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Pushkin Industries

Music and storytelling meet on Broken Record, where artists across genres and generations sit down to explore the joy, chaos, and vulnerability of creating—and what it means to devote a life to music. From legendary icons to groundbreaking new voices, each episode captures artists in conversation sharing the inspirations and experiences that shape their craft.

Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond

Since getting his start in the late ‘60s, Labi Siffre has had an unflinching commitment to writing exactly what he feels. The result was a debut album that announced a singular talent: a British singer-songwriter who could move seamlessly from jazz-inflected soul to tender love songs, all while addressing themes of love, identity, and justice that most pop artists wouldn't touch.
 
Over the next decade, Siffre built a catalog that defied category. Still, his 1972 song "Crying Laughing Loving Lying" became an international success, and his song "Something Inside So Strong"—written years later in response to apartheid—also became a big hit, revealing the true scope of his artistry.
 
And then there's "I Got The..." from his 1975 album Remember My Song that would quietly become one of the most sampled songs in hip-hop history, most famously by Dr. Dre on Eminem's "My Name Is."
 
On today's episode, Justin Richmond talks to Labi Siffre about growing up in 1950s London and the music he discovered that set him on his particular artistic path. Labi also talks about how he wants music to enliven him and how much it annoys him when people tell him to chill. And he explains why, after decades in the music industry, he's never regretted choosing honesty over commercial compromise.
 
You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Labi Siffre HERE.

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Labi Siffre

When Chicago released their debut album in 1969, they blended brass, jazz sophistication, and rock power into something completely their own. By 1975, when Chicago IX: Chicago's Greatest Hits arrived, the band had already amassed an extraordinary catalog of songs that captured both the experimental spirit of the late '60s and the pop sensibility of the '70s. That compilation became one of the best-selling albums of the decade, introducing new listeners to the band's range while cementing their legacy.
 
Now, Chicago is celebrating the 50th anniversary of that landmark release with an expanded edition that offers fans a deeper look at this pivotal moment in the band's history.
 
On today's episode, Bruce Headlam talks to Lee Loughnane and Jimmy Pankow of Chicago about recording their early albums. They also discuss how they came up with the idea of incorporating a horn section into a rock band. And they explain why after being on the road since the 70’s they don’t even bother to unpack their suitcases anymore.
 
You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Chicago HERE.

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Chicago

Justin joined You'll Hear It's Adam Maness and Peter Martin to talk Still Crazy After All These Years. Paul Simon's Grammy-winning album was born out of divorce, and produced some of his greatest songs of all time, like "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover," "My Little Town," and "I Do It For Your Love." They dive into the story behind this remarkable album, including Steve Gadd's famous drum beat and how Stevie Wonder's Innervisions may have been the catalyst for Paul Simon's divorce?! And, we ask: Is this the ultimate sad boy album? Find You'll Hear It wherever you get podcasts.

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Justin Richmond on You'll Hear It: "Still Crazy After All These Years" — Paul Simon

According to the science, it really is better to give than receive. Donating a dollar; sharing a kind word or lending someone a hand changes lives, but can also hugely boost your happiness. So we're teaming up with other podcasts from Hidden Brain to Revisionist History to ask you to give to a charity helping some of the poorest people around. We're calling it #PodsFightPoverty. 
 
Go to givedirectly.org/happinesslab right now and give whatever you can.
 
Even a small donation will make you feel good and have a much larger impact on the world than you thought possible. To help inspire you, this special episode examines the science of giving and shares stories of heartwarming and impactful acts of kindness. 

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How to Experience the Joy of Giving Right Now: A Giving Tuesday Special from The Happiness Lab

In July, Malcolm Gladwell taped a live episode of Broken Record at the Cherry Lane Theatre in New York City. It was a wonderful night of conversation and music. Drew Holcomb—a Memphis native who has spent the past 20 years performing with his band, The Neighbors—joined Malcolm onstage for the taping.
 
On today’s episode, you’ll hear how growing up with strict Christian parents shaped Drew's artistic sensibilities through the handful of secular artists he was allowed to listen to, and how the crisis of faith he faced after his brother’s death led him to leave seminary and pursue life as a singer-songwriter.
 
You’ll also hear stripped-down performances of Drew's songs live. And you’ll get a taste of his favorite Bruce Springsteen track, “Highway Patrolman,” with impromptu background vocals from Malcolm Gladwell.

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Drew Holcomb (Live from NYC's Cherry Lane Theatre)

When S.G. Goodman released her debut album, Old Time Feeling, in 2020, critics hailed it as a stunning introduction to a bold new voice in Americana. Co-produced with Jim James of My Morning Jacket, the album showcased Goodman's ability to balance classic Southern sounds with progressive ideas, earning widespread acclaim and landing on numerous year-end best-of lists. 
 
S.G. was raised in Hickman, Kentucky, in a family of row crop farmers and storytellers. That upbringing shaped her worldview and her songwriting—she sings about small-town living with both deep affection and clear-eyed critique.
 
Now, with her third album, Planting By The Signs, S.G. continues to mine rich themes like love, loss, and reconciliation. The record is inspired in part by the ancient tradition of farming according to the cycles of the moon—a practice passed down through generations in her family.
 
