Song Exploder

Song Exploder is a podcast where musicians take apart their songs, and piece by piece, tell the story of how they were made. Each episode features an artist discussing a song of theirs, breaking down the sounds and ideas that went into the writing and recording. Hosted and produced by Hrishikesh Hirway.

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Episodes

• Noah Kahan - Stick Season

  Wednesday, January 25th, 2023

  19 minutes

  Noah Kahan tells the story of how he created his hit song "Stick Season."

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• Sampa the Great - Let Me Be Great (feat. Angélique Kidjo)

  Wednesday, December 21st, 2022

  29 minutes

  Sampa the Great, Angélique Kidjo, and producer Mag44 break down the making of "Let Me Be Great."

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• Son Lux - This is a Life (from 'Everything Everywhere All at Once')

  Wednesday, December 7th, 2022

  23 minutes

  Ryan Lott of Son Lux breaks down "This Is a Life," the end credits song from the hit film ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once.’

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• Omah Lay - Never Forget

  Wednesday, November 16th, 2022

  15 minutes

  Omah Lay breaks down his song, "Never Forget."

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• Book Exploder: James McBride - Deacon King Kong

  Wednesday, November 9th, 2022

  20 minutes

  James McBride breaks down the opening passage of his 2020 novel Deacon King Kong.

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• Iron & Wine - Flightless Bird, American Mouth

  Wednesday, November 2nd, 2022

  21 minutes

  Sam Beam of Iron & Wine breaks down "Flightless Bird, American Mouth."

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• Book Exploder: George Saunders - Victory Lap

  Wednesday, October 26th, 2022

  19 minutes

  George Saunders breaks down a passage from "Victory Lap," a short story from Tenth of December.

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• Santigold - Ushers of the New World

  Wednesday, October 19th, 2022

  18 minutes

  Santigold breaks down "Ushers of the New World."

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• Book Exploder: Celeste Ng - Little Fires Everywhere

  Wednesday, October 12th, 2022

  19 seconds

  Celeste Ng breaks down a passage from her best-selling novel, Little Fires Everywhere.

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• King Princess - Let Us Die

  Wednesday, October 5th, 2022

  19 seconds

  King Princess breaks down her single, "Let Us Die", joined by her collaborators Ethan Gruska and Mark Ronson.

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• Book Exploder: Tayari Jones - An American Marriage

  Wednesday, September 28th, 2022

  18 seconds

  Tayari Jones breaks down a passage from An American Marriage.

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• Panic! At the Disco - Viva Las Vengeance

  Wednesday, September 21st, 2022

  18 seconds

  Brendon Urie of Panic! At the Disco breaks down "Viva Las Vengeance."

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• Book Exploder: Carmen Maria Machado - In the Dream House

  Wednesday, September 14th, 2022

  18 seconds

  Carmen Maria Machado breaks down a passage from her 2019 memoir, In the Dream House.

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• Re-issue: Björk - Stonemilker

  Wednesday, September 7th, 2022

  22 seconds

  Björk breaks down her song Stonemilker.

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• Book Exploder: Michael Cunningham - The Hours

  Wednesday, August 31st, 2022

  19 seconds

  Michael Cunningham breaks down a passage from the prologue of The Hours, his Pulitzer-winning novel.

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• Madonna - Hung Up

  Wednesday, August 24th, 2022

  22 seconds

  Madonna breaks down her song "Hung Up," along with co-writer and co-producer Stuart Price.

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• Book Exploder: Min Jin Lee - Pachinko

  Wednesday, August 17th, 2022

  19 seconds

  Min Jin Lee discusses a passage from her novel Pachinko.

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• Kae Tempest - Move

  Wednesday, August 10th, 2022

  17 seconds

  Kae Tempest and producer Dan Carey break down "Move."

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• Book Exploder: Susan Orlean - The Library Book

  Wednesday, August 3rd, 2022

  19 seconds

  Susan Orlean breaks down a passage from her best-seller, The Library Book.

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• Sudan Archives - Selfish Soul

  Wednesday, July 27th, 2022

  16 seconds

  Sudan Archives breaks down her song "Selfish Soul."

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• mxmtoon - Mona Lisa

  Wednesday, July 13th, 2022

  14 seconds

  mxmtoon breaks down her song "Mona Lisa."

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• Monica Martin - Go Easy, Kid

  Wednesday, June 29th, 2022

  25 seconds

  Monica Martin breaks down her song "Go Easy, Kid."

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• Maren Morris - Humble Quest

  Wednesday, June 15th, 2022

  17 seconds

  Maren Morris breaks down her song "Humble Quest."

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• Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up

  Wednesday, June 1st, 2022

  24 seconds

  Rick Astley tells the story of how "Never Gonna Give You Up" was made.

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• Kevin Morby - This Is a Photograph

  Wednesday, May 18th, 2022

  20 seconds

  Kevin Morby breaks down his song "This Is a Photograph."

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• Arooj Aftab - Mohabbat

  Wednesday, May 4th, 2022

  23 seconds

  Arooj Aftab tells the story of making her song "Mohabbat."

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• Partners: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

  Wednesday, April 20th, 2022

  17 seconds

  Robert Plant & Alison Krauss tell the story of their Grammy-winning partnership.

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• Peaches - Boys Wanna Be Her

  Wednesday, April 6th, 2022

  15 seconds

  Peaches breaks down her song "Boys Wanna Be Her."

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• Steve Reich - Different Trains: America, Before the War

  Wednesday, March 23rd, 2022

  30 seconds

  Steve Reich breaks down the first movement of "Different Trains."

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• Reissue: Perfume Genius - Slip Away

  Wednesday, March 9th, 2022

  22 seconds

  Mike Hadreas breaks down his song "Slip Away."

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More episodes...