Monday Music Club with Will Anderson

Will Anderson takes us on a fascinating deep dive into the making of Paul Simon’s landmark 1986 album, Graceland. Featuring acclaimed music historian and author Ashley Kahn, this conversation explores the creative vision, extraordinary musical collaborations, and cultural encounters behind one of the most influential albums of its era.

Drawing on his book Days of Miracle and Wonder: Paul Simon and the Trials and Triumphs of Graceland, Kahn takes us behind the scenes of the album’s creation—from Simon’s musical journey to South Africa and his groundbreaking collaborations with South African musicians, to the artistic triumphs and political controversies that shaped its legacy.

Discover the stories, sounds, and creative risks behind an album that crossed musical boundaries, challenged conventions, and changed the landscape of popular music.

Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network and produced by Figures Network.

New episodes every Monday!

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Few songs have traveled a more unlikely path to becoming a modern classic than Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” Written over several years, initially rejected by his record label, and transformed by a series of remarkable interpretations, the song eventually became one of the most beloved and recognizable compositions of our time.

This week on Monday Music Club, host Will Anderson welcomes acclaimed music journalist and author Alan Light, whose book The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of “Hallelujah” tells the extraordinary story behind the song.

Along the way, we’ll explore Buckley’s complicated relationship with his father’s legacy, the evolution of his arrangement, and the cultural moments that propelled “Hallelujah” from an overlooked composition into a global phenomenon.

How did a song that Leonard Cohen struggled for years to finish, and that his own record label didn’t believe in, become a universal anthem? Join us for the fascinating, surprising, and sometimes heartbreaking story of “Hallelujah.”

Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network and produced by Figures Network.

New episodes every Monday!

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How did De La Soul change the sound of hip-hop? Could three MCs from Long Island challenge the genre’s conventions and redefine what rap could be? And could their debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, become one of hip-hop’s most influential records? Absolutely. With their playful lyrics, inventive samples, and offbeat spirit, De La Soul helped open up a new world of possibilities for rap music.

On this episode of Monday Music Club, Will Anderson dives into the story of De La Soul, the groundbreaking group that helped reshape hip-hop and leave an indelible mark on music and culture. To explore their origins, creative vision, and lasting legacy, we’re joined by the man who chronicled their story in extraordinary depth: Marcus J. Moore, author of High and Rising: A Book About De La Soul.

Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network and produced by Figures Network.

New episodes every Monday!

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Could Bruce Springsteen save rock ’n’ roll? Was he the next Bob Dylan? And was Born to Run the ultimate rock album? Maybe. Maybe not. But for Bruce Springsteen, it was a make-or-break moment and possibly his last shot at success.

On this episode of Monday Music Club, Will Anderson dives into the making of Born to Run, the landmark album that helped turn Springsteen into a rock ’n’ roll icon. To explore the stories, struggles, and creative forces behind one of rock’s most celebrated albums, we’re joined by the man who chronicled this pivotal chapter of Springsteen’s career in extraordinary depth: Peter Ames Carlin, author of Tonight in Jungleland: The Making of Born to Run.

Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network and produced by Figures Network.

New episodes every Monday!

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In their own very different ways, Les Paul and Leo Fender revolutionized the sound, design, and possibilities of the electric guitar and their paths would lead to influence and riches beyond what either could have imagined.

But how much of the story we’ve been told is actually true? How much is fact, and how much is mythmaking, marketing, and legend?

On this episode of the Monday Music Club, Will Anderson is joined by Cory Wong to pull back the curtain on two towering figures, explore the rivalry and innovations that shaped modern guitar, and separate the history from the mythology.

Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network and produced by Figures Network.

New episodes every Monday!

Follow us:

TikTok: tiktok.com/mondaymusicclub

Instagram: instagram.com/mondaymusicclub

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