Professor of Rock

Gamut Podcast Network
  • 4.9 (209)
  • Music
  • Updated Daily

The ultimate rock music history podcast for fans of the greatest era of music. If you’ve ever wondered about the true stories behind your favorite songs, or wanted to hear directly from the legends who made them, Professor of Rock is your new go-to podcast. Hosted by music historian and superfan Adam Reader, this show brings the golden era of music back to life with exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes stories, and deep dives into the songs that shaped our lives. This podcast uncovers how timeless tracks were made, the creative breakthroughs, the near-breakups, and the powerful moments that defined music history. Each episode is a masterclass in rock culture and nostalgia—whether it's a chart-topping ‘80s anthem, a one-hit wonder with a wild backstory, or a candid conversation with the legends themselves. Hear the Stories. Relive the Music. Only on Professor of Rock.

  1. 5h ago

    The Catchiest Songs of the ’90s: The Verve, Smashing Pumpkins, TLC & The Cranberries

    To me the definition of great hit song is one that is so catchy and undeniable that whenever it comes on you feel like your 50 Feet tall and invincible. Some decades just hit different — and the 90s produced a run of songs so irresistible that the world still hasn't gotten over them. It’s time ro count down the catchiest sings of the decade! The greatest earworms of the 90s that you’re grateful to have stuck in your head and the stories behind them that nobody ever told you… including how one production assistant placed the master tapes for the Smashing Pumpkins' 1979 music video on top of his car and drove off… scattering them across the Los Angeles freeway. The band was forced to fly back across the country on a red-eye and reshoot the entire thing from scratch. Then there’s the Verve's Richard Ashcroft, who spent years pouring his grief into Bittersweet Symphony, a song that became a global anthem, but was strong-armed into signing away every dollar it ever earned. And there's one of the decade's most celebrated music videos, Waterfalls, that was delivered by a singer who was under house arrest, hiding an ankle monitoring bracelet underneath her costume the whole time. Plus the Cranberries' Linger that was originally about underwear. But a shy girl who was mocked by her bandmates turned into the most enduring song of the decade. Let’s do it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  2. 3d ago

    The Story Behind Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger”: How Rocky III Created a #1 Hit

    The story of the #1 hit Eye of the Tiger from Rocky 3. In the early 80s this Survivor co-founder Jim Peterik came home for Lunch and checked his answering machine. He couldn’t believe what he heard, Sylvester Stallone asked him to call him back. He thought it was a prank call. but when he called back it was really him… Sly Stallone wanted an unknown band Survivor to write the Anthem to a sequel to one of the greatest franchises ever, Rocky 3-apparently Queen had turned down the use of their #1 hit Another Bites the Dust… In a very cool interview, Jim tells us how he and guitarist Frankie Sullivan wrote Eye of the Tiger for the opening montage of rock 3 when he went up against Clubber Lange (Mr. T) and went to #1 for 6 weeks because Stallone was willing to give his rookie band the chance even though they’d never had a hit. They couldn’t get the lyrics down so they ended up stealing a line from the movie and it became a classic! The song was nominated for an Oscar and the band had to be humiliated when the Temptation did a Cringe version of the song. How they created the perfect 80s classic rock anthem that still rules. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  3. 4d ago

    Top 5 Two-Hit Wonders of the ’80s: Ratt, Icehouse, Tone Loc & More

    Coming up… Van Halen, Ratt, and more as we skip the one hit wonders to talk about the topic of top 2-Hit Wonders. ...But today I wanted to shake it up. What about those artists who actually followed up their huge hit with another one of equal impact? A second legitimate hit but then never had another one? The Two Hit Wonders. It’s a special countdown of the Top 5 '2 Hit Wonders' of the 80s! Including Ratt, Icehouse, White Lion and how Tone Loce ruled 1988 by stealing his two biggest hits from several legendary bands including Van Halen.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  4. 5d ago

    The Songs That Should've Been #1 in 1984

    Coming up, We’re going back in time to a perfect year in music and setting it right. Taking some top 10 hits and giving them their due at #1. Including some great stories, including a tragic internal conflict between long-time collaborators Daryl Hall and John Oates, one that led to the issuance of a restraining order, splitting the most successful two-some in rock history. Hey, how are ya gonna write songs together if there's a restraining order?! Then there’s a story of the highest-charting song by Bruce Springsteen that came from a place of real anger because his manager told him he needed to write a hit, even though he had written 70 songs for his forthcoming album. Then, on another classic song, during the making of the video of the mysterious ballad Eyes Without a Face, the singer had a medical emergency when his contacts fused to his eyeballs…and it led to a policeman holding a gun to his head. Plus, Billy Joel apushed the boundaries of his voice to an all-time high in a song that became a classic, only he was never able to hit those notes again and had to have a backup singer do it live when it became a hit. Plus, Prince's Purple Rain, the song ripped offits title and solo from 2 other hits, but the two bands didn’t care because the genius behind it was so respected. Let’s do it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  5. 5d ago ·  Bonus

