Miracle and Wonder: Conversations with Paul Simon
NEW: Now Includes a Bonus Chapter from Paul Simon & Malcolm Gladwell Miracle and Wonder: Conversations with Paul Simon is unlike any artistic portrait you’ve ever heard before. Recorded over a…
Join Pushkin+
Gain access to ad-free versions of 20+ podcasts from the Pushkin library along with exclusive bonus episodes and other member benefits.
Order your copy of Malcolm Gladwell and Bruce Headlam’s new audiobook, Miracle and Wonder: Conversations with Paul Simon, now! If you purchase directly from our website, you’ll receive an exclusive Listener’s Guide. Check it out below.
For generations of music lovers, the liner notes on albums were a central part of the way music was heard. You bought an album and it came with an accompanying narrative: a digression, an aside, a backstory—maybe even an invented history. We intuitively understood that great music required not just listening but conversation between the artist and the audience and the audience and the rest of the world.
Broken Record is a podcast that restarts those conversations—in a world without liner notes—for a new audience of music lovers.
Broken Record is hosted by Justin Richmond with interviews by producer Rick Rubin, writer Malcolm Gladwell, and former New York Times editor Bruce Headlam.
Most Recent Episode
David Paich
David Paich is a prolific musician and songwriter who’s perhaps most well known for writing and co-producing Toto's classic song, “Africa.” Before David co-founded Toto with drummer Jeff Porcaro in…
David Paich
David Paich is a prolific musician and songwriter who’s perhaps most well known for writing and co-producing Toto's classic song, “Africa.” Before David co-founded Toto with drummer Jeff Porcaro in…
Susanna Hoffs
As a founding member of the iconic all-girl band The Bangles, Susanna Hoffs is perhaps most associated with 80s hits like “Manic Monday,” “Eternal Flame,” and “Walk Like An Egyptian.”…
Marty Stuart
Marty Stuart has dedicated his life to playing and preserving old country music. During his 40-plus years as a solo artist, Marty has released more than 20 albums and racked…
Lol Tolhurst
Lol Tolhurst, drummer and co-founder of The Cure, first met lead singer Robert Smith when they were just five years-old. Together with their other Catholic school friend Michael Dempsey, they…
Mark Mothersbaugh
The lead singer and keyboardist for Devo, Mark Mothersbaugh, is an avant-garde, new wave pioneer. Although critics sometimes classify Devo as a joke band, the Akron, Ohio art-punks’ ethos was…
Laufey
Laufey’s fast rise to fame is a pandemic success story. During lockdown, the 24-year-old multi-instrumentalist built a substantial following on social media where she was known as “jazz girl.” Since…
Hermanos Gutiérrez
Hermanos Gutiérrez may be an instrumental guitar band, but they have zero interest in shredding. Instead the Swiss-Ecuadorian brothers, Estevan and Alejandro Gutiérrez, take a minimalist approach to playing. They…
Pete Townshend
Pete Townshend, the legendary guitarist and songwriter for The Who, is one of the most decorated rock stars alive. He’s been inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame,…
Amanda Shires
Amanda Shires is a Texas-born singer/songwriter who got her start at 15 when she joined Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys on fiddle. After starting her solo career in 2005,…
DJ Drama
DJ Drama is one of the most iconic mixtape DJs of all time. His legendary Gangsta Grillz tapes helped propel artists like T.I. and Young Jeezy to stardom. His classic Dedication series…
Johnny Marr
Johnny Marr is an acclaimed British guitarist who’s played with a ton of bands including, most famously, The Smiths. Marr started playing guitar as a young teenager growing up in…
James Blake
Since his major-label debut in 2011, James Blake's haunting vocals and brilliantly edited, collage-style tracks have helped usher in a new sound in popular music. James has both produced and…
Joan Baez (Broken Record Live)
Of all the groundbreaking musicians to come out of the ‘60s, few were as engaged socially and politically as Joan Baez. A lifelong proponent of non-violent activism, Joan marched with…
Albert Hammond Jr
Albert Hammond Jr. first rose to prominence as the lead guitarist of The Strokes—a band at the forefront of New York City’s indie rock renaissance in the early aughts. In…
Paul Simon
Paul Simon is one of the greatest living songwriters. Since debuting with Art Garfunkel in 1957, Paul Simon has written countless songs quintessential to the American psyche. This year, at…
Damon Albarn
Over the course of his 35-year career, Damon Albarn has reached international fame with two very different bands. In 1988, Damon created the rock band Blur with three friends in…
Ben Gibbard
In September, Ben Gibbard, the founder of Death Cab For Cutie, will set out on a nationwide tour to celebrate the two very different albums that have come to define…
Kesha
Long regarded as pop music’s resident party animal, Kesha is now dead-set on slowing down and speaking up. Since debuting on the hook of Flo-Rida’s mega smash “Right Round” in…
Rickie Lee Jones
Rickie Lee Jones hit it big with her debut album in 1979. The following year she won the Grammy for Best New Artist, and over the course of the next…
Caroline Rose
Singer/songwriter Caroline Rose has always been a character. Her music videos often feature Caroline as the screwball lead, navigating ambition, desire and super stardom. Now, on her latest album, The Art…
Hit-Boy
Hip-hop super producer Hit-Boy has helped create some of the biggest hits of the last decade. His discography includes classic songs with Jay-Z and Kanye West, Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar,…
Moby
Moby never stops working. His first taste of mega-success came in the early aughts after the release of his multi-platinum album, Play. In the years since, he's released 19 more studio…
Arlo Parks
Arlo Parks is one of the most compelling voices of her generation. Born in London, the 22-year-old snagged the Best New Artist trophy at the Brit Awards in 2021 in…
Feist
Canadian-born singer/songwriter Feist has been one of the most dynamic indie voices of the last two decades. Last month she released her sixth album, Multitudes. She recorded it in the aftermath…
Babyface
Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds is a pillar of contemporary R&B. As a producer and songwriter, Babyface’s discography includes hits for powerhouse vocalists like Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Beyonce, Ariana Grande, and…
Matt Berninger
Today we have part two of our run of interviews with The National in celebration of their new album, First Two Pages of Frankenstein. Last week Broken Producer producer Leah Rose…
Aaron Dessner
Today we’re kicking off a two-part series of interviews with members of The National, who just released their ninth album, First Two Pages of Frankenstein. Today’s conversation is with Aaron Dessner,…
Roger McGuinn
Roger McGuinn is best known as the driving force behind The Byrds. But McGuinn is also a preservationist of traditional folk music. For the past 27 years he’s been re-recording…
George Clinton
George Clinton revolutionized funk music with Parliament Funkadelic, whose theatrical, sci-fi, performance art has captivated audiences worldwide for over five decades. P-Funk’s blend of psychedelic rock and deep, repetitive funk…
Graham Nash, Part 2
Today we have the second part of Rick Rubin’s conversation with legendary singer/songwriter Graham Nash. We dropped part one a couple of weeks ago, so definitely go check that out…
The Edge
U2’s The Edge is one of only a handful of guitarists who's as recognizable as his band’s wildly successful frontman. U2 has been playing together since 1976, when they were…
Graham Nash, Part 1
At 81 years-old, Graham Nash describes his life as, “a magic story from beginning to end.” Graham’s career began in 1962 as a singer/songwriter in the British pop band The…
Giles Martin, Part 2
Today we have part two of Rick Rubin’s conversation with producer and composer, Giles Martin. In part one, Giles talked about his delicate work remastering classic Beatles albums. Today we’ll…
Usher
Usher is one of few R&B acts from the ‘90s who has gone on to become a global superstar. Since the start of his 30-year career, Usher has sold over…
Giles Martin, Part 1
Giles Martin may be the son of famed Beatles record producer Sir George Martin, but he’s also an acclaimed producer and composer in his own right. He’s worked on projects…
Iggy Pop, Part 2
Today we have part two of Rick Rubin’s conversation with proto-punk icon, Iggy Pop. If you didn’t catch part one last week where Iggy talked about his early days with…
Iggy Pop, Part 1
Iggy Pop is one of the most outrageous rock ‘n roll frontmen to ever step foot on stage. As the lead singer of The Stooges, Iggy was known for bending…
Rick Rubin
Today the interviewer becomes the interviewee.In his nearly 40-year career as a producer, Rick Rubin has helped unlock creativity and inspire musical genius time and time again. The artists he’s…
Johnny Mathis
Today, we are featuring “The Voice of Christmas,” Mr. Johnny Mathis. Over the years, Mr. Mathis has released six Christmas albums. His iconic first holiday record, Merry Christmas, is a…
John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers Returns, Part 4
Today we have part four of our John Frusciante Returns series. This is the latest installment of Rick Rubin’s on-going series of in-depth interviews with the Red Hot Chili Peppers…
John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers Returns, Part 3
We’re back with the third episode in our John Frusciante Returns series. Over the past couple of months Rick Rubin and John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers have…
Stormzy
The British hip-hop subgenre grime first started to bubble up in London in the early aughts. Artists like Wiley and Dizzee Rascal developed an entirely new style by rapping over…
Neil Young
If Broken Record had an all-star list, Neil Young would be at the top. He’s been on the show three times now, and his legendary body of work has been brought up…
Jacob Collier, Part 2
Today we have part two of Bruce Headlam’s conversation with YouTube sensation turned five-time Grammy winner Jacob Collier. We left off our last episode with Jacob talking about what it’s like…
Jacob Collier, Part 1
Musical genius and multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier joins us today for part one of a two-part conversation. In 2011, when Jacob was only 17, he began posting videos to YouTube of…
Maggie Rogers
Maggie Rogers has never been one to mince words. Aside from her powerhouse voice, one of Maggie’s superpowers is her ability to write pop songs fueled by radical emotional transparency.…
John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers Returns, Part 2
Today we’re excited to bring you the next installment of our John Frusciante interview series. John first came on the podcast back in April to help celebrate the release of…
Gabriels
Today we are featuring one of the most thrilling new groups in contemporary soul music—Gabriels. And lucky for us, they performed three songs, one of which is still unreleased, live…
Anaïs Mitchell
Today we will hear from singer-songwriter and playwright Anaïs Mitchell who spent the past 16 years building the world of Hadestown, a career-defining stage musical that has grown from a low-budget…
John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers Returns, Part 1
Today we’re sharing one of the most intimate conversations Rick Rubin has ever had on Broken Record. It’s with the famed guitarist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Frusciante. Rick Rubin last…
Bartees Strange
Bartees Strange is an amalgamation of musical styles. Listen to any given song on his newest release, Farm To Table, and you can hear hints of early aughts emo, auto-tuned hip-hop…
Sylvan Esso
Sylvan Esso’s Nick Sanborn and Amelia Meath have been making music together since 2013, when Amelia asked Nick, a music producer and bassist, to remix her band Mountain Man’s hit…
Tedeschi Trucks Band
Today we have Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks of the Tedeschi Trucks Band on the show. Derek Trucks made his name as a slide guitar prodigy with a Hall of…
Jack White (ft. Special Guest Neil Young)
We have friend of the show Jack White back on the show today along with a legendary special guest — Neil Young! This conversation with Rick Rubin is full of…
Kaytranada
Kaytranada’s futuristic, soulful disco sound is suddenly everywhere—including on his new hit song “Twin Flame” with Anderson .Paak. The Haitian-Canadian DJ/producer got his start as a teenager by uploading J.…
Old Crow Medicine Show
Today we are featuring a chat with two members of the Nashville-based string band, Old Crow Medicine Show—lead singer Ketch Secor and drummer Jerry Pentecost. Since forming in 1998, Old…
Béla Fleck
Today we are featuring a conversation with the world’s preeminent banjo player, Béla Fleck. Over the course of his four-decade career, Béla has won numerous Grammys in a variety of…
Nilüfer Yanya
Nilüfer Yanya is a 27-year-old singer/songwriter from West London. After several years of hitting small stages with her guitar, Nilüfer broke through in 2016 with a series of soulful, indie-pop…
Neneh Cherry
Swedish-born singer Neneh Cherry’s four-decade-long career has ricocheted between a number of genres including hip-hop, jazz, and trip-hop. Her first single in 1988, “Buffalo Stance,” cemented her standing as a…
Lyle Lovett
Today on the show, we're welcoming Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter, Lyle Lovett. Lovett follows in the footsteps of Texas troubadours like Guy Clark, Walter Hyatt, and Townes Van Zandt. In 1986,…
The Doors: Robby Krieger and John Densmore
Today we have a fun follow-up to last week’s episode with Johnny Echols from the band Love. This week we’ll hear Rick interview the last two living members of The…
Danny Brown and Johnny Echols on Love’s ‘Forever Changes’
Today we’re closing out Black Music Month by celebrating one of Rick Rubin’s favorite albums of all time — Forever Changes by the band Love. Formed in 1965, Love was…
Sonny Rollins
Today we’re continuing our celebration of Black Music Month with the incredible jazz legend, Sonny Rollins. Rollins is an American tenor saxophonist and composer who is widely regarded as one…
Adrian Quesada
Today on the show, we’re talking to Grammy award-winning musician, Adrian Quesada who's best known as one-half of the Black Pumas. During the pandemic Adrian started working on a solo…
J Dilla: Dan Charnas on the Life and Legacy of Jay Dee
Today we’re talking to Dan Charnas—author, hip-hop journalist, professor, show runner, former A&R person for Def American, and also a longtime friend of Rick Rubin's. Charnas's latest book, Dilla Time: The…
PJ Morton
Today we begin our month-long celebration of Black Music Month with PJ Morton—the New Orleans based singer/songwriter, producer, and keyboardist for Maroon 5. Morton recently released his eighth studio album Watch…
Sharon Van Etten
Sharon Van Etten joins us today—the singer/songwriter who Pitchfork recently crowned an “indie rock institution.” Earlier this month, Van Etten released her sixth and arguably best album, We’ve Been Going About…
Tom Jones
Today we’ll hear Rick Rubin talk to one of his all-time favorite vocalists, Tom Jones. With his soulful baritone and unique interpretation of the American R&B and gospel, Jones became…
Belle and Sebastian
Today we’re talking to Stuart Murdoch and Stevie Jackson from the Scottish folk-pop band, Belle & Sebastian. After seven years, the indie pop band is releasing their ninth studio album,…
Michael Stipe
Today we have a conversation between old friends Rick Rubin and Michael Stipe. Along with his former band R.E.M., Stipe's expert, open-hearted lyrics gave voice to the sensitive and misunderstood…
Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
Today we have the final interview in our month-long series with the Red Hot Chili Peppers in celebration of their new album, Unlimited Love, produced by Rick Rubin. There’s only one Chili…
Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
This is the third episode in our four episode run on the podcast with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, celebrating their new album, Unlimited Love.Today you’ll hear a very special conversation…
John Frusciante and Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
We’re continuing our run of episodes celebrating the release of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ new album, Unlimited Love, produced by Rick Rubin. We left off our episode last week…
John Frusciante of Red Hot Chili Peppers
Today is the start of a month-long run of episodes in celebration of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ newest album, Unlimited Love. We kick things off with Rick Rubin in…
Missy Elliott
Missy Elliott is one of popular music’s greatest innovators. This year is the 25th anniversary of Missy’s classic debut album, Supa Dupa Fly. When that album dropped, Missy’s unconventional rhyme…
Patti Smith
Today we have the one and only Patti Smith on the show. Patti is the prototypical downtown, New York City artist. Her 1975 debut album Horses is credited as one of…
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Raitt is many things—a Rock ‘n Roll Hall-of-Famer, an incredible blues guitarist, an underrated songwriter, and a fierce advocate for social justice. Bonnie was offered her first record deal…
Beach House
Beach House is a psych-pop band with a die-hard cult following. Since their 2006 debut album, their lush, cinematic sound has been sampled by artists like Kendrick Lamar and The…
Judy Collins
To kick off our month long celebration of Women’s History Month, today we are featuring an interview with the great Judy Collins. At 82 years-old, Collins is in the midst…
Robert Plant
Robert Plant is arguably the most iconic rock vocalist of all time. As the frontman for Led Zeppelin, his dynamic, soaring vocal style was the perfect lead for the band’s…
Jon Batiste
Jon Batiste is an overachiever. Batiste is the bandleader on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert and an Oscar-winning composer for the Pixar animated movie, Soul. He also received the…
Stevie Van Zandt
Stevie Van Zandt is the ultimate underboss. His first big break came in the mid-70s as Bruce Springsteen’s right-hand man, guitarist, and occasional co-producer in the E Street Band. Later…
Todd Rundgren
Photo: Lynn Goldsmith / Broken RecordTodd Rundgren is a multi-talented musician who has made a name for himself both as a solo artist and a visionary music producer. Rundgren’s crowning…
Jackson Browne
In the 1970’s Jackson Browne was known as one of the originators of the carefree, California classic rock sound with hits like “Doctor My Eyes” and “Running on Empty.” As…
Yusuf/Cat Stevens
Since debuting in the late ‘60s, Yusuf/Cat Stevens has made a sizable contribution to the folk canon with tender, contemplative songs like “Wild World,” “Moonshadow,” and “The Wind.” Stevens recently…
Sam Sanders on Janet Jackson’s Legacy
Today we’re sharing an episode from our friend Sam Sanders over at NPR’s It’s Been a Minute podcast. This year marks the 35th anniversary of Janet Jackson’s classic album, Control.…
Pino Palladino and Blake Mills
Pino Palladino and Blake Mills are renowned session musicians who recently collaborated on their own album, Notes With Attachments. It’s an experimental, jazz-leaning project that blew Rick Rubin’s mind. Pino…
Neil Young, Part Two
Welcome to part two of Rick Rubin’s conversation with Neil Young. Today we’ll hear how Neil’s song “I Believe In You” from his 1970 masterpiece After the Gold Rush inspired…
Neil Young, Part One
When we first talked about making Broken Record, we had a short list of absolute dream guests for the podcast and Neil Young was at the top of that list.…
Faye Webster Takes Off
24 year-old singer/songwriter Faye Webster stopped by Shangri-La earlier this month in between stops on her tour opening for Wilco to chat with Justin Richmond and play some songs off…
Amanda Shires For Christmas
Today we have a special Broken Record Holiday episode with Nashville singer Amanda Shires. Shires’ new holiday album, For Christmas, isn’t meant to make you feel merry and bright. Instead…
Mary Gauthier: Saved By A Song
Mary Gauthier is a folk singer/songwriter whose songs have quite literally saved her life. Writing music did not come easily to Gauthier. She began abusing drugs and alcohol as a…
Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast
Michelle Zauner is the lead singer and creative force behind the indie, dream pop band, Japanese Breakfast. This year Zauner released a series of career-defining projects that propelled her band…
Angelique Kidjo: Africa’s Premier Diva
According to Time Magazine, singer Angelique Kidjo is “Africa’s premier diva.” Kidjo started out singing traditional music in her native Benin, West Africa when she was a teenager. In 1983,…
Pastor T.L. Barrett’s Gospel
Pastor T.L. Barrett has been known on Chicago’s South side as a religious and community leader for 50 years. But it wasn’t until recently that people started to uncover Barrett’s…
Diane Warren: Songwriter Extraordinaire
If you’ve sung along to a power ballad in the last 30 years, chances are you’re already intimately familiar with Diane Warren’s songs. Some of her biggest hits include Cher’s…
Amythyst Kiah Sings Her Truth
On her intimate new album Wary + Strange, Amythyst Kiah sings her heart out about losing her mom to suicide, and what it’s like being the only black person in…
Scarface: The Reunion
Houston rapper Scarface is one of the most recognizable, respected voices in hip-hop. When he was just 17 years-old, Scarface was recruited to join Bushwick Bill and Willie D in…
‘White Lotus’ Composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer
Cristobal Tapia de Veer is the composer and musician behind Mike Whiteâs HBO show, White Lotus. The sounds in the score range from percussive African and Latin American instruments to…
Lindsey Buckingham: Going His Own Way
Lindsey Buckingham’s signature finger-style guitar is perhaps as recognizable as the countless classic songs he wrote while he was in Fleetwood Mac.Buckingham is a self-taught guitar virtuoso and songwriter who…
Ringo Starr: Peace and Love
Ringo Starr is one of the most iconic musicians living today. Famed drummer for The Beatles and a prolific songwriter in his own right, at 81, Ringo’s gearing up to…
John Hiatt and Jerry Douglas
John Hiatt is a Nashville-based singer/songwriter whose songs have been covered by a wide range of popular artists including Iggy Pop, Paula Abdul and Jimmy Buffett. Hiatt recorded his latest album, Leftover…
Henry Rollins
Henry Rollins speaks with Rick Rubin from Shangri-La pre-pandemic and in full Rollins fashion, the stories just poured out of him. Henry talks about the time he was christened a…
Jaden Smith Gets Trippy
Jaden Smith has proved to be much more than just the sum of his famous parents. At 23 he’s spent more than half of his life working as an actor,…
Lukas Nelson: A Star Is Born
Growing up in a family full of musicians, Lukas Nelson was basically raised on stage. He started playing guitar in his dad Willie Nelson’s band when he was just 11…
Daryl Hall The Hit Man
Daryl Hall and John Oates are the definition of Blue-Eyed Soul. After a string of monster hits that stretched from the '70s into the mid-80s, the RIAA named Hall &…
Jeff Goldblum Gets Jazzy
Over Jeff Goldblum’s 50-year acting career, he’s played dozens of unforgettable roles. Off-camera, Jeff Goldblum is also a surprisingly dedicated Jazz pianist who has been playing in clubs and bars for…
Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen
Rick Nielsen is best known as Cheap Trick’s lead guitarist and main songwriter. In the late ’70s, Cheap Trick helped popularize power pop with their songs “Surrender” and “I Want…
Mark Ronson Finds The Perfect Sound
Mark Ronson's big break as a producer came from working with Amy Winehouse to find the perfect sound for her career defining album, Back To Black. Since then, Ronson has…
BROCKHAMPTON’s Kevin Abstract
BROCKHAMPTON’s frontman Kevin Abstract talks through the group’s sixth and latest album, Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine with Rick Rubin.
Archie Shepp: Activist of the Avant-Garde
Archie Shepp is a tenor saxophonist and composer who's spent over half a century contributing to the evolution of Black music. Shepp has long fought for Black musicians to get…
Craig Finn Holds Steady
Craig Finn, the lead singer and songwriter of The Hold Steady, is known for his vivid, literary-style songwriting. He often writes about characters going through an existential crisis. The Hold…
Moby Reprised
Moby may be one of the most highly recognizable dance-music artists of all time, but he’s also a talented multi-hyphenate whose unconventional 30-year career includes massive success as a producer…
Brian Eno: The Innovator
Brian Eno’s 50-year career is teeming with innovation. He started out playing synths in the early ‘70s as a member of the UK glam-rock band Roxy Music and went on…
Liz Phair’s Soberish
Liz Phair helped lay the foundation for a generation of fierce, independent artists on her gritty 1993 debut album, Exile In Guyville. Early in her career, she pushed for freedom…
Rhiannon Giddens Comes Home
Rhiannon Giddens is a brilliant fiddle and banjo player who’s one of the few musicians alive today trained in the centuries-old black string band tradition. Giddens is a North Carolina…
Superwolves: Bonnie "Prince" Billy and Matt Sweeney
In 2005 singer Bonnie "Prince" Billy a.k.a. Will Oldham and guitarist Matt Sweeney released the Superwolf album, which has developed a cult following that includes Rick Rubin who absolutely fell…
Peter Frampton Forgets the Words
Peter Frampton is a classic rock guitar god who rose to international fame in the late ‘70s with his chart-topping double album, Frampton Comes Alive!Justin Richmond caught up with Frampton…
Serj Tankian Talks Toxicity and Activism
System of a Down’s classic Rick Rubin-produced album, Toxicity, turns 20 this year. Released in 2001 one week before 9/11, the politically charged and wildly bizarre album provided the perfect…
Andrew Bird + Jimbo Mathus
Listening to Jimbo Mathus and Andrew Bird’s new album, These 13, is like taking a trip down South … a century ago. It’s new territory for Andrew Bird, a classically…
Barry Gibb’s Wild Ride
Few bands have experienced such extreme highs and lows as the Bee Gees. Throughout their decades-long career, the band of brothers managed to be both grossly underrated and one of…
Merry Clayton’s Redemption
Merry Clayton is a legendary backup singer who has managed to consistently steal the spotlight. Merry’s journey from a renowned backup singer to a solo artist was documented in the…
Marianne Faithfull Fights Back
Marianne Faithfull has been many things throughout her half a century in music—a close confidant of the Rolling Stones, a pop star, a homeless drug addict and a critically acclaimed…
Valerie June Shines Bright
Valerie June has helped widen the scope of contemporary Americana music. She’s one of few African American women in the category and her unique combination of gospel and Appalachian folk…
Ziggy Marley Reminisces About Jamaica and His Father
Malcolm Gladwell recently spoke with Ziggy Marley as part of the Live Talks Los Angeles series. Their conversation centers around a book of photographs Ziggy curated called Bob Marley: Portrait…
Mike Shinoda on Beats, Rhymes and Linkin Park
Since forming in 1996, Linkin Park has sold over 100 million records worldwide. Their enormous success mixing genres like hip-hop, metal and anthemic pop was spearheaded by the band’s ultra-talented…
Kenny Beats + Rick Rubin, Part 2
Since his first conversation with Rick, Kenny Beats’ star has continued to rise. In the past couple of years he has produced songs with Ed Sheeran, Da Baby and Vince…
Kenny Beats on the Regional Sounds of Hip Hop
There’s a reason Kenny Beats is one of the great young producers in Hip Hop. Because he has a vast understanding of the regional sounds and histories of cities to…
Joan Baez
Rick Rubin speaks with the great Joan Baez fresh off her birthday and the announcement that she’ll be among this year’s Kennedy Center honorees!Joan was known the world over as…
Rivers Cuomo on Weezer’s New Approach and a Wild Nirvana Conspiracy
Most people know Rivers Cuomo as Weezer’s brilliant, quirky lead singer. But one thing people may not know, is that several years ago, a bizarre conspiracy theory made its way…
Earth, Wind & Fire’s Verdine White with Rick Rubin
Rick Rubin connected with Earth, Wind & Fire’s Verdine White to talk about the early days of the band and about their producer, Charles Stepney, who Verdine calls their George…
Nas In Conversation with Rick Rubin
Nas dropped one of the most universally loved rap albums in 1994 with Illmatic.Since releasing that homage to the gritty streets of his childhood home, Queensbridge, Nas has remained one…
Legendary Music Journalist Lisa Robinson
Rick Rubin speaks with friend, pioneering rock journalist, Lisa Robinson about her over 40 year career that’s seen her interview everyone from John Lennon to Lady Gaga, from Jay Z…
Ben Folds
Singer/songwriter, pianist, alt-rocker Ben Folds has been releasing records since the 90s. Sometimes with his band Ben Folds Five, sometimes solo. In this episode of Broken Record, he connects with…
John Legend
In this episode, Eric talks with John Legend about why, at the height of his career, John started taking voice lessons, and how important it has been to learn how…
Dave Cobb: Nashville’s Super Producer
Nashville producer Dave Cobb has earned six Grammys for his standout work with artists like Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile and Chris Stapleton. Over the past 15 years Dave’s managed to…
My Morning Jacket’s Jim James
