Carpool Karaoke is a recurring segment on The Late Late Show with James Corden, in which host James Corden invites famous musical guests to sing along to their songs with him while traveling in a car driven by Corden on a planned route usually in Los Angeles, usually under the pretense of needing to get to work and preferring to use the high-occupancy carpool vehicle lane, or the pretext of needing directions from a local when in a new town, such as London (with Adele), Liverpool (with Paul McCartney), New York City (with Madonna) or Las Vegas (with Celine Dion).
In 2016, Apple Music and CBS Television Studios announced that they had reached a deal for an exclusive first-window licensing agreement under which Apple Music will be the global home of a television series adaptation of the segment. It was also initially announced that the series would have a host that would appear in every episode. On January 9, 2017, it was reported that the series would not feature a single host and instead would have a different host in every episode.
Origin The format was created in 2009 by Robert Llewelyn in his podcast series Carpool. 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 which aired on BBC One, Corden included a 6-minute 45 second Carpool Karaoke segment in the documentary with singer-songwriter Gary Barlow of Take That. The documentary was directed by Ben Winston.BBC One: When Corden Met Barlow Corden explained that "Ben Winston and I always thought there was something very joyful about someone very, very famous singing their songs in an ordinary situation. We just had this idea: Los Angeles, traffic, the carpool lane—maybe this is something we could pull off." No musicians were interested initially, but when Corden showed the George Michael-clip to Mariah Carey, she agreed to pioneer the show.
In 2020, it was revealed that Corden does not always actually drive the vehicle during filming; instead it is towed. Corden explained that due to safety issues—like for a dance routine, or costume change—they have to tow, and cited five instances, roughly five percent of the series to date, where this method was employed: with Meghan Trainor, Migos, Cardi B, Chance the Rapper, and Justin Bieber (3rd time). He also added that the entire endeavor is strictly for entertainment as he is already at work and does not need to carpool, and the streets he drives do not have carpool lanes.
Guests The segments, which have featured artists such as Paul McCartney, Adele, Migos, Iggy Azalea, Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Justin Bieber, Madonna, Bruno Mars, Billie Eilish, Foo Fighters, Jonas Brothers, Coldplay, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Kanye West, Britney Spears, Stevie Wonder, Demi Lovato, Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, Selena Gomez, BTS, One Direction, Shawn Mendes, Ed Sheeran, Sia, Elton John, Carrie Underwood and Red Hot Chili Peppers, became popular videos on the Late Late Shows YouTube channel. 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, continuing on to gather 233 million by March 12, 2021. , five other segments have amassed over 100 million views on YouTube: One Direction at 176 million, Justin Bieber's first visit at 155 million views, Sia at 140 million, Bruno Mars at 132 million and Selena Gomez at 110 million. , the most viewed segment featuring a non-musician, then U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama (eventually joined by Missy Elliott for two songs) has amassed over 80 million views.
On March 29, 2016, CBS aired a primetime special featuring highlights of the segment, and a new edition with Jennifer Lopez. The special won a 2016 Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special. The Red Hot Chili Peppers appeared on the June 13, 2016 segment. During the filming, singer Anthony Kiedis saved the life of a baby. Kiedis later said, "A woman came out of her house, holding a child, saying, 'My baby, my baby, my baby can't breathe!' We all ran across the street, the woman thrust the baby into my arms, the baby was not breathing and I thought, 'I'm gonna try and do a little baby CPR real quick, see if I can get some air in this kid.' Tried to open the mouth, [it was] like locked shut. So I started rubbing the belly, bubbles came out of the mouth, the eyes rolled back into place, the ambulance showed up and I handed the baby over, who was now breathing and fine, and we went back to Carpool Karaoke."
List of segments
2015 #EpisodeGuest(s)Date of first broadcastSongs13Mariah CareyMarch 26, 2015"Always Be My Baby" "Fantasy" "Vision of Love" "Thirsty"211Jennifer HudsonApril 13, 2015"Trouble" "Spotlight" "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going"334Justin Bieber (1)May 20, 2015"Baby" "Boyfriend" "Where Are Ü Now" "End of the Road"446Iggy AzaleaJune 18, 2015"Fancy" "Black Widow" "Trouble" "Pretty Girls"548Rod Stewart(featuring ASAP Rocky)July 14, 2015"The First Cut Is the Deepest" "Everyday" "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" "Maggie May" "Ooh La La"675Stevie WonderSeptember 14, 2015"Superstition" "Sir Duke" "I Just Called to Say I Love You" "Isn't She Lovely" "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" "For Once in My Life"7101Jason DeruloNovember 4, 2015"Talk Dirty" "Want To Want Me" "Wiggle" "Talk Dirty" (Again)8109Justin Bieber (2)November 18, 2015"Never Say Never" "What Do You Mean?" "Stronger" "Ironic" "Sorry"9116Carrie UnderwoodDecember 2, 2015"Smoke Break" "Jesus, Take the Wheel" "Before He Cheats" "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go"10123One DirectionDecember 15, 2015"What Makes You Beautiful" "Story of My Life" "Best Song Ever" "No Control" "Perfect" "Drag Me Down"11125Christmas Carpool Karaoke (featuring clips of Carrie Underwood, Stevie Wonder, Justin Bieber, Iggy Azalea, Jason Derulo, Rod Stewart, One Direction, and Reggie Watts)December 17, 2015"Joy to the World"
