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
#1 Hits, Career Risks, and the Coolest Song Ever: The Ultimate 80s Countdown
It was a year of rock and pop magic. Today, we do our final top 10 countdown of the neon decade. It was year that saw Peter Gabriel replace his old band…
- Professor of Rock
From Coneheads to #1: How a Chili Peppers B-Side Became a Rock Classic
I got one for ya. Today's song Soul to Squeeze was cut from the Red Hot Chili Peppers' ground-breaking album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik. It was turned into a…
- Professor of Rock
Evil Anthems & Airplane Bathrooms: The Wild Origins of 80s Movie Themes
Coming up, we’re uncovering the backstories behind the greatest movie themes of the 1980s. Songs that became pop culture history. And some of these backstories…
- Professor of Rock
The Stylistics on Creating the Ultimate Baby-Making Classics of the ’70s
Coming up next, a conversation with The Stylistics, a band that helped carve out an Incredible Musical Movement in the 70s. One that would influence everyone…
- Professor of Rock
The Song Every Label Rejected That Became an 80s Staple
Coming up, the story of the 80s classic that just gets bigger every year, and it almost didn’t get recorded. Today’s singer-songwriter Robbie Dupree moved to…
- Professor of Rock
The Most Underrated Rock Singers (And Why Fans Are Divided)
There’s no shortage of opinions when it comes to the greatest Male rock singer of all time—critics, fans, and forums have debated it endlessly. And while we…
- Professor of Rock
When Rock Reclaimed the Charts: 1978’s Most Unbelievable Stories
Today’s year was something else. Where it was the last hurrah for one Genre… Rock made a huge comeback with songs that have become like old friends. Including…
- Professor of Rock
Dead or Alive’s Wild Ride: From “You Spin Me Round” to Sudden Disappearance
Coming up, the unbelievable story of the quintessential 80s classic that made it into the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest hike to #1... from the…
- Professor of Rock
How Gordon Lightfoot Turned Heartbreak and History Into Rock Classics
Writing songs that felt like letters from a lonely highway or the deck of a sinking ship, Gordon Lightfoot turned heartbreak and history into chart-topping…
- Professor of Rock
The Accidental Genius Behind “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” with Rupert Holmes
Coming up, possibly the most likable person I’ve ever interviewed. Rupert Holmes…He’s Such a great storyteller… Well it’s a special one today as he tells the…
- Professor of Rock
The Forgotten Legacy of Adam Ant: 7 Chart Hits and a Pop Culture Icon
Coming up, the story of the nearly forgotten rockstar Adam Ant… He should be remembered more than he is… He started out destined for the top of the charts… His…
- Professor of Rock
Surprise Hits of the 80s: From Rush to Bowie and Mercury
Up next, we celebrate a magical year in our culture. See if you can guess the year. A wide-eyed alien named E.T. captured our hearts on the big screen, and the…
- Professor of Rock
From Food Stamps to Fame: The Woman Behind Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September”
Coming up next, Earth, Wind & Fire's September, a 70s classic that contained a date that would become the most famous in song history! Many have wondered why…
- Professor of Rock
How a Teen Wrote the MAS*H Theme and Made TV Music History
Before streaming, before binge-watching, and long before the skip-intro button… there was the TV theme song. And in the 1970s, they weren’t just an…
- Professor of Rock
From “I Got You” to MTV: The Story of Split Enz with Neil Finn
Coming up next: one of the greatest singer-songwriters of the '80s and beyond, Neil Finn, tells the story of his first band, Split Enz. They were underground…
- Professor of Rock
Drama, Betrayal, and a Surprise Hit: Inside Fleetwood Mac’s Final Days
Fleetwood Mac was a true supergroup in the ultra-competitive 70s and became the most enduring soap opera in rock history where it seemed like every band member…
- Professor of Rock
The Driving Songs That Made History (and Caused Speeding Tickets)
OK, everybody! It’s time to shift into high gear with the ultimate soundtrack to power your next road trip. On this episode, we’re cranking up the volume and…
- Professor of Rock
The Wild Origins of Bridge Over Troubled Water, All Right Now & More Rock Classics
It was the end of a decade and the beginning of a brand-new era in music. It was the year the Beatles said goodbye, and a new wave of singer-songwriters took…
- Professor of Rock
The Story Behind “Desperado” by the Eagles: A Timeless Classic Born Under Pressure
Desperado was the first song the Eagles actually wrote together and it ended up being the last song they ever played tougher before they broke up. And to think…
- Professor of Rock
Hidden Rock Gems: Morse Code, Lost Drum Tracks, and AC/DC's Secret Lyrics
You know, some of rock’s best tracks just don’t get their due for a lot of different reasons. Maybe they were buried too deep on the album or overshadowed by a…
- Professor of Rock
Mistaken for a Legend: JD Souther’s Surprise #1 Hit
Coming up next…Do you ever need a short rest from some of the most overplayed songs of the 80s? Well, I got your remedy today with 5 classic hidden gems…
- Professor of Rock
No Originals Left: The Hidden Truth About the Little River Band Today
Coming up, a legendary song by The Little River Band that had the same title as several big songs that came out at the same time: Lady. It managed to hit the…
- Professor of Rock
Rock Hall Rage: Paul Rodgers, Joe Cocker, and the Joy Division/New Order Dilemma
