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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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes534Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Music

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Artwork for Take 5

Latest Episodes

35 years ago, we met a band called Smashing Pumpkins. Rising in the wave of American grunge, the Chicago band were led by the iconic voice of Billy Corgan and would rise and rise like all their contemporaries, over the coming years.

If you know any... more

Alexei Toliopoulos is a lifelong cinephile. Known for his excellent podcasts including The Last Video Store, he’s a writer, comedian, filmmaker and loves talking about the movies that made us who we are today. The way he speaks about cinema invites e... more

Thirty years ago the world met Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. Their debut album Revival introduced us to two incredible storytellers, singers and guitarists, and in the three decades since they’ve swept us away in song.

It's long been on my bucke... more

Are you ready for some incredible stories? Take 5 always gifts us with some cracking yarns, but this week’s episode takes the cake. In fact, I’ve had more responses to Ed Le Brocq’s Take 5 than any other, in ages.

Ed used to be Eddie Ayers, a legend... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Alexei Toliopoulos
Writer, comedian, film critic; host of The Last Video Store
Episode: Alexei Toliopoulos shares the soundtrack to his life
David Rawlings
Guitarist, singer, producer, long-time collaborator with Gillian Welch
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
Episode: Gillian Welch and David Rawlings Take 5 with time
Ed Le Brocq
ABC Classic broadcaster and multi-instrumentalist who shared stories of travel and self-discovery through music
ABC Classic
Episode: Ed Le Brocq's songs on the road
Tim Rogers
Frontman of You Am I, solo artist, actor, author, broadcaster
Musician
Episode: Tim Rogers Takes 5 with "a living"
Lizzy Hoo
Comedian and host of The Lizzy Hoo Show
Comedian, Performer
Episode: Lizzy Hoo's life escapades
Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Artist and host of Perimenopop, Take 5 guest
Artist, Spinning Plates podcast host
Episode: Sophie Ellis-Bextor's Liberation
Gillian Welch
Gillian Welch, folk/roots singer-songwriter, bucket-list conversation participant
Self
Episode: Take 5 returns with a bumper new season
Richard Fidler
Long-time host of ABC's Conversations and notable comedian.
ABC
Episode: Best of 2025: Lorde, Gordi, Trent Dalton + more
Trent Dalton
Acclaimed author whose work is influenced by music.
Episode: Best of 2025: Lorde, Gordi, Trent Dalton + more

Host

Zan Rowe
Host of Take 5; widely recognized for intimate, in-depth musical conversations.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 945 ratings
  • Just keeps getting better and better

    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.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    P_Andoman
    Australia7 months ago
  • Kevin Heaven

    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 🙏

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    jomaxi2512
    Australia7 months ago
  • Love Take 5

    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 👌

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Cossie10
    Australiaa year ago
  • Awesome podcast

    Love your work Zan, keep the great interviews coming!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    sdlg01
    Francea year ago
  • Music memories

    Love it! One of my favourite podcasts! Great stories with music. Our very own desert island discs but better.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Chief Risky Woman
    United Kingdoma year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Love it! One of my favourite podcasts! Great stories with music. Our very own desert island discs but better.
Love your work Zan, keep the great interviews coming!
Just keeps getting better and better—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.
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 👌
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.
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.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Spotify
#9
Australia/Music
Apple Podcasts
#3
Australia/Music
Apple Podcasts
#90
Hong Kong/Music
Apple Podcasts
#146
New Zealand/Music

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Gillian Welch and David Rawlings Take 5 with time
Q: What was it like to be at the center of the bluegrass revival around 2000?
It was surreal and validating; the record collection and collaboration with T-Bone Burnett helped place our music in a wider spotlight and connect with a new audience.
Gillian Welch and David Rawlings Take 5 with time
Q: How do you describe the passage of time in your music and career?
Time has shaped our choices, from reviving old styles to writing about real-life transitions, and we see our work as a continual circle where beginnings and endings feed the ongoing story.
Lizzy Hoo's life escapades
Q: How did your Mongolian experience influence your approach to comedy and storytelling?
She explains Mongolia as a turning point that expanded her worldview, sharpened her storytelling through far-flung experiences, and deepened her ability to fuse humor with life-changing travel moments.
Lizzy Hoo's life escapades
Q: When you read that theme pitch, how easily did the songs and stories come to mind?
Lizzy describes the process as initially overwhelming but ultimately productive, with friends helping recall songs tied to travel memories and adventures, illustrating how personal history can inspire a cohesive musical arc.
Ed Le Brocq's songs on the road
Q: How did these early musical encounters shape your later career and travel?
They gave me a language to navigate vast cultural spaces; music became my way of communicating beyond words, guiding decisions like cycling across continents and choosing instruments that felt true to me.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Take 5

What is Take 5 about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Take 5 showcases intimate, fan-level conversations with high-profile musicians, writers, and performers as they share the five songs that shaped their lives. Episodes center on personal playlists, behind-the-scenes storytelling, and the emotional threads linking music to memory, creativity, and identity. The format tends to spotlight honesty, curiosity, and a calm, thoughtful interviewing style that lets guests open up about influences, careers, and moments that defined them. Notable is the show's ability to surface both well-known milestones and surprising, human-scale moments, making it helpful for potential guests and sponsors who want authentic, music-focused storytelling with broad cultural resonance.

Where can I find podcast stats for Take 5?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Take 5. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Take 5 and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Take 5 get?

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What are the audience demographics for Take 5?

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How many subscribers and views does Take 5 have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Take 5 has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Take 5?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Take 5:

1. Chat 10 Looks 3
2. Conversations
3. The Moment with Myf Warhurst
4. No One Saw It Coming
5. The Imperfects

How many episodes of Take 5 are there?

Take 5 launched 9 years ago and published 534 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Take 5?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Take 5?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Take 5 from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Take 5?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Take 5. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Take 5?

Recent guests on Take 5 include:

1. Alexei Toliopoulos
2. David Rawlings
3. Ed Le Brocq
4. Tim Rogers
5. Lizzy Hoo
6. Sophie Ellis-Bextor
7. Gillian Welch
8. Richard Fidler

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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