Professor of Rock

Coming up next, a star-studded event with a diverse group of legends telling the story behind one of the Biggest movie soundtracks of the 80s. Footloose. It was one of only 5 albums to hit #1 the year it came out. A record that still stands and as a soundtrack it had 6 top 40 hits Footloose by Kenny Loggins, Let’s Hear it For the Boy by Deniece Williams, Almost Paradise by Mike Reno of Loverboy and Ann Wilson of Heart who we have interviews with to tell the story. The other hits were Dancing in the Sheets by Shalamar, Holding Out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler and Heaven Helps the Man by Kenny Loggins, 3 of these songs hit the top 10 and 2 went all the way to #1. And the screenwriter, Dean Pitchford had a hand in all of them! There are so many great stories hear. There’s the top 10 duet that almost didn’t happen because one singer broke her hand. She had to sing without pain pills and first met her duet partner when they sang the first take which became the record! And then 2 of the #1 hit were pitted against each other for an Oscar. Find out who, plus an appearance by Kevin Bacon!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, another great song mystery. It’s a famous song everyone knows: House of the Rising Sun. But Nobody really knows who wrote it or what it’s specifically about. Today we have a special guest to help us solve it, The Animals Eric Burdon. It was either about a hooker or a prisoner. It’s centuries old but became a #1 hit when the lead singer of today’s Hall of Fame band covered it and may have invented a whole new genre with it. They were also the first British invasion band to wrestle #1 away from the Beatles who had dominated the top spot week after week and in the end, this singer didn’t really get paid for this song since he wasn’t listed as an arranger on the song. Also, other hilarious stories from this legend on several other classic hits from this band is next on 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.

Today, we're diving into one of the most turbulent, passionate, and creatively explosive sagas in rock history. This British-American supergroup, Fleetwood Mac, turned their personal disasters into platinum records. But somehow, through all the substance abuse and betrayal, they channeled their misery into one of the most epic rock careers ever. For this episode, we’ve got the story of two songs that were written by ex-lovers to be sonic weapons: Go Your Own Way and Dreams, each calling out the other in front of millions until the end of time. And the crazy thing is, they had to perform these songs together night after night, smiling for the cameras while secretly seething. Then there’s the story of the deeply personal song Sara that clocked in at 15 minutes with 16 verses. It told the entire story of the band, but there was no way it was ever getting onto the album or the radio. So the songwriter Stevie Nicks kept chopping down until it barely resembled what it was supposed to be. And yet, it is still an all-time classic. It’s the Evolution of Fleetwood Mac told through their greatest songs and stories that have never been told till today… 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.

In this edition of 70s Hidden Gems, we dangerously hover over some gory pulp fiction with Bloodrock’s freaky D.O.A, We drift down the sea of heartbreak with Ian Gomm’s Hold On….and come together for a union of humanity with Livingston Taylor “I Will Be In Love With You" (James Taylor’s brother) and Lindisfarne with Run For Home and Robert Palmer’s Every Kind of People. This is A showcase of 5 diverse 70s Hidden Gems that you’re going to love to re discover , including commentary from artists up, NEXT on Professor of RockSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, some of the greatest songs of the 70s have one thing in common. Even though they are classics and you hear all the time on classic rock radio, they were never hits. Some struggled and did not make the Top 40 on the Billboard chart, and some were not even released as singles. We'll share the story of legendary singer Carole King who had 24 hits before the age of 20, but when she went solo, naysayers said her voice was too weak to make an impact… she answered with the best-selling solo album of the decade. Then there was the song Rock and Roll that Led Zeppelin was struggling to record, so they just started jamming on the spot, and by accident, that jam became the greatest encore song in rock history. Plus, the song Can’t You Hear Me Knocking that the Rolling Stones played as a warm-up, but the warm-up was so great that, unbeknownst to them, the tape was rolling, and it became one of the greatest songs of the time. Plus, John Lennon's How Do You Sleep, a track that energized a feud between the most prolific writing duo of all time, and a teenage fiddle player who snuck into one of the most famous sessions in rock history and played a part randomly that would go down in history. Let’s do this.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On March 1st, 1973, Pink Floyd released The Dark Side of the Moon — an album that redefined what rock music could be.In this episode, we revisit the making of this landmark record with legendary engineer Alan Parsons, who shares firsthand stories from inside Abbey Road Studios. From the heartbeat that opens the album to classics like “Time,” “Money,” and “The Great Gig in the Sky,” discover how bold experimentation and visionary production helped create one of the most influential albums of all time.On its anniversary, we celebrate the masterpiece that changed music forever.Only on 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.

