

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

Sep 11, 2023 • 1h 33min
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (Pt. 2)
The Big Mates discuss Kindles, Will Smith, Chess, and The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill.Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of Lauryn Hill by wrapping up their thoughts on The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. 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 explore the second half of the album, the hidden bonus tracks that were included, and talk about how the album was released, the critical reaction it received at the time, and how that perception may have changed in the last 25 years. What score will we give the record? Is the album a cinematic universe? What is love? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out on Monday September 18th and will see us provide commentary for Lauryn Hill Live at Budokan 1999.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

Sep 4, 2023 • 1h 49min
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (Pt. 1)
The Big Mates discuss neo-soul, the thickness of sound, album narrative, and The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill.Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of Lauryn Hill by exploring her first and only solo studio album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. 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 theme of the album, from love to religion and self-actualisation and talk about the various genres Lauryn Hill pulled together and took inspiration from. They also spend some time discussing the Compact Disc as a format for music.What will we make of the record? Is it a concept album? Is Lauryn Hill a good singer? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out on Monday September 11th and will continue the deep-dive into The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.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 28, 2023 • 2h 5min
Fugees
The Big Mates discuss 90s hip-hop, some of the best music ever made, the strange business decisions of Bob Iger, and the career of Fugees.Adam, Steve, and Lucas begin in earnest their exploration of the career of Lauryn Hill by starting at the beginning. They talk about how Lauryn first got into music, her academic life, her acting career, and how she formed the group Fugees.They touch both albums by the hip-hop group in this brief overview of their short-lived career. They talk about Blunted on Reality and The Score, discussing how they were made and the cultural impact they both had. They dig into the numerous samples and interpolations, and trace how Lauryn Hill contributed to the group's enormous success, before talking about why the group disbanded. How did Lauryn get into music? What will we make of Fugees? Was Lauryn's dad a computer? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out on Monday September 4th and will begin the deep-dive into Lauryn's debut solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.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 21, 2023 • 1h 4min
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 5min
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 43min
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 44min
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 48min
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


