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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 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.

© Translucence

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.

© Translucence
93hr 42min
Thumbnail for "The Flaming Lips - Do You Realize??".
Wayne Coyne and Steven Drozd of The Flaming Lips take apart the song "Do You Realize??"
Thumbnail for "Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Our House".
Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young breaks down "Our House."
Thumbnail for "Pharrell Williams - Piece By Piece".
Pharrell Williams breaks down the title track from "Piece by Piece," the Lego documentary about his life.
Thumbnail for "Re-issue: Jon Batiste - We Are".
Revisiting Jon Batiste's episode about his song "We Are."
Thumbnail for "Troye Sivan - One of Your Girls".
Troye Sivan tells the story behind his song "One of Your Girls."
Thumbnail for "Beabadoobee - Coming Home".
Beabadoobee breaks down her song "Coming Home."
Thumbnail for "Remi Wolf - Soup".
Remi Wolf tells the story behind her song "Soup."
Thumbnail for "Sam Smith - Stay With Me".
Sam Smith tells the story behind their iconic song "Stay With Me."
Thumbnail for "Fenne Lily - Lights Light Up".
Fenne Lily tells the story behind her song "Lights Light Up."
Thumbnail for "Re-issue: Vagabon - Water Me Down".
Revisiting Vagabon's episode from 2020 about her song "Water Me Down."
Thumbnail for "Crowded House - Don't Dream It's Over".
Neil Finn of Crowded House tells the story behind the song "Don't Dream It's Over."
Thumbnail for "Lizzy McAlpine - Staying".
Lizzy McAlpine tells the story behind her song "Staying."
Thumbnail for "Re-issue: Arooj Aftab - Mohabbat".
Revisiting Arooj Aftab's episode about her song "Mohabbat."
Thumbnail for "War - Low Rider".
Lonnie Jordan from War and producer Jerry Goldstein tell the story behind the iconic song "Low Rider."
Thumbnail for "Shania Twain - You're Still The One".
Shania Twain breaks down her hit song "You're Still The One."
Thumbnail for "Danny Brown - Y.B.P. (feat. Bruiser Wolf)".
Danny Brown tells the story behind his song "Y.B.P."
Thumbnail for "Rhiannon Giddens - You Louisiana Man".
Rhiannon Giddens breaks down her song "You Louisiana Man."
Thumbnail for "Re-issue: Arlo Parks - Black Dog".
Revisiting the 2021 episode about the Arlo Parks song "Black Dog."
Thumbnail for "Green Day - Basket Case".
Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day tells the story behind the song "Basket Case."
Thumbnail for "The Postal Service - The District Sleeps Alone Tonight (Deluxe Anniversary Edition)".
In this expanded, deluxe edition of the very first episode of Song Exploder – which came out ten years ago – Jimmy Tamborello and Ben Gibbard of The Postal Service tell the story of how they made “The District Sleeps Alone Tonight.”
Thumbnail for "Foo Fighters - The Teacher".
Dave Grohl from Foo Fighters tells the story behind the song "The Teacher."
Thumbnail for "Raye - Escapism (feat. 070 Shake)".
Raye tells the story behind her song "Escapism."
Thumbnail for "Sampha - Spirit 2.0".
Sampha tells the story behind his song "Spirit 2.0."
Thumbnail for "Paramore - Liar".
Paramore tells the story behind their song "Liar."
Thumbnail for "Kesha - Eat The Acid".
Kesha tells the story of how she made her song "Eat The Acid."
Thumbnail for "Alvvays - Archie, Marry Me".
Molly Rankin and Alec O'Hanley from Alvvays tell the story of how they made "Archie, Marry Me."
Thumbnail for "Laufey - From The Start".
Laufey tells the story of how she made "From The Start."
Thumbnail for "Re-issue: Janelle Monáe - So Afraid".
Revisiting Janelle Monáe's 2018 episode about her song "So Afraid."
Thumbnail for "Siddhartha Khosla - Only Murders in the Building (Main Title Theme)".
Only Murders in the Building composer Siddhartha Khosla tells the story of making the show's theme music.
Thumbnail for "Local Natives - Dark Days".
Local Natives tells the story behind their hit song "Dark Days."
Thumbnail for "Bakar - Hell N Back".
Baker tells the story behind his hit song "Hell N Back."
Thumbnail for "Natalie Merchant - Sister Tilly".
Natalie Merchant tells the story behind her song "Sister Tilly."