2016 #EpisodeGuest(s)Date of first broadcastSongs12132Adele (1)January 13, 2016"Hello" "Someone like You" "Wannabe" "All I Ask" "Monster" "Rolling in the Deep"13138Chris MartinFebruary 2, 2016"Adventure of a Lifetime" "Yellow" "Hymn for the Weekend" "Viva la Vida" "Heroes" "Us Against the World" "Paradise"14143Elton JohnFebruary 7, 2016"Your Song" "I'm Still Standing" "Crocodile Rock" "Tiny Dancer" "Looking Up" "Circle of Life" "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"15147SiaFebruary 16, 2016"Chandelier" "Diamonds" "Elastic Heart" "Alive" "Titanium"16166Jennifer Lopez March 29, 2016"Love Don't Cost a Thing" "Booty" "Jenny from the Block" "Locked Out of Heaven" "Qué Hiciste" "Waiting for Tonight" "On the Floor"17182Gwen Stefani(eventually joined byGeorge Clooney and Julia Roberts)May 4, 2016"Don't Speak" "The Sweet Escape" "Used to Love You" "Rich Girl" "Hollaback Girl" "We Are the Champions" 18188Demi Lovato and Nick JonasMay 16, 2016"Heart Attack" "Chains" "Stone Cold" "Cake by the Ocean" "Close" "Jealous" "Confident"19196Lin-Manuel Miranda (eventually joined by Audra McDonald, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Jane Krakowski)June 6, 2016"On Broadway" "Alexander Hamilton/Guns and Ships" "Seasons of Love" "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" "One Day More"20199Red Hot Chili PeppersJune 13, 2016"Can't Stop" "Give It Away" "Californication" "Dark Necessities" "Under the Bridge" "The Zephyr Song" "By the Way"21203Selena GomezJune 20, 2016"Same Old Love" "Come & Get It" "Hands to Myself" "Kill Em with Kindness" "Love You like a Love Song" "Shake It Off"22209Michelle Obama(eventually joined by Missy Elliott)July 20, 2016"Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" "This Is For My Girls" "Get Ur Freak On"23221Britney SpearsAugust 25, 2016"Oops!... I Did It Again" "Womanizer" "Make Me" "Toxic" "...Baby One More Time"24250Lady GagaOctober 25, 2016"Perfect Illusion" "Bad Romance" "The Edge of Glory" "Born This Way" "Poker Face" "Million Reasons"25271MadonnaDecember 7, 2016"Vogue" "Bitch I'm Madonna" "Papa Don't Preach" "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" "Express Yourself" "Ray of Light" "Music"26274Bruno MarsDecember 13, 2016"24K Magic" "Locked Out of Heaven" "Grenade" "Versace on the Floor" "If I Knew" "Uptown Funk" "Perm"27276'All I Want for Christmas' Carpool Karaoke (featuring clips of Mariah Carey, Adele, Lady Gaga, Elton John, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas, Gwen Stefani, Chris Martin, and Red Hot Chili Peppers)December 15, 2016"All I Want for Christmas Is You"
2017 #EpisodeGuest(s)Date of first broadcastSongs28277George Michael (from an earlier recording during Red Nose Day 2011)Rebroadcast as part of Corden's tribute segment to MichaelJanuary 3, 2017"I'm Your Man" "Freedom"29Take That (recorded for Red Nose Day 2017)January 30, 2017"Shine" "Greatest Day" "Babe" "Giants" "Never Forget" "Back for Good" "It Only Takes a Minute" "Do What U Like" "A Million Love Songs" "Pray"30318Stephen Curry (part of the Late Late Shows NCAA Championship Special)April 3, 2017"How Far I'll Go" "Love Is an Open Door"31340Harry Styles (1)May 18, 2017"Sign of the Times" "Sweet Creature" "Hey Ya!" "Endless Love" "Kiwi"32341Katy Perry May 22, 2017"Firework" "I Kissed a Girl" "Dark Horse" "Bon Appétit" "Swish Swish" "Roar"33346Ed SheeranJune 6, 2017"Shape of You" "Sing" "Thinking Out Loud" "Love Yourself" "What Makes You Beautiful" "Castle on the Hill"34357UsherJuly 25, 2017"Yeah!" "So Fresh, So Clean" "Burn" "Caught Up" "I Don't Mind" "OMG"35382Foo FightersSeptember 20, 2017"All My Life""Best of You""Learn to Fly""The Sky Is a Neighborhood""Never Gonna Give You Up"36393Miley CyrusOctober 10, 2017"We Can't Stop""The Climb""Party in the U.S.A.""Younger Now""Wrecking Ball""Malibu"37402Sam Smith(eventually joined by Fifth Harmony)November 1, 2017"Too Good at Goodbyes""Lay Me Down""I'm Not the Only One""Money on My Mind""Stay with Me""Pray""Work from Home"38409PinkNovember 14, 2017"What About Us" "Get the Party Started" "Beautiful Trauma" "Raise Your Glass" "Just like a Pill"39415Kelly ClarksonNovember 29, 2017"Since U Been Gone" "Love So Soft" "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" "Because of You" "Whole Lotta Woman"40421'Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town' Carpool Karaoke (featuring clips of Reggie Watts, Sam Smith, Fifth Harmony, Harry Styles, Bruno Mars, Pink, Kelly Clarkson, Foo Fighters, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Usher, and Ed Sheeran)December 11, 2017"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town"
2018