Join Buzz Knight and Adam Met from AJR on a Journey of Creative Freedom and Inspiring Music Stories

Summary

---

Episode Overview

Podcast: Takin’ A Walk – Music History with Buzz Knight
Episode Title: Join Buzz Knight and Adam Met from AJR on a Journey of Creative Freedom and Inspiring Music Stories
Date: January 8, 2026
Guest: Adam Met (AJR)

Main Theme:
This episode delves into creative independence, artistic evolution, and authentic community building in music. Adam Met, one of the founding members of AJR, shares insights about forging an untraditional music career with his brothers, drawing inspiration from legendary songwriters, and the intersection of activism, storytelling, and fandom in his new book "Amplify." The conversation covers Adam’s journey from busking in New York to performing in arenas, his views on protest music and storytelling, and his unique path balancing musicianship and climate advocacy.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power and Freedom of Creative Independence

• AJR’s DIY Ethos:

  • AJR started by producing, recording, and releasing music independently, “from their living room to sold out arenas.” (Buzz Knight, 00:00)
  • Adam highlights how creating outside of traditional industry channels allowed continual reinvention and risk-taking.

• Quote:

  • "They didn't wait for the music industry to give them permission. They gave themselves a fresh start by creating their own lane… rewriting the playbook on what it means to be an independent artist." (Buzz Knight, 00:20)

2. Influence of Early Life and New York City

• Street Performing & Washington Square Park:

  • Adam recalls how performing among eclectic street artists shaped his worldview and career.
    • "It almost felt like a variety show when I was a kid that I could walk through the park and get all of this different entertainment… We got our start street performing in Washington Square park as well." (Adam Met, 06:45)

• Creative Leash & Family Support:

  • Adam credits his parents, especially his father’s music collection, for fostering free creative expression.
    • “Our parents were very supportive of any creative pursuit that we had… not only encouraged… but given the kind of full space to do as we were growing up.” (Adam Met, 08:13)

• Professional Dance Background:

  • Started as a professional tap dancer before music.
    • “Something I don't talk about often is that I was a professional dancer before I got into the music world.” (Adam Met, 08:44)

3. The Lasting Impact of Musical Heroes

• Walk with Paul Simon:

  • Adam’s dream is a silent walk with Paul Simon.
    • “I just want to see what it's like to be in his presence and take a walk with him.” (Adam Met, 04:31)

• First Live Concert Memory:

  • Witnessing Paul Simon perform live left a “transformative” impression.
    • "Seeing the person sing the songs that I grew up listening to on vinyl on my dad's record player… I will absolutely never forget that." (Adam Met, 09:16)

• On Songwriting & Storytelling:

  • Simon’s "equal parts of simplicity and complexity of the lyrics" inspired Adam’s own approach.
    • “He tells very specific stories, but tells them in a way that feels like popcorn to the ear… you really know when you're hearing a Paul Simon song, and that's because of the vocal and the lyrics.” (Adam Met, 10:01)

4. Protest, Reflection, and the Power of Story in Song

• Artists as Social Mirrors:

  • Adam discusses the difference between art as a “mirror” of society and as direct activism (“protest music”).
    • “There are all of these people who project their own solutions or questions… artists can't help but write about the things that are going on in their lives and in their world.” (Adam Met, 11:56)

• The Evolution of Protest Music:

  • While explicit protest songs are rare on today's charts, Adam sees echoes of activism in contemporary music.
    • “I argue that there's even more protest music on [the Hot 100] now. Even though those songs in their entirety are not protest songs, there are lines here and there about that reflection of society.” (Adam Met, 13:28)

5. Lessons from “Amplify”: Authenticity and Community

• Phil Ochs & Bob Dylan:

  • Adam praises Phil Ochs’s “blatantness” and commitment to truth in songwriting, contrasted with Dylan’s approach.
    • “He stood on that ledge often by himself… Even Bob Dylan was critical… called Phil Oaks a singing journalist.” (Adam Met, 15:04)
  • Shares a personal story of his family seeing Ochs live.