On today's episode, Bruce Headlam talks to S.G. Goodman about growing up in a family of storytellers and how that tradition makes its way into her songwriting. She also discusses co-producing her latest album and how she was able to make a bigger, more atmospheric-sounding record. And she performs the song "I'm In Love" live.
 
You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from S.G. Goodman HERE.

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S.G. Goodman

We’re excited to share an episode from one of our favorite podcasts, Heavyweight, a new addition to the Pushkin slate of shows. Heavyweight, hosted by Jonathan Goldstein, creates space for difficult conversations and resolving long-standing regrets and unanswered questions. Balancing humor and empathy, host Jonathan Goldstein helps his subjects pinpoint the moment things went wrong and joins them on a quest to make them right. This episode features Michael, who, as a high school senior got his lucky break—the chance to star in a big-budget movie. Shooting wrapped, a premier date was set…and then he found out that his success was all based on a lie.
 
Find Heavyweight on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Heavyweight Presents: The Messenger

Joe Boyd has spent more than six decades as a producer, label executive, and writer whose influence extends far beyond the studio. From producing Nick Drake's luminous folk albums to working with Fairport Convention, Pink Floyd, and R.E.M., Boyd has shaped some of the most enduring recordings in modern music history.
 
But Joe Boyd isn't just a behind-the-scenes architect of sound—he's also a chronicler of the music he loves. In his 2007 memoir, White Bicycles: Making Music in the 1960s, he offered an insider's perspective on a transformative era, while his latest book, And the Roots of Rhythm Remain: A Journey Through Global Music, published in 2024, takes readers across continents in search of the traditions that continue to shape contemporary sound. From Cuba to Mali, from Brazil to Bulgaria, Boyd traces the connections that bind global music together and celebrates the artists who keep these traditions alive.
 
On today’s episode Justin Richmond talks to Joe Boyd about working with famed Warner Brothers CEO Mo Ostin in the ‘60s. He also talks about the exhaustive research he did in writing his latest book and why he decided to pinpoint three specific Global regions as the genesis for all popular music. And Joe recalls how he came to produce the seminal 1973 documentary on Jimi Hendrix.
 
You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Joe Boyd HERE.

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Joe Boyd

Jensen McRae writes songs that cut straight to the bone—intimate, unflinching examinations of identity, relationships, and the complexities of coming of age in today's world. Since releasing her debut EP, Who Hurt You?, in 2021, she's garnered attention for her literary approach to songwriting and her ability to balance vulnerability with sharp observation.
 
Her music often grapples with difficult subjects: navigating mixed-race identity, processing heartbreak, and confronting the uncomfortable truths we tell ourselves. But there's also warmth and humor in her work which can be heard that today when she performs three songs live—"Savannah" and “Let Me Be Wrong” from her new album I Don't Know How But They Found Me, and "White Boy" from her 2022 full-length release, Are You Happy Now?
 
On today’s episode I talk to Jensen McCrae about her journey as an artist, why she gravitates toward niche communities online like Reddit, and her list of goals that include both winning the Grammy for Album of the Year and a mayoral run in her native Los Angeles.
 
You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Jensen McRae HERE.

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Jensen McRae

David Gilmour is one of the most influential guitarists in rock history. Since joining Pink Floyd in 1967, his songwriting, vocals, and distinctive guitar tone have helped shape classic albums like The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall.
 
In 1978, he began releasing solo material, and over the past four decades has recorded five solo albums. His most recent, Luck and Strange (2024), became his third solo record to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart—following On an Island (2006) and Rattle That Lock (2015). The album features lyrics by his wife and longtime collaborator, Polly Samson, along with contributions from their children.
 
One of those collaborations—with his daughter, Romany Gilmour—is particularly stunning, both on record and in live performance. Fans can now experience it on the newly released concert film David Gilmour: Live at the Circus Maximus and its companion live album, The Luck and Strange Concerts, available now on all major streaming platforms.
 
On today’s episode, Justin Richmond speaks with David Gilmour, who joined him over Zoom for a rare conversation about writing songs with Polly, mastering his latest album aboard his houseboat studio, and why he can never truly recreate a guitar solo—even when playing it note for note.
 
You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from David Gilmour HERE.

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David Gilmour

Today we're sharing an episode from another Pushkin podcast we love called The Last Archive. The fourth season of The Last Archive just dropped and it's full of truly unexpected stories and big ideas.
 
The episode you will hear today, "Player Piano," is an audio biography of one of the most famous composers of the 20th century who most people have never heard of: Raymond Scott. He wrote tons of hits in the '30s and since then his music has been sampled by Lizzo, J. Dilla and the Gorillaz.
 
Aside from being an avid composer, Scott was also an inventor. And later in his life, he was hired by Motown Records to create a machine that could help people write songs. He called it The Electronium.
 
Today's episode is a crazy piece of musical history, and just a wild story. Be sure to subscribe to The Last Archive to hear other episodes about time travel, invasive species panics, freelance wiretappers-turned-evangelists, and secret science fiction family histories, and more.

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Introducing The Last Archive

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