At Behind the Setlist, we talk to artists to get the stories about the songs they play live. Most artists are known best for their recordings, but they love to be on stage. That's where the music feels at home. That's where they connect with the audience. How do they pick the songs to take the audience on a journey? Why do they cover other artists' songs? How many new songs can an artist fit into a 16-song set when people want to hear the classics? We find out.
Hosted by Glenn Peoples (Billboard) and Jay Gilbert (Label Logic).
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Kenny Wayne Shepherd talks upcoming tour, the state of blues music and more. (00:37:19)
Guitar legend Kenny Wayne Shepherd's debut album Ledbetter Heights turned 30 years old, and Shepherd's “Ledbetter Heights 30th Anniversary Tour” will launch February 19th, 2026 in Dallas, TX. Shepherd and his band will play the album in its entirety and perform other highlights from his three decades-long career. In a conversation with Billboard's Behind the Setlist podcast, Shepherd talks about his early days of touring while in high school, what he's learned as a guitarist in the last 30 years, his relationships with greats like Eddie Van Halen and BB King, and his love of American muscle cars.
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Lady A talks about new Christmas album, holiday tour and what comes next. (00:40:32)
Country stars Lady A joined Billboard's Behind the Setlist podcast to talk about their new Christmas album, On This Winter's Night: Volume 2. The album features some original songs and new, refreshing renditions of well-worn holiday classics as "Winter Wonderland" and "Wonderful Christmastime."
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Babymetal talks about their Nov. 1 show at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles (00:12:18)
Behind the Setlist was thrilled to get a brief interview with Su-metal, Moametal and Momometal from the band Babymetal after their triumphant show at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles on Nov. 1.
For the uninitiated, Babymetal is a Japanese heavy metal band fronted by Su-metal, Moametal, Momometal and and backed by a four stellar musicians. Babymetal's music is genre called kawaii metal, which means cute metal -- it makes sense when you consider the band is fronted by three females who sing and dance like a Japanese idol group. Heavy metal is typically a male-dominated genre, so the kawaii metal approach is something different for Western audiences. But Babymetal has won over fans, playing countless rock and metal festivals as well as their own headline shows across the U.S. and Europe. The group’s latest album, Metal Fourth, debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 album chart and features guests Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine), Courtney LaPlante (Spiritbox), Electric Callboy and Bloodywood.
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Bob Dylan historian Sean Wilentz on Dylan's evolution from imitator to interpreter (00:56:56)
Rejoince, fans of Bob Dylan. Here's a lengthy, fascinating conversation about Dylan's formative time in New York City in the early '60s. Billboard's Behind the Setlist is joined by Sean Wilentz, a Bob Dylan historian who wrote the 125-page liner notes in the 8-CD box set, Bob Dylan’s Bootleg Series Volume 18: Through the Open Window, 1956-1963, out Oct. 31 through Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings. Wilentz is a professor of history at Princeton University who penned the 2010 book Dylan in America. His detailed liner notes give the historical background and content to the collection, which spans 139 tracks, including 48 never-before-released performances. The Bootleg Series Volume 18 captures Dylan as he transitioned from an imitator of other artists’ works to an interpreter who added his own character and imprint to others’ songs.
Check out more Behind the Setlist episodes at your favorite podcast platform, or go to Billboard.com: https://www.billboard.com/t/behind-the-setlist/
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Rebroadcast: Kim Thayil of Soundgarden on the band's final concert in 2017 (00:48:36)
Our February 2023 conversation with Kim Thayil, the guitarist for rock band Soundgarden, was one of our favorites in over three years of doing the Behind the Setlist podcast. So here's an encore presentation of the interview that focuses on Soundgarden's final show at Detroit's Fox Theatre on May 17, 2017, but delves into the band's history and its approach to delving into its catalog and putting together a concert setlist.
