Today we’re sharing an episode from KCRW’s Question Everything.

What happens when TikTokers replace TV hosts and interviewers, and presidential candidates start begging to be on their shows?

Question Everything host Brian Reed sits down in a Brooklyn wine shop with four of the internet’s biggest creators: Caleb Simpson, who gets people on the street to take him up to their apartments; Julian Shapiro-Barnum who interviews kids on Recess Therapy; Anania Williams of the LGBTQ quiz show Gaydar; and Jack Coyne, host of the music game show Track Star. Their videos reach more people than many major news outlets. But who gets control over what they run? When is money changing hands? What do they do when politicians like Kamala Harris and RFK Jr. come calling?

A frank conversation about the blurry grey area between this new form of entertainment and journalism.

Check out the Substack, with more reporting on the war over truth, free speech, and tech’s role in it all.

Question Everything is a production of KCRW and Placement Theory.

Raphael Saadiq has been influential to the music industry since he burst onto the scene with his group Tony! Toni! Toné! — since then he’s produced hits with artists like Beyoncé and scored countless film and TV projects.

He’s now nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for his blues anthem “I Lied To You” from the blockbuster film Sinners. He breaks down what went into creating the song, his connection to director Ryan Coogler and his golden rule for making music for movies.

Plus, Raphael remembers his late friend D’Angelo and shares the story behind their iconic song “Untitled (How Does It Feel).”

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.

There’s a little trend that’s gaining a lot of traction… Many people are leaving Spotify – and making a fuss on their way out.

They’re angry at the platform and the algorithm. They’re angry with how it pays artists. Some users are very angry about the ads Spotify runs. It’s quite the vibe shift for the world’s largest music streaming service. Sam breaks it all down with Bloomberg’s Ashley Carman who recently reported from Spotify’s headquarters in Stockholm.

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.

It’s officially awards season in Hollywood – with endless red carpets, secret ballots, snubs, scandals… and vibes that feel increasingly weird.

Joining Sam to check-in on the health of the movie industry are two of the sharpest cinephiles in the game. Amanda Dobbins and Sean Fennessey, hosts of The Big Picture podcast. They unpack the drama shaping this year’s hottest races and break down this era of dramatic mergers, shrinking monoculture, and box office uncertainty.

Plus, a round of bold predictions for 2026 and a few under-the-radar films you’ll want to catch up on ASAP.

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.

Consumed by a fear of looking bad on camera, dance floors across the country are filled with young people standing still. It suddenly seems everyone is too scared to let loose and move to the rhythm.

Artists like Tyler, The Creator and Kaytranada have recently called out their crowds for rigid behavior. Sam breaks it all down with Elias Leight, reporter covering the music business for The Wall Street Journal.

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.

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.

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.

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.