The Mamma Mia episode is incredibly well assembled and edited! Very excellent pacing and layering. Thanks for all the hard work, Kirk!

I am not a musician so most of this is just going way over my head. I did not get much out of the few that I tried to listen to.

I began listening to Strong Songs about a month ago in an attempt to find a podcast that intelligently and effectively examined the structure and component parts of popular songs. Strong Songs was exactly what I was searching for. I wanted a podcast that was hosted by someone who had, both a deep understanding of musical theory and an abiding passion for the art of music creation. Kirk is such a host. I’m very grateful I discovered this pod and truly look forward to future episodes. Thank you, Kirk!

Very engaging presentation with helpful pointers on what to listen for. Kirk Hamilton’s love for music and no “schmaltz” presentation makes the subject very approachable.

after listening to several hours of strong songs, i still have zero understanding of music theory, how it works, or what it even means, but dang! those folks are really up to something.

My friend sent me a podcast on Zelda music years ago and I was so intrigued by the rest that I stayed for Rush, Radiohead, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, U2 and so much more. I can honestly say this is the first podcast I feel I’ve enjoyed at length. To top it off, I’m learning so many interesting things about the music that I never knew before. It means a lot since most of the music above I mentioned is music my Dad and I used to listen to together before he passed in 2011. I feel I have listened to U2 for the first time again and it made me miss my Dad, but also happy to remember him again. Thank you, Kirk for bringing my memories forward.

Please do Orange County by Gorillaz or another song from their album “The Mountain” it is such a beautiful album and I can’t stop listening to it

I love Strong songs!

amateur broadcast terrible narrstor,

Kirk has such a great energy and enthusiasm for his work. The recent episode on Everything She Does is Magic was so well done and really conveys his passion for music and appreciation for the evolution of a composition and the details in a recorded work. His entire series is well worth listening to. Thank you Kirk for making this awesome podcast. Update: The recent Both Sides now episode was brilliant. Kirk’s insights bring the songs you’ve heard a million times to life.

Kirk nails every single episode. He is incredibly musically gifted, and he is great at reproducing track elements - isolating them to show how the song works as a unit. He also does a lot of research on how songs came to be and the influences that were culminating into that song. And more than anything, I like how he truly enjoys the process and, like us, gets really into the groove once it kicks in.

Kirk’s insights into musical structure and lyrical structure paired with his talented ear for music and ability to play so many instruments makes this a one-of-a-kind podcast. I find myself listening. to detailed, delicious, analyses of songs that I really never cared much about, but now feel like I have a vested interest. This really is a gift to give to yourself for an hour every so often… Couldn’t recommend it any higher. Thank you to Benjamin Cord, my cousin, for recommending this!

Good lord! My first of these was breaking down “Under Pressure.” 13 minutes in, the analysis kicked in. At the 30 minute mark, I wanted to strangle the host. The exhaustively-meticulous deconstruction hit me not as fascinating, but painfully pedantic. And it’s not helped by the host’s over-the-top giddy glee, as if I were getting the same unbridled joy wrung out of every note and chord name. I’m not sure who gets the most out of this, but I came away not wanting to hear the smog again for a long while. Probably not the intention, and the opposite of what I’d expected. So, I’ll likely never listen to this dude again. Oof.

This is hands down the best music podcast I’ve ever listened to. Kirk’s knowledge is deep and his enthusiasm is infectious, often bringing me around on bands I hadn’t previously cared for. The episodes are perfectly paced and truly focused on the music. While Kirk is absolutely an authority on the topic of music, he is by no means a snob. Instead of talking down to the audience, he invites us along while he nerds out about what makes art great. This show is so comforting and warm. It always cheers me up and reminds me why I love music. Thank you, Kirk!

This is a wonderful, insightful podcast. I’ve listened to many that are full of filler and BS and not enough time talking about the songs, let alone with the intelligence and skill of this one.

Couldn’t get thru the Bob Dylan show , the one host keeps on saying ah and um it’s awful listening to it.