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Peter Wolf on the J. Geils Band's Touring, Hanging with Van Morrison and Dylan, and Seeing Spinal Tap (00:51:52)
Peter Wolf is a man with a million stories to tell. Thankfully he put many of them in his memoir, Waiting on the Moon: Artists, Poets, Drifters, Grifters, and Goddesses, released in March 2025 on Little, Brown and Company. In the hard-to-put-downWaiting on the Moon, Wolf is tells of his relationships and exploits with the likes of Muddy Waters, Van Morrison, the Rolling Stones, Sly Stone and Merle Haggard.
Wolf is best known as the frontman for the J. Geils Band. Their 1980 album Love Stinks reached No. 18 on the Billboard 200 album chart, and the title track went to No. 38 on the Hot 100. The big breakthrough came in 1981 with the album Freeze-Frame, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The title track hit No. 4 on the Hot 100, and the single “Centerfold” spent six weeks atop the Hot 100 in 1982.
Wolf left the Geils band in 1983 over creative differences. The band released one more album in 1984, and Wolf released his first solo album, Lights Out, in 1984, which rose to No. 24 on the Billboard 200. That album featured such guests as Mick Jagger, Elliot Easton of the Cars, G.E. Smith and Ed Stadium.
His latest and eighth solo album, A Cure for Loneliness, came out in 2016.
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Brett James - Rebroadcast of May 2022 interview with the late country songwriter (00:53:22)
Behind the Setlist is rebroadcasting our interview with country songwriter Brett James that we recorded at his office in Nashville in May 2022. Initially signed as a recording artist, Brett went on to become a hugely successful songwriter, penning such song as "Jesus, Take the Wheel" (recorded by Carrie Underwood" and "Out Last Night" with Kenny Chesney (Brett shared the story about the song during the interview). Brett died tragically in a plane crash on Sept. 18 at the age of 57.
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Shinedown's Brent Smith on the band's success at radio, the new song "Three Six Five" and upcoming plans. (00:55:35)
Settle in for a great conversation with one of the biggest rock stars in the U.S. Shinedown's Brent Smith joined Billboard's Behind the Setlist podcast for a wide-ranging talk about the band's music and business. Smith explained the importance of radio for the band and how it has helped give Shinedown a career in a way that streaming alone couldn't replicate. He also explained the writing of one of the band's new songs, "Three Six Five," and talked about the band's upcoming album and tour plans.
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Ado on Japan's vocaloid culture, being anonymous and performing in a cage. (00:24:12)
Japanese singer Ado might not be a household name in the United States and other Western countries, but the 22-year-old has enough fans to play arenas across Europe, the U.S. and Latin America. Billboard spoke with Ado (through an interpreter) to find out about her beginnings as fan of vocaloid music, how she developed her amazing voice and what she saw when performing inside a back-lit, cube-shaped cage on her recent Hibana world tour.
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Mickey Guyton on Performing on Chinese TV, Recording New Holiday Music (00:30:28)
Country singer Mickey Guyton joined Billboard's Behind the Setlist podcast from China where she was a contestant on the TV show "The Singer." She ended up coming in second place on finale on August. 8. "I'm the first country artist that they've had on the show, and it's just been so much fun," she said. "It's really been a beautiful experience." Up next for Mickey: the release of new holiday music.
Mickey has been with Capital Records Nashville for over a decade and released two albums, Remember Her Name in 2021, which contained what’s perhaps her best known song, “Black Like Me,” and House of Fire in 2024. She has also been a familiar face on television, co-hosting the ACM Awards in 2021 and performing the national anthem for Super Bowl 56 in 2022.
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Alexandra Kay on Upcoming Album, Working for Country Stardom and Coffee (00:39:37)
In this episode we talk to country artist Alexandra Kay. Alexandra will release her second album, titled Second Wind, on October 24 through BMG’s BBR Music Group. She has already released three tracks to her fans — including her 8.6 million large social media following. You may know Alexandra from her Coffee Covers videos on YouTube or from the track “Leave the Light On” by Jelly Roll from the Twisters soundtrack. You're probably going to know more about her soon enough. "I truly believe my song ‘Straight For the Heart’ will be my first number one at country radio," she told us. "And I have no problem saying that, and I say it on stage all the time.”
