Without a doubt, podcasts are in right now.
Story by Kennedy Williams
There are countless music-related podcasts on the market with enough variety to satisfy different interests. From the podcasts designed to make you geek-out over music, to those perfect for making your commute to campus a bit smoother, this list has it all. Press play, turn up the volume and get ready to discover some hits to tell your friends about.
Photo courtesy of Soulection
“Soulection”
Listen: SoundCloud
Soulection, a California-based music collective, prides itself on highlighting “the sound of tomorrow,” which claims to encompass “future beats, eclectic soul, forgotten gems, and timeless sounds,” in its intro. Their highly-curated, globally-minded radio show is hosted by co-founder Joe Kay. This podcast is perfect for people who spend too much time finding emerging artists on SoundCloud.
Each episode of Soulection’s radio show takes the listener on a musical journey with groovy melodies, reworks of classical songs, and creative mixes at the backdrop. While some shows feature Kay playing some of his recent finds, others feature interviews with artists such as Sonder, Daniel Caesar and Jhene Aiko. Pro-tip: make sure you have enough storage on your phone to hold all of the screenshots you’ll take so you don’t miss the name of your new favorite song.
“Song Exploder”
Listen: SoundCloud
Photo courtesy of Song Exploder
This one is for the music nerds that love getting an inside look at the inspiration for songs. In each episode, host Hrishikesh Hirway invites musicians on to peel back the layers of a song and tell in-depth stories about its creation.
Hirway is great at stepping back and passing the mic to the guest, allowing an uninterrupted exploration of their work. Guests are not bound by genre or popularity, so there’s something for everyone.
Photo courtesy of TIDAL
“Rap Radar”
Hosts Elliott Wilson and Brian “B.Dot” Miller are veteran music journalists that have mastered the art of having in-depth interviews while maintaining a conversational tone. Rap Radar should be the go-to podcast for hip hop fans as Wilson and Miller have interviewed artists such as Cardi B, Run The Jewels, and Schoolboy Q.
Notably, Wilson and Miller interviewed Jay-Z about his most recent album 4:44. Most episodes are available via Podbay, but Rap Radar was acquired by TIDAL earlier this year so head over to Jay-Z’s streaming service for more recent shows.
“All Songs Considered”
NPR’s “All Songs Considered” is unquestionably the podcast with the widest following. Hosts Bob Boilen and Robin Hiltons present their essential songs of the week in each episode. While their picks span genres, eras and topics, Boilen and Hilton aim to present “music you’ll fall in love with.” All Songs Considered is a great soundtrack for your commute to campus, gym session, or meal prepping.
“This Song” by KUTX
Photo courtesy of Stitcher
Most music lovers have a specific song or album that made them fall in love with music. In each episode of “This Song,” Elizabeth McQueen asks guests to share which song changed their life.
Artists such as Raury, Fleet Foxes and Thundercat highlight specific songs that changed the helped influence their journeys and sound. Episodes are typically under 30 minutes, so they’re perfect for an evening commute or a quick listen between classes.
