217 episodes

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!

What Is Music?: A Music Podcast About R.E.M‪.‬ Adam Scott Glasspool, Steve Murphy, Lucas Way

    • Music
    • 4.5 • 52 Ratings

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!

    Dead Letter Office

    Dead Letter Office

    The Big Mates discuss liner notes, The Velvet Underground, being nice, and Dead Letter Office by R.E.M.

    Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of R.E.M. by exploring the collection of b-sides they released in 1987. They talk about where each track came from, 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 collection in general, whether b-sides should be taken seriously, and whether or not R.E.M. are the band to do that! They get to explore a range of moods along the way, from soft country, to heavy metal pastiche, to classic rock covers, and beyond... a must!

    Why is this some people's favourite R.E.M. album? How can you listen to this podcast being recorded live? How do you surf the web? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?

    Our next episode is out on Monday April 1st and will be a report from The Smile Live in Brighton!

    Join the conversation on:
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/whatismusicpod
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpod
    E-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.com

    Get 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 shows about Manic Street Preachers 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!

    Check out the Skwiggo album here:
    https://skwiggo.bandcamp.com/album/skwiggo-i

    Support our show when starting your own podcast!
    By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379

    Check out our merch!
    https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.com
    Donate to our podcast!
    https://ko-fi.com/whatismusic

    http://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/
    Support the show

    • 1 hr 59 min
    R.E.M. Clip-a-palooza 82-86 Commentary

    R.E.M. Clip-a-palooza 82-86 Commentary

    The Big Mates provide exciting and tangential audio commentary for a selection of R.E.M. clips ranging from 1982 to 1986.

    Confronted with very little  good footage of the Pageantry tour, Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss a range of clips, from news reports, live performances, interviews, and promos from across the band's career so far! There's also some grainy footage of their 1986 tour!

    Head to YouTube to watch along:
    https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIhQdLMeupWmY_bUf_UaSqGjRXo_hbCZh&si=Fu_QWKlQx-fJNI14
    Or don't - the episode works fine either way!

    Our next episode comes out Monday March 25th and will see us explore the b-sides collection, Dead Letter Office!

    Join the conversation on:
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/whatismusicpod
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpod
    E-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.com

    Get 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 shows about Manic Street Preachers 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=780379

    Check out our merch!
    https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.com
    Donate to our podcast!
    https://ko-fi.com/whatismusic

    http://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/
    Support the show

    • 1 hr 20 min
    Lifes Rich Pageant (Pt. 3)

    Lifes Rich Pageant (Pt. 3)

    The Big Mates discuss Godzilla, a car crash, The Lion King, and Lifes Rich Pageant by R.E.M.

    Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of R.E.M. by finishing up their track-by-track analysis of the band's fourth studio album, released in 1986. 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 bring the track-by-track to a close, exploring the meaning of the songs, the varying energies across the album, and talk about what does and does not constitute a "hidden track." They sum up their thoughts on the album, give scores, and discuss how it was received when it came.

    They also find time to discuss the band's 1986 Pageantry Tour, what that was like, and whether or not the album predicted grunge in some ways.

    How do we feel about the album? Does it sound like R.E.M.? What is a flam? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?

    Our next episode is out on Monday March 18th and will see us offering some audio commentary on a selection of clips from across R.E.M.'s career.

    Join the conversation on:
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/whatismusicpod
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpod
    E-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.com

    Get 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 shows about Manic Street Preachers 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!

    Check out the Skwiggo album here:
    https://skwiggo.bandcamp.com/album/skwiggo-i

    Support our show when starting your own podcast!
    By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379

    Check out our merch!
    https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.com
    Donate to our podcast!
    https://ko-fi.com/whatismusic

    http://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/
    Support the show

    • 1 hr 35 min
    Lifes Rich Pageant (Pt. 2)

    Lifes Rich Pageant (Pt. 2)

    The Big Mates discuss bedtime routines, contact lenses, gravity, and Lifes Rich Pageant by R.E.M.

    Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of R.E.M. by starting their track-by-track analysis of the band's fourth studio album, released in 1986. 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 finally get stuck into the songs themselves, dissecting each one in turn, examining the intention behind them, what inspired the writing, and how they fit into the album as a whole.

    What does this album sound like? How does a river catch on fire? What's the difference between dinner and supper? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?