Thumbnail for "Re-issue: Julien Baker - Appointments".
Revisiting Julien Baker's 2018 episode about her song "Appointments."
Thumbnail for "Feist - In Lightning".
Feist tells the story behind her song "In Lightning."
Thumbnail for "Madison McFerrin - Run (feat. Bobby McFerrin)".
Madison McFerrin tells the story of her song "Run," featuring guest vocals from her father, Bobby McFerrin.
Thumbnail for "New Order - Blue Monday".
New Order tells the story of how they made their song "Blue Monday."
Thumbnail for "Re-issue: Mobb Deep - Shook Ones, Pt. II".
Revisiting Mobb Deep's 2020 episode about how they created the song "Shook Ones, Pt. II."
Thumbnail for "Yaeji - Passed Me By".
Yaeji tells the story of how she created her song "Passed Me By."
Thumbnail for "Seal - Kiss from a Rose".
Seal breaks down his iconic song "Kiss from a Rose" alongside producer Trevor Horn.
Thumbnail for "Kenny Beats - Still".
Kenny Beats breaks down how he made his song "Still."
Thumbnail for "Re-issue: Kimbra - Top of the World".
Revisiting Kimbra's 2018 episode about her song "Top of the World."
Thumbnail for "MUNA - What I Want".
MUNA breaks down their song "What I Want."
Thumbnail for "Noah Kahan - Stick Season".
Noah Kahan tells the story of how he created his hit song "Stick Season."
Thumbnail for "Sampa the Great - Let Me Be Great (feat. Angélique Kidjo)".
Sampa the Great, Angélique Kidjo, and producer Mag44 break down the making of "Let Me Be Great."
Thumbnail for "Son Lux - This is a Life (from 'Everything Everywhere All at Once')".
Ryan Lott of Son Lux breaks down "This Is a Life," the end credits song from the hit film ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once.’
Thumbnail for "Omah Lay - Never Forget".
Omah Lay breaks down his song, "Never Forget."
Thumbnail for "Book Exploder: James McBride - Deacon King Kong".
James McBride breaks down the opening passage of his 2020 novel Deacon King Kong.
Thumbnail for "Iron & Wine - Flightless Bird, American Mouth".
Sam Beam of Iron & Wine breaks down "Flightless Bird, American Mouth."
Thumbnail for "Book Exploder: George Saunders - Victory Lap".
George Saunders breaks down a passage from "Victory Lap," a short story from Tenth of December.
Thumbnail for "Santigold - Ushers of the New World".
Santigold breaks down "Ushers of the New World."
Thumbnail for "Book Exploder: Celeste Ng - Little Fires Everywhere".
Celeste Ng breaks down a passage from her best-selling novel, Little Fires Everywhere.
Thumbnail for "King Princess - Let Us Die".
King Princess breaks down her song "Let Us Die," joined by her collaborators Ethan Gruska and Mark Ronson.
Thumbnail for "Book Exploder: Tayari Jones - An American Marriage".
Tayari Jones breaks down a passage from An American Marriage.
Thumbnail for "Panic! At the Disco - Viva Las Vengeance".
Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco breaks down "Viva Las Vengeance."
Thumbnail for "Book Exploder: Carmen Maria Machado - In the Dream House".
Carmen Maria Machado breaks down a passage from her 2019 memoir, In the Dream House.
Thumbnail for "Re-issue: Björk - Stonemilker".
Björk breaks down her song Stonemilker.
Thumbnail for "Book Exploder: Michael Cunningham - The Hours".
Michael Cunningham breaks down a passage from the prologue of The Hours, his Pulitzer-winning novel.
Thumbnail for "Madonna - Hung Up".
Madonna breaks down her song "Hung Up," along with co-writer and co-producer Stuart Price.
Thumbnail for "Book Exploder: Min Jin Lee - Pachinko".
Min Jin Lee discusses a passage from her novel Pachinko.
Thumbnail for "Kae Tempest - Move".
Kae Tempest and producer Dan Carey break down "Move."
Thumbnail for "Book Exploder: Susan Orlean - The Library Book".
Susan Orlean breaks down a passage from her best-seller, The Library Book.
Thumbnail for "Sudan Archives - Selfish Soul".
Sudan Archives breaks down her song "Selfish Soul."
Thumbnail for "mxmtoon - Mona Lisa".
mxmtoon breaks down her song "Mona Lisa."
Thumbnail for "Monica Martin - Go Easy, Kid".
