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World Service Music Documentaries

All the BBC World Service music podcasts gathered into one place. New documentaries will be added intermittently. Only available in the UK.

Ranked #1

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Van Morrison and me

Van Morrison and me

John McCarthy explores how Van Morrison’s music has influenced people’s lives and Brian Keenan takes John on a tour of V... Read more

1 Feb 2017

49mins

Ranked #2

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Jimi Hendrix's Time in London

Jimi Hendrix's Time in London

Jimi Hendrix's 1967 gig at the Marquee club in London launched his career. His English girlfriend, Kathy Etchingham, rec... Read more

21 Jan 2014

9mins

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Ranked #3

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Bob Dylan – In So Many Words

Bob Dylan – In So Many Words

Marco Werman investigates Bob Dylan’s work, weighing the evidence on whether he’s a worthy Nobel Literature Prize winner... Read more

14 Dec 2016

47mins

Ranked #4

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The Human Voice

The Human Voice

What's happening physiologically and chemically to us when we sing - and why does it make us feel happy - and free.

5 Mar 2014

26mins

Most Popular Podcasts

Ranked #5

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The Secret History of Bossa Nova

The Secret History of Bossa Nova

Forget its low-key, supper club reputation, bossa nova was tied to a political revolution in Brazil. Presenter Monica Va... Read more

12 Nov 2013

27mins

Ranked #6

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The Secrets of Songwriting

The Secrets of Songwriting

Simon Barber and Brian O’Connor, two Liverpool musicians collectively known as Sodajerker, quiz musicians on everything ... Read more

7 May 2016

49mins

Ranked #7

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Argentina’s Rock and Roll

Argentina’s Rock and Roll

The music that helped forge a new Argentine identity after the violence of military rule in the 1970s and 1980s.

18 Feb 2014

26mins

Ranked #8

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Steve Earle’s Songwriting Bootcamp

Steve Earle’s Songwriting Bootcamp

Legendary country singer-songwriter Steve Earle unveils the secrets of composing a great song. Every year he runs a four... Read more

31 Dec 2016

49mins

Ranked #9

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Symphony of the Stones

Symphony of the Stones

Ancient history was not silent, so why is our study of it? The oldest-known musical instruments – bone flutes found in s... Read more

4 Dec 2017

49mins

Ranked #10

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Get Up, Stand Up: Reggae in Poland

Get Up, Stand Up: Reggae in Poland

What makes the sweet rhythmical music of a Caribbean island so appealing to young people in the eastern European country... Read more

1 Apr 2017

47mins

Ranked #11

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In Perfect Harmony

In Perfect Harmony

Beautiful singing in harmony from around the world. This documentary looks at when and why we sing, what it means to us ... Read more

25 Dec 2013

50mins

Ranked #12

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The Caribbean Musical Melting Pot: The Rise and Rise of Soca

The Caribbean Musical Melting Pot: The Rise and Rise of Soca

Music from all over the Caribbean is gaining international recognition as it increasingly draws on influences from all a... Read more

8 Aug 2016

49mins

Ranked #13

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The Caribbean Musical Melting Pot: Keeping it Real?

The Caribbean Musical Melting Pot: Keeping it Real?

Gemma Cairney reports on attempts to keep musical traditions alive on both Guadeloupe and Puerto Rico. In Guadeloupe – m... Read more

8 Aug 2016

49mins

Ranked #14

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A symphony for Syria

A symphony for Syria

A symphony for Syria is the story of how 50 Syrian musicians beat the odds to find their way to Holland to perform toget... Read more

4 Jul 2016

49mins

Ranked #15

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Aretha at 75

Aretha at 75

Known as the Queen of Soul, voice artists have been in awe of Aretha Franklin for 50 years. In Aretha at 75 Mark Coles ... Read more

3 Jan 2018

26mins

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