• Community Building Beyond the Buzzword:

  • Real community comes from shared action, not just fan engagement for its own sake.
    • “Community building happens through action… there's a difference in saying let's… do something for the sake of doing something as opposed to let's do something on our way to trying to get something done.” (Adam Met, 21:23)

• Example: COVID Relief through Fan Engagement

  • AJR used fan data to target medical debt relief in their fans' hardest-hit zip codes.
    • "We know exactly where our fans are… we ended up alleviating over seven and a half million dollars worth of medical debt in the communities where we have the most fans." (Adam Met, 24:22)

• The Role of Superfans:

  • Superfans are essential movement builders and evangelists.
    • "The model that we found that works really well looks more like a hurricane than a ladder… bring them in really close, give them all of the tools to then have them go back out in the world and be evangelizers for the movement." (Adam Met, 26:11)

6. Balancing Band, Academia & Advocacy

• Stepping Back from AJR Shows:
  • Adam discusses the support (and disappointment) from fans as he takes select breaks for his academic and advocacy work.
    • “The number of people… saying that they started studying environmental science because I was the one who introduced the field… Even if there are just a handful… then I've done my work right.” (Adam Met, 28:32)

7. Civic Engagement & Optimism

• Importance of Local Involvement:
  • Adam encourages fans to engage in local politics, where votes make a tangible impact.
    • "Your power at the local level is thousands of times more than your power at the federal level... my call to action for you would be go look up when your next local election is and look at the people who are running because that is going to make some of the biggest difference in your own life." (Adam Met, 31:01)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On walking with Paul Simon:

• “I just want to see what it's like to be in his presence and take a walk with him.” (Adam Met, 04:31)

On parental support:

• “Our parents were very supportive of any creative pursuit that we had… given the kind of full space to do as we were growing up.” (Adam Met, 08:13)

On “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard”:

• “That song is just so crispy in its lyrics, but the lyrics are so impactful and true, and they're kind of about the neighborhood where he grew up.” (Adam Met, 10:36)

On protest music:

• “A lot of artists are very intentional about the way that they do that, meaning they decide whether, okay, this piece of art that I'm doing is going to be a mirror to society… and then they can also be intentional about something like protest music.” (Adam Met, 11:56)

On Phil Ochs:

• “He is one of my favorite artists of all time. All of his albums are great… He was so drunk, couldn't remember any of the lyrics… Everything he did like up until that point was with so much intentionality, engaging around the Democratic National Convention…” (Adam Met, 15:04)

On community building:

• “Community building happens through action and happens through reaction and happens because of the things that people actually do.” (Adam Met, 21:23)

On superfans:

• "When you give them the tools, they feel ownership over it in a way that they become evangelizers… That is so much more powerful than any amount of ads that you can run on Instagram." (Adam Met, 27:11)

On fans supporting his academic/advocacy work:

• “There were thousands of comments… so supportive that I'm going to do this work… Even if there are just a handful of those people, then I've done my work right.” (Adam Met, 28:32)

On local political action:

• "Your power at the local level is thousands of times more than your power at the federal level… go look up when your next local election is and look at the people who are running because that is going to make some of the biggest difference in your own life." (Adam Met, 31:01)

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 04:01 – Signature question: Who would Adam like to take a walk with?
• 06:45 – Street performance roots and memories of Washington Square Park
• 08:13 – Creative support from parents and family background
• 09:16 – First transformative concert (Paul Simon at BAM)
• 10:01 – On the songwriting genius of Paul Simon
• 11:56 – The role of artists as societal mirrors and the history of protest music
• 15:04 – Phil Ochs, authenticity in protest, and family memories
• 21:23 – Community building: action vs. activity
• 24:22 – How AJR used fan data to target COVID relief
• 26:11 – The influence and necessity of superfans
• 28:32 – Adam’s academic work and sitting out select AJR concerts
• 31:01 – Call to action: the critical role of local civic engagement

---

Episode Summary

The episode is an intimate, insightful walk through Adam Met’s musical and personal journey. He emphasizes the importance of artistic autonomy, the lessons learned from musical legends, the enduring impact of protest and storytelling in music, and the nuts-and-bolts of genuine community building. Adam’s reflections on balancing fame, academic curiosity, and advocacy provide inspiration for anyone interested in music, social impact, or personal reinvention. His call for action—both in life and citizenship—underscores the episode’s spirit of proactive, creative freedom.

Transcript

[Buzz Knight]

Taking a Walk welcome to the Taking a Walk podcast. I'm Buzz Knight and we are into our Fresh Start 2026 theme week. We're celebrating artists who've reinvented the rules and carved out entirely new creative spaces. Adam Met and his brothers in ajr. They didn't wait for the music industry to give them permission. They gave themselves a fresh start by creating their own lane, producing, recording and releasing music entirely on their own terms. From from their living room to sold out arenas, AJR rewrote the playbook on what it means to be an independent artist in the modern era. But a fresh start isn't just about DIY ethics, it's about constant evolution. AJR has never been afraid to experiment, to blend genres in unexpected ways, and to push the boundaries of what pop music can sound like. Each album is a reinvention, a new chapter and and their sonic story. In this conversation, Adam opens up about the creative freedom that comes from doing things your own way, the risks and rewards of constant innovation, and why embracing change is the only way to stay relevant and authentic. And he also talks about other ways to find your heart that are important to try to do good in today's world. As we head into the new year, if you're thinking about breaking the mold, trusting your own vision, or simply doing things differently, Adam Met's approach will inspire you. Adam Met from AJR is next on the Taking a Walk podcast. This is an I Heart podcast. Guaranteed human.

[Adam Met]

At TJ Maxx Feel more.

[Commercial Voice]

You than ever without compromise because we.

[Adam Met]

Never make you choose the quality you.

[Commercial Voice]

Want, the styles you crave and the prices you love.

[Adam Met]

It's all at TJ Maxx so you.

[Commercial Voice]

Can focus on just being you.

[Adam Met]

With so many finds arriving daily, that means so many ways to show your unique style.

[Commercial Voice]

Shop in store and [e-mail] and max.

[Adam Met]

What makes you you? Appliance savings are happening now at the Home Depot with up to $1,000 off plus up to an extra $500 off select appliances looking to upgrade your fridge? Check out LG's newest models serving up ice in all kinds of styles. Cubed crushed craft ice, craft ice straight from the dispenser. Chop savings and get up to $1,000 off plus free delivery on select appliances like LG at the home Depot. How doers get more done Free delivery on appliance purchases of $999 or more offer valid January 8th through the 28th US only C store Online for details.

[Commercial Voice]

I have some very exciting news about an ethical phone carrier I just switched to. This is Chelsea Handler from Dear Chelsea. Forget about all these other phone companies. Forget about Verizon, forget about AT&T, forget about T Mobile. There's this new carrier called Noble Mobile and they actually pay you to stay off your phone. You can earn real money, up to 20 bucks back every month just for putting your phone away. If you're like me and you're tired of feeling controlled by your phone, social media, or just disgusted by those screen time alerts, this is the answer. Go to noblemobile.com Chelsea and try it for $10. That's noblemobile.com Chelsea.

[Buzz Knight]

You don't just live in your home.

[Adam Met]

You live in your neighborhood as well. So when you're shopping for a home, you want to know as much about the around it as possible. Luckily, homes.com has got you covered. Each listing features a comprehensive neighborhood guide from local experts. Everything you'd ever want to know about a neighborhood, including the number of homes for sale, transportation, local amenities, cultural attractions, unique qualities, and even things like median lot size and a noise score. Homes.com, we've done your homework. Taking a walk.

[Buzz Knight]

Well, Dr. Met, I hope you can cure what ails me. Welcome to taking a walk.

[Adam Met]

Only if you're on a plane and they ask for a doctor's help.

[Buzz Knight]

Well, we have a signature question, first of all, that we want to ask at the start here, since the podcast is called Taking a Walk. Who would you like to take a walk with, living or dead? It could be somebody in the music side of things, but doesn't have to be. It's your imagination, it's your walk.

[Adam Met]

Do I have to talk to them while I'm walking with them? Or could it just be a silent walk?

[Buzz Knight]

It could be silent, too.

[Adam Met]

I feel like I would want to take a silent walk with Paul Simon and just be in his presence. I feel like he's my favorite artist of all time and I feel like if I humanized him in my mind, I might like him less. And so I just want to see what it's like to be in his presence and take a walk with him.

[Buzz Knight]

I like that because sometimes, you know, the bubble gets burst with folks like Paul Simon who we. Who mean so much to us.

[Adam Met]

Right, Exactly.

[Buzz Knight]

All right. That's a good, that's a good one. Now, do you like to walk in New York City? Do you have favorite places to walk there?

[Adam Met]

I walk everywhere. So I'm averaging now that it's nicer out in New York, around 20,000 steps a day. So I Walk while I'm doing conference calls. I walk while I'm in meetings, when I'm on the phone with friends, I walk everywhere. And my favorite place is I live right near Central park, so my go to is walk out the door, go into Central park around Belvedere Castle. The theater where they have Shakespeare in the park is under construction now, so I can't really walk around there, but I just go. It's one of my favorite things ever.

