Bandsplain

Madonna: Part 4 With Caryn Ganz 28.05.2026 3h 45min

Yasi is joined by journalist and critic Caryn Ganz as the Madonna series enters the modern era. They discuss the glittering revival of 'Confessions on a Dance Floor,' the superstar collaborations and pop maximalism of 'Hard Candy,' the spectacle and chaos of 'MDNA,' the leaks, vulnerability, and often misunderstood ambition of 'Rebel Heart,' and the globetrotting experimentation of 'Madame X.' Plus: The Super Bowl, the ageism, the collaborators, and the globe-spanning Celebration Tour that celebrated 40 years of Madonna, along with what they feel is coming next as 'Confessions 2' looms on the horizon. Episode PlaylistListen to the Madonna: Part 4 playlist here. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Caryn Ganz @mehpatrolProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Madonna: Part 3 With Paul Hamann 21.05.2026 4h 1min

Yasi is joined by creative director Paul Hamann as they continue the Bandsplain Madonna deep dive. They discuss Madonna’s celebrated acting role in Evita and the lasting vocal changes that came with it, her career-elevating work of Ray of Light, the ahead-of-its-time Music, and how the increasingly fraught political situation in America impacted one of her most misunderstood works, American Life. Plus: motherhood, mysticism, the perfect pop single that landed on the Austin Powers soundtrack, and how Madonna kept finding new ways to bend pop stardom around her own evolution. Episode PlaylistListen to the Madonna: Part 3 playlist here. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Paul Hamann @hamann.coProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Madonna: Part 2 with Patrik Sandberg 14.05.2026 4h 36min

Yasi is joined by writer and Bandsplain MVP Patrik Sandberg for Part 2 of the Madonna epic. This chapter follows Madonna from 'Like a Prayer' through 'Bedtime Stories' as she alchemizes religion, sex, fashion, and controversy into one of the most fascinating and powerful runs in pop music history. They talk about the history of “Vogue,” the groundbreaking Pepsi commercial, her major leap with 'Erotica,' the much-discussed 'Sex' book, and, of course, the backlash and what it meant for her creativity. Plus: the reinventions, the Cher beef, her acting career, all the incredible music and imagery of this period, and so, so much more. Episode PlaylistListen to the Madonna: Part 2 playlist here. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Patrik Sandberg @patriksandbergProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Madonna: Part 1 With Mel Ottenberg 07.05.2026 3h 33min

Yasi kicks off Bandsplain’s multipart Madonna epic with returning guest and fashion icon Mel Ottenberg. They discuss Madonna’s childhood and upbringing in Michigan, her dance career and the formative relationships that led her to New York City, her history playing in bands, her immersion in the club scene, the breakthrough singles that made her impossible to ignore, her first three albums, and all the major collaborators, major looks, and major breakthroughs along the way. Episode PlaylistListen to the Madonna: Part 1 playlist here. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Mel Ottenberg @melzy917Producer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Life Without Buildings with Blondshell 23.04.2026 1h 22min

Recorded live at the Treefort Music Fest in Boise, Yasi is joined by Sabrina Teitelbaum (a.k.a. Blondshell) to dig into Life Without Buildings, the Scottish cult band whose single and singular 2001 album, 'Any Other City,' is still worth talking about today. They discuss the band’s jagged sound, their art school roots, and the second life they found when “The Leanover” went viral on TikTok two decades after it was released. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Sabrina Teitelbaum @blondshellProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

PERFECT SONG: ‘Boys On the Radio’ with Patrik Sandberg, Plus An Interview With Hole Bassist and Author Melissa Auf der Maur 16.04.2026 2h 27min

Yasi is joined by writer Patrik Sandberg to break down one of Hole’s (many) perfect songs “Boys on the Radio.” They talk Courtney Love’s evolution, her relationship with critics, and the inspirations, intentions, and alternative culture of the 90’s that influenced it all.Then, Melissa Auf der Maur stops by to discuss her new book, Even the Good Girls Will Cry. She discusses her time in Hole, her friendship with Courtney Love, and her wide-ranging life as an artist.CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Patrik Sandberg @patriksandberg, Melissa Auf der Maur @xmadmxProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Runaways With Patty Schemel 09.04.2026 3h