Monica Martin breaks down her song "Go Easy, Kid."
Thumbnail for "Maren Morris - Humble Quest".
Maren Morris breaks down her song "Humble Quest."
Thumbnail for "Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up".
Rick Astley tells the story of how "Never Gonna Give You Up" was made.
Thumbnail for "Kevin Morby - This Is a Photograph".
Kevin Morby breaks down his song "This Is a Photograph."
Thumbnail for "Arooj Aftab - Mohabbat".
Arooj Aftab tells the story of making her song "Mohabbat."
Thumbnail for "Partners: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss".
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss tell the story of their Grammy-winning partnership.
Thumbnail for "Peaches - Boys Wanna Be Her".
Peaches breaks down her song "Boys Wanna Be Her."
Thumbnail for "Steve Reich - Different Trains: America, Before the War".
Steve Reich breaks down the first movement of "Different Trains."
Thumbnail for "Re-issue: Perfume Genius - Slip Away".
Mike Hadreas breaks down his song "Slip Away."
Thumbnail for "Sarah Kinsley - The King".
Sarah Kinsley breaks down "The King."
Thumbnail for "Brandi Carlile - You and Me On the Rock (feat. Lucius)".
Brandi Carlile breaks down her song "You and Me On The Rock."
Thumbnail for "Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out".
Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand breaks down the song "Take Me Out."
Thumbnail for "Joy Oladokun - Look Up".
Joy Oladokun tells the story of making her song "Look Up."
Thumbnail for "Danny Elfman - What’s This? (from “The Nightmare Before Christmas”)".
Danny Elfman breaks down “What's This?” from the stop-motion animated musical The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Thumbnail for "Halsey - You Asked for This".
Halsey takes apart her song "You Asked for This."
Thumbnail for "Hans Zimmer - Dune".
Hans Zimmer breaks down his score from "Dune."
Thumbnail for "The War On Drugs - I Don't Live Here Anymore (feat. Lucius)".
Adam Granduciel breaks down the War On Drugs song "I Don't Live Here Anymore (feat. Lucius)."
Thumbnail for "Willow - Transparent Soul feat. Travis Barker".
Willow breaks down her song "Transparent Soul feat. Travis Barker."
Thumbnail for "Hrishikesh Hirway TED Talk - What You Learn When You Listen Closely".
A TED Talk on how making Song Exploder changed the way I think about connecting with people.
Thumbnail for "John Lennon - God".
Through archival interviews, John Lennon tells the story of making his song "God."
Thumbnail for "Lucy Dacus - Thumbs".
Lucy Dacus takes apart her song "Thumbs."
Thumbnail for "Mustafa - Air Forces".
Mustafa breaks down his song "Air Forces."
Thumbnail for "Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers".
Lykke Li and producer Björn Yttling break down the song, "I Follow Rivers."
Thumbnail for "The Shins - New Slang".
James Mercer breaks down The Shins' song "New Slang."
Thumbnail for "Cheap Trick - Surrender".
Guitarist and songwriter, Rick Nielsen, breaks down Cheap Trick's hit song "Surrender."
Thumbnail for "Fousheé - Deep End".
Fousheé breaks down her song "Deep End."
Thumbnail for "AURORA - Runaway".
Aurora breaks down the making of her hit song "Runaway."
Thumbnail for "Sparks - This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us".
Ron & Russel Mael break down their 1974 hit "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us."
Thumbnail for "Arlo Parks - Black Dog".
Arlo Parks breaks down her song "Black Dog."
Thumbnail for "Imagine Dragons - Follow You".
Dan Reynolds from Imagine Dragons breaks down their song "Follow You."
Thumbnail for "girl in red - Serotonin".
Marie Ulven from girl in red breaks down her song "Serotonin."
Thumbnail for "Porter Robinson - Get Your Wish".
Porter Robinson breaks down "Get Your Wish."
Thumbnail for "Lianne La Havas - Can't Fight".
Lianne La Havas takes apart her song "Can't Fight."
Thumbnail for "Jon Batiste - We Are".
Jon Batiste breaks down how he made the song "We Are."
Thumbnail for "Glass Animals - Heat Waves".
Dave Bayley of Glass Animals breaks down their song "Heat Waves."
Thumbnail for "Sasha Sloan - Until It Happens To You".
Sahsa Sloan breaks down "Until It Happens To You," along with producer King Henry.
Thumbnail for "PJ Morton - Say So (feat. JoJo)".