I got hooked when this podcast was a weekly deep dive into one single pop song. That was fabulous for those of us who can say “I like this song” without being able to say *why* we liked this song. Even if I didn’t know the song very well, it was delightful to hear Kirk’s obvious joy in a specific lick, or an inhale, or some feature of one particular synth or pedal. But now with the extended release schedule and the very insular, naval-gazing interview style episodes, I go for months at a time without even firing an episode. Two musicians nerding out in their own private code language isn’t approachable for many of us.

After hearing your crossover cast with “You’ll Hear This” covering Tower of Power, I have become a big fan of “Strong Songs”! I have devoured your Bob Dylan , Police, and EWF episodes thus far. Looking forward to more! Your insightfulness, musicality and genuine love of the art form are so evident! Thanks!

I was recently turned onto Strong Songs after seeing a recommendation of the God Only Knows episode following the death of Brian Wilson. I was surprised to find this podcast had been running for years, going under my radar! Kirk is a perfect host with his energy, his knowledge, his insight—all of it. He has the right cadence and voice that makes for a great listening experience. The best way I can describe it is that Kirk crafts episodes as musical and strong as the songs he talks about. There are only two downsides. One—the bi-weekly release schedule. I’ve been trying to pace myself in binging episodes, but it won’t be too long before I run out of the backlog. The second is tangentially related to the first. When he features an artist, I know it will likely be quite a while before he revisits them for another song. Obviously, these reinforce my praise for the podcast, though. Highly recommend!

It’s so nice to hear your love for your father so beautifully communicated. Thank you!

Ok, as a teenager, I’m easily bored and don’t really like podcasts. This one, however! Before this podcast, I myself would think I’d hate to listen to a show that deep dives into music, but…. I love it! ❤️ Every episode I listen to, I end up listening to the featured song on repeat, and loving it! If you feel apprehensive about this podcast, listen to a few episodes and give it a chance! I really appreciate Kirk’s dedication to this podcast, and he has my applause! 👏👏👏 Love it! 🎶🎤🎸🎹❤️

I came to this podcast from his video game podcast, Triple Click. This podcast has such polish and quality! Kirk is an awesome musician, and I love experiencing all these great songs with such expertise analysis. I don’t play any instruments, and I’m not really musically inclined. I love music though, and I love this podcast! Thank you Kirk for your great work on this podcast and on Triple Click!

What a great episode.

Brilliant music analysis! I learn so much every week.

Please listen to the episode featuring “Every Little Thing She Dies is Magic.” My praise won’t do it justice!

Strong songs is an excellent podcast. Kirk takes an insider look at songs we love (and songs we didn’t know we loved!)and in each episode breaks down a song into it’s parts and builds it from it’s roots! If you are a musician you will learn technical skills and how strong songs are made. If you are a music lover you will learn about the nuances that make the music you love. Thanks Kirk! I couldn’t recommend this podcast highly enough! Here’s to Strong Songs!!!

Queens of the Stone Age is one of my favorite bands, so I’d heard “No One Knows” hundreds of times. I’d always loved it, but this analysis helps me understand why. Now I see it differently, and appreciate it more. It’s likely i’ll start to examine their entire catalog a little more deeply now. I’m grateful for these insights!

Kirk is such an insightful musician and clearly explains the nuances of the songs he dives into. If you like music, even if you're not a musical theory nerd (I am not; just a layman!), then you'll almost certainly enjoy this podcast. Give it a listen and subscription.

I have zero musical theory knowledge but love the music that Kirk breaks down, a very well done podcast.

I am learning so much from listening to this show! The way I listen to music has completely changed as a result of this show. I enjoy the sounds and layers that I hear on a much deeper level. I’ve never bothered to review a podcast before but this is simply the best. Thank you, Kirk!!!

I knew Kirk many moons ago and only recently rediscovered his uniquely joyful brand of musicianship through this informative and fun audio journey through great music! It’s been a welcome and needed distraction from news-y podcasts in 2025, and has helped me rekindle my love for genres of music I’d long forgotten while living my busy and cacophonous life. Strong Songs is the one podcast I prioritize listening to at normal speed on good speakers or headphones because I want to catch all the nuances of the music and savor the joyful celebration of the great musical moments Kirk unpacks. Thanks, Kirk, for this labor of love! I hope others will listen and enjoy it as I have!

This show never fails to give me chills. The way Kirk comines verbal explanation with musical samples to break down a song is mind-blowing, and I recognize how much time, care and editing finesse he puts into each episode. What he does is not easy to do!

I was harshly critical of the recasts last year, but he was gearing up to bring it in 2025. Every episode this season has been fantastic, especially the muppets!

Well worth a listen for anyone who grew up with Sesame Street and/or the Muppets

Please dive into an Arcade Fire song! Any of them. Their newest albums is produced by Daniel Lanois…

Kirk, I have to say I enjoyed your work up of Fast As You Can. And when you played a soprano sax solo over the outro it was transcendent! You gave me goosebumps in the beginning which moved over to chills and then at the end I was having the full body shivers! Well done!!! BRAVO! BRAVO! BRAVO!

Thank you for creating such a joyful exploration of all that is beautiful in music. I needed this right now! Your “Dark Side of the Moon” episode inspired me to learn the album and explore the harmonies and melodies behind one of the greatest albums of all time. The Bm-F move in “Great Gig in the Sky” is a Lydian feel! OMG, I love your work. Again, thank you. This is an amazing show.

This podcast just makes me feel good because it’s so positive and clever. I grew up in a house with one console stereo, and for most of my childhood every record we owned—whether it was my oldest brother’s copy of Revolver or the LP of sea shanties that someone gave my dad—was stored in it. I think that made me a pretty accepting if not very discriminating listener. Kirk Hamilton is teaching me all kinds of things that make sense of all the random stuff I listen to.

Kirk knows why you love those greats and takes you on a voyage of discovery that encompasses instruments and voice and why they matter in each song. Fun!

Kirk is like a tour guide, and each song a journey. He points out all the landmarks along the way, things you probably would miss on your own.

This is absolutely the best music/song analysis podcast out there. Tells the what, the why, and why it works. Teaches music theory without being boring or condescending. One of my top ten must listen shows!

Kirk’s enthusiasm for music is infectious!

Strong Songs: It’s Good

Kirk does an outstanding job of leveraging his background to dissect great songs. I feel like I’m getting an education in music theory, history, and nuance all at the same time.

For deep listeners, this podcast brings joy. Host’s enthusiasm is infectious, and his close-up on the music makes it no less magical.

Perfect for music lovers. Makes me love my old favorites even more and turns me on new genres. Can’t get enough. Addicting.

I’ve been playing at being a musician since the late 1970’s, even took some classes in college way back when. About a year ago I stumbled upon the Strong Songs podcast and was drawn in by the title “The Band: The Last Waltz”. Since The Band is one of my major musical influences, the fact that I had seen the movie, and instantly knew what the episode was going to focus on, I listened. That changed my life. I wasn’t a podcast listener before that discovery and now I am. So much so that I binged every episode from the first, “Africa” by Toto, to the most recent, “Post -Season Update, Summer Plans, & Some Music Recs”! Now I’m even diving into the recasts which are all well worth the additional listen. Here’s why: What Kirk Hamilton does is translate what I hear into things I can listen for. This has been helping me improve my ear (training/skills) as well as increase my knowlege of how music works. I have throughly enjoyed being guided on deep dives into songs that are familiar to me and being introduced to music I hadn’t ever heard or thought much about before. Kirk’s ability to pick out the various parts of a song recording and communicate the tangible aspects (pitch, rhythm, dynamics, harmony) as well as the more ethereal facets (groove, emotion, vibe) is phenomenal. He is a generous master who has a very approachable style and a compassionate spirit, making my musical experiences better than ever before. I recommend the Strong Songs podcast to anyone who will listen because it is 100% on target for just about anyone who wants to better understand music to enjoy it more.

My knowledge of playing music is limited however the host makes the songs he talks about and deconstructs come alive. He is so knowledgeable, personable and enthusiastic! My favorites so far are the episodes on Babylon Sisters, Help Me and September. A++!

Fantastic episode which explains the genius of this song to a non-musician , but Jazz lover like me. Kudos!

I enjoyed your interview of Morris and Josh on Stevie Wonder’s “Songs in the Key of Life.” He is one of my favorite artist.