Jim James talks about and performs some songs off My Morning Jacket’s “The Waterfall II.” The album of holdovers from the band’s 2015 album came out in July. Jim explains…
James Blake
Photo: Max MontgomeryJames Blake speaks with Rick Rubin about his new Covers EP. Since his debut album in 2011, the British-born James Blake has gone on to win England’s top…
Pharrell Williams
GQ, US,April 29, 2019Rick Rubin connected with Pharrell Williams over Zoom recently to talk through and listen to some of the biggest hits from Pharrell’s illustrious career. They chat about what…
Andrew Watt: Producer on the Rise
Photo: Kevin ScanlonIt’s hard to believe Andrew Watt is only 30 years old. He’s built up an impressive and diverse roster of collaborators over the last five years including Ozzy…
Black Pumas
The runway to success was short for Black Pumas. Five months after releasing their debut album in 2019, the Austin-based band was nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammys.…
Jeff Tweedy’s Songwriting Masterclass
Photo: Sammy TweedyWilco’s Jeff Tweedy is a prolific songwriter and he's ready to share his secrets. They're all in his new book How to Write One Song. In today's episode…
Leslie Odom Jr. of ‘Hamilton’
Photo: Tony DuranLeslie Odom Jr., best known for playing Aaron Burr in âHamilton,â speaks to Bruce Headlam about his career on stage and in music and also his new Christmas…
Mike Campbell On His First Post-Heartbreakers Album
Mike Campbell, guitarist, co-writer and original Heartbreaker talks to Rick Rubin about growing up with Tom Petty, working on “Wildflowers” and about his new album, “Wreckless Abandon,” with band The…
Deep Sea Diver
There’s no playbook for successfully releasing music during a pandemic. Especially if you’re an indie artist, the stakes really couldn’t be higher. But Deep Sea Diver has managed to put…
Sturgill Simpson
Kentucky singer/songwriter Sturgill Simpson was in his mid-30s when he found fame as a country artist in Nashville. He had already lived a full life including a stint in the…
Lenny Kravitz
Photo: Stephen Elvis SmithIn the opening lines of his New York Times bestselling memoir “Let Love Rule” Lenny Kravitz writes that he is deeply two-sided.His young life was all about…
S.G. Goodman
Photo: Michael WilsonS.G. Goodman turns traditional Southern storytelling on its head with songs that present a deeper, more complex look at life below the Mason-Dixon line. As a queer person…
Maya Hawke
Maya Hawke has managed to escape the long shadow of her very famous parents, Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke. She’s made a name for herself, first as an actor in…
Carlos Santana & Cindy Blackman
Photo: Maryanne BilhamCarlos Santana, along with his wife and drummer, Cindy Blackman got together with Rick Rubin to discuss the 2019 album they recorded together, Africa Speaks, and also to…
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen is a national treasure. Since his debut album nearly 50 years ago, Springsteen has helped define the American working-class psyche through a collection of world-renowned hit songs. In…
Win Butler
Photo: Maria José Govea, @thesupermaniakIt’s been 10 years since Arcade Fire’s exceptional third album, “The Suburbs,” earned a Grammy for Album Of The Year. It’s a distinction that helped catapult the…
Benmont Tench on Life with Tom Petty
Photo: Megan McIssacTo celebrate the release of Tom Petty’s “Wildflowers & All The Rest” box set, Rick Rubin connected with Heartbreakers keyboardist, Benmont Tench for a conversation. Benmont started playing…
Tom Petty’s “Wildflowers” II with Adria Petty
Photo: Martyn AtkinsTom Petty crafted another of his many perfect albums back in 1994, this time with Rick Rubin producing. âWildflowersâ was released as a single disc, Pettyâs first for…
Joe Henry
Joe Henry is likely one of the best living singer-songwriters that you’ve never heard of. But even if you don’t recognize his name, you’ve probably heard his work. He’s been…
Khruangbin
Khruangbin will tell you they did everything wrong. Gave their band a Thai name, play mostly instrumental music, two members wear wigs, they record in barn ... and yet, they’ve…
Burt Bacharach & Daniel Tashian
Burt Bacharach is a living legend. He’s written hits sung by Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Elvis Costello, Dusty Springfield and so many more. With that kind of a resume, he…
Buffy Sainte-Marie
Buffy Sainte-Marie tells Rick Rubin there’s a reason she isn’t a household name in the U.S. A pioneering artist in the Greenwich Village folk scene, she could’ve been Bob Dylan,…
Don Was
Photo: Mathieu BittonRick Rubin talks to Don Was about his early days in Detroit, his time in Was Not Was and his wide ranging career producing defining albums for the…
Flying Lotus
Photo: Eric ColemanFlying Lotus is one of those producers who creates an entire aesthetic world with the music he makes. Over the past 13 years he’s released four solo albums,…
Emma Louise: Fresh Find
Photo: Thom KerrIn a bonus Fresh Find episode, Bruce Headlam interviews Australian singer-songwriter Emma Louise about having an accidental overseas hit and pitching her voice down so that it’s unrecognizable…
Brandi Carlile
Brandi Carlile came by Shangri La last year to talk to Rick Rubin with Tanya Tucker about the album they made together, “While I’m Livin’.” After Tanya left, Brandi stayed…
Justin Townes Earle: In Memoriam
Our episode with Justin Townes Earle was scheduled to run next month. But after we heard about Earle’s passing over the weekend, we decided to put it out sooner. It’s…
Vagabon: Fresh Find
This week’s Fresh Find, Vagabon, is a self taught, Cameroonian-born musician whose haunting voice and genre defying style has won over critics at both The New Yorker and Pitchfork. In…
Run The Jewels Return!
***Run the Jewels are raw and so is the language in this episode***Killer Mike and El-P return to Broken Record to discuss the creation of their fourth album, RTJ4, and…
Berhana: Fresh Find
Broken Record is bringing you a Fresh Find this week. We discovered Berhana after a key placement in Donald Glover’s show Atlanta. In this episode, Berhana talks about growing up…
Margo Price
A tornado raged through Margo Price’s home-base of Nashville right as she was preparing to release her third album in March. A month later Margo’s husband and longtime collaborator, Jeremy…
Broken Record Presents: Questlove Supreme with Rick Rubin
Rick Rubin joins Questlove and crew on their Questlove Supreme podcast. They discuss Rick’s early Def Jam days, working with the Geto Boys, his process for taking on production work…
Huey Lewis
Back to the Future is turning 35 and there’s no better way to celebrate than a conversation with Huey Lewis who turned in one of the more memorable movie themes…
Beastie Boys and Spike Jonze
It’s been nearly 35 years since the Beastie Boys released their classic debut album, “Licensed To Ill.” In this candid conversation, Rick Rubin, who started out as the Beastie’s DJ,…
Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Williams is defying convention. While most of her peers have settled into a well worn groove, the alt-country icon just released an album that’s way more punk than country.…
RZA Talks Wu-Tang and Creativity In Quarantine
Rick Rubin checks in with RZA on Zoom and finds out he’s been peaking creatively while in quarantine. Their wide-ranging conversation covers RZA’s first experiences with hip-hop, ODB’s parkour-like skills…
Nick Lowe
Nick Lowe wrote the classic "(What’s So Funny ’Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding" (made famous by Elvis Costello), produced one of the UK’s first punk records ("New Rose" by the…
Jason Isbell
Jason Isbell is one of the most important Southern voices in music today. He started writing and releasing his own songs in 2007, after a stint with the Drive By…
Tame Impala
Rick Rubin talks to Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker about his newest release, “The Slow Rush,” and his creative process. Kevin shares key influences on some Tame Impala songs and also…
Drive-By Truckers
Drive-By Truckers play music from and talk about their twelfth album, “The Unraveling.” The band of Alabamans—represented here by Mike Cooley and Patterson Hood—discuss how the political climate shaped the…
Richard Russell on Building the Greatest Indie Label Ever
XL Recordings has released music from Adele, Tyler the Creator, MIA, Dizzee Rascal, Radiohead, The White Stripes, King Krule and many other beloved, boundary-pushing artists. Richard Russell has been with…
BONUS: David Blaine with Rick Rubin
Photo: InstagramRick Rubin, like all of us, has been thinking a lot about fear lately. And few people on the planet understand fear in the same way that Rick’s good…
Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys talks with Malcolm Gladwell via Zoom about her newly released book, “More Myself: A Journey¸” and how writing it influenced her upcoming album, “Alicia.”
Glen Hansard
Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard, and star of the movie Once, talks to Bruce Headlam about his newest solo album, "This Wild Willing" and how he nearly sampled a Queen and…
BONUS: Guided Meditation with Jack Kornfield
Rick Rubin talks with his friend, world-renowned Buddhist and meditation teacher, Jack Kornfield. He’s long been one of the most influential figures in American Buddhism.He connects with Rick by Zoom…
Nathaniel Rateliff
Nathaniel Rateliff talks to Bruce Headlam about his new solo album, “And It’s Still Alright,” a deeply intimate project that reflects on the loss of his former producer and good…
Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir talks to Rick Rubin about why the legendary band was never focused on their studio recordings, and how they were always more interested in seeing…
Esperanza Spalding
Bassist, songwriter, and composer Esperanza Spalding sits with Bruce Headlam to discuss her latest work and the opera she’s writing with the legendary saxophonist Wayne Shorter. They also discuss why…
Run The Jewels
Run the Jewels recently took a (smoke) break while working on their fourth album at Shangri-La and taped this podcast with Rick Rubin. Killer Mike and El-P tell Rick about…
James Taylor Comes Clean
James Taylor’s voice sounds sweet and carefree. It’s a gift that hides the darker side to his lyrics and life. He and Malcolm Gladwell sat and uncovered some of the…
Darryl ‘DMC’ McDaniels: The King of Rock
Run-DMC were the first rap group on the cover of Rolling Stone. The first to go gold, platinum and multi-platinum. They were true pioneers of hip-hop in the '80s, releasing…
Robbie Robertson: Leader of The Band and Architect of Shangri La
Photo: Silvia GravWhen Robbie Robertson turned a house perched above a Malibu beach into a home studio in the 1970s, he had no idea it’d remain a refuge for artists…
Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne
Just before the release of his first solo album in over a decade, Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon sat with Rick Rubin to talk about his tumultuous career that’s…
Booker T. of the M.G.’s: Time Is Tight
Booker T. Jones — as leader of Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Stax record’s house band — helped popularize the sound of Southern soul music. Working alongside Stax legends like…
Brittany Howard Goes Solo
Brittany Howard, lead singer of the Alabama Shakes, talks to Rick Rubin about making her first solo album, “Jamie.” She shares a never-before-heard demo from the album and talks about…
André 3000 and Rick Rubin In Conversation
André 3000 opens up to Rick Rubin in one of his most candid interviews ever. He talks about the early days of OutKast, how he first found his voice, how…
Bon Iver’s Past and Present
Justin Vernon and producer Chris Messina from Bon Iver, discuss the new album "i,i" with Rick Rubin. Listen as they bond over their love for remote recording spaces, the importance…
FKA Twigs Heals with Magdalene
FKA Twigs and Rick Rubin dive deep into the creative journey that lead to Twigs’ stunning new album, “Magdalene.” They cover the physical and emotional trauma that inspired the album,…
