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The Sam Sanders Show

The Sam Sanders Show

Written by: KCRW & Sam Sanders
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About this listen

The Sam Sanders Show from KCRW is your guide to entertainment. Find out what makes your favorite artists tick, dissect the trends that shape our culture, or just make sense of that random meme you can’t stop thinking about. Join us every week to unpack the pop culture we love.

Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.

Sam Sanders is an award-winning podcast and radio host. He’s been named best podcast host by both The Ambies and the iHeart Podcast Awards. He was one of the founding hosts of The NPR Politics Podcast and the host who launched both It’s Been A Minute from NPR and Into It from Vulture.

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Episodes
  • What Pop Culture Keeps Dan Harris Centered and 10% Happier?

    What Pop Culture Keeps Dan Harris Centered and 10% Happier?
    Jan 9 2026

    It’s a new year, so how about some timeless pop culture to lift our spirits?

    Music that heals, TV shows that inspire joy, movies that create everlasting memories. Sam describes these as Modern Scriptures – the stuff that we can return to again and again to help us stay grounded, centered and connected.

    Joining Sam for this is meditation and mindfulness expert Dan Harris. He hosts the popular podcast 10% Happier. Dan shares the pop culture that always boosts his mental health and gives advice on how to make your New Year’s resolutions stick.

    Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.

    The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
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    52 mins
  • Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” (from One Song)

    Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” (from One Song)
    Jan 6 2026

    Today we’re sharing Sam’s episode from One Song.

    Is Dreams what it sounds like when personal chaos becomes collective brilliance? Recorded live at On Air Fest at KCRW, Sam joins hosts Diallo and LUXXURY to break down this Fleetwood Mac classic. Together, they dive into the Rumours-era drama and unravel why the magic of Dreams feels both intensely personal and universally resonant.

    If you like this episode, be sure to check out One Song on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

    Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.

    The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
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    1 hr
  • Where Did All The Protest Music Go?

    Where Did All The Protest Music Go?
    Jan 2 2026

    There was a time when popular music was inseparable from civil rights and civil unrest. But today, very few popular songs reflect the grievances seen in the streets.

    Fela Kuti is an artist who wasn’t afraid to make protest music. Known as the father of Afrobeat, his music became the soundtrack for social change in his native Nigeria.

    He’s the focus of the new podcast Fela Kuti: Fear No Man created by Jad Abumrad. He tells Sam about the lasting impact of Kuti’s work, his complicated history, and asks… why are musicians today so afraid to get political?

    Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.

    The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
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    52 mins
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