Storytellers is a television music series produced by the VH1 network.
In each episode, artists perform in front of a (mostly small and intimate) live audience, and tell stories about their music, writing experiences and memories, somewhat similar to MTV Unplugged. The show started in 1996 with a broadcast of Ray Davies, during his "Storyteller" tour, and took its name from this first show.The original idea and title was suggested by a young music lawyer at Sony Music, Jonathan Polk, who suggested to the Kink's manager in 1991, that Davies do a one man show called 'Ray Davies: Storyteller" at New York City's The Bottom Line, where he told the story behind each song. 98 episodes aired before the show's cancellation, and many of the performances have subsequently been released on CD or DVD. "Best of" collections have also been released. In February 2025, many Storytellers episodes became available to stream on Paramount+.
Performers VH1 Storytellers Episode NameDate 01 Ray Davies February 6, 1996 02 Jackson Browne June 3, 1996 03 Elvis Costello June 16, 1996 04 Lyle Lovett June 23, 1996 05 Sting July 15, 1996 06 The Black Crowes August 27, 1996 07 Melissa Etheridge September 13, 1996 08 Garth Brooks October 20, 1996 09 Bee Gees November 25, 1996 10 James Taylor March 26, 1997 11 Phil Collins April 14, 1997 12 Willie Nelson & Johnny Cash December 5, 1997 13 John Fogerty June 6, 1997 14 Counting Crows December 8, 1997 15 Billy Joel January 9, 1997 16 Elton John Sep 19, 1997 17 Paul Simon Oct 20, 1997 18 Sarah McLachlan with Paula Cole Jan 29, 1998 19 Shawn Colvin Mar 27, 1998 20 Rod Stewart Apr 28, 1998 21 Culture Club May 2, 1998 22 Bonnie Raitt December 5, 1998 23 Ringo Starr May 13, 1998 24 Hanson June 27, 1998 25 Stevie Nicks August 18, 1998 26 Sheryl Crow August 20, 1998 27 Natalie Merchant September 14, 1998 28 John Mellencamp January 10, 1998 29 Meat Loaf May 10, 1998 30 R.E.M. October 23, 1998 31 Tori Amos October 24, 1998 32 Tony Bennett and Backstreet Boys October 25, 1998 33 Dave Matthews Featuring Tim Reynolds March 24, 1999 34 Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers March 31, 1999 35 Tom Waits January 4, 1999 36 Jewel September 6, 1999 37 The Pretenders June 25, 1999 38 Alanis Morissette July 26, 1999 45 Def Leppard July 26, 1999 46 David Bowie August 23, 1999 47 Lenny Kravitz August 22, 1999 48 Wyclef Jean And Friends July 9, 1999 49 Eurythmics August 28, 1999 50 Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young February 18, 2000 51 Steely Dan January 2, 2000 52 Don Henley February 19, 2000 53 Pete Townshend April 26, 2000 54 The Best of Storytellers 2000 55 Stone Temple Pilots August 3, 2000 56 Bon Jovi September 22, 2000 57 No Doubt October 8, 2000 58 Duran Duran June 25, 2000 59 The Smashing Pumpkins August 24, 2000 60 A tribute to The Doors September 26, 2000 61 Matchbox Twenty January 6, 2001 62 Travis August 6, 2001 63 Electric Light Orchestra June 15, 2001 64 Billy Idol Jun 22, 2001 65 Train & Fuel July 9, 2001 66 Goo Goo Dolls February 6, 2002 67 Robert Plant Jul 14, 2002 68 Green Day May 6, 2005 69 Bruce Springsteen Apr 23, 2005 70 Coldplay August 6, 2005 71 Dave Matthews Band Sep 13, 2005 72 Pearl Jam May 31, 2006 73 Dixie Chicks Oct 28, 2006 74 Jay-Z August 11, 2007 75 Mary J. Blige Feb 25, 2008 76 Snoop Dogg Mar 31, 2008 77 Kid Rock Nov 27, 2008 78 Kanye West Feb 28, 2009 79 ZZ Top Jun 27, 2009 80 Foo Fighters Nov 27, 2009 81 John Mayer October 12, 2009 82 Christina Aguilera May 5, 2010 83 Infant Sorrow April 6, 2010 84 T.I. October 12, 2010 85 Kings of Leon May 13, 2011 86 Cee-Lo Green May 20, 2011 87 Death Cab for Cutie May 27, 2011 88 My Morning Jacket March 6, 2011 89 Ray LaMontagne October 6, 2011 90 Maxwell Jun 17, 2011 91 Jill Scott December 5, 2012 92 Jason Mraz January 6, 2012 93 Norah Jones August 6, 2012 94 Grace Potter and the Nocturnals Jun 15, 2012 95 Taylor Swift November 11, 2012 96 Alicia Keys December 11, 2012 97 Pink Nov 13, 2012 98 Ed Sheeran Jan 24, 2015
Meat Loaf enjoyed the show so much that he bought the stage decorations from VH1 and went on to do a "Storytellers" tour in 1998/1999.
MTV Japan Storytellers Episode NameDate 01 Scandal Oct 21, 2017
References
External links VH1 Storytellers -- dead link