Take 5 with Zan Rowe
You can learn a lot about someone from their mixtape. Icons in music and screen join Zan Rowe to delve deep into intimate moments in their lives, sharing songs that have made them who they are today.
Seasons
1. Guy Pearce
Air Date: 2022-09-20
Zan Rowe sits down with Guy Pearce, a commanding actor but his first love is music. Reflecting on a life of opportunity, triumphs, tragedy and challenges, Guy shares his track list of the brilliant and surprising songs.
2. Keith Urban
Air Date: 2022-09-27
Join Zan Rowe and Keith Urban for a story of never giving up as well as curiosity and creativity filtered through the playlist of an artist with profoundly eclectic taste.
3. Missy Higgins
Air Date: 2022-10-04
In a deeply personal conversation, Missy Higgins opens up to Zan in an extraordinary interview you won't forget.
4. Tony Armstrong
Air Date: 2022-10-11
Australia's favourite sports presenter, the charismatic Tony Armstrong shares his mixtape, life lessons and the highs and extreme lows of his AFL career with Zan Rowe.
5. Tori Amos
Air Date: 2022-10-18
The legendary Tori Amos talks about her fight to be heard as a woman in music, the endemic nature of sexual assault and how the fight continues.
1. Noel Gallagher
Air Date: 2023-10-10
Take 5 with Zan Rowe returns with a star-studded second season. Zan is back with her signature warmth, expert knowledge and disarming interview style. Noel Gallagher is Zan's first guest.
2. Natalie Imbruglia
Air Date: 2023-10-17
Pop sensation Natalie Imbruglia shares five songs that reflect her story. From overnight worldwide fame with her hit Torn, mental health struggles and the journey back to herself, Natalie is an empowering force.
3. Jimmy Barnes
Air Date: 2023-10-24
Australian icon Jimmy Barnes takes us on a journey through the music that built him. This not to be missed conversation reveals the power of music to shape identity. What song brings Jimmy to tears?
4. Mark Coles Smith
Air Date: 2023-10-31
Mark Coles Smith's role in Mystery Road Origins cemented him as one of Australia's leading men. He shares his journey from rural Australia to fame all told through five incredible song choices.
5. G Flip
Air Date: 2023-11-07
G Flip has gone from making songs in their bedroom to global sensation. In this episode, which is filled with tears, air drumming and wisdom, G Flip shares their 5 songs of determination.
6. Lin-Manuel Miranda
Air Date: 2023-11-14
Lin-Manuel Miranda is a master storyteller. As the creator and star of the smash hit Hamilton, he brought musical theatre to a whole new audience. So what are the five songs that tell his story?
1. Dannii Minogue
Air Date: 2024-10-01
Dannii Minogue tells the story of her extraordinary life from child star to today. From Young Talent Time to moments of hardship and finding her sense of self, Dannii reveals the real person behind the famous name.
2. Bill Bailey
Air Date: 2024-10-08
Bill Bailey captures humanity across five songs, taking you back to his childhood days, the recent loss of a deep friendship, and the song he wants played at his funeral. A conversation full of belly laughs, heart and wisdom.
3. Claudia Karvan
Air Date: 2024-10-15
Claudia Karvan is an icon of Australian screen, whose works reflects the human experience. So through the muck of it all, what are the songs that bring her hope? Prepare for big laughs, heartbreak, and even a salsa lesson.
4. Neil Finn
Air Date: 2024-10-22
Songwriting legend Neil Finn shares his songs of ascension. From playing Beethoven to forming Crowded House, his record collection reveals a deep family tree, an accidentally borrowed Beatles lyric, and the power of legacy.
5. Bernard Fanning
Air Date: 2024-10-29
Bernard Fanning rocketed to fame in Powderfinger but wasn't always comfortable being a frontman. He walks the rock n' roll tightrope of vulnerability and bravado. Through these five songs, he lets us into his brilliant mind.
6. Casey Donovan
Air Date: 2024-11-05
Casey Donovan has lived many lives. Becoming a household name with Australian Idol at just 16, her trauma and triumphs have all been public property. But away from it all, what are the songs that Casey goes to for sanctuary?
1. Melanie C
Air Date: 2025-09-09
As Melanie C shares songs with Zan, she lets us in on some amazing stories, including the pep talk she once gave to George Michael and the time she nearly fell over in Madonna's dressing room.
2. Aaron Chen
Air Date: 2025-09-16
From deadpan one-liners to raw honesty, Aaron Chen's Take 5 is a rare glimpse behind the mic into the heart of one of comedy's most original minds. You'll never see him the same way again.
3. Kevin Bacon
Air Date: 2025-09-23
Kevin Bacon has been lighting up our screens for over 40 years. Ever since his breakout role in Footloose, he's been a prolific fixture in film and television.
4. Lorde
Air Date: 2025-09-30
One of the most talked about pop artists today; Lorde shares her story of rebirth in a deep and candid conversation with Zan.
5. Jarvis Cocker
Air Date: 2025-10-07
Music runs in Jarvis Cocker's veins. From manifesting his band Pulp as a teenager in Sheffield, to making a career as one of the defining acts of the Britpop era, his songs are his story.
6. Paul Kelly
Air Date: 2025-10-14
Paul Kelly is a national treasure. His music has soundtracked our road trips, our heartbreaks, and our coming of age. They don't just reflect Australian life; they're the very fabric of it. In this episode Zan asks Paul about the songs that take him back to a time and place.
1. Peter Garrett
Air Date: 2026-08-20
Peter Garrett is an Australian icon. As frontman for Midnight Oil and through a lifetime of political action, Peter has dedicated himself to fighting for change. Zan asks him to share five songs that have changed him.
2. Shania Twain
Air Date: 2026-08-20
Zan invites global superstar Shania Twain to look back and share five songs that shaped her extraordinary career. We travel back to Shania's poverty-stricken childhood where every dollar counted and music was a lifeline.
3. Darren Hayes
Air Date: 2026-08-20
Darren Hayes has lived a remarkable life, but behind the fame was a man navigating childhood trauma, heartbreak, and depression. In this deeply personal episode, Zan asks Darren to share the five songs that helped him heal.
4. David Byrne
Air Date: 2026-08-20
As the visionary frontman of Talking Heads and through an extraordinary solo career, David Byrne reinvented what music and performance can be. In this episode, Zan asks him to share five songs that sparked his curiosity.
5. Jacinda Ardern
Air Date: 2026-08-20
In this incredible and uplifting episode we see a different side of Jacinda Ardern, one dotted with a deep love of music. Flipping the script, she shares the songs that led her throughout a life less ordinary.
6. Lainey Wilson
Air Date: 2026-08-20
Her heartfelt songs, style and Southern charm sell out arenas around the world, and she's become one of the genre's most awarded artists. In this episode, Zan asks Lainey to share the five songs that keep her grounded.
7. Genesis Owusu
Air Date: 2026-08-20
At just 28 years old, Genesis Owusu has become one of Australia's most exciting and boundary-pushing artists. In this episode, Zan asks Genesis to share the five songs that shaped his evolution.
8. Vika & Linda Bull
Air Date: 2026-08-20
For 40 years Vika and Linda Bull have crafted heavenly sounds. From backing the greats to singing on their own, they've thrived side by side. In this beautiful episode they share the songs that helped them find their harmony.
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Rating
3.0/10
Release Date
2022-09-20
Episodes
31 (5 seasons)
Status
Returning Series
Cast
Videos
Production Companies
Australian Broadcasting Corporation