Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast What Is Music?: A Music Podcast About Music
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The ‘B’ in Björk Stands For Big | 09 Nov 2026 | 00:50:05 | |
Adam and Steve discuss beatboxing, Martin Clunes, the inherent sexuality of plants, throat singing, Christmas, Rahzel, the nature of time, McBain, circular breathing, foot injuries, Mike Patton’s resemblance to Orlando Bloom, misconceptions about vampires, conducting, and Live 8 whilst watching some live television performances from the Medúlla era, her performance at the 2004 Olympics, and some behind-the-scenes footage of Björk recording. Head to YouTube to watch along by clicking here! Or don't watch along - the episode works fine either way! Next week - the film Drawing Restraint 9. Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Medúlla (Pt. 2) | 02 Nov 2026 | 01:50:35 | |
Adam and Steve come together as members of humanity to discuss Medúlla by Björk. The exploration of the career and music of Björk continues the deep-dive into her fifth studio album, released in 2004. Adam and Steve dig into their track-by-track analysis and look at how the album was written and recorded, the inspirations and influences behind it, and the musical landscape at the time it was released. They consider how digital technology and ancient traditions clash, the limitations of a singular sonic palette, and how the album was received when released. Along the way, they touch on Robert Wyatt, missing question marks, Bon Iver, and the directorial vision of Danny DeVito. Meanwhile, Steve finds a new favourite Björk song and Adam recommends the library… all on this week’s episode of What Is Music? Next week will explore some visual media from the Medúlla era! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Medúlla (Pt. 1) | 26 Oct 2026 | 02:06:40 | |
Adam and Steve use their human voices to discuss Medúlla by Björk. The exploration of the career and music of Björk reaches her fifth studio album, released in 2004. Adam and Steve dig into how the album was written and recorded, the inspirations and influences behind it, and the musical landscape at the time it was released, before starting their track-by-track analysis. They consider the meeting of tradition and modernity, the boundaries of a concept album, how an artist goes “back to basics”, and what that means for Björk. Along the way, they touch on school trends, missing world events, David Lynch touching a hot car, intense speeches, and midnight mass. Meanwhile, Steve wrestles with form and function and Adam struggles with beatboxing… all on this week’s episode of What Is Music? The discussion on Medúlla continues next week! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Björk's HjAARFwaydiohead Extravaganza! | 19 Oct 2026 | 03:01:08 | |
Lucas makes a big announcement, but first, The Big Mates discuss Gollum, Keith Allen, Dev Patel, and take time to reflect on Björk. Adam, Steve, and Lucas pause their dissection of Björk's career and follow her lead by looking back. They take a look at her Greatest Hits and the releases surrounding it, discuss her tour after it, and explore the tracks they had yet to encounter. Then they look back at the albums they've already covered, consider what they found most challenging and enjoyable, and attempt to place Björk's career so far into a wider context. They then find time to rank the albums and reveal their Top 10 Björk songs so far! Lucas' announcement, for the curious, can be found at 2:20:00. Who invented fish and chips? What is the limelight? Will Coldplay release a Greatest Hits in time for Christmas? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! Lucas Way will return in | |||
| Björk Makes One of Matmos Stand in a Box of Rocks | 12 Oct 2026 | 01:02:56 | |
The Big Mates provide an acrobatic kind of audio accompaniment for a variety of clips from the Vespertine era of Björk’s career. Head to YouTube to watch along by clicking here! Or don't watch along - the episode works fine either way! Our next episode comes out Monday October 19th! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Vespertine (Pt. 2) | 05 Oct 2026 | 01:33:06 | |
The Big Mates discuss Pro Tools, music boxes, ocarinas, and Vespertine by Björk. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their dissection of Björk's fourth album by looking at how she wrote and recorded it, the collaborations she sought to help her, and her goals for the album. They look at how the album was received when it came out, how it's regarded today, and they finish up their track-by-track analysis, 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 will we make of the second half of the album? What will the scores be? How do you remember the difference between stalagmites and stalactites? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, Monday October 12th! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Vespertine (Pt. 1) | 28 Sep 2026 | 01:26:55 | |
The Big Mates discuss Mr. Burns, activity times, ASMR, and Vespertine by Björk. Adam, Steve, and Lucas begin their dissection of Björk's fourth album by looking at how she wrote and recorded it, the collaborations she sought to help her, and her goals for the album. They also find time to explore the world around Björk, how she processed the events surrounding Dancer in the Dark, and how this record started as a hobby, before starting the track-by-track analysis, 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 was Björk’s initial vision for the album? Where is the hidden place? Sex? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, Monday October 5th, and will continue the deep-dive into Björk's fourth album! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Selmasongs | 21 Sep 2026 | 01:20:09 | |
