Song Exploder: Difference between revisions

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| hosting = {{ubl|[[Hrishikesh Hirway]] <br><small>(2014–18, 2019–present)</small>|[[Thao Nguyen]] <br><small>(2018–19)</small>}}

| language = English

| updates = Biweekly

| length =

| production = {{ubl|Christian Koons|Hrishikesh Hirway (Exec.)}}

| audio format =

| began = {{Start date|2014|1|1}}

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| genre = [[Music podcast]]

| url = {{URL|http://www.songexploder.net|''Song Exploder''}}

| num_episodes = <!-- As of 27 March2022: --><onlyinclude>229297</onlyinclude><!--This was added so all pages with this data will be updated and synchronized all at the same time with the convenience of only making a single edit that is made right here. --> (as of August 6, 2025)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://songexploder.net|title=Song Exploder|website=Song Exploder}}</ref>{{efn|309, including Bonus episodes, Specials, and "Key Change", etc.}}

| list_episodes = List of Song Exploder episodes

| provider = {{ubl|[[Maximum Fun]] (2014–15)|[[Radiotopia]] (2015–present)}}

}}

'''''Song Exploder''''' is a [[music podcast]] created and hosted by [[Hrishikesh Hirway]], whowhich hosteddebuted itin from itsJanuary 2014. inceptionIt untilis latepart 2018of and again from December 2019 onwards. In January 2019,the [[Thao NguyenRadiotopia]] becamepodcast anetwork guestfrom host[[Public forRadio the year, with Christian Koons serving as producer, and Hirway moving to executive producerExchange|PRX]]. The [[biweekly]] show features musicians talking about the creative process behind an individual song while "deconstructing"breaking down the song into its component parts. AsIn of 20212020, the show'spodcast teamwas isadapted composedinto ofa host[[Netflix]] and[https://www.netflix.com/title/80992997 produceroriginal Hirway,series]. illustrator Carlos Lerma, and Music Clearance Director Kathleen Smith.

The podcast launched on the [[Maximum Fun]] network, became independent in February 2015 and joined [[Radiotopia]] in June 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Thanks to Song Exploder & The Memory Palace|url=http://jessethorn.tumblr.com/post/111237056756/thanks-to-song-exploder-the-memory-palace|work=Jesse Thorn: Tumbler|date=February 16, 2015|access-date=May 16, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite webnews|title=Song Exploder Joins Radiotopia - PRX|url=https://blog.prx.org/2015/06/song-exploder-joins-radiotopia/|work=[[Public Radio Exchange]]|date=June 11, 2015|access-date=May 16, 2016|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180706191632/https://blog.prx.org/2015/06/song-exploder-joins-radiotopia/|archive-date=July 6, 2018}}</ref>

==Format==

Each episode begins with the host introducing the show's featured musician (or musicians) and giving a brief history of the musical act or television program with which they are associated. The artist then discusses the creative process used in the creation of a particular song. This may include anything from [[songwriting]] to [[Sound recording and reproduction|recording]] to [[post-production]]. The discussion is interspersed with short clips of separate [[audio channel|tracks]] from the song isolated to illustrate the topics being discussed – for example, the drum track might be played to demonstrate how a particular beat was used in the song. The episode ends by playing a recording of the featured song in its entirety.<ref name="npr">{{cite web|title=Breaking a Song Apart, Note by Note|url=https://www.npr.org/2014/09/18/349576284/breaking-a-song-apart-note-by-note|work=[[National Public Radio]]|publisher=[[All Things Considered]]|date=September 18, 2014|access-date=October 25, 2014}}</ref> Hirway edits his side of the conversation out of the recording with the purpose of condensing the contents of the podcast around the song's creation and how the artist brought it to life.

