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Song Exploder
Song Exploder
Hrishikesh Hirway

Song Exploder is a podcast where musicians take apart their songs, and piece by piece, tell the story of how they were... more

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Episodes

Re-issue: Jon Batiste - We Are

For the last couple weeks, I’ve been getting ready for a trip I’m going to make to Connecticut, to moderate... more

02 Oct 2024 · 24 minutes
Troye Sivan - One of Your Girls

Troye Sivan is a singer and songwriter from Australia. He’s been nominated for a Golden Globe, two Grammys, and he’s... more

18 Sep 2024 · 23 minutes
Beabadoobee - Coming Home

Beabadoobee is an award-winning singer and songwriter from England who’s been releasing music since 2017. Her third album is called... more

04 Sep 2024 · 15 minutes
Remi Wolf - Soup

Remi Wolf is a singer and songwriter originally from Palo Alto, California. She’s been releasing music since 2019. She performed... more

21 Aug 2024 · 18 minutes
Sam Smith - Stay With Me

Sam Smith is a Grammy and Oscar-winning singer and songwriter from London, England. Their first album, In the Lonely Hour,... more

24 Jul 2024 · 23 minutes
Fenne Lily - Lights Light Up

Fenne Lily is a singer and songwriter from Dorset, England. She released her first album in 2018, but I didn’t... more

10 Jul 2024 · 21 minutes
Re-issue: Vagabon - Water Me Down

Last year, Vagabon released her third album, Sorry I Haven’t Called, which I’ve been listening to a lot. So I... more

26 Jun 2024 · 19 minutes
Crowded House - Don't Dream It's Over

Crowded House formed in 1985 in Melbourne, Australia. They’ve released eight albums, including their most recent one, Gravity Stairs, which... more

12 Jun 2024 · 22 minutes
Lizzy McAlpine - Staying

Lizzy McAlpine released her first album in 2020, and her second album in 2022. And between the two, she’s had... more

29 May 2024 · 18 minutes
The Flaming Lips - Do You Realize??

The Flaming Lips formed in Oklahoma City in 1983. Over the last four decades, they’ve put out 16 albums. In... more

15 May 2024 · 20 minutes
Re-issue: Arooj Aftab - Mohabbat

One of the songs I keep coming back to is “Mohabbat” by Arooj Aftab. It’s really special to me. I... more

01 May 2024 · 24 minutes
War - Low Rider

The band War formed in 1969, in Long Beach, California. “Low Rider” is from their 1975 album Why Can’t We... more

17 Apr 2024 · 18 minutes
Shania Twain - You're Still The One

Shania Twain is a singer and songwriter from Ontario, Canada. She’s the only female artist to have had three consecutive... more

03 Apr 2024 · 18 minutes
Danny Brown - Y.B.P. (feat. Bruiser Wolf)

Danny Brown started his career in 2007 by handing out mixtapes in Detroit, where he’s from. In 2011, he put... more

20 Mar 2024 · 17 minutes
Rhiannon Giddens - You Louisiana Man

Rhiannon Giddens has released five solo albums since 2015. Before that, she was a member of the Grammy-winning band, the... more

06 Mar 2024 · 19 minutes
Re-issue: Arlo Parks - Black Dog

I wanted to revisit an episode about one of my favorite songs from 2021, “Black Dog” by Arlo Parks. A... more

21 Feb 2024 · 19 minutes
Green Day - Basket Case

Green Day is a punk band from the East Bay in California. Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool... more

07 Feb 2024 · 21 minutes
The Postal Service - The District Sleeps Alone Tonight (Deluxe Anniversary Edition)

The first episode of Song Exploder, about The Postal Service song "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight," came out 10 years... more

24 Jan 2024 · 26 minutes
Foo Fighters - The Teacher

For the last episode of the year, I got the chance to drive up to Northridge, California, and have a... more

20 Dec 2023 · 33 minutes
Raye - Escapism (feat. 070 Shake)

Raye is a singer, songwriter and producer from London. Besides being an artist in her own right, she’s also been... more

