The Track Star Podcast

Today’s episode of Track Star* brought us face to face with one of the most singular musicians of the past 40 years, Flea. Flea met us outside on a cool day in March and was nothing short of excited to talk about some of the legends whose music he covered on his debut solo album, Honora. Sharing his thoughts on Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, Jimmy Webb, Glen Campbell, Eddie Hazel, George Clinton, and more, Flea dives into the music that moves and inspires him, and shares insights into the lives of the giants who brought that music to life. Flea also shared some insights into his Trumpet practice routine and his love of basketball. This episode will be sure to take you on an unexpected journey and leave you wanting more. 

Sam Fender has quickly become one of the defining voices of modern British rock, earning BRIT Awards and critical acclaim for his anthemic lyricism, powerful vocals, and sharp storytelling about working-class life. This week on Track Star, he showcases the musical influences who helped shape his sound through tracks by Steely Dan, Olivia Dean, Kings of Leon, and Tom Petty. We also dive into some life changing shows and collaborations that prove Sam’s innate love for songwriting and performing live. His wide-ranging taste makes for an incredible conversation, and Jack grows inevitably jealous of his bond with Lewis Capaldi and Grian Chatten. Between the banter, the stories, and the laughs, you’re in for a treat with this one!

This week on the Track Star Podcast, we’re joined by hip-hop ambassador, Fab 5 Freddy. Freddy reflects on the relationships and experiences that shaped his creative journey—starting with his early love of graffiti and expanding into music, dance, film, and beyond. He shares stories about the artists who left a lasting mark on him, including Blondie, N.W.A., Nas, Talking Heads and Q-Tip, while also exploring the influence of genres like punk and jazz on his upbringing. From listening to his own godfather Max Roach, to hosting one of the largest shows on MTV, Freddy guides us through his unparalleled life, and the people that made it happen. In asking Freddy about the creation of his film Wild Style (1983), the discussion also surrounds the energy of New York City in the 1970s and ’80s, unpacking how the roots of hip-hop’s identity culminated in the Bronx and eventually spread across the country, especially to the West Coast. Freddy is truly one of the most culture defining guests we’ve had on the podcast so far, and the stories he tells are packed with unmatched first-hand perspective. We can’t wait for you to hear it!

On today’s episode we have two legends facing off in a battle to name some classic rock icons. Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks of the eponymously named Tedeschi Trucks Band were naming each artist in a matter of seconds, a true testament to their encyclopedia like knowledge of music. Sharing stories about Jimmy Hendrix, Bonnie Raitt, Carlos Santana, The Allman Brother's Band, John Coltrane, and even Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, Susan and Derek take us on a journey through music history. They talk about the musicians who inspired them, share anecdotes about past concerts and experiences on tour, and even spill the secret on how to achieve a guitar tone that sounds like the legend Elmore James. This episode is a can’t miss for classic rock fans young and old. Enjoy!

On this episode of Track Star* we have a competitive battle between fashion designer, Marc Jacobs and filmmaker, Sofia Coppola. The duo met up with Jack on a sunny spring day in New York to talk about their film "Marc by Sofia." During their conversation, Jack got to know more about their friendship and creative collaboration, and he put their music knowledge to the test. Naming hits from Pharrell Williams and Diana Ross, iconic showtunes from Cabaret and Funny Girl, and New York City classics from The Strokes and Sonic Youth, Marc and Sofia show their music chops and compete in a gripping head to head competition.

LeBron James is one of the defining figures in modern sport, with a career that has shaped not just basketball but music, fashion, business, and popular culture more broadly. Across more than twenty years at the top, he’s become as recognizable for his longevity and influence off the court as for everything he’s achieved on it. On this episode of Track Star, LeBron talks through the songs that shaped his world - from Jay-Z, Nelly, Dr. Dre, and Nas to Whitney Houston and Outkast. He shares stories about being referenced in rap lyrics, appearing in a Tyler, The Creator video, helping bring Beats into locker rooms in its earliest days, and why music has always been part of his everyday life. We also get into family music taste, draft-day fashion, the soundtrack of his high school years, and the one song he instantly adds to his playlist after being stumped. Can he guess them all? Let’s find out.

