Artist Friendly with Joel Madden

On this week's episode of Artist Friendly, Joel Madden is joined by Lionel Richie.

Richie is a legend in his own right, making several classic love songs through the years. However, he revealed the profound overwhelm of stardom in a near-500-page memoir, Truly, last year, documenting his journey from a “painfully shy” child to a stadium-sized musician.

Ahead of a busy summer, Madden sits down with the music icon, American Idol judge, and his father-in-law for an unfiltered look at what it means to build a legacy. From a standing ovation at the Oscars to the real weight of fame, family, and survival in the industry, this is a conversation 20 years in the making.-------

Listen to their Artist Friendly conversation on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify.⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Follow Artist Friendly!

IG: @artist.friendly

TikTok: @artist.friendly

YouTube: youtube.com/@artist.friendly

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Host: Joel Madden, @joelmadden

Executive Producers: Joel Madden, Benji Madden, Jillian King

Producers: Josh Madden, Joey Simmrin, Janice Leary

Visual Producer/Editor: Ryan Schaefer

Audio Producer/Composer: Nick Gray

Music/Theme Composer: Nick Gray

Cover Art/Design: Ryan Schaefer

Additional Contributors: Anna Zanes, Neville Hardman

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On this week's episode of Artist Friendly, Joel Madden is joined by 2 Chainz.

2 Chainz first came up in the Atlanta hip-hop scene as part of Playaz Circle in the 2000s, though he landed a solo record deal on the strength of his T.R.U. REALigion mixtape in 2011 — as well as verses on Kanye West’s “Mercy” and Nicki Minaj’s “Beez in the Trap” the following year.

From there, the rapper broadened his circle, appearing in the video for Fall Out Boy’s “My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up),” guesting on the remix, and bringing the band out during his Coachella performance in 2013.

Stopping by the Artist Friendly studio, 2 Chainz joins Madden for a thoughtful conversation about therapy, fatherhood, and writing his first book, The Voice in My Head Is God. 

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Listen to their Artist Friendly conversation on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify.⁠⁠⁠

-------

Follow Artist Friendly!

IG: @artist.friendly

TikTok: @artist.friendly

YouTube: youtube.com/@artist.friendly

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Host: Joel Madden, @joelmadden

Executive Producers: Joel Madden, Benji Madden, Jillian King

Producers: Josh Madden, Joey Simmrin, Janice Leary

Visual Producer/Editor: Ryan Schaefer

Audio Producer/Composer: Nick Gray

Music/Theme Composer: Nick Gray

Cover Art/Design: Ryan Schaefer

Additional Contributors: Anna Zanes, Neville Hardman

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On this week's episode of Artist Friendly, Joel Madden is joined by Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes.

Following 2024’s Happiness Bastards, the Black Crowes got straight to work. In early 2025, the Robinson brothers traveled to Nashville to reunite with producer Jay Joyce and build on the momentum of their last album.

The resulting A Pound of Feathers captures a similar energy, full of swaggering rock that, as Robinson tells it, “hits harder, more jagged, but is still true to our musical essence.”

Before heading out on an extensive tour, the frontman stopped by the Artist Friendly studio for a conversation about grief, rebuilding the Black Crowes, and making their newest record in under two weeks.

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Listen to their Artist Friendly conversation on ⁠⁠⁠Spotify.⁠⁠

-------

Follow Artist Friendly!

IG: @artist.friendly

TikTok: @artist.friendly

YouTube: youtube.com/@artist.friendly

-------

Host: Joel Madden, @joelmadden

Executive Producers: Joel Madden, Benji Madden, Jillian King

Producers: Josh Madden, Joey Simmrin, Janice Leary

Visual Producer/Editor: Ryan Schaefer

Audio Producer/Composer: Nick Gray

Music/Theme Composer: Nick Gray

Cover Art/Design: Ryan Schaefer

Additional Contributors: Anna Zanes, Neville Hardman

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On this week's episode of Artist Friendly, Joel Madden is joined by Ryan Cabrera.

After graduating from high school, Cabrera played acoustic guitar in Rubix Groove, opening for Cheap Trick and Third Eye Blind. A solo career came calling, though, leading to early 2000s pop stardom, mall tours, and a platinum album. That eventually segued into guest appearances on The Hills and meeting WWE superstar Alexa Bliss at a SmackDown premiere in LA, whom he married in 2022.

Sitting down with Madden, the duo has a funny, vulnerable conversation about growing up in public, balancing family and touring, and what success means.

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Listen to their Artist Friendly conversation on ⁠⁠Spotify.⁠

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Follow Artist Friendly!

IG: @artist.friendly

TikTok: @artist.friendly

YouTube: youtube.com/@artist.friendly

-------

Host: Joel Madden, @joelmadden

Executive Producers: Joel Madden, Benji Madden, Jillian King

Producers: Josh Madden, Joey Simmrin, Janice Leary

Visual Producer/Editor: Ryan Schaefer

Audio Producer/Composer: Nick Gray

Music/Theme Composer: Nick Gray

Cover Art/Design: Ryan Schaefer

Additional Contributors: Anna Zanes, Neville Hardman
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's episode of Artist Friendly, Joel Madden is joined by Deryck Whibley of Sum 41.

Sum 41 defined an entire generation of skate punk before they played their last show in January 2025. Their final LP, Heaven :x: Hell, was a feat, showing off their signature styles. The Heaven side called back to their snotty pop-punk days, whereas Hell channeled their metallic side that ramped up with 2004’s Chuck.

In the time since, Whibley has released a potent memoir, Walking Disaster, and a clothing brand with the same name, debuting at Warped Tour Orlando last year.

Stopping by the Artist Friendly studio, they get into a raw, reflective conversation where Deryck opens up about his near-death experience, burnout, and what’s next. 

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Listen to their Artist Friendly conversation on ⁠Spotify.

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Follow Artist Friendly!

IG: @artist.friendly

TikTok: @artist.friendly

YouTube: youtube.com/@artist.friendly

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Host: Joel Madden, @joelmadden

Executive Producers: Joel Madden, Benji Madden, Jillian King

Producers: Josh Madden, Joey Simmrin, Janice Leary

Visual Producer/Editor: Ryan Schaefer

Audio Producer/Composer: Nick Gray

Music/Theme Composer: Nick Gray

Cover Art/Design: Ryan Schaefer

Additional Contributors: Anna Zanes, Neville Hardman
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices