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Netflix’s Song Exploder Will Feature R.E.M., Alicia Keys and More

Hrishikesh Hirway Alicia Keys

Since 2014, Hrishikesh Hirway has been sitting down with musicians to talk about how they imagined and created their biggest hits on the Song Exploder podcast. Now, Hirway and Oscar-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville have turned the podcast into a docuseries that will premiere on Netflix next month.

In the trailer released today (Sept. 17), Alicia Keys will break down “3 Hour Drive;” Lin-Manuel Miranda will talk about the birth of “Wait for It,” from the award-winning Broadway hit Hamilton; Ty Dolla $ign will discuss the inspiration behind “LA” and Michael Stipe will talk about the R.E.M. hit “Losing My Religion.”

“‘Losing My Religion’ was kind of a mistake,” Stipe said in the trailer. “The fact that it became what it became is still puzzling to all of us.”

The R.E.M. singer added with a smirk, “I don’t mind being famous. It’s not that bad.”

Previous podcast guests have included Fleetwood Mac, Solange, Lorde, U2, Metallica and The Roots.

Hirway, who’s a musician and composer himself, is blown away by the opportunity to take Song Exploder to a new level with video.

“As a teenager, I used to sit in my room and listen to music while poring over the lyrics and liner notes and artwork until I could almost feel myself living in the world of the artist,” said in a statement. “It was the most incredible feeling, and with Song Exploder, I wanted to take that feeling and go even further. It’s been so exciting to turn it into a television show, because it’s provided a chance to immerse yourself in the music—and the ideas behind the music—in a deeper way than I ever imagined.”

Song Exploder premieres on Netflix on Oct. 2. Watch the trailer below.