PJ Morton breaks down his Grammy-winning hit "Say So," with duet partner JoJo.
Thumbnail for "HAIM - Summer Girl".
HAIM breaks down "Summer Girl" and the emotional backstory of the song.
Thumbnail for "Yusuf / Cat Stevens - Father and Son".
Yusuf / Cat Stevens tells the story of creating and re-creating his song "Father and Son."
Thumbnail for "Common - A Riot In My Mind".
Common breaks down "A Riot In My Mind," with guest vocals from Lenny Kravitz and Chuck D.
Thumbnail for "Jewel - You Were Meant For Me".
Jewel breaks down her song "You Were Meant For Me."
Thumbnail for "Billie Eilish - Everything I Wanted".
Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell break down the song "Everything I Wanted."
Thumbnail for "Re-issue: Phoebe Bridgers - Scott Street".
Phoebe Bridgers and Marshall Vore break down "Scott Street," and Phoebe discusses writer's block.
Thumbnail for "Deftones - Ohms".
Chino Moreno of Deftones breaks down their song "Ohms."
Thumbnail for "Run the Jewels - JU$T".
Run the Jewels break down their song "JU$T."
Thumbnail for "Dua Lipa - Levitating".
Dua Lipa and co-writer Stephen Kozmeniuk break down the song "Levitating."
Thumbnail for "Selena Gomez - Lose You to Love Me".
Selena Gomez and co-writers Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter break down "Lose You to Love Me."
Thumbnail for "Re-issue: Ludwig Göransson - Black Panther".
Revisiting the 2018 episode about Ludwig Göransson's Oscar-winning score.
Thumbnail for "Kelly Lee Owens - On".
Kelly Lee Owens breaks down her song "On."
Thumbnail for "Black Pumas - Colors".
Black Pumas break down their song "Colors."
Thumbnail for "The 1975 - The Birthday Party".
Matty and George of The 1975 break down "The Birthday Party."
Thumbnail for "Waxahatchee - Fire".
Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee breaks down her song "Fire."
Thumbnail for "Khruangbin - So We Won't Forget".
Khruangbin break down their song "So We Won't Forget."
Thumbnail for "Apparat - Goodbye (Theme from "Dark")".
Sascha Ring of Apparat and Anja Plaschg of Soap&Skin tell the story of making "Goodbye."
Thumbnail for "Mobb Deep - Shook Ones, Pt. II".
Havoc of Mobb Deep breaks down the legendary duo's classic hit.
Thumbnail for "Re-issue: Michael Kiwanuka - Black Man in a White World".
Michael Kiwanuka breaks down the making of his song "Black Man in a White World"
Thumbnail for "100 gecs - Money Machine".
Laura Les and Dylan Brady break down their song "Money Machine."
Thumbnail for "Laura Marling - Song for Our Daughter".
Laura Marling breaks down "Song for Our Daughter."
Thumbnail for "Tame Impala - It Might Be Time".
Kevin Parker of Tame Impala breaks down the song "It Might Be Time."
Thumbnail for "FKA twigs - Mirrored Heart".
FKA twigs details the making of "Mirrored Heart."
Thumbnail for "Nathaniel Rateliff - And It's Still Alright".
Nathaniel Rateliff breaks down the title track of his new solo record, a song he wrote about his late friend and collaborator Richard Swift.
Thumbnail for "Eric Nam - Love Die Young".
Eric Nam and producer Rabitt break down their song "Love Die Young."
Thumbnail for "Soccer Mommy - Circle the Drain".
Sophie Allison, aka Soccer Mommy, breaks down her song "Circle the Drain."
Thumbnail for "Caribou - Home".
Dan Snaith of Caribou breaks down the creation of his song "Home."
Thumbnail for "Vagabon - Water Me Down".
Laetitia Tamko aka Vagabon breaks down her song "Water Me Down" along with co-producer Eric Littman
Thumbnail for "Semisonic - Closing Time".
Semisonic's song "Closing Time" isn't just a song about last call at a bar. Grammy-winning songwriter Dan Wilson explains how it turned into something deeply personal.
Thumbnail for "Vampire Weekend - Harmony Hall".
Ezra Koenig breaks down Vampire Weekend's Grammy-nominated song "Harmony Hall."
Thumbnail for "Intro Theme and Thao's Farewell".
Thao signs off as guest host, and we break down the Song Exploder intro music from this year.
Thumbnail for "Meek Mill - Trauma".