On this week’s episode of The Track Star Podcast we have rock writer, NPR critic, and journalism professor Tim Riley who will help answer the deceptively complex question: is there any artist truly better than the Beatles? We’ll discuss the musicians that inspired the Beatles themselves, and who left a historical and cultural mark similar to the legendary four. From the Rolling Stones to Miles Davis and Dolly Parton, we touch a wide range of musical talent that coincide with one another in lyricism, rock n’ roll ethics, and performance capabilities.  The conversation also prompts more pointed topics such as Keith Richard’s vs. John Lennon’s guitar playing, Bob Dylan’s lyrical curiosity, and whether covers by icons like Aretha Franklin might actually surpass the original Beatles version. New episodes of The Track Star Podcast every Wednesday. [Video available on Spotify and YouTube]

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer joins The Track Star Podcast for a conversation that moves from Motown to modern Detroit, using music as a way into the state she represents. Through artists like Madonna, Aretha Franklin, and Eminem, Whitmer reflects on growing up in Michigan, the state’s deep musical lineage, and how Detroit became a global center for sound, from the Motown assembly line to rock and hip-hop. The conversation also opens up into something broader: how listening shapes leadership, why asking questions matters more than having answers, and how the small, often invisible systems of everyday life, from roads to water to schools, shape whether people have the space to create at all. Listen to this episode’s extended playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast every Wednesday. [Video available on Spotify and YouTube]

Filmmaker Baz Luhrmann joins The Track Star Podcast to talk about Elvis Presley and what made his music and live performances so powerful. Using songs from the new concert film Elvis: The King in Concert, Baz and Jack explore what made Elvis a singular entertainer, from the raw power of “Polk Salad Annie” to the emotional weight of songs like “In the Ghetto.”  The conversation traces Elvis’s upbringing in the American South, the unlikely path that led him from Hollywood movie star to Las Vegas showman, and why the physicality of his performances, his voice, his body, and his connection to the band and the audience still feels unmatched. Along the way, Baz explains how lost archival footage, recovered audio recordings, and modern restoration techniques helped bring Elvis’s performances back to life. Listen to this episode’s extended playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast every Wednesday. [Video available on Spotify and YouTube]

Academy Award–winning filmmaker Morgan Neville joins The Track Star Podcast for a deep dive into Paul McCartney’s most misunderstood era: the decade after the Beatles’ breakup. Centered around McCartney, Ram, and the rise of Wings, the conversation traces how Paul rebuilt his identity after the collapse of the biggest band in history, examining the backlash he faced in the early ’70s, Linda’s role in shaping the sound of Wings, and why albums once dismissed by critics are now seen as some of his most inventive work. Neville also reflects on the making of his documentary Man on the Run, what it was like conducting intimate audio-only interviews with Paul, and how archival footage and handmade animation helped reframe a period long overshadowed by Beatlemania. Listen to this episode’s extended playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast every Wednesday. [Video available on Spotify and YouTube]

Two of the best-performing Track Star contestants of all time return to settle a big question: Is Gen X the greatest music generation ever? Writer, comedian, and self-described “man about town” Robert George and New York City SoulCycle instructor Sue Molnar join Jack for a wide-ranging conversation about growing up with radio, MTV, and a musical landscape that fractured into punk, new wave, hip-hop, industrial, and grunge all at once. Through artists like Blondie, Prince, and Nirvana, the episode traces a shared musical world of radio countdowns (Casey Kasem and American Top 40), MTV premieres, and albums meant to be heard from front to back. The conversation moves easily between personal memory and cultural history, returning to the idea that Gen X didn’t just inherit great music, but learned how to listen across styles and scenes at a moment when everything still lived together on the same dial, before music became fully on-demand. Listen to this episode’s extended playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast drop every Wednesday. [Video available on Spotify and YouTube]

