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
- 102 minutes
- Episodes
- 298
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2025
Kid A / Amnesiac in Paris Commentary
The Big Mates provide insightful commentary for Kid A/Amnesiac in Paris.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss the live performance as broadcast in France on the channel Canal+.
Head to the Radiohead Public L…
Amnesiac (Pt. 2)
The Big Mates discuss radio presets, Foghorn Leghorn, gummy bears, and Amnesiac by Radiohead.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the bands fifth album, Amnesiac. They finish up their…
BONUS: Know Your Enemy 2022 (with Dave Eringa)
Adam and Lucas discuss the recent reissue of Know Your Enemy by Manic Street Preachers,a bold reimagining of the 21 year-old album, which has now been split in two, remixed, remastered, and reconside…
Amnesiac (Pt. 1)
The Big Mates discuss minotaurs, labyrinths, ziggurats, and Amnesiac by Radiohead.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of Radiohead by tackling their fifth …
Talking 'Head with Will Fraser
The Big Mates are joined by Will Fraser (a.k.a. Bloom's Taxonomy) to discuss the Radiophonic Workshop, the videogame Half-Life, Brian Eno, and all things Radiohead.
Adam, Steve, Lucas, and Will explor…
Radiohead Live from a Tent in Dublin Commentary
The Big Mates provide insightful commentary for Radiohead Live from a Tent in Dublin.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss the edited show that was part of the band's tour for Kid A.
Head to the Radiohead P…
BREAKING MUSE: Will of the People
BONG. THIS IS AN EMERGENCY NEWS BROADCAST. The Big Mates discuss the newly released album Will of the People by Muse. They give their first impressions and pick some standout tracks.
You can now wear…
Who Is Music?: the Bracket Draft
The Big Mates look to the future of the podcast by kicking off a tournament to decide the artist covered in the next season of What Is Music?
Having recently solicited suggestions from listeners, Adam…
Kid A (Pt. 3)
The Big Mates discuss recaptured youth, indecipherable lyrics, difficult music and Kid A by Radiohead.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas conclude their track-by-track deep dive into the divisive fourth album and…
Kid A (Pt. 2)
The Big Mates discuss Sonic, ventriloquists, heads on sticks, and Kid A by Radiohead.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their track-by-track deep dive into this odd, divisive album by beginning their tr…
Kid A (Pt. 1)
The Big Mates discuss upside-down ducks, left turns, electronic music, and Kid A by Radiohead.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of Radiohead by tackling …
Promoting Radiohead with Caffy St. Luce
Adam sits down with music promoter, writer, and PR manager Caffy St. Luce to discuss her work with Radiohead, Hall or Nothing, and the state of music PR today.
There's also some time for Manic Street …
Radiohead Live at Hammerstein Ballroom 1997 Commentary
The Big Mates provide insightful commentary for Radiohead Live at Hammerstein Ballroom.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss the show as filmed for MTV Live at the 10 Spot. They also find time to discuss th…
Meeting People Is Easy
The Big Mates discuss tree-based logic questions, art vs. commerce, Half-Life, and Meeting People Is Easy, a film about Radiohead.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas remain in the OK Computer era and dissect and …
OK Computer (Pt. 3)
The Big Mates discuss murderous cats, musique concrete, ASMR, and OK Computer by Radiohead.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas conclude their track-by-track deep dive into the mammoth third album and offer up ana…
OK Computer (Pt. 2)
The Big Mates discuss technology, Ewoks, the ZX Spectrum, and OK Computer by Radiohead.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their track-by-track deep dive into this blockbuster album by beginning their tr…
OK Computer (Pt. 1)
The Big Mates discuss Soul Asylum, Baz Luhrmann, R.E.M., and OK Computer by Radiohead.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of Radiohead by tackling their hi…
Radiohead Live at the Metro 1996 Commentary
The Big Mates provide insightful commentary for Radiohead Live at the Metro.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas discuss the show as boradcast on TV in 1996, and dig in to the context surrounding the tour undertak…
The Bends (Pt. 3)
The Big Mates discuss Bridge of Lies, LCD Soundsystem, dealing with anxiety, and The Bends by Radiohead.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas conclude their track-by-track deep dive into the influential second albu…
The Bends (Pt. 2)
The Big Mates discuss Sports Direct, Sigur Ros, iron lungs, and The Bends by Radiohead.
Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their track-by-track deep dive into the influential sophomore album and offer up…