Forever Five: Kris Schroeder

Kris Schroeder has long walked the line between restless explorer and grounded craftsman. As one-third of The Basics — the harmony-rich trio he shares with Wally De Backer and Tim Heath — he’s taken music to far-flung corners of the globe, carrying songs that thrive on connection and curiosity.

That same spirit extends into his solo guise Jackmann, where the spotlight sharpens and the questions deepen, but the through-line remains: a creative brain wired for movement, discovery, and reinvention.

It’s little wonder, then, that his Forever Five feels less like a static list and more like a living, breathing soundtrack. Eclectic yet purposeful, his selections wander across genres and moods, the kind of records that keep finding their way back onto the turntable. These are the albums copping the heaviest play in his household right now — each one a clue to the way Schroeder listens, learns, and shapes his own art.

Forever Five Kris Schroeder

LISTEN — KRIS SCHROEDER'S FOREVER FIVE

A trio of tracks from each of his choices, plus an essential five tracks of his own.

The resulting playlist flows like a short music history lesson.

Baaba Maal - Wango (1989)

Jeff Beck - Blow By Blow (1975)

1992 Australian Cast featuring John Farnham, Kate Ceberano, Jon Stevens, John Waters & Angry Anderson - Jesus Christ Superstar (1992)

Wings - Venus And Mars (1975)

Split Enz - Frenzy (1979)