PRX · Science

Twenty Thousand Hertz

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 Lovin' It: How “Ba da ba ba ba” took over the world • 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

Episodes

Butterfly in the Synth: Reading Rainbow’s Magical Theme Song

12 Jan 2026

27m

Auld Lang What? The surprising origins of the New Year’s song

31 Dec 2025

22m

AI processed

"Auld Lang Syne" serves as a global New Year's Eve anthem, yet its transition from a traditional Scottish folk song to a mandatory holiday ritual remains a subject of historical debate. While popular narratives credit bandleader Guy Lombardo’s 1929 radio broadcasts for cementing the song's status, curator Jim Deutsch s...

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Twenty Thousand Hertz

Episodes

Butterfly in the Synth: Reading Rainbow’s Magical Theme Song

Auld Lang What? The surprising origins of the New Year’s song

Guess That Sound 2025: Youtube Channel Champs

The Sound of Fallout: From Iconic Games to Prestige TV

Defying Gravity: The Audio Wizardry of Wicked's Live Vocals

The Secret Soundtracks of Movies & TV

Inside Imagineering: How Sound Powers Disney Magic

Live from New York, I’m Retired! SNL’s Sound Legend Signs Off

The Nursery Rhyme That Ruined a Rock Band

Listener Stories 2025 (Gold): Transit Tunes & Childhood Chimes

Yahoo! The Yodel Heard Around the World

Super Mario Bros: Koji Kondo’s 8-Bit Masterpiece

Listener Stories 2025 (Silver): Pinball Pings & Airport Acoustics

Mixing Madison Square Garden for Vulfpeck’s Biggest Show

The Music of Jeopardy! From a Lullaby to $100,000,000

Listener Stories 2025 (Bronze): Siren Calls & Medical Melodies

I interviewed 5 other Dallas Taylors and things got weird

Mix Notes: Dumb Farts, Alien Crickets & Junkyard Instruments

The Deaf Composer: How Beethoven wrote music he couldn’t hear

The Sonic Brand Makeover We Didn’t Know We Needed