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. Current focus: Björk. Previous seasons featured Manic Street Preachers, Muse, Billie Eilish, Radiohead, Lauryn Hill, R.E.M., and Arctic Monkeys.
The Big Mates provide a special kind of audio accompaniment for a variety of clips from the Debut era of Björk’s career. Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss late night hosts, Cars equivalents, Letterboxd ratings, Glastonbury Festival, the Eurovision movie, the true identity of ancient aliens, and hectic editing whilst watching Björk perform on TV, at festivals, and at her own shows. They also look at some interviews and promotional footage from around the Debut era.Head to YouTube to watch along by clicking here!Or don't watch along - the episode works fine either way!Our next episode comes out Monday July 20th, and sees us dive into Björk’s second album - Post!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
13/07/2026 • 64:58
The Big Mates discuss simulations, sampling, scores, and Debut by Björk. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their exploration of the career of Björk and conclude their track-by-track analysis of her first studio album. They explore the composition, tone, lyrics, meaning, and context for each song on the second half of the record in turn - all from three differing perspectives, from being deeply into music and analysis, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between!They also look at how the album was received at the time, the legacy it left behind, and the events that followed its release. Then they sum up their feelings on the album, give it a score, and pick some standout tracks.What do we make of the album? How was the album received at the time? Are Massive Attack trip-hop or Massive Attack? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out next week, on Monday July 13th!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
06/07/2026 • 89:58
BONG. THIS IS AN EMERGENCY NEWS BROADCAST. The Big Mates discuss the newly released album The Wow! Signal by Muse. They give their first impressions and pick some standout tracks.Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
01/07/2026 • 30:35
The Big Mates discuss Goddesses, beauty, GoldenEye, and Debut by Björk. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their exploration of the career of Björk and their track-by-track analysis of her first studio album. They explore the composition, tone, lyrics, meaning, and context for each song in turn - all from three differing perspectives, from being deeply into music and analysis, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between!They also look at how the writing of the album was inspired by Björk's feelings in an unfamiliar city, her integration into the club scene, and a potentially mythological recording technique...How does the tone of the album keep changing? How is Lucas’ plant doing? How old are we? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out next week, Monday Monday July 6th, and will conclude our thoughts on Debut!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
29/06/2026 • 76:28
The Big Mates discuss Mr. Oizo, the Second Summer of Love, Space Jam, and Debut by Björk. Adam, Steve, and Lucas begin their dissection of her first solo album by looking at how Björk wrote and recorded the album, the collaborations she sought to help her, and the thought behind the various styles found on the record.They also find time to explore a brief history of the relationship between the UK and electronic dance music, before starting the track-by-track analysis of the album, exploring the composition, sound, lyrics, meaning, and context for each song in turn - all from three differing perspectives, from being deeply into music and analysis, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between!How does Björk kick off her solo career? What do we know about electronic dance music? Where are Lucas’ security weaknesses? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out next week, Monday June 29th, and will continue the deep-dive into Björk's first album!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
22/06/2026 • 82:18
The Big Mates provide a special kind of audio accompaniment for a variety of clips from across the career of The Sugarcubes. Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss Icelandic cuisine, currency conversion rates, successful side projects, milk, Top of the Pops, Joan Jett, Netflix podcasts, and MTV programming whilst watching some music videos for the band’s biggest hits, footage of them performing on TV, and archival footage of Björk’s earlier projects. Head to YouTube to watch along by clicking here!Or don't watch along - the episode works fine either way!Our next episode comes out Monday June 22nd, and sees us dive into Björk’s first solo album - Debut!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
15/06/2026 • 60:23
The Big Mates discuss antique shops, alternative dance music, relatively new sweets, and Stick Around for Joy by The Sugarcubes. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue the prologue of their deep-dive exploration into the music of Björk by talking about the third album by The Sugarcubes.They discuss the details of the band's hiatus, the journey to America to make the album, the incorporation of dance-influenced sounds, and offer analysis, interpretation, and opinion from three differing perspectives on music, from being deeply into music and analysis, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between!What is alternative dance music? How cheeky is the band? How thick is Meade? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out next week, Monday June 15th, and we'll look at some of the visual media related to The Sugarcubes!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
