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Chances are you already love Justin Tranter’s songs, even if you’ve never heard their name before. During the past several years , Justin has written massive pop songs by artists including Britney Spears, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Imagine Dragons, Halsey and many more. In 2020 alone, Justin has written songs for The Chicks’ Gaslighter, Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia, Selena Gomez’s Rare, and Gaga’s Chromatica, among others. We talk about childhood obsessions that inform their creative sensibility -- The Little Mermaid, the musical Annie, and female tennis champs like Monica Seles -- and discuss their old band, Semi Precious Weapons, as well as of course getting into their songwriting process and how it has evolved.

M. Ward talks about his new album, Migration Stories, and early influences from The Beatles and Bach to  Firehose and Sonic Youth. Plus, an excerpt from a recent conversation with Phosphorescent's Matthew Houck, about folk music and the magic of songs.

A look back on key moments of creative discovery for Dashboard Confessional's Chris Carrabba, including a discussion of the new music he's working on for the band.

Empress Of's Lorely Rodriguez talks about her new album, I'm Your Empress Of, and the creative journey that led her there. Plus, the debut of a new LSQ theme song, composed and recorded by Houses' Dexter Tortoriello!

Chances are you’re already aware of the genius of Tim Heidecker as a comedian, actor, writer and director. But if you haven’t been paying close attention to his career the past decade, you might have missed that he has also devoted quite a bit of time and passion to making music, as well. And he’s quite good at it. Heidecker talks with Jenny about some of his lifelong musical favorites (Bob Dylan, Randy Newman, the Beatles, the Band), discusses how writing music differs from writing comedy, and shares exclusive insights into the making of his next album, a collaboration with Weyes Blood, and members of Lemon Twigs and Warpaint.

tUnE-yArDs co-founder Merrill Garbus chats with Jenny about her life in music, discussing early musical influences (Ani DiFranco, Johnny Clegg, Ali Farka Touré, to name a few), how her focus shifted from theater and puppeteering (!) to making music in a band, and how she hopes tUnE-yArDs can contribute to positive change in the world.

“The biggest artistic change for me in the last ten years is that I finally view my inconsistencies not as my Achilles’ heel, but as my superpower," says Alex Ebert. "I can score a movie, I can work on political stuff, I can write, I can do all these things, I can be happy, I can be sad, I can be a punk, I can be a hippie, because to quote Walt Whitman, I do contain multitudes. And so do you. I think we all do.”

Hannah Hooper went through a lot in the months leading up to making Grouplove's new LP, Healer: emergency brain surgery, the death of a close friend, recording an album down the road from one of the most notorious U.S./Mexico border detention camps, and the cathartic experience of painting her first solo exhibition. We delve into all of it in episode 42, as well as discussing her evolving songwriting practice and how she’s learned to overcome stage fright by embracing a superhero version of herself.

Episode 41 traces the creative journey of Cursive and The Good Life’s Tim Kasher, who helped his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska build its own cottage record industry, in partnership with bands such as Bright Eyes and The Faint. The conversation also finds Kasher reflecting on the ebbs and flows of songwriting, his relationship with his singing voice, his screenwriting hobby, and more. Plus, some important Kasher news: The Good Life are touring again this spring! Dates below.

Natasha Khan, the U.K.-born artist who records under the moniker Bat for Lashes, talks about major musical moments in her life (the Michael Jackson concert her mom took her to, the feeling of laying on her patio in a green mohair sweater, dreaming of Kurt Cobain, her earliest attempts at making her own art, etc.) and how they have shaped her creative approach. She also explains how she came to the 80s-tinged sound on her new album, Lost Girls. Plus, in honor of a new LP by Best Coast, the episode includes an excerpt from LSQ #13 with the band’s Bethany Cosentino.

Hop Along's Frances Quinlan, on her creative evolution and her new solo album, Likewise. Plus, an excerpt from a 2011 chat with Lana Del Rey.

An in-depth interview with singer-songwriter Hamilton Leithauser (erstwhile frontman for The Walkmen), where he shares the first details about his upcoming new solo album. He also discusses early influences (Springsteen, The Cramps, soundtracks to Fred Astaire films), his initial songwriting endeavors (using the mathematical side of composition to sketch out his ideas) and why he chose to build a home studio to record the new LP.

“The problem with good vs evil: Evil has a better publicist,” says Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew, describing the difficulty of cutting through digital noise in an algorithm-driven world. It’s part of a fascinating interview that touches on early creative influences (Morricone’s The Mission soundtrack , trips to Rod Stewart concerts with his mom), the pros and cons of leading a band with more than a dozen people in it, and what it was like to sit court-side during the Toronto Raptors epic NBA Fi

Caroline Polachek, known for her work in Chairlift, discusses her intoxicating new solo LP and key moments in her creative journey: from learning the basics of music transposition playing Disney songs on a keyboard her dad brought home, to her teenage nu-metal band, to the ladies’ choir where she performed a cappella versions of Enya and Brandy & Monica tunes. Plus, a 2001 interview with Stone Temple Pilots’ Scott Weiland, where he discusses sobriety, bipolar disorder and STP’s place in rock history.

Singer-songwriter Devendra Banhart talks about his earliest creative experiences, growing up in Venezuela and Southern California, falling in love with music by artists as varied as Caetano Veloso, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Radiohead and Modest Mouse. Plus, an interview with David Cross about his tastes in music and comedy, and a fascinating discussion of the writing process he uses to put together his albums and TV specials.

Indie rock legend Stephen Malkmus chats with LSQ about early influences (Devo, Sex Pistols, Stones), how his songwriting has changed since the Pavement days, and what he thinks of modern artists like Vampire Weekend and Frank Ocean. Plus, highlights from a 2018 interview with Angel Olsen, on the eve of her new album, All Mirrors.

Against Me!'s Laura Jane Grace reflects on the music that inspired her as a kid, how her songwriting practice has evolved, and what she's learned from twenty years on tour. She also discusses her excellent debut solo album, Bought To Rot, and addresses whether Against Me! is likely to make another album.

On the eve of releasing a fantastic new album, Engines of Paradise, Adam Green (formerly of The Moldy Peaches) joins Jenny for a lively dissection of his creative process and the influences that have shaped his art. We also discuss his quest to figure out what cologne David Bowie wore. Plus! Royal Trux legend Jennifer Herrema talks about getting the band back together, and how she found her way to being one of her generation's most iconoclastic artists.

A wide-ranging conversation with Interpol’s Paul Banks about his childhood musical influences (Nirvana, Bruce, the song “Tears of a Clown,” and more), his passion for surfing, and how songwriting can feel like an archaeological dig. Also, actor and documentary filmmaker Colin Hanks talks about how early experiences hearing Bowie on the radio or seeing hair metal give way to alt-rock on MTV shaped his taste in music.

A fascinating deep-dive with The Drums' Jonny Pierce about how his songwriting journey was shaped by his strict religious upbringing (including being subjected to conversion therapy by his parents), and how he's learning to let go of the idea that he needs to be sad to be creative. Plus, from the archive, a backstage interview with The Raconteurs' Jack White and Brendan Benson, recorded at Lollapalooza 2008.