John Gourley and Eric Howk from the band Portugal. The Man explain how "I'm Only Sleeping" by the Beatles and the Woodstock documentary and soundtrack changed the way they saw music and inspired the making of their latest record Woodstock.

Norwegian singer and songwriter Sondre Lerche explores why listening to Fiona Apple’s “I Know” as a teenager brought him to tears and explains how the that song has influenced his work throughout his career. Lerche is releasing his latest record, Solo Pleasure, on Valentines Day! The  record is an acoustic reworking of his 2017 synth pop gym Pleasure. Listen to the new […]

Austin based R&B artist Mélat explains how two very different songs --Ella Fitzgerald's version of "Misty" and Mariah Carey's version of "Always Be My Baby" -- helped her understand the deep connection between music and emotion.

Born Ruffians' Luke Lalonde explores why he loves John Prine's "Far From Me" and describes the deep impact his father has had on his musical journey.

Beth Ditto, former lead singer of the band Gossip, explains how Nina Simone's "Mississippi Goddamn" helped her grapple with her complex feelings about her home state of Arkansas after she had left for Olympia Washington.

Rapper and writer Dessa’s latest record Chime finds her exploring everything from feminism to death to her complex feelings about free will. Listen as she describes all the reasons why hearing Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” as a twelve hear old exploded her preconceived notions about race and gender and gave voice to her feelings of restlessness.  And you don’t […]

Austin songwriter, producer and one and band Mobley has a new project coming out on April 27th called Fresh Lies Vol. 1.  In it he explores his relationship, as a black man, with the United States through the metaphor of a romantic relationship. This is the first volume in a career spanning song cycle. Listen […]

The Breeders guitar player and singer Kelley Deal describes how watching Jimmy Page play guitar in Led Zeppelin's concert film The Song Remains the Same exploded her mind and gave her a template for the kind of sonically adventurous musician she would later become.

Alicia Bognanno, lead singer, songwriter and guitar player for the Nashville based band Bully explains how the imperfect beauty of the Breeder's "Pod" showed her that she could make music the way she wanted to make it.

Lisa-Kaindé Diaz of Ibeyi explains how Nina Simone's version of "I Put a Spell on You" helped her understand what singing was really about and how music helped heal the relationship with her sister Naomi. Oh yeah, and what it was like to be a part of Beyonce's Lemonade!

Austin artist and self described Southern-Gothic Psycho-Blues Revival-Punk One-Man-Band Lincoln Durham describes how the music of Nick Cave allowed him to embrace his own darkness and make the music he needed to make.

On this episode, Austin's Shakey Graves talks about his childhood love of the "Overture" from Phantom of the Opera and how it helped him explore his own theatricality on his latest album, Can't Wake Up.

Sydney Wayser, aka Clara Nova, talks about the impact Rufus Wainwright's song "Oh What A World" had on her own music and how her feeling of connection with artists, both visual and musical,  continues to inspire her creative process.

Chase Weinach, of the band Austin band Marmalakes, describes how hearing Rilo Kiley's "A Better Son/Daughter" when he was going through a tough time in his mid-twenties helped him realize he was not alone.

KUTX presents John Prine “This Song” Live Interview and In-Store Appearance Monday, June 4th at 2pm. Come celebrate the release of John Prine‘s brand new album, Tree of Forgiveness with this special event. The interview and performance will be from 2pm-3pm. John Prine will be signing records from 3-4pm Purchase a copy of Tree of […]

Greg Gonzalez, bass player for Austin's premiere Latin funk outfit Brownout describes how Anthrax's version of "Bring the Noise" introduced him to Public Enemy, which in turn introduced him to the music of James Brown and ignited a lifelong love affair with funk music.

John Cusack how listening to The Clash's "Armagideon Time" as a teenager opened him up both politically and musically and how he knew which songs to put in the movie "High Fidelity."

Miles Francis describes how two very different songs, Prince's "Let's Pretend We're Married" and The Beach Boys "Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)," showed him how music can convey a range of feelings, and helped serve as a template for his own work.

John Prine describes what Bob Dylan's "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll," taught him about songwriting and empathy, and explains why he had to sequester himself in a hotel to write for the new record, "The Tree of Forgiveness."

On this episode, Austin singer/songwriter Ali Holder tells us how an Arcade Fire song helped her through a challenging medical diagnosis

Austin Artist Jake Lloyd describes how hearing Tony! Toni! Tone!'s "Let's Get Down" as a kid made him realize that he wanted to be a musician and describes what it's like to be working as an artist in Austin's burgeoning hip-hop and R&B scene.

Jamila Woods describes how Stevie Wonder's "Heaven is 10 Zillion Light Years Away" affected her deeply as a child, and how it influenced the music she made on "HEAVN."

Kevin Parker of Tame Impala describes how hearing Led Zeppelin's "Good Times Bad Times" made him realize that he could meld his love of rock music with his love of dance music.

LouLou Ghelichkhani and John Michael Schoepf of Austin's dreamy synth-pop band Night Glitter talk describe how "Old Man" by Neil Young and "Tutti Frutti" by Little Richard changed their lives.

Lizzo delves into her love for Lauryn Hill ‘s “Zion” and Radiohead’s “Subterranean Homesick Alien,” takes the listener on a journey through her musical influences, and explains why Minneapolis made it possible for her to find her musical way. Listen to this episode on Stitcher  Subscribe via the Podcasts App, iTunes or Stitcher to get […]

Austin Artist and podcaster Adam Sultan describes how "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)" by Talking Heads changed his life and explains how his life as a musician has informed the making of his podcast "Friends With Deficits."