Justin Peck joins The Track Star Podcast to talk about how music turns into movement. From the stage at Lincoln Center, the New York City Ballet choreographer in residence explains why a ballet begins with a score, how melody guides the body, and how choreography is shaped by collaboration with real dancers. Through a playlist curated by Jack, Peck reflects on the classical canon, including Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, and the Balanchine tradition, and on his work on Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, where the camera became part of the dance itself. The episode also features FKA twigs on building the world of Eusexua, and a short history of the Rite of Spring premiere and its aftershocks. Listen to our extended playlist for this episode: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast every Wednesday. [Video available on Spotify and YouTube]

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro joins The Track Star Podcast for a conversation that uses music to get somewhere politics usually can’t. Through a playlist curated by Jack, Shapiro reflects on how music has followed him from growing up in suburban Philadelphia to knocking 18,000 doors on his first campaign, and into the moments that have defined his time as governor. He talks about the changing identity of Pennsylvania cities, how Meek Mill’s probation case reshaped his view of the justice system, and why certain songs have stayed with him through the pressures of public life. Along the way, he opens up about faith, bipartisanship, and the emotional side of being a parent, offering advice to a very nervous first-time dad just days before delivery. Listen to this episode’s extended playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast every Wednesday. [Video available on Spotify and YouTube] More Track Star content: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@track-star-show TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@trackstarshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trackstarshow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trackstarshow/

Lucinda Williams joins The Track Star Podcast for a conversation about the music that shaped her, from Highway 61 and Delta blues to Muscle Shoals soul and Brill Building pop. Through voices like Bob Dylan, Howlin’ Wolf, and Aretha Franklin, Lucinda reflects on discovering songwriting as a teenager, the artists that taught her what honesty sounds like, and how instinct and feeling have guided her own records. She also reacts to hearing a cover of her song “Greenville” for the first time, and reflects on how songs travel from one voice to another. Listen to our extended playlist for this episode: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast every Wednesday! [Video available on Spotify and YouTube] More Track Star* content: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@track-star-show TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@trackstarshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trackstarshow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trackstarshow/

Tom Freston, one of the founding executives behind MTV, joins The Track Star Podcast to talk through how the channel was built and what it became. Through a chronological run of songs and moments, he traces MTV’s evolution from a small startup into a platform that transformed how music was presented and discovered. Along the way, he explains why Live Aid marked a turning point for the network, how Michael Jackson helped turn music video premieres into shared cultural events, and how MTV brought hip-hop into middle American living rooms. He also breaks down the move from nonstop videos into the VMAs, Unplugged, Yo! MTV Raps, Total Request Live, and reality television, and reflects on how Comedy Central grew out of the same creative environment. Listen to our extended MTV playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast every Wednesday! [Video available on Spotify and YouTube] More Track Star* content: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@track-star-show TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@trackstarshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trackstarshow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trackstarshow/

The Track Star Podcast continues our CBGB series with hardcore historian Steven Blush, tracing how the club transformed in the early 1980s from punk’s downtown art scene into the chaotic, all-ages world of New York hardcore. Blush breaks down the rise of the matinees, the birth of slam dancing and stage-diving, and the anti-fashion ethos that defined the scene, while connecting CBGB’s hardcore explosion to the wider national movement beyond Manhattan. Listen to our extended CBGB playlist:  Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast every Wednesday! [Video available on Spotify and YouTube] More Track Star* content: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@track-star-show TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@trackstarshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trackstarshow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trackstarshow/

Iconic photographer Roberta Bayley breaks down how the CBGB scene formed in the mid-1970s, before anyone agreed on the word “punk,” and the room was still mostly bands, friends, and a $2 cover. Through songs by the Ramones, Television, Patti Smith, Blondie, and more, Bayley walks through the early CBGB ecosystem: what the club felt like night to night, how Punk magazine helped give the scene a name most of the artists didn’t even want, and how that label quickly spread beyond New York. She also tells the story behind her iconic Ramones photo becoming their debut album cover, shares road stories from the Sex Pistols’ chaotic U.S. tour, and reflects on documenting Blondie during their mainstream breakthrough. Along the way, Bayley traces her path to New York: seeing the Beatles as a teenage superfan, coming of age in the San Francisco counterculture rock scene, living in London during the years leading up to punk, and arriving in New York just as CBGB became the center of a new musical underground. Special thanks to Punk magazine and Ki Smith Gallery for hosting this interview. Ki Smith Gallery (170 Forsyth) is currently presenting a special Punk magazine exhibit featuring several of Roberta’s iconic photos, on view through January 18. https://www.instagram.com/kismithgallery/?hl=en Listen to this episode’s extended playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast drop every Wednesday. [Video available on Spotify and YouTube] More Track Star* content: YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@track-star-show⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@trackstarshow⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/trackstarshow⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/trackstarshow/

