Goo Goo Dolls – Robby Takac on the band’s longevity and secret of their success. Rock Interview Series – EP #155 – 08/30/2026

Welcome to episode #155 of the Rock Interview Series, recorded on August 30, 2026. For this episode, Robby Takac, bassist, songwriter, and co‑founder of the Goo Goo Dolls, joins me as the band celebrates its 40th anniversary. Four decades in, the Goo Goo Dolls are experiencing one of the strongest waves of popularity in their history, with over 40 million monthly listeners on Spotify. During our conversation, we talked about their current summer tour, the renewed success of “Iris,” their future plans, Robby’s ‘Music Is Art’ festival coming up on September 12th in Buffalo, and how the band continues to connect with fans after all these years.

Robby looked back at the band’s journey by stating, “What a trip it’s been, we just never went away.” He pointed out that while many of their peers took breaks or disappeared for stretches of time, the Goo Goo Dolls kept working. “We just kind of kept plugging at it,” he explained. Even when the band hit rough patches, they stayed focused on writing songs and keeping things moving. “Our career has had peaks and valleys,” Robby said. “So we had to figure out how to make it through those valleys.”

Robby also talked about how the band eventually stepped away from the traditional music‑industry playbook. “We left the music business a long time ago,” he said. “Not because we were doing well, but because we had to figure out how to survive as the Goo Goo Dolls.” Instead of worrying about trends or industry politics, they built their own way of doing things. “We had our model of how we did things,” he added, “and we still apply it every day.”

That approach has clearly worked. The band’s streaming numbers are huge, putting them among the top 130 artists in the world. I mentioned to Robby that their 41.7 million monthly listeners place them above legendary acts like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Pink Floyd. Robby laughed at the idea but acknowledged how wild it feels. “It’s insane,” he said. “But it’s the thing we were just talking about.” The renewed popularity of “Iris” has played a big role, but the boost extends across their entire catalog. “We’re seeing the numbers going up on all our streams,” he said. “It’s not just Iris that’s blowing up right now.”

Robby also described how the crowds on their current tour have changed. “Last night we had a three‑generation family there,” he said, laughing. “The youngest one had hair on their face.” He pointed out how rare it is for music to connect people across such a wide age range. “You don’t see most 60‑ or 70‑year‑olds going to an Olivia Rodrigo concert,” he joked, “but these same kids are coming to our shows.” Younger fans are discovering “Name,” “Black Balloon,” and the band’s early albums through streaming, which makes it easier than ever for new listeners to dive into their history. Robby compared it to how things used to be. “You had to go to the record store and read the fanzines,” he said. “Now you can find our first record in seconds.”

As the Goo Goo Dolls continue their 2026 summer tour, their momentum is stronger than ever. The band is experiencing a rare second peak, it’s one that rivals their late‑90s breakthrough. Their story is built on consistency, reinvention, and refusing to quit. “We were writing songs, we were able to make a living,” Robby said, “and we just stayed focused.” With three generations of fans now showing up to celebrate that focus, the Goo Goo Dolls head into their fifth decade with more energy and excitement than anyone could have predicted.

For more information on Music Is Art, please visit http://www.musicisart.org

For more information on the Goo Goo Dolls, visit http://www.googoodolls.com