    FROM THE VAULT: How Pink Floyd’s Time and The Great Gig in the Sky Keep Dark Side of the Moon Timeless

    Let's run it back with this classic! Pink Floyd The Dark Side of the Moon...Imagine if you will an album so legendary.. So in Demand that there were factories working around the clock to manufacture it and still couldn’t keep up.. or so the legend goes or urban legend that is. . And it'’s still selling like hotcakes. It spent almost 20 years on the charts but never went to #1 in its native land..It has spawned more folk tales than any album ever.. Led by a provocative and talented lyricist/ singer Roger Waters as well as a true guitar legend in David Gilmour. Today we un peel the endless sonic layers of the song Time and the Great Gig in the Sky… Songs so stunningly true to life and space they have the power to stop time. With incredible contributions from Rick Wright and Nick Mason and with Commentary from the great Alan Parsons… The Dark Side of the Moon is a true 70s classic rock manifesto and the breakdown is next. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  6. Aug 3

    Top Songs of 1969: The Final Countdown | The Zombies, Tommy James & More

    Coming up…we take the time machine back to a year that changed everything with songs that were all over the map. We’ll tell the tale of Time of the Season that became a massive hit after the Zombies, the band that recorded it, broke up, and they had no idea that the song was soaring around the world. As well as Sugar Sugar, a song that was one of the catchiest of all time, but it was recorded by a fictional kids' band, and it became the biggest hit of the year even though the man who sang it was a mystery for a decade. And... the drama behind Tommy James, who battled a mobster who threatened to take him out rather than pay him the 10million he’d stolen from him. So the Singer had to produce his new song Crimson and Clover himself and when he took it to a local DJ to show him a rough demo, the DJ played it on his radio show and it became a #1 hit overnight. It’s all coming up next. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  7. Aug 2

    The Greatest Novelty Songs of the '80s: So Bad They're Good

    I'm counting down the top 5 most cringe-worthy 80s novelty tracks that are “so bad, they’re good.” We’re talking songs like Pac-Man Fever, Party All the Time, and the Super Bowl Shuffle. But on the other hand, some of these songs killed it on Billboard Hot 100. So someone must have thought they were good back in the day. Will you admit to liking them? I have to admit I’m a sucker for Bad B-Movies and Bad B-Songs… Is that a thing? Get ready for a trip into the quirky, the bizarre, and the truly awful. But be warned… after you go down this rabbit hole, you will never be the same again… including Geddy Lee of Rush's biggest hit. A novelty song! NEXT on the Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  8. Aug 1

    The Women Who Drove Rock Stars Wild—and Inspired Classic Songs

    Coming up on today’s episode, we're back at it again. We’re counting down the most dangerously alluring song about females in rock history … These songs were written about real women who did a real number on some of the most famous rockstars ever. We’re gonna tell the story about a notorious woman known only as “Wildcat” who made a surprise late-night call to Chris Isaak. He knew she was trouble but told her to come over anyway. But before she arrived at his door, he picked up his guitar and wrote one of the most seductive songs of its time. But when she got there, he was more enamored with the song than her, and he was grateful she’d inspired him to write what would become his biggest hit. Then there’s the volatile couple Ian Astubry of The Cult and Renee Beach. They kept a pet goldfish on their tour bus and were so obsessive about it that they pissed off the other band they were touring with… To get revenge, they pulled off the most epic goldfish prank in history. And finally, there’s the iconic 70s femme fatale song Killer Queen that may or may not have actually been written about a man. Will get both sides of the story next! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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4.9
out of 5
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About

The ultimate rock music history podcast for fans of the greatest era of music. If you’ve ever wondered about the true stories behind your favorite songs, or wanted to hear directly from the legends who made them, Professor of Rock is your new go-to podcast. Hosted by music historian and superfan Adam Reader, this show brings the golden era of music back to life with exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes stories, and deep dives into the songs that shaped our lives. This podcast uncovers how timeless tracks were made, the creative breakthroughs, the near-breakups, and the powerful moments that defined music history. Each episode is a masterclass in rock culture and nostalgia—whether it's a chart-topping ‘80s anthem, a one-hit wonder with a wild backstory, or a candid conversation with the legends themselves. Hear the Stories. Relive the Music. Only on Professor of Rock.

Information

  • Creator
    Gamut Podcast Network
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1.7K
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Professor of Rock | Gamut Podcast Network
  • Show Website
    Professor of Rock

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