Interview: Katie Daryl Previews Third Season of AXS TV’s ‘The Top Ten Revealed’
AXS TV’s popular music countdown series, “The Top Ten Revealed,” returns for an amazing 12-episode third season, which premieres on Sunday, April 19 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.
The new season, executive produced and hosted by Katie Daryl, begins with the best “Rockin’ ROCK Songs” and is highlighted by tracks from Def Leppard, Scorpions, Twisted Sister and more. Returning musical experts for season three include Sebastian Bach, Lita Ford, Dee Snider and Kevin Cronin, as well as newcomers Mark McGrath, Carnie Wilson and Puddle of Mudd frontman, Wes Scantlin.
Even better is that The Top Ten Revealed is expanding its musical pallete with a treasure trove of goodness filled with new genres along with more honest opinion, fun facts and behind the scenes stories that have made the series a fan favorite.
The Top Ten Revealed Season 3 Schedule:
April 19: Rockin’ ROCK Titles
April 26: Epic Songs of ‘74
May 3: Rockin’ Siblings
May 10: 80s Break Up Songs
May 17: Epic Songs of ‘69
May 31: Songs Stuck at #2
June 7: Soul Songs of the 60s
June 14: Yacht Rock
June 21: MORE Hits That Were Covers
June 28: 70s Folk Songs
July 12: Epic Songs of ‘84
July 19: Going Crazy Songs
I recently spoke with Katie Daryl about the new season of “The Top Ten Revealed” and more in this exclusive new interview.
What can fans expect from the new season of “The Top Ten Revealed?”
Katie Daryl: This season is great because we’re introducing new experts like Mark McGrath, Carnie Wilson and Wes Scantlin from Puddle of Mudd and mixing them in with our classic rock favorites — Dee Snider, Sebastian Bach, Lita Ford and Kevin Cronin from REO Speedwagon. The new topics are also neat. We still have our traditional 70’s and classic rock, but we’re also dabbling into new topics that are genre specific. We’ve even got a Yacht Rock list. It’s very exciting.
What categorizes a song as “Yacht Rock?”
KD: It’s funny because a lot of our experts came into the room asking that same question. One of them said it best. It’s a bouncy song that feels like the rhythm of the ocean. Also, if the song is literally talking about sailing and yachts (ala Christopher Cross’ “Sailing”) then it probably made the cut.
What can you tell me about “80 Break Up Songs?”
KD: That was one where our viewer voting was essential. It’s really all in the eye of the beholder. You have to think: What song was playing on the radio when she broke your heart and one that you listened to on repeat and cried over and over? A song that you can’t listen to now without thinking about Debbie from the 8th grade. There’s obvious songs like U2’s “With Or Without You” that have a mood and a feel. Then there are other songs that are more specific about breaking up and moving on, like “Here I Go Again” from Whitesnake.
Were there a lot of artists to choose from in the “Rockin’ Siblings” category?
KD: When we first came up with the category I thought there may only be a few. But we started doing research and discovered that there were many, especially if you look outside of classic rock. But even if you stay within the genre there’s an abundance of them. It’s going to be interesting.
How long does it take to put together a show?
KD: In terms of a season it always starts out by asking “What are our topics?” From there it’s posting questions on Facebook and gathering results. Then we take the lists and determine the order of the ten songs. We’ll bring in our experts and shoot everything back to back. Two weeks straight for all twelve episodes. A typical episode, soup to nuts, takes about twelve weeks from start to finish. It’s an interesting process.
Now that the show is in its third season, what have you discovered about fans and your own musical knowledge?
KD: In terms of these shows and allowing fans to vote; they vote Van Halen and AC/DC as #1 and #2 as often as they can [laughs]. Those two bands can do no wrong. I remember after the first season I was starting to become a little brag-a-docious because I had learned so much. Now that we’re in the third season I find myself asking, “Wait, who’s in what band? I can’t remember [laughs].” It’s like being a kid cramming for her finals. There are so many great bands and songs on these lists.
Are the any other projects you’re currently working on?
KD: Right now I’m doing Facebook Live episodes with some of the guys from the show. Not only is it a great way to stay connected and promote the show but it also brings everyone together in a time where we’re all separated. I talk to the artists to find out what they’re doing to stay safe and what’s up with their music. We also talk about the show and their experience but we also include a fun segment called Rock and Tell, where the artist will bring out a few pieces of rock memorabilia they have and give me the stories behind them. It’s been really cool.
What excites you the most about the new season of The Top Ten Revealed?
KD: We’ve always been 70’s-centric so I’m excited to see how fans respond to us taking the list toward the newer decades. This season we’re dabbling into the 80’s and 90's and the opinions are going to be bigger, bolder and louder. I’m looking foward to watching our show and fan base continue to grow.
