Exploring Rick Rubin’s production discography is like taking a tour through the commanding heights of American music over the past few decades. From Run-DMC to Jay-Z to Adele, the record producer joins to talk about his legendary career making classic songs with the best musicians in the world.

Rick Rubin

Neil deGrasse Tyson—world-renowned astrophysicist, Emmy-nominated host, and author—is one of the most popular and influential figures in modern science. He joins to discuss his cosmic career and new book, “Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization.”

Neil deGrasse Tyson

Punk singer, artist, and the front-woman of the bands Bikini Kill and Le Tigre, Kathleen Hanna has spent the last three decades as a trailblazer in the punk feminist movement. She joins guest host Roxane Gay to talk about her new memoir and storied career making art and music.

Kathleen Hanna

For over sixty years, Gloria Steinem has been at the center of American culture and political life, where she has been instrumental in shaping our ideas about feminism, humanity, and equal rights for all people. She joins to talk about her legendary career as an award-winning journalist, New York Times best-selling author, co-founder of one of the most significant magazines of the 21st century, and an activist whose work has impacted the place women and girls now have in the world.

Best of Design Matters: Gloria Steinem

James Dyson is a visionary inventor, designer, educator, and founder of Dyson, a global company transforming ordinary household appliances into design and engineering marvels. He joins to discuss his iconic career, the role of failure in the creative process, and how good design can reshape the way we live.

James Dyson

Tim Ferriss is a five-time New York Times bestselling author, a legendary podcaster with over a billion downloads, a prolific angel investor, and a relentless experimenter. During his fourth visit to Design Matters, he shares the story behind Coyote, a new card game he’s quietly been crafting—and the mindset that brought it to life.

Tim Ferriss

Acclaimed singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega reflects on her pioneering career, the artistry behind her storytelling, and the lasting cultural impact of songs like “Luka” and “Tom’s Diner.” She joins to discuss her new album, Flying with Angels, which poignantly captures the struggles and resilience of our time.

Suzanne Vega

Stephen J. Dubner is an award-winning journalist, bestselling author, and co-creator of Freakonomics—the cultural phenomenon that, over the past 20 years, has grown into a global franchise, changing how millions think, revealing the hidden side of everything, and challenging us to question what we know.

Stephen J. Dubner

To celebrate 20 years of Design Matters, Debbie Millman revisits highlights from her conversations with groundbreaking artists Bisa Butler, Deborah Kass, Marilyn Minter, Amy Sherald, and Ai Weiwei. This anniversary collection brings together the voices of five visionaries whose work challenges conventions, sparks dialogue, and redefines the role of art in our culture.

20th Anniversary celebration with legendary artists Bisa Butler, Deborah Kass, Marilyn Minter, Amy Sherald, and Ai Weiwei

In honor of 20 years of Design Matters, Debbie Millman revisits memorable conversations with memoirists Elissa Altman, Thomas Page McBee, Ashley C. Ford, Josh Brolin, and Isaac Fitzgerald. This anniversary collection reflects on the candor, resilience, and storytelling power of five voices who have turned personal experience into unforgettable art.

20th Anniversary celebration with memoirists Elissa Altman, Thomas Page McBee, Ashley C. Ford, Josh Brolin, and Isaac Fitzgerald

In celebration of 20 years of Design Matters, Debbie Millman revisits one of the show’s most endearing traditions—the very first question. For years, she’s opened each conversation with a playful, deeply researched inquiry: something personal, unexpected, and revealing. In this special anniversary episode, listeners will hear some of Debbie’s favorite first questions and the illuminating answers they inspired.

Surprising First Questions

Neil deGrasse Tyson—world-renowned astrophysicist, Emmy-nominated host, science communicator, and author—is one of the most influential voices in modern science. In this live conversation, recorded at On Air Presents, he joins Debbie Millman to explore the role of science education and why defending science has never been more vital.

Neil deGrasse Tyson at On Air Presents

In honor of 20 years of Design Matters, Debbie Millman revisits unforgettable moments from her conversations with iconic musicians Kaki King, David Lee Roth, Lucy Wainwright Roche, Michael Stipe, and the Indigo Girls. Through their stories and songs, this special episode reflects on the meaning of a creative life and the artists who have shaped the sound of our time.

