In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life of Patti Smith, the multifaceted artist who fused rock and poetry to become an influential member of the New York City punk rock movement. We trace her journey from working in a New Jersey factory to her arrival in Manhattan in 1967, where she lived at the Hotel Chelsea and formed a lifelong creative bond with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe,,.

We discuss her groundbreaking 1975 debut album Horses, her commercial success with the Bruce Springsteen co-write "Because the Night," and her return to the stage after a period of semi-retirement with her husband, Fred "Sonic" Smith,,,. The episode also examines her literary acclaim, including her National Book Award-winning memoir Just Kids, and her extensive activism regarding human rights and climate change,. Finally, we look at her continued relevance in 2025 with the release of her new memoir, Bread of Angels, and the 50th-anniversary rerelease of Horses,.