[Buzz Knight]

I love great walking cities. I live outside of Boston. Boston's a great walking city. But, yeah, I mean, it makes so much sense in New York to start walking, because the alternative is, okay, hop in an Uber or whatever and then sit there and don't move.

[Adam Met]

Right, Exactly.

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah.

[Adam Met]

It's a little better now with congestion pricing. It's a little better now, but still a lot of traffic.

[Buzz Knight]

We have tons to discuss. We want to talk about the great new book Amplify. We want to talk about your amazing commencement speech at Columbia. We certainly want to talk about ajr. But I do want to ask you, I know Washington Square in New York is of great influence to you over your life and certainly your brother's life musically as well as. Do you remember the first time you walked into Washington Square and saw whatever was going on on that particular day?

[Adam Met]

Yeah, I mean, I feel like there's so many memories that have combined in my mind, because the first thing that really comes to mind is all of the different street performers in Washington Square Park. And mind you, this was during the day, because at night, the people who were in Washington Square park are a little bit different. They're trying to sell you something different, but during the day, they're trying to sell you a performance. So there were people who would do kind of acrobatic tricks and would flip over each other. There were people who set up puppet shows. There were people who were playing all different kinds of music, and everybody had their own space. It almost felt like a variety show when I was a kid that I could walk through the park and get all of this different entertainment. And so that really stuck out to me as a child. And I mean, as you know, we got our start street performing in Washington Square park as well. And the first couple of years, years that we did it, it was strange because it was almost like a business negotiation with the other street performers. We're going to start our set now, then we'll pause while they get to go. And it was a much more complex system than you even think about street performing could be. But I Think that was probably my first impression of the park, that it was an overwhelming cacophony of the senses.

[Buzz Knight]

Did your parents give you and your brothers a long leash? And. And if so, was that key to creative expression years later, that you still are so amazing at?

[Adam Met]

They did give us a long creative leash, absolutely. So our dad was a huge music fan growing up. He had quite a sizable vinyl collection, and so we started listening to things like the Beach Boys and Peter, Paul and Mary and John Denver and people like that on vinyl. But our parents were very supportive of any creative pursuit that we had. So I did a lot of theater when I was younger. I did some voiceover work, and then we kind of fell into the music because of being in the theater world. Something I don't talk about often is that I was a professional dancer before I got into the music world. I was a professional tap dancer, and I ran a tap dance company, and we toured around the world. So creativity and expression through all of these different modes of art was something that we were not only encouraged to do, but given the kind of full space to do as we were growing up.

[Buzz Knight]

Was there a first live concert experience that really knocked you out?

[Adam Met]

Yeah, absolutely. So I love that you asked me the first question that you did, because seeing Paul Simon live at Bam, at Brooklyn Academy of Music with Josh Groban as his opener, and then Josh Groban coming back on stage and performing with him. When I was a kid, that was a transformative experience. Seeing the person sing the songs that I grew up listening to on vinyl on my dad's record player, and then seeing him live with my family, I will absolutely never forget that and that.

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah. I mean, the fact that this is locked in your brain forever fuels your passion, fuels your curiosity further around all other types of music, right?

[Adam Met]

Absolutely. I mean, you think about Paul Simon. He has experimented with so many different kinds of music and so many different kinds of instrumentation and production. But the thing that stays consistent with him is the equal parts of simplicity and complexity of the lyrics. He plays with the listener just as much as he wants the listener to take what he's saying very seriously. So he tells very specific stories, but tells them in a way that feels like popcorn to the ear and also tells them in a way that are repeatable and shareable. I mean, think of something like Me and Julio. That song is just so crispy in its lyrics, but the lyrics are so impactful and true, and they're kind of about the neighborhood where he grew up. So he is very consistent in Lyrics, but very. He takes a lot of creative liberties in terms of his experimentation with production and instrumentation. So you really know when you're hearing a Paul Simon song, and that's because of the vocal and the lyrics. But the fact that he does get to have this playground of audio is something that was really inspiring to me.

[Buzz Knight]

I don't know about you. There's one of his songs, there's so many that ring true, but there's one for the way the world is now and the way the country is now that I think about all the time. It's an American tune, and it's. It's just so poignant and. And beautiful. And I mean, I. I try to think, though, when he wrote that what the world was like at that time, that would have influenced it, and if he wrote it now, how much different the song may have been.

