American Icons by Studio 360
SelectsArts programming is often the butt of the public radio joke. That droning academic analysis of some random piece of classical music or a novel you’ve never read. But Studio 360 always defied that characterization, and American Icons is the series that truly showcased the form.
Each documentary considers a piece of canonical American culture and the layers of complexity that exist around it. The pieces reflects a surprisingly wide variety of perspectives, bringing these cultural touchstones into a new light. We hear unexpected connections on how these artworks have landed like Moby Dick as jazz inspiration, or Black political conservatives quoting Malcolm X. That, in turn, makes it clear how deeply these works resonate beyond the conventional. Much like the artworks at their core, each listen of the series hits differently as cultural history unfolds.
Sonically the episodes use traditional documentary methods, but the scene tape is rich and transportive and Kurt Anderson’s scripts have always had a proud flourish. Studio 360, the show that produced and originally published American Icons, was a pioneering format and a deep well of talent. When the show began in 2000, it brought a fresh perspective on arts programming to the airwaves. By taking a magazine-style approach, the show aired produced pieces alongside interviews and was able to explore art and culture in unconventional ways. Kurt Anderson’s conversations were always compelling and unexpected, the kind you’d expect to hear among creatives rather than a standard interview. And the show’s guest list is truly impressive.
Even more impressive is the credits of the Studio 360 and this series specifically. They read like a list of the most influential producers and editors in contemporary spoken word audio. Joel Lovell, Jenny Lawton, Derek John, Jocelyn Frank, Ann Hepperman, Leital Molad, Jonathan Mitchell, and Lu Olkowski just to name a few. These producers went on to show run, host, edit and/or create shows like The Truth, Missing Richard Simmons (and most of Dan Taberski’s shows), and Love Me.
American Icons is a beacon of the medium. It reflects what is possible when the best producers are given the freedom to explore nuanced topics in their own ways. To find the story behind the story, so to speak. It’s a rarity with the slim budgets of the podcast market, but proof that quality is evergreen.
Arts programming is often the butt of the public radio joke. That droning academic analysis of some random piece of classical music or a novel you’ve never read. But Studio 360 always defied that characterization, and American Icons is the series that truly showcased the form.
Each documentary considers a piece of canonical American culture and the layers of complexity that exist around it. The pieces reflects a surprisingly wide variety of perspectives, bringing these cultural touchstones into a new light. We hear unexpected connections on how these artworks have landed like Moby Dick as jazz inspiration, or Black political conservatives quoting Malcolm X. That, in turn, makes it clear how deeply these works resonate beyond the conventional. Much like the artworks at their core, each listen of the series hits differently as cultural history unfolds.
Sonically the episodes use traditional documentary methods, but the scene tape is rich and transportive and Kurt Anderson’s scripts have always had a proud flourish. Studio 360, the show that produced and originally published American Icons, was a pioneering format and a deep well of talent. When the show began in 2000, it brought a fresh perspective on arts programming to the airwaves. By taking a magazine-style approach, the show aired produced pieces alongside interviews and was able to explore art and culture in unconventional ways. Kurt Anderson’s conversations were always compelling and unexpected, the kind you’d expect to hear among creatives rather than a standard interview. And the show’s guest list is truly impressive.
Even more impressive is the credits of the Studio 360 and this series specifically. They read like a list of the most influential producers and editors in contemporary spoken word audio. Joel Lovell, Jenny Lawton, Derek John, Jocelyn Frank, Ann Hepperman, Leital Molad, Jonathan Mitchell, and Lu Olkowski just to name a few. These producers went on to show run, host, edit and/or create shows like The Truth, Missing Richard Simmons (and most of Dan Taberski’s shows), and Love Me.
American Icons is a beacon of the medium. It reflects what is possible when the best producers are given the freedom to explore nuanced topics in their own ways. To find the story behind the story, so to speak. It’s a rarity with the slim budgets of the podcast market, but proof that quality is evergreen.