The format of each episode--including its narrative structure, editing, and sound design--contributes to the podcast's construction of intimacy. ''Song Exploder''<nowiki/>'s sense of intimacy paradoxically upholds and subverts normative notions of intimacy at the same time.[https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/13548565231160886]

==Subjects==

''Song Exploder'' has taken a deep-dive into more than 200 tracks, including: [[Kiss from a Rose]] with [[Seal (musician)|Seal]] and [[Trevor Horn]] and into [[Blue Monday (New Order song)|Blue Monday]] with [[Peter Hook]]—formerly of [[New Order (band)|New Order]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://songexploder.net/seal|title=Episode 250: Seal|date=22 March 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://songexploder.net/new-order|title=Episode 252: New Order|date=3 May 2023 }}</ref>

''Song Exploder'' has explored the music of: [[U2]], [[Metallica]], [[Alicia Keys]], [[Norah Jones]], [[Fleet Foxes]], [[R.E.M.]], [[Arcade Fire]], [[Fleetwood Mac]], [[Sheryl Crow]], [[The 1975]], and [[Dua Lipa]], among many more.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://songexploder.net/u2|title=Episode 42: U2|date=June 30, 2015|website=Song Exploder}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://songexploder.net/metallica|title=Episode 93: Metallica|date=January 6, 2017|website=Song Exploder}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://songexploder.net/norah-jones|title=Episode 101: Norah Jones|date=March 30, 2017|website=Song Exploder}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://songexploder.net/fleet-foxes|title=Episode 109: Fleet Foxes|date=June 22, 2017|website=Song Exploder}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://songexploder.net/rem|title=Episode 125: R.E.M.|date=December 20, 2017|website=Song Exploder}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://songexploder.net/arcade-fire|title=Episode 134: Arcade Fire|date=April 25, 2018|website=Song Exploder}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://songexploder.net/fleetwood-mac|title=Episode 150: Fleetwood Mac|date=December 5, 2018|website=Song Exploder}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://songexploder.net/sheryl-crow|title=Episode 161: Sheryl Crow|date=June 12, 2019|website=Song Exploder}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://songexploder.net/dua-lipa|title=Episode 194: Dua Lipa|date=October 7, 2020|website=Song Exploder}}</ref>

The podcast has also deconstructed the [[theme music]] of: ''[[House of Cards (American TV series)|House of Cards]]'', ''[[Downton Abbey]]'', and ''[[Game of Thrones]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://songexploder.net/jeff-beal|title=Episode 7: House of Cards|date=April 1, 2014|website=Song Exploder}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://songexploder.net/downton-abbey|title=Episode 37: Downton Abbey|date=May 6, 2015|website=Song Exploder}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://songexploder.net/ramin-djawadi|title=Episode 40: Game of Thrones|date=June 11, 2015|website=Song Exploder}}</ref>

Furthermore, ''Song Exploder'' has analysed the ''[[La La Land]]'', ''[[Moonlight (2016 film)|Moonlight]]'', and ''[[Black Panther (film)|Black Panther]]'' [[film score|film scores]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://songexploder.net/la-la-land|title=Episode 92: La La Land|date=December 21, 2016|website=Song Exploder}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://songexploder.net/moonlight|title=Episode 95: Moonlight|date=January 30, 2017|website=Song Exploder}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://songexploder.net/black-panther|title=Episode 131: Black Panther|date=March 14, 2018|website=Song Exploder}}</ref>

In addition to theme music and film scoresFurthermore, the podcast has takenalso ananalysed in-depth[[theme lookmusic]] at thefrom ''[[WatchDownton DogsAbbey]]'' (videoand game)|Watch''[[Game of DogsThrones]]'', as well as music from ''[[videoLa gameLa musicLand]]'' and ''[[The DailyMoonlight (podcast2016 film)|The DailyMoonlight]]'' podcast theme.<ref>{{Citecite web|url=https://songexploder.net/briandownton-reitzellabbey|title=Episode 1537: BrianDownton ReitzellAbbey|date=August 6, 2014May 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|websiteurl=Songhttps://songexploder.net/ramin-djawadi|title=Episode 40: Game of Thrones|date=11 June 2015 Exploder}}</ref><ref>{{Citecite web|url=https://songexploder.net/thela-dailyla-land|title=Bonus Episode 92: TheLa DailyLa fromLand|date=21 TheDecember New2016 York}}</ref><ref>{{cite Timesweb|dateurl=Februaryhttps://songexploder.net/moonlight|title=Episode 6,95: 2019Moonlight|websitedate=Song30 January 2017 Exploder}}</ref>

