For a first episode, start with Sandra Oh & Duran Duran: it tops the fan-vote list and its premise—a longtime admirer singing with the band she loves—gives the series’ music-and-celebrity format a particularly personal hook. This ranking covers Carpool Karaoke: The Series, the Apple series, not every Late Late Show car ride. It uses Episode Ninja’s fan-vote order, updated June 17, 2026, as a starting point, then considers the musical moments, guest chemistry, surprises, and how each episode uses its guests’ shared identity or history.
How this ranking works
The order below follows Episode Ninja’s fan-vote list, not an objective or critical consensus. Its top five displayed scores were 8.50, 8.25, 8.24, 8.10, and 8.08, based respectively on 4, 4, 21, 51, and 13 votes. Those small, uneven totals are a limited snapshot, not broad polling evidence. Episode details below are descriptions from the ranking page, not firsthand viewing notes. See Episode Ninja’s ranking and vote counts.
Apple describes the series as celebrities sharing a car, singing from personal playlists, and going on adventures. The list favors episodes whose premise creates a distinctive musical moment, a revealing pairing, or a memorable set piece. Apple’s series page also identifies the show and later-season pairings.
The 20 best episodes of Carpool Karaoke: The Series
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Sandra Oh & Duran Duran
Sandra Oh gets to meet and perform with a band she has long admired. The fan-list leader stands out for making the music personal: the guest’s enthusiasm is central to the episode’s setup.
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Simu Liu & Jessica Henwick
Backstreet Boys nostalgia gives this pairing an immediate musical through-line, with a climactic finish to cap the ride. It ranks second on the fan-vote list.
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Linkin Park & Ken Jeong
Ken Jeong joins Linkin Park for songs from the band’s hits. The contrast between the actor-comedian and a major rock group makes this one of the list’s most distinctive collaborations.
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James Corden & Will Smith
The conversation touches on Smith’s career and family, while the singing is punctuated by a wedding interruption. It combines the host’s familiar banter with a set piece that takes the episode beyond a straightforward singalong.
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Evan Rachel Wood & James Marsden
The Westworld co-stars perform “Loop,” a character-themed rewrite of “Shoop.” The episode’s appeal is its use of the actors’ shared screen identity to turn a song into a specific joke.
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For All Mankind Cast
The ensemble takes on “Spice Up Your Life.” A full cast rather than a two-person pairing gives this episode a group-performance angle that suits the show’s communal format.
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Ciara & Russell Wilson
Ciara’s songs lead toward a football-field finale, which gives the episode a clear destination and an event-sized finish beyond the car.
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Avril Lavigne & YUNGBLUD
The conversation draws on pop-punk, while the pair also sing songs by The Cure and Shania Twain. That range makes this a good pick for viewers interested in musical influences as well as familiar hits.
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Lea Michele & Darren Criss
The Glee reunion brings Broadway numbers together with Meat Loaf. Its strongest hook is the guests’ shared musical-performance history.
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Carpool Karaoke Machine for Kids & Adults, Carpool Karaoke The Mic 2.0 - Wireless & Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone with Voice Changing Sound Effects as White Elephant Gift - Gold & Black- Hear Yourself Sing On the Radio: Introducing Singing Machine’s new Carpool Karaoke Mic 2.0! Recreate the excitement from the popular segment in “The Late Late Show with James Corden!" Includes black and gold microphone, case, charging cable, and aux cord.
- Take Your Karaoke Experience to New Levels: Stream music from your phone or Bluetooth device to sing your favorite tunes. A high-fidelity dynamic mic, music synchronized lights, and volume and echo controls will make you sound like your favorite artist!
- Great Gift: Whether you're in a Car, boat, or anywhere with FM radio, the Carpool Karaoke Mic 2.0 will get everyone singing! Makes a perfect white elephant gift this holiday season!
- Works With Any Music or Karaoke App: Our own Singing Machine app offers access to a wide variety of karaoke music for even more entertainment. Family-friendly lyrics allow you to focus on the fun. Includes 5 karaoke song downloads of your choice.
- About Us: Singing Machine is a leading provider of consumer karaoke systems. Our high-quality products bring the joy of singing and entertainment to homes worldwide, providing fun and memorable experiences for music enthusiasts of all ages.
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Cedric the Entertainer & Sheryl Lee Ralph
Alongside songs by Luther Vandross and Donna Summer, the pair discuss awards-speech advice. The mix of music and career conversation gives the episode a distinct focus on performance in and out of song.
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Girls5eva Cast
The group receives unexpected news and sings Dua Lipa and Lisa Loeb. The episode pairs a cast-centered premise with a contrast between contemporary pop and a different pop era.
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Ghosts Cast
The cast debates in the car, and Utkarsh Ambudkar delivers a freestyle. It is a useful choice for viewers who want more ensemble banter and improvisation than a conventional duet.
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John Cena & Shaquille O’Neal
The two athletes freestyle and compare free throws between songs. The sports rivalry and musical detours give the episode its own playful structure.
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Stranger Things Cast
The young cast shares Broadway stories and sings Panic! At the Disco and Stevie Nicks. Its appeal rests on the ensemble’s conversation and an eclectic song mix.
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Jason Sudeikis & The Muppets
Sudeikis takes the Electric Mayhem’s van out while Kermit auditions the band. This episode’s central joke and Muppet-specific setup make it one of the most unusual entries on the list.
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Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Alba & will.i.am
The Planet of the Apps castmates turn an airport drive into a dance party. The larger group and travel setting give this ride a different shape from a typical two-person episode.
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Joe Jonas & Camila Cabello
Jonas quizzes Cabello before the pair recreate a missed prom. The episode uses a playful shared-history setup to build toward its central event.
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Shakira & Trevor Noah
During a Barcelona tour, Shakira teaches Noah to shimmy and yodel. The city outing and dance lesson make this a travel-and-performance pick.
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The Bacon Brothers
The brothers cover songs by other sibling acts and joke about Kevin’s fashion history. Their family relationship supplies the episode’s organizing idea.
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Alanis Morissette & Cara Delevingne
Superfan Cara sings Alanis’s hits and introduces her to “WAP.” The generational and musical contrast is the episode’s defining surprise.
What the ranking does—and does not—cover
This is a list of episodes of Carpool Karaoke: The Series, not a ranking of the original Late Late Show segment. Paramount Press Express’s July 26, 2016 announcement described the Apple Music series as based on that segment and said it was then planned for 16 episodes; that was a launch-era plan, not a current episode count. The same announcement cited more than 830 million YouTube views for the late-night segment since its inception one year earlier and 119 million views for the Adele segment in six months. Those are figures reported by CBS in 2016, not current totals or view counts for Apple’s series. Read the July 26, 2016 announcement.
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Where to find the series
Apple’s episode page links to watch on Apple TV. A Prime Video listing also presents the series with Apple TV trial access and includes first-season episode information, but streaming availability can change by territory. Check the Prime Video listing for current details in your location.
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