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Zac Brown Talks Upcoming Sphere Residency and Album (00:42:11)
Zac Brown sat down with Billboard's Behind the Setlist podcast to talk about two major projects that will debut on Dec. 5: a new album, Love & Fear, and a residency at the unparalleled, state-of-the-art Sphere venue in Las Vegas. "The last three or four years, I've been wanting to create a spectacle," said Brown, a three-time Grammy winner who broke into the mainstream in 2008 with the song "Chicken Fried" from the 5x platinum album The Foundation. When Brown took a tour of Sphere during its construction, he knew that was the place to create a production that could help put his band in the same category as such icons as The Grateful Dead, The Rolling Stones and The Eagles. Zac also talks about his collaboration with Dolly Parton and Snoop Dogg, what he learned from Jimmy Buffett and his reflections on the hard work and challenges that led him to a successful career.
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Ray LaMontagne (00:41:05)
Singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne doesn’t do a ton of press, so we were thrilled to get some time with him to discuss his latest tour and the 20th anniversary reissue of his album Trouble. First released in 2005, Trouble peaked at No. 164 on the Billboard 200. His next album, Till the Sun Turns Black, went to No. 28. His next three albums all reached No. 3: Gossip in the Grain from 2008, God Willin’ and the Creek Don’t Rise from 2010, and Supernova from 2014. Ray got one track into Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart, “You Are the Best Right,” in 2008. The song was featured in the film I Love You, Man.
Ray’s ninth and latest album, Long Way Home, was released in 2024. Long Way Home was released independently (through Thirty Tigers, a Nashville-based distributor) after eight previous albums through RCA Records. The lead single, the R&B-soaked “Step Into Your Power,” topped Billboard’s Adult Alternative Airplay chart in August 2024.
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Devon Allman and Duane Betts (of the Allman Betts Band) (00:39:36)
In this episode of Billboard's Behind the Setlist podcast we talk to Devon Allman and Duane Betts of the Allman Betts Band. That was Devon Allman in the show opener talking about how many of the people who attend their concerts also saw them when they were young and on the road with the Allman Brothers. Devon is the son of Gregg Alman and Duane is the son of Dickie Betts, and in our conversation both talked about the joy and responsibility of carrying on the legacy of their fathers music.
The Allman Betts Band has released two albums of rootsy Southern rock, Down to the River from 2019 and Bless Your Heart from 2020. Their live shows are a mix of Allman Betts songs with some Allman Brothers covers. Concertgoers are likely to hear older Allman Brothers tunes such as “Blue Sky” and “Ramblin’ Man” as well as songs from the ‘90s like “Nobody Knows,” and they explain why in our conversation.
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Adam Duritz (of Counting Crows) (00:52:01)
In this episode we talk to Adam Duritz, singer for the long-running, much celebrated band Counting Crows, about everything from his love of the band Big Star to doing podcasts rather than traditional interviews to promote new albums and tours.
Counting Crows are best known for the songs “Mr Jones” from their 1993 debut August and Everything After and “A Long December” from the follow-up, 1996’s Recovering the Satellites. Their latest, the excellent Butter Miracle, the Complete Sweets! was released in May, which lead up to a 2025 tour that started June 10 and extends to Nov. 1, taking the band through theaters and amphitheaters in the U.S. and Canada before heading off to Europe for about a month and a half.
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Lyle Lovett (00:46:27)
Lyle Lovett joined Billboard's Behind the Setlist podcast to discuss his love for live performances, the amazing musicians who join him on stage, and his career spanning over 45 years. He shared his early days at Texas A&M, where he booked acts and played covers, and his transition to performing original songs. Lyle also talked about the importance of audience connection and how his approach to storytelling was influenced by artists such as Michael Martin Murphy and John Denver.
Lyle Lovett and His Large Band are currently on tour in the U.S. through August 7. Lyle and his Acoustic Group will perform in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Scotland in late August.
Episode summary:
[2:54] Lovett reflects on his early college days at Texas A&M, specifically starting to play music in 1976 and his involvement with the basement coffee house, a small, student-organized live music venue that spurred his introduction into programming and performing shows.[6:00] Lovett explains his first gig outside college—a summer 1976 steak and seafood restaurant performance in Houston—and how he began by playing songs from Texas singer-songwriters like Willie Nelson, Guy Clark, and Townes Van Zandt, which taught him the principles of songwriting.[11:19] Discussion about playing covers versus originals, with Lovett sharing the transition from focusing on audience-friendly covers in restaurants and bars to venues like Anderson Fair Retail Restaurant in Houston, which encouraged original music and helped grow his songwriting skills and confidence.[13:37] Lyle explains what he learned performing during his early years, particularly how to endure as a live artist: handling distractions, accepting audience reactions, and growing through moments where people came specifically to hear him rather than just attending for the venue.[15:32] The evolution of storytelling and humor in Lyle’s performances, inspired by watching other singer-songwriters like Michael Murphy and John Denver, and how Lyle incorporates personal connections and humor into his live shows.[18:49] Discussion of audience interactions, including an anecdote where Lovett introduces his band members on stage, blending humor and intimacy to create an engaging experience. He emphasizes the importance of making the audience feel connected to everyone on stage.[26:10] Lyle talks about breaking genre expectations early in his career, navigating challenges with radio stations categorizing his music and credits MCA Nashville for their support and belief in his diverse sound.[29:48] Insights into Lyle's passion for music education, including his experiences speaking with and mentoring young music students. He emphasizes the importance of loving music for its essence and staying grounded despite the challenges of being a professional musician.[32:03] Lyle touches on scheduling large band tours around summer breaks and how he integrates musicians with academic careers, like professors in his horn section, into his performances.[34:35] Lyle shares how he balances playing live, managing tour schedules, and prioritizing time with his children, frequently flying home on tour days off to be present for school events and family activities.[38:05] Reflections on how having both an acoustic group and a large band allows him to play in various markets, driven primarily by economic considerations and creative flexibility in his tour planning.[42:20] Final thoughts on the economics and logistics of setting up a tour, explaining how these practical concerns shape his choices while keeping the performances creatively fulfilling.
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Buzz Osborne (Melvins) (00:38:26)
In this episode we talk to Buzz Osborne, the singer and guitarist for legendary rock band Melvins. Before the Pacific Northwest became known for grunge, Melvins, a notable influence on Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, were making sludgy, heavy rock music in Washington State.
After grunge broke in the early ‘90s, the band was signed to Atlantic Records for two albums, Stone Witch from ’94 and Stag from ’96. Otherwise, Melvins have recorded for indie labels such as Amphetamine Reptile Records and their home for over two decades, Ipecac Recordings. Melvins’ latest album, Tarantula Heart, was released by Ipecac in 2024.
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The Doobie Brothers (00:43:40)
In this episode we talk to Patrick Simmons and Tom Johnston. Call them easy listening or a bar band from California, but what matters is The Doobie Brothers have been making music for over 50 years and are back with a new album, Walk This Road, out June 6 on Rhino Records.
For Walk This Road, Michael McDonald joins Patrick, Tom and John McFee. Michael was absent on the band’s 2022 album, Liberté, and is back with his fair share of songs on Walk This Road. The title track features the one and only Mavis Staples, and we got the story behind that collaboration in the interview.
Links:
The Doobie Brothers home page
The Doobie Brothers tour dates
Jay Gilbert @ Label Logic
Glenn Peoples @ Billboard
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Richard Marx (00:51:03)
For a period of time in the late '80s and early '90s, Richard Marx was everywhere. The hitmaker achieved a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with "Hold Onto the Nights." “Endless Summer Nights” went to No. 2 while both “Don’t Mean Nothing” and “Should’ve Known Better” went to No. 3. His album Repeat Offender went to No. 1 in 1989. Richard has had an immensely successful career as a songwriter-producer and helped craft hits for such artists as Keith Urban, NSYNC, Barbra Streisand and Daughtry. His new single is “Forget About the World.”
