There are three key things that can make a podcast for musicians great: illuminate the creative process, provide inspiring interviews with fellow artists, or help decode the business. The best do a little bit of each while also creating a consistent, entertaining vibe that makes you come back for more. There are many worth listening to, but these — which include our own Best Advice and Song Start — are a great place to start. 

Sleeve Notes

London-based music publication The Forty-Five, led by former NME editor Charlie Gunn, created Sleeve Notes as part of its mission to amplify womxn in music. Created using Spotify's Music+Talk feature with our free Anchor podcast creation platform, each episode features an artist venturing deep into the meanings and stories behind each of an album's songs, track-by-track. Recent episodes have featured Sigrid's How To Let Go and Kae Tempest's The Line Is a Curve. Listen Now.

Creative Juice

This weekly podcast from Indepreneur, a resource for independent artists building a career with their music, puts the focus on marketing. Creative Juice goes into detail about how to accomplish small strategies that make a big impact -- from how to make the most of your email subscription list to the pros and cons of placing ads on social media platforms. Listen Now.

Song Exploder

Song Exploder asks popular and innovative artists like Billie Eilish, Gorillaz, and Björk, to deconstruct one of their songs. Produced in an "as told by" format, it has an intimate, almost confessional feel as the artists take us deep inside their composition, guided by  host Hrishikesh Hirway. The show has also spawned a Netflix series of the same name. Listen now.

The Matador Revisionist History Podcast 

Famed indie label Matador has produced a ton of great records in its three-plus decades. A love letter to indie-rock's past, their Music + Talk/Anchor-created podcast showcases key artists like Kurt Vile, Pavement, and Yo La Tengo spilling the details of what went into making their landmark albums back in the day. Listen Now.

Female Entrepreneur Musician 

It's no secret that women are met with a disproportionate number of challenges in the music industry, and Female Entrepreneur Musician provides a vital resource geared to help dismantle those inequalities. Host Bree Noble, a singer/songwriter and former director of finance in the opera business, gets super practical, offering women advice on everything from financial planning to avoiding burnout. Listen Now.

DIY Musician Podcast

Navigating your music career can be daunting, but the DIY Musician Podcast aims to make that dream more accessible. Hosted by longtime CD Baby employees Kevin Breuner and Chris Robley, the pair combine their appreciation for the art form — both are musicians themselves — with tips they've learned from working at the digital independent music distributor. Guests include marketers, venue promoters and speakers from their DIY Musician Conferences. This  show covers everything from optimizing your Spotify strategy to how to get out of a songwriting rut. Listen Now.

And the Writer is...

For aspiring songwriters looking to break into the biz, And the Writer Is... gives advice on both honing your craft and getting paid your worth. And who better to host it than award-winning songwriter/producer Ross Golan? The man behind hits like Ariana Grande's "Dangerous Woman" and Selena Gomez's "Same Old Love" sits down with fellow songwriters to share their personal experiences with the songwriting process. Along with the standard episodes, the podcast also posts weekly updates of all the must-know music business news. Listen Now.

Gig Gab

Dave Hamilton and Paul Kent, who hail from New Hampshire and Northern California respectively, are two gig musicians who remain in the trenches. On Gig Gab, they share  wisdom from their years of personal experience about everything from insurance to rehearsals. For musicians who perform live, it's essential listening. Listen Now.

Switched On Pop

Have you ever wondered why you can't stop humming that song you heard on the radio? Switched On Pop breaks down what makes music's biggest hits so infectious. Hosted by musicologist Nate Sloan and songwriter Charlie Harding, the podcast goes deep on everything from analyzing the melody of Britney Spears' "Toxic" earworm to breaking down the intricacies of songwriter copyright. Listen Now.

Best Advice

If you're looking for peer guidance on everything related to your music, there's no better source than a successful artist who has lived their lessons. Spotify for Artists' own Best Advice podcast is a series of candid conversations with music makers across genres including Prince Royce, Troye Sivan, Charli XCX, Princess Nokia and more sharing concrete examples of what they've learned along the way. Listen Now.

Song Start

Exploring all things songwriting and production, our Song Start podcast checks in with music makers like Camilla Cabello, Phoebe Bridgers, and Sam Smith to discuss how they approach penning, producing and performing their songs. Listen Now.

Now, keep your headphones on to check out our roundup of listen-worthy podcasts about the business of music here.