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.
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 103 minutes
- Episodes
- 297
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2025
BREAKING MUSE: Won't Stand Down
BONG. YOU ARE RECEIVING AN EMERGENCY NEWS BROADCAST.
The Big Mates discuss the newly released single, Won't Stand Down by Muse.
You can now wear your fandom on your (literal) sleeve!
What Is Music? now …
dont smile at me
The Big Mates discuss fizzy drinks (soda), corner shops (bodegas), The Great British Bake Off (The Great British Baking Show), and dont smile at me by Billie Eilish.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas begin their…
Season 3 Introduction: Should Eilishen?
The Big Mates discuss Christmas, Daft Punk, listening habits, and introduce Season 3 of the podcast, which is called "Should Eilishen?: A critical analysis of the history, cultural impact, and music …
Are Yule Amused?
The Big Mates celebrate their second Christmas together!
Adam, Steve, and Lucas listen chat about Christmasses of the past, their plans for this year, Christmas movies, and then embark upon The 2nd An…
Muse: Final Thoughts
The Big Mates discuss kindergarten, Radiohead, U2, Recess, drum and bass, fanbases, Stan culture, art, Coldplay, Saturday Night Live, pantomime, dad rock, cultural impact, Stath Lets Flats, how the g…
Muse Music Videos
The Big Mates discuss Pokemon, Halloween, cowboys, and watch every music video by Muse.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas embark on an epic jounrey and watch all of the Muse videos in one sitting and offer comme…
Cryosleep
The Big Mates discuss Jaws, Paul Simon, Game of Thrones, and Cryosleep, the solo album by Matt Bellamy.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas talk about the context and release of the first (and so far only) solo al…
Interview with Marc Burrows
Adam goes solo and is joined by author, critic, musician, and comic, Marc Burrows to discuss Chrstimas songs, music criticism, and Marc's new book, "Manic Street Preachers: Album-by-Album," to which …
Live at Shepherd's Bush Empire 2017 Commentary
The Big Mates provide insightful commentary for Muse Live at Shepherd's Bush Empire 2017.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss the show as put together by some fantastic bootleggers!
Head to YouTube to watch…
Muse B-Sides & Rarities
The Big Mates discuss Blink-182, Helping You Back to Work Vol. 1, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, and a selection of b-sides by Muse.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss some b-sides and rarities from acro…
Manic Street Preachers Tour Report 2021
In this very special episode The Big Mates discuss reaction videos, service stations, slang, and the recent Manic Street Preachers tour.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas reminisce on their experiences of The Ul…
Fandom and Devotion 3 (with @takeunobow)
The Big Mates are joined by @takeunobow (real name Emma) to talk about representation in films, vomiting at gigs, musical theatre, and much more!
Adam, Steve, and Lucas chat to Emma about Muse, the fa…
Simulation Theory Film Commentary
The Big Mates provide insightful commentary for the Simulation Theory Film by Muse.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss the narrative/concert film as released in cinemas and onto Blu-Ray/streaming platform…
Simulation Theory (Disk 2)
The Big Mates discuss TikTok, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Greek alphabet, and Disk 2 of the deluxe edition of Simulation Theory by Muse.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas take a look at the disc of bonus …
Simulation Theory (Pt. 2)
The Big Mates discuss the Shepard Tone, George Michael, memes, and Simulation Theory by Muse.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their discussion on the band's eighth and most recent studio album, explor…
Simulation Theory (Pt. 1)
The Big Mates discuss fizzy drinks, vaporwave, Bob Dylan, and Simulation Theory by Muse.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas begin their discussion on the band's eighth and most recent studio album, exploring the …
Interview with Mark Beaumont
The Big Mates are joined by music journalist and author, Mark Beaumont to discuss Kanye West, sex rampages, Reading Festival, and all things Muse.
Adam, Steve, Lucas, and Mark chat about the band, tak…
Drones World Tour Commentary
The Big Mates provide insightful commentary for the Drones World Tour Film by Muse.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss the show as released into cinemas (and sneakily uploaded to YouTube).
Watch along here…
BREAKING NEWS: The Ultra Vivid Lament
BONG. THIS IS AN EMERGENCY NEWS BROADCAST. The Big Mates discuss the newly released album by Manic Street Preachers, The Ultra Vivid Lament. They give their first impressions and pick some standout …
Drones (Pt. 2)
The Big Mates discuss conspiracy theories, Celine Dion, The Cramps, and Drones by Muse.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their discussion on the band's seventh studio album, exploring the context behin…