Twenty Thousand Hertz

A lovingly crafted podcast that reveals the stories behind the world's most recognizable and interesting sounds.

Design
Arts
Music Commentary
101
Tudum! It's Netflix
The never-before-told story behind the iconic Netflix sound.
21 min
102
McElroys, Mysteries and Me
The McElroy brothers, hosts of My Brother, My Brother and Me, compete in a heated and hilarious game of mystery sounds.
41 min
103
Hamilton Remix
How the sound design of Hamilton draws the audience into the story.
28 min
104
Stop... Collaborate & Listen
Theft or inspiration? Part two of a deep dive into the complicated world of copyright, sampling and the ability to own a song.
23 min
105
Copyrights & Wrongs
Theft or inspiration? Part one of a deep dive into the complicated world of Copyright.
24 min
106
Makin' Whoopee!
The history and science behind our favorite fart sound-maker, the whoopee cushion.
26 min
107
Star Wars: Pew Pew!
How legendary Sound Designer Ben Burtt helped transport audiences to a galaxy far, far away.
29 min
108
That's All Folks!
The story of Mel Blanc, Part 2. The accident, recovery, and passing of the torch.
20 min
109
Ehh... What's Up, Doc?
The early life and career of Mel Blanc.
24 min
110
Twenty Parts Per Thousand
The stories behind the world's most recognizable and interesting smells.
21 min
111
Cremona
The story of a town that stayed quiet to preserve an instrument they love.
23 min
112
Satanic Panic!
Warning: Listening to this episode might entice you to worship the devil.
28 min
113
Noise "R" Us
A nostalgic history of toy sounds.
25 min
114
Good Vibes
We know music can affect our moods, but its influence over us goes even deeper, and has the power to heal, harm, and manipulate us.
25 min
115
4′33″
The story behind one of the most controversial, and influential, pieces of music of the 20th Century.
31 min
116
Seinfeld
A theme song about nothing: how it was created, what makes it so unique, and how it became one of the most iconic theme songs in TV history.
26 min
117
Sonic Wonderland
Take your ears on a mini vacation as we celebrate the sonic wonders of the world.
18 min
118
Historically Speaking
How we shape language to our needs, and how it shapes us in return.
26 min
119
Vroom Vroom
A song of fuel and fire - what’s happening inside your car engine?
26 min
120
Baby Shark
The history and future of one of the biggest viral sensations ever.
36 min
121
Virtual Choir
The story of the internet choir connecting people from around the world to share the joy of singing.
25 min
122
The Price is Right (Yeah, Yeah!)
The story behind one of the most recognizable TV show themes ever.
18 min
123
The Loudness Wars
We take a deep dive into the Loudness War, and look for signs of hope in the modern age.
32 min
124
The [COMPRESSED] History of Mastering
A look at the mystical art of mastering from its analog beginnings to the digital world of today.
27 min
125
You've Got Mail!
The most recognizable 3 words of the early internet age + the birth of a whole new musical instrument.
20 min