Actor and director Ethan Hawke joins The Track Star Podcast for a conversation centered on Americana, outlaw country, and songwriting. Through songs by Bob Dylan, Merle Haggard, Blaze Foley, and others, Hawke connects music to places he’s lived, films he’s made, and relationships from different stages of his life. Listen to our extended playlist for this episode: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast drop every Wednesday. [Video available on Spotify and YouTube] More Track Star* content: YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@track-star-show⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@trackstarshow⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/trackstarshow⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/trackstarshow/

Maya Rudolph joins The Track Star Podcast to talk through the music that shaped her, from classic pop and soul to rock, funk, and film soundtracks. Through songs tied to childhood memories, Boogie Nights, and her years at Saturday Night Live, Maya reflects on discovering artists through family, the emotional pull of live performance, and how music marks moments across a life. Listen to this episode’s extended playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast drop every Wednesday. [Video available on Spotify and YouTube] More Track Star* content: YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@track-star-show⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@trackstarshow⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/trackstarshow⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/trackstarshow/

Billy Corgan joins The Track Star Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about the music that shaped him, from classic rock and post-punk to jazz and country. Across artists like David Bowie, Joy Division, and Howlin’ Wolf, Corgan reflects on influence, longevity, and the tension between art and commerce. He also talks about wrestling, rock mythology, the role of fandom, and why certain bands endure long after trends and critical opinion move on. Listen to this episode’s extended playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast drop every Wednesday. [Video available on Spotify and YouTube] More Track Star* content: YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@track-star-show⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@trackstarshow⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/trackstarshow⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/trackstarshow/

Lily Allen joins The Track Star Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about the music that shaped her and the instincts that guide her songwriting. Across British punk, ska, and pop, Lily reflects on the Blur vs. Oasis divide, the influence of The Clash and The Specials, working with Mark Ronson, and her admiration for writers like Randy Newman. She also talks about making her new album, how quickly it came together, and what it’s been like to see earlier music re-enter the charts as she enters a new creative chapter. Listen to this episode’s extended playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast drop every Wednesday. [Video available on Spotify and YouTube] More Track Star* content: YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@track-star-show⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@trackstarshow⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/trackstarshow⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/trackstarshow/

This week on The Track Star Podcast, Jack takes on a familiar holiday challenge: ranking the greatest Christmas songs of all time. He is joined by his wife, Ali, a self-described Christmas obsessive, to build and debate a definitive top-10 list. Through songs by Nat King Cole, The Ronettes, the Eagles, and more, the episode explores why certain Christmas records return every December, how heartbreak became a recurring theme in holiday music, and why so much of the Christmas canon was established decades ago. Along the way, the episode traces the history of Christmas music itself, from Tin Pan Alley and mid-century crooners to Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound and Mariah Carey’s modern streaming dominance, unpacking how nostalgia, ritual, and the music industry turned seasonal songs into lasting cultural institutions. Listen to this episode’s extended playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast drop every Wednesday. [Video available on Spotify and YouTube] More Track Star* content: YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@track-star-show⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@trackstarshow⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/trackstarshow⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/trackstarshow/

Filmmaker and historian Ken Burns joins The Track Star Podcast for a conversation about music, storytelling, and the American experience. Burns reflects on his landmark series Jazz and Country Music, and explains how the two traditions evolved side by side, shaped by shared histories and ongoing musical exchange. He also discusses his approach to filmmaking, why he resists “careerism,” and how music shapes the rhythm and pacing of his work. Listen to this episode’s extended playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast drop every Wednesday. [Video available on Spotify and YouTube] More Track Star* content: YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@track-star-show⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@trackstarshow⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/trackstarshow⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/trackstarshow/

This week on The Track Star Podcast, Jack explores the legacy of Chess Records with drummer, producer, and musical historian Steve Jordan. Steve breaks down the innovations of Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Willie Dixon, Etta James and more, explaining how Chicago reshaped the blues, how amplification transformed the guitar, why the Bo Diddley beat terrified the establishment, and how Chess marketed Black music into what became rock and roll. The episode also features John Fogerty and Maya Rudolph sharing personal stories about discovering Chess artists, and David Remnick describing how these records helped spark the British Invasion and influence the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Listen to our this episode’s extended playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast every Wednesday. [Video available on Spotify and YouTube] More Track Star* content: YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@track-star-show⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@trackstarshow⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/trackstarshow⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/trackstarshow/

This week we explore the craft of songwriting with Grammy-winning writer Amy Allen and global hitmaker Charlie Puth. Through songs from ABBA, The Beatles, Sheryl Crow, Dolly Parton, Britney Spears, and more, Amy breaks down how great melodies work while Charlie opens up about the accidents and instincts behind some of his biggest hits. Listen to our extended songwriting playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast every Wednesday. [Video available on Spotify and YouTube] Powered by Rivian. More Track Star content: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@track-star-show  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@trackstarshow  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trackstarshow  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trackstarshow/

Cameron Crowe joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about his life as a rock journalist and filmmaker. From getting his first Rolling Stone cover at 16 to going on the road with Led Zeppelin, the Allman Brothers, and the Eagles, Crowe reflects on the artists who shaped his worldview and the relationships that inspired Almost Famous and helped shape his filmmaking career. He also shares a rare inside look at the Joni Mitchell film he’s been developing in close collaboration with Joni herself, shaped over years of deep, weekly conversations and time spent digging through her personal archives. Listen to our extended playlist for this episode: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast every Wednesday! [Video available on Spotify and YouTube] Powered by Rivian. More Track Star content: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@track-star-show TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@trackstarshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trackstarshow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trackstarshow

Common is one of the most distinctive voices to emerge from Chicago, with a journey that runs from his early days as a Bulls ball boy when Jordan arrived, to becoming a defining rapper of the ’90s and 2000s, and eventually an award-winning actor. This episode follows that path through a six-song framework that lets him reflect on the moments that shaped his life and career. Along the way, we look at how hearing Illmatic early pushed him forward, how the Soulquarian movement at Electric Lady Studios shaped a crucial chapter of his life, and how performing “The Food” on Chappelle’s Show became a turning point in his artistic evolution. Listen to our extended Common playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast every Wednesday! [Video available on Spotify and YouTube] Powered by Rivian. More Track Star content: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@track-star-show TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@trackstarshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trackstarshow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trackstarshow/

With David Lemieux, the Grateful Dead’s official archivist and legacy manager, we trace how the band evolved from the psychedelic San Francisco scene of the late ’60s to the studio mastery of American Beauty and the arena triumph of Touch of Grey. Through 10 songs, this episode tells the story of a band that set the standard for what live rock music could be. Along the way, we look at how the Dead’s tape-trading culture, iconography, and intense fandom helped sustain their legacy for decades. Listen to our extended Grateful Dead playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast every Wednesday! [Video available on Spotify and YouTube] Powered by Rivian. More Track Star* content: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@track-star-show TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@trackstarshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trackstarshow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trackstarshow/

Pop punk was the sound that defined malls, teen movies, and high-school playlists in the 2000s. With Simple Plan, All Time Low, Good Charlotte, and Olivia Rodrigo, we trace how the genre evolved from its punk roots in bands like the Ramones to defining acts like Green Day and Blink-182, all the way to TikTok’s nostalgic revival. Along the way, we explore how skate culture and The Warped Tour built a movement, how pop punk’s emotion and humor set it apart, and why its spirit keeps finding new life in today’s music. Listen to our extended pop punk playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast every Wednesday! [Video available on Spotify and YouTube] Powered by Rivian. More Track Star* content: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@track-star-show TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@trackstarshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trackstarshow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trackstarshow/

This week we explore movie scores: how they are composed, how they shape emotion, and what makes a theme unforgettable. We played legendary scores for Emily Bear (Moana 2), Jerskin Fendrix (Poor Things), and RZA (Kill Bill, Ghost Dog) and had them identify the films they are from. We also include insights from Jon Batiste on Soul and Isabela Merced on The Last of Us. You will hear how composers start from script or picture, what separates film scoring from making a traditional album, and why certain themes live on far beyond the films. Listen to our extended movie scores playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast every Wednesday! [Video available on Spotify and YouTube] Powered by Rivian. More Track Star* content: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@track-star-show TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@trackstarshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trackstarshow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trackstarshow/

Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska is the haunting home-recorded album that changed his career and revealed the darkness behind his music. With Jeremy Allen White, Scott Cooper, and author Warren Zanes, we trace how it was made, what it revealed about Springsteen’s mental state, and how it inspired the upcoming film Deliver Me from Nowhere, as Jeremy opens up about transforming himself to play The Boss. Listen to our extended Springsteen playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast every Wednesday! [Video available on Spotify and YouTube] Powered by Rivian. More Track Star* content: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@track-star-show TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@trackstarshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trackstarshow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trackstarshow/

Jon Batiste, Christian McBride, and New Jazz Underground join us for a deep dive into jazz, the quintessential American art form. Through 10 essential songs, from Louis Armstrong to Kamasi Washington, we explore how this music came to capture the spirit of creativity itself. Listen to our extended Jazz playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast every Wednesday! [Video available on Spotify and YouTube] Powered by Rivian. More Track Star* content: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@track-star-show TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@trackstarshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trackstarshow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trackstarshow/

The Great American Songbook shaped the foundation of American popular music, from Broadway stages to jazz clubs and Hollywood soundtracks. Guided by Seth MacFarlane, with John C. Reilly and Samara Joy, we trace its legacy through 10 essential recordings, exploring the writers, performers, and timeless melodies that defined the American sound. Listen to our extended American Songbook playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music New episodes of The Track Star Podcast every Wednesday! [Video available on Spotify and YouTube] Powered by Rivian. More Track Star* content: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@track-star-show TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@trackstarshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trackstarshow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trackstarshow/

Today hip-hop is the world’s most popular music, but it began as a neighborhood party in the Bronx. Guided by hip-hop historian Debra Harris, with stories from Mark Ronson, Fat Joe, and Pos and Maseo of De La Soul, we trace the genre’s rise through 10 essential songs, from “Rapper’s Delight” to A Tribe Called Quest, unpacking the DJ innovations, early recordings, and party culture that shaped hip-hop’s early years. Listen to our extended old-school hip-hop playlist: ⁠⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠| ⁠⁠Apple Music⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠YouTube Music⁠ New episodes of The Track Star Podcast every Wednesday! [Video available on Spotify and YouTube] Powered by Rivian. More Track Star* content: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@track-star-show Tiklok: https://www.tiktok.com/@trackstarshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trackstarshow

What does punk really mean, and why does it still matter? Jack talks with New Yorker writer Kelefa Sanneh to trace the genre’s history through 10 songs, from the Sex Pistols to Nirvana. NYC council-member and former punk guitarist Justin Brannan also joins to share insider stories from the city’s hardcore scene. Listen to our extended punk playlist: ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Apple Music⁠ | ⁠YouTube Music⁠ New episodes of The Track Star Podcast every Wednesday! [Video available on Spotify and YouTube] Powered by Rivian. More Track Star* content: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@track-star-show TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@trackstarshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trackstarshow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trackstarshow/

The Track Star Podcast is on its way. The internet’s favorite music show, now in podcast form! Follow here so you don’t miss the first episode, releasing Wednesday, September 24th!