What Is Music?: A Music Podcast About Arctic Monkeys
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
The Big Mates discuss The 1975, My Chemical Romance, Klaxons, and Who the Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys? by Arctic Monkeys.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep-dive into the career of Arctic Monkeys by exploring what happened in the immediate aftermath of their hugrly successful debut album.
They discuss the EP Who the Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys?, exploring each track in turn and offering analysis, opinion, and various tengential thou...
The Big Mates discuss Shane Meadows, Stephen Graham, Paddy Considine, and Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not by Arctic Monkeys.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue and conclude their discussion of the band's debut album, providing analysis and opinion as they finish up their track-by-track exploration.
They discuss the final tracks of the album and then offer up their thoughts and feelings on the album as a who...
The Big Mates discuss Peter Buck, train love, traditional policemen, and Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not by Arctic Monkeys.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their discussion of the band's debut album, going track-by-track to provide analysis and opinion.
They also find time to talk about the origins of the post-punk revival scene, the NME's influence on the music scene, and the meanness of 00s cultur...
The Big Mates discuss concept albums, Chris Tarrant, the alt. rock pipeline, and Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not by Arctic Monkeys.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas begin their dissection of the band's debut album by looking at the writing and recording process, the people who helped them make it, and the musical landscape at the time.
They also find time to talk about the band's 2005 tour, and their first ap...
The Big Mates discuss bouncers, poets, rappers, and Five Minutes With Arctic Monkeys.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas properly begin their deep-dive exploration of Arctic Monkeys by talking about the people that make up the band, the various musical influences they brought with them, the city they grew up in, and the formation of the band itself.
They discuss the early days of the band, their gigs and demo recordings, their songs being share...
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 Arctic Monkeys by talking about their experiences with the band's music, their journeys with them over time, and what they know about the band.
They also talk about what they value in music an...
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 studio album, released in 2024.
They talk about the writing and recording process, the context surrounding the albums, and offer up analysis, opinions, and thoughts from three differing perspectives o...
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 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...
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 third studio album, released in 2024.
They talk about the writing and recording process, the context surrounding the albums, and offer up analysis, opinions, and thoughts from three differing perspec...
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 of members of Radiohead. As the band released two albums within a year, the Big Mates talk about Wall of Eyes and Cutouts all in one episode!
They talk about the writing and recording process, ...
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 moods, and a look at their impact and legacy.
It's a long finale to a long season! Thank you all for joining us!
Is it era or era? Do Nirvana sound like the Spice Girls? What is the true identi...
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/BV1BTocYjExC/
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 15-album, 31-year career...
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 discuss what he saw in R.E.M., how he learned the job as he was doing it, how to manage a band with a clear vision of their own, how to pick singles, life after the band, and much more!
Our next episode is out ...
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 content and recording process.
Which songs have been included? How do you use a Scrub Daddy? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?
Our next episode is out on Monday April 14th!
Join the conv...
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 technology, the advent of social media, and the studio process for the last few R.E.M. albums.
Our next episode is out on Monday April 7th!
Join the conversation on:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatismu...
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 records that encompass the second half of their career at Warner Bros. They place each album previously covered into the context of this era, they return to each album with more experienced ears, and they ...
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 and storied career.
Starting with a quick commentary, they watch the final full-band performance from R.E.M. in Hansa Studios, Berlin and then discuss how the band announced that they wo...
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 joined the band at the height of their fame, and what it was like to jump in on a staidum tour.
They also talk about the process of recording albums like New Adventures in Hi-Fi and Accelerate, the experiemtnal sessions for...
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 the band's fifteenth and final studio album, released in 2008. They talk about the writing and recording process, the context surrounding the songs, and offer up analysis, opinions, and thoughts from...
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's fifteenth and final studio album, released in 2011. They talk about the writing and recording process, the context surrounding the songs, and offer up analysis, opinions, and thoughts from three d...
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