Oh man, this one is going to be something else. Today we're counting down 6 songs that became pop culture punchlines… These tracks that got mocked, misunderstood, and in some cases, flat-out destroyed. I’m talking about one musical legend, Isaac Hayes, whose biggest song, the Theme from Shaft, was parodied in pop culture more times than you can count, including by the Cookie Monster. But if that wasn’t enough, he also completely rewrote that song so he could collaborate with Mr. Potato Head to sell French Fries. Then there’s was the hard rock frontman Jani Lane, who was excited to release his band Warrant's sophomore album that would show his more serious side and poetic lyrics, but the head of the label wanted a hit song so this Jani wrote Cherry Pie, the dumbest song he could think of, on a pizza box in 15 minutes as a big joke. The only problem is the CEO loved it, and it became a massive hit. It got so bad that Jani went on record saying he’d rather be dead than be known for that song. On top of that, we’ve got Rod Stewart disco disasters, some seriously cringeworthy musical performances by Corey Feldman, and the 13-year-old Rebecca Black, who wrote the viral song Friday that was universally cited as the worst thing to ever happen to music. Let's go.Go to this exclusive web address to try ZipRecruiter FOR FREE: https://www.ziprecruiter.com/rockSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We've had a tough couple of weeks in the music world, with the recent passing of an incredible 80s songwriter, Billy Steinberg. He penned five number one 80s songs for some of the era's biggest female artists, making him a true legend in songwriting. Dive into this episode of the music podcast to remember his famous songs and the impact of 80s music. Songwriters Hall of Famer Billy Steinberg, wrote 5 Number one hits in the 80s for some of the greatest female singers of the era, including Alone By Heart, True Colors for Cyndi Lauper, So Emotional for Whitney Houston, Eternal Flame for The Bangles, and like a Virgin for Madonna…Plus other big Hits for Divinyls, the Pretenders, and Linda Ronstadt. He was hit making machine and one of the good guys of music. I was so grateful I got a chance to interview him and get to know him and we’ve exchanged messages over and remained in touch over the years since that interview. Up next, an interview with Billy about his big hits, including a great story of meeting and writing a song for his hero Roy Orbison, and his interactions with other great singers who interpreted his songs, including his infamous exchange with Madonna. God Bless him, may he rest in peace…His songs will live forever… here’s the interview. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It was one of the biggest breakups in rock history. After creating a catalog of desert island albums, Pink Floyd was torn apart by bitter feuding, behind-the-scenes schemes, and as one band member described it, “borderline megalomania.” Sadly, the inability of its two principal members Roger Waters and David Gilmour to put their differences aside made it impossible to continue. Roger Waters said that Pink Floyd was all him and tried to dissolve the band to go solo… David Gilmour and Nick Mason kept the outfit going while Waters scoffed that they couldn’t survive without him.. they answered with the 1987 record a Momentary Lapse of Reason that returned them to #1 on the rock charts with Learning to Fly and On the Turning Away. The story of the battle of Pink Floyd.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We did the 80s, but after thousands of requests for the 60s and 70s… we are counting down the top cartoon themes of those decades… And there are some spectacular stories to tell here. Like how The Flintstones started out as a prime time show with the main animated characters selling cigarettes during the commercials and even smoking them!. Then there is the famous voice actor who fell into a coma after a head-on collision… But then his doctors began talking to him as if he were a cartoon character. And he came back to life! Find out which character brought him back from death’s door. Then there’s Super Friends, the cartoon that was not allowed to animate any violence. They weren’t even allowed to throw a punch. So they had to find very creative ways to bring the villains to justice. Then there’s the Archies song Sugar Sugar that was the biggest Hit song of the year. Topping the Beatles and the stones but the singer Ron Dante behind it had to keep his identity a secret for decades…. Let’s Count ‘em down!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Here we are… more than twenty-six years into the 21st century, and you can really feel how much has changed since the start of the 2000s. Pop culture has evolved in big ways. When you rewatch a movie or TV show from one of your favorite decades, the outfits and the way people spoke have that distinctive sound & look that perfectly reflect that era. Songs can be like that. Songs from that favorite period can sound dated, like the year they were released, not timeless in a production sense, yet they take us right back to those precious moments in our lives that are memories we treasure. It used to be a slight when one would say that a song sounds dated but now it’s a compliment because they captured a snapshot in time including Wang Chung's Everybody Have Fun Tonight that had a chorus that was improvised as a joke but that joke became a major catchphrase of the 80s, plus the happy go lucky Novelty song by Timbuk 3 that had a more sinister meaning… this one hit wonder band was offered millions by advertisers to license it, but they wanted to stay true to its message so they turned it down, plus Rock Me Amadeus that was the first All German sung song to hit #1 on the charts. 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.

So today we’re coming back to a show that we did a little while back that you all absolutely loved. It was one of our most popular episodes of 2025… the funniest “non-parody” songs of the Rock Era. Well, we’re back for round two, and these tracks don’t pull any punches. And some of these are really ridiculous. Included in the ranks is one rock’s most famous “teen crush" anthems, Stacy's Mom, a Mrs. Robinson for the 90s, but while everyone thought it was inspired by a crush on his friend's mom, it was actually a crush on his friends Grandma! There’s also the country-fried tune by Primus that’s title is a double entendre about a beaver, and it really pissed off a Hollywood actress, Winona Ryder, who thought it was about her. Find out how it ended. Plus, we’ve got the rock track Popular by Nada Surf with a hard-hitting chorus whose lyrics plagiarized a 1964 etiquette manual about how to become a popular teenage girl, as well as Chuck Berry's My Ding-a-Ling, the dirty joke that was hidden inside of a Nursery rhyme that offended every parent in America when it hit #1… This episode’s got laughs, it’s got weirdness, and it’s gonna be a lot of fun. Let’s get started.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up. Let’s dive into the bizarre and sensational era of the Satanic Panic, a time when songs were accused of harboring "evil" hidden messages, and bands faced relentless scrutiny as alleged corruptors of society. While heavy metal bands were the primary targets, even the likes of today’s squeaky clean band ELO, the Electric Light Orchestra, found themselves entangled in the fanatical crusade. Today we break down the hidden messages in ELO’s music including the doubled sided hit Sweet Talkin’ Woman and Fire On High.. We unravel the stories behind these cryptic songs, their secret messages, and the mysterious woman who cast her spell on an unsuspecting rock star named Jeff Lynne and how Fire On High might must be the most bizarre and creepy B side of the entire 70s…. NEXT on 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.

Let's reach into the vault for this classic from 2021. The brothers Hawkins from the Darkness tell the story behind their evolution in music including getting inspired by Queen as well as the story behind their Rock smash I Believe in a Thing Called Love one of the last great hard rock classic. A truly hilarious take from Justin and Dan Hawkins.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It Only HIT #105...But 40 Years Later It's CLEARLY the BEST SONG of 1987! | Professor of RockComing up, we are covering one of the years that’s consistently called one of the 4 or 5 best years in rock history. In fact, it was so good there were dozens of incredible songs that missed the charts that were far better than any of the biggest hits of the last 15 years! It was a year full of major label gambles, such as one ballsy decision that nearly ruined one of the most anticipated albums of the Rock Era, Def Leppard's Hysteria. When the label released a disastrous lead off single Women that tanked the record and took a miracle to course correct. But decades later, that song is better than you remember. Then there’s one of the catchiest songs of the decade Lips Like Sugar that the lead singer Ian McCulloch felt was below average at best, but it took the underground band to American radio. And an infamous rock song Rocket Queen by Guns N Roses that included the real, unedited sounds of a sexual act that took place right in the middle of the recording session, and it was nearly banned from being put in stores… and last but not least, the biggest waste of a hit song in history, The Replacements CAn't Hardly Wait. It’s a song that was so catchy and cool, it’s actually a tragedy it wasn’t a hit… 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.

