a Music Podcast guide

Song Exploder features musicians talking about the processes of writing a specific song. It's so insightful hearing them reflect back on it and discuss certain lines of the song and the meanings they have. I've also discovered some new songs and artists through listening to it. Each episode is around 15-20 mins long, so it's a great bite-site podcast too!

Tiny Desk allows musicians to perform a short session in a tiny space. The shows are mainly acoustic and it's a great way to discover new artists - I found Julien Baker's music this way a few years ago. You can watch it here. Again, the shows are around 20 mins long each, so perfect to dip in and out of.

Show me Magic is a brilliant weekly roundtable review style show, led by Bill Cummings & Jim Auton from God is in the TV Zine. Each week they review the latest new songs, with some special guests.

Inheritance Tracks is a short podcast that features a guest each week selecting one track they've inherited, and one track they'd like to pass on. It's very moving at times, hearing the role that music has played in a person's life.

Desert Island Discs is a long running show, now presented by the brilliant Lauren Laverne, asking guests to select key songs from their lives. The show is often very revealing, and again, very moving, demonstrating how music can evoke so strongly certain times and passages in our lives.

John Kennedy X-Posure features a specific artist each episode, usually with a playback of their latest album. I find this podcast really valuable and enjoyable as it allows in depth discussion of new releases by artists.

My Favorite Album features the filmmaker Jeremy Dylan chatting each week with a musician/songwriter about their favourite album of all time and how it has influenced their own music.

Popcast is a production from The New York Times and features music news and interviews.

Music Now is a production from Rolling Stone magazine, featuring music news, interviews, commentary and discussion.

Slow Burn season 3 focuses on the the murders of Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G. Over 9 episodes it explores the development of these cases and is highly engrossing, with many interviews and archive footage.

Switched on Pop focuses on the "making and meaning of popular music" and is co-hosted by a musicologist and a songwriter. I really enjoy this podcast as they explore songs and the latest music developments in depth.

Podcart, run by Halina Rifai has a range of excellent different episodes & specials, with Life is Like a Box of Records, where musicians talk about their fave music, being a particular highlight.

The Von Pip Musical Express features a selection of the latest new music and older tracks. Run by music journalist Andy Von Pip, this is such a good listen!

[Edit] podcast is a weekly new music podcast with a rotating set of hosts from across the UK. I recently discovered this and now won't miss an episode - it's a great way of finding new music. The hosts are really good, too!

The Bethan Elfyn show on BBC Radio Wales runs each Saturday between 7-9pm. Bethan plays the latest new music, some classics, plus has various features and guests. There's often a feature where a musician selects the tracks that are meaningful to them. I've so much love for this show & strongly recommend it. You can also listen to the podcast of each show on BBC Sounds.

The Adam Walton show on BBC Radio Wales runs each Saturday evening from 10pm and he plays the latest new music from Wales. I adore this programme and it's not a Saturday evening for me without listening to him! He also tweets during the show and responds to listeners. I highly recommend listening to this wonderful programme! You can listen to the show on BBC Sounds.