
Andrew Hickey presents a history of rock music from 1938 to 1999, looking at five hundred songs that shaped the genre.
| Publishes | Monthly | Episodes | 256 | Founded | 7 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | Music HistoryDocumentaryMusicSociety & Culture | |||

Apologies for the delay in posting this episode — I had a chronic illness flare-up and a frankly awful January. With luck, part two of this story will be up before the end of February.
For those who haven’t heard the announcement I posted, songs fro... more
This episode, we look at the song “Many Rivers to Cross”, the birth of reggae, and the career of the late Jimmy Cliff. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode.
Patreon backers also have a s... more
This episode, we look at the song “Proud Mary” and the brief but productive career of Creedence Clearwater Revival. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode.
Patreon backers also have a fort... more
For those who haven’t heard the announcement I posted, songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the second part of a two-episode look at the song “Dazed and Confused” by Led Zeppelin, although this episode ... more
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Andrew Hickey has done a brilliant thing here on 500 Songs: he has contextualized those musical memories and the underpinnings of those songs that have been the soundtrack for, certainly, my life. Between the lesson of Stagger Lee and the commercial basis of the Dylan phenomenon, I’m just getting started on a brilliant glance back at the soundtrack of my own back pages. The adventure continues…
The best and most thorough history of rock music. LOVE IT ALL.
This show will delight your inner wonk. So well researched and presented by Andrew Hickey (who obviously loves popular music as much as I do). I started listening to selected shows but quickly went to the first episode to follow sequentially. Andrew is assembling — in real time — a body of work that will be an accurate and complete reference for future generations. Thank you, Andrew. And yes, I’m supporting through Patreon for a fraction of the cost of all the rock magazines I bought in the ‘70s... more
As a lover of both rock music and history, it’s like this show was designed for me. I’m still catching up (start at the beginning and flow through it) but I’ve learned so much about styles of music I didn’t know. Most notably I’m learning about the impact of Skiffle (I’ve bought Billy Bragg’s history of Skiffle as well). And I love Andrew’s mantra: “there is no such thing as a first.”
This podcast is great! Really, great! I just hope he gets to write all 500 songs and maybe a follow up book on something random of his choice
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Spotify | #8 | |
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The episodes examine the intricate history of rock music, spanning from its origins in the late 1930s to the late 1990s, by highlighting five hundred seminal songs that have defined and influenced the genre. Each episode chronicles the stories behind key tracks, addressing not only the musical elements and artists but also the cultural and societal contexts that shaped rock music's evolution. Noteworthy discussions often include the impacts of racism, misogyny, and political issues on the music industry and society as a whole, making the show both informative and thought-provoking for listeners who are passionate about music history.
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A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs launched 7 years ago and published 256 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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