Coming up… I’m trying to keep my cool and not throw a chair through the window as I give you my top 6 picks for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 14 are…
- Professor of Rock
Fake Guitar, Real Hits: Bon Jovi, Billy Idol, and the Unforgettable Music of 1987
It was a year of BIG moments—Ronald Reagan challenged Mikhail Gorbachev to “tear down” the Berlin Wall, on Black Monday the stock Market Crashed, and…
- Professor of Rock
The “Simple Man” Story: Skynyrd’s Beloved Anthem That Never Charted
Coming up, Simple Man was a track on one of the greatest debut albums of the rock era, Lynyrd Skynyrd's (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd). And it’s been…
- Professor of Rock
How Human League’s “Human” Reinvented Their Sound and Became a #1 About Mutual Betrayal
Coming up next was Human League, a new wave band that came out of nowhere to rule the charts in 1982 with the #1 hit Don't You Want Me, which kicked off the…
- Professor of Rock
5 Controversial Songs That Sparked OUTRAGE—From Chuck Berry to Matchbox Twenty
Coming up, it’s the latest edition of our Taboo Songs countdown. That’s right today we’re exploring the stories behind five controversial tracks that deeply…
- Professor of Rock
How the Rolling Stones Turned a Failed Reggae Experiment into “Start Me Up”
Coming up, a candidate for the most famous #2 hit of all-time and the song that was almost lost in the vaults: Start Me Up… It was written by the Rolling…
- Professor of Rock
The Anatomy of a Power Ballad: Scorpions, Mötley Crüe, and Nazareth
Coming up, we’re exploring one of the most polarizing yet powerful forces in rock history—the power ballad. Loved by fans, loathed by many artists, and even…
- Professor of Rock
Top 10 Rock Songs from the Year of Star Wars, Blackouts, and Disco Fever
The year we are traveling back to today was a year of seismic pop culture shifts—Jimmy Carter was in the Oval Office, Star Wars took over theaters, and…
- Professor of Rock
Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London”: The Novelty Hit He Hated
Today’s legend Warren Zevon was told by one of the founding fathers of rock, that he should write a novelty song and not just any novelty song. He reasoned it…
- Professor of Rock
The Monkees’ Wild Ride: From TV Band to Rock Legends with “I’m a Believer”
Today’s featured foursome The Monkees was cast as a fictional TV band, hired to sing and paid not to play. They were expected to follow the script, but their…
Professor of RockThe #1 Hit That Was Written in Seconds After Hearing the Music for the First Time
Go to https://geolog.ie/PROFESSOROFROCK70 or scan QR Code on the screen and use code PROFESSOROFROCK70 to get 70% off your custom skincare starter set. Plus…
- Professor of Rock
Christopher Cross: The Yacht Rock Icon Who Dominated 1980 Before MTV Changed Everything
Back when the Grammys actually meant something in the 80s, no single artist had swept the big four awards… Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Album of the…
- Professor of Rock
The 80s TV Theme That Borrowed from Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love” and Got Away with It
Coming up, we’re counting down the Top 10 television theme songs from the 80s... Songs that were at the top of their game back in the day, and still hit you in…
- Professor of Rock
How Tom Petty Turned a Joke Into His Biggest Hit of 1989
Today we go back to a strange year in music that was equal parts wild & unpredictable: 1989. A true transitional year that was stuck between the past and the…
- Professor of Rock
How a Trucker’s Angry Outburst Inspired BTO’s Classic Hit “Let It Ride”
Coming up next, an interview with one of rock’s greatest storytellers… Randy Bachman. Randy has accomplished the rare feat of having a number-one hit with two…
- Professor of Rock
The Surprising Origins of Rock’s Most Sensual Songs, Including “Let’s Get It On”
In this episode, we’re gonna turn up the heat and count down the Top 5 Carnal Songs of all time. These are tracks that pushed boundaries, raised eyebrows, made…
- Professor of Rock
Steven Page on Writing Barenaked Ladies’ If I Had $1,000,000 and Meeting Brian Wilson
Coming up an interview with Steven Page a former member of Barenaked Ladies one of the most interesting bands of the last 35 years. He was a co-writer and…
- Professor of Rock
How John Mellencamp’s Jack and Diane Defied His Label and Became an 80s Classic
Coming up, John Mellencamp, a man who had to change his stage name so many times... to this day some are confused about what to call him and it all started…
- Professor of Rock
5 Epic Songs That Broke the Rules and Became Huge Hits – Even at 7+ Minutes Long
Back in the day if your song wasn’t under 4 minutes, it wouldn’t get played. In fact, if it was over 3 and half minutes it was a gamble. coming up next we are…
- Professor of Rock
The Biggest Hits of 1979 – From Disco Jokes to Rock Classics and Forgotten Legends
Coming up, we travel back to 1979, a year packed with iconic moments in music! From a Disco song that Blondie wrote as a joke that pissed off their fans when…
- Professor of Rock
How Whitesnake’s Here I Go Again Went from Failure to 80s Rock Anthem
Coming up next. An insane 80s rock story about everything but the kitchen sink. It is the story of Here I Go Again, a song that today’s sensational rock singer…
- Professor of Rock
5 Unexpected Songs That Became Massive Money Makers – The Stories Behind the Hits
Some songs were always destined to make millions, usually through chart dominance and endless airplay. But sometimes, the biggest paydays come from the most…
- Professor of Rock
How Jefferson Starship’s Jane Transformed Their Sound – Was It Inspired by Toto?
Up next, the hippie band Jefferson Airplane revolutionized 60s rock with a rebellious psychedelic spirit, but after a split, they changed when the decade…
- Professor of Rock
Smokey Robinson on The Tears of a Clown – A Forgotten Song That Became a #1 Hit
Coming up next, an interview with an all-time legend who had 36 hits with his group and his solo career but only one of those songs hit #1 and it’s insane how…
- Professor of Rock
How a Misheard Lyric Inspired Stevie Nicks’ Edge of Seventeen – A Rock Anthem
Standing at the crossroads of her career, Stevie Nicks decided to walk away from one of the biggest bands on the planet which had just had 2 massive albums…
- Professor of Rock
How Johnny Cash’s Cover of Hurt Won Over Trent Reznor and Redefined the Song
A cautionary tale is more than just a story—it’s a warning wrapped in a lesson. Today's songs spotlight the consequences of risky choices, showing exactly what…
- Professor of Rock
Revisiting the Top 10 Songs of 1969 – The Year’s Biggest Hits and Their Untold Stories
I gotta say this is one for the record books… One of the greatest collections of songs we’ve ever had on this show. Coming up I’m counting down the top 10…
- Professor of Rock
Why Pat Benatar Stopped Performing Hit Me with Your Best Shot – The Untold Story
Coming up next it’s one of the biggest songs in rock history: Hit Me With You Best Shot. Everybody knows it. It’s played at stadiums and arenas the world…
- Professor of Rock
The 5 Greatest Debut Albums of the 70s – How They Changed Rock Forever
Coming up, we’re counting down the five best debut albums of the 70s. These are records that reshaped the sound of that glorious decade. Each one is a…
- Professor of Rock
Graham Nash on Teach Your Children – The Most Personal Story I’ve Ever Told
I’m going to do something a little different today. No teaser, no regular intro just a brief explanation of a very special episode of Professor of Rock… Do you…
- Professor of Rock
Eddie Money on Two Tickets to Paradise & Take Me Home Tonight – One of His Final Interviews
Coming up, one of the funniest interviews I’ve been involved with and it’s one of the last full-length interviews this famous rocker ever gave and it’s…
- Professor of Rock
Billy Ocean’s Run of 80s Hits – Why He Dominated Then Disappeared
Just call him smooth… The familiar voice of Billy Ocean took the 80s by storm with 8 Top 10 hits in just a few years, including three #1s and two #2s. And you…
- Professor of Rock
The Top 10 Songs of 1981 – The Wild Stories Behind the Year’s Biggest Hits
1981 was a wild ride for music, bursting with fresh sounds and unexpected hits. Some of the year's best songs came together through Mistakes, mysterious women…
- Professor of Rock
Huey Lewis on I Want a New Drug, Ghostbusters, and the Biggest Music Lawsuit of the 80s
Huey Lewis and the News came out of nowhere in the eighties to take over radio… fact is Huey paid his dues for almost a decade and had a failed band and record…
- Professor of Rock
The 5 Greatest Bass Lines in Rock History – The Stories Behind the Legends
Bass players don’t always get the credit they deserve when it comes to hit songs. A lot of it comes down to their role—laying down the foundation of the track…
- Professor of Rock
Firefall’s Rise and Mysterious Disappearance – Rick Roberts on Their 70s Soft Rock Classics
Coming up, a band that took over radio with 6 hits in the late 70s. Soft rock kings…Firefall. They ruled radio with You Are the Woman and Just Remember I Love…
- Professor of Rock
How Jimi Jamison Saved Survivor – The Story Behind The Search Is Over
Today’s band Survivor was flying high in the early 80s they’d just scored their first #1 hit Eye of the Tiger. In fact, it was one of the biggest hits of the…