What Is Music?: A Music Podcast About Music
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
283 episodes
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
R.E.M. 1997 - 2011
The Big Mates take a brief pause to discuss ratings, rankings, audience demands, and the career of R.E.M. from 1997 - 2011.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 69
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2:34:49
The End of R.E.M.
The Big Mates discuss addictive games, compilations, goodbyes, and the last few months of R.E.M.Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of R.E.M. by looking at how the band ended their long...
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Season 6
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Episode 68
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1:31:34
Playing in R.E.M. with Scott McCaughey
Adam and Steve chat with Scott McCaughey to discuss the 17 years he spent playing in R.E.M. as an additional musican.They talk to Scott about his long and productive relationship with Peter Buck, how he joine...
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Season 6
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Episode 67
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1:11:22
Collapse Into Now (Pt. 2)
The Big Mates discuss reality television, etymology, Austin Powers, and Collapse Into Now 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 t...
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Season 6
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Episode 66
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1:28:49
Collapse Into Now (Pt. 1)
The Big Mates discuss endings, the 20th century, Moose Juice, and Collapse Into Now 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'...
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Season 6
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Episode 65
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1:30:54
R.E.M. 2008 Tour Commentary
The Big Mates provide nice and good audio commentary for some footage from the 2008 R.E.M. World Tour.Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss a couple of videos from the final R.E.M. tour, and also talk about how the band un...
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Season 6
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Episode 64
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1:06:01
BONUS: Manic Street Preachers - Critical Thinking Initial Thoughts
BONG. In this bonus episode The Big Mates discuss the newly released album Critical Thinking by Manic Street Preachers - out today! They give their first impressions on the album and the individual tracks, compare it to previous w...
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Season 6
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Episode 64
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48:47
Accelerate (Pt. 2)
The Big Mates discuss commercial pressure, word sandwiches, revenge fantasies, and Accelerate 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 ...
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Season 6
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Episode 63
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1:38:01
Accelerate (Pt. 1)
The Big Mates discuss modern rock music, digital promotion, tiny umbrellas, and Accelerate 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 th...
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Season 6
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Episode 62
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1:51:37
R.E.M. Live at the Olympia
The Big Mates discuss introductions, bullies, beef, and Live at the Olympia, a live album by R.E.M.Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of R.E.M. by deviating from the timeline an...
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Season 6
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Episode 61
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2:01:24
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