The Big Mates discuss soundtracks, musique concrete, the number 14, and Selmasongs by Björk. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their exploration of Björk's career by examining the soundtrack to the Lars Von Trier musical film she starred in. They talk about how she managed both jobs, how she created the music to show us the world through a character's eyes, and how she started working on songs and pieces of music that incorporated environmental noises. What do we make of the album? How do you make a dress out of a swan? Did Björk start working on songs and pieces of music that incorporated environmental noises? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, Monday September 28th, and will begin the deep-dive into Björk's fourth studio album, Vespertine. Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Dancer in the Dark | 14 Sep 2026 | 01:05:51 | |
The Big Mates discuss Dogme 95, found sounds, The Mask, and Dancer in the Dark, starring Björk. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their exploration of Björk's career by examining the Lars Von Trier musical film she starred in. They talk about the cinematic style, her performance, and how she managed to balance that with writing the songs and score for the film. What will we make of the film? What does it tell us about Björk? Is it a period piece? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, Monday September 21st, and will focus on this film's accompanying album, Selmasongs. Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Björk Might Be a Moth | 07 Sep 2026 | 00:55:12 | |
The Big Mates provide a smooth kind of audio accompaniment for a variety of clips from the Homogenic era of Björk’s career. Head to YouTube to watch along by clicking here! Or don't watch along - the episode works fine either way! Our next episode comes out Monday September 14th, and sees us discuss the film Dancer in the Dark! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Homogenic (Pt. 3) | 31 Aug 2026 | 01:32:39 | |
The Big Mates discuss song labels, Norse mythology, single edits, and Homogenic by Björk. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their exploration of the career of Björk and their track-by-track analysis of her third studio album. 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! They also look at how the album was received at the time, how that legacy has been shaped over the intervening years, and how critical acclaim can affect opinion. What do we make of the album? What did Björk do next? Should you play this in the office? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, Monday September 7th, and will see us watch some Homogenic related media! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Homogenic (Pt. 2) | 24 Aug 2026 | 01:42:52 | |
The Big Mates discuss dubstep, meditation, gonk pop, and Homogenic by Björk. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their exploration of the career of Björk and their track-by-track analysis of her third studio album. 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! They also look at how Björk collaborated on some lyrics to continue an ongoing story, her further moves into classical composition, and how she processed her feelings through songwriting. How important are vocals in pop music? What does Iceland sound like? Which Frou is Imogen Heap? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, Monday August 31st, and will conclude our thoughts on Homogenic! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Homogenic (Pt. 1) | 17 Aug 2026 | 01:47:24 | |
The Big Mates discuss the launch of Channel 5, magical crime, “intelligent” dance music and Homogenic by Björk. Adam, Steve, and Lucas begin their dissection of her third album by looking at how Björk wrote and recorded it, the collaborations she sought to help her, and the goal of creating a cohesive record. They also find time to explore the world around Björk, the experience of the Post tour and her rise to international celebrity, and the effect this has on her career and music going forward. They also discuss how she wanted to portray herself on the album artwork, new collaborations, and the pressure she felt when writing the album before starting the track-by-track analysis, 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 changes did Björk make to her process? What is she hunting for? Is Malaga nice? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, Monday August 24th, and will continue the deep-dive into Björk's third album! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Björk Confuses Wembley Arena | 10 Aug 2026 | 01:05:24 | |
The Big Mates provide a large kind of audio accompaniment for a variety of clips from the Post era of Björk’s career. Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss dolphin noises, Burger King pens, the sartorial instincts of Sporty Spice, vocal gymnastics, and being welcomed to Bangkok whilst watching Björk perform on TV, at festivals, and at her own shows. They also look at some interviews and promotional footage from around the Post era. Head to YouTube to watch along by clicking here! Or don't watch along - the episode works fine either way! Our next episode comes out Monday August 17th, and sees us dive into Björk’s third album - Homogenic! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Post (Pt. 3) | 03 Aug 2026 | 01:35:20 | |
The Big Mates discuss studying, relaxing, chilling, and Post by Björk. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their exploration of the career of Björk and their track-by-track analysis of her second studio album. 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! They also look at how the album was received at the time, how that legacy has been shaped over the intervening years, and the influence heard in today's pop music. What will we make of Post? When does the second half start? Palette cleanser, though? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, Monday August 10th, and will see us watch some Post related media! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Post (Pt. 2) | 27 Jul 2026 | 01:25:28 | |
