Gear up for the AMAs with these 10 electric music podcasts

Make your listening experience more than…well…music to your ears in time for the American Music Awards this Sunday with some of the best music podcasts around. Whether you’re a musician, music connoisseur, or casual listener, a good podcast might help you find your latest music obsession. Bring some variety to your usual rotation of sound with these shows packed with news, trivia, song analyses, and stories behind your favorite songs and artists.

With so many podcasts available to satiate even the most avid music consumer, here are some of Podsauce’s favorites. What’s awesome about this list is there are snippets of music featured on almost all of these shows’ episodes. So, plug in and rock on with these electric music podcasts.

Spout Podcast

“Spout Podcast” highlights artists like Lizzo, Halsey, Lil Nas X, Harry Styles, Charlie Puth, and many more in over 70 episodes. Tune in to hear some of your favorite artists “spout off about more than they’re famous for.”

Rolling Stone Music Now

This show is by the writers and editors of Rolling Stone and presented by Cumulus Podcast Network. It looks at the music industry’s biggest stories, featuring interviews, music news, and what Rolling Stone’s staff is currently listening to.

She Will Rock You

Bethanne Tarpley and Leah Jones host the rock music history podcast, “She Will Rock You.” They’ll share bands’ stories, highlight women in the music industry, and interview new artists you need to know about in biweekly episodes.

All Songs Considered

If you’re into new music, NPR’s “All Songs Considered” will fill you in with the latest and greatest. Featuring new music and interviews with artists, hosts and music pundits Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton prepare a snapshot of new music released during the week. Song excerpts are also played throughout the semiweekly episodes.

Switched on Pop

Musicologist Nate Sloan and songwriter Charlie Harding chat with songwriters, artists, and producers about what it means to create pop music on Vulture’s “Switched on Pop.” The hosts scrutinize one pop song per episode and explain why the tune is widely-loved and has experienced considerable success. They also observe how songs can play a critical part in culture and society. 

Breaking Waves: Seattle

Audacy’s “Breaking Waves: Seattle” dives into the grunge music scene. In episodes, listeners will hear from artists, insiders, and radio stations that were pivotal to grunge’s breakthrough in the 1980s and 1990s, such as Audacy’s KISW and KNDD. Throughout the season, we’ll hear how this scene became a cultural force and guests like Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil and Guns ‘N Roses’ Duff McKagan chronologically tell a story every music fan should hear! Check out new episodes every week.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia

From Slate comes “Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia,” a music history podcast brimming with factoids and narratives. Hosted by Chris Molanphy, “Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia” digs into the backstories of songs, examines why specific songs are hits, and how they relate to the cultural stratosphere.

Song Exploder

“Song Exploder” is brought to you by Radiotopia. Originally developed by musician and host Hrishikesh Hirway, songs are expanded and broken down by the show’s current host, Thao Nguyen, in each episode. Isolated tracks from song recordings are played for artists to get specific, analyze, and discuss their work. After a brief bio of the artists is introduced, the guest takes the reins – TED Talk-style. Previous guests have included Yo Yo Ma, Metallica, Billie Eilish, U2, Bon Iver, and The Roots, just to name a few.

Questlove Supreme

“Questlove Supreme” comes from the iHeartPodcast Network. It’s an educational podcast about music and culture hosted by legendary icon Questlove and his Team Supreme. They create a totally fun environment for guests, treating it like a conversation rather than an interview with traditional questions and answers. Tune in for interviews with Usher, Chaka Khan, Babyface, Weird Al, Michelle Obama, Chris Rock, Maya Rudolph, and many more.

Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bryce Headlam and Justin Richmond

Pushkin’s “Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bryce Hedlam and Justin Richmond” presents narratives about music, artists, audiences, and how they connect to the world. The hosts rotate to chat with artists on a wide array of topics ranging from unique writing processes to the importance of mental health.