If you were a kid in the 1970's, or if you raised kids during that decade, you probably spent time with Free To Be... You And Me. The seminal album and popular television special was ...

In this episode: It seems like everywhere you look these days, someone’s thoughtfully strumming a ukulele: in the Spike Jonze film Her; on the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother; or, in...

In this episode: Before the Academy Awards on Sunday night, we talk about the candidates for Best Original Song (even one that got kicked off the list along the way) and Best Original...

In this episode: With former Kinks frontman Ray Davies will be inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame this year, explore the British rock band’s must-hear tracks, deep cuts and, ...

In this episode: Next week, in honor of the 50th anniversary of The Beatles first playing in the U.S., Soundcheck is reigniting the most important debate of our day: The Beatles vs. T...

In this episode: Today marks the 30th anniversary of the self-titled debut from the English post-punk band The Smiths. Music biographer Tony Fletcher helps us mark the occasion with a...

In this episode: Dr. Bill Guegold, Olympics music historian, talks about the history of the grand musical themes that we Americans associate with the games; the long-extinct Olympic a...

In this episode: Author Philipp Meyer’s epic novel, The Son, ended up on best-of 2013 lists from The New York Times, USA Today, and The Washington Post. Tackling big themes about the ...

In this episode Soundcheck revisits a few recent favorite segments. First: The long-running gospel quintet Blind Boys of Alabama enlisted Bon Iver's Justin Vernon to produce its late...