

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

Aug 21, 2023 • 1h 5min
Season 5 Introduction: Do You Ms. Lauryn Hill?
The Big Mates introduce Season 5 of the What Is Music? podcast.It's called "Do You Ms. Lauryn Hill?: A Critical Analysis of the History, Cultural Impact, and Music of Lauryn Hill." Adam, Steve, and Lucas being their deep-dive exploration of Lauryn Hill by talking about their experiences with her music, and how much they already know.They then tackle some Lauryn Hill FAQs, discuss the genre she operates in, and reveal what they're most looking forward to about the season to come.The season to come will be an album-by-album, track-by-track exploration of Lauryn Hill's short but interesting career, associated side projects, the context around each release, behind-the-scenes stories of each recording session, a look at the legacy of the albums she's 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 Lauryn's discohraphy from three differing perspectives on music, from being deeply into analysis and music, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between!Join the conversation on:Twitter: https://twitter.com/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

Aug 14, 2023 • 2h 6min
Greatest Hits Vol. 2: Big Mates At Their Very Best
The Big Mates welcome you back to a celebration of, and look back on the last few years of podcasting.They present clips from across all 4 seasons of the What Is Music podcast, featuring discussion, arguments, guests, jokes, and some clips appearing for the first time on the main feed!We hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane - thank you for listening, and for all the support you have given us over the years. Join us next week for the beginning of Season 5!Join the conversation on:Twitter: https://twitter.com/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

Aug 7, 2023 • 1h 44min
Greatest Hits Vol. 1: Now That's What I Call What Is Music?: A Music Podcast About Music
The Big Mates welcome you to a celebration of, and look back on the last few years of podcasting.They present clips from across all 4 seasons of the What Is Music podcast, featuring discussion, arguments, guests, jokes, and some clips appearing for the first time on the main feed!We hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane - thank you for listening, and for all the support you have given us over the years. Join us next week for even more of our best clips!Join the conversation on:Twitter: https://twitter.com/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

Jul 31, 2023 • 1h 46min
Will of the People (Pt. 2)
The Big Mates discuss the great reset, dynamic edits, languages, and Will of the People by Muse.Adam, Steve, and Lucas return to their Season 2 subject, Muse, in order to dissect and explore the band's ninth and most recent album, Will of the People. They talk about the writing and recording process, the context surrounding the songs, and offer up analysis, opinions, and thoughts from three differing perspectives on music, from being deeply into analysis and music, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between.They tfinish up their track-by-track exploration of the album, sum up their thoughts on it, talk about the ongoing tour, and how the album was released!How does the album rank against previous Muse albums? Why is it He is risen? Are you Halloween? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Join us next week as we present Volume One of our Greatest Hits!Join the conversation on:Twitter: https://twitter.com/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

Jul 24, 2023 • 2h 6min
Will of the People (Pt. 1)
The Big Mates discuss the human centipede of seeing things, NFTs, colour grading, and Will of the People by Muse.Adam, Steve, and Lucas return to their Season 2 subject, Muse, in order to dissect and explore the band's ninth and most recent album, Will of the People. They talk about the writing and recording process, the context surrounding the songs, and offer up analysis, opinions, and thoughts from three differing perspectives on music, from being deeply into analysis and music, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between.They touch on the recording process, the impetus of recreating a "Best Of" compilation, the thorny political themes of the album, and the ever-quotable Matt Bellamy. Pandemics, wildfires, conspiracy theories, shadow governments - it must be a Muse album! Is Plug in Baby on this album? What's the difference between trivia and facts? Do you know why the moon and the sun look the same size? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Join us next week for the conclusion of our deep-dive into Will of the People!Join the conversation on:Twitter: https://twitter.com/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

Jul 17, 2023 • 3h 49min
Radiohead Final Thoughts
The Big Mates discuss tipping, building bigger venues, Dopesick and their final thoughts on Radiohead.Adam, Steve, and Lucas look back on the last 15 months of musical examination, place the career of Radiohead into context, and discuss their feelings and opinions on the band. They take in critical reception, cultural impact, and sum up each album of the Radiohead discography. They look at how solo-albums and side projects feed into their career, and discuss the journey the band have been on over the past three decades. They also find time to discuss their album rankings, final scores, and their Top 10 Radiohead songs. Does context affect the way we listen to music? Does knowing the history of an artist give you a better appreciation of their output? And, more importantly, is it rad in yo' head? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Stay tuned at the end for a sneak-peek at Season 5!Join us next week as we return to the world of Muse and begin the deep-dive into their most recent album, Will of the People.Join the conversation on:Twitter: https://twitter.com/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

Jul 9, 2023 • 2h 49min
Radiohead Music Videos
The Big Mates discuss Pulp Fiction, subtitles, stop-motion animation, and watch all of Radiohead's music videos in one sitting.Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of Radiohead by discussing every music video from across the band's career, providing insightful and illuminating commentary along the way.How many can they get through before the madness starts to seep in? Who is Phil and who is Clive? Which characters have been recast in Chicken Run 2? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?You can watch along with us here:https://vimeo.com/823118375Our next episode is out on Monday July 17th and will see us wrap up the Radiohead season and give our final thoughts on the band and their music.Join the conversation on:Twitter: https://twitter.com/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

Jul 3, 2023 • 1h 20min
Colin Greenwood is in Radiohead
The Big Mates discuss heat, negative energy, hovitating, and Colin Greenwood.Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of Radiohead by discussing the bassist from the band.What actually happens in this episode? What does Nick Cave have to do with Peaky Blinders? Which bear's is just right? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Watch along with the commentary portion here:https://youtu.be/JKiRzxBVq3AOr don't! - It works fine either way!Our next episode is out on Monday July 10th and we will be watching all of Radiohead's music videos in one sitting!Join the conversation on:Twitter: https://twitter.com/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 26, 2023 • 1h 42min
Jonny Greenwood Contemporary Classical and Film Score
The Big Mates discuss Paul Thomas Anderson, Sean Harris, Tom Cruise, and a selection of contemporary classical and film score works by Jonny Greenwood.Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of Radiohead by discussing the extra-curricular activities of guitarist Jonny Greenwood, who has composed many concert works and contributed the score to some of the most acclaimed films of recent times. They look at how Jonny composes these pieces, and take a look at his 20-year career as a composer.They also obviously find time to talk about Jonny's line of olive oil, and his recent work with Dudu Tassa.What is classical music? Do we know how to talk about it? Will there be blood? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out on Monday July 3rd!Join the conversation on:Twitter: https://twitter.com/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 19, 2023 • 1h 52min
A Light For Attracting Attention
The Big Mates discuss painting, the pandemic, Glastonbury Festival, and A Light For Attracting Attention by The Smile.Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of Radiohead by discussing the debut by side-project, The Smile. They look at how the band featuring Radiohead members Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood came to be, howe they recorded their first album, and the context surrounding the songs.They also go track-by-track on the record, discuss the band's debut performance on Glastonbury livestream, and look to the future of the project.Is it just another Radiohead album? What does it mean for the future of Radiohead? Is a flute a woodwind? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out on Monday June 26th and we'll be discussing the contemporary classical and film score works of Jonny Greenwood.Join the conversation on:Twitter: https://twitter.com/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