A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs

Andrew Hickey

Andrew Hickey presents a history of rock music from 1938 to 1999, looking at five hundred songs that shaped the genre.

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260 episodes
Updated July 21

Episodes260

Newest first

Feb 4, 2019
Episode 18: “Sh-Boom” by the Chords
Welcome to episode eighteen of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “Sh-Boom” by the Chords. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (more&he
Jan 28, 2019
Episode 17: “Money Honey” by Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters
Welcome to episode seventeen of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “Money Honey” by the Drifters. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (
Jan 21, 2019
Episode 16: “Crazy Man Crazy” by Bill Haley and the Comets
Welcome to episode sixteen of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “Crazy Man Crazy” by Bill Haley and the Comets. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of
Jan 14, 2019
Episode 15: “Hound Dog” by Big Mama Thornton
Welcome to episode fifteen of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “Hound Dog” by Big Mama Thornton. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode.
Jan 7, 2019
Episode 14″Jambalaya” by Hank Williams
Welcome to episode fourteen of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “Jambalaya” by Hank Williams. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (mo
Dec 31, 2018
Episode 13: “Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean” by Ruth Brown
Welcome to episode thirteen of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean” by Ruth Brown. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcri
Dec 23, 2018
Episode 12: “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” by Lloyd Price
Welcome to episