Ranking the Greatest Classic Rock Songs of All Time: The Ultimate Showdown
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.
--------
38:37
How “The Power of Love” Became a #1 Hit—and a Soundtrack Tragedy
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.
--------
22:31
How Two Teens and a Cheap Synth Launched OMD into Pop History
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.
--------
22:57
Men at Work Ruled the ’80s—Then Vanished. Colin Hay Explains Why
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.
--------
21:41
Sex, Cheese, and Controversy: Ranking the 5 Most Ridiculous ’70s Songs
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.
The ultimate rock music history podcast for fans of the greatest era of music. If you’ve ever wondered about the true stories behind your favorite songs, or wanted to hear directly from the legends who made them, Professor of Rock is your new go-to podcast. Hosted by music historian and superfan Adam Reader, this show brings the golden era of music back to life with exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes stories, and deep dives into the songs that shaped our lives. This podcast uncovers how timeless tracks were made, the creative breakthroughs, the near-breakups, and the powerful moments that defined music history. Each episode is a masterclass in rock culture and nostalgia—whether it's a chart-topping ‘80s anthem, a one-hit wonder with a wild backstory, or a candid conversation with the legends themselves. Hear the Stories. Relive the Music. Only on Professor of Rock.
Listen to Professor of Rock, Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
New Zealand