We recently deconstructed how Kate Bush’s 1985 song “Running Up That Hill” has found itself at the center of culture due to a placement in the Netflix, eighties, horror, sci-fi show, Stranger Things. For that episode we excerpted an interview with the composers of the show who shared great insights on how they created the iconic theme song and spooky soundsc ... Show More
Oct 7
Taylor Swift’s Showgirl Sound: How to actually listen to the album
Taylor Swift's twelfth album has sparked endless speculation about who each song is "really about," but that might be the wrong question entirely. The Life of a Showgirl isn’t biography, it’s polyphonic auto-fiction, where Swift writes from multiple character perspectives while b ... Show More
1h 9m
Oct 3
The Power of the Trio (ft. Trousdale live at USC)
There's no lead singer in Trousdale. The trio of Quinn D'Andrea, Georgia Greene, and Lauren Jones, has shared vocal duties equally since they started singing together as students at the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music. Since then, they've touring the ... Show More
48m 39s
Aug 2016
"Stranger Things" Composers Michael Stein and Kyle Dixon, and the Power of Music on TV
Examining the power of original scoring for television throughout history, with a particular emphasis on its return to prominence in the era of Peak TV. Plus: an interview with Michael Stein and Kyle Dixon, who wrote the music for Netflix's "Stranger Things."Theme music: "Slinky" ... Show More
39m 16s
Oct 2021
Spotlight on Avatar's Soundtrack with Jeremy Zuckerman and Hrishikesh Hirway
In this very special episode, ATLA & TLOK Composer Jeremy Zuckerman sits down with Janet, Dante, and Song Exploder’s Hrishikesh Hirway! The focus is all about the music in this lively discussion about the challenges and delights of scoring television and film. Listen to tales of ... Show More
53m 6s
Mar 2022
'Something in the Way,' 'The Batman,' Prince, and the Wild History of Batmusic
With Nirvana's 'Something in the Way' a streaming smash thanks to 'The Batman,' we look at the new movie's music and the whole story Batmusic, from the '60s TV theme song to Prince and beyond. David Fear and Erica Thompson join host Brian Hiatt for the discussion. Learn more abou ... Show More
41m 5s