Twenty Thousand Hertz+

The stories behind the world’s most iconic and fascinating sounds.

Design
Arts
Music Commentary
151
That’s All Folks! Mel Blanc’s curtain call
The story of Mel Blanc, Part 2. The accident, recovery, and passing of the torch.
20 min
152
What’s Up, Doc? Mel Blanc and the magic of Loon...
The early life and career of Mel Blanc.
24 min
153
Twenty Parts Per Thousand: Designing with smell
The stories behind the world's most recognizable and interesting smells.
21 min
154
Cremona: Saving the world’s most prized violin ...
The story of a town that stayed quiet to preserve an instrument they love.
23 min
155
Satanic Panic: Backwards messages and '80s hyst...
Warning: Listening to this episode might entice you to worship the devil.
28 min
156
Noise “R” Us: The evolution of noisy toys
A nostalgic history of toy sounds.
25 min
157
Good Vibes: Unlocking music’s hidden power ove...
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
158
4’33”: John Cage’s revolutionary “silent” musi...
The story behind one of the most controversial, and influential, pieces of music of the 20th Century.
31 min
159
The Seinfeld theme song w/ Composer Jonathan Wolff
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
160
Sonic Wonderland: The world’s most incredible ...
Take your ears on a mini vacation as we celebrate the sonic wonders of the world.
18 min
161
Historically Speaking: How language & accent s...
How we shape language to our needs, and how it shapes us in return.
26 min
162
Vroom Vroom: The symphony of high-performance e...
A song of fuel and fire - what’s happening inside your car engine?
26 min
163
Baby Shark: From summer camp song to viral ear...
The history and future of one of the biggest viral sensations ever.
36 min
164
Virtual Choir: 8,000 Voices, One Song
The story of the internet choir connecting people from around the world to share the joy of singing.
25 min
165
The Price is Right: The drama behind TV’s catc...
The story behind one of the most recognizable TV show themes ever.
18 min
166
The Loudness War: Can streaming finally end it?
We take a deep dive into the Loudness War, and look for signs of hope in the modern age.
32 min
167
The [COMPRESSED] history of music mastering
A look at the mystical art of mastering from its analog beginnings to the digital world of today.
27 min
168
You’ve Got Mail: The voice behind AOL
The most recognizable 3 words of the early internet age + the birth of a whole new musical instrument.
20 min
169
From Spinal Tap to The Simpsons: Voice acting ...
How to find your voice.
18 min
170
Hear Here: The messy history of architectural ...
The story of how acoustics changed our history, and how we might use it to better our world today.
19 min
171
What makes Stradivarius violins so special?
The story behind the most valuable violins in the world.
22 min
172
808: The drum machine that changed music forever
The story of the drum machine that (accidentally) changed music forever.
23 min
173
Soundmarks: AT&T, United Airlines, and inventi...
How sonic branding shapes a brand.
26 min
174
Deaf Gain: The promise and controversy of coch...
The story of how a revolutionary implant sparked a human rights movement.
22 min
175
Plants That Listen (and some that sing)
For plants and the people who love them.
20 min