Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz explains how his songwriting process has changed over the years, and offers insights into some of his songs, from early classics to recent compositions. 

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott discuss judging a book by its cover and their possible status as idiots. 

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with Adam Duritz

ABOUT ADAM DURITZ:
Songwriter Adam Duritz is best known as the lead singer of Counting Crows, which formed in 1991 in the San Francisco Bay area. Their 1993 debut album, August and Everything After, which was produced by T. Bone Burnett, attracted attention for songs such as “Mr. Jones,” “Round Here,” and “Rain King.” The album earned the group two Grammy nominations and was certified seven-times platinum. The double platinum follow-up album, Recovering the Satellites, reached number one and produced the top 10 pop single “A Long December.” Subsequent #1 singles on Billboard’s AAA chart include “American Girls” with Sheryl Crow, “She Don’t Want Nobody Near,” “Accidentally in Love” from Shrek 2 (which earned them an Academy Award nomination), and “You Can’t Count on Me” and “Come Around” from the band’s fifth album, Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings. In 2021 Counting Crows reached #2 on the AAA chart with “Elevator Boots” from their EP Butter Miracle, Suite One. Their eighth studio album, Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets!, will be released this Friday, May 9. You’ll hear clips of some of the new songs during our conversation, but to hear others Adam discusses, such as “With Love, From A-Z” and “Boxcars,” you’ll have to wait a few days for the new album. In all, the band has sold over 20 million albums and established themselves as vibrant live performers who often put a fresh spin on the recorded versions of their classic songs.