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
The Rise and Fall of Jim Croce: Folk’s Most Tender Storyteller
Today we’re telling the story of folk singer Jim Croce, who spent years playing dive bars and college cafeterias for pocket change… before he finally broke…
- Professor of Rock
Halloween Special Edition: Top 8 Most Disturbing Rock Songs of All Time
Alright, you asked for it. So you got it. It’s a Halloween Special Edition of Professor of Rock. Today, we're counting down my Top 8 most haunting…
- Professor of Rock
FROM THE VAULT: How Dust in the Wind Started as a Fingerpicking Exercise and Became a Classic
Legendary rock band Kansas was coming off of a huge single with Carry On Wayward Son and album with Leftoverture that established them as the one of the…
- Professor of Rock
The Red Rocker Speaks: Sammy Hagar on His Entire Rock Legacy
COMING UP I’ve never done this before but if it goes well I’ll do it again. A full length interview with one of my favorite rock singers ever. A true legend…
- Professor of Rock
When Rock Took a Stand: The Untold Origins of ’60s Protest Anthems
There must have been something in the water back in the mid to late 60s because legendary bands and artists wrote some of the most life-changing songs ever…
- Professor of Rock
FROM THE VAULT: How Weird Al Yankovic’s “Fat” Saved His Career and Became an MTV Sensation
Riding high on satire…Weird Al Yankovic seemed unstoppable in the mid 80s after Eat It! and Like A Surgeon. but when his fourth record, Polka Party essentially…
- Professor of Rock
From Chart-Toppers to One-Hit Wonders: The Rise and Fall of Hootie, Fine Young Cannibals & More
Remember when a particular band came out of nowhere and dominated radio and MTV with a big album and a bunch of hit songs, and it looked like the start of a…
- Professor of Rock
How Dr. Hook Scored 8 Hits Then Vanished from the Charts
Today, it's the story of a band that made rock history by literally singing their way onto the cover of Rolling Stone. This ragtag bunch of musical misfits…
- Professor of Rock
Legendary Music Improv Stories: From Ella Fitzgerald to Blur’s “Song 2”
COMING UP…We’ve done two of these, and you loved them and asked for more. The great IMPROV Moments in music, and the 3rd time might be the best. These are some…
- Professor of Rock
Inside Hotel California: 3 Recuts and an ICONIC Guitar Battle
Coming up next, I must have a death wish to keep covering this band but I have the final part of my interview with one of greatest producers of the 70s and…
- Professor of Rock
FROM THE VAULT: How Dave Grohl’s Heartbreak Inspired Foo Fighters’ "Everlong"
Today, it's the defining track of a big-budget, no holds barred rock opus. But writing this signature song would be a harrowing experience for this band’s…
- Professor of Rock
Behind the Music of the Carpenters: The Hits, The Drama, and the Song Karen Carpenter REFUSED to Perform.
Today, we’re covering a truly special group, the Carpenters. This brother-sister pair ruled the 70s and early 80s with 10 Top 5 hits, 18 that made the Top 20…
- Professor of Rock
FROM THE VAULT: The Lost Led Zeppelin Song That Could Have Been Their Greatest Anthem
Today we’re talking lost songs, underrated classics, and B-sides that should have been A-sides… all coming from the rock’s mightiest band Led Zeppelin… It’s a…
- Professor of Rock
Top 10 Songs from a Legendary Year: Bowie vs. Sweet, Elton’s Hidden Hit, and Zeppelin’s Challenge
Coming up, we're counting down the Top 10 songs from one of the greatest years in music history… including the story of David Bowie and Sweet who released…
- Professor of Rock
How “Signs” Became a ’70s Rock Classic: Interview with Five Man Electrical Band
Coming up an interview with a band that you’ve probably forgotten or don’t remember, but I guarantee that you know the opening line of their most famous song…
- Professor of Rock
Top 5 Greatest Album Covers of the ’80s—With the Wildest Backstories
Coming up… We have a spectacular show for you. It’s become a lost art. But for those who grew up and came of age in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, the album cover was…
- Professor of Rock
Disco, Drama, and a Smash Hit: Desmond Child Tells All About Kiss’s Bold Reinvention
Up next, we have one of the most prolific rock writers, Desmond Child, to tell the story of the biggest songs by one of rock’s most legendary bands, I Was Made…
- Professor of Rock
FROM THE VAULT: The 80s Classic 'Come On Eileen': Controversy, Claims of Theft, and an Unwilling Star
Where do I even start with this POR classic? Over 50 musicians came in and out of this one-hit wonder band in its time... Dexys Midnight Runners. And its…
- Professor of Rock
Rock’s Greatest Letdowns: The Stories Behind the Albums That Broke Fans’ Hearts
Sadly, it’s now a lost art, but we've all been there. That moment when your favorite band announced their new album and you could practically feel the…
- Professor of Rock
FROM THE VAULT: How Yes Revived Their Career with "Owner of a Lonely Heart"—A Song Written in the Bathroom
Coming up, it’s the remarkable story of a #1 rock song from 1984 that was written on the porcelain throne. ya the Yes #1 classic rock standard, Owner of a…
- Professor of Rock
How a Made Up Word Became a Rock Classic: 1983’s Musical Mysteries
Today we're going “Casey Kasem style,” counting down ten stone-cold classics from 1983. It’s our weekly Saturday Morning countdown where we feature songs from…
- Professor of Rock
Rita Coolidge Claims “Layla” Was Stolen—Her Untold Side of Rock History
Coming up next the story of one of the greatest, most epic rock songs in history: Layla. It has so many subplots, it’s a shock that it hasn’t been made into a…
- Professor of Rock
90 Million Records and Never Toured! The Top 10 Most Unconventional Musical Feats
Next we’re sharing the greatest underdog stories in music history. In our countdown of the strangest feats in music. including athen the incredible the…
- Professor of Rock
Sebastian Bach on the Iconic Note That Made “I Remember You” a #1 Hit
Coming up next, the iconic singer of the #1 rock band in the world tapped his buddy Sebastian Bach and Skid Row to open for him on their world tour in 1989…
- Professor of Rock
How John Frusciante Saved “Californication” and Reclaimed His RHCP Legacy
The Red Hot Chili Peppers broke through with their massive album Blood Sugar Sex Magik, and it made them one of the biggest rock bands of the time… but then…
- Professor of Rock
Rock’s Greatest What-Ifs: AI Explores Unreal Rock Scenarios and Alternate Realities
Today, we’re leaning into a two-word question that every rock fan has asked about their favorite bands… “What if?” What if The Beatles hadn’t broken up? Or The…
- Professor of Rock
FROM THE VAULT: Wang Chung on Turning Down Michael Jackson to Record Dance Hall Days
Coming up next… an incredible story from the POR vault with the two masterminds behind one of the most recognizable synth-pop songs of the '80s Jack Hues and…
- Professor of Rock
Catchiest 70s Jingles...Including One the CIA Used for Interrogation
Alright, we’re going all in on the shortest songs that have left the longest impressions. Tracks that you just can’t get out of your head and never will…
- Professor of Rock
#1 Band & Their Music Ruled the 70's, BUT Now The Genre's Been ERASED From Society
Coming up, a fabled rock and roll story that is hard to believe. Today’s band had the promise and grit to become one of the greatest bands ever, with a…
- Professor of Rock
Fleetwood Mac, Mötley Crüe, and Rock’s Most Controversial Lyrics
Coming up, we’re traveling down a hazardous road of rock history with the stories of some of the most controversial songs ever. it’s our latest edition of…
- Professor of Rock
He Claims the Eagles Copied His Hit... And His Clapback Is Rock ‘n’ Roll Genius
Coming up, one of my favorite interviews with a legendary member of what I believe is the greatest hard rock band ever. He shares the story of the wildest…
- Professor of Rock
Legend QUIT HEDONISTIC Band to PLAY GUITAR for GOD & Created His MAGNUM OPUS!
Coming up an amazing story of true musical genius. Today’s Legend was a young rookie at the top of his game as the new guitar genius stepping forward to play…
- Professor of Rock
Rock’s Most Iconic Concerts: Prince at the Super Bowl, Pink Floyd Reunited & More
Today, we’re counting down seven landmark performances that, for one day, turned stadiums into sanctuaries. Starting in the neon decade, we’ll revisit a Pink…
- Professor of Rock
FROM THE VAULT: How Cream’s "Sunshine of Your Love" Overcame Doubters to Become a Rock Classic
They were likely Rock’s first supergroup and it all started when these virtuosos who went by the name of CREAM starring Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger…
- Professor of Rock
1978’s Hidden Rock Classics: Queen, Journey, The Cars & Devo
Coming up we’re counting down the Top 10 songs from an unbelievable year. Some of the biggest rock songs ever, but they were never actually hits, and truly…
- Professor of Rock
How Foo Fighters Scrapped a $1M Album to Create “Times Like These”
The Foo Fighters spent over a million dollars on their hyped new album, but they had to throw it away to write their opus: Times Like These. Coming up, they…
- Professor of Rock
Almost #1: The Iconic Female Hits of the ’70s That Deserved More
Coming up, we’re going to have fun with the stories of songs that were denied the coveted position of reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, settling for #2. I…
- Professor of Rock
FROM THE VAULT: The 70s Rock Anthem That Became the Most Requested Song of All Time!
