The 20 Best Carpool Karaoke Episodes, Ranked

Mimi is having none of it. She calls out Corden for his “act,” looks like she’d rather be anywhere else and gives the disclaimer: “I’m not singing today, I’ve been up all night.” The chanteuse relents, and lends her incredible pipes to join in on “Vision of Love” and other songs, and urges Corden to try his hand at his best New York accent. Hint: It’s not great.

This episode quickly gets down to business: Corden asks Perry about her feud with Taylor Swift (she addresses it head-on and in great detail), and about the internet conspiracy that “I Kissed A Girl” is about Scarlett Johanssen. Then they belt out such earworms as “Firework,” in which Perry impressively harmonizes with her own voice and revamps songs with new interludes. 

Britney’s bashful side comes out here, especially when Corden hits the high notes on tracks like “Baby One More Time.” But it’s her down-to-earth demeanor and sense of humor – she reveals that she once used such hotel aliases as “Chastity Montgomery” and “Anita Dick” – that also make this episode shine. 

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the Biebs’ appearance is how … subdued he is. Sure, he’ll break it down while singing “Baby.” But otherwise he’s sitting back, amiably tolerating Corden’s jokes about not kissing before marriage, noshing fries and sharing some of his lesser-known talents – like solving a Rubik’s Cube at lightning speed. 

In this installment, the serene multi-hyphenate calls out shitty men, teaches Corden proper dance moves, and somehow doesn’t kick him out of the car when he takes her phone and texts Leonardo DiCaprio. As her driver plays throwback numbers like “Love Don’t Cost A Thing,” J. Lo reminds everyone that she’s long had It, and always will. 

The country superstar’s stint is one of the more terrifying ones: Corden, at one point, lets Jesus literally “take the wheel” as commanded in one of her biggest singles. This thankfully does not lead to a car accident, and instead the two end up going on a hunt for cowboy hats and boots. Along the way, the American Idol champ shows off her stunning vocals during “Before He Cheats.”

The most-followed person on Instagram proves that she’s a totally fun hang as she and Corden make detours for a drive-thru and a roller-coaster ride, the entire time rocking out to cuts like “Come & Get It.” 

There’s something soothing about seeing the Queen of Pop ride around with Corden – in New York, a rare feat for “Carpool Karaoke” – striking poses while singing “Vogue,” even though the two are definitely a road hazard as they twerk in their seats. It’s delicious, too, when she throws shade at Corden for his outfit.

In addition to showcasing her powerful voice – she sings “Diamonds,” which she wrote for Rihanna – and her belief in aliens, the singer-songwriter also speaks candidly about her decision to cover her face with wigs and hats. Then there’s the random oddities, including her secret talent for holding twelve eggs in both of her double-jointed hands.

He’s come a long way. The last time Styles was on Carpool Karaoke, he was sitting in the back middle seat with his One Direction bandmates. Now he’s up front with Corden, belting solo singles like “Sign of the Times” plus songs mere mortals might actually try at karaoke, like “Hey Ya!”. (Turns out the star had a karaoke machine growing up). The bit in which they reenact famous romantic comedies is gold.

The one that inspired the franchise: Back in 2011, a pre-Late Late Corden conceptualized a sketch that involved driving to work at Comic Relief while singing with Michael beside him. As Corden remembered following the “Faith” singer’s December 2016 death, the brief segment, which features Corden turning on the radio and the two (clad in matching tracksuits) resolving an argument by belting Wham!’s “I’m Your Man” is what got Mariah Carey and other greats on board for later iterations.

The episode is one of the few that feels like a genuine hang session. Hudson and Corden go to Astro Burger, where she sings their order through the drive-thru window; later, the twosome takes selfies on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. By her star, of course, which is well-deserved: Hudson is committed and hypnotic. 

In between joyous numbers like “24K Magic” and dance breaks, Mars talks silk shirts, dons outlandish hats (“You’re almost Slash,” Corden tells him of one) and does a killer Elvis impersonation he’s been working on since age four.

The legendary rocker and rapper have a jam together, “Everyday,” and Stewart recounts some incredible stories: The Faces used to check into hotels as Fleetwood Mac because they were banned from Holiday Inn. In the words of a passerby who rolls down the window in disbelief: “God bless you, Rod Stewart.”

Mother Monster would be a fantastic IRL karaoke partner, given her knack for ad-libbing O-Town, as seen here. Her episode also serves an impromptu driving lesson: at the time of filming, she had just gotten her license. She also puts up with Corden as he wears renditions of some of her famous dresses, including the meat dress, and herself dons a sparkling bow shirt – which, in with the Los Angeles sunshine, lights up the entire car like a disco ball. That’s star power.

Besides having a once-in-a-generation voice, Adele happens to be a charming guest. The fellow Brits have a genuine rapport and rock out to the Spice Girls. Throughout the segment, she breaks the fourth wall to share factoids (she played the drums on “Hello”) and drunken anecdotes. 

Longtime buddies and Disney Channel survivors Lovato and Jonas lovingly tease each other while belting each other’s songs like “Heart Attack.” The goofy, self-deprecating pair are game to form a folksy street band with Corden – which happens to be smack-dab in front of TMZ tour bus, no less.

As Rocket Man rides around with Corden on a rainy L.A. day – appropriate, since they’re both English – they shoot the shit about “Your Song,” dress up in fabulous boas (and a lion’s mane, during “The Circle of Life”) and turn the jaunt into a full-on party. John also reveals that he doesn’t have a phone, and spends much of the ride praising young, edgy artists like Sarah Basko and Grimes.

This special episode, filmed towards the end of the Obama era, features the First Lady putting on some of her favorite tunes for a starstruck Corden, including Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” and Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies” as they cruise around the White House premises. The always-transfixing Missy Elliott briefly pops in the backseat to spit rhymes from “This Is For My Girls,” the charity single she recorded with Zendaya, Janelle Monae and others. And, of course, there’s a “Get Your Freak On” moment. 

Stevie Wonder is a light, and not just because his pipes get more heavenly as the years go by. During his spin around Los Angeles, he busts out classics like “Superstitious,” serenades Corden’s wife, endlessly mocks Corden’s English accent, and invites him to join a new group, the Wondercats. He also implores Corden to never touch a harmonica, ever. He’s got a point: Why mess with perfection?