06 Dec 2023 · 21 minutes
Sampha - Spirit 2.0

Sampha is a singer, songwriter and producer from London. His first album, Process, won the Mercury Prize in 2017. He’s... more

15 Nov 2023 · 19 minutes
Paramore - Liar

I think one of the hardest things there is to do in music is to write a love song that... more

01 Nov 2023 · 20 minutes
Kesha - Eat The Acid

Kesha is a singer and songwriter from Los Angeles. She put out her first song in 2009, and it was... more

18 Oct 2023 · 21 minutes
Alvvays - Archie, Marry Me

Alvvays is from Toronto. Their first album came out in 2014, and they’ve put out two other albums since then.... more

04 Oct 2023 · 22 minutes
Laufey - From The Start

Laufey is a singer and songwriter originally from Iceland. She studied piano and cello as a kid. When she was... more

20 Sep 2023 · 18 minutes
Re-issue: Janelle Monáe - So Afraid

This summer, in June 2023, Janelle Monáe put out her fourth album, The Age of Pleasure. Listening to it made... more

30 Aug 2023 · 19 minutes
Siddhartha Khosla - Only Murders in the Building (Main Title Theme)

The "Skip Intro" button first got introduced to us through Netflix in 2017, and, I know, a lot of people... more

16 Aug 2023 · 15 minutes
Local Natives - Dark Days

It can be hard to be in a band, or really, in any kind of group where there’s creative collaboration,... more

02 Aug 2023 · 24 minutes
Bakar - Hell N Back

Bakar is a singer and songwriter from London. In 2018 he put out his first release, Badkid. A year later,... more

19 Jul 2023 · 22 minutes
Natalie Merchant - Sister Tilly

Natalie Merchant is an award-winning singer and songwriter from upstate New York. She was the lead singer of the band... more

28 Jun 2023 · 24 minutes
Re-issue: Julien Baker - Appointments

This week, I wanted to go back and revisit an older episode. I recorded an interview with singer and songwriter... more

14 Jun 2023 · 20 minutes
Feist - In Lightning

Feist is a singer/songwriter from Canada. She put out her first solo album in 1999. She’s won 11 Juno awards,... more

31 May 2023 · 20 minutes
Madison McFerrin - Run (feat. Bobby McFerrin)

Madison McFerrin is a singer, songwriter, and producer from New York. She’s sung with legends like Aretha Franklin, George Clinton,... more

17 May 2023 · 19 minutes
New Order - Blue Monday

In May 1980, the band Joy Division was devastated by the death of lead singer Ian Curtis. The three remaining... more

03 May 2023 · 22 minutes
Re-issue: Mobb Deep - Shook Ones, Pt. II

It’s usually hard to pin down when a genre of music starts. But people point to this one party in... more

19 Apr 2023 · 21 minutes
Yaeji - Passed Me By

Yaeji is a singer, songwriter, and producer from New York. During her childhood she moved between Queens, Atlanta, and Seoul.... more

05 Apr 2023 · 20 minutes
Seal - Kiss from a Rose

Seal is a multi-Grammy-winning singer and songwriter from England. His song “Kiss from a Rose” was first released in 1994,... more

22 Mar 2023 · 22 minutes
Kenny Beats - Still

Kenny Beats is a hip-hop producer who’s been making beats and producing songs for other artists since 2010. He’s got... more

08 Mar 2023 · 18 minutes
Re-issue: Kimbra - Top of the World

Last month, in January 2023, Kimbra put out her fourth album. I was listening to it, and it made me... more

22 Feb 2023 · 19 minutes
MUNA - What I Want

MUNA is a trio from Los Angeles, made up of Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin, and Naomi McPherson. They’ve been making... more

08 Feb 2023 · 19 minutes
Noah Kahan - Stick Season

Noah Kahan is a singer and songwriter from Strafford, Vermont. Last year, in 2022, he released Stick Season, his third... more

25 Jan 2023 · 18 minutes
Sampa the Great - Let Me Be Great (feat. Angélique Kidjo)

Sampa The Great is a songwriter, rapper, and singer from Zambia. She was based in Australia for years, but came... more

21 Dec 2022 · 28 minutes
Son Lux - This is a Life (from 'Everything Everywhere All at Once')

Everything Everywhere All at Once is a sci-fi comedy independent film that came out in the spring of 2022. It’s... more

07 Dec 2022 · 23 minutes
Omah Lay - Never Forget

Omah Lay is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and producer. He’s one of the young stars of Afrobeats, the West African... more

16 Nov 2022 · 15 minutes
Book Exploder: James McBride - Deacon King Kong

The final episode of Book Exploder is with author James McBride. He was born in New York City and raised... more

09 Nov 2022 · 20 minutes
Iron & Wine - Flightless Bird, American Mouth

In 2002, Sam Beam’s first album as Iron & Wine was released on Sub Pop Records. He’d given them a... more

02 Nov 2022 · 20 minutes
Book Exploder: George Saunders - Victory Lap

George Saunders has won the Booker Prize, and he’s the recipient of a MacArthur Genius Grant. He won the Folio... more

26 Oct 2022 · 18 minutes
Santigold - Ushers of the New World

Santigold is a singer, songwriter, and producer. She’s put out 4 albums since 2008, and she’s been featured as a... more

19 Oct 2022 · 17 minutes
Book Exploder: Celeste Ng - Little Fires Everywhere

Celeste Ng is an American writer and author of three novels. Her second novel, Little Fires Everywhere, was published in... more

12 Oct 2022 · 19 minutes
King Princess - Let Us Die

King Princess is the project of Mikaela Straus, a singer, songwriter, and producer from Brooklyn. She’s a platinum-selling artist, and... more

05 Oct 2022 · 19 minutes
Book Exploder: Tayari Jones - An American Marriage

Tayari Jones is the author of four novels. She won the 2019 Women's Prize for Fiction, and received a Lifetime... more

28 Sep 2022 · 18 minutes
Panic! At the Disco - Viva Las Vengeance

Panic! At the Disco is the Grammy-nominated project of Brendon Urie, who originally started it as a band with his... more

21 Sep 2022 · 18 minutes
Book Exploder: Carmen Maria Machado - In the Dream House

Carmen Maria Machado is the award-winning author of In the Dream House, a memoir where each chapter has its own... more

14 Sep 2022 · 18 minutes
Re-issue: Björk - Stonemilker

(This is a re-issue of Björk’s episode from December 2015.) In January 2015, Björk released Vulnicura. She described it as "a... more

07 Sep 2022 · 22 minutes
Book Exploder: Michael Cunningham - The Hours

Michael Cunningham is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Hours. He’s the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts... more

31 Aug 2022 · 19 minutes
Madonna - Hung Up

Madonna is the best-selling female recording artist of all time. She has twelve albums that have gone multi-platinum. She’s won... more

24 Aug 2022 · 22 minutes
Book Exploder: Min Jin Lee - Pachinko

Min Jin Lee is the author of the best-selling novel Pachinko. She’s a Guggenheim Fellow, and the recipient of South... more

17 Aug 2022 · 19 minutes
Kae Tempest - Move

Kae Tempest is a songwriter, rapper, an award-winning poet, and best-selling novelist. They’ve been nominated for the UK’s Mercury Prize... more

10 Aug 2022 · 17 minutes
Book Exploder: Susan Orlean - The Library Book

Introducing a new miniseries: Book Exploder, where authors break down a passage from one of their books, and discuss the... more

03 Aug 2022 · 19 minutes
Sudan Archives - Selfish Soul

Sudan Archives is a singer, songwriter, producer, and violinist. She grew up in Cincinnati before moving to LA. Her music... more

27 Jul 2022 · 16 minutes
mxmtoon - Mona Lisa

Maia from mxmtoon released her first EP in 2018. She was 18 years old, recorded it in her bedroom, and... more