The Love songs we love to hate and hate to love... Music at it's best...Including Billy Joel, Peter Gabriel, Journey, and some guilty pleasures like Nickelback, Bryan Adams and Color Me Bad. it’s an episode that may raise a few eyebrows. In honor of Valentine’s Day, I’m counting down the Top 10 love songs you shouldn’t be ashamed to love, or maybe we should say it’s a countdown of the songs we hate to love… I’m not going to be too cool for school for this one. You can call them guilty pleasures or whatever you want, but the stories behind these songs are great, including the story behind one of the most iconic music scenes in 80s cinema. It almost never happened because lead actor John Cusack was furious that he might come off looking like a wuss. And he was so annoyed doing the scene, the director thought they wouldn’t be able to use any of the takes. But the pissed-off look in his eyes actually made the scene pop culture gold. Then there’s the group Color Me Badd that released a massive bilingual hit I Adore Mi Amore, despite the fact that not a single member actually spoke Spanish. So they were coached phonetically, word by word in the studio on how to sing the song. Then they had to frantically learn the language on tour so they wouldn't be exposed as frauds. And we’ve got the power ballad Far away from the most hated band in the world, Nickelback, that's actually... a lot better than you remember … Forget the internet mob, these songs are worth it... Let’s go.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next a special tribute to a rockstar we lost recently in an interview I did with him that I’ve never shared on here. Brad Arnold of Three Doors Down passed away on February 7th 2026, after battling stage 4 cancer that had spread to his lungs for nearly a year. He was 47. He battled this horrible disease with Optimism to the very end. His last message to fans was on Christmas when he shared a photo with his wife and dog kneeling down in front of a small tree. He said, “Merry Christmas, everybody. “I can’t tell you how thankful I am to be here!” I was grateful to get to know him when I interviewed him several years ago… I’ve shared a part of that interview about their Number one rock hit kryptonite but I’ve never shared the rest of the interview. and I gotta warn you… This one will hit you in the heart. What he says throughout the interview is deeply poignant and life-affirming. He was a man of faith, and he was one of the kindest, most genuine people I’ve ever met in this industry. And I was devastated when I heard he’d passed. Cancer sucks. It also just took James Vanderbeek… Today, Brad tells the story of 3 Doors Down’s other big hits Here Without You and Love Me When I’m Gone and Loser and the songs take on a different meaning now. I have to admit, I really didn’t like 3 door down when they came out. I misjudged them, feeling their music was just ok, but then again, I didn’t really give it much attention until I met the band and Brad. After that, I was a fan. Because the band is just a bunch of good guys, and for the haters out there who went into the comments this week and said nasty things about Brad because of who he voted for, can you please show some compassion? A man has passed away…Somebody's husband, somebody’s brother, somebody's son… Let’s pay our respects. So here is the interview… Rest in peace, Brad. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's a music marathon. We’re shining a light on some of the most underrated songs from female artists… It’s the latest edition of Female Hidden Gems. But behind these beautiful melodies lie some of the wildest and most twisted stories in rock. Seriously. We've got the haunting duet where the female vocalist Hope Sandoval sang a love song with one brother while secretly dating the other. Then there's the soulful singer Duffy whose breakout hit Mercy became eerily prophetic after she was kidnapped and held captive years later. The tragic incident turned the song on its head, but ultimately it became an anthem of empowerment. And we'll also reveal how one of the biggest girl groups of the 80s The Go-Gos recorded their final hit Head Over Heels in a studio combat zone. That story involves physical altercations, thrown bottles, substance abuse and sabotaged instruments. All while the song's lyrics literally documented the band's collapse in real time. Plus Stevie Nicks who canceled her wedding night and honeymoon to record her song Stand Back where she basically ripped off Prince’s new song by basically putting new lyrics over his music… It became a smash… We’ll see what his reaction was on it. Let’s get started.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up an interview with one of the biggest selling bands of the 70s, America, led by Dewey Bunnell, Gerry Beckley, and Dan Peek. Here, the 2 principals, Dewey and Gerry, give us the story of a song that became their third consecutive top 10 hit and a radio staple of the early decade, Ventura Highway. The song conjured up imagery of a wondrous and mystical destination, although the group has taken flak for decades for some of the lyrics… including one about flying alligators? or maybe listeners just heard them wrong? One strange lyric was used by Prince a decade later in a song and a record that would blow up… Purple Rain. But America was the first to use it in a pop song… Maybe Prince was listening! Featuring one of the most creative guitar lines of the time, Ventura Highway is a sonic time machine and will take you back to the carefree 70s in an instant. The interview is next on 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.

Tribute to 3 Doors Down frontman Brad Arnold. who passed away from Cancer. Brad was one of the good guys. In this interview, Brad open up about 3 Doors Down and their Biggest hit Kryptonite which Brad wrote when he was only 15 years old in math class when he was bored... He did it in 5 minutes. Rest in peace BradSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.