

What Is Music?: A Music Podcast About Arctic Monkeys
Adam Scott Glasspool, Steve Murphy, Lucas Way
A podcast that dives deep into discographies - one artist per season. Hosts Adam, Steve, and Lucas go album by album, track by track, exploring how context shapes our experience of music, why fans become obsessed, and what music really is. With three hosts coming from wildly different levels of musical knowledge, expect sharp analysis, wild tangents, hot takes, and more information about the artists (and the hosts) than you ever asked for. Currently exploring the discography of Arctic Monkeys. Previous seasons featured Manic Street Preachers, Muse, Billie Eilish, Radiohead, Lauryn Hill, and R.E.M.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 28, 2025 • 1h 27min
Favourite Worst Nightmare (Pt. 3)
The Big Mates discuss CM Punk, Ennio Morricone, Tommy Lee Jones, and Favourite Worst Nightmare by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue and conclude their discussion of the band's second album, providing analysis and opinion as they finish up their track-by-track exploration.They discuss the final tracks of the album and then offer up their thoughts and feelings on the album as a whole, give it a score out of ten, and then explore the how the album was received when it came out, and how that perception may have changed over time.They also find time to talk about the band's tour, their headline set at Glastonbury Festival, and their huge shows at Old Trafford.Is this Adam’s last episode? What are we teasing? What do you mean you've never seen The Wizard of Oz? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out next week, Monday August 4th, and will see us provide commentary for Arctic Monkeys Live at the Apollo!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show

Jul 21, 2025 • 1h 24min
Favourite Worst Nightmare (Pt. 2)
The Big Mates discuss Robot Wars, bingo, innuendo, and Favourite Worst Nightmare by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their discussion of the band's second album, going track-by-track to provide analysis and opinion.They talk about rhythmic expansion, holiday word games, pedal steel guitar, crazy parties, face coverings, tense relationships, and break ups as they explore the composition, tone, lyrics, meaning, and context for each song in turn - all from three differing perspectives, from being deeply into music and analysis, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between!How horny is the album? Why does Adam hate Fluorescent Adolescent? How berserk is this house, exactly? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out next week, Monday July 28th, and will conclude the deep-dive into Favourite Worst Nightmare!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the showSupport the show

Jul 14, 2025 • 1h 27min
Favourite Worst Nightmare (Pt. 1)
The Big Mates discuss Avril Lavigne, Stewie Griffin, Duran Duran, and Favourite Worst Nightmare by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas begin their dissection of the band's follow up to the hugely successful debut by talking about awards ceremonies, the mounting pressure they must have felt, and the attitude going into the creation of the record. They discuss the writing, rehearsal, and recording of the album, explore the overall themes and sound, and begin their track-by-track analysis, exploring the composition, tone, lyrics, meaning, and context for each song in turn - all from three differing perspectives, from being deeply into music and analysis, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between!How did the band expand their sound? How do you eat a creme egg? Will Arctic Monkeys take our advice on what to do after their first album? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out next week, Monday July 21st, and will continue the deep-dive into Favourite Worst Nightmare!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show

Jul 7, 2025 • 1h 9min
Arctic Monkeys Live at Reading Festival 2006 Commentary
The Big Mates provide insightful and tangential audio commentary for Arctic Monkeys live Reading Festival 2006. Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss the concert as broadcast on BBC television and radio, and then lovingly stitched together by YouTuber Alex Turner (not that one). They also discuss Reading Festival in general, the festival landscape at the time, and Lucas' attendance at this very show!Here is the video we watch, if you'd like to watch along:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8O_A59PIMt8Or don't watch along - the episode works fine either way!Our next episode comes out Monday July 14th and will begin the deep-dive into Favourite Worst Nightmare!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including shows about Manic Street Preachers and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show

Jun 30, 2025 • 1h 33min
Who the F*ck Are Arctic Monkeys?
The Big Mates discuss The 1975, My Chemical Romance, Klaxons, and Who the Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys? by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep-dive into the career of Arctic Monkeys by exploring what happened in the immediate aftermath of their hugrly successful debut album.They discuss the EP Who the Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys?, exploring each track in turn and offering analysis, opinion, and various tengential thoughts. They then turn their attention to the band's 2006 standalone single, Leave Before the Lights Come On.They also find time to talk about the NME Awards tour, the departure of bassist Andy Nicholson, and his replacement, Nick O'Malley.What is in Red Bull? What is at arcticmonkeys.com? Is 5 more than 4? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out next week, Monday July 7th, and will feature commentary for Arctic Monkeys' performance at Reading Festival 2006.Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show

Jun 23, 2025 • 1h 24min
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (Pt. 3)
The Big Mates discuss Shane Meadows, Stephen Graham, Paddy Considine, and Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue and conclude their discussion of the band's debut album, providing analysis and opinion as they finish up their track-by-track exploration.They discuss the final tracks of the album and then offer up their thoughts and feelings on the album as a whole, give it a score out of ten, and then explore the enormous success of the album, the critical reaction at the time of release, and how it has stood the test of time.They also find time to talk about the mid-00s cultural turning point, the future of Arctic Monkeys, and songs from the past that remind them of this album.What will we make of the album? Do you sing along in an accent? Who is the world’s biggest Ke$ha fan? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out next week, Monday June 30th, and will see us discuss the band's 2006 EP, Who the Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys? Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show

Jun 16, 2025 • 1h 43min
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (Pt. 2)
The Big Mates discuss Peter Buck, train love, traditional policemen, and Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their discussion of the band's debut album, going track-by-track to provide analysis and opinion.They also find time to talk about the origins of the post-punk revival scene, the NME's influence on the music scene, and the meanness of 00s culture - all from three differing perspectives, from being deeply into music and analysis, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between!What is the post-punk revival? What’s the difference between cheeky and evil? How often do we talk about Austin Powers? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out next week, Monday June 23rd, and will conclude the deep-dive into Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show

Jun 9, 2025 • 1h 43min
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (Pt. 1)
The Big Mates discuss concept albums, Chris Tarrant, the alt. rock pipeline, and Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas begin their dissection of the band's debut album by looking at the writing and recording process, the people who helped them make it, and the musical landscape at the time.They also find time to talk about the band's 2005 tour, and their first appearance at Reading and Leeds Festival, before starting the track-by-track analysis of the album, exploring the composition, sound, lyrics, meaning, and context for each song in turn - all from three differing perspectives, from being deeply into music and analysis, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between!What is a concept album? What kind of dancefloor are they singing about? Would the band have reached their fifth album if they hadn’t released their first album? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out next week, Monday June 16th, and will continue the deep-dive into the band's debut album!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show

Jun 2, 2025 • 1h 37min
Five Minutes With Arctic Monkeys
The Big Mates discuss bouncers, poets, rappers, and Five Minutes With Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas properly begin their deep-dive exploration of Arctic Monkeys by talking about the people that make up the band, the various musical influences they brought with them, the city they grew up in, and the formation of the band itself.They discuss the early days of the band, their gigs and demo recordings, their songs being shared on the internet, and the first official Arctic Monkeys release, Five Minutes With Arctic Monkeys, featuring analysis of both tracks!It's and exciting first step in this career-long deep-dive from three differing perspectives on music, from being deeply into music and analysis, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between!What’s the difference between guitar and drums? Would you go back to a club to get your coat? Will we become one of the world’s biggest rock bands in the next 4 years? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out next week, Monday June 9th, and we'll begin the deep-dive into the band's debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show

May 26, 2025 • 1h 39min
Season 7 Introduction: Do U Wanna Know?
Introducing Season 7 of the What Is Music? podcast, which is called "Do U Wanna Know?: A Critical Analysis of the History, Cultural Impact, and Music of Arctic Monkeys".Adam, Steve, and Lucas begin their deep-dive exploration of Arctic Monkeys by talking about their experiences with the band's music, their journeys with them over time, and what they know about the band.They also talk about what they value in music and the roles it plays in their lives before exploring the people that make up the band, where they're from, the genres they operate in, and what made Arctic Monkeys stand out from their contemporaries to become one of the biggest rock bands in the world today!The season to come will be an album-by-album, track-by-track exploration of Arctic Monkeys' varied and storied career, the context around each release, behind-the-scenes stories of each recording session, a look at the legacy of the albums they've released, and a review of all of it, complete with scores, rankings, and lists!It promises to be exhaustive, informative, and fun as we approach the Arctic Monkeys discography from three differing perspectives on music, from being deeply into analysis and music, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between!What do we already know about the band? What are we most excited to talk about? What are our current favourite songs by the band? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?The season continues next week, Monday June 2nd, and we'll look at the early days of the band and their first release - Five Minutes With Arctic Monkeys!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show