13 Jul 2022 · 14 minutes
Monica Martin - Go Easy, Kid

Monica Martin is a singer and songwriter based in Los Angeles. Before that, she was based in Madison, Wisconsin, where... more

29 Jun 2022 · 25 minutes
Maren Morris - Humble Quest

Maren Morris is a Grammy-winning, multi-platinum artist. She’s also won multiple country music awards, including CMAs for Female Vocalist of... more

15 Jun 2022 · 17 minutes
Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up

Rick Astley is a singer and songwriter from England, whose debut single, "Never Gonna Give You Up," became an international... more

01 Jun 2022 · 24 minutes
Kevin Morby - This Is a Photograph

Kevin Morby is a singer and songwriter based in Kansas City. He’s put out seven albums since 2013, including his... more

18 May 2022 · 20 minutes
Arooj Aftab - Mohabbat

Arooj Aftab is a singer and composer based in Brooklyn. She grew up in Saudi Arabia, but her family is... more

04 May 2022 · 23 minutes
Partners: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

This week, I want to introduce you to another podcast that I make, called Partners. It’s a show about partnerships... more

20 Apr 2022 · 17 minutes
Peaches - Boys Wanna Be Her

Peaches is a musician, producer, and performance artist. She’s released six albums and in 2015, she won the Polaris Heritage Music... more

06 Apr 2022 · 15 minutes
Steve Reich - Different Trains: America, Before the War

Steve Reich is a legendary composer who was one of the pioneers of minimalism. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize... more

23 Mar 2022 · 30 minutes
Re-issue: Perfume Genius - Slip Away

This week, I want to revisit one of my favorite episodes of Song Exploder, with Perfume Genius telling the story... more

09 Mar 2022 · 22 minutes
Sarah Kinsley - The King

Sarah Kinsley is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Her most recent release is an EP called The King, which came... more

23 Feb 2022 · 18 minutes
Brandi Carlile - You and Me On the Rock (feat. Lucius)

Brandi Carlile is a singer and songwriter from Washington State. She's  released seven albums and won six Grammys. Her most... more

09 Feb 2022 · 20 minutes
Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out

The band Franz Ferdinand formed in 2002, in Glasgow, Scotland. They’ve won the Mercury Prize and two BRIT Awards, they... more

26 Jan 2022 · 22 minutes
Joy Oladokun - Look Up

Joy Oladokun is a singer and songwriter from Arizona, now based in Nashville, who’s been releasing music since 2015. Last... more

12 Jan 2022 · 20 minutes
Danny Elfman - What’s This? (from “The Nightmare Before Christmas”)

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas came out in 1993. It’s a stop-motion animated musical, with music by legendary composer... more

15 Dec 2021 · 19 minutes
Halsey - You Asked for This

Halsey is an award-winning singer and songwriter from New Jersey. She's been nominated for two Grammys, and sold over a... more

01 Dec 2021 · 17 minutes
Hans Zimmer - Dune

The movie Dune was released on October 21. It's the most recent adaptation of Frank Herbert's epic science fiction novel... more

17 Nov 2021 · 29 minutes
The War On Drugs - I Don't Live Here Anymore (feat. Lucius)

The War on Drugs is a band from Philadelphia who formed in 2005. They won the Grammy for Best Rock... more

03 Nov 2021 · 24 minutes
Willow - Transparent Soul feat. Travis Barker

Willow Smith is a singer and songwriter from Los Angeles. She’s also a member of one of the most famous... more

20 Oct 2021 · 16 minutes
Hrishikesh Hirway TED Talk - What You Learn When You Listen Closely

This summer, I gave a TED Talk at the TED Conference. My talk was about what you discover when you... more

13 Oct 2021 · 16 minutes
Song Exploder
Brandi Carlile - You and Me On the Rock (feat. Lucius)
Song Exploder
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Description

Brandi Carlile is a singer and songwriter from Washington State. She's  released seven albums and won six Grammys. Her most recent album... more