[Adam Met]

Yeah, I think that. I mean, musicians, artists, sculptors, dancers, painters, people who create theater, a lot of what they do is reflect on the world around them, and they hold up a mirror to what society is going through. But at the same time, there are all of these people who project their own solutions or questions onto. Onto the world using their art. And I think that a lot of artists are very intentional about the way that they do that, Meaning they decide whether, okay, this piece of art that I'm doing is going to be a mirror to society. So society can see what they're going through and just have a moment to reflect. And then they can also be intentional about something like protest music. Right. We need to stand up and fight. We need to band together. There have been periods in time where protest music has kind of rode this. This wave of popularity. In the 1970s, hugely popular, 20% of the Billboard Hot 100 was protest music. And now they would say that would never happen. Right. But if you listen to the Billboard Hot 100 now, I argue that there's even more protest music on it now. Even though those songs in their entirety are not protest songs. There are lines here and there about that reflection of society. I think artists can't help but write about the things that are going on in their lives and in their world. And we go through periods in music where they're kind of big pop songs that are very general and so everyone can relate to them. But we're in a moment now where storytelling has become king. Right. People want to tell their own stories in a way that other people can see themselves in it. And so I think right now, in terms of how we think about songs reflecting on society and Then reflecting society. I think more than ever we're seeing artists engage with what it means to be making art in 2025.

[Buzz Knight]

I love in amplify how you, you know, you focus on authentic storytelling. And in particular you highlight a couple of people. Certainly Bob Dylan is a part of that highlighting, but you also highlight Phil Oaks as well. And you know, Phil back then stood really in his own, his own camp when it came to how fiercely free he felt about speaking about things. You make mention of, of here's to the state of Mississippi. And then here's Phil using comedy and rewriting that song and creating here's to the state of Richard Nixon.

[Adam Met]

Yeah. And.

[Buzz Knight]

And he, but he, he stood on, on that ledge often by himself.

[Adam Met]

Yeah. I mean, even Bob Dylan was critical of him for going too far. He called Bob Dylan, called Phil Oaks a singing journalist. Right. And so what kind of thing does that evoke? You know, if you're somebody who's an artist, but you're also being called a journalist, you're making your sharing facts, you're being very direct and you're letting the audience kind of pull their own conclusions out of what you're saying. But you're being, you're being very honest. And I think that that's something that we don't see so much anymore in art. That blatantness that Phil had. And so for people who are listening, who don't know who Phil Oaks is, because I know that he is a less common name than Bob Dylan. He is one of my favorite artists of all time. All of his albums are great, but there's a story. So my uncle and my dad saw Phil Ochs downtown in New York City one of his final performances. And he actually ended up committing suicide a few weeks later after that performance that he saw them. But he was completely out of his mind during that performance. Apparently. Again, I'm hearing this secondhand, but he was so drunk, couldn't remember any of the lyrics. Everything he did like up until that point was with so much intentionality, engaging around the Democratic National Convention, really participating in everything that he felt could be better in America. He saw what was going on and reflected on it through his art. So please go listen to Phillips.

[Buzz Knight]

I couldn't wait to share this with you and the audience. I believe one of the first mass organized ticketed event protest concerts was organized by Phil and some others at Madison Square Garden. It was called An Evening with Salvador Allende right after the Chilean overthrow. And all sorts of people played at that, from Dylan to Pete. Seeger and Arlo Guthrie and. But it was a Phil moment because Phil was one of the instigators that brought that whole crew together. And it was, it was quite a night. I was a nerdy fan who came from Stanford, Connecticut, took the train down and went by myself, actually, and saw this show at Madison Square Garden and it was pretty, pretty wild, I have to say.

[Adam Met]

I'm so jealous. I am so jealous. That sounds incredible.

[Buzz Knight]

We'll be right back with more of the Taking a Walk podcast.

[Adam Met]

Did you know Tide has been upgraded to provide an even better clean in cold water? Tide is specifically designed to fight any stain you throw at it, even in cold butter. Yep. Chocolate ice cream. Sure thing. Barbecue sauce. Tide's got you covered. You don't need to use warm water. Additionally, Tide pods let you confidently fight tough stains with new coldzyme technology. Just remember, if it's gotta be clean, it's gotta be Tide.

