Professor of Rock

Up next, Nuno Bettencourt, who may have taken over as the GOAT of all guitarists, tells the story of Extreme's biggest hit, More Than Words… Nuno and Extreme were hard rock and could outplay just about anyone in their day, but it was a heartfelt ballad that took them to the top of the charts. It’s the story of a song the label didn’t want to release, and this guitar hero nearly quit the band in protest! More Than Words sounded more like a singer-songwriter classic than a hard rock showstopper and didn’t sound like anything on the radio, but Extreme fought for it. And they were right as it became one of the biggest songs of its time. But it got so big later on the band began to resent it, even refusing to play it on a big tour with Aerosmith until Steven Tyler wrote them a scathing message that forced them to add it back into their set. It’s the story of a classic from a guitar legend 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.

Coming up, we’re counting down the most distinctive, unique, one-of-a-kind voices of the rock era: “Female singer edition.” The list includes Alanis Morissette, a Canadian pop princess who burned her past to the ground and turned the ashes into one of rock’s most fearless records. There’s also a rock siren, Dolores O'Riordan, who started out quieter than a mouse. In fact, when she auditioned for a band, 9 guys mocked her appearance until she opened her mouth and blew them to the moon. Then there’s Stevie Nicks, the songstress who wrote the song Gypsy that was in part inspired by her best friend, and she married her friend’s husband! And we’ve also got Mazzy Star's Hope Sandoval, who intentionally sabotaged her entire career because she was getting too famous. Stick around as we pay tribute to the most distinctive female singers and the songs that made them timeless, 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.

On July 8, 1954, Elvis Presley's debut single, “That’s All Right,” was played for the first time on Memphis radio, marking a pivotal moment in his career and the beginning of a musical revolution. Just three years later, in 1957, his hit “(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear” reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts, further cementing his status as the King of Rock 'n' Roll.Enjoy this POR classic from 2022 celebrating the one and only King of Rock 'n' Roll—Elvis Presley.FROM THE VAULT: In the mid-50s, a school-teacher, and a former dishwasher repairman collaborated on writing a song allegedly inspired by the suicide note of a despondent man that was included in an article published by the Miami Herald. It would turn out to be for the King of Rock and Roll Elvis Presley… The song? Heartbreak Hotel. In fact the schoolteacher named Mae Axton vowed to Elvis that she would write his first #1 million seller and she did. Although Presley’s label RCA thought the song was a disaster. They hated it and predicated it would fail. It went to #1 for 7 weeks and was the biggest song of the years. Years later the school teacher who wrote it, would have a song Hoyt Axton who would write a #1 hit for Three Dog Night called Joy to the World making them the only mother and son to do so in history. Over the years the writing of Heartbreak Hotel from a newspaper article has become a mystery. Curiously, there is no evidence of such an incident in the public records of the State of Florida, nor is there any proof of a news article that was published on the alleged suicide by the Miami Herald. It’s the conflicting and mystifying story of the first #1 pop song by the King of Rock ’N Roll…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.

Coming up, we're telling the story of 11 songs that truly defined one of the most pivotal years in the Rock Era, starting with The Beatles, a band so big they controlled the top 5 spots on the charts, a record that no one has ever come close to. Plus, there was the songwriter Wayne Cochran who told an epic and sad story behind what inspired his massive hit Last Kiss that moved everyone who heard it. Then, decades later, everyone found it was a total lie. Then there was the Do Wah Diddy Diddy that the lead singer of Manfred Mann thought was downright silly... with made-up words, he refused to sing it until his manager forced him to, and even then he sang it as a total joke… It became one of the biggest songs ever, and the silly words became part of the pop vernacular. There was The Animals' House of the Rising Sun that has made tens of millions in royalties but remains unpaid because no one knows who the hell wrote the song. Plus, there’s Marvin Gaye who wrote Dancing in the Street, a song he knew was a smash, but he gave it to his secretary Martha Reeves, who made it an all-time smash. Our countdown of the Top 11 Songs of a special year 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.

COMING UP next, the Bee Gees were the biggest band of the 70s with 8 #1 hits in under 4 years… they were everywhere until they weren’t. What a difference a few months make. One month they were on top of the world, a few months later, they couldn’t get radio to play their music. They had to hide out… in fact, in the early 80s, the Bee Gees wrote for other people because their brand was extinct. They disappeared from the charts for 10 years. Then, at the end of the 80s, the Bee Gees made one of the biggest comebacks ever. They had a #1 in the UK a year earlier and then blew up the American charts again with a smash that put them back in the game, You Win Again... and they’ve never looked back. The band that beat astronomical odds to go from hero to zero to hero again. It's the greatest perseverance story in music up 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.

In music, trends come and go, chart-toppers rise and fall—but every once in a while, an artist or a band does something that is completely untouchable. I’m talking about milestones that will never be shattered. For today’s episode, we’re tipping our hat to the Guinness Book of World Records and counting down the Top 10 greatest music records That Will Never Be Broken. From the Elton John that sold a record 33 million copies and was only performed one time… when it was recorded, and Elton it didn’t make a dime off it... to The Dark Side of the Moon that spent almost 20 years on the charts, to The Beatles who had 20 #1 hits in just 6 years, to Frank Sinatra, the only artist to have a hit song in 7 different decades. These are the most awesome feats ever. Get ready to have your mind blown… 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.

There’s No Teaser Today…We have a very special episode of Professor of Rock today covering a legendary singer-songwriter who we lost. To me, it was one of the most devastating losses ever. And it got very little fanfare. There weren’t a bunch of tributes, it wasn’t front page news, it wasn’t covered in the media almost at all. But it should have been. To me, he not only wrote some of the most beloved songs of the 70s and 80s, but he wrote modern standards with the purest tenor voice of his time. Songs like Part of the Plan, Longer, Leader of the Band, Same Old Lang Syne, Run for the Roses, and great album tracks like There’s a Place in the World for a Gambler, and he influenced so many artists that came after. His songs have been like checkpoints of our personal histories; his songs have become our songs and have connected multiple generations, fathers, sons, mothers, and daughters. If you haven’t figured it out today, we are honoring Dan Fogelberg...See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The incredible story of What a Fool Believes. We have interviews with both Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald who both wrote it. It became a huge hit for the Doobie Brothers but divided fans when Michael McDonald took over for an ailing Tom Johnston and it changed the Doobies sound. We also have guitarist Skunk Baxter who brought Michael over from Steely Dan where he sang back up. a great story of a hit that stopped 34 straight weeks of a disco song going to #1.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

So many so-called one-hit wonders have a quirky, unexpected charm—sometimes playful, sometimes totally bizarre, but always endearing. They’re like musical mysteries or fun trivia sparks, making us wonder what could’ve been if the artists had kept it going. We call these songs bottled lightning… Artists that had that one blazing firework that took over the world and we count down the 5 craziest listening in a bottle classics including the rock band Wild Cherry who hated disco but when a fan yelled out a catchy song title, Play that Funky Music in concert they wrote a disco song as a joke and it became a smash… but it became their one and only it when they vanished faster than disco. Then there was the guy M (Robin Scott) who wrote a Pop Muzik to mock a genre and it became a bigger hit than any the songs he was ripping on, plus the band Shocking Blue who sang the wrong lyric in Venus because of a typo on one verse. And then because the singer didn’t speak english accidentally sang a profanity in the next verse... and it became a #1 hit TWICE. But that’s nothing because Tony Burrows was a one-hit wonder with 5 different bands! A great one is 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.

ON THIS DAY in 1967, The Beatles began a 15-week reign at #1 on the US album chart with their iconic album Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.FROM THE VAULT: In 1967, a brilliant concept album was recorded that shattered the boundaries of song arrangement, and forever changed the art of recorded music. The Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Maybe Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr created a concept record about an imaginary band. They were in a race with the Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys to create the greatest record ever.. The last cut on their ground-breaking record A Day in the Life was a mind-altering composition inspired by the death of a notorious socialite, and psychedelia. We raise the curtain on this fantastic voyage across the perils of stone cold realism.. and the fantasy of lysergic imagination….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 are taking the time machine back to a shocking hit from the 70s: School's Out. It was from Alice Cooper, a rock star who defined the words SHOCK and AWE, and caused some real trouble with teachers across America. There are some insane stories behind this one…from CREEPY urban legends like the band getting their name from the ghost of a 16th-century witch, to schools getting shut down for playing this song. Plus, School's Out was so dangerous that the physical record came with a switchblade, a slingshot, and was wrapped in actual underwear! Find out why they banned it and why it became an all-time anthem…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.

