Take 5

ABC Australia

4.9 (758)
Music
Updated Fortnightly

The Take 5 is a music podcast where the people you love, share five songs they love. Each guest has a different theme, and the memories attached to their most beloved songs flip them to fan mode, often giving a rare insight into their creative heart. Hosted by Zan Rowe.

23 hrs ago

Take 5 with Peter Garrett

Peter Garrett has been an unstoppable force of Australian music for decades. As the iconic frontman for Midnight Oil, a grassroots activist, and a former Federal Parliamentarian, he's spent a lifetime driving change. Kicking off a brand-new series of Take 5 with the theme "songs of change," Peter Garrett reveals a softer, surprisingly open side behind the public persona. Fall into the stories and songs that hold Peter Garrett together. Peter's song choices: Peter, Paul & Mary - Tell It On The MountainWarumpi Band - From The BushDOBBY - Dirrpi Yuin PatjulinyaBruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - War (live)Sarah Blasko - Without 01:46 A life punctuated by music and change 03:21 Peter, Paul & Mary - 'Tell It On The Mountain' 03:30 Growing up in a musical household 06:40 Reflecting on his parent's deaths 09:32 Peter Garrett's first band 10:14 Warumpi Band - 'From The Bush' 15:35 Midnight Oil tour to remote Indigenous communities in 1986 18:49 Influence of Warumpi Band on Beds Are Burning 22:33 DOBBY - 'Dirrpi Yuin Patjulinya' 26:35 Rob Hirst tribute at APRA Awards 2026 29:51 Discussing the legacy of Rob Hirst 34:39 Future of Midnight Oil 36:18 Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - 'War (Live)' 41:29 Music and Politics 43:23 Reflecting on political career 45:27 Sarah Blasko - 'Without' 49:33 Peter's wife of 40 years Doris 52:37 Looking forward not back 54:24 Zan's final reflections 54:55 Preview next episode with Shania Twain This episode kicks off a brand new season of Take 5 with Zan Rowe on ABC TV and ABC iview. You can stream the whole season on ABC iview now. Watch Take 5 on ABC iview: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/take-5-with-zan-rowe
13 Aug

INTRODUCING: Brand new TV episodes of Take 5 with Zan Rowe

Take 5 with Zan Rowe is back on your screens from Thursday August 20, and Season 5 is the biggest yet! What song makes Peter Garrett cry? What was the tune that woke David Byrne up to the full body physicality of music, at Studio 54? And who do you think a teenage Jacinda Ardern was blasting, as she hooned around her hometown in New Zealand? You’re about to find out, as Take 5 returns for a 5th season on ABC TV and ABC iview. For the last 6 months Zan Rowe has been zipping around Australia, to New York City and Los Angeles to capture 8 extraordinary conversations with absolute legends. Like Shania Twain, who revealed a poverty stricken childhood that made her a star. Or Darren Hayes, who laid it all out in a heartbreaking conversation about loss and healing. You’re going fall in love with Lainey Wilson, the singer who’s selling out arenas with her bell-bottom country and southern charm. And you’ll learn more about Genesis Owusu, a visionary doing completely his own thing and winning all the awards, all at just 28 years old. If you’ve ever wondered if it’s possible to adore Vika & Linda Bull even more, their Take 5 will confirm. Fall into the worlds of these 8 incredible guests as they Take 5. You’ll catch all the episodes from Thursday August 20 on ABC TV and ABC iview. PLUS: every week, we’ll drop extended cuts of these chats right here on the podcast. All the bits we had to leave out of the TV episodes, the stories that didn’t make the edit, the moments that stayed with us. So hit follow and get ready for a season of Take 5 that’ll shift your perspective, make you laugh, and maybe even make you cry. And while you wait for Season 5, there’s plenty to explore. From Paul McCartney to Trent Dalton, Sophie Ellis-Bextor to Lorde – Take 5 has been a radio and podcast favourite for two decades. Dig in! Watch the first 4 seasons of Take 5 on ABC iview: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/take-5-with-zan-rowe
29 July

Best Bits: Paul McCartney on The Beatles and writing a song

This is one of the best bits from Take 5. One of the greatest songwriters of all time sat down with Zan Rowe to open his songbook and dive deep into the making of five of his greatest. Paul McCartney has provided the soundtrack to billions of lives. His legacy in song is unparalleled; starting with The Beatles, who changed the game forever, he rolled on with his own solo career while building a new band in Wings, and collaborating with everyone from Stevie Wonder to Johnny Cash and Dave Grohl. Listen to the full episode here: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/take-5/paul-mccartney-take-5/9230996 SONG The Beatles - 'Blackbird'
22 July

Best Bits: Kacey Musgraves on Tame Impala and Dolly Parton!