[Commercial Voice]

At TJ Maxx, feel more you than ever without compromise.

[Adam Met]

Because we never make you choose the quality you want, the styles you crave.

[Commercial Voice]

And the prices you love. It's all at TJ Maxx, so you can focus on just being you.

[Adam Met]

With so many finds arriving daily, that means so many ways to show your unique style.

[Commercial Voice]

Shop in store and [e-mail] and Max.

[Adam Met]

What makes you you? Breaking news, everybody. Not everything is terrible. I repeat, not everything is terrible. The Ripple Effect with Jenna Kim Jones is proo Internet. It hasn't ruined humanity entirely. Let me start by saying it's a great day to be a gray shirt team Rubicon. You know, it truly is a team. Those folks, myself included, all had one desire, which is helping folks in disaster. Trying to be a little bit of hope in a really, really bad situation.

[Commercial Voice]

It's like magic, you guys.

[Adam Met]

So put down your doom scroller and pick up your faith in humanity and join me, Jenna, for the Ripple Effect. It's a reminder that you can start a ripple that changes everything. You really can. We give just that nugget of hope helping other people. For some of our gray shirts, it's.

[Commercial Voice]

During a time when they need help.

[Adam Met]

And by helping others, it helps them. Listen to the Ripple Effect with Jenna Kim Jones on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Commercial Voice]

I have some very exciting news about an ethical phone carrier. I just switched to. This is Chelsea Handler from Dear Chelsea. Forget about all these other phone companies. Forget about Verizon, forget about AT&T. Forget about T Mobile. There's this new carrier called Noble Mobile and they actually pay you to stay off your phone. You can earn real money, up to 20 bucks back every month just for putting your phone away. If you're like me and you're tired of feeling controlled by your phone, social media, or just disgusted by those screen time alerts, this is the answer. Go to noblemobile.com Chelsea and try it for $10. That's noblemobile.com Chelsea.

[Buzz Knight]

Welcome back to the.

[Adam Met]

Taking a Walk podcast.

[Buzz Knight]

So the focus, among other things in the book Amplify, is certainly community building and really showcasing specific ways to be able to do that from your experiences and certainly the band's experience experiences. Still. Do you think community building has sort of become a little bit of buzzword bingo, if you will? Because I know with you, one thing that irritates you is, is meetings that ultimately have no action that initiates from that meeting.

[Adam Met]

Are you taking that from the commencement speech that I offered at Columbia?

[Buzz Knight]

Very possibly, yeah.

[Adam Met]

Yeah. Community building. So when I say community building, I don't mean it for the sake of building a community. And I know that sounds strange, but community building happens through action and happens through reaction and happens because of the things that people actually do. I think there's a difference in, in saying let's, you know, do something for the sake of doing something as opposed to let's do something on our way to trying to get something done. And that was pretty vague. So I'll give you an example. Let's use the idea of music, right? There are fan clubs in music and people say, I want to create a group of fans and we're going to get together and talk about the music and discuss what we like about it, things like that. Great. That's building a community, right? There's nothing kind of further to it, but if you're doing something like that, creating a mini fan club for a band that's up and coming like we were a handful of years ago, one of the amazing things that can effectively build a community is to take a group of people who are like minded and have them work towards something bigger. For example, when we went to Boston, the first time we went to Boston, we played a place called the Red Room. And it was a really tiny music venue and we sold like a dozen tickets. The second time we came back, we couldn't play any bigger, so we played the Red Room again. But some of these fan groups had started to form and they took it on as their responsibility to spread the word about us. They shared with their friends and their family. They put up Posters around the city. They went to the colleges and the high schools that show completely sold out over 200 people. And so that built even more of a tight knit community among those fans because they took ownership over that process and they were actually able to achieve something together. So does that make sense the difference if we can actually use the community for something as opposed to just building it for the sake of.

[Buzz Knight]

Makes total sense. The application that, you know, your band applied certainly was the creation of, of, you know, one of the COVID art pieces. And yes, you basically gave that ownership, you know, brilliantly, to the, to the fans. How much science are you using when you're applying some of this? And I'll give you a specific example referencing that question. I know around Covid, the band ended up finding a way to pay for medical treatment for people who were in particular need. This is the, the data nerd in me now asking, were you able to go into a database of sorts that you guys had created and go right down to zip codes where you knew fans were.

[Adam Met]

Yeah. So that's one of the amazing things about building a fan base. The way we have is that we know exactly how many tickets we can sell in each city. We know exactly where our fans are. From the data that we gather from places like Spotify and other music streaming services, or places like Instagram and TikTok, we really know the amount that fans are engaging and exactly where they are. So in this project that we did during COVID we did a big fundraiser specifically for people in the zip codes where we knew that we had the largest concentration of fans. And these people were impacted by crippling medical debt related to Covid. So we ended up partnering with this organization called RIP Medical Debt, which multiplies the donations that you get by buying up medical debt for one penny on the dollar. So for the amount of money that we raised, we ended up alleviating over seven and a half million dollars worth of medical debt in the communities where we have the most fans. So it was all very intentional. We wanted to make sure that our community that had supported us for so long, we were going back and supporting them.

[Buzz Knight]

There's so much in the book that I think it's great for, you know, musicians that are trying to build their. Their brand, podcasters trying to build their brand. I come out of radio, so, you know, radio stations or personalities trying to, you know, grow their brand. And you talk also about something really important and maybe you could expand on it. The importance of super fans and what they kind of mean to all this.

[Adam Met]

Yeah, there is nothing like a super fan. So we have a lot of superfans, but one in particular that I write about a lot in the book is this young woman named Mel. And she essentially took our fan base and grew it to the point that fans were engaging in a much deeper level, more than we ever could have engaged with the fans. She built all of these activities with them. She built incentive programs. She built ways for them to bring other people into the fan base. And this model that she developed kind of unknowingly, traditionally, when you're in activism or advocacy or you're in music, you try and move people up this ladder of engagement. You know, they take one step, they hear a song, and then if they go home and they buy a concert ticket, they move up another rung. If they follow you on Instagram, they move up another rung on that slider. This is not the model that works anymore in music or in advocacy. The model that we found that works really well looks more like a hurricane than a ladder and a hurricane. Because when people first start engaging with an artist or with a cause, you want to bring them in really close, give them all of the tools to then have them go back out in the world and be evangelizers for the movement. And movement could be for music or advocacy. It really is building a movement for both of them. And when you give them the tools, they feel ownership over it in a way that they become evangelizers. They want to share their little secret with the world that is so much more powerful than any amount of ads that you can run on Instagram.

[Buzz Knight]

So I know as this book tour for Amplify will be rolling out, you've made it public to your fan base and AJR's fan base that you're going to be. Not at all the shows.

[Adam Met]

Yes.

[Buzz Knight]

When AJR is out on the. On the road.

[Adam Met]

Yes.

[Buzz Knight]

I hear a big collective sigh from. From the audience as. As I'm delivering that, in case they didn't know. Yeah, but you've been very transparent, and the band's been very transparent about that. What's been the reaction to you sitting some shows out?

[Adam Met]

So it's really been bittersweet. Obviously, fans are disappointed that I'm not going to be at some of the shows, but one of the things that's been really important to me over the last bunch of years is bringing fans along with me on my journey. As I've been working on my Master's and my PhD, as I started teaching, as I've been working with governments around the world on their climate policies. And so they know every step of the way everything that I've been doing and how I've been growing my work outside of the band. So just as much as I see the disappointment that I'm not going to be there, they've also been so supportive. I mean, if you look at the post that we did, when I announced that I wasn't going to be doing all of the shows, there were thousands of comments across social media, just so supportive that I'm going to do this work. And a lot of them want to join me. The number of people who have written me emails or DMs saying that they started studying environmental science because I was the one who introduced the field to them. Even if there are just a handful of those people, then I've done my work right? It's. I'm. I am proud and I am satisfied that that's the work that's been done. But at the same time, there is this whole additional journey in the climate space that I'm taking with this book and this tour and all the other work that I'm doing, and they've been right there with me. And it takes a while. It's very weird, right, for an artist to say, okay, you know, we have tons of fans, we've sold out Madison Square Garden multiple times, We've sold out TD Garden multiple times, and now I'm going to go work in climate policy. That's a weird thing for fans to see. But the fact that they've been there and so supportive, I can't thank them enough.

[Buzz Knight]

So I want to close on the commencement speech. Look, we're at a really, you know, difficult time. There's many folks who have lost sense of optimism about, you know, where things are, are heading. And one of my takeaways from your great speech was, I think you have a different outlook in terms of where there is some optimism, how folks can be activated, how important it is, whether it be in the largest election or the smallest election, to show up and be involved. Can you talk a little bit about that?

