How Taylor Swift Transformed Pop

Boots Riley joins The Rolling Stone Studio Live at SXSW to talk about I Love Boosters, his riotous new satire about a crew of Oakland retail thieves led by Keke Palmer and facing off against a fast-fashion mogul played by Demi Moore. In conversation with Rolling Stone film critic David Fear, Riley traces the film’s origins back to his long-running fascination with “boosters,” and explains how his filmmaking extends the same political and cultural instincts behind his music with The Coup. He also breaks down why Palmer is, in his words, a “f**king national treasure,” and why he’s taking the film on the road to college campuses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brandon Lake has made a name for himself as one of Christian music’s most successful stars. Now he’s setting his sights on country music and Nashville, teaming up with artists from Jelly Roll and Cody Johnson to Lainey Wilson. In this new episode of Rolling Stone’s Nashville Now, we ask Lake about the intersection between Christian music and country, if he’s worried about faith being exploited by politics, and if listeners of all faiths can have a seat at his table.   Country is Here…Nashville is Now. Check out our Hear Now playlist on Spotify, updated weekly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hannah Einbinder joins David Fear at The Rolling Stone Studio live at SXSW to talk about her latest stand-up special Everything Must Go and her new film Seekers of the Infinite Love. The Hacks breakout star reflects on blending the confessional with the absurd in her comedy, and the different instincts behind stand-up versus improv. She also digs into family dynamics, the allure of cults, and the personal experiences shaping her work onstage and on screen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tyson Ritter joins Brian Hiatt at The Rolling Stone Studio live at SXSW to talk about the All-American Rejects long-awaited return with Sandbox, their first album in over a decade. He reflects on the band’s lost years, the grind of state fairs and casinos, and why major-label songwriting started to feel hollow. Ritter also opens up about rediscovering purpose after When We Were Young, the raw energy of their house-party shows, the truth behind an old Taylor Swift rumor, and why this new music feels like the most honest work they’ve ever made. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Elijah Wood joins The Rolling Stone Studio with Brian Hiatt at SXSW to talk about stepping into chaos for Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, where he plays a devil’s advocate with a possibly immortal edge. He breaks down how the sequel picks up seamlessly from the original, what it took to survive a set drenched in fake blood, and why this role let him lean into something darker and more playful. Elsewhere, Wood reflects on the very real possibility of returning as Frodo in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, along with memories from the original films, the story behind his Elvish tattoo, and the unexpected treasures in his record collection. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jack Johnson joins The Rolling Stone Studio with Brian Hiatt live at SXSW to reflect on the unlikely path that took him from surfer to filmmaker to one of the defining singer-songwriters of his generation. He opens up about his new documentary SURFILMUSIC, revisiting early four-track recordings, the accident that shifted his trajectory, and the influences – from Fugazi to folk – that shaped his sound. It’s a thoughtful conversation about creative evolution, hidden intensity beneath his laid-back persona, and the moments that quietly changed everything. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Actor and musician Maya Hawke joins Brian Hiatt live at SXSW for an in-depth conversation at The Rolling Stone Studio. Hawke opens up about her upcoming concept album Maitreya Corso, her new film Wishful Thinking alongside Lewis Pullman, and the emotional reality of closing the chapter on Stranger Things while stepping into the world of The Hunger Games. She also reflects on the creative instincts that drive her work – including the “gremlin” in her head that’s never satisfied – and the personal boundaries she sets when turning real life into art. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jake Shane joins The Rolling Stone Studio for a lively conversation with Brian Hiatt, recorded live at South by Southwest. Fresh off the premiere of his film Wishful Thinking, the TikTok breakout turned actor and podcast host opens up about his winding path back to acting, his upcoming Hulu series, and why he draws a clear line between conversation and journalism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Noeline Hofmann has gone from the Badlands of her native Canada to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry on the strength of her expertly crafted songs like “Purple Gas” and “Rodeo Junkies.” In a very special episode of Rolling Stone’s Nashville Now, Hofmann joins us in front of a live audience at Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge outside of Nashville to preview her upcoming full-length album, share what Zach Bryan’s endorsement meant to her, and explain why she was drawn to cover the late songwriter Luke Bell’s “The Bullfighter.” It’s an introduction to your new favorite country songwriter, Noeline Hofmann, only on Nashville Now.   Country is Here… Nashville is Now. Check out our Hear Now playlist on Spotify, updated weekly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vince Gill has earned a reputation in country music not just for his singing, songwriting, and guitar playing, but for the way he treats people. In this episode of Rolling Stone’s Nashville Now podcast, Gill’s kindness is on full display as he walks us through his new series of EPs, 50 Years From Home, his ongoing gig as a member of the Eagles, and his own solo tours. Gill also recalls the time he was heckled by Eagles fans, reflects on his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame when he was only 50, and gives a candid answer when asked about performing at a polarizing venue last year: the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. It’s an hour with a true country music legend, only in the Nashville Now cabin.   Country is Here…Nashville is Now. Check out our Hear Now playlist on Spotify, updated weekly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices