Stack for this episode, too. Lorely explained how collaborating with producers opened up her process. Plus, the song’s lyrics are...
2018-11-1914 min
Song ExploderBig Boi - Order of OperationsBig Boi is a rapper from Atlanta. When he was a teenager, he and Andre 3000 formed OutKast, and went on to sell over 25 million records and win six Grammys. He’s released three solo albums, including Boomiverse, which came out in 2017. In this episode, Big Boi breaks down a song from that album called “Order of Operations.”
songexploder.net/big-boi
2018-11-0515 min
Song ExploderJohn Carpenter - Halloween (Theme)In 1978, John Carpenter wrote, directed, and scored the film Halloween. It was made on a $300,000 budget, and ended up grossing over $70 million, making it one of the most successful independent movies ever released. The main theme to the film became one of the most iconic pieces of cinematic music ever made. *Halloween *became a franchise with ten more Halloween films since the original. In 2018 a new Halloween film was released, directed by David Gordon Green. And for the first time since the first film, John Carpenter composed the score. That included remaking his theme song for the new film...
2018-10-2612 min
Getting Better with Jonathan Van NessWhat Goes into a Song? with Hrishikesh HirwayHrishikesh Hirway is a musician & host of Song Exploder who joins with Jonathan to talk about about the many elements that go into creating a song, speaking with artists like Solange, Lorde, & Weezer about their creative process & what goes into their songwriting, as well as his own creative process.
Find Hrishi Hirway on Twitter & Instagram @HrishiHirway & visit Song Exploder http://songexploder.net/
Find out what today’s guest and former guests are up to by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN.
Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.
Ch...
2018-08-0137 minThis SongThis Song: Hrishikesh Hirway // Basia BulatHrishikesh Hirway produces the “Song Exploder” podcast where artists deconstruct and explain their work. He’s also a musician who leads the band The One AM Radio and and provides the music for the hip-hop project Moors. Listen as he explains how hearing Asha Bhosle’s “Yeh Hai Reshmi Zulfon Ka Andhera,” at the age of 6 helped him understand a feeling that he would be able to draw inspiration from for his entire life.
Then Canadian singer-songwriter and multi instrumentalist Basia Bulat explains why a live version of Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home To Me,” changed her life.
2016-05-1837 min
Nerv with Ryan Williams87: Podcaster MasterClass w/ Hrishikesh Hirway of Song ExploderHrishikesh Hirway is a musician, story-teller, and podcast host who hosts Song Exploder, a podcast where musicians take apart their songs, and piece by piece, telling the story of how they were made. He has had inspiring and loved musicians such as U2, Björk, Postal Service and Spoon on the show. Hrishikesh is a podcast mastercraftsman and we talk in depth about his creative process and how he launched his idea to the world. We dive into how he created one of the most successful music podcasts. As a podcast listener Song Exploder invites you into the m...
2016-04-2055 min
Stories of The Influencer Economy with Ryan Williams87: Podcaster MasterClass w/ Hrishikesh Hirway of Song ExploderHrishikesh Hirway is a musician, story-teller, and podcast host who hosts Song Exploder, a podcast where musicians take apart their songs, and piece by piece, telling the story of how they were made. He has had inspiring and loved musicians such as U2, Björk, Postal Service and Spoon on the show. Hrishikesh is a podcast mastercraftsman and we talk in depth about his creative process and how he launched his idea to the world. We dive into how he created one of the most successful music podcasts. As a podcast listener Song Exploder invites you into the m...
2016-04-2055 min
Gilmore Guys609 - The Prodigal Daughter Returns (with Hrishikesh Hirway)Hrishikesh Hirway (@HrishiHirway) joins the Gilmore Guys to gab all about Episode 609 - The Prodigal Daughter Returns!
This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, Southern Comfort, and Headspace
Pop Culture Plugs
Hrishikesh Hirway: Please Like Me (📺)
Demi: The Grinder (📺)
Kevin: Angie Tribeca (📺)
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2016-02-293h 17Gilmore Guys505 - We Got Us a Pippi Virgin (with Hrishikesh Hirway)Hrishikesh Hirway (@HrishiHirway) joins the Gilmore Guys to gab all about Episode 505 - We Got Us a Pippi Virgin
- Pop Culture Plugs -
Hrishikesh: Song Exploder (🎧), The Moors (🎸)
Kevin: Mr. Robot (📺)
Demi: Straight Outta Compton (🎥)
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2015-09-162h 18