Meek Mill and producer Don Cannon break down the making of the song "Trauma."
Thumbnail for "Bat for Lashes - Kids in the Dark".
Natasha Khan of Bat for Lashes breaks down her song "Kids in the Dark."
Thumbnail for "Jay Som - Tenderness".
Melina Duterte of Jay Som breaks down the creation of her song "Tenderness."
Thumbnail for "Slipknot - Unsainted".
Slipknot guitarist Jim Root breaks down the making of the song "Unsainted."
Thumbnail for "Raphael Saadiq - Kings Fall".
Raphael Saadiq breaks down the song "Kings Fall" along with his nephew Dylan Wiggins.
Thumbnail for "Clairo - Alewife".
Clairo breaks down her song "Alewife."
Thumbnail for "Brittany Howard - Stay High".
Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes breaks down her song "Stay High."
Thumbnail for "Robyn - Honey".
Robyn breaks down how she made the song "Honey."
Thumbnail for "Bon Iver - Holyfields,".
Justin Vernon of Bon Iver and producers Chris Messina and Brad Cook break down the song "Holyfields,"
Thumbnail for "Sleater-Kinney - The Future Is Here".
Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein break down the Sleater-Kinney song “The Future Is Here.”
Thumbnail for "Denzel Curry - RICKY".
Denzel Curry and production duo FnZ break down their song “RICKY."
Thumbnail for "Jamila Woods - BALDWIN".
Jamila Woods and producer Slot-A break down their song "BALDWIN."
Thumbnail for "Big Thief - Cattails".
Adrianne Lenker and James Krivchenia of Big Thief break down their song "Cattails."
Thumbnail for "Sheryl Crow - Redemption Day (feat. Johnny Cash)".
Sheryl Crow breaks down a new version of her song "Redemption Day," featuring vocals from the late Johnny Cash.
Thumbnail for "Raleigh Ritchie - Time in a Tree".
Musician and actor Jacob Anderson, aka Raleigh Ritchie, breaks down his song "Time in a Tree," with producer Grades
Thumbnail for "The Mountain Goats - Cadaver Sniffing Dog".
John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats breaks down the song "Cadaver Sniffing Dog" from their album "In League With Dragons."
Thumbnail for "The Cranberries - All Over Now".
Noel Hogan of The Cranberries breaks down the song "All Over Now" from the band's final album.
Thumbnail for "Panda Bear - Dolphin".
Panda Bear breaks down his song "Dolphin" with co-producer Rusty Santos.
Thumbnail for "Sharon Van Etten - Seventeen".
Sharon Van Etten breaks down her song "Seventeen" along with her producer John Congleton.
Thumbnail for "Nakhane - New Brighton (feat. Anohni)".
Nakhane breaks down his song "New Brighton," which features guest vocals from Anohni.
Thumbnail for "Mumford & Sons - Beloved".
Marcus Mumford and Ben Lovett of Mumford & Sons break down their song "Beloved."
Thumbnail for "Phoebe Bridgers - Scott Street".
Phoebe Bridgers and Marshall Vore break down their song "Scott Street."
Thumbnail for "Wonderly - The Daily (Theme)".
Michael Barbaro and musical duo Wonderly break down the theme for The New York Times' podcast The Daily
Thumbnail for "Japanese Breakfast - Boyish".
Michelle Zauner and Craig Hendrix of Japanese Breakfast break down the song "Boyish."
Thumbnail for "Hozier - Nina Cried Power (feat. Mavis Staples)".
Hozier breaks down his protest anthem "Nina Cried Power," which features legendary gospel singer Mavis Staples.
Thumbnail for "Yo-Yo Ma - Prelude, Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major".
Yo-Yo Ma breaks down his recording of Bach's Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major: Prelude.
Thumbnail for "Re-issue: Thao & The Get Down Stay Down - Astonished Man".
Thao Nguyen of Thao & The Get Down Stay Down breaks down her song "Astonished Man"
Thumbnail for "Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way".
Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac breaks down "Go Your Own Way" from the band's seminal album "Rumours."
Thumbnail for "Breakmaster Cylinder - Reply All".
The theme music to Reply All gets taken apart by its composer, Breakmaster Cylinder.
Thumbnail for "Empress Of - When I'm With Him".
Empress Of breaks down her song "When I'm With Him."
Thumbnail for "Big Boi - Order of Operations".
Big Boi of OutKast breaks down his song "Order of Operations"