Music

Professor of Rock

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.

Latest Episodes:

FROM THE VAULT: How Stevie Nicks’ “Edge of Seventeen” Proved Her Solo Star Power May 19, 2026

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We're bringing it back!

Standing at the crossroads of her career, Stevie Nicks traded in the surefire success of Fleetwood Mac after Rumors and Tusk for a shot to prove she could do it on her own. But solo success wouldn’t come easy. Especially when two tragedies affected the progress of her album. The first of these would shake us all. The death of Beatle John Lennon The other was more personal, but still just as devastating. Stevie wrote and recorded Bella Donna with two duets… Stop Draggin My Heart Around with Tom Petty and Leather and Lace with the Eagles Don Henley but the breakout was Edge of Seventeen that came from a misheard phrase and a an inflight menu…The story is… NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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The Tragic Stories Behind 5 Songs That Became Hits After the Artists Died May 17, 2026

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Sometimes the most powerful voices in music stay silent for years and decades… never getting their due until after they’ve left this planet. You could call them post-mortem hitmakers. Today, we’re covering 5 artists who poured their hearts into their craft only to face rejection and obscurity while they were alive… but then their music went viral after their deaths. We’ve got a singer Chris Rainbow who was dubbed the "one-man Beach Boys” when he put out several records in the 70s, but his songs went nowhere. He passed away in 2015 from Parkinson’s with zero hits to his name, but now, a decade later, his obscure 1979 song has taken over the charts because of its popularity on TikTok. Plus, there is the California frontman Bradley Nowell,who passed just before his band’s self-titled masterpiece conquered the airwaves. There’s also the tragic tale of a vocal virtuoso, Jeff Buckley, who had an otherworldly range, who, in a freak accident, drowned in a treacherous river after a tugboat sailed past him. His 1994 cover song Hallelujah later went to #1, 14 years after its original release, and 11 years after his death. Add to that a folk poet Nick Drake who lived in silence and died believing he was a failure, only to be rediscovered when a car commercial featured one of his songs decades later. You gotta see this one.

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The Story of The Rascals’ “Groovin’” and the Band’s Incredible Hit Streak May 16, 2026

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How about this for an amazing rock story? So The Rascals coming off a big #1, in Good Lovin’ the band wrote Groovin', they truly believed it would be another hit for them. But one of the most famous record men in history, Jerry Wexler, didn’t like it at all. So he discouraged Atlantic Records from releasing it. Well, the famous DJ Murray the K was STUNNED because he knew Groovin' was a #1. So he cornered the iconic label head and said 'Are you crazy? This is a friggin' #1 record.' And he was right… Get the story from the singer Felix Cavaliere and co-writer Eddie Brigati next on Professor of Rock.

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1980’s Most Misunderstood Songs May 13, 2026

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With the state of the world right now, today I’m going to take you back to the good old days. Nostalgia overload. We're going to celebrate a group of songs that freeze a specific moment in time, preserving it for the future, much like the expression time in a bottle. One of the songs, Escape (The Pina Colada Song), began as a nod to the golden movie era of Humphrey Bogart, before the singer Rupert Holmes changed the lyrics by blurting out a random phrase in the middle of the recording, and it worked. The song became a smash. We also have the most misunderstood song of the decade: Benny Mardones's “Into the Night." Everyone thinks it’s deeply disturbing, but it’s actually heart-warming when you hear the true meaning of it. Plus, the famous actress Faye Dunaway who walked out on her rockstar husband and inspired the ultimate rock revenge song Love Stinks. Plus, the biggest ripoff of the year Steal Away by Robbie Dupree that made several prominent musicians livid because it was so blatant in its theft. Some thought it was the exact same song with different lyrics. Find out what happened.

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Rock’s Biggest Punchlines: Alanis Morissette, Avril Lavigne, Kenny G & More May 12, 2026

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Coming up…Its' Another Volume of Songs that have become PUNCHLINES! Today we’re back with more pop culture jabs, left hooks, and knockout blows… That’s right, it’s another edition of the fan favorite “Punchlines.” And for this one, we’ve got memes, parodies, and some late-night show mockery all combining to poke fun at musicians who may or may not have had it coming. For this one, we’ve got the grammar police on patrol, ready to take down a musician who sang about a figure of speech that she got completely wrong: the hit song Ironic by Alanis Morissette And the world has never let her live it down. Then there’s a conspiracy theory about an artist who supposedly died and was replaced with a body double. But it’s not Paul McCartney, it's Avril Lavigne. Plus, the story of the instrumentalist who has sold 75 million albums worldwide. But will anyone admit to owning his music? Not on your life..Hint: It's Kenny G. And finally, there’s the singer who has had more diss tracks written about her than any other singer in music history Can you guess it?. Let's go!