08/06/2026 • 66:21
The Big Mates discuss classic cities, CBGB’s, allergies, and Here Today, Tomorrow Next Week! by The Sugarcubes. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue the prologue of their deep-dive exploration into the music of Björk by talking about the second album by The Sugarcubes.They discuss how the band reacted to their early success, how the album was made, the expansion of the line-up, and offer analysis, interpretation, and opinion from three differing perspectives on music, from being deeply into music and analysis, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between!How does the second album stack up to the first? How do bees make honey? When does life begin? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out next week, Monday June 8th, and we'll continue to tell the story of The Sugarcubes with their third album, Stick Around for Joy!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
01/06/2026 • 75:13
The Big Mates discuss speaking, growling, fasting, and Life's Too Good by The Sugarcubes. Adam, Steve, and Lucas properly begin their deep-dive exploration of Björk by talking about her upbringing, her musical background, the influences she found whilst discovering music, and how she started off her career.They discuss the early days of her creative output, the many projects she engaged with in Iceland, and how she found her artistic voice. They then talk about The Sugarcubes and offer analysis, interpretation, and opinion on their first album, Life's Too Good.It's an exciting first step in this career-long deep-dive from three differing perspectives on music, from being deeply into music and analysis, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between!How did Björk get started? Is it benevolence or malevolence? When were The Beatles music? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out next week, Monday June 1st, and we'll continue to tell the story of The Sugarcubes with their second album; Here Today, Tomorrow Next Week!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
25/05/2026 • 102:38
Introducing Season 8 of the What Is Music? podcast, which is called "Do You All Is Full Of Love Us?: A Critical Analysis of the History, Cultural Impact, and Music of Björk".Adam, Steve, and Lucas begin their deep-dive exploration of Björk by talking about their experiences with her music, their journeys with her over time, and what they know about her.They also talk about what they value in music and the roles it plays in their lives before exploring where Björk is from, the genres she operates in, and what made her stand out from her contemporaries.The season to come will be an album-by-album, track-by-track exploration of Björk's varied and storied career, the context around each release, behind-the-scenes stories of each recording session, a look at the legacy of the albums she has released, and a review of all of it, complete with scores, rankings, and lists!It promises to be exhaustive, informative, and fun as we approach the Björk discography from three differing perspectives on music, from being deeply into analysis and music, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between!What do we already know about Björk? What are we most excited to talk about? What's making us nervous? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?The season continues next week, Monday May 25th, and we'll look at the early days of Björk and her first album with The Sugarcubes!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
18/05/2026 • 75:03
The Big Mates discuss the cats, burgers, popcorn, and the new Billie Eilish film.Adam, Steve, and Lucas met in person for the first time in decades to go and see Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D).They discuss the film, its focus, its direction, the performance, and its use of 3D! Our next episode is out next Monday, May 18th, and will see us begin a brand new season! Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
11/05/2026 • 41:50
The Big Mates look to the future of the podcast by kicking off a tournament to decide the artist covered in a future season of What Is Music?Adam, Steve, and Lucas reveal the participants for the forthcoming competition and set the first round of matches.These head-to-heads will take place daily, starting on Tuesday May 5th. The matches will be voted on by you, our listeners, and will take place exclusively on our Patreon - but you only need a Free Membership to participate. Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod to sign up!The matches kick off at 6pm (UK time) each day, and voting will be open until 5pm (UK time) the following day. The semi-finals and the Grand Final will take place at a later date. Who have the Big Mates picked? Who have the listeners picked? Who is music? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?To vote - head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and sign up for a Free Membership, or a paid membership if you prefer! All paid memberships come with access to our subscriber-only Discord server where you can discuss the matches and their results with other listeners and Adam, Steve, and Lucas!Support the show