Tegan and Sara give insight into twin sister dynamic, The Smashing Pumpkins‘ Siamese Dream, Phil Collins melodies, teenage bedrooms, finding self-identity, how to be the change and (for all of you songwriters) the secret to writing a hit pop song.

Alex Scally from the dream pop duo Beach House explains how he learned to love a bad note in Bob Dylan’s “Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands” and how that experience showed him the beauty of imperfection and errors in music.   Subscribe via the Podcasts App, iTunes or Stitcher to get the new episodes […]

Come to Waterloo Records on Thursday, August 30th at 5pm for a live taping of the This Song podcast with Israel Nash followed by an artist signing.  Israel will talk about a song that changed his life, explore his brand new album, LIFTED, and provide an intimate look at his creative process. Fueled by Lagunitas Brewing Co! […]

The new movie, BLAZE, about legendary singer and songwriter Blaze Foley, comes out on September 21st. Listen as Ethan Hawke and Ben Dickey describe why they love the music of Blaze Foley and what led them to make a movie about his life.

Israel Nash describes how hearing the Hollies' "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" inspired him to start writing songs and explains what role inspiration played in the writing and recording his latest record "Lifted."

Chris Dowd, keyboardist, vocalist and founding member of  the iconic ska/punk/funk/rock band Fishbone describes how “I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash changed his life when he was a kid and explores the reasons that Fishbone’s music is as relevant today as it was in the 80’s and 90’s. Fishbone is now touring with […]

Thomas Ross Turner from Ghostland Observatory explains how hearing "White Horse" by Laid Back piqued his interest in electronic music and started him on his journey as a musician.

Liz Phair describes how The Soft Boys “I Wanna Destroy You” put her in touch with her anger and talks about what it’s been like to revisit the music she wrote for the Girly-Sound tapes and Exile in Guyville. Plus she gives host Elizabeth McQueen insight into motherhood. Liz’s Phair’s Exile in Guyville turned 25 […]

Janelle Monáe talks to host Elizabeth McQueen after her performance at the Austin City Limits Music Festival about music, love and voting.

In this This Song Extra Elvis Costello explains why he wanted to get outside of himself and tell other people's stories in an expansive musical style on his new record Look Now.

The This Song listener episode is finally here! Listen as Emily La Framboise, Lee Miller, Joanna Castillo and Charlie Press talk about their life changing musical experiences.

Superfónicos' Jaime Ospina talks about his love for Gary Clark Jr's song "When My Train Pulls In" and how the Blues Brothers soundtrack pushed him to discover roots music from his own country. Plus, he tells us how African American music can help us all survive and thrive in an increasingly chaotic world.

Matthew Murphy, aka “Murph,” from the British rock band The Wombats describes how hearing Weezer’s “Say It Ain’t So” and Radiohead’s “Creep” when he was a teenager set him on an alt-rock path, and describes what it’s like to talk about songwriting with Paul McCartney. Listen to this episode of This Song   Listen to […]

Rapper and songwriter Duckwrth talks about how "If 6 was 9" by Jimi Hendrix opened his mind to the universe, why San Francisco and psychedelia call to him and what the key to finding peace might be.

Jeremy Rogers, of Austin's BUHU descrobes how his band member and wife, Tiffany, along with Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes," inspired him to be more open and vulnerable in his work. Later Tiffany explores how "I Wanna Win" by Jaako Eino Kalevi made her feel safe enough to let loose.

Meggan Carney and Matt Sheffer of Austin's Zettajoule tell us how Kate Bush's "Running Up that Hill (A Deal With God)" and Rufus Wainwright's "Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk" helped them expand their ideas about the possibilities of pop music and explain what inspired them to record their new low-fi electronic EP, Always Looking Up, on an iPhone.

Andrew Savage from Parquet Courts loves karaoke. Hear from whence that love springs, how that love led him to Roxy Music and why he love that band's song "Re-Make / Re-Model."

Austin based singer and songwriter Charlie Faye describes how her childhood love of "Be My Baby" by the Ronettes helped her find her musical way and how it inspired the band's new single "I Don't Need No Baby."

Nik Ewing, leader of the band Chewing and bass player and vocalist for Local Natives, explains why he chose to cover Dennis Wilson's solo album "Pacific Ocean Blue" in it's entirety. This project is part of Turntable Kitchen's Sounds Delicious series.

Hrishikesh Hirway describes how hearing Asha Bhosle’s “Yeh Hai Reshmi Zulfon Ka Andhera,” at the age of 6 helped him understand a feeling that he would be able to draw inspiration from for his entire life. Then Thao Nguyen explains how Lucinda Williams helped her understand the power of "the good hurt."

Scottish singer/songwriter KT Tunstall tells us how seeing Beck's Loser on MTV as a kid pushed her to pursue her own music and how his willingness to experiment with styles and genres continues to inspire her.

Sharon Van Etten explores how how listening to Neil Young's "Harvest" as a kid helped her connect with her father. She also shares how her own experiences with parenthood pushed her to pursue her own music again after a long break working on other projects.

Shy Beast front woman Mariclaire Glaeser describes how the music of the Cardigans helped her navigate a difficult childhood, bond with her older brother and find her musical way.

Dana Falconberry talks about the profound impact being in the band "Peter and the Wolf" when she first moved to Austin. It's two Austin musicians, talking how Austin Music changed their lives. Enjoy!