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The Untold Stories Behind Michael Jackson’s Biggest Hits and Collaborators May 11, 2026

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So I recently went through an inventory of all of the interviews I’ve done over the years… There’s never 800s at this point, and from memory, I realized that I’ve talked to dozens of legends, producers, and songwriters who have worked directly with Michael Jackson. Now Michael Jackson has taken over the world. The new Movie Micheal set a record for the biggest opening for a biopic ever, and many believe it will break a billion in box office receipts by the time its run is over, and MJ is now #1 on the Global charts by a long shot. His songs are taking over all the charts, so I went through the dozens of Michael Jackson stories of people who have co-written with him, produced him, and played on his biggest hits to give you the top 5 Michael Jackson stories from the story behind my favorite MJ song that is both in the movie and blowing up social media. Human nature I’ve got the story from the man who wrote the song and it came from a bully on a school playground and was a happy accident since it was on a demo tape that Quincy Jones Happed to hear when he was listening to another artists songs and it stopped him dead in his tracks plus the story of his #1 hit Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough from his frequent collaborator and his musical director on his Bad and Dangerous tours. As a young rookie, he helped MJ write Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough when MJ was stumped, and MJ agreed to give him a cut and writing credit, but then his name was wiped from future releases, and he never got paid. Plus, how Weird Al got MJ, who was the biggest star on the planet, to let him spoof his song when AL was a nobody, and a very special story about one of the greatest composers of the century, who wrote the score for several musicals, including one that set a record that not even Thriller could match. His album spent 54 weeks at #1, but he was so mesmerized by MJ. His only wish was to meet him. Find out how that happened, and the first question MJ asked him. Let’s get into the top 5.

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Rock’s Strangest Deaths and Disappearances: 5 Unsolved Music Mysteries May 10, 2026

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Do you all remember Unsolved Mysteries? Well, today is a rock and roll unsolved mysteries episode. Today we're diving into five legendary stories of musicians who left us under circumstances that just don't add up. I’m talking about bizarre and suspicious circumstances… And we’ve got more questions than answers here. But all of them are great stories. From deathbed murder confessions to stolen bodies to disputed burial sites, these are stories that will leave you wondering what really happened. We've got the tale of Brian Jones one of the Rolling Stones, who was discovered drowned in his pool… But all these years later new details suggest it was something more eerie! Then there's the enigma of an indie singer-songwriter Elliott Smith whose death was officially ruled "undetermined" after a serrated blade was pulled straight out of his chest. Fans and investigators have been split over whether he took his own life or it was foul play. And don’t forget the bassist turned rocket scientist, Phillip Kramer, who claimed to unlock the secrets of the universe before making a chilling 911 call and vanishing off the face of the earth. Let’s get get into it.

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FROM THE VAULT: How Dire Straits Revolutionized Music and Replaced Disco Icons  May 08, 2026

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The fact is Dire Straits interrupted disco in the late 70s with the classic song Sultans of Swing that would take radio hostage! with their unique sound and singer Mark Knopfler’s gruff iconic vocals. but they were victims of the sophomore slump when their 2nd record faltered and flailed on the charts. Determined to bounce back with a statement album, Knopfler heard a song on the radio that flipped him out, Because the Night by Patti Smith and it triggered a series of events that led to arguably his best work. Making Movies An album that was so meticulous and exact that the title track of the record was cut from the album at the last second. It was a rough process to touch greatness, it even caused a bitter falling out with his brother and band mate… The 2 haven’t spoken in over 40 years. The story of two of the greatest songs from the album Tunnel of Love and Skateaway are next on Professor of Rock.

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Career Killers: How Winger, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and After the Fire Lost Their Momentum May 06, 2026

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So in the music business, the climb to the top can take years and years of grueling hard work. But a fall from grace? That can happen in the blink of an eye. Today, we are back with another episode of "Career Killers.” We haven’t done one of these in a while, so it’s time! We’ve got the story of Winger, who had to cancel their upcoming tour and call it quits after their credibility was destroyed by an MTV cartoon and 3 seconds of a rival band’s music video. Then, there’s the legendary prog-rock trio Emerson, Lake and Palmer, who literally spent themselves into bankruptcy by bringing a 70-piece orchestra on the road, only to be forced into a "disco" makeover that finished them off for good. And you won't believe the tale of the British new-wavers After the Fire who broke up their band just weeks before their song exploded into the top 5 in America… turning them into a "ghost band" with no one to take the stage. They lost all the momentum they’d worked years to gain. It’s a wild ride through hubris, heartbreak, and bad timing. Let’s get into it!

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DATED Countdown: “Voices Carry,” Axel F, Madonna Controversy & Animotion’s Double Hit Story May 05, 2026

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Coming up, we focus & rank a group of songs that depict a specific year in popular music so remarkably well, they sound exactly like the moment they came out. It’s our latest edition of DATED. Including singer Aimee Mann, who was kidnapped as a child, and after she was rescued, had to learn to speak again from the trauma. Her voice became a beacon to many on one of the most haunting songs of the year, Voices Carry. Plus, Axl F, a track created by highly sought-after composer Giorgio Moroder, that was dangerously close to getting axed by two of the most powerful producers in Hollywood, because he had failed to come up with a theme song for a future movie phenomenon... but a slip of his elbow on the keyboard jump-started a classic. Plus, the Madonna video shoot that almost went haywire as she was nearly attacked by a male lion because it was ‘her time of the month.’ And the 80s band Animotion that was a one-hit wonder twice. Once in 85 and then 3 years later with a whole new band with the same name! let’s do it.

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