Has a song ever changed your life? That’s the question KUTX’s This Song asks each episode. Artists like Spoon, Thundercat, and Run The Jewels sit down with host Elizabeth McQueen, zeroing in on specific songs and explaining how they impacted their personal lives and helped shape their own sound. Memorable episodes include Raury describing how Kid Cudi’s “My World” saved his life in high school and Gary Clark Jr. talking about the influence Tupac’s “Krazy” had on him.
Putting a magnifying glass over one song each episode and picking it apart, Song Exploder is a music nerd’s dream. Host Hrishikesh Hirway stays out of the way, letting the musicians themselves break apart their songs and tell in-depth stories about how they were made. Guests range in genre and popularity—from Weezer to Flatbush Zombies—so it’s a safe bet you’ll find something to enjoy in the show’s deep catalog of 100+ episodes.
Spotify releases a new original podcast, “United States of Music,” hosted by comedian Sasheer Zamata. The podcast series consists of six episodes, and uses Spotify listening data to uncover stories about people who make music, people who love music and the stories that connect them, one city at a time.
Sasheer Zamata, who is herself a big music fan, explains, “I’m excited to help share this show with listeners. I talked to some cool people across the US to learn about the music in their city and the impact it had on their lives, and I got a deeper look into the communities in this country than I thought I would. I can’t wait for people to hear these unique stories from artists and music fans.”
Each episode will take listeners to a different city across the United States, as it explores interesting, in some cases previously untold music stories that are deeply rooted in place. In addition, episodes feature artists like Tyler Glenn and Elaine Bradley of electro-pop band Neon Trees, poet and rapper Malcolm London, and LeNard Brown of soul group The Controllers, in addition to venue owners, fans, and local legends.
The series tells stories that range from funny to weird to moving, in cities such as Birmingham, Tucson and Provo. Listeners will discover why Chicagoans want to dance in the rain, when most people just want to curl up and listen to mellow music. Other episodes head to Southeast L.A., which has the most loyal music fans in the country, those that listen to Regional Mexican music, and Provo, Utah, where some of the biggest acts in electro-pop, including Neon Trees and Imagine Dragons, have gotten their start in a club named Velour.
Explore these stories and more throughout “United States of Music,” only on Spotify.
All episodes are available for streaming now at https://open.spotify.com/show/3iYwphRGrIjQiF3dLxChUg
Episode descriptions:
Episode 1: Blood Brothers (Provo, UT):
At Brigham Young University, students love to listen to white noise, for studying, for sleeping, and to soothe their children. But just a few minutes outside of campus, there’s a club called Velour. The venue’s longtime owner Corey Fox is credited with fostering local talent like Neon Trees, Imagine Dragons, and The Moth & The Flame. But Corey Fox has been keeping a secret. Something he’s been holding onto his whole life, that could affect not only his life, but the fate of his beloved Velour, and the entire music community.
Episode 2: A Mix Tape in the Rain (Chicago, IL):
In most of the country when it rains people put on mellow music. But when it rains in Chicago, people dance. WHY? What is it about Chicago? (Featuring Malcolm London, Ohmme and Whitney).
Episode 3: The Iranian Cowboy (Tucson, AZ):
Over the decades, country music has created many outlaws, rebels, gamblers and ramblers, superstars, and pop idols. But it has only produced ONE Iranian Cowboy.
Episode 4: Twin Cities (Minneapolis & St. Paul, MN):
For a long time, Dawn Watley, of the band Black Kids, thought that her music wasn’t important. That it couldn’t make an impact in the world. Then, she met Andrew.
Episode 5: King of Corridos (Southeast LA, CA):
A true crime story about one of the most beloved Mexican singers…ever: Chalino Sanchez.
Episode 6: The Soul Controller (Birmingham, AL):
When he was just 15 years old, one musical moment changed LeNard Brown’s life forever. And after 40 years, there’s still one song he refuses to sing. No no no no.
Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) is held hostage by the evil Imperial forces in their effort to take over the Galactic Empire. Venturesome Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and dashing Captain Han Solo (Harrison Ford) team together with the lovable robotic duo, R2-D2 and C-3PO, to rescue the beautiful princess and restore justice in the Empire.
The Guardian Books podcast is our weekly look at the world of books, poetry and great writing presented by Claire Armitstead, Richard Lea, & Sian Cain. With in-depth interviews with leading authors and investigations into the thematic trends in contemporary writing, this is the perfect book worm’s companion
As a new report reveals the dire financial straits being faced by literary novelists, we investigate how these bleak conditions arose and what can be done to help the writers, regarded by some as thoroughbreds and by others as ghosts of Christmas past.
We also catch up with Edward St Aubyn, one of a series of top novelists hired to reimagine Shakespeare’s plays for the 21st century. Perhaps not surprisingly for a writer whose name-making Melrose novels centred on his own monstrous father, he chose King Lear as his subject. In a Guardian book club event chaired by John Mullan, he introduces Dunbar, the autocratic head of an international media corporation who has recently been ousted by his family.
If Lunar H3 started as a drunken lark in a bar poking fun at the raising of rego prices as time goes on, then the Lunar H3 podcast was conceived with even less brillance, but maybe as much alcohol.
Virtual circle was just too much fun to follow that it seemed it should have a soundtrack to accompany it. And why not have two blow hards like SqueezeMe and Brown Noser to spew their worthless drivel streamed live over the internet.
Turn into to our worthless show during virtual circle for now… but lets be honest. This will only continue with enthusiasm of our strong fanbase of dozens of hashers.
Hopefully this site helps explain to people who we are and what we do, even though we barely know sometimes. This should be the launch pad to connect you with the show, us and Lunar H3 as if you didn’t know about that phenomenom.
Put this in the contacts of your phone and call us when you are drunk. Here are some discussion topics to get the conversation started:
