What Is Music?: A Music Podcast About R.E.M.
A podcast about discographies. A different artist every season. Currently in Season 6! Join Adam, Steve, and Lucas, as they go album by album, track by track, to find out if context can change your experience of music, how people become obsessed with artists, and to ultimately answer the question 'what is music?' Expect in-depth analysis, tedious tangents, controversial music opinions, and an exhaustive attitude to context. Also expect to find out more about the artists (and the hosts) than anyone could ever want to know! Previous seasons have covered Manic Street Preachers, Muse, Billie Eilish, and Radiohead!
Episodes
263 episodes
R.E.M. Live Commentary
The Big Mates provide fun and cool audio commentary for R.E.M. Live, the live video release by R.E.M.Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss the live album and film as originally presented on CD and DVD and also dig into how it was...
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Season 6
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Episode 60
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1:56:21
Around the Sun (Pt. 2)
The Big Mates discuss death threats, protest songs, milk toast, and Around the Sun by R.E.M.Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of R.E.M. by concluding their analysis of the band...
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Season 6
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Episode 59
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1:37:57
Around the Sun (Pt. 1)
The Big Mates discuss Coldplay, Maroon 5, Robbie Williams, and Around the Sun by R.E.M.Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of R.E.M. by starting their analysis of the band's thir...
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Season 6
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Episode 58
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1:34:17
The Ultimate Playlist: Xmas (Pt. 2)
The Big Mates present one of their Patreon shows on the main feed... The Ultimate Playlist.Join us as we continue to explore a broader range of music from many genres and numerous artists, with each month focusing on 8 s...
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Season 6
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1:32:49
The Ultimate Playlist: Xmas (Pt. 1)
The Big Mates present one of their Patreon shows on the main feed... The Ultimate Playlist.Join us as we explore a broader range of music from many genres and numerous artists, with each month focusing on 8 songs centred...
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Season 6
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1:37:34
R.(w)E.M. Christmas This?
The Big Mates get festive once again.Join us for another Christmas of mostly the same stuff as the previous ones. Are you ready for Christmas? Are you feeling Christmassy? What are your favourite Christmas songs? Plus, we explor...
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Season 6
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Episode 57
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1:29:47
R.E.M. Fandom with April Richardson
Adam and Steve are joined by April Richardson for a far-reaching, fun chat about teenage obsession, problematic artists, magazine wallpaper, stadium bands, reformations, the American south, Brighton, performing comedy, cultural webs, and...
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Season 6
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Episode 56
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2:00:20
Perfect Square Commentary
The Big Mates provide sparkling and artistic audio commentary for Perfect Square, the live video release by R.E.M.Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss the film as originally presented on DVD and also dig into how it was made, ho...
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Season 6
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Episode 55
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2:00:31
Reveal (Pt. 2)
The Big Mates discuss writing home, adolescence, compilations and Reveal by R.E.M.Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of R.E.M. by concluding their analysis of the band's twelfth...
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Season 6
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Episode 54
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1:51:15
Reveal (Pt. 1)
The Big Mates discuss blood collection, hot weather, Frutiger Aero, and Reveal by R.E.M.Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of R.E.M. by starting their analysis of the band's twe...
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Season 6
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Episode 53
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1:52:56
R.E.M. Live at Glastonbury Festival 1999 Commentary
The Big Mates provide large and damp audio commentary for R.E.M. at Glastonbury Festival 1999.Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss the band's first headline performance at the legendary festival, as broadcast on the BBC. T...
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Season 6
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Episode 52
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1:41:46
The Name Of This Book Is The Name Of This Band Is R.E.M. with Peter Ames Carlin
Adam chats with Peter Ames Carlin to discuss music biographies, legendary musicians, and his new book, The Name Of This Band Is R.E.M..Peter is an acclaimed author and biographer, known for his deep dives into the l...
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Season 6
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Episode 51
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1:43:58
Up (Pt. 3)
The Big Mates discuss night shifts, Batman, the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and Up by R.E.M.Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of R.E.M. by concluding their analysis of the ...
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Season 6
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Episode 50
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1:33:46
Up (Pt. 2)
The Big Mates discuss retrofuturism, The Amazing Spider-man, rude dealers, and Up by R.E.M.Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of R.E.M. by continuing their analysis of the band'...
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Season 6
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Episode 49
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1:35:55
Up (Pt. 1)
The Big Mates discuss TikTok podcasts, Clip art, automatic writing, and Up by R.E.M.Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of R.E.M. by starting their analysis of the band's el...
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Season 6
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Episode 48
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1:41:04
Introducing: The WIM Album Club
Join us as we introduce our new show, The WIM Album Club, available exclusively on our Patreon.Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and subscribe now at the £5 "Bigger Mates" Tie...
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Season 6
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Episode 48
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36:02
INTIMISM
The Big Mates discuss microbiomes, Bandcamp, quick looks, and INTIMISM by Nicky Wire.Adam, Steve, and Lucas return to the subject of their first season in order to catch up on the extra-curricular activities of Nicky Wi...
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Season 6
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Episode 47
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1:13:19
R.E.M. 1988 - 1996
The Big Mates take a brief pause to discuss ratings, rankings, audience demands, and the career of R.E.M. from 1988 - 1996.Adam, Steve, and Lucas talk about their feelings so far on the band, having now covered the five re...
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Season 6
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Episode 46
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2:33:00
R.E.M. Fandom with Ethan Kaplan
Adam and Steve chat with Ethan Kaplan to discuss the founding of Murmurs.com, collaborating with the band, and the nature of online fandom.They talk to Ethan about his musical journey to R.E.M., the nascent days of ...
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Season 6
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Episode 45
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1:16:08
New Adventures in Hi-Fi - Stereophonic on Film Commentary
The Big Mates combat audio issues to provide serene and chaotic audio commentary for New Adventures in Hi-Fi - Stereophonic on Film by R.E.M.Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss the electronic press kit, as produced in 1996 and ...
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Season 6
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Episode 44
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1:27:17
New Adventures in Hi-Fi (Pt. 3)
The Big Mates discuss heart, fatigue, goodbyes, and New Adventures in Hi-Fi by R.E.M.Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of R.E.M. by concluding their analysis of the band's...
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Season 6
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Episode 43
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1:20:54
New Adventures in Hi-Fi (Pt. 2)
The Big Mates discuss bank holiday weekends, live albums, Danny Boyle, and New Adventures in Hi-Fi by R.E.M.Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of R.E.M. by continuing their...
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Season 6
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Episode 42
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1:29:13
New Adventures in Hi-Fi (Pt. 1)
The Big Mates discuss rodents, ticket prices, religious imagery, and New Adventures in Hi-Fi by R.E.M.Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of R.E.M. by starting their analysi...
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Season 6
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Episode 41
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1:39:49