It began with a simple remark during a lover’s quarrel—and became one of the most iconic anthems in rock history. Ronnie Van Zant didn’t think much of it at…
- Professor of Rock
From Road Noise to Rock Radio: The Unbelievable Birth of a Classic Track
Coming up an interview with a legend about a song that came into his head from the sound of his tires rolling over a bridge. He was on his way to record with…
- Professor of Rock
I ASKED Icon about EAGLES Singer STEALING his Band's HIT…His RESPONSE is GENIUS
Today, we are going back to the 80s for a countdown you are gonna love. See if you can guess the year. Raiders of the Lost Ark ruled the box office, and Donkey…
- Professor of Rock
FROM THE VAULT: How Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” Became a #1 Hit Decades Later Thanks to Stranger Things
FROM THE VAULT: Metallica’s 1986 masterpiece “Master of Puppets” wasn’t a chart-topper when it was first released, but it became the band’s defining anthem—a…
- Professor of Rock
The Best of the Rest: 8 Classic TV Themes We Missed the First Time
Today, it’s the best of the rest. Not too long ago, we began counting down the top television theme songs from the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. And you guys loved…
- Professor of Rock
Queen’s “Killer Queen”: The Song That Finally Made Them Famous
Coming up, Queen's classic rock standard Killer Queen, a song that will certainly rearrange your mind, or most likely it already has. But here’s the thing…
- Professor of Rock
When Rock Legends Messed Up and Made History — 7 Iconic Mistakes Turned Hits
Coming up… We’ve covered the Greatest IMPROV songs that became Magic. Well, today we're doing a sister series… We're counting down the Top 7 Mistakes That…
- Professor of Rock
How JD Souther Helped Create the Eagles’ Smash “Heartache Tonight”
We lost legendary singer-songwriter JD Souther a while back, and it didn’t make the news. It was extremely frustrating because he wrote some of the biggest…
- Professor of Rock
How Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo's 'We Belong'" ROCKED 1984
Today, we have a special episode about Pat Benatar's We Belong that has always been a favorite. One of the catchiest songs of the 80s. If you don’t feel great…
- Professor of Rock
Top 10 One-Hit Wonder Solo Acts from Famous Bands
Coming up, we’re cracking open a special edition of Bottled Lightning — and we’ve never done anything quite like this before. We’re counting down the Top 10…
- Professor of Rock
10 Rock Classics from 1976 That Never Hit the Top 40
Coming up, we’re diving into ten unforgettable rock classics from 1976 that never cracked the Hot 100’s Top 40 — songs you know by heart, but were never “hit…
- Professor of Rock
How Loss and Heartbreak Shaped The Pretenders’ ’80s Classic “Back on the Chain Gang”
Coming up next today's Chrissie Hynde went through the most trying time of her life. One day, she had to fire bassist Pete Farndon, one of the co-founders of…
- Professor of Rock
Tiny Tim’s Onstage Death and Other Shocking Stories of Rock’s Worst Acts
Coming up, we tell the incredible, outrageous stories of 5 acts that were LEGENDARY for being downright awful, and yet they managed to become cult heroes. Some…
- Professor of Rock
How “Bad to the Bone” Became a Pop Culture Anthem Without Hitting the Charts
Coming up… Bad to the Bone, it may be the most recognizable guitar riff ever. George Thorogood, the famous guitarist who wrote it, is with us today. He…
- Professor of Rock
Chicago’s “Hard Habit to Break”: Bill Champlin on the Joke That Made a Classic
Coming up next, the story of a perfect pop song, Chicago's Hard Habit to Break... In fact, it may be the 80s' greatest pocket symphony that hearkens back to…
- Professor of Rock
Bon Jovi’s Anthem That Almost Got Away: The True Story of “Livin’ on a Prayer”
Coming up next, the story of one of the three most played rock songs in history: Bon Jovi's Livin' On A Prayer. It was a #1 smash in the 80s, and Jon Bon Jovi…
- Professor of Rock
Countdown: The 10 Most Iconic Rock Albums from Rock’s Greatest Year
Coming up… we’re taking a trip back to the year rock hit overdrive, and counting down 10 albums that made it a gold standard year in music history. Man, there…
- Professor of Rock
FROM THE VAULT: How Creedence Clearwater Revival Dominated Then Disappeared: The Story of "Have You Ever Seen the Rain"
Sibling rivalry, band-member infighting, and an ongoing wrestle for creative control all led to the break up of today’s featured band. Creedence Clearwater…
- Professor of Rock
Songs You Know, Stories You Don’t: The Wild Truth Behind 4 Classic Hits
Coming up…Some massive hits with unbelievable stories, including the story of Elvis, who had to record a cheesy middle section in “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”…
- Professor of Rock
Hold Me Now: How a Breakup Sparked the Thompson Twins’ Most Iconic Song
The Thompson Twins, an up-and-coming band, were trying to finish their second album and needed one more song to fill it out. They had a tight deadline and were…
- Professor of Rock
How an ’80s Candy Jingle Accidentally Became a Cultural Phenomenon
Get ready for a good one. Today, we’re telling the wildest stories behind the television tunes that ruled the 80s. The ones that played in between your…
- Professor of Rock
How the Grateful Dead Became Rock's Biggest Live Act with Only One Hit
Coming up they may have the most passionate and famous following in rock and roll history along with one of the greatest frontmen whose guitar playing is…
- Professor of Rock
Revisiting the Top 10 of 1983: Def Leppard, The Police, Bonnie Tyler & More
Coming up, it’s the latest edition of our Series, The Hit Song Redux. We haven’t done one of these in a while! It’s the show where we go behind the Top 10…