This is one of the best bits from Take 5. Kacey Musgraves is a straight shooter, a woman of conviction. In person and in song, the bridge she creates with her fans is something else, and it’s made her one of the most loved artists around. For Kacey’s Take 5, Zan wanted to find out about the music that brought her to today, and to borrow a title from her own debut album, helped Kacey “follow her arrow”. Listen to the full episode here: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/take-5/kacey-musgraves-take-5-with-zan-rowe/11122692
15 July

Best Bits: Blink 182’s Tom DeLonge on the 80’s songs that changed his life

This is one of the best bits from Take 5. Founding member of Blink-182, Angels and Airwaves, and UFO enthusiast, Tom DeLonge hung out with Zan Rowe back in 2012, while in the country to play Soundwave Festival. You don't create a career like that without loving music, so Zan dived into the music that changed his life. Listen to the full episode here: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/take-5/tom-delonge-take-5/9035742 SONGS The Cure - ‘Friday I’m In Love’The Police - ‘Every Breath You Take’
8 July

Best Bits: The songs that renew Emily Wurramara

This is one of the best bits from Take 5. In 2024 Emily Wurramara released her second album NARA and cemented herself as a powerful indigenous storyteller. The Warnindhilyagwa woman joined Zan Rowe to Take 5 on the same day her second album was released and the energy in the studio was pumping. It’s very much a record of renewal, and one of Double J's 50 Best Albums of that year. Listen back to Emily talking about her love of John Fogerty and Cat Power, during her Take 5 on songs of renewal. Listen to the full episode here: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/take-5/emily-wurramara-take-5-songs-of-renewal/104257048 SONGS John Fogerty – ‘I Will Walk With You’Cat Power – ‘Sea of Love’
28 May

Poh Ling Yeow's five sides

Poh Ling Yeow has been part of our lives for two decades. As a TV chef, a gourmet stall owner, a celebrity in the jungle, and a cookbook author. Poh is a painter and has even popped up an actor, describing herself as having a greed for life experience. Poh is currently hosting and judging on the latest series of Masterchef, and this week she's Taking 5. Fall into the stories and songs that have shaped who Poh has become. Poh's song choices: The Bee Gees - How Deep Is Your LoveJohnny Mathis & Deniece Williams - Without Us (Theme from Family Ties)Sade - Like a TattooA Tribe Called Quest - Electric RelaxationJóhann Jóhannsson - A Sparrow Alighted Upon Our Shoulder00:30 Introduction to Poh Ling Yeow 01:10 Poh's love of being a DJ 03:14 The Bee Gees - 'How Deep Is Your Love' 05:45 Growing up and being unsupervised 12:40 Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams - 'Without Us' 14:07 Wanting to be a popular American teen 21:10 Sade - 'Like a Tattoo' 24:13 Reconstructing how you see the world after religion 29:11 A Tribe Called Quest - 'Electric Relaxation' 31:03 The ending of a shared history 34:23 Masterchef as contestant and host 37:58 Jóhann Jóhannsson - 'A Sparrow Alighted Upon Our Shoulder' Show Notes Watch Poh on Masterchef: https://10.com.au/masterchef Watch Zan on Race Around the World: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/race-around-the-world
21 May

Hot Chip jubilant songs from the archive

2026 marks 20 years since Hot Chip released The Warning. Their second album leapt from the quiet, reflective electro of their debut and catapulted us all onto the dancefloor. To mark the occasion, we share an episode from 2020 when Joe Goddard and Al Doyle dropped in to Take 5. Their theme? Jubilant songs. Their vibes? Pure joy. From classic to modern gold to deep cuts, settle in with some "heaters" as Hot Chip Take 5! Hot Chip's song choices: Prince – Starfish and CoffeeFever Ray – To The Moon and BackTeyana Taylor – Hurry {Feat. Kanye West}Double Exposure – Everyman (Has to Carry His Own Weight)Hot Chocolate – I Just Love What You’re Doing (Kon Edit)00:06 Hot Chip introduction and anniversary of The Warning 01:08 Using sampels to create joy 04:10 Prince – 'Starfish and Coffee' 06:22 Innocence and joy in music 07:18 Fever Ray – 'To The Moon and Back' 09:27 20 years of Hot Chip 19:07 Teyana Taylor – 'Hurry {Feat. Kanye West}' 20:49 Freedom and joy 21:34 Double Exposure – 'Everyman (Has to Carry His Own Weight)' 23:53 Hot Chip on stage joy 29:45 Hot Chocolate – 'I Just Love What You’re Doing (Kon Edit)' 31:45 Next week's guest!

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Zan Rowe

Host

4.9

out of 5

758 Ratings

Just keeps getting better and better

08/10/2025

P_Andoman

Some really great interviews. Zan gives the guests plenty of space to talk - it feels like the show is just going from strength to strength.
Kevin Heaven

23/09/2025

jomaxi2512

I don’t know how you held it together Zan! What a beautiful man! Big fan of you both and loved the music your yarn took us on. Thank you 🙏
Love Take 5

03/05/2025

Cossie10

In the lead up to election day … had a great time listening to Antony Green . He’s so good at his job & obviously a dedicated music fan too . Mel Buttle’s Take 5 was so entertaining . Two great episodes 👌
Great interviews

03/11/2024

Diddoms69

Zan has a really lovely and warm interviewing style that helps artists to open up and share some great insights. Love this show. The Neil Finn episode was fantastic.

The Take 5 is a music podcast where the people you love, share five songs they love. Each guest has a different theme, and the memories attached to their most beloved songs flip them to fan mode, often giving a rare insight into their creative heart. Hosted by Zan Rowe.