Testing This Songwriter’s Music Knowledge | The Track Star Podcast

The Track Star Podcast continues with a deep dive into the craft of modern songwriting––how great songs are built, what makes a hook unforgettable, and why the world’s biggest records often start as something simple and personal.

Our main guest this week is Grammy-winning Songwriter of the Year Amy Allen, whose credits range from Sabrina Carpenter to Halsey to Bruno Mars. Through a series of iconic tracks, Amy breaks down what makes a perfect pop chorus, how ABBA hides complexity inside effortless melodies, why “Yesterday” is the ultimate dream-written song, how a small, emotional idea can become a global hit, and more.

We also hear from Charlie Puth, one of the most streamed songwriters on the planet, who opens up about the accidents, left turns, and tiny production choices that shape songs like “See You Again” and “Stay.” Together, Amy and Charlie reveal two different paths through the same obsession, chasing the feeling that makes a song resonate.

Across ABBA, The Beatles, Sheryl Crow, Whitney Houston and Dolly Parton, Max Martin, K-Pop, and more, this episode traces the eras and systems that shaped pop writing from Tin Pan Alley to Stockholm to Seoul.

Listen to our extended playlist for this episode:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/00XQp0S30ENc36aWZ2u3xR?si=f4bd4ba1464c4f85
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/the-track-star-podcast-episode-11/pl.u-9N9LLJJs1pJZp1q
YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJwfZsOZW3kU0VKw4E7pToPonZX3MOGlr&si=t18K43XdmzyJ4kGp

New episodes of The Track Star Podcast drop every Wednesday on all platforms. Let us know in the comments what artist or theme you want us to explore next!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1d5i6AQX4dZaO4MDCbdhjR
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-track-star-podcast/id1836496108
More platforms: https://play.megaphone.fm/f-rd86qotxojfhckdq6uaa

This Episode’s Tracklist
00:00 - Intro
02:01 - “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)” – ABBA
07:33 - “Yesterday” – The Beatles
09:30 - “All I Wanna Do” – Sheryl Crow
14:06 - “I Will Always Love You” – Dolly Parton
16:50 - “…Baby One More Time” – Britney Spears
20:02 - “Golden” – Huntr/X, EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami and K Pop Demon Hunters Cast
33:06 - “Superstition” – Stevie Wonder
34:16 - “End of the Road” – Boyz II Men
35:41 - “You’re All I Need to Get By” - Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
41:55 “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” – Aerosmith

Track Star Team: Jack Coyne, Kieran Coyne, Henry Kornaros, Noah John, Haley Sobel, Alex Fabry, Ellen Schoenfeld, Sarah Mann, Ellie Aslanian, Ryan Dirgins