Shows / Professor of Rock
Professor of Rock
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…
Episodes
- Professor of Rock
Top 10 Songs of 1980 That Should Have Hit #1: The Biggest Chart Injustices
Coming up next we rewrite history with 10 Songs that should’ve been #1 from the year 1980 and there are so many classics today that came up short of the top…
- Professor of Rock
FROM THE VAULT: Steven Tyler Wrote “Dream On” at 14 – The Song That Almost Didn’t Happen
Let's run it back! Coming up legendary singer Steven Tyler of Aerosmith wrote one of rock’s greatest masterpieces at the age of 14. A 14-year-old kid! Not only…
- Professor of Rock
Def Leppard, The Byrds & Metallica: The Surprising Bible Stories Behind Classic Rock Hits
Treat yourself to Ka'chava. Go to https://www.kachava.com/ and use code POR for 15% off your first order. Def Leppard, the Byrds, Sting... They all took song…
- Professor of Rock
Time in a Bottle Countdown: 10 Forgotten ’90s Hits from Sophie B. Hawkins, Sir Mix-a-Lot & More
Coming up, it’s the closest thing we have to a time machine. It’s our latest Time in a Bottle countdown where we feature 10 tracks that take you back to the…
- Professor of Rock
Huey Lewis on His Greatest Hits, Hearing Loss, and Being Snubbed by the Rock Hall of Fame
Coming up next… So about a month ago, I did an interview LIVE at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame museum in Cleveland at the RAB Fall meetings in front of owners…
- Professor of Rock
1974’s Greatest Hits Countdown: Ray Stevens, John Denver, and the Wildest Stories Behind the Songs
Today we are visiting one of the most gloriously weird and wondrous years in music history — the charts were packed with streakers, gangsters, and some…
- Professor of Rock
The Best Songs of 1964: Counting Down the Hits That Deserved #1 Over The Beatles
We’re rewriting history again today as we revisit a year when one band completely took over and overshadowed many classic songs that deserved better. Today we…
- Professor of Rock
10 Forgotten Hits of the ’80s: A Countdown Featuring Van Halen, Billy Joel, Saga, and John Mellencamp
I know you are gonna love this episode! Because i’m gonna give you some familiar songs that were hits that I guarantee you haven’t heard in ages. Radio and…
- Professor of Rock
Jeopardy!, Family Feud & More: Countdown of the Top 10 Greatest Game Show Theme Songs
Every now and again I have an idea for a show, and as I put it together I’m blown away by the stories behind the songs and the fact that they’ve never been…
- Professor of Rock
Top 10 ’80s Rock Songs That Deserved to Hit #1: Guns N’ Roses, Bon Jovi, The B-52s & More
Thank you Zocdoc, for sponsoring today's video. Your health matters and taking care of yourself shouldn't be complicated. Go to…
- Professor of Rock
FROM THE VAULT: How Paul McCartney Turned a Robbery in Nigeria into Band on the Run, His Greatest Solo Album
Ah, man - this is one of my favorites! Former Beatle Paul McCartney was trying to establish his band Wings when he flew to Nigeria to record Band on the Run. 2…
- Professor of Rock
Rock’s Biggest Meltdowns Countdown: Ozzy Osbourne, Samantha Fox, Keith Moon, and More
Coming up, we’ve got rockstars going off the rails. And yeah, rock stars have always lived by their own rules — but some of them have been known to take things…
- Professor of Rock
The Stories Behind Iconic Hits: Guns N’ Roses, Boyz II Men, The KLF, and Metallica
Well, we took a couple of months off from this show, but due to overwhelming feedback, we did another episode… We brought it back at least one more time… It’s…
- Professor of Rock
The Greatest Animated Movie Songs: Phil Collins, Michael Bolton, and More
Alright, in the past we’ve tried our hand at soundtrack hits, movie scores, television themes, and even cartoon theme songs. But on this episode of POR, we’re…
- Professor of Rock
FROM THE VAULT: How The B-52s’ Rock Lobster Inspired John Lennon’s Return to Music
Back with the B-52s! Coming Up... a song that missed the top 40 in the early 80s but has since then Rock Lobster by the B-52s has become a modern day standard…
- Professor of Rock
1977’s Greatest Rock Hits: The Stories Behind “Go Your Own Way,” “Walk This Way” & More
Coming up…a year in music that needs some tweaking. It was the best of times, but today we’ll make it even better as well as select the 10 songs that should’ve…
- Professor of Rock
6 Bands That Should Have Been Bigger: The Stories Behind EMF, Tonic & Derek and the Dominos
Today we’re returning to a show that we haven’t done in a long time. It’s a variation on our Bottled Lightning series called One and Done… stories about bands…
- Professor of Rock
FROM THE VAULT: Narada Michael Walden on Producing Whitney Houston & Prince’s Legendary Basketball Skills
Let's run it back with this classic! Legendary producer Narada Michael Walden tells us two stories that will make you laugh with joy! One of the most…
- Professor of Rock
Top 10 Worst Celebrity Music Projects: Corey Feldman, Hulk Hogan, Eddie Murphy & More
Okay, okay. I’ve been meaning to do this episode for years. And well, I just can’t put it off any longer. Today, I’m counting down my Top 10 picks for the…
- Professor of Rock
Top 10 Greatest Cover Songs of All Time: Joe Cocker, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley & More
A great cover song takes a track you thought you knew, turns it inside out, and makes you forget it ever belonged to anyone else. Today we're counting down the…
- Professor of Rock
7 Songs That Saved Lives: The Incredible Stories of Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, and Soul Asylum
Go to https://buyraycon.com/professorofrockBC to get 30% off. Thanks to Raycon for sponsoring! We need this show right now. I have always believed that music…
- Professor of Rock
The Greatest Hits of 1973 That Never Made #1: A Classic Rock Countdown
Go to https://www.kachava.com/ and use code POR for 15% off your first order. Coming up… It’s time to rewrite history and give the greatest songs of 1973 their…
- Professor of Rock
Halloween Countdown: The Darkest True Crime Stories in Rock History
Watch at your own peril….this one is spooky and creepy…Rock has always flirted with the dark side — but some stories go too far beyond the music. Today we're…
- Professor of Rock
Pete Byrne’s Final Interview: How Naked Eyes Created Two ’80s New Wave Classics
It’s been a horrible year in terms of losing legends in music, and sadly we just lost another one. The compelling singer who gifted us with several 80s…
- Professor of Rock
FROM THE VAULT: How a Session Guitarist Transformed Steely Dan’s "Reelin’ in the Years" into a 70s Classic
Let's take it back! Two of most cerebral rockers and known perfectionists Donald Fagen and Walter Becker AKA Steely Dan, just knew they had a song for their…
- Professor of Rock
Top 10 Underrated Hits of 1986: Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Sting & More
Coming up… In 1986, these songs didn’t crack the Top 10; some may have thought they were also rans, but over time, they became bigger than songs that did, and…
- Professor of Rock
Top 8 Feel-Good Songs We Secretly Love—The Carpenters, Air Supply, The Osmonds & More
I KNOW YOU’RE GOING TO LOVE THIS EPISODE. If you don’t, I’ll eat my Hat live on camera. So everyone has that “one” playlist. You know the one with all the…
- Professor of Rock
The Weirdest and Wildest Songs of the ’50s — Wanda Jackson, “Purple People Eater” & More
The 1950s gave us the birth of rock and roll — and with it a collection of song stories so bizarre and completely unhinged that they sound made up. Behind the…
- Professor of Rock
Remembering Duncan Sheik: A Lost Interview About “Barely Breathing” and His Greatest Songs
Sadly, we lost a great artist recently. Duncan Sheik, the singer-songwriter who wrote one of the best songs of the late 90s and, statistically, the biggest…
- Professor of Rock
The Greatest Hits of 1974 That Should’ve Been #1 — Elton John, Steely Dan, Chaka Khan & More
Coming up, a grand year in music where once again a bunch of legendary Top 10 hits that missed the #1 spot on the charts were actually better than the songs…
- Professor of Rock
Countdown: The Greatest Songs That Were Never Released as Singles — The Beatles, Nirvana & More
Some of the best songs ever recorded were never released as singles. But today, they have become bigger than a lot of these legendary bands’ biggest hits…
- Professor of Rock
The Craziest Guinness World Records in Music History | Foo Fighters, Muse & More
You won’t believe this epsidoes. A Rock concert that was so loud and unruly it caused an earthquake from the Foo Fighters? An unfinished 80s instrumental song…
- Professor of Rock
FROM THE VAULT: The Grateful Dead’s 'Touch of Grey': The One Hit Wonder Who Played to 25 Million Fans
Let's take it back with this classic! The Grateful Dead may have the most passionate & loyal following of the Rock Era. The Dead were jamming their way to the…
- Professor of Rock
80s TV Theme Songs: Unsolved Mysteries, Moonlighting, Bosom Buddies & More
You’re gonna love today's episode. Today We’re taking a trip back to the 80s for more of the best that television has to offer. It’s our latest edition of 80s…
- Professor of Rock
Countdown: Rock Hits That Got Bigger With Age—Eddie Money, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Steely Dan & More
Coming up, we’ve got a brand new show, and I’m pumped for it. We’re telling the tale of songs that, in their time, were considered also-rans... they didn’t…
- Professor of Rock
The Catchiest Songs of the ’60s: The Monkees, ? and the Mysterians, Steam & More
I’ve got a great one today. We’re counting down the Catchiest songs of a legendary decade. These songs were all hits, but they are the kinds of hits that…
- Professor of Rock
FROM THE VAULT: The Story Behind Led Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love – A Rock Revolution and Controversy
Let's run it back to 2022! How Led Zeppelin created their biggest hit song, their only top 10, the provocative 70s smash Whole Lotta Love through rough waters…
- Professor of Rock
1990’s 10 Greatest Hits That Never Reached #1: Depeche Mode, Tom Petty & More
Today we’re going back to the strange year that separated two decades… where music really had no identity… Hair Metal was waning, and Grunge was still…
- Professor of Rock
The 15 Most Controversial Songs of the ’80s: Inside the PMRC’s Filthy Fifteen
Coming up, we haven't done one of these in a long time, but it's a special edition of our popular show Taboo Songs. But this time we're gonna give you the 15…
- Professor of Rock
5 Biggest Double-Crosses in Rock History: The Beach Boys, Fleetwood Mac, Queensrÿche & More
Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/POR and use code POR and get $150 if you win your first $5 lineup! You’ve heard the Doublecross stories of rock and…
- Professor of Rock
FROM THE VAULT: How Metallica’s Enter Sandman Took Over Radio and Redefined Heavy Metal
In 1991, Metallica changed the world forever as they went global with the Black Album including their menacing song: Enter Sandman, the song should’ve been a…
- Professor of Rock
#1 in Our Hearts: The Greatest Songs of 1988 That Should’ve Been #1
It’s time to jump in the Time Machine and change Music History with the songs that deserved to be #1 in an amazing year from the 80s. Today we have some great…
- Professor of Rock
Top 10 Songs of 1975 That Should Have Hit #1: Styx, ELO, Bad Company & More
Let’s travel back to 1975 and rewrite history. In 75, 36 Songs hit #1, but as we look at the songs that missed #1 but hit the top 10, I would bet my life on…
- Professor of Rock
Young MC, Patty Smyth & Gary Numan: 3 Wild Stories Behind Their Biggest ’80s Hits
Coming up, a new show where I give you 3 unbelievable rock and roll stories straight from the legends themselves in 10 minutes or less that will make you…
- Professor of Rock
Top 5 Rock Meets Sci-Fi Stories: KISS, Michael Jackson, The Who, Sting & More
A few weeks ago, I introduced a new show where I did a pop culture crossover of Rock and Roll Meets Star Wars, including a story of how Terri Nunn, the Lead…
- Professor of Rock
The Story Behind AC/DC’s “Big Balls” and the Wild Genius of Bon Scott
Coming up, the story behind Ac/DC’s classic rock hit Big Balls, a song with a dual meaning that made parents angry and the goody-two-shoes blush, but it made…
- Professor of Rock
A Classic Rock Masterclass with Rick Beato | Full Interview
This is the full uncut interview with Rick Beato… a Classic Rock Masterclass. Actually, it’s more of a 90-minute geek-out on music. We just kick back and…
- Professor of Rock
The Greatest #3 Hits of Rock’s Golden Era
Coming up, we continue our treasure hunt, tracking down the greatest #3 hits in music history, and this time we got to arguably the best era in music history…
- Professor of Rock
FROM THE VAULT: Aerosmith’s “Janie’s Got a Gun”: The Song That Almost Got Censored
Let's take it back! As a father of 3 daughters this was the most difficult song that Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, one of America’s great rock bands ever had to…
- Professor of Rock
The Catchiest Songs of the ’80s: Quiet Riot, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Cheers & More
The catchiest song of the 80s...Some songs are earworms that crawl into your brain and are so annoying you beg for mercy. Some are great, but they get so…
- Professor of Rock
The Greatest TV Themes of the ’50s & ’60s | The Twilight Zone, Bonanza & More
Coming up...The story of the greatest TV THEMES of the 60s. Last year we covered some of the greatest TV themes of the 70s, 80s and 90s. But today we're…
- Professor of Rock
38 Special’s Don Barnes on the Stories Behind “Hold On Loosely,” “Caught Up in You” & Their Biggest Hits
Coming up next, an interview with a band that, no joke, had 16 hits in the 80s but, for some strange reason, they are always passed over, and many under the…
- Professor of Rock
The 7 Catchiest Songs of the ’70s: Van Halen, Lynyrd Skynyrd, AC/DC & More
About a month ago, I started a new show where I talked about the catchiest songs of all time. But they are the good catchy, where you love it when they get…
- Professor of Rock
#1 in Our Hearts: The Greatest Songs of 1979 That Should’ve Hit #1
Coming up, it’s time for a POR throwback. Back in the early days of the channel, we had our regular series #1 in Our Hearts where we honored songs that were so…
- Professor of Rock
FROM THE VAULT: Red Red Wine: How a DJ's Mistake Turned UB40's Song Into a Chart-Topping Hit
Let's run it back! Up next two principals from the classic Reggae group UB40, original singer Ali Campbell and toaster the late Astro tell us the compelling…
- Professor of Rock
Rock Meets Star Wars: The Wild Stories of Terri Nunn, Michael Jackson, Toto & More
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, the worlds of rock and roll and history’s most beloved sci-fi franchise collided in ways nobody ever expected…
- Professor of Rock
FROM THE VAULT: Celebrating Donna Summer’s Influence Across Disco, Pop, and Beyond
Let's take it back with this POR Classic! Celebrating the power of Summer, Donna Summer, one of the most influential artists of any era and my Top 5 Donna…
- Professor of Rock
Kenny Loggins on the Story Behind “I’m Alright” and the Caddyshack Soundtrack
Coming up next, Kenny Loggins, the Co-Captain of Yacht Rock and the King of the Movie Soundtrack, tells the story of his first big movie hit from Caddyshack…
- Professor of Rock
Rock Stars Who Hate Their Biggest Hits: The Songs They Refuse to Play
If you’re a rockstar. There’s nothing quite as brutal as watching the song you despise become the one the world won't let you forget. Today we're counting down…
- Professor of Rock
Rock Classics That Almost Never Existed—Led Zeppelin, The Clash, Don Henley & More
Rock history is full of legendary songs that almost never existed. Today we're counting down the most jaw-dropping near-miss disasters in rock history… songs…