    Our next episode is out on Monday March 11th and will conclude our analysis of Lifes Rich Pageant.

    Join the conversation on:
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/whatismusicpod
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpod
    E-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.com

    Get 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 shows about Manic Street Preachers 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!

    Check out the Skwiggo album here:
    https://skwiggo.bandcamp.com/album/skwiggo-i

    Support our show when starting your own podcast!
    By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379

    Check out our merch!
    https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.com
    Donate to our podcast!
    https://ko-fi.com/whatismusic

    http://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/
    Support the show

    • 1 hr 26 min
    Lifes Rich Pageant (Pt. 1)

    Lifes Rich Pageant (Pt. 1)

    The Big Mates discuss BIG NEWS, Band of Brothers, animals, and Lifes Rich Pageant 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 fourth studio album, released in 1986. 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 how the band changed their process again for the recording of this album, and how much of that was a reaction to their previous record. They explore the new songwriting technniques, the band's new way of working in the studio, and the relationship they formed with a new producer, before digging into the form, artwork, and themes of the album itself.

    They also spend some time looking at the wider musical landscape of the mid-80s, the best selling albums of the time, and where R.E.M. fit into it all!

    How did R.E.M. fit into the musical tendencies of the 80s? How many tracks are on the album? Is a bison the same thing as a buffalo? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?

    Our next episode is out on Monday March 4th and will continue our analysis of Lifes Rich Pageant.

    Join the conversation on:
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/whatismusicpod
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpod
    E-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.com

    Get 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 shows about Manic Street Preachers 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!

    Check out the Skwiggo album here:
    https://skwiggo.bandcamp.com/album/skwiggo-i

    Support our show when starting your own podcast!
    By signing up to Buzzsprout with this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=780379

    Check out our merch!
    https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.com
    Donate to our podcast!
    https://ko-fi.com/whatismusic

    http://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/
    Support the show

    • 1 hr 40 min
    R.E.M. Live on Rockpalast 1985 Commentary

    R.E.M. Live on Rockpalast 1985 Commentary

    The Big Mates provide lively and intellectual audio commentary for R.E.M. Live on Rockpalast in 1985.

    Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss the live performance (and a whole host of other, completely unrelated things) as broadcast on German TV.  They also dig into their thoughts surrounding R.E.M. this far into the season. A must!

    Head to YouTube to watch along:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11GYpY1KEcI
    Or don't - the episode works fine either way!

    Our next episode comes out Monday February 26th and we'll begin our deep dive into Lifes Rich Pageant!

    Join the conversation on:
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/whatismusicpod
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatismusicpod
    E-mail: whatismusicpod@gmail.com

    Get 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 shows about Manic Street Preachers 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=780379

    Check out our merch!
    https://whatismusicpod.redbubble.com
    Donate to our podcast!
    https://ko-fi.com/whatismusic

    http://whatismusic.buzzsprout.com/
    Support the show

    • 1 hr 47 min

Customer Reviews

4.5 out of 5
52 Ratings

52 Ratings

Shayflakes ,

I laughed and learned all the things

I really don’t laugh at stuff in any form of media. No clue why. So I was shocked to listen to this podcast and find myself on the verge of tears from the beyond witty banter. You guys are hysterical. I love it. Please do these podcasts forever.

Ed Mod ,

What is nu-dad rock?

A fun hang with likable hosts, but who are unapologetically stuck in their nostalgia for alternative rock bands that haven’t been relevant in decades. Great news for superfans who want to spend years exhausting over every REM album, but if you enjoy a more diverse spectrum of music, or feel that an endless parade of Manic Street Preachers isn’t worth hundreds of hours of scrutiny, then you may find yourself alienated by the otherwise admirably committed deep dive format.

kty you ,

great pod

insightful, but audio is kinda weird

Top Podcasts In Music

The Joe Budden Podcast
The Joe Budden Network
The Story of Classical
Apple Music
DISGRACELAND
Double Elvis Productions
Million Dollaz Worth Of Game
Barstool Sports
A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
Andrew Hickey
Drink Champs
Interval Presents

You Might Also Like

I am the EggPod
I am the EggPod
Kreative Kontrol
Vish Khanna / Entertainment One (eOne)
Sodajerker On Songwriting
Sodajerker
The Album Years
Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness
Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond
Pushkin Industries
Nothing Is Real - A Beatles Podcast
Beatles Pod