The Big Mates discuss chance, big band jazz, sampling, and Post by Björk. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their exploration of the career of Björk and their track-by-track analysis of her second studio album. 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! They also look at how Björk collaborated on some lyrics, her wish to surprise listeners, and how she linked herself further to the Bristol trip-hop scene. What surprises lie in wait for us? Will Steve get into electronic music? Can a kestrel play hip-hop? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, Monday Monday August 3rd, and will conclude our thoughts on Post! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Post (Pt. 1) | 20 Jul 2026 | 01:32:56 | |
The Big Mates discuss big batteries, envelopes, headphones , and Post by Björk. Adam, Steve, and Lucas begin their dissection of her second solo album by looking at how Björk wrote and recorded the record, the changes in the team around her, and the thought behind the various styles found on the record. They also find time to explore how Björk reacted to her new found fame and the musical landscape in 1995, 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! How does Björk follow up her debut? When did the Spice Girls form? What albums would you describe as a chungus? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, Monday July 27th, and will continue the deep-dive into Björk's second album! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Björk Shows Us Her Home Studio | 13 Jul 2026 | 01:04:58 | |
The Big Mates provide a special kind of audio accompaniment for a variety of clips from the Debut era of Björk’s career. Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss late night hosts, Cars equivalents, Letterboxd ratings, Glastonbury Festival, the Eurovision movie, the true identity of ancient aliens, and hectic editing whilst watching Björk perform on TV, at festivals, and at her own shows. They also look at some interviews and promotional footage from around the Debut era. Head to YouTube to watch along by clicking here! Or don't watch along - the episode works fine either way! Our next episode comes out Monday July 20th, and sees us dive into Björk’s second album - Post! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Debut (Pt. 3) | 06 Jul 2026 | 01:29:58 | |
The Big Mates discuss simulations, sampling, scores, and Debut by Björk. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their exploration of the career of Björk and conclude their track-by-track analysis of her first studio album. They explore the composition, tone, lyrics, meaning, and context for each song on the second half of the record 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! They also look at how the album was received at the time, the legacy it left behind, and the events that followed its release. Then they sum up their feelings on the album, give it a score, and pick some standout tracks. What do we make of the album? How was the album received at the time? Are Massive Attack trip-hop or Massive Attack? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, on Monday July 13th! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| BREAKING MUSE: The Wow! Signal | 01 Jul 2026 | 00:30:35 | |
BONG. THIS IS AN EMERGENCY NEWS BROADCAST. The Big Mates discuss the newly released album The Wow! Signal by Muse. They give their first impressions and pick some standout tracks. Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Debut (Pt. 2) | 29 Jun 2026 | 01:16:28 | |
The Big Mates discuss Goddesses, beauty, GoldenEye, and Debut by Björk. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their exploration of the career of Björk and their track-by-track analysis of her first studio album. 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! They also look at how the writing of the album was inspired by Björk's feelings in an unfamiliar city, her integration into the club scene, and a potentially mythological recording technique... How does the tone of the album keep changing? How is Lucas’ plant doing? How old are we? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, Monday Monday July 6th, and will conclude our thoughts on Debut! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Debut (Pt. 1) | 22 Jun 2026 | 01:22:18 | |
The Big Mates discuss Mr. Oizo, the Second Summer of Love, Space Jam, and Debut by Björk. Adam, Steve, and Lucas begin their dissection of her first solo album by looking at how Björk wrote and recorded the album, the collaborations she sought to help her, and the thought behind the various styles found on the record. They also find time to explore a brief history of the relationship between the UK and electronic dance music, 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! How does Björk kick off her solo career? What do we know about electronic dance music? Where are Lucas’ security weaknesses? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, Monday June 29th, and will continue the deep-dive into Björk's first album! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Björk Handles Ants and Spiders and Lizards | 15 Jun 2026 | 01:00:23 | |
The Big Mates provide a special kind of audio accompaniment for a variety of clips from across the career of The Sugarcubes. Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss Icelandic cuisine, currency conversion rates, successful side projects, milk, Top of the Pops, Joan Jett, Netflix podcasts, and MTV programming whilst watching some music videos for the band’s biggest hits, footage of them performing on TV, and archival footage of Björk’s earlier projects. Head to YouTube to watch along by clicking here! Or don't watch along - the episode works fine either way! Our next episode comes out Monday June 22nd, and sees us dive into Björk’s first solo album - Debut! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Stick Around for Joy | 08 Jun 2026 | 01:06:21 | |
The Big Mates discuss antique shops, alternative dance music, relatively new sweets, and Stick Around for Joy by The Sugarcubes. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue the prologue of their deep-dive exploration into the music of Björk by talking about the third album by The Sugarcubes. They discuss the details of the band's hiatus, the journey to America to make the album, the incorporation of dance-influenced sounds, and offer analysis, interpretation, and opinion 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 is alternative dance music? How cheeky is the band? How thick is Meade? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, Monday June 15th, and we'll look at some of the visual media related to The Sugarcubes! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Here Today, Tomorrow Next Week! | 01 Jun 2026 | 01:15:13 | |
The Big Mates discuss classic cities, CBGB’s, allergies, and Here Today, Tomorrow Next Week! by The Sugarcubes. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue the prologue of their deep-dive exploration into the music of Björk by talking about the second album by The Sugarcubes. They discuss how the band reacted to their early success, how the album was made, the expansion of the line-up, and offer analysis, interpretation, and opinion from three differing perspectives on music, from being deeply into music and analysis, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between! How does the second album stack up to the first? How do bees make honey? When does life begin? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, Monday June 8th, and we'll continue to tell the story of The Sugarcubes with their third album, Stick Around for Joy! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Life's Too Good | 25 May 2026 | 01:42:38 | |
The Big Mates discuss speaking, growling, fasting, and Life's Too Good by The Sugarcubes. Adam, Steve, and Lucas properly begin their deep-dive exploration of Björk by talking about her upbringing, her musical background, the influences she found whilst discovering music, and how she started off her career. They discuss the early days of her creative output, the many projects she engaged with in Iceland, and how she found her artistic voice. They then talk about The Sugarcubes and offer analysis, interpretation, and opinion on their first album, Life's Too Good. It's an 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! How did Björk get started? Is it benevolence or malevolence? When were The Beatles music? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, Monday June 1st, and we'll continue to tell the story of The Sugarcubes with their second album; Here Today, Tomorrow Next Week! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Season 8 Introduction: Do You All Is Full Of Love Us? | 18 May 2026 | 01:15:03 | |
Introducing Season 8 of the What Is Music? podcast, which is called "Do You All Is Full Of Love Us?: A Critical Analysis of the History, Cultural Impact, and Music of Björk". Adam, Steve, and Lucas begin their deep-dive exploration of Björk by talking about their experiences with her music, their journeys with her over time, and what they know about her. They also talk about what they value in music and the roles it plays in their lives before exploring where Björk is from, the genres she operates in, and what made her stand out from her contemporaries. The season to come will be an album-by-album, track-by-track exploration of Björk's 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 she has released, and a review of all of it, complete with scores, rankings, and lists! What do we already know about Björk? What are we most excited to talk about? What's making us nervous? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? The season continues next week, Monday May 25th, and we'll look at the early days of Björk and her first album with The Sugarcubes! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| We Went to See Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D) in 3D at the Cinema | 11 May 2026 | 00:41:50 | |
The Big Mates discuss the cats, burgers, popcorn, and the new Billie Eilish film. Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Who Is Music?: The Reckoning | 04 May 2026 | 01:02:05 | |
The Big Mates look to the future of the podcast by kicking off a tournament to decide the artist covered in a future season of What Is Music? The matches kick off at 6pm (UK time) each day, and voting will be open until 5pm (UK time) the following day. The semi-finals and the Grand Final will take place at a later date. Who have the Big Mates picked? Who have the listeners picked? Who is music? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? | |||
| Album Club: U2 - The Joshua Tree | 27 Apr 2026 | 04:08:36 | |
Now on our main feed, we present to you The WIM Album Club, with an episode we released on our Patreon earlier this year. Our next episode is out next Monday, May 4th and features details on how you can help us shape a forthcoming season of the podcast! | |||
| Arctic Monkeys Final Thoughts | 20 Apr 2026 | 03:45:18 | |
The Big Mates discuss and conclude their thoughts on Arctic Monkeys and their career. They bring a year-long journey to a close, with thoughts on the sound, story, and attitude of the band, a recap of each of their albums and moods, and a look at their impact and legacy. Thank you all for joining us! Our next episode is out next Monday! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Arctic Monkeys Music Videos | 13 Apr 2026 | 02:39:51 | |
The Big Mates watch all of Arctic Monkeys' music videos in one sitting. You can watch along with us here: Our next episode will see us wrap-up and offer final thoughts on the whole 7-album, 22-year career of Arctic Monkeys and is out on Monday April 20th! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast!
Fake Tales of San Francisco | |||
| INTRODUCING: Welcome to Twin Peaks | 08 Apr 2026 | 00:44:34 | |
Welcome to Welcome to Twin Peaks: A Twin Peaks Podcast for Beginners. Head to https://welcometotwinpeaks.buzzsprout.com and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! | |||
| Arctic Monkeys B-Sides (Pt. 2) | 06 Apr 2026 | 01:30:07 | |
The Big Mates mixed bags, S Club Juniors, tracklistings, and A Selection of B-Sides by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their dissection of the career of Arctic Monkeys by looking at a variety of b-sides from across their career. They discuss the writing, rehearsal, and recording of these songs from numerous eras, 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! Should any of these have been on albums? Should goths wear hi-vis? Don Cheadle? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, Monday April 13th! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Arctic Monkeys B-Sides (Pt. 1) | 30 Mar 2026 | 01:30:39 | |
The Big Mates discuss crows, ravens, flamingoes, and A Selection of B-Sides by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their dissection of the career of Arctic Monkeys by looking at a variety of b-sides from across their career. They discuss the writing, rehearsal, and recording of these songs from numerous eras, 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! What makes the cut? Should they have been b-sides? Are they full of moments? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, Monday April 6th, and will continue our investigation of their b-sides! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Arctic Monkeys Live at Glastonbury Festival 2023 Commentary | 23 Mar 2026 | 01:56:32 | |
The Big Mates provide pointy and muddy audio commentary for Arctic Monkeys Live at Glastonbury Festival 2023. https://archive.org/details/arctic-monkeys-glastonbury-2023 Or don't watch along - the episode works fine either way! | |||
| The Car (Pt. 2) | 16 Mar 2026 | 01:40:47 | |
The Big Mates discuss Arrested Development, cowboys, J.W. Pepper, and The Car by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their exploration of the career of Arctic Monkeys and conclude their track-by-track analysis of their seventh studio album. 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! They also look at the legacy of the album, where the band could possibly go from here, and how they wrapped up their most recent tour. What do we make of the album? Is it the end of Arctic Monkeys? What is the Benidorm lasagne vending machine? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, Monday March 23rd! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| The Car (Pt. 1) | 09 Mar 2026 | 01:46:34 | |
The Big Mates discuss textual mishaps, DVD technology, Waluigi, and The Car by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas begin their dissection of the band's seventh and most recent album by talking about orchestras, pandemics, and how they entered the studio to record a guitar-based rock album. They discuss the writing, rehearsal, and recording of what became The Car, 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! What direction did the band go in this time? What’s the opposite of falsetto? What’s a freaky keypad? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, Monday March 16th, and will continue the deep-dive into The Car! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Arctic Monkeys Live at the Royal Albert Hall | 02 Mar 2026 | 01:05:35 | |
The Big Mates discuss the Turkish barber experience, winter camping, live documents, and Live at the Royal Albert Hall by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their exploration of the band's career by examining their one and only live album! What do we make of this album? What do we make of live albums in general? What is munge? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, Monday March 9th, and will see us begin the deep-dive into The Car! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Arctic Monkeys Live at Les Nuits de Fourvière 2018 Commentary | 23 Feb 2026 | 01:28:00 | |
The Big Mates provide brisk and unwieldy audio commentary for Arctic Monkeys Live at Les Nuits de Fourvière 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9_DFJsNu_0 Or don't watch along - the episode works fine either way! | |||
| Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino (Pt. 3) | 16 Feb 2026 | 01:34:45 | |
The Big Mates discuss moon firsts, flesh worlds, word symmetry, and Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their exploration of the career of Arctic Monkeys and conclude their track-by-track analysis of their sixth album. 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! They also look at the legacy of the album, the success of the album, and how it split the fanbase upon arrival. What do we think of the album? Did Alex Turner predict the 2020 pandemic? Will Adam’s prediction hold true? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, Monday February 23rd! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino (Pt. 2) | 09 Feb 2026 | 01:23:56 | |
The Big Mates discuss automobile mishaps, instagram tacos, virtual reality, and Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their dissection of the band's sixth album by talking about the musicians involved in creating it, a change in the credits, how much of the creative weight landed on Alex Turner's shoulders. They discuss the recording of the album and continue 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! Why is Steve such a trite filmmaker? Is Bridgerton a book? What is this, a hotel for ants? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, Monday February 16th, and will continue and conclude our deep-dive into Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino (Pt. 1) | 02 Feb 2026 | 01:40:19 | |
The Big Mates discuss Cameron, Kubrick, Fellini, and Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas begin their dissection of the band's seixth album by talking about pianos, conspiracy theories, the desire to make a different kind of album, and how Alex overcame writer's block. They discuss the writing and initial 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 mean is the album teaser? Were Arctic Monkeys always going to be like that? Is the moon hotel real? Find out on this episode of What Is Music? Our next episode is out next week, Monday February 9th, and will continue the deep-dive into Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Critical Thinking (Pt. 2) | 26 Jan 2026 | 01:36:15 | |
The Big Mates discuss longevity, cake, Paddington, and Critical Thinking by Manic Street Preachers. Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| BREAKING NEWS: Arctic Monkeys - Opening Night | 23 Jan 2026 | 00:18:56 | |
The Big Mates recieve BREAKING NEWS. Adam, Steve, and Lucas take the truth and make it fluid whilst giving their first reactions to the new song by Arctic Monkeys. Released on January 22nd as a single from the forthcoming charity album Help(2) in aid of War Child, Opening Night is a new/old/reworked/fresh song by the band and was released amidst rumours that it would be the final song released by the band before breaking up. We give our initial thoughts on the song, the rumours, and the process in this short bonus episode! Join us next week for the conclusion of our deep-dive into Critical Thinking by Manic Street Preachers! The week after, we will return to Arctic Monkeys! Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Critical Thinking (Pt. 1) | 19 Jan 2026 | 01:38:54 | |
The Big Mates discuss teachers, single edits, smart motorways, and Critical Thinking by Manic Street Preachers. Join the conversation on: Support our show when starting your own podcast! | |||
| Album Club: Sigur Ros - Takk... | 12 Jan 2026 | 03:45:12 | |
Now on our main feed, we present to you The WIM Album Club, with an episode we released on our Patreon last year. Our next episode is out next Monday, January 19th and sees us discussing Critical Thinking by Manic Street Preachers! | |||
| BONUS: Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen) | 05 Jan 2026 | 02:00:24 | |
Ladies and gentlemen... We present to you, an episode from our Patreon! If you liked this, you can find plenty more like it by heading to https://www.patreon.com/whatismusicpod and signing up today! Free trials are available now for a limited time only! Join the conversation on: | |||
| Bigma''s | 15 Dec 2025 | 01:29:37 | |
It is once again a time for reflection, rejoicing, and sharing. Lucas remembers the time he got an N64 from Santa, Steve shares his plans for a festive family get together, and Adam battles his darkest Christmas yet. We will return in the New Year! Join the conversation on: | |||
| We Went to See Radiohead | 08 Dec 2025 | 01:08:57 | |
The Big Mates take a break from the current season to discuss the recent tour undertaken by Radiohead, some of the context surrounding it, and their own experiences of seeing them live at the O2 in London. Our next episode is out next Monday December 15th! Join the conversation on: | |||