==Reception==

The show receives generally positive reception and has been featured at the [[Sundance Film Festival]], [[SXSW]], [[Noise Pop Festival]], and [[Moogfest]].''[[Vulture (magazine)|Vulture]]'' said, "''Song Exploder'' is probably the best use of the podcast format ever," and named it one of the Top 10 Podcasts of 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Quah|first=Nicholas|title=The 10 Best Podcasts and 10 Best Podcast Episodes of 2015|url=https://www.vulture.com/2015/12/10-best-podcasts-2015.html|work=[[Vulture (magazine)|Vulture]]|date=December 11, 2015|access-date=September 21, 2019}}</ref> It was also named Best of iTunes in 2015,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kelley|first=Seth|title=Apple's iTunes Best of 2015 list for podcasts includes a ton of LA-based favorites|url=https://www.timeout.com/los-angeles/blog/apples-itunes-best-of-2015-list-for-podcasts-includes-a-ton-of-la-based-favorites-120915|work=[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]]|date=December 9, 2015|access-date=September 21, 2019|language=en}}</ref> and ''[[Quartz (publication)|Quartz]]'' named it the Best Podcast of 2015, saying, "It is possibly the most perfect podcast, really."<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Casties: Quartz's awards for the best podcasts of 2015|url=https://qz.com/580076/the-casties-quartzs-awards-for-the-best-podcasts-of-2015/|work=[[Quartz (publication)|Quartz]]|date=December 30, 2015|access-date=September 21, 2019|language=en}}</ref> Pete Naughton of ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' called ''Song Exploder'' an "excellent podcast" and placed it on his list of top music podcasts in August 2014.<ref name="telegraph">{{cite web|last=Naughton|first=Pete|title=The best music podcasts|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10765719/The-best-music-podcasts.html|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=August 26, 2014|access-date=October 25, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180221012606/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10765719/the-best-music-podcasts.html|archive-date=February 21, 2018}}</ref> ''[[The A.V. Club]]'' praised the podcast's "beautiful production and thoughtful editing" in June 2014.<ref name="avclub">{{cite web|title=Ice T's Final Level joins the 'masses, talks Manslaughter and Maya Angelou|url=https://auxwww.avclub.com/ice-t-s-final-level-joins-the-masses-talks-manslaught-1798269531|work=[[The A.V. Club]]|publisher=[[The Onion]]|date=June 16, 2014|access-date=October 25, 2014}}</ref> It has also received favorable reviews from ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'', ''[[Gizmodo]]'', ''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]'', and ''[[The Atlantic]]''.<ref name="press">{{cite web|title=Press|url=http://songexploder.net/press/|work=Song Exploder|access-date=October 25, 2014}}</ref>

Creator Hirway has mentioneddiscussed ''Song Exploder'' at prestigious conferences like the Google Design Conference and AIGA Design Conference. In 2016, the [[Sydney Opera House]] hosted a ''Song Exploder'' Residency.

The show won the 2016 and 2017 Academy of Podcasters award for best music podcast.

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|{{Won}}

|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Collins|first=Kennyatta |date=December 13, 2021 |title=Podcasts of the Year: Here Are Adweek's 2021 Winners |url=https://www.adweek.com/convergent-tv/here-are-2021s-adweek-podcast-of-the-year-winners/ |access-date=2022-12-09 |language=en-US}}</ref>

|-

|[[Webby Awards]]

|2022

| rowspan="2" |Best Music Podcast

|{{Won}}

|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Song Exploder |website=The Webby Awards |url=https://winners.webbyawards.com/2022/podcasts/general-series/music/209886/song-exploder |access-date=2022-09-27 |language=en-US}}</ref>

|}

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{{Series overview

| caption = Series overview

| released = y

| allreleased = y

| color1 = #00AF89

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| linkT1 = Volume 1

| episodes1 = 4

| start1 released1 = {{Start date|2020|10|2}}

| end1 = start

| color2 = #19A98A

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| linkT2 = Volume 2

| episodes2 = 4

| start2 released2 = {{Start date|2020|12|15}}

| end2 = start

}}

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==References==

{{reflist}}

===Notes===

{{notelist}}

==External links==