6 of the best alternative music podcasts with diverse voices

If your music taste veers towards alternative and indie, we reckon your podcast tastes might too. And perhaps the more popular shows in the podcast charts may feel a bit too vanilla. Sure, there’s the Joe Rogan interviews with big hitters like Dave Mustaine and Anthony Kiedis, but his episode runtimes, 91% male guest ratio and general bro-squad vibe may be off-putting. And if you’re wanting an analysis of the most popular songs (Song Exploder) or a deep-dive into The Beatles, we got you covered.  

But maybe you’re looking to get some metal, punk, hip hop and ska into your earholes. These are some of my favourite alternative music podcasts – bonus points for diversity in music culture!

Shout Louder

Originally an online punk magazine, founder Sarah Williams added the Shout Louder Punk Podcast to her repertoire of projects. She brings ‘the view from down the front,’ for those of us missing the mosh pit right now. Check out the recent live episode if you want to see if Robin Leitch from Random Hand and Dani Rascal from Faintest Idea can resolve their differences over a game of thumb war. Listen now >>

Hell Bent for Metal

Just as it is refreshing to hear female voices finally from the punk and metal scene, it is also invigorating to hear those from the LGBTQIA+ community. This weekly podcast will grab you from episode one, adorably entitled Gay Satanic Love Songs. Hell Bent for Metal gives you the LGBTQIA+ perspective on metal, and metal moments that have touched this community, and of course, lots and lots of Rob Halford (the Judas Priest frontman who, for an age and a half, seemed like the only gay metaller). Listen now >>

The Bridge: 50 Years of Hip Hop

This podcast makes it to the list because of the undeniable influences and amazing collaborations between the worlds of hip hop and rock. Who doesn’t love Walk this Way (Run DMC/Aerosmith)? Or Numb/Encore (Jay Z/Linkin Park)?! Hosted by Nas (one of the greatest 90s rappers) and Asian American journalist Miss Info, and with guests such as Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Mary J. Blige, Cypress Hill and Salt-N-Pepa, this podcast is a nostalgic walk through the 90s on the path that hip hop took from underground resistance genre to worldwide phenomenon. Listen now >>

That’s Not Metal

Although the title of this podcast puts me in mind of those guys who demand you name three songs of the band whose t-shirt you’re wearing to prove you’re a real fan, this podcast is anything but toxic masculinity. For a start, their occasionally changing line up of hosts includes the wonderful Sam, the non-binary metal fan. Launched in the early era of podcasts (yes, all the way back in 2015), it is the perfect place for honest album and festival reviews. Don’t know where to start out of their 435 episodes and counting? Try one of their annual Albums of the Year episodes. Listen now >>

The Dummy Room

With a Ramones-style theme tune and a tagline referencing veterans Screeching Weasel, it is clear off the bat that you are going to get some classic, 3-chord, fast-paced punk from this podcast. As hosts Jody and Nate play full songs (sure they are punk songs, so on average about 1:28 mins long), this podcast feels more like listening to a pirate radio station. Discover your next favourite underground punk band, support their work by buying their merch and look super cool at your next gig/embarrass your kids at the next parent’s evening. Listen now >>

Ska UK

If you love when metal and ska meet, treat yourself to Play Some Ska by Random Hand. Yes, that’s the second Random Hand mention, and yes, I might be obsessed with them. But also, check out this podcast. Hosts Lester and Sandra wrap up all the ska music, culture and fashion each month and tie it up with a bow in the form of musical interludes, again making it sound more like a radio station. There have been no episodes in 2023, so let’s hope this isn’t the end of ska in the UK. Listen now >>

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