Twenty Thousand Hertz

Documentary series on the stories, design and history behind iconic sounds AI summary

Dallas Taylor Visit website › Arts · EN · 253 episodes · latest 2026-11-02

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What it is about

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 (Still) Lovin' It: The McDonald's Jingle Saga Continues • The Art of Foley: Bringing Slimer & Batman to life • Tudum! The story behind the iconic Netflix sound • Super Mario Bros: Koji Kondo's 8-Bit Masterpiece • Inside Hans Zimmer’s Remote Control Studios • A sonic journey through the Solar System • Mind the Gap: NYC & London’s iconic transit voices

Publisher’s own description, taken unchanged from the podcast feed.

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Latest episodes

  1. 2026-11-02 · 48 min

    To celebrate ten years of Twenty Thousand Hertz, Dallas reveals the oral history of the show, including the career detours, financial gambles, and chance encounters that made it possible. From touring with The…

  2. 2026-10-19 · 55 min · Episode 252

    In Part 2 of our deep dive into needle drops, Dallas, Casey and Grace uncover more surprising stories behind some of cinema’s most unforgettable song choices. From a fiercely contested track that became a ‘90s comedy…

  3. 2026-10-12 · 42 min · Episode 251

    When a filmmaker pairs a scene with the perfect song, the results can become iconic. But when and how did movies start using popular music this way? In this episode, Dallas, Casey and Grace trace the history of “needle…

  4. 2026-10-05 · 48 min · Episode 250

    For a special video game edition of our Guess That Sound competition, we invited three game audio experts to test their ears on 18 sounds from gaming history. Play along as they identify iconic fanfares, weapons,…

  5. 2026-09-21 · 27 min · Episode 249

    We’re proud to present the top selections from our 2026 Listener Story competition. In these extraordinary pieces, you’ll hear about the forgotten world of free online record labels, the controversial sounds that shape…

  6. 2026-09-07 · 33 min · Episode 248

    The “I’m Lovin’ It” jingle is one of the most recognizable melodies on Earth. But the story behind it involves a global competition, thousands of mixes, a Trojan Horse pop song, and a surprising amount of celebrity…

  7. 2026-08-24 · 26 min · Episode 247

    Our 2026 Listener Story competition continues with five more incredible listener-made pieces. In this Silver collection, you’ll hear the surprising craft behind mechanical keyboards, the natural sounds hidden in Indian…

  8. 2026-08-10 · 42 min · Episode 246

    Mixing music for Late Night television means working fast, putting artists at ease, and delivering polished mixes under immense pressure. In this episode, the Music Mixers of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The…

  9. 2026-07-27 · 28 min · Episode 245

    Twenty Thousand Hertz proudly presents the first five selections from our 2026 Listener Story competition. From AI-generated music, to the hidden crackle of coral reefs, to historic birdsong recordings, these bite-sized…

  10. 2026-07-13 · 34 min · Episode 244

    For millions of people, Eurovision is a cultural institution, and one of the biggest live television events on Earth. But for many Americans, it remains a complete mystery. In this episode, producer Andrew Anderson…

Episode details from the publisher’s feed. Playback happens at the publisher.

Publisher details

Oldest episode in feed
11/2016 · over 10 years
Typical length
26 min
Format
Episodic Newest first, episodes stand alone

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