[Adam Met]

Sure. I spend a lot of time traveling around the country and the world, and the number one question that I get from fans and from people at protests, events, community meetings is, what can I do? I want to participate. What can I do? It doesn't feel accessible to them. Climate change is not accessible to them. It's big. It's existential. What does 1.5 degrees Celsius even mean? Right. The people who make the decisions about the future of your community, of your city, of your state happen at the most local of levels. Yes, of course every four years we both vote for a president. Of course every two years we have a midterm election. But between that there are hundreds and hundreds of elections around the country that are voting people into office that are at the state level. So State Senate and State assembly and even more at the local level. Community boards. These boards make such impactful decisions on your day to day lives. They make decisions about zoning. They make decisions about where you're going to put this petrochemical plant. They make decisions about local transportation. Some of these people, when they're running in these elections, win by 10 or 12 votes. And this is one of the things that I mentioned in the commencement speech. Your power at the local level is thousands of times more than your power at the federal level. I'm not saying don't vote in a federal election, but my call to action for you would be go look up when your next local election is and look at the people who are running because that is going to make some of the biggest difference in your own life.

[Buzz Knight]

Adam Met Congratulations on amplify and thanks for that work. But also all your other work and this little band called AJR as well. Thank you for for that and thanks for being on Taking a Walk. I really enjoyed it.

[Adam Met]

Thank you so much for having me. This was fantastic.

[Buzz Knight]

Thanks for listening to this episode of.

[Adam Met]

The Taking a Walk Podcast.

[Buzz Knight]

Share this and other episodes with your friends and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking a Walk is available on the.

[Adam Met]

Iheartradio app, Apple Podcasts and wherever you get your podcasts.

[Buzz Knight]

This is Julian Edelman from Dudes on Dudes with Gronk and Jewels. Sunday mornings I've got my game day.

[Adam Met]

Ritual, coffee, lucky socks, and now New Morning Uncrustable Sandwiches. It's all about that 12 gram protein boost with the new Uncrustables Bright Eyed.

[Buzz Knight]

Berry or Up and Apple flavors.

[Adam Met]

Bright Eye Berries got a feisty receiver.

[Buzz Knight]

Energy up and Apple your classic Do it all tight end, soft, pillowy, packed.

[Adam Met]

With protein and easy enough for Gronk to grab from the freezer. Whether you're on the couch, driving to the tailgate or heading to the locker.

[Buzz Knight]

Room, New Morning Uncrustable Sandwiches are the MVP of snacks.

[Adam Met]

Your new Sunday kickoff ritual starts here.

[Buzz Knight]

With New Morning Uncrustable sandwiches packed with.

[Adam Met]

12 grams of protein. If you're a maintenance supervisor for a commercial property, you've had to deal with everything from leaky faucets to flickering light bulbs. But nothing's worse than that ancient boiler.

[Buzz Knight]

That'S lived in the building since the day it was built 50 years ago.

[Adam Met]

It's enough to make anyone lose their cool. That's where Grainger comes in. With industrial grade products and dependable, fast delivery, Grainger can help with any challenge.

[Buzz Knight]

From worn out components to everyday necessities.

[Adam Met]

Call clickgrainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.

[Buzz Knight]

For the first time ever, a truly beautiful medical breakthrough promises physical perfection. One shot makes you hot, but with terrifying consequences. In the new original series, FX Is the Beauty. The glamorous world of supermodels turns deadly as mysterious deaths draw in FBI agents and a shadowy billionaire who will stop.

[Adam Met]

At nothing to protect his empire.

[Buzz Knight]

From executive producer Ryan Murphy, FX is the Beauty premieres January 21st on FX, Hulu and Hulu on Disney for bundle subscribers.

[Commercial Voice]

I have some very exciting news about an ethical phone carrier I just switched to this is Chelsea Handler from Dear Chelsea, Forget about all these other phone companies. Forget about Verizon, forget about AT&T. Forget about T Mobile. There's this new carrier called Noble Mobile and they actually pay you to stay off your phone. You can earn real money, up to 20 bucks back every month just for putting your phone away. If you're like me and you're tired of feeling controlled by your phone, social media, or just disgusted by those screen time alerts, this is the answer. Go to noblemobile.com Chelsea and try it for $10. That's noblemobile. Com Chelsea.

[Adam Met]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Buzz Knight]

Guaranteed Human.