What Is Music?: A Music Podcast About Arctic Monkeys
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
296 episodes
Humbug (Pt. 2)
The Big Mates discuss engineering, confectionery, ego mechanics, and Humbug by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their exploration of the career of Arctic Monkeys and their track-by-track analysis ...
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Season 7
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Episode 14
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1:47:31
Humbug (Pt. 1)
The Big Mates discuss adventures, break ups, expectations, and Humbug by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their exploration of the career of Arctic Monkeys by diving into the band's divisive, murk...
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Season 7
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Episode 13
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1:34:35
The Age of the Understatement
The Big Mates discuss Burt Bacharach, The Zombies, David Bowie, Scott Walker, Belle & Sebastian, Serge Gainsbourg, The Electric Prunes, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, John Barry, Ennio Morricone, Astrud Gilberto, Mel Torme, The Sonics...
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Season 7
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Episode 12
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1:45:40
Arctic Monkeys at the Apollo Commentary
The Big Mates provide exciting and vital audio commentary for Arctic Monkeys at the Apollo.Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss the 2007 concert as released on DVD in 2008 and talk about the Favourite Worst Nightmare tour in general!
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Season 7
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Episode 11
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1:28:31
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 anal...
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Season 7
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Episode 10
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1:26:49
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 ...
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Season 7
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Episode 9
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1:24:26
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...
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Season 7
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Episode 8
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1:26:39
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 stitc...
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Season 7
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Episode 7
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1:09:07
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 exp...
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Season 7
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Episode 6
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1:33:17
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 deb...
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Season 7
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Episode 5
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1:24:22
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, goin...
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Season 7
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Episode 4
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1:42:39
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 ...
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Season 7
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Episode 3
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1:43:08
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 ban...
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Season 7
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Episode 2
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1:36:45
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 <...
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Season 7
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Episode 1
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1:39:08
HIT ME HARD AND SOFT (Pt. 2)
The Big Mates discuss call signs, the attraction of screens, easter eggs, and HIT ME HARD AND SOFT by Billie Eilish.Adam, Steve, and Lucas return to the subject of their third season and explore Eilish's third studi...
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Season 6
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Episode 77
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1:25:52
The WIM Album Club: Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
For the first time on our main feed, we present to you The WIM Album Club, with an episode we released on our Patreon last December. The episode is a classic WIM deep-dive into the album What's Going On by Marvin Gaye and features all o...
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Season 6
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Episode 76
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3:10:19
HIT ME HARD AND SOFT (Pt. 1)
The Big Mates discuss Spirited Away, underwater photography, deer vocalisations, and HIT ME HARD AND SOFT by Billie Eilish.Adam, Steve, and Lucas return to the subject of their third season and explore Eilish's thir...
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Season 6
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Episode 76
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1:19:05
Wall of Eyes / Cutouts
The Big Mates discuss ticket buying, secret agents, time signatures, and two albums by The Smile.Adam, Steve, and Lucas return to the subject of their fourth season in order to catch up with the extra-curricular activities...
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Season 6
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Episode 75
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1:33:31
R.E.M. Final Thoughts
The Big Mates discuss and conclude their thoughts on R.E.M. and their career. They bring an 18-month journey to a close, with thoughts on the sound, story, and attitude of the band, a recap of each of their albums and mo...
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Season 6
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Episode 74
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5:11:18
R.E.M. Music Videos
The Big Mates watch all of R.E.M.'s music videos in one sitting. Or a lot of them, at least!You can watch along with us here:https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1BTocY...
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Season 6
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Episode 73
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4:25:12
Managing R.E.M. with Bertis Downs
Adam talks to Bertis Downs, long-time legal advisor and manager of R.E.M. They talk about the formation of his musical tastes, his background in law, and meeting the band in the early days of their career. They also di...
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Season 6
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Episode 72
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1:04:23
R.E.M. B-Sides
The Big Mates discuss face food, William S. Burroughs, obscure Arctic Monkeys singles, and a selection of b-sides by R.E.M..Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss some b-sides and rarities from across the band's career, discussing the co...
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Season 6
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Episode 71
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1:23:49
Behind the Scenes of R.E.M. with Ethan Kaplan
Adam welcomes back Ethan Kaplan, this time to discuss his work with the band during the process of Accelerate and Collapse Into Now.They talk about album promotion in the 21st Century, embracing emerging tech...
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Season 6
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Episode 70
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1:10:36