The preview

Four different musicians talk together each week about what matters most: making music.

• 2 mins

Carla Marie Williams and JP Cooper: What would Beyonce do? Getting into an artist mindset

Ghetts, Kojo Funds and JP Cooper join Carla Marie Williams to talk beating writer's block

• 34 mins

Jacob Collier and dodie: When the demo is better than the final song

Lianne La Havas, Makaya McCraven and dodie join Jacob Collier to discuss 'demo-itis'

• 22 mins

Maverick Sabre and Nadia Rose: The pitfalls of being pigeonholed

Femi Koleoso, Connie Constance and Nadia Rose join Maverick Sabre discuss buzz and faith

• 34 mins

Quantic and Rosie Lowe: Why The Smiths are actually happy

Adriano Adewale, Emma-Jean Thackray and Rosie Lowe join Quantic to discuss writing styles

• 24 mins

Swindle and Lioness: Would you make music for no money?

Joel Culpepper, Ahnanse and Lioness join Swindle to talk influences and weird spaces

• 24 mins

Rob Lewis and Sally Beamish: How hard is it to be original?

Rob Lewis, with guests Sally Beamish, Jo Quail and Robin Haigh.

• 35 mins

Pixie Lott and Lee Fields: How has the music industry changed over time?

Pixie Lott with guests Nina Nesbitt, Barns Courtney and Lee Fields.

• 25 mins

Benjamin Zephaniah and Novelist: Is there a place for politics in music?

Benjamin Zephaniah with guests Novelist, Sophia Thakur and Hussain Manawer.

• 37 mins

Reggae today with Don Letts and Hollie Cook

Don Letts discusses life making music with Hollie Cook, Josh Rudge and Eva Lazarus.

• 29 mins

OSHUN and Uche from Da Beatfreakz: Does your heritage affect your sound?

Carla Marie Williams talks life making music with OSHUN and Uche from Da Beatfreakz

• 29 mins

Missing your friends' birthdays with RAYE and JMSN

RAYE discusses life making music with Kabaka Pyramid, Arlo Parks and JMSN

• 25 mins

Divine inspiration with Rhiannon Giddens and Josh Turner

Rhiannon Giddens talks about life making music with Josh Turner, Justin Osborne and CAM

• 39 mins

Why gigs feel like football matches with Kojey Radical and Shabaka Hutchings

Kojey Radical and guests discuss how to write about something you’ve not experienced

• 26 mins

Mental health and music with Peter Hook and Stephen Malkmus

BC Camplight is joined by guests Peter Hook, Stephen Malkmus, and Jesca Hoop

• 34 mins

Video game inspirations with Skinny Pelembe and James Lavelle

Skinny Pelembe is joined by James Lavelle, Elsa Hewitt and Rahel Debebe Dessalegne

• 25 mins

Inequalities in the music industry: Raye and Jacob Banks

Raye is back presenting, with guests Jacob Banks, Melle Brown and Tenesha the Wordsmith

• 27 mins

Advice to your younger self with Quantic and Orphy Robinson

Musician and engineer Quantic is joined by Tamar Osborn, Pete Wareham and Orphy Robinson.

• 25 mins

Dismantling preconceptions with Stephanie Phillips and Gabriela Quintero

Musicians from three continents discuss how influences manifest themselves in their music

• 26 mins

The art of the wedding DJ with John Grant and Jarvis Cocker

John Grant, Jarvis Cocker, Gruff Rhys and Simon Raymonde discuss life on tour

• 23 mins

Fed up of the plain old form with Iggy Pop and Anna Calvi

Leron Thomas is joined by Iggy Pop, Anna Calvi and Jason Williamson

• 29 mins

Waking up in a good mood with Seun Kuti and Eno Williams

Singer and saxophonist Seun Kuti meets vocalists Sheila Maurice Grey and Eno Williams

• 23 mins

'Don't move your hair so much' with Rebecca Lucy Taylor and Maisie Peters

Rebecca Lucy Taylor - AKA Self Esteem - meets Alex Cameron, Maisie Peters and Rakel Mjoll

• 31 mins

Cultural exchange with Sinkane and Cautious Clay

What can you gain from collaborating with other artists?

• 29 mins

Clichés with Gabriella Cilmi and Natacha Atlas

How do you stay true to your artistic vision?

• 35 mins

Composing naked with Christophe Chassol and Sudan Archives

Four musicians discuss unusual ways to get their creativity flowing

• 31 mins

Drumming for legends with Tony Allen and Billy Cobham

Two of the greatest drummers of all time are joined by Femi Koleoso and Dele Sosimi

• 24 mins

Strange fan encounters with Nabihah Iqbal and Nilüfer Yanya

What's dating like for musicians?

• 26 mins

Soul v technology with Raphael Saadiq and Samm Henshaw

How can you use technology to make music with soul?

• 32 mins

'Write about what you know' with Yuna and mxmtoon

A journey all over the musical dial with rising stars Yuna, mxmtoon, Shakka and Alex.tbh

• 23 mins

'Playing live is scary' with Dino D'Santiago and Marika Hackman

How big is the difference between playing in the studio and on the stage?

• 30 mins

Playing to people who don't look like you with Sarathy Korwar and Damien Escobar

What kind of relationship do musicians have with their instruments?

• 27 mins

Delving into the subconscious with Jon Hopkins and Anna Meredith

Four of today's most exciting electronic musicians discuss composing and creativity

• 33 mins

Musical identity with Sinkane and Emel Mathlouthi

How do you turn an idea into a song?

• 33 mins

Singing in the dark with Dyo and Lady Donli

Is it easier to sing in the dark?

• 25 mins

'Never plan' with La Roux and Channy Leaneagh

What makes artists want to write more?

• 26 mins

'Do my friends like my music?' with Shura and Kim Petras

How does social media affect your creativity?

• 27 mins

Overcoming obstacles with Melisa Whiskey and Zlatan

Four rising stars of African music share the major obstacles they've had to overcome

• 24 mins

The voice of the inner critic with Colin Greenwood and Robert Glasper

Radiohead’s Colin Greenwood talks music with Tamino, Caroline Polachek and Robert Glasper

• 31 mins

Music therapy with Kane Brown and Holly Macve

Three young country stars discuss music's therapeutic effects

• 26 mins

The influence of family with Soweto Kinch and Shingai Shoniwa

Jazz saxophonist Soweto Kinch hosts Shingai Shoniwa, Eno Williams and Barney Artist.

• 25 mins

'I don't like rules' with Moelogo and Silvastone

Do record labels help or hinder the creative process?

• 27 mins

'Why didn't I think of that?' with Ella Eyre, Mahalia, MNEK and Hamzaa

What do you look for in a collaborator?

• 34 mins

Creative freedom with Labdi, Hibotep, Karun and Faisal Mostrixx

A show dedicated to artists from the Kenyan and Ugandan underground

• 34 mins

Turning fear into excitement with Austra and Dan Deacon

The strange places musicians find inspiration

• 31 mins

Dance and wash the dishes with Laetitia Sadier and Peter Zummo

How do you define originality?

• 32 mins

Accidents, humour, and guilt with Joy Crookes and Georgia

What life lessons do you learn from working in music?

• 28 mins

Fascinations with the future, hosted by Rvdical the Kid

How do you deal with imposter syndrome?

• 31 mins

The words, the rhythm, the melody with Melissa Laveaux and Angelique Kidjo

Why asking questions can be more important than finding answers

• 31 mins

The best of the guests

Music Life digs out some of the highlights of the series so far for its 50th episode

• 95 mins

The art of pop with Soweto Kinch, Charlotte Adigéry and Jordan Rakei

What role does ego play in art?

• 24 mins

'I get scared' with Azekel and Yukimi Nagano

How hard is it to make music with people you don't know?

• 29 mins

'Synths are my best friends' with Suzanne Ciani and Marie Davidson

Four leading electronic artists discuss the joy of synthesisers

• 38 mins

Throwing away lyrics with Chali 2na, Omar, Skye Edwards and Rodney P

What's the first step in the creative process?

• 34 mins

Obsessed with production with Jehnny Beth and Kelly Lee Owens

How hard is it to record animal sounds?

• 33 mins

The science of soundtracks with Max Richter, Hans Zimmer, Hildur Guðnadóttir and Angélica Negrón

Four of today's most notable film and TV composers discuss how they got started in music

• 34 mins

'I forgot to hit record' with Afrodeutsche and Ellen Allien

How the sounds of history make their way into music

• 29 mins

Musical dreams with Ishmael Butler and IAMDDB

Have you ever dreamed an idea for a song?

• 31 mins

Getting into trouble with Moonchild Sanelly and Bryte

Are there things musicians can't say in their music?

• 32 mins

Dark places and bliss with Reuben James and Izzy Bizu

If you could go back in time and alter a piece of work, what would you change?

• 28 mins

Songwriting first dates with Melanie C and Nadia Rose

How do you build a songwriting team?

• 35 mins

Heart v technique with Norah Jones and Nitin Sawhney

How does being a solo artist differ from being part of a band?

• 31 mins

Musical resistance with Rina Sawayama and Mykki Blanco

Where do artists get the inspiration to create when they are not performing?

• 34 mins

Floppy disks and cassette tapes with Témé Tan and Nick Hakim

Is an album a single piece of work or a playlist of songs?

• 29 mins

Recording tradition with Derya Yildirim and Yousra Mansour

What can music tell us about tradition?

• 33 mins

Music in our grandmother's DNA with Kelsey Lu and Beverly Glenn-Copeland

How do our ancestral backgrounds influence the stories we tell?

• 34 mins

The ‘Lost Beats’ folder with Felicia Douglass and Tiana Major9

How quarantine hobbies have fed into musicians' work

• 32 mins

Magic moments with Paul Epworth and 100 gecs

What's it like to work with analogue equipment in a digital world?

• 32 mins

The importance of improvising with Bebel Gilberto and Martha Wainwright

How important are family and tradition in music?

• 31 mins

The politics of pleasure with Thurston Moore and Sunn O)))'s Stephen O'Malley

How much does politics influence the work musicians create?

• 30 mins

Loving and hating the studio with Tune-Yards, Haim, Black Pumas and Chicano Batman

How much do musicians consider the audience when they're writing?

• 33 mins

Coconut water and confidence with Kranium, Masego and Alicai Harley

Is an airport a good place to work on music?

• 31 mins

Alicai Harley presents her 'Celebrating women of colour in music' playlist

The singer, songwriter and freestyler selects tunes from Koffee, Beyoncé, and Tiwa Savage

• 26 mins

The science behind the perfect hit with Becky Hill, MNEK, Ella Eyre and Frances

Is there a formula for writing the perfect hit?

• 33 mins

Singer-songwriter Frances presents her 'Songs to warm your winter' playlist

The singer-songwriter selects music from the likes of Leon Bridges, Celeste and REUNIØN.

• 25 mins

Trapped in an idea with David Byrne and St Vincent

Do artists make music to make people think or move their feet?

• 30 mins

'Indie rock game-changer' Vagabon with her 'Music to cook by'playlist

The Cameroonian-American multi-instrumentalist with music from Coco and Mary Lattimore

• 26 mins

'Swans ruined our recording' with Ólafur Arnalds and Agnes Obel

Are composers happiest working alone?

• 26 mins

Composer Dustin O'Halloran presents his 'Counterpoint' playlist

The Emmy Award-winning composer with tunes from Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith and Ennio Morricone

• 26 mins

Chaos vs perfection with Ami Dang

Does it matter if songwriters don't know where their songs will end?

• 53 mins

Futuro Fosil AKA Elisita Punto presents her ‘Far-stretching, yet still close’ playlist

The composer and producer shares tunes from Domenique Dumont, Kelsey Lu, and Ami Dang

• 26 mins

Writing under blankets in planes with Aloe Blacc and Gregory Porter

What happens to the creative process after losing those closest to you?

• 29 mins

Soul singer Gregory Porter with his ‘Higher ground’ playlist

The legendary Gregory Porter shares tunes from Stevie Wonder, Joan Osborne and Kanye West

• 27 mins

Dancing in the kitchen with Eris Drew, Octo Octa, Kate Pierson and Jayda G

How 1950s rock'n'roll influences today's dance music

• 30 mins

'Educate yourself quickly' with Sarathy Korwar, Nadine Shah, James Holden and Nubya Garcia

Is there something inherently dysfunctional about being a performer?

• 32 mins