MTV’s Behind the Music

MTV and iHeartPodcasts

MTV’s Behind the Music is back! The groundbreaking music documentary series returns with the best of the vault, updated and remastered for audio. Each episode profiles one of music’s most influential icons from 50 Cent to AC/DC, Courtney Love to Madonna, and more. Experience their unfiltered journeys to success and their personal stories of hardships and triumphs in this audio companion to the Paramount+ Behind the Music series. read less

Our Editor's Take

Behind every great band, there is a great story. MTV's Behind the Music podcast is a nostalgic look at some of the greatest musical icons in recent memory. The classic biographical documentary program profiled music icons for two decades. The show brought the lives and talents of artists from different genres to the forefront. It also illuminated the real-life obstacles and tragedies that so often accompanied success.

MTV's Behind the Music TV show blazed a trail when it launched in 1997. Every episode became a national topic of conversation the day after airing. Now, the podcast series revisits some of the show's best episodes. Podcast producers remastered and refreshed the recordings to provide the best listening experience. Since the voice is crucial, the show has retained Jim Forbes' classic narration.

This podcast launched in 2021 with its profile of rap legend Ice Cube. Since then, the series has brought back more classic episodes. To hear the power of this kind of documentary treatment, listeners only need to hear the Madonna episode. It is fast-paced, candid, and full of quotes straight from the mouth of the Material Girl herself. There are direct observations by people who were present during her meteoric rise. These first-hand audio clips add excitement and honesty to the documentaries.

One regular comment about MTV's Behind the Music program is that it has broad appeal. The stories are so captivating that it does not matter whether listeners are fans of the artist. The eclectic biographies represent celebrities from different musical genres and decades. But the road to music greatness has many somber notes. The episode on pop trio TLC covers their career accomplishments, backstage dramas, and tragedies. Their story's resolution is complex and emotional. The audience may never look at some of their favorite artists the same way again.

MTV's Behind the Music podcast adds two new music documentaries from its vault each month. Listeners won't want to miss this classic spin on celebrity profiles that started it all.

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Episodes