04/05/2026 • 62:05
Now on our main feed, we present to you The WIM Album Club, with an episode we released on our Patreon earlier this year.The episode is a classic WIM deep-dive into the album The Joshua Tree by U2 and features all of the usual discussion, analysis, commentary, history, insight, and tangents you've come to expect from the podcast.If you enjoyed this episode, head over to our Patreon to hear more episodes on a range of different artists, in different genres, from different countries and eras. Going to https://www.patreon.com/whatismusicpod and subscribing at the Bigger Mates tier or higher will get you instant access to all of the Album Club episodes we've released so far. That's just £5 a month!It also gives you the opportunity to submit your own choice of albums for possible future episodes, and means you can get involved in the discussion! Our next episode is out next Monday, May 4th and features details on how you can help us shape a forthcoming season of the podcast!Support the show
27/04/2026 • 248:36
The Big Mates discuss and conclude their thoughts on Arctic Monkeys and their career. They bring a year-long journey to a close, with thoughts on the sound, story, and attitude of the band, a recap of each of their albums and moods, and a look at their impact and legacy. Thank you all for joining us!Our next episode is out next Monday!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
20/04/2026 • 225:18
The Big Mates watch all of Arctic Monkeys' music videos in one sitting. You can watch along with us here:www.bilibili.com/video/BV1AiQWBqEkR/Or you can just listen without watching anything - that works too!Or you could make your own playlist - scroll down to see which videos we covered!Our next episode will see us wrap-up and offer final thoughts on the whole 7-album, 22-year career of Arctic Monkeys and is out on Monday April 20th!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/The videos we watch in this episode are:Fake Tales of San FranciscoI Bet You Look Good On the DancefloorWhen the Sun Goes DownThe View From the AfternoonLeave Before the Lights Come OnBrianstormFluorescent AdolescentTeddy PickerThe Age of the UnderstatementStanding Next to MeMy Mistakes Were Made For YouCrying LightningCornerstoneMy PropellerBrick By BrickDon’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your ChairThe Hellcat Spangled ShalalalaSuck It and SeeEvil TwinBlack TreacleYou and IR U Mine?Do I Wanna Know?Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?One For the RoadArabellaSnap Out of ItBad HabitsEverything You’ve Come to ExpectAviationMiracle AlignerIs This What You WantedLes CactusThis Is Your LifeFour Out of FiveTranquility Base Hotel & CasinoThere’s Better Be a MirrorballBody PaintI Ain’t Quite Where I Think I AmSculptures of Anything GoesSupport the show
13/04/2026 • 159:51
Welcome to Welcome to Twin Peaks: A Twin Peaks Podcast for Beginners.Join Adam and Steve as they put on their investigation trenchcoats, pour a hot steaming cup of coffee, and dive into the world of Twin Peaks.In this first episode they introduce the podcast, the season to come, and their relationship with Twin Peaks and David Lynch. They discuss their knowledge of the show, including its place in culture at the time it was released and now, the vibe of the show, and whether or not the coffee is “damn good” or “damn fine.”They look at the episodes to come, which Adam has seen many times before and Steve has never seen in his life! The second episode of this brand new podcast venture is out right now! We discuss the Pilot of Twin Peaks and begin digging into the mystery.Head to https://welcometotwinpeaks.buzzsprout.com and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!In the meantime…Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/welcometotwinpeaksukVisit our website: https://welcometotwinpeaks.buzzsprout.com/ Support the show
08/04/2026 • 44:34
The Big Mates mixed bags, S Club Juniors, tracklistings, and A Selection of B-Sides by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their dissection of the career of Arctic Monkeys by looking at a variety of b-sides from across their career.They discuss the writing, rehearsal, and recording of these songs from numerous eras, exploring the composition, tone, lyrics, meaning, and context for each song in turn - all from three differing perspectives, from being deeply into music and analysis, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between!Should any of these have been on albums? Should goths wear hi-vis? Don Cheadle? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out next week, Monday April 13th!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
06/04/2026 • 90:07
The Big Mates discuss crows, ravens, flamingoes, and A Selection of B-Sides by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their dissection of the career of Arctic Monkeys by looking at a variety of b-sides from across their career.They discuss the writing, rehearsal, and recording of these songs from numerous eras, exploring the composition, tone, lyrics, meaning, and context for each song in turn - all from three differing perspectives, from being deeply into music and analysis, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between!What makes the cut? Should they have been b-sides? Are they full of moments? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out next week, Monday April 6th, and will continue our investigation of their b-sides!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
30/03/2026 • 90:39
The Big Mates provide pointy and muddy audio commentary for Arctic Monkeys Live at Glastonbury Festival 2023.Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss the 2023 headlining performance as broadcast to television, and as witness with Adam's own two eyes. They also talk about how the band toured The Car.Head to YouTube to watch along here: https://archive.org/details/arctic-monkeys-glastonbury-2023Or don't watch along - the episode works fine either way!Our next episode comes out Monday March 30th!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including an album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
23/03/2026 • 116:32
The Big Mates discuss Arrested Development, cowboys, J.W. Pepper, and The Car by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their exploration of the career of Arctic Monkeys and conclude their track-by-track analysis of their seventh studio album. They explore the composition, tone, lyrics, meaning, and context for each song in turn - all from three differing perspectives, from being deeply into music and analysis, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between!They also look at the legacy of the album, where the band could possibly go from here, and how they wrapped up their most recent tour. What do we make of the album? Is it the end of Arctic Monkeys? What is the Benidorm lasagne vending machine? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out next week, Monday March 23rd!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
16/03/2026 • 100:47
The Big Mates discuss textual mishaps, DVD technology, Waluigi, and The Car by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas begin their dissection of the band's seventh and most recent album by talking about orchestras, pandemics, and how they entered the studio to record a guitar-based rock album. They discuss the writing, rehearsal, and recording of what became The Car, explore the overall themes and sound, and begin their track-by-track analysis, exploring the composition, tone, lyrics, meaning, and context for each song in turn - all from three differing perspectives, from being deeply into music and analysis, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between!What direction did the band go in this time? What’s the opposite of falsetto? What’s a freaky keypad? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out next week, Monday March 16th, and will continue the deep-dive into The Car!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
09/03/2026 • 106:34
The Big Mates discuss the Turkish barber experience, winter camping, live documents, and Live at the Royal Albert Hall by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their exploration of the band's career by examining their one and only live album!What do we make of this album? What do we make of live albums in general? What is munge? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out next week, Monday March 9th, and will see us begin the deep-dive into The Car!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
02/03/2026 • 65:35
The Big Mates provide brisk and unwieldy audio commentary for Arctic Monkeys Live at Les Nuits de Fourvière 2018.Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss the 2018 concert and talk about how Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino divided opinion upon release. Head to YouTube to watch along here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9_DFJsNu_0Or don't watch along - the episode works fine either way!Our next episode comes out Monday March 2nd!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including an album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
23/02/2026 • 88:00
The Big Mates discuss moon firsts, flesh worlds, word symmetry, and Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their exploration of the career of Arctic Monkeys and conclude their track-by-track analysis of their sixth album. They explore the composition, tone, lyrics, meaning, and context for each song in turn - all from three differing perspectives, from being deeply into music and analysis, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between!They also look at the legacy of the album, the success of the album, and how it split the fanbase upon arrival.What do we think of the album? Did Alex Turner predict the 2020 pandemic? Will Adam’s prediction hold true? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out next week, Monday February 23rd!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
16/02/2026 • 94:45
The Big Mates discuss automobile mishaps, instagram tacos, virtual reality, and Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their dissection of the band's sixth album by talking about the musicians involved in creating it, a change in the credits, how much of the creative weight landed on Alex Turner's shoulders. They discuss the recording of the album and continue their track-by-track analysis, exploring the composition, tone, lyrics, meaning, and context for each song in turn - all from three differing perspectives, from being deeply into music and analysis, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between!Why is Steve such a trite filmmaker? Is Bridgerton a book? What is this, a hotel for ants? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out next week, Monday February 16th, and will continue and conclude our deep-dive into Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
09/02/2026 • 83:56
The Big Mates discuss Cameron, Kubrick, Fellini, and Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino by Arctic Monkeys. Adam, Steve, and Lucas begin their dissection of the band's seixth album by talking about pianos, conspiracy theories, the desire to make a different kind of album, and how Alex overcame writer's block. They discuss the writing and initial recording of the album, explore the overall themes and sound, and begin their track-by-track analysis, exploring the composition, tone, lyrics, meaning, and context for each song in turn - all from three differing perspectives, from being deeply into music and analysis, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between!How mean is the album teaser? Were Arctic Monkeys always going to be like that? Is the moon hotel real? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Our next episode is out next week, Monday February 9th, and will continue the deep-dive into Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
02/02/2026 • 100:19
The Big Mates discuss longevity, cake, Paddington, and Critical Thinking by Manic Street Preachers.Adam, Steve, and Lucas return to the subject of their very first season, Manic Street Preachers, in order to dissect and explore the band's fifteenth and most recent album, Critical Thinking. They talk about the writing and recording process, the context surrounding the songs, and offer up analysis, opinions, and thoughts from three differing perspectives on music, from being deeply into analysis and music, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between.They continue and conclude their track-by-track analysis, wrap up their thoughts on the album, discuss how it sits in the band's discography, and ponder where they'd like the Manics to go next! What will we make of the album? Where do we hope they go next? Does Maurice like homophones? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Join us next week, as we return to Arctic Monkeys and start looking at their sixth studio album, Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
26/01/2026 • 96:15
The Big Mates recieve BREAKING NEWS. Adam, Steve, and Lucas take the truth and make it fluid whilst giving their first reactions to the new song by Arctic Monkeys.Released on January 22nd as a single from the forthcoming charity album Help(2) in aid of War Child, Opening Night is a new/old/reworked/fresh song by the band and was released amidst rumours that it would be the final song released by the band before breaking up.We give our initial thoughts on the song, the rumours, and the process in this short bonus episode!Join us next week for the conclusion of our deep-dive into Critical Thinking by Manic Street Preachers! The week after, we will return to Arctic Monkeys!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
23/01/2026 • 18:56
The Big Mates discuss teachers, single edits, smart motorways, and Critical Thinking by Manic Street Preachers.Adam, Steve, and Lucas return to the subject of their very first season, Manic Street Preachers, in order to dissect and explore the band's fifteenth and most recent album, Critical Thinking. They talk about the writing and recording process, the context surrounding the songs, and offer up analysis, opinions, and thoughts from three differing perspectives on music, from being deeply into analysis and music, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between.They touch on the recording process, the effects of not having a manifesto, the themes of the album, and the ever-quotable Nicky Wire. Aging, nostalgia, techno-confusion, art, and politics - it must be a Manics album! How grey is grass? Could you listen to 165 Lifebloods in a row? What happened to your critical thinking? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?Join us next week for the conclusion of our deep-dive into Critical Thinking!Join the conversation on:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismusicpod.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@whatismusicpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpodE-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.comGet access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!Support our show when starting your own podcast!By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379Check out our merch!https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.comDonate to our podcast!https://ko-fi.com/whatismusichttp://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/Support the show
19/01/2026 • 98:54
Now on our main feed, we present to you The WIM Album Club, with an episode we released on our Patreon last year.The episode is a classic WIM deep-dive into the album Takk... by Sigur Ros and features all of the usual discussion, analysis, commentary, history, insight, and tangents you've come to expect from the podcast.If you enjoyed this episode, head over to our Patreon to hear more episodes on a range of different artists, in different genres, from different countries and eras. Going to https://www.patreon.com/whatismusicpod and subscribing at the Bigger Mates tier or higher will get you instant access to all of the Album Club episodes we've released so far. That's just £5 a month!It also gives you the opportunity to submit your own choice of albums for possible future episodes, and means you can get involved in the discussion! Our next episode is out next Monday, January 19th and sees us discussing Critical Thinking by Manic Street Preachers!Support the show
12/01/2026 • 225:12