You requested it, so here it is. It was the dawn of a new decade with some of the most intriguing music of the rock era, and some of the most interesting stories... including Nothing Compares 2 U, an incredible song that hit #1, and Sinead O'Connor was livid when it did. She was so pissed, she made a blatant decision right then and there to do everything in her power to be a one hit wonder even though she could’ve had dozens of hits. Plus a Song by Depeche Mode that MTV forced a band to edit because it showed a horse's butt during a controversial sound Then there was the Motley Crue icon who died of an overdose and then came back to life and immediately wrote the band’s best song: Kickstart My Heart. Plus, the heart-wrenching song that came when a Supermodel broke up with Billy Joel, an average-looking rocker. But then he wooed another Supermodel right after. Plus, Fly to the Angels, which was written when Mark Slaughter came home from a tour and tried to call his girlfriend and got devastating news… It became a haunting epic. So many classics on our top countdown of a special year next on POR.Head to https://www.acorns.com/early/por or download the Acorns Early app to help your kids grow their money skills today. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up—we’re counting down the songs we’re not supposed to like… Some call them guilty pleasures, others call them bad. Some call them cheese. But when nobody’s looking, most of us sing every word when they come on. I’m gonna get REBUKED FOR THIS but here it goes…One track, To Be With You, is a ballad from a band of shredders that sounds like a camp counselor campfire song that somehow hit #1. Then, there’s the song I Want It That Way, written by a Swedish songwriter who didn’t know English. And it was so confusing that even the band, the Backstreet Boys, didn’t know what it meant. And honestly, neither do WE. Then there’s one of the PMRC’s most wanted, Sugar Walls, an infamous Filthy Fifteen track that gave the phrase “guilty pleasure” a whole new meaning. Plus, there’s a literal boy band Hanson who wrote MMMBop, a song with a chorus so catchy it’s still stuck in our heads 28 years later, and it’s been mocked mercilessly even though it’s 1 of the most emotionally mature songs of the time. They’re all songs we secretly love, but won't admit it… But when no one else is around, all bets are off. It’s the latest edition of our Guilty Pleasures countdown, NEXT on the Professor of Rock.Head to https://www.acorns.com/early/por or download the Acorns Early app to help your kids grow their money skills today. 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, one of the greatest producers of the 70s and '80s, Bill Szymczyk, gives us the lowdown on working with one of the greatest bands of the rock era: Eagles… He got recruited to help the band when their sound was softer and more acoustic, and they wanted to rock, so he helped take them to the next level, where they not only became legends but also one of the biggest bands ever. And this interview is a treat…He tells the stories behind helping craft some of their biggest hits, including the classic Lyin' Eyes that the band wrote after seeing a beautiful young woman with an old fat rich guy, and the great one-liner came from that. Plus, the song this band regrets putting on their album because it was written with an outgoing member of the group and his girlfriend, who happened to be a US President's Daughter. Plus, Take It to the Limit, that was sung by back up singer Randy Meisner, who had immense pressure to hit a certain high note every night after it became a hit, and one revelation you’ll never believe… The biggest-selling album ever took an afternoon to put together. It’s all 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.

Oh man, we got a great one for you next… Brand new interviews and insights on the biggest selling #1 hit of the 80s: We Are the World. And the group USA For Africa was only together for a couple of hours… They put the super in supergroup… The greatest supergroup ever assembled, and I got many of those legends telling the story today. A group that had so many legendary singers, some had to sit out singing lead. So many great stories here, including one about a legendary singer who was supposed to be there but was a no-show, which opened the door for another singer to step up. And then every radio station in AMERICA played the song at the very same time.. The only time that’s ever happened… That’s just the tip of the iceberg… this is one show you don’t want to miss out on. Man, oh man, buckle up for some pure, unadulterated joy and nostalgia 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.

You know, sometimes, songs that become classics aren’t quite what we think they are. Hidden meanings, mistaken lyrics, or misunderstood messages. All of those things. These are tracks that have fooled listeners for decades. We’re going to count down and share the crazy backstories behind the most misunderstood songs of all time… Including Van Halen's feel good party anthem Jump that we all sing, but it was actually inspired by a chilling live news broadcast about a man ready to leap off the roof of a building, then there was the obsessed fan that stalked Sarah McLachlan, sending deranged letters which she used as the basis for one of her biggest songs Possession, only to have the crazy fan sue her claiming his obsessed meanderings inspired the song, find out what happened. And finally, The Beatles wrote the most complicated nursery rhyme ever recorded, Maxwell's Silver Hammer, with a very adult theme that is so creepy it still gives us nightmares…It’s Top 6 Most Misunderstood Songs of the Rock Era 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.

Up next is our final countdown of our top song of each year countdown…We’ve covered every year from the 60s, 70s, and 80s, and we have one left. Can you guess the final year? It was a monumental year, including Janis Joplin, a nervous legend who vomited every take she did while recording a song that out did any male rocker of the time…also the last great song, Sitting on the Dock of the Bay from Otis Redding who died in a plane crash just after releasing his signature tune, as well as a psychedelic classic Pictures of Matchstick Men that wouldn’t have happened if the lead singer liked his mother in law... even a little bit. Then there’s the famous song by The Beatles, Hey Jude, with a secret cuss word that I got in big trouble for even mentioning on my radio show, for fear of getting FINED by the Big boys. As well as the creepiest song of all time, Tiptoe Through the Tulips, sung by the weirdest pop star of all time, Tiny Tim. It’s the countdown of the Top 11 Songs of 1968…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.

