SongWriter is a storytelling and songwriting podcast where stories become brand new songs. In each episode, a celebrated writer shares a story, and a musician writes and performs a song inspired by it — revealing how narratives turn into music, lyrics, and emotion.Hosted by Ben Arthur, SongWriter features conversations and performances from artists including Questlove, Joyce Carol Oates, George Saunders, Steve Earle, David Sedaris, and David Gilmour of Pink Floyd. The show blends the craft of writing, the creative processes of art, and intimate connections between authors and musicians.If you love great stories and great songs — and want a behind-the-scenes look at creativity from some of today’s most influential artists — this is your next listen.
music
About the host
Ben Arthur hosts SongWriter turns stories into songs, a music show with 101 episodes published.
At a live performance at Joe's Pub in New York City, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jennifer Egan shares a chapter from her recent novel The Candy House. NYU’s Dr. Chris Barrie speaks about AI, and tries to disentangle it
Caregiving After Disaster: Sonia Khan & Ian Lovatt + Tom Marsh
May 19, 202654mEp. 12S7
Married couple Sonia Khan and Ian Lovatt tell the story of a near-death experience and the long journey of recovery. Caregiving researcher Dr. Brianna Morgan speaks about ageism and giving a voice to people living with c
Isabella Rossellini & Diana Reiss + Sharon Van Etten
May 5, 202649m0
Filmmaker and actress Isabella Rossellini describes the night she went to see Temple Grandin speak at Hunter College, and ended up enrolling in graduate school to study animal behavior at the age of 60. Isabella’s friend
Forgiveness After Genocide: Laurence & Aloys + Solange & Vedaste
Apr 21, 202650mEp. 10S7
In this episode Niyonagira Laurence recounts her experience of the Rwandan genocide. She talks about the process of forgiving Mutiribambe Aloys – a neighbor who killed members of her family – after he returned to the vil
A Troublesome Cat: Bruce Holsinger + The Golden Hours
Apr 7, 202652mEp. 9S7
At a live performance at The Guild in Charlottesville, Virginia, bestselling novelist and professor Bruce Holsinger reads a short story he wrote about a troublesome cat. Dr. Jennifer McQuiston speaks about the connection
Filmmaker and director Ali Selim shares a story about his complicated relationship with his father. Dr. Emily Gaarder talks about her work in restorative justice, and explains why she sometimes refers to forgiveness as “
Brazilian poet and film editor Maria Rezende reads a poem about a man who could not forgive her. Dr. Rita de Cacia Oenning da Silva and Kurt Shaw speak about how the poem made them think about national issues of reconcil
Unicorn-Level Positivity: Helen Cho + Alison Mosshart (The Kills)
Feb 24, 202640mEp. 6S7
Director Helen Cho shares a story that she wrote for SongWriter about learning to appreciate her mother’s perspective on caregiving and life. Dr. Komal Patel Murali talks about the burdens and challenges of first generat
Caregiving and Reconciliation: Silas Howard + Dorian Wood
Feb 10, 202646mEp. 5S7
Filmmaker and director Silas Howard reads a story about caring for his mother in the years before her death. Dr. Fayron Epps speaks about her research in caregiving, and about caregivers who struggle with complicated and
Flourishing After Disaster: Patrice Francis + Selah Moonie
Jan 27, 202646mEp. 4S7
Bahamian playwright and teacher Patrice Francis performs a dramatic piece about recovering from Hurricane Dorian, live at the Fuze Art Fair at Bahamar. Patrice wrote the piece based on the research of Dr. Stephanie Hutch
At a live show at Metro in Chicago, bestselling author Kaveh Akbar reads a poem about empathy that he wrote for Jamila Woods. Jamila and Kaveh are old friends, and they discuss empathy in a brutal world, and the echo wit
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen (The Sympathizer) gives a talk about belonging at a live performance at the Litquake Festival. San Francisco State University’s Dr. Russell Jeung speaks about founding Stop
Fear & Political Polarization: Beth Macy + Palmyra
Dec 16, 202549mEp. 1S7
Journalist and bestselling author Beth Macy (Dopesick) reads a piece she wrote to accompany her new memoir Papergirl, about her family's struggle with opposing political views. She describes a slow process of reconnectin
The trailer for season seven includes mention of the themes we'll be working on, and some of the upcoming guests, including Jennifer Egan, Jamila Woods, Kaveh Akbar, Rhett Miller, and others!
Poet, author, and playwright Ben Okri reads his story “A Wrinkle in the Realm,” and talks about music and dream logic. Stanford’s Dr. Tomás Jiménez speaks about polarization, belonging, and empathy. And podcaster and s
At a live performance in London, journalist, filmmaker, and author Sarfraz Manzoor reads a piece he wrote for SongWriter about the things he had to learn for himself. Researcher Dr. Elizabeth Gulliford talks about her wo
Turkish journalist and author Asli Perker shares a story she wrote for SongWriter about a terrible car accident, and how it helped to make her the artist she is today. Scientist and researcher Dr. Itir Erhart talks about
Palestinian poet and clinical psychologist Hala Alyan shares her poem “Dear Gaza,” about guilt, memory, and hope. Scientist Dr. Salma Mousa talks about her research on empathy and polarization, and describes how soccer s
Fear, Parenting, and Finding Light in Darkness: Maggie Smith + Kat Edmonson
Oct 22, 202455mEp. 9S6
Poet Maggie Smith reads her viral poem Good Bones and reflects on what it means to raise children in a world that is both beautiful and frightening. She also shares What I Carried, a poem about fear and love, and how bot
Filmmaker and author Naz Riahi tells a heartbreaking story she wrote for SongWriter about the loss of a beloved pet, and how her experience of grief was shaped by the war in Gaza. Neuroscientist Dr. Meghan Myer explains
How do I pitch SongWriter turns stories into songs as a podcast guest?
SongWriter turns stories into songs has a verified contact on file. Create a free PitchCentric account to access it and generate a personalised pitch in seconds. Research at least 3 recent episodes first and lead with a specific angle that serves their music audience.
Who is the host of SongWriter turns stories into songs?
SongWriter turns stories into songs is hosted by Ben Arthur. The show is categorised under music and has published 101 episodes.
How many episodes does SongWriter turns stories into songs have?
SongWriter turns stories into songs has published 101 episodes.
What topics does SongWriter turns stories into songs cover?
SongWriter turns stories into songs regularly covers music. It sits in the music category.
Is it hard to get booked on SongWriter turns stories into songs?
SongWriter turns stories into songs is accessible for guests with genuine music expertise. A personalised, episode-aware pitch will still outperform a generic one every time.
Is SongWriter turns stories into songs currently accepting guest pitches?
SongWriter turns stories into songs hasn't explicitly signalled guest openness in recent episodes. That doesn't rule out pitching. your hook just needs to be especially compelling and relevant to their recent content.
How long are SongWriter turns stories into songs episodes?
Episodes of SongWriter turns stories into songs average 46 minutes. a focused format where a clear narrative arc and tight preparation matter most.
What guest credentials does SongWriter turns stories into songs typically look for?
Our data rates SongWriter turns stories into songs's guest bar at 82/100 (Premium tier). Established thought leaders with verified media credentials. Sign in to PitchCentric to see how your own Pod Score compares against this show.
Methodology. Booking Probability™ blends Listen Score, 30-day Virality, open-to-guests detection, and Apple ratings. Data refreshed every 60 minutes. Listen Score and Booking Probability are calculated by PitchCentric. Last enriched 6 days ago.