From composers to indie artists to pop stars, Song Exploder brings on musicians from all genres to sit down and talk through a single song of theirs. Listeners get a peek behind the curtain (or inside the recording studio) to hear the standalone story of a song’s production, lyrics, and the artist’s life behind it all. Even for the non-music-obsessed, there’s delight in learning the creative influences and hidden intentions behind songs from artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Pharrell Williams, and Hans Zimmer. Host Hrishikesh Hirway appears only sparingly, often editing out his own voice entirely for an artist-centered interview layered with elements of each song as sound design. It demonstrates a deep reverence of music mixed with the expansive production of podcasting, giving stories of creation and artistry a chance to shine.

You can find some of our favorite episodes below.