The Track Star Podcast

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 ev...

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...

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 sha...

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 Dav...

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 roc...

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 upbri...

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...

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-ho...

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 Tchaik...

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...

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...

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...

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 exp...

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 nam...

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 Mu...

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 episod...

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 end...

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 qui...

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 heartbre...

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 mus...

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...

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 M...

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 i...

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...

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...