Carpool Karaoke

Lore & Background

The format was created in 2009 by Robert Llewelyn in his podcast series Carpool. James Corden argues the segment was inspired by a Gavin & Stacey-themed sketch he had participated in for the British charity television special Red Nose Day 2011, in which he sang along with George Michael in a car. For the 2014 documentary When Corden Met Barlow, Corden included a 6-minute 45 second Carpool Karaoke segment with Gary Barlow. Corden explained that he and Ben Winston thought there was something joyful about famous people singing in an ordinary situation, and the idea of Los Angeles traffic and the carpool lane seemed promising. No musicians were interested initially, but when Corden showed the George Michael clip to Mariah Carey, she agreed to pioneer the show.

Reader's Guide

Carpool Karaoke became a defining feature of The Late Late Show with James Corden, generating massive online viewership and cultural impact. The segment's popularity led to a primetime special on CBS in March 2016, which won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special. In 2016, Apple Music and CBS Television Studios announced a deal for an exclusive first-window licensing agreement for a television series adaptation, Carpool Karaoke: The Series, which premiered on August 8, 2017. The segment also inspired a Spike series titled Caraoke Showdown, hosted by Craig Robinson, and was referenced in the Swedish Melodifestivalen 2020 song contest. In 2020, it was revealed that Corden does not always actually drive the vehicle during filming; instead it is towed for safety reasons in about five percent of segments, including with Meghan Trainor, Migos, Cardi B, Chance the Rapper, and Justin Bieber (third time).

Did You Know?

• A January 2016 Carpool Karaoke segment featuring Adele amassed 42 million YouTube views within five days, making it the most popular video originating from a late night program since 2013.
• During the filming of a segment with Red Hot Chili Peppers, singer Anthony Kiedis saved the life of a baby who was not breathing.
• As of March 12, 2021, four segments had amassed over 100 million views on YouTube: One Direction, Justin Bieber's first visit, Bruno Mars, and Selena Gomez.

Origins & Development

The series traces its roots to a July 2016 licensing deal between Apple Music and CBS Television Studios, which granted Apple the exclusive global rights to adapt the Late Late Show's beloved car-singing segment into a standalone television production. CBS Television Studios and Fulwell 73 were tapped as the producing companies, with James Corden and Ben Winston credited as creators and executive producers. Before the Apple partnership was sealed, CBS Studios International and Fulwell 73 had been actively seeking an international home for the concept. An early blueprint called for a single, consistent host appearing in every installment, but by January 2017 that plan was abandoned in favor of rotating a different host for each episode. The premiere was originally targeted for April 2017 but was pushed back, with the official launch date eventually settling in August of that year.

Format & Creative Vision

Each episode follows a deceptively simple premise: two or more celebrities share a car, drive past locations that hold personal significance to them, and sing along to tracks from their own playlists. The format also weaves in the element of catching unsuspecting fans off guard when they spot a major star belting out a tune from the passenger seat of a passing vehicle. Rather than anchoring the show around one familiar face, the production rotates its hosting duties episode by episode, letting different personalities set the tone and energy. The deliberate pairing of stars with one another—rather than with a fixed host—creates a dynamic where the chemistry between the guests drives the entertainment. This structure was designed to capture the spontaneous, intimate feel of the original Late Late Show segment while stretching it into a full-length television experience.

Platform Journey & Seasonal Arc

The series experienced a notable evolution in where and how audiences could watch it. Season one debuted on Apple Music in August 2017, and the second season, announced in February 2018, shifted to the Apple TV app with new episodes dropping on Fridays. By August 2021, the show was renewed for a fifth and final season alongside a move to Apple TV+, with that concluding season premiering on May 27, 2022. The second season featured a roster of high-profile pairings, including Jason Sudeikis alongside The Muppets, Snoop Dogg with Matthew McConaughey, and Rashida Jones singing with her father Quincy Jones. A March 2018 shoot in Austin, Texas, during South by Southwest brought together Westworld co-stars James Marsden and Evan Rachel Wood. The series ultimately ran five seasons, and a Christmas special arrived on Apple TV+ and Apple Music in December 2024.

Critical Reception

Despite the enormous popularity of the original Late Late Show segment, the standalone series struggled to win over critics. Season one drew mixed-to-negative reviews upon its August 2017 premiere. Sonya Saralya of Variety argued that a format built on spontaneity and closeness felt oddly detached in its television adaptation, emphasizing the gap between the celebrities and the viewing audience rather than bridging it. Rebecca Nicholson of The Guardian was equally blunt, suggesting that Apple had expanded Corden's formula without grasping what made it appealing in the first place. She characterized the result as less about drawing out genuine, revealing moments from distant-seeming stars and more about deferring to celebrity status. The critical consensus pointed to a fundamental tension: the intimacy that made the car-based singing segment work on a late-night show proved difficult to replicate in a longer, more produced television format.