20th Anniversary celebration with iconic musicians Kaki King, David Lee Roth, Lucy Wainwright Roche, Michael Stipe, and the Indigo Girls

20th Anniversary celebration with podcast hosts Krista Tippett, Ira Glass, Hrishikesh Hirway, Kara Swisher, and Jad Abumrad

To celebrate 20 years of Design Matters, Debbie Millman revisits standout moments from past conversations with illustrators Brian Rea, Maira Kalman, Barry Blitt, Edel Rodriguez, and Christoph Niemann. These excerpts explore how ideas drive style, how collaboration and constraint shape the work, and how a single image can speak fast and stay with you.

20th Anniversary Celebration with visionary illustrators Brian Rea, Maira Kalman, Barry Blitt, Edel Rodriguez, and Christoph Niemann

To mark 20 years of Design Matters, Debbie Millman revisits standout moments with Julia Turshen, Christina Tosi, Gabrielle Hamilton, Fanny Singer, and Will Guidara—voices who reimagined how we cook, write, and welcome. From recipe testing as poetry to tinkering with desserts, from building a neighborhood bistro to building a culture of “unreasonable hospitality,” these excerpts show how design shapes flavor, service, and the shared joy of a good meal.

20th Anniversary celebration with culinary creatives Julia Turshen, Christina Tosi, Gabrielle Hamilton, Fanny Singer, and Will Guidara

To celebrate 20 years of Design Matters, Debbie Millman revisits standout moments from past conversations with photographers Catherine Opie, Albert Watson, Pete Souza, Lynn Goldsmith, and Mary Ellen Matthews. These excerpts explore how they approach craft, capture truth, and use the camera to tell the stories that define us.

20th Anniversary celebration with photographers Catherine Opie, Albert Watson, Pete Souza, Lynn Goldsmith, and Mary Ellen Matthews

As part of the 20th anniversary of Design Matters, Debbie Millman shares Part Two of her most surprising first questions, the curious openings that sparked honesty, humor, and revelation. These excerpts highlight the unexpected moments that shaped some of the show’s most memorable conversations.

Guess the Guest: Surprising First Questions Part Two

For the 20th anniversary of Design Matters, Debbie Millman revisits past interviews with technology pioneers Bill Moggridge, Jason Kottke, Anil Dash, and Kevin Kelly. These excerpts reflect on how technology emerged, how it shapes the way we live, and how these early thinkers imagined the future unfolding.

20th Anniversary celebration with technology pioneers Bill Moggridge, Jason Kottke, Anil Dash, and Kevin Kelly

For the 20th anniversary of Design Matters, Debbie Millman revisits conversations with theatre designers David Korins, Ina Mayhew, David Rockwell, Es Devlin, and Dane Laffrey. From Broadway landmarks to innovative film and live performance design, these excerpts reveal how sets and spaces shape emotion, deepen story, and draw audiences into the moment.

20th Anniversary celebration with theatre designers David Korins, Ina Mayhew, David Rockwell, Es Devlin, and Dane Laffrey

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Design Matters, Debbie Millman shares excerpts from interviews with typographers and lettering artists Marian Bantjes, Oded Ezer, Jessica Hische, Tobias Frere-Jones, Matthew Carter, and Kris Holmes, reflecting on legibility and expression, how letters behave, the discipline of refinement, and how type has evolved from hand-crafted processes to the digital tools we use today.

20th Anniversary celebration with typographers and lettering artists Marian Bantjes, Oded Ezer, Jessica Hische, Tobias Frere-Jones, Matthew Carter, and Kris Holmes

For the 20th anniversary of Design Matters, Debbie Millman revisits previous episodes with activists and advocates Gloria Steinem, Anita Hill, Cindy Gallop, Sonya Passi, and Dr. Joy Buolamwini. These excerpts highlight conversations about power, accountability, and the urgent work of dismantling inequality across culture, institutions, and technology.

20th Anniversary celebration with activists and advocates Gloria Steinem, Anita Hill, Cindy Gallop, Sonya Passi, and Dr. Joy Buolamwini

For the 20th anniversary of Design Matters, Debbie Millman revisits conversations with acclaimed directors Brian Koppelman, Thomas Kail, Mike Mills, Sarah Polley, and Siân Heder. These excerpts explore the director’s role as the central collaborator, guiding creative teams and shaping a project from vision to execution. Together, they reflect on the choices, pressures, and responsibilities of bringing a story to life.

20th Anniversary Celebration with acclaimed directors Brian Koppelman, Thomas Kail, Mike Mills, Sarah Polley, and Siân Heder

Debbie Millman talks to Simon about the fruits of good leadership: "To see your team achieve more than they thought they were capable of, that they will advance the organization further than you even imagined — because they believe, and they are greatful, and they're inspired — it's all worth it. All the sacrifices. It always is."

Design Matters With Debbie Millman: Simon Sinek

Debbie talks to writer Tim Ferriss about the strategies he has used to change his life.

Design Matters with Debbie Millman: 2009-2016

Design Matters with Debbie Millman: Tim Ferriss

Debbie talks to Seth Godin about how to live in our difficult political moment. “What we have to figure out is how to disconnect ourselves from the circle of fear and from the circle of contempt and even panic and make something that matters instead.”

Design Matters with Debbie Millman: 2009-2017

Design Matters with Debbie Millman: Seth Godin

Debbie talks to Hamilton director Thomas Kail about his career and about the joys of collaboration.

Design Matters with Debbie Millman: Thomas Kail

Debbie talks to author and researcher Brene Brown about belonging, courage, and vulnerability.

Design Matters

Design Matters with Debbie Millman: Brene Brown

On this episode, Debbie talks to journalist Tatiana Schlossberg about what we can do, as individuals, about climate change.

Design Matters with Debbie Millman

Design Matters with Debbie Millman: Tatiana Schlossberg

Maria Popova is the editor of Brain Pickings (http://www.brainpickings.org), an inventory of cross-disciplinary interestingness and curiosity, bringing you things you didn’t know you were interested in — until you are. She has also written for Wired UK, The Atlantic, The New York Times, and Nieman Journalism Lab, among others, and is an MIT Futures of Entertainment Fellow. 

In this audio interview with Debbie Millman, Maria discusses curation, creativity as pattern-recognition, growing up in Bulgaria, and her grandmother following her Google Alerts.

Subscribe to Design Matters on iTunes for more great interviews with celebrated designers and creative minds: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/design-matters-debbie-millman/id328074695

Design Matters with Debbie Millman: Maria Popova

Minda Gralnek is the executive vice president of creative at the Target Corporation. (02.23.07)

On Design Observer: http://observermedia.designobserver.com/audio/minda-gralnek/9247/

On iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/design-matters-debbie-millman/id328074695

Design Matters with Debbie Millman: Minda Gralnek

Milton Glaser is among the most celebrated graphic designers in the United States. He has the distinction of one-man-shows at the Museum of Modern Art and the Georges Pompidou Center. In 2004 he recieved the lifetime achievement award from the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum. As a Fulbright scholar, Glaser studied with the painter, Giorgio Morandi. In 2010 Glaser was awarded the National Medal of Arts, he is the first graphic designer to receive this award. (10.12.10)

On Design Observer: http://observermedia.designobserver.com/audio/milton-glaser-podcast-interview/8927/

On iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/design-matters-debbie-millman/id328074695

Design Matters with Debbie Millman: Milton Glaser

Design Matters by Debbie Millman features interviews with designers, artists and cultural leaders, including Lawrence Weiner, Barbara Kruger, Malcolm Gladwell, Eric Kandel, Stefan Sagmeister, John Maeda, Jonathan Hoefler and Tobias Frere-Jones, Michael Arad, Milton Glaser, Massimo Vignelli, Paula Scher, Steven Heller, Jonah Lehrer, among others.

In 2011, Design Matters received the People’s Design Award from the prestigious Cooper-Hewitt National Design Awards.

Subscribe to Design Matters for free on iTunes, where new episodes are uploaded weekly: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/design-matters-debbie-millman/id328074695

Design Matters

Pinned to spotlight

Popular tracks