Yasi is joined by legendary drummer Patty Schemel (Hole) to tell the story of The Runaways, the all-girl teenage band that changed the course of history. They get into the band’s lasting influence, the surprising origin of the song “Cherry Bomb,” the band’s complicated history, and why The Runaways still matter. Episode PlaylistListen to The Runaways playlist here. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Patty Schemel @pattyschemelProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our Favorite Music of 2026 So Far, With Chris Ryan. Plus, an Interview With Angel Du$t’s Justice Tripp. 02.04.2026 1h 54min

Yasi is joined by Chris Ryan for a quick trip into the mailbag before they each reveal their favorite new music from the first three months of 2026.Next, Yasi talks with Justice Tripp of Angel Du$t and Trapped Under Ice about Angel Du$t’s latest album, 'Cold 2 The Touch,' and the road that brought him there. Episode PlaylistListen to Our Favorite Music of 2026 So Far playlist here CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Chris Ryan (@chrisryan77) and Justice Tripp (@jurtice)Producer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesVideo Production: Jamie Yukich and Donald LoBiancoAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

80s Soundtrack Hall of Fame with Sean Fennessey and Chris Ryan 31.03.2026 1h 48min

Yasi is joined by Chris Ryan and Sean Fennessey to discuss what music best represents the 1980s and build the Bandsplain ‘80s Movie Soundtrack Hall of Fame. They set the rules (sorry, no animated features or scores), decide what truly defines a great soundtrack, and, after some heated debate and meandering side quests, settle on the top 10 Hall of Fame-worthy soundtracks! Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Chris Ryan @chrisryan77 and Sean Fennessey @seanfennesseyProducer: Rob Sundermann Editor: Chris SuttonAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Get Up Kids with Arielle Gordon 12.03.2026 2h 19min

Yasi is joined by music writer Arielle Gordon to tell the story of the Get Up Kids, the Kansas City emo band that transformed the genre. They get into the mix of punk energy and big feelings that made the band so influential, the sliding-door moments of what almost was, and the bands that emerged (and dominated) in the third wave of emo that the Get Up Kids helped create.Listen to the Get Up Kids playlist here.Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Arielle Gordon @reallygordonProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

MOVIE NIGHT: ‘The Decline of Western Civilization’ with Alex Ross Perry, Plus An Interview With Director Penelope Spheeris 05.03.2026 3h 2min

Yasi and filmmaker Alex Ross Perry (Pavements, Videoheaven) revisit The Decline of Western Civilization films, Penelope Spheeris’s seminal trilogy that began in 1981 with the birth of Los Angeles punk. They discuss the DIY filmmaking that matched the scene it immortalized, the bands and personalities whose legacies were defined on the screen, and the visual language that would influence and shape so much of culture, most evidently in '90s MTV. Next, Yasi is joined by the legend herself, Penelope Spheeris, for a wide-ranging talk about her iconic career, from the Los Angeles punk scene that started it all to navigating the Hollywood studios with beloved comedies like Wayne’s World. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek Guests: Alex Ross Perry @alexrossperry, Penelope Spheeris Producer: Rob Sundermann Editor: Adrian Bridges Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Germs With Pleasant Gehman 26.02.2026 2h 43min

Yasi is joined by artist, author, and musician Pleasant Gehman to discuss the Germs and the chaotic birth of the Los Angeles punk scene, which she witnessed firsthand. They discuss the myth vs. the reality of Darby Crash, the DIY community that formed around the enigmatic singer, and how the Germs became one of the era’s most influential bands despite their short reign. Episode PlaylistListen to the Germs playlist here. CreditsHost: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Pleasant Gehman @princessofhollywoodProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

EMO DRAFT with Patrick Flynn and Chris Ryan 19.02.2026 1h 49min

A Bandsplain Emo Draft recorded live at Something In The Way Festival with Patrick Flynn (Have Heart, Fiddlehead, How Much Art) and The Ringer’s Chris Ryan. In front of a Boston crowd, they draft their picks for emo bands across the decades (yes, the ’90s get two picks), reveal emo origin stories, and get into the eternal question: which bands are actually emo? CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Patrick Flynn @patrickflynnx and Chris Ryan @chrisryan77Producer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Valentine’s Day Mailbag With Amanda Dobbins, Plus an Interview With Joyce Manor’s Barry Johnson 12.02.2026 2h 38min

It’s a special Valentine’s Day mailbag, and The Big Picture’s Amanda Dobbins is here to help Yasi solve all your life problems. Should you avoid your ex at concerts? How do you get over a break up, even if they are a loser? Need mixtape help? Plus, vacuum cleaner advice!Next, Yasi is joined by Barry Johnson of Joyce Manor to discuss their new album ‘I Used to Go to This Bar’ (1:01:33). Get a quick tour of their beloved Torrance (they are a Torrance band, confirmed), learn a little Joyce Manor history, and find out which song was written on the Torrance 3 bus.CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Amanda Dobbins @akdobbins, Barry Johnson @joycemanorofficialProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

American Football with Rob Mahoney 05.02.2026 2h 17min

Yasi is joined by Ringer renaissance man Rob Mahoney to tell the unlikely story of American Football, whose widespread recognition grew in the decade following their debut (and immediate breakup). They talk through the band’s Midwestern roots, the alternate tunings and jazz-inspired drumming that influenced a generation, and how time and online canonization turned 'LP1' into a cultural touchstone and the American Football House into an Airbnb destination. Episode PlaylistListen to the American Football playlist here. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Rob Mahoney @robmahoneyProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Music of Skateboard Videos with Jerry Hsu 29.01.2026 1h 38min

Yasi is joined by skater, photographer, and Sci-Fi Fantasy proprietor Jerry Hsu to break down how music has shaped skate videos, from their DIY, skit-filled ’80s roots to today’s high-budget, cinematic productions.They dig into Jerry’s iconic part in Enjoi’s 'Bag of Suck' video, make the case for Dinosaur Jr. as a timeless skate soundtrack, and reflect on skate videos’ long-standing role in music discovery.Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Jerry Hsu @internetfamousProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Portishead with Rob Fitzpatrick 22.01.2026 4h 23min

Yasi and writer Rob Fitzpatrick head back to Bristol to tell the story of Portishead. They discuss the band’s unique and highly detail-oriented approach to crafting music, the uneasy relationship with fame that followed their success, and how music can be both super popular and wholly misunderstood. Listen to the Portishead playlist here. Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Rob Fitzpatrick @rob_fitzpatrickProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our Most Anticipated Albums of 2026 with Shaad D’Souza, Plus An Interview with Real Lies’ Kevin Lee Kharas 15.01.2026 2h 18min

Yasi kicks off 2026 with music and culture critic Shaad D’Souza to talk through their most anticipated albums of the year. Find out what’s coming, what they’re trying to wish into existence, and just how many truly great albums Madonna might have left. Next, Yasi is joined by Kevin Lee Kharas of Real Lies for a wide-ranging interview about his career, the music he’s listening to (or not listening to) and the impetus and inspirations behind Real Lies’ latest album (and Yasi’s no. 1 album of 2025), We Will Annihilate Our Enemies. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Shaad D’Souza @shaad, Kevin Lee Kharas @real_lies_Producer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

HOLIDAY SONG DRAFT with Amanda Dobbins and Rob Mahoney 18.12.2025 1h 13min

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and Bandsplain has a very special gift for you. Rob Mahoney and Amanda Dobbins join Yasi to draft the dream holiday playlist: Justin Bieber featuring Busta Rhymes? Of course. Lots of Irish stuff? For sure. My Chem? Why not! Yasi finding a place for Counting Crows? You know it! And because those sleigh bells kept ringing, there’s a lightning-round second draft for even more holiday cheer. Bonus gift: You get to explain to your family and friends why Wham!’s "Last Christmas" is your favorite CVS-core holiday song (and what CVS-core is)! Episode Playlist Listen to Bandsplain’s Holiday Playlist here. Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuests: Rob Mahoney @robmahoney and Amanda Dobbins @akdobbinsProducer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Best Albums of the Year With Chris Ryan 11.12.2025 1h 36min

That’s (almost) a wrap on 2025, so you know what time it is. Yasi catches up with Chris Ryan to talk about the albums that defined their 2025. No rankings, no drafts, no winners or losers, just two people talking about the records they loved most this year. Come for the predictable Geese love, stay for the Shallowater you didn’t know you needed. Episode PlaylistListen to the best albums of the year playlist here. Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Chris Ryan @chrisryan77Producer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices