Show overview
Twenty Thousand Hertz has been publishing since 2016, and across the 10 years since has built a catalogue of 250 episodes, alongside 1 trailer or bonus episode. That works out to roughly 120 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a fortnightly cadence.
Episodes typically run twenty to thirty-five minutes — most land between 24 min and 32 min — and the run-time is fairly consistent across the catalogue. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-language Arts show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 3 days ago, with 20 episodes already out so far this year. Published by Dallas Taylor.
From the publisher
The stories behind the world's most recognizable and interesting sounds. Whether you're a professional audio engineer with decades of experience, a fourth grader who loves sound and music, or anyone in between, Twenty Thousand Hertz will help unlock your sonic world… from the sound design secrets of hit movies, to the sonic craft of jingles and device sounds, to the forgotten backstories of classic theme songs, to linguistic mysteries, psychoacoustics, video game music, animal communication, and beyond. With moving human stories, immersive sound design, and the guiding voice of host Dallas Taylor, Twenty Thousand Hertz has grown into the world’s leading podcast about sound. New to the show? Start here: • I'm Lovin' It: How “Ba da ba ba ba” took over the world • The Art of Foley: Bringing Slimer & Batman to life • Tudum! The story behind the iconic Netflix sound • The Legend of Zelda: A Beep to the Past • Inside Hans Zimmer’s Remote Control Studios • A sonic journey through the Solar System • Mind the Gap: NYC & London’s iconic transit voices
Latest Episodes
View all 250 episodesGuess That Sound: Video Game Edition
Listener Stories 2026 (Gold): Protest Pop & Birthday Ballads
I'm (Still) Lovin' It: The McDonald's Jingle Saga Continues
Listener Stories 2026 (Silver): Keyboard Clicks & Singing Forests
Colbert & Fallon: Mixing Music for Late Night TV
Listener Stories 2026 (Bronze): AI Music & Coral Crackles
Eurovision Song Contest: Inside the Gimmicks & Glamour
John Williams: A Composer’s Legacy
John Williams: A Composer’s Life
Age of Audio: The Future of Podcasting (and 20k)
Age of Audio: The Inside Story of Podcasting
The Poop Song Conspiracy
The Heartfelt Music of Bluey w/ Composer Joff Bush
The Acoustic Worlds of Radiolab Creator Jad Abumrad
Ep 236He was deaf for 35 years + Listener Stories kickoff
Last year, we ran three full episodes of listener-produced stories. But one beautiful story was just a little too long for the final cut… and we couldn’t leave it behind. In this episode, sound designer Jesse Herrera tells the story of his grandfather, who lived in silence for 35 years before receiving a cochlear implant, and the overwhelming, joyful process of learning to hear again. Afterwards, Dallas and Casey reflect on last year’s Listener Stories and kick off this year’s competition. Learn about this year’s Listener Stories competition and submit your story at 20k.org/2026. To make a donation to the Harry Hakeem Scholarship Fund supporting the education of children with hearing loss, visit peiabq.org/giving. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound. Support the show and get ad-free episodes at 20k.org/plus. Subscribe on YouTube to see our video series. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Explore incredible speakers, soundbars, and more at sonos.com. Visit quo.com/20k for 20% of your first 6 months of business phone software. Get 3 months of free payroll at gusto.com/20k. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month Shopify trial at shopify.com/20k. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ep 235Harry Potter and the Sound Designer’s Stone
Harry Potter has been brought to life on page and screen. But what would it take to make the wizarding world come alive using sound alone? In this episode, we go behind the scenes of the new full-cast editions of the Harry Potter series, where a team of sound designers spent eighteen months crafting 130 hours of immersive audio. From the whistle of the Hogwarts Express to the rasp of the Dementors, every spell, creature, and location had to sound tangible and emotionally distinct. Featuring Will Cohen and Lawrence Kendrick of String and Tins. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound. Support the show and get ad-free episodes at 20k.org/plus. Subscribe on YouTube to see our video series. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit. Follow You’ll Hear It wherever you get your podcasts, or subscribe on Youtube. Explore incredible speakers, soundbars, and more at sonos.com. Get 3 months of free payroll at gusto.com/20k. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ep 234When Everything Stopped, He Started Listening
David Jeffers has always understood the world through sound. As a kid, he bounced beats between tape decks and built speaker boxes from spare parts. After college, he founded an underground hip hop label. Then came the day that split his life in two. And in the quiet that followed, David started listening more deeply… and piece by piece, he built a new life, guided not by what he lost, but what he could create. For news about Quad Life, the upcoming documentary about David, follow Quad_Life_Doc on Instagram. Explore David’s sound design work and book with him at quadriphonicsound.com. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound. Support the show and get ad-free episodes at 20k.org/plus. Subscribe on YouTube to see our video series. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit. Explore incredible speakers, soundbars, and more at sonos.com. Get 3 months of free payroll at gusto.com/20k. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month Shopify trial at shopify.com/20k. Visit quo.com/20k for 20% of your first 6 months of business phone software. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ep 233The State of the 20K Multiverse™
What happens when a podcast about sound gets into video? In this special behind-the-scenes episode, producer Grace East flips the script and interviews Dallas about his leap into visual storytelling, and how the different pieces of the 20K Multiverse all fit together. From backstage at SNL, to Disney Imagineering’s archives, to real-life Bluey locations, Dallas reveals the anxieties, lucky breaks, and human connections behind our new video series. Subscribe on YouTube to see our video series. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound. Support the show and get ad-free episodes at 20k.org/plus. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Follow You’ll Hear It wherever you get your podcasts, or subscribe on Youtube. Get 3 months of free payroll at gusto.com/20k. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ep 232Doctor Who & The BBC Radiophonic Workshop
What does a time machine sound like? Or a magic carpet? For the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, that was just another day at the office. For 40 years, this oddball collective of engineers and composers pushed the boundaries of sound design, crafting eerie atmospheres, quirky jingles, and the iconic audio of Doctor Who. In this episode, we explore the rise and fall of this pioneering studio with composer and archivist Mark Ayres, and uncover how these sonic wizards shaped the future of sound. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound. Support the show and get ad-free episodes at 20k.org/plus. Subscribe on YouTube to see our video series. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit. Follow The Radiophonic Workshop band on Instagram and Bandcamp. Visit quo.com/20k for 20% of your first 6 months of business phone software. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month Shopify trial at shopify.com/20k. Get 20% off your LALAL.AI subscription using promo code 20K. Get 10 free Hello Fresh meals + a free Zwilling knife at hellofresh.com/tth10fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ep 231Butterfly in the Synth: Reading Rainbow’s Magical Theme Song
The theme song to Reading Rainbow has been delighting kids (and nostalgic grown-ups) for over 40 years. But how did this instantly iconic track come to be? In this episode, composer Steve Horelick reveals the unlikely story of its creation, from its empowering lyrics, to its “fluttering butterfly” synth sound, to how Chaka Khan and a mystery drummer helped shape one of its later versions. Support the show and get ad-free episodes at 20k.org/plus. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound. Subscribe on YouTube to see our video series. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit. Explore Steve Horelick's work on his website and YouTube channel. Visit expressvpn.com/20k to find out how you can get 4 extra months of protection. Get 3 months of free payroll at gusto.com/20k. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices