Podcast Categories: Music History

For more than 180 years, the New York Philharmonic has been making history here in the city we call home. The NY Phil Story: Made in New York is a podcast about the people, the music, and the city behind America’s oldest orchestra. Host Jamie Bernstein takes you backstage and into the archives to hear the untold stories of the Philharmonic–right from the very beginning. Each episode, we’ll go behind the scenes of an iconic performance, speak to current Philharmonic musicians about how they carry on the orchestra’s legacy, and hear the music that inspired it all.

In August 2023, Hip Hop officially turns 50 years old. A genre that broke out of the streets of the Bronx has become the most popular genre in music and now dominates global culture. To celebrate this Golden Anniversary, iHeart Podcast Networks presents: 50 Years of Hip Hop Podcast, a series that follows the evolution of Rap and Hip Hop from the days of DJ Kool Herc to Travis Scott. Featuring leading forces of Hip Hop along with long-form stories on how the genre has impacted global culture and a generation, produced and hosted by Fab 5 Freddy.

Reggie Wright Jr. and John Hyland discuss the past and present topics surrounding 2Pac, Suge Knight and Death Row Records

A podcast that uncovers the covers — that is, the stories, meanings, and histories behind our most classic songs. How does a song take on a different connotation when a different artist approaches it, or “covers” it, across generations, cultures, and time? Each episode features host and musicologist Stephanie Shonekan and one guest. Together they take one classic song, two popular renditions, and discuss: Who did it better, and why?On the surface, this is a show about the music we love. But the conversations uncover intimate stories about our own cultural backgrounds and personal idiosyncrasies, how these songs were first encountered, and about our personal connections with the songs. Ultimately, “Cover Story with Stephanie Shonekan” reminds us all to reconnect with great music and to reconsider the diverse perspectives, histories, and identities of the artists and the fans who consume the music. Join us! “Cover Story with Stephanie Shonekan” is produced by Janet Saidi, Kristofor Husted, Fernando Narro, Rehman Tungekar, and Ryan Famuliner, with host and producer Stephanie Shonekan. The series is edited by Rehman Tungekar and Ryan Famuliner. “Cover Story with Stephanie Shonekan” is a collaboration between KBIA and Vox Magazine, with funding from MU’s College of Arts & Science and the Missouri School of Journalism. You can follow the podcast and other special projects on Twitter at @VoxMag, and @KBIA, and on Instagram at @voxmagazine and @kbianews. See you there!

“Every Voice with Terrance McKnight” is a show that spotlights the vibrant stories and perspectives that reflect the whole of the American musical experience.

There are many different kinds of classical music, depending on where you are in the world. While this music typically preserves the traditions of a given society, classical music in America remains wedded to its Western European roots. On this show, we want to know why — and what America’s classical music really sounds like. Through interviews, historical investigation, and personal storytelling, Terrance McKnight unearths the hidden voices that have been shaping our musical traditions all along.

Our debut season examines the representation of Blackness in opera. While character flaws are universal, stereotypes often fall along racial lines. We look at the loneliness, jealousy, self-loathing, and cultural appropriation associated with African characters in 18th and 19th century operas by Mozart and Verdi, and we introduce the African-American personalities found in the operas of Atlanta-based composer Dr. Sharon Willis.

Old friends, working musicians, and noted know-it-alls, Tom Bridwell & Chris Holt expound on the backstory of a classic song and explain what makes it great.

Storyteller, historian, and music celebrator Patrick Hicks is bringing music history to life in podcast form. The best stories in music from every genre; fascinating, heartfelt, and inspirational tales about your most beloved artists and songs.

Kurt Cobain’s influence went beyond just the music he created with Nirvana. He also put the masses on to some of his own favorite artists. One particular document from his journals has been instructive to many fans – his top 50 albums. Each week, The Cobain 50 podcast digs into albums from this famous list and how they may have influenced Cobain and Nirvana. While learning the individual histories of the different albums on the list, we gain new insights into artists on the fringes as well as some of the biggest groups of all time. The podcast takes us through the legacies of acts like Sonic Youth, Pixies, The Breeders, Public Enemy, PJ Harvey, Black Flag, Mazzy Star, The Shaggs, Shonen Knife, and more. Episodes drop weekly starting January 10, 2024.