Links:
Richard Marx home page
Richard Marx tour dates
Jay Gilbert @ Label Logic
Glenn Peoples @ Billboard
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Larkin Poe (00:42:33)
In this episode we talk to Larkin Poe, a duo of sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell. Fifteen years into their careers as Larkin Poe, Rebecca and Megan have built a catalog of blues and Southern rock-influenced music and a dedicated following. The duo’s 2022 album, Blood Harmony, won a 2024 Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Their latest album, Bloom, is another soulful, occasionally bombastic journey through American roots music.
Links:
Larkin Poe home page
Larkin Poe tour dates
Jay Gilbert @ Label Logic
Glenn Peoples @ Billboard
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Thurston Moore (00:52:57)
Billboard's Behind the Setlist talks to Thurston Moore, co-founder of Sonic Youth, about his body of work as a solo artist and collaborator; his latest album, Flow Critical Lucidity; the likelihood of a Sonic Youth reunion; his musical education witnessing New York’s vibrant music scene in the late ‘70s; and his memoir, Sonic Life, that was released in 2023.
Links:
Thurston Moore home page
Jay Gilbert @ Label Logic
Glenn Peoples @ Billboard
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Howard Jones (00:42:15)
Behind the Setlist chats with synth-pop pioneer Howard Jones, best known for his hits in the ‘80s such as “Things Can Only Get Better,” “Life in One Day” and “What Is Love?” His 1985 album Dream Into Action reached No. 10 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and hit No. 2 on the U.K. album chart. Howard has remained incredibly busy over his career, releasing 15 studio albums, the most recent being Dialogue in 2022. Next up is Piano Composed, out May 23, in which he returns to his classical music roots.
Links:
Howard Jones home page
Jay Gilbert @ Label Logic
Glenn Peoples @ Billboard
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Posdnuos (of De La Soul) (00:40:37)
In this episode we talk to Kevin Mercer, otherwise known as Posdnuos, or Pos, from the hip hop group De La Soul. The group continues touring and making music after more than three decades, and they have continued after the death of David Jolicoeur, known as Trugoy the Dove, in 2023. De La Soul’s 1989 debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, was a breakthrough at the time and stands today as a hip hop classic for its positivity, intelligence and sample-heavy production that borrowed from Hall & Oates, Steely Dan, Bo Diddly and the Steve Miller Band.
The conversation centered around the group's Jan. 17, 2025 concert at Lincoln Center in Manhattan but also touched on the group's longevity, connecting with younger generations, continuing after Trugoy's death, musical influences and the recent slew of De La Soul reissues.
Links:
De La Soul home page
De La Soul tour dates
Jay Gilbert @ Label Logic
Glenn Peoples @ Billboard
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David Gray (00:54:00)
British singer-songwriter David Gray joins Billboard's Behind the Setlist podcast for a song-by-song walk-through of his February 14, 2025 set at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. The 23-song set featured a number of songs from his latest album, Dear Life, and went all the way back to his 1993 debut album, A Century Ends. Gray talks about how a cover of Depeche Mode's "Just Can't Get Enough" made it into his sets, the importance of avoiding routine performances, and how he creates an authentic connection with the audience.
Behind the Setlist is co-hosted by Jay Gilbert from Label Logic and Glenn Peoples from Billboard.
Links
David Gray home page
David Gray tour dates
Jay Gilbert @ Label Logic
Glenn Peoples @ Billboard
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Jasen Rauch (of Breaking Benjamin) (00:37:37)
Jasen Rauch of Breaking Benjamin joined Billboard's Behind the Setlist podcast for a wide-ranging interview about the band's touring life, its loyal fan base, picking songs for Breaking Benjamin concerts, the challenge of developing new rock acts in 2025, and the band's transition away from Hollywood Records.
The group's latest song, "Awake," was licensed by the band through BMG, and Rauch says the band's upcoming album will also be released through BMG. "From our perspective, creatively, it allows us to make sure that we're okay signing off with some things," he says of the deal with BMG, "whether it be the timeline of how long it's taking us to create—because it's been a while since we put an album out, and that's that's all on us and our choice."
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