Flea: Acid For the Children
Flea sat with Malcolm Gladwell to discuss his newly released memoir, "Acid For the Children," for the very first live taping of Broken Record! The book is a journey through…
Norah Jones Begins Again
Norah Jones sits with Malcolm Gladwell and Bruce Headlam at The Bridge Studio in New York to talk about — and play through — her latest album, “Begin Again.” The…
Leonard Cohen’s Legacy with Adam Cohen: Thanks for the Dance
Photo: Sony Music EntertainmentLeonard Cohen died three weeks after releasing his last record, You Want It Darker, in 2016. It was the first album he worked on this son, Adam.…
The Black Keys: Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney
Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney join Rick Rubin at Shangri La to talk about their first tour in five years, scalpers screwing fans out of tickets, their new album—"Let’s Rock"—and…
Brandi Carlile & Tanya Tucker
Brandi Carlile grew up adoring Tanya Tucker for her rebellious spirit. But it’s that same nature that almost derailed Tanya’s comeback album, "While I’m Livin," co-produced by Brandi. Tanya quit…
Rex Orange County Is Major
Rick Rubin sits with 21 year old British songwriter Rex Orange County to discuss his major label debut, "Pony." While Rex is still mostly performs solo on the record (aside…
Wyclef Jean Goes Back To School
Wyclef Jean, who’s had solo hits and with the Fugees, and produced hits for Destiny’s Child, Shakira, and Carlos Santana came back this year with a new project, "Wyclef Goes…
Yola’s Walk Through Fire
After years honing her craft in the UK Yola finally lands with her beautiful album, "Walk Through Fire." Produced by the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, the album combines classic country,…
Tyler the Creator Talks Igor
Tyler, the Creator spent three days this summer in Italy with Rick Rubin. At the end of the three days they sat down to record a conversation about Tyler’s new…
Jack White & Brendan Benson of the Raconteurs
Jack White and Brendan Benson of the Raconteurs play through some songs off their new record, "Help Me Stranger" and talk with Malcolm Gladwell from Jack’s Detroit home. Rick Rubin…
Vampire Weekend Returns: Ezra Koenig with Ariel Rechtshaid
Vampire Weekend returned this month with their first record in six years, "Father of the Bride". And long before it sat on top of the Billboard album chart, the band’s…
J.S. Ondara: Knockin’ on America’s Door
Bruce Headlam discovered J.S. Ondara listening to his car radio late last year. And with a great showing at South By Southwest and a spot opening for Neil Young this…
Linda Perry: Making Hits Her Way
Linda Perry is one of the only women considered a go-to producer in the music industry. After finding success with her band 4 Non Blondes and their ubiquitous single, "What’s…
T Bone Burnett: Perfection Is Second-Rate
T Bone Burnett helped launch the careers of Los Lobos, Counting Crows, Gillian Welch; revive the careers of Roy Orbison and Robert Plant; course-correct Elvis Costello’s career in the mid-eighties…
Pentatonix: The Art of A Cappella
Malcolm Gladwell, along with guest-host, Daisy Rosario, talks with the five members of Pentatonix from GSI Studios in NYC. The quintet, who got their start on YouTube, discuss their approach…
How To Write A Hit Song: The Love Junkies
Lori McKenna, Liz Rose and Hillary Lindsey—known as the Love Junkies—write some of the best songs in Nashville today. Between the three of them, they’ve helped launch Taylor Swift, pushed…
Mary Gauthier
Mary Gauthier is one of the most unique songwriters in Nashville. Forgoing the city’s often conventional pop sound, Gauthier’s songs are unafraid to probe into what she calls "the extremely…
David Byrne
Rick Rubin and Malcolm Gladwell talk with David Byrne (formerly of Talking Heads) about protest music: some of his favorite protest songs, the earliest ones he heard, how they affected…
Questlove Part 2
Questlove talks about how he got involved with D’Angelo’s “Voodoo” record, the evolution of his drumming style, how he approaches DJ’ing, and tells the best Obama story ever. Part 2…
Questlove: Part 1
Questlove talks about how he got involved with D’Angelo’s “Voodoo” record, the evolution of his drumming style, how he approaches DJ’ing, and tells the best Obama story ever. Part 1…
Tom Petty and the Creation of ‘Wildflowers’
For the season one finale of Broken Record, Malcolm Gladwell talks with Rick Rubin about Tom Petty, who died in October 2017 at the age of 66. Rubin and Petty…
Dave Hill and the Epistemology of Norwegian Black Metal
Malcolm Gladwell sits down with comedian, guitarist, and legendary metalhead Dave Hill, as he recounts how an email exchange between his alter ego Lance and a Norwegian black metal impresario…
Rosanne Cash
“She Remembers Everything” is the name of the latest Rosanne Cash album, the 14th of her amazing career. Rosanne and her husband and musical collaborator, John Leventhal, sit down with…
Nashville Revolution: Bobby Braddock, Don Schlitz, and Don Henry
Malcolm Gladwell talks to three songwriters who helped transform country music in the 1970s. Gone were cowboy hats, train whistles and church suppers. In came songs about desperation, loss, changes,…
Rufus Wainwright
Photo: Matthew WelchElton John has called Rufus Wainwright “the greatest songwriter in the world today.” Broken Record’s Bruce Headlam sits down with Rufus in Los Angeles, where Rufus performs breathtaking…
Nile Rodgers and Chic
Nile Rodgers, the mastermind behind the disco band Chic and producer of artists like David Bowie, Daft Punk and Madonna, plays live with his band and talks about his life…
Rick Rubin
Our introductory episode is a conversation between Rick Rubin and Malcolm Gladwell, covering everything from Rick’s role in the very beginning of hip-hop to his role in introducing Johnny Cash…
Introducing Broken Record
From Malcolm Gladwell, Rick Rubin, and Bruce Headlam: Conversations. Arguments. Stories. Remembering old music. Discovering new music. Broken Record: Liner notes for the digital age.
Pilot: Walk on Water
In the fall of 2017, Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, and Bruce Headlam sat down with Eminem and talked about his song “Walk on Water,” featuring Beyoncé. That interview became the…
