Podcast artwork thumbnail for Political Beats

Political Beats

Scot Bertram, Jeff Blehar

Booking Overview

A long-form interview show focused on the musical passions of political and cultural figures, with recurring deep dives into rock and popular-music history. The strongest pitch candidates are political commentators, journalists, authors, editors, and academics who have credible, distinctive expertise in music; booking difficulty is medium because the show has a specific editorial lens and favors guests within political and cultural media circles.

Metrics

Episodes: 162

Frequency: Irregular

Rating: 4.8/5.0

Estimated listeners: 10,000 - 100,000

Gender skew: Male

Listener location: USA

YouTube: 94.5k subscribers

Page updated: Oct 28, 2026 · How we check this data

Contact Information

Publicly listed emails

studio@nationalreview.com

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Host

Scot Bertram - Co-host of Political Beats, discussing guests’ musical passions and the history of rock and popular music.

Jeff Blehar - Co-host of Political Beats, contributing detailed commentary on rock artists, albums, and music history.

Booking Intelligence

Booking Requirements

medium
Typical Credentials:  
Political or cultural journalism, editorial leadership, authorship, academic expertise, or another credible professional background combined with substantial knowledge of and enthusiasm for music.
Required Achievements:  
Published journalism or commentary, Editorial leadership at a publication, Authorship or fiction writing, University teaching or academic work, Distinctive expertise in rock and popular music

Recent Guest Discussions

Eli Lake - Steely Dan, The Band’s Musical Evolution, Studio Work, Songwriting, And Career.

Nic Rowan - Sleater-kinney, Riot Grrrl, Feminist Rock, The Band’s Discography, And Its Influence.

Andrew Gretes - The Second Half Of Xtc’s Career, Studio Albums, Songwriting, And The Dukes Of Stratosphear.

Andrew Gretes - The First Half Of Xtc’s Career, Post-punk, Pop Songwriting, And The Band’s Musical Influence.

Jack Butler - The Apples In Stereo, Power Pop, Psychedelia, The Elephant 6 Recording Company, And Experimental Songwriting.

Recent Topics

Music, Music Criticism, Rock Music, Indie Rock, Politics

Episodes

Here's the recent few episodes on
Political Beats
:

Episode 161: The Cure, Pt. I

October 20, 2026

Scot and Jeff discuss the first part of The Cure’s career (1978-1984) with Derek Wilczynski.Introducing the Band:Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) are joined by guest Derek Wilczynski. Derek is a Michigan attorney with a trial practice, as well as treasurer for the Macomb County Republican Party.Derek’s Musical Pick: The CureIt’s time to paint your fingernails black and adopt your bleakest attitude as we dive into the first part of the story of post-punk’s l...

Episode 160: Eli Lake / Steely Dan

August 20, 2026

Introducing the Band: Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Eli Lake. Eli is a columnist for The Free Press, contributing editor at Commentary, and host of Breaking History. You can follow him on Twitter/x @EliLake. Eli’s Music Pick: Steely Dan In what is likely the last of our past episodes to be completely re-recorded, we present a totally new edition of our look at the music and career of Steely Dan. Jeff long has despised the sound of his microp...

Episode 159: Nic Rowan / Sleater-Kinney

July 14, 2026

Scot and Jeff discuss Sleater-Kinney with Nic Rowan. Introducing the Band: Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Nic Rowan. Nic is managing editor of The Lamp, a Catholic literary journal. You can follow him on Twitter/x @NicXTempore.  Nic’s Music Pick: Sleater-Kinney When people talk about the greatest American rock bands of the past 30 years, the conversation usually starts in familiar places (we might say Spoon around these parts). But sooner or la...

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Frequently asked questions

Here's some frequently asked questions for
Political Beats
:

How do I get in touch with Political Beats?

Political Beats is hosted by Scot Bertram and Jeff Blehar. Its publicly listed email is studio@nationalreview.com. For guest bookings, the host or producer is usually the best person to reach. Podseeker helps you find direct host and producer contacts and pitch from your own inbox.

What is the email for Political Beats?

The publicly listed email for Political Beats: studio@nationalreview.com.

How many listeners does Political Beats have?

Podseeker estimates Political Beats reaches 10,000 to 100,000 listeners per episode. Only the publisher has exact numbers.

Who is an ideal guest for Political Beats?

Political Beats typically books working professionals with real expertise. Typical guest background: Political or cultural journalism, editorial leadership, authorship, academic expertise, or another credible professional background combined with substantial knowledge of and enthusiasm for music. Common among recent guests: Published journalism or commentary; Editorial leadership at a publication; Authorship or fiction writing. Recent guests include Eli Lake, Nic Rowan, and Andrew Gretes.

How hard is it to get booked on Political Beats?

Medium. Guests usually need solid credentials in the topic and an idea that fits the show.

What topics does Political Beats cover?

Recent episodes cover Music, Music Criticism, Rock Music, Indie Rock, and Politics. Pitch an idea tied to one of these topics and mention a recent episode.

How does Podseeker get this information?

From public sources and our own research: podcast websites, social profiles, podcast feeds, and our data team. Podcast feeds and episodes are checked daily, and details like contacts, recent guests, and booking difficulty are refreshed regularly.

I host Political Beats. How do I correct this page?

If something here is out of date, ask us to correct it through Podseeker's contact form at podseeker.co/contact. Our research team reviews every request and updates the listing.

Publicly listed emails

studio@nationalreview.com

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