FROM THE VAULT: On this day in 2004, The Beastie Boys' album "To The 5 Boroughs" debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200. To celebrate, we’ve got the story of those three mischievous New Yorkers who disavowed one of their biggest songs… Mike D, Ad-Rock, and MCA otherwise known as the Beastie Boys hated (You Gotta Fight) for Your Right (to Party). This breakthrough track became a legendary music video on MTV but for all the wrong reasons. A rebellious party anthem they wrote to make fun of party anthems in general but in the end, it painted the trio as immature frat boys. But the thing is, it was all a big joke… a throwaway track. Their producer however loved it and pushed for its release. After that things got out of hand real quick with the song blowing up on radio and MTV. And yeah, these guys were no angels… but when fans demanded they live up to the song’s raucous lyrics, they turned their backs on the track… and License To Ill in general. It almost broke up the band. Still, fans couldn’t get enough of it. And even today it is one of their most popular songs. It’s an all-out brawl for this band’s identity and a fight you’re not gonna want to miss… 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.

When Led Zeppelin released their debut album, it literally made the entire world shake. Nobody had ever heard a band like this… They took over America, touring nonstop in support of their earth-shattering LP. Their Label begged them to get one album #2 ASAP… Their sophomore record came out just months after their debut. Unheard of in music at that time… But in the hurried pace to get that second album out, the label kept them on the road…they were so slammed they had to record it in 13 different studios all over the world. Out of this second record came a masterful feel-good classic, Ramble On, that was inspired by a classic novel. Ramble On was an instant classic with a scorched earth vocal and blazing guitar and percussion…played on.. well, Nobody is exactly sure what the drummer was playing… We’ll try to solve that today… Ramble On is one of the band's most beloved, but they NEVER actually played it LIVE until they did a one-off concert after they broke up almost 40 years later, and it was the one time! They were so big, they said no to Woodstock. It’s a great one 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.

Alright, we’ve done it three times before, and every time it was a Gas. I’m talking about the greatest television themes countdown. We’ve done the 60s, the 70s, and the 80s. So you know, we gotta dial up the 90s. And this is my favorite yet… You know all these themes by heart. We’ve got the Friends Theme I'll Be There For You that was recorded over a weekend & was only 40 seconds long so a DJ looped it a few times, making it a full song, and it hit #1 on 3 charts and made them 1-hit wonder Mega millionaires. Then there’s Seinfeld's anti-theme song that was made up of a bunch of weird mouth sounds and slap bass, and the songwriter had to play a unique version for every single episode. The show was such a hit that he had to do 200 different versions of the same song. Then there was the classic Law and Order theme that came from the footsteps of 500 monks on a hardwood floor, and the rockstar Danny Elfman who’s made tens of millions for singing three notes of The Simpsons Theme, and the eerie X-Files theme that came from a frustrated composer slamming his elbow on the keyboard. These are some of the stories you'll hear 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.

Coming up next, a very interesting interview that was a little off at first but got better as we went along. It’s about Soul Asylum's Runaway Train, a song that started out as one thing and ended up making a powerful change worldwide. It came out of crippling depression and it took years to finish. Initially, the lyrics were too similar to another #1 Hit from another time, but after pushing through some horrendous trials, one day a metaphor hit singer-songwriter Dave Pirner like a bolt of lightning. An old memory of playing with a toy train, and he wrote Runaway Train we know, in a few minutes. Then the song’s video would have even more impact, helping solve crimes and saving lives. A song that came from Dave's lowest times changed the world in a way he could never have imagined. Get the story 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.

Up next, an interview with Gary Numan about several songs that shook radio in different parts of the world. The first one, Are Friends Electric, was a hit in the UK and it came from an out of tune instrument that was written as a science fiction story about the future one that seemed far fetched in the late 70s but one that is a reality now about android hookers… and back then it sold a million copies then the second song Cars was a hit right in middle of soft rockers like Christopher Cross, and Olivia Newton John and this song could’ve have been more different. It was strange and epic, and it came from an incident of highway anger. Gary Numan cut someone off in traffic and almost got pummeled because of it. It became his only hit in America, even though he had many other brilliant hits. He got so sick of it, he resented it. He began to detest it, and then, years later, another legend made him realize he was being a huge baby, and he was grateful for it. A great interview with a legend is next.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

FROM THE VAULT: The Bee Gees or the brothers Gibb. Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb have sold more than 220 million records over their storied career. In this Bee Gees documentary we celebrate their astonishing run as the most prolific group of the 70s and list their top 5 songs from Lonely Days to Stayin’ Alive, from Jive Talking to How Deep Is Your Love. These are the stories behind their incredible music.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sometimes, taking a bold leap or making a risky move can seem like career suicide—until it isn’t. Coming up, we’ll reveal six incredible stories of artists who faced doubt, backlash, or skepticism, only to turn those moments into their greatest triumphs... including an up and coming singer, Anthony Kiedis, who had written a deeply personal song, Under the Bridge, that he hoped to release as a single. But his label execs wanted to see how it would do in concert. Then night he performed it in front of them he missed is cues and screwed up royalty. What happened next was beyond inspiration and convinced his label to put the song out, and it became his biggest hit… Then there was Kenny Loggins, who got a chance to record on the biggest movie soundtrack of the year, but he fell off a stage and broke several ribs. Kenny had to take pain meds and, in the process, sang the soundtrack songs in the wrong key and was fired from the project. But the firing allowed him to write his biggest hit, Footloose, which became a pop culture phenomenon. Our Countdown of the Top 6 Career Killers that became triumphs 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.

Coming up, a year that was so great we had to reformat our countdown to 12 songs, truly compelling masterworks here... including the song All the Young Dudes by David Bowie, which he knew was a can’t miss smash. But he gave it to his favorite band, Mott the Hoople, who needed a hit or they were done. The song saved their career and became an all-time classic. Then there was the rookie Justin Hayward, who sent the legend Eric Burdon his demo tape, and it was rejected. But then, years later, Eric ended up covering the artist he scorned... As well as the Seals & Crofts feel good classic Summer Breeze with a melody played by a toy the singer found in the studio, that made it sound different than anything on radio… Then there were The Hollies, who were known for crafting pretty pop hits, who decided to rock out, the lead singer did his best John Fogerty impression, and the song Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress became a smash. But then he got sued by the man he mimicked and had to pay him half the royalties. It’s the countdown of the Top 12 Songs of 1972, 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 have a very special episode of Professor of Rock, and I’m going to get right into it. We lost a true musical Genius recently. But Ya know.. I’ve been thinking a lot about it. And GENIUS simply doesn't cover it. For Brian Wilson, there should be a higher word or title for him that could never be bestowed up on anyone else in music history... Only him. In my opinion, He composed the highest vibrations in popular music-period. He was a light in a sometimes very Dismal world, and his music will continue to cut through the darkest times. I’ve mentioned this before, but when I started doing interviews, I made a list of 15 legends I wanted to have a deep conversation with before I left this earth, and at the top of that list was Brian Wilson.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

FROM THE VAULT: The thing about Jon Bon Jovi and his incredible band is the music they've created has always got your back. From "Livin' On A Prayer" and "You Give Love a Bad Name" to "Wanted Dead or Alive" and "It's My Life", their music gives us redemption and faith against all odds. Mostly it's music of hope, which is a powerful thing, especially in the times we live in. As Jon Bon Jovi says "You live for the fight when that's all that you've got". You got to keep the faith.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From rock royalty to wild misfires — today we’re covering the greatest supergroups you’ve never heard of… but won’t forget any time soon. We’re telling the stories of rock legends who almost joined forces but just couldn’t get it together… And others that actually made it to the stage and into the studio. Among them, there’s a soap opera-inspired band (featuring soap star Rick Springfield) that mixed reality television with arena rock, decades before it became a thing. Then there’s the band Hindu Love Gods that came together during a drunken jam session and accidentally cut an album that became a cult classic. We’re also covering two of the biggest icons in music history, the King of Pop and Queen frontman Freddie Mercury. They had a project that was thwarted by llama drama in the recording studio. That’s right — an actual llama derailed this legendary collaboration. Plus, the near-miss Beatles-Stones supergroup that could have become the biggest band of all time. It's next on Professor of Rock.Head to http://acornsearly.com/por to download the Acorns Early app to help your kids grow their money skills today.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, the evolution of one of the most legendary groups ever through their greatest songs…and we have all three principles here to tell the story of their sound and its impact on the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Crosby, Stills, and Nash. SO many great stories here in our Evolution series. Including their first album that blew up radio with harmonies that moved the soul, including the Suite: Judy Blue Eyes about a torrid love affair that’s break up was so painful the singer can’t even say the famous woman’s name and then there was the vinyl cover where the photographer set the band members up in the wrong order while sitting on a couch in front of a house…They were supposed to correspond with the group name that would appear above them on the album.. No big deal, he said, we’ll just go back after the weekend and re-shoot the cover shot. Problem is that when they went back to the house, and couch was gone… over the weekend, it had been demolished! And then there was the guy who bet band member Graham Nash 500 bucks he could write a song in a few minutes… Not only did he win the bet, but the tune Just a Song Before I Go became the famous group’s biggest hit. It’s an all-star episode… 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.

Coming up next is an interview with Kenny Rogers, a legend we lost a few years back… He was voted the greatest singer in the world several times by the people, and today’s song, The Gambler, his most famous one, is a major reason why… It’s a song that everyone knows and loves, even if they won’t admit it. It’s a song that changed the fortune of a computer programmer forever. A tech guy who was working a graveyard shift wrote the song, and in the process, he elevated a middle-aged singer whom the pundits said was done. They said at 40 Kenny was way past his prime, over the hill, they said his career was over, and left him for dead. But The Gambler launched him into superstardom. The song was so good that it became a hit TV movie and a metaphor that’s been used a million times. Up next, the making of a storybook song that grabbed an indelible piece of pop culture… in his own words. 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 honor the life, genius, and lasting legacy of Brian Wilson—co-founder of The Beach Boys, and one of the most visionary minds in rock history. In this special bonus episode of Professor of Rock, we commemorate Brian’s extraordinary contributions to music following the news of his passing.Through exclusive commentary and historical perspective, we remember Brian not only as a musical innovator but as a fragile genius whose art transcended generations.This episode is a heartfelt tribute to the man who gave the world God Only Knows, Don’t Worry Baby, Wouldn’t It Be Nice, and so many more.Rest in harmony, Brian Wilson. Your music lives on.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Some songs were made to push boundaries — stirring up scandal, controversy, and uncomfortable conversations. On today’s episode, we’re featuring songs that did just that… We’re breaking down six songs that either got themselves banned from radio, blacklisted by MTV, or pulled from live shows. The list of taboo tracks includes Olivia Newton-John John who panicked after recording her biggest hit, Physical, and begged her manager to kill it — but it was already racing up the charts. Another musician, Laura Branigan, released a music video for Self Control that played out like Phantom of the Opera meets Eyes Wide Shut. So MTV banned it. But it still went Top 5 on the US charts. We’ve also got Sting, who retired one of his biggest hits to avoid modern-day backlash, and Meat Loaf, who got so sick of explaining what his song meant that he tried to delete it from his catalog. But the fans wouldn’t have it. So, what do you think, did any of these songs go too far? You be the judge, 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.

FROM THE VAULT: An unlikely superstar partnership turned 3 simple chords into the biggest solo hit of a rock icon’s career. The story of the making, and the major label snubbing of the Tom Petty smash Free Fallin that he co-wrote with Electric Light Orchestra principal Jeff Lynne and Mike Cambell from the album Full Moon Fever. We discuss why this Petty classic should’ve been #1 next on Professor of Rock.Brought to you by Gamut Podcast Network. 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, we are taking the time machines back to the Summer of Love, the birth of psychedelia, and the year when music truly became art. With 11 of the greatest songs of that magical time, including a scruffy 16-year-old kid Alex Chilton, who won a high school talent show and got to record a short 2-minute song, The Letter… It ended up hitting #1 and outdoing the Beatles. Then there was the revolutionary song For What It's Worth that came from the rookie band Buffalo Springfield that took us decades to realize was a supergroup who spawned many legendary bands. Then there was RESPECT, a song that was written by Otis Redding from his perspective as a man wanting some appreciation from his woman, but then Aretha Franklin covered it, changing the song’s gender and making it an all time female anthem and then there was the #1 band The Beatles who had 2 prolific writers, Paul McCartney and John Lennon, who each wrote a masterpiece, Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields Forever, and were in competition to see who would’s song would be the hit.. so they released them on the same single. It became the greatest double-sided hit ever. Legendary guests and stories next on the Top 11 Songs of 1967 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.

Coming up next, the fascinating story of the 80s mega-hit Never Gonna Give You Up that topped the charts in at least 25 countries. And it almost never happened. When Rick Astley was searching for his first hit, he got picked up by one of the world's premier production teams. Only instead of letting him record an album, they had him doing chores around the studio… assigning him to make tea for the crew. But when they finally gave Rick a chance, he made the most of it and created a catchy ditty that came from an argument with his girlfriend. But when he showed Never Gonna Give You Up to his famous production team, they absolutely HATED IT and refused to release it. It was only by chance that it started to get airplay. But when it did, it stormed the charts, and nobody even knew who this mystery man was. It led to 3 massive hits and then Rick up and vanished… But then, decades later, today's Never Gonna Give You Up was resurrected and became the mother of all pop culture tracks, it became the biggest prank song in history. 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.

Coming up, we’re moving into the shadows of the '80s to uncover the most chilling, emotionally gripping performances of the decade. They were the songs that ruled the radio dial and haunted our souls with 10 iconic vocal performances from the decade’s best. As we count down the most haunting songs of the 80s, including post-punk icon Siouxie Sioux, who gave her voice to the fall of an entire civilization… Stevie Nicks, who had faced so much pain and drama in her band that a 15-minute, 16-verse epic still couldn’t contain it all… And then there was Aimee Mann who was abducted as a child and after a detective finally rescued her she struggled to speak off and on for years, but it fueled her songs including a haunting 1985 song Voices Carry that became here biggest hit and then one haunting vocal that was the final recording of a beloved legend Karen Carpenter who left us far too soon. It’s the Top 10 Most Haunting Female Vocals of the 80s—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.

Some songs are just BLESSED…seriously, it just seems like certain songs are touched by the hand of God where the miraculous and unexplained happens… Well that’s exactly what today’s song was and still is. Life in a Northern Town.. It was a mind blowing song in 1986 that didn’t sound like anything on radio. And it was meant to be. Today’s singer Nick Laird Clowes tells us how he was mentored by both Paul Simon and David Gilmour of Pink Floyd… In fact, Gilmour produced today’s hit song: Life in a Northern Town. and the real magic happened when they were in the studio and turned down everything in the chorus except for the vocals and they both looked at each other and knew it would be a smash. It would become one of the most nostalgic and haunting songs of the 80s, and even more incredible, he wrote it on his dead hero’s guitar. This interview is mind-blowing and shows the true power of music and why we‘ve lost something in all of the technology and mathematical approach to music. One of the best rock storytellers I’ve ever witnessed.. This interview is a beautiful example of the magical muse that transpires when a song is born and raised in greatness... 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.

Up next.. the story of Juke Box Hero, an all-time classic rock song from both its iconic singer, Lou Gramm, and guitarist Mick Jones, who both wrote it. It's one of the '80s greatest anthems. They each had a great song and pretty much combined it into one with dual experiences… Mick said it came from a fan who stood in the rain for 5 hours to get tickets to their sold-out show. Lou Gramm said it came from his own experience standing outside a sold-out concert hall, and being unable to see Hendrix perform. Many rock singers have called it the most challenging song to perform in history… Most can’t hit the notes, but boy, did Lou do it, even if he had to fight a legendary producer tooth and nail to get it just right. Juke Box Hero became a #1 rock song and sold a million copies twice, 25 years apart! The story is next.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Songwriters have stated many times that you never know where or when a clever lyric is going to strike. It’s also that way for a guitarist. A catchy riff can come at any time and from any place. You’ll hear what I mean when we talk about some of the best solos of the 70s. For instance, Ritchie Blackmoreimprovised a solo to impress a journalist who was doing an exposé while riding on a tour bus; he dared him to do it, and this Ritchie came up with it right there. But was it classical music or rock? Another giant solo busted out when two genius musicians were on the verge of a bitter breakup. And another that came from Lynyrd Skynyrd's bassist… And finally, David Gilmour's extended solo on Comfortably Numb that may not only be the best solo of the 70s, but possibly the greatest solo ever, where a genius was sculpting emotion out of thin air, topping off a historic song that has since become one of the greatest songs in rock history. It’s the countdown of the Top 10 Guitar Solos of the 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.

FROM THE VAULT: When you listen to the modern day standard "Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac, you may not immediately hear the sadness. You may not recognize that it is song about a failing relationship.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

FROM THE VAULT: Hey Music Junkies, the Professor of Rock, always here to celebrate the greatest artists and songs of all time; If you love music, you’ll want to subscribe below and hit the bell so you always get our daily content. You’ll also want to check us out on Patreon as we’ve added a bunch of exclusives and benefits there. Today we're discussing 5 forgotten songs from the 90s that will take you back to the good old days. Including exclusive commentary from the the artist. including Emerson Hart from Tonic, the Popoff brothers from the band LIT and Vinnie Dombroski from Sponge. As well as songs by Garbage and Ephraim Lewis.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, we're firing up the time machine and heading to an iconic year in the 70s… Can you guess it? It was the year Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s home run record and Muhammad Ali stunned George Foreman in the Rumble in the Jungle. And in music, it was a pummeling, too. One song came when a future rock star Donal Fagen, hit on the wife of one of his college professors when she was pregnant. Then there’s the all-time classic Piano Man everyone sings along to, but Billy Joel was embarrassed by it; he only made a couple of grand from it. Then there’s Randy Bachman, who wrote Ain't Seen Nothing Yet as a joke to make fun of his brother's speech impediment, and it hit #1 in 22 countries. And then there’s Steve Miller, who ripped off a lyric from an oldies song, but misheard it and has been singing the wrong word for 50-plus years... one that doesn’t exist in the English language. It was a fabulous year in music, and we're counting 'em down 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.

I really screwed up a few weeks ago. I was counting down the greatest songs of 1976 and left out More Than a Feeling, one of the greatest songs in classic rock history. I’ve never messed up like this, but here’s the thing: in any other year, it would easily be the #1 song. But in 1976, it would be competing with Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. So that got me thinking… What is the greatest song in classic rock history? So that set me on a quest for rock immortality. I dug into an elite group of songs that not only ruled radio and soundtracked our lives, but have become the definition of rock itself. For this episode, I’ve assembled the ultimate musical showdown. I’ve got a list of 11 of the most legendary classic rock standards to echo across the airwaves. But the question is, which one deserves to be #1? What song is the GOAT of classic rock? My 11 candidates are special. There’s More Than a Feeling, a song that saved rock from a complete disco takeover. There's Stairway to Heaven, a song that got so big it was banned from being played in guitar shops around the world… And the one that has the greatest note hit by a singer ever. Let’s get ready to rumble… 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.

Coming up, an interview with one of my favorite people, Huey Lewis, about one of the biggest #1 hits of the '80s, The Power of Love. It’s become legendary both because of the feel-good sing-along chorus and the iconic movies it supported. Huey was in the midst of a huge album THAT RULED the mid 80s with 4 big hits, when he was tapped to write the theme song for not 1 but 2 blockbuster films, so he had to choose. The one he said yes to (Back to the Future) was a challenge. He had no desire to write a dumb song with the movie title in it… Huey thought the title was too on the nose, so the director said, "Just send me the next thing you write…" Huey did just that, and Power of Love became a #1 smash… The only problem is that the filmmakers didn’t capitalize on it. And they missed a window to have a big soundtrack album… Up next is the story of how Huey Lewis gave 10% of the song’s royalties to an old friend for coming up with the title of the song. The only problem is the tile was the same as 2 other hits at the time. Very common, and there was the fact that this artist was banned from putting the song on his new album. It's all coming up 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.

Coming up, the legendary duo Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark, or OMD for short, tells the story of their career in 5 key songs that helped invent the iconic sound of the 80s. So get this, they wrote their first big song “Electronic” when they were teenagers forming an underground synth duo, and it ended up selling 5 million copies of their single ENOLA GAY, which was written and recorded on a cheap synth they bought out of a mail order catalog… They got bigger with every release and but in the mid-80s, they were called in at a moment’s notice to write the theme for the 1986 film Pretty In Pink after a test screening went sideways. If You Leave was a last minute scramble that had them staying up all night to write and record the song and then when the song was too long at over 5 minutes they fudged the number on the tape saying it was 4 and half minutes so it would get played on the radio and it became a smash. 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.

Coming up, an interview with a true 80s icon, Colin Hay, who people forget was on a Beatles-like trajectory... if only for a couple of years. But those years, he and his band Men at Work were as big as anyone. They actually pulled off something that not even the Beatles did… when their debut record Business as Usual, spent 15 weeks at #1 and contained two #1 hits that we still play today: Down Under and Who Can It Be Now? And two other huge hits for a total of four top tens. They won a Grammy for best new artist and were on the cover of Rolling Stone… But just a short time later, Men at Work completely disappeared, and they NEVER had another hit. Up next, we get the story behind these hits in an exclusive interview with Colin Hay to find out what the hell happened. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, we’re gonna get into the dark underbelly of the 70s, where bad taste reigned supreme, controversy sold millions, and critical acclaim was strictly optional. We are going to take a ride through the songs that you hate to love or the songs that you love to hate, depending on your perspective. You’ll hear the tale of (You're) Having My Baby by Paul Anka, a song so far outside the norm, it managed to offend feminists and the religious right in one fell swoop… another hit that was written by a bona fide convict but crooned by one of rock’s most righteous voices…a song that even as a 3 year old made my ears bleed. And yes, even the song that dared to expose the carnal secrets of rodents: Muskrat Love… And finally, the worst song in the history of our planet by Rick Dees… One that single-handedly destroyed a disco in just 3 mins and 17 seconds… It’s going to be a lot of fun, packed with eyebrow-raising stories, guilty pleasures, tacky tunes, and head-shaking comedy as we count down the Top 5 Cheesiest Songs of the 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.

FROM THE VAULT: The Red Rocker, Sammy Hagar tells the story of Van Halen’s 1988 top 5 hit: “When it’s Love" from their magnificent album 0U812. The song was a #1 hit on the rock charts. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

So a few weeks ago, I told you we had our final top 10 songs of the 80s, but I was wrong… We have one more I overlooked, and arguably its best year: 1983. That’s right, we’ve got the top 10 songs of 1983, including Prince's Little Red Corvette which was written during a nap. It would become one of the dirtiest songs of the time, even though some people still think it’s about a car. Then there’s the song All Night Long, which Lionel Richie interrupted a doctor's appointment with his wife’s gynecologist to nail down. Then there was the catchy song that came to a failing duo, The Eurythmics, who knew it would be a smash until they showed it to their record label said the song lacked any hooks… The bewildered songwriter said the whole song is a hook, and he was right. Then there’s my A Flock of Seagulls pick, which I’ll tell you right now will be a source of controversy with all the great songs that dropped in 1983… It only went to #30 and the band is mistakenly called a 1 hit wonder, but it’s the most exhilarating song of the year, and if you really listen to it… I know you’ll agree. It’s the top 10 of 1983… You’re gonna love it… I just know it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the mid-80s, just when we thought we had seen everything, out came a large and possessed 6-foot-6 bald singer named Peter Garrett who scared the hell out of everyone. And strangely enough, his band Midnight Oil was one of the biggest draws at the box office. But as they were rising, they turned down lucrative concert offers and a huge tour to play the most remote places in their region. They wanted to be among the people. Midnight Oil witnessed the harsh conditions and poor health that ran amok within the communities they toured. For decades, the people there were mistreated and misrepresented... Outraged by what they saw, the band wrote a song called Beds Are Burning that conveyed their fury and beseeched the public to join them in a crusade to fight… It was a rock anthem that blared out of every radio in 1987, and we all sang along... not knowing that the anthem was actually a protest song. And one of the coolest parts of the music came when a band member put a metronome in their mouth! It made their album a masterpiece. Up next... the story behind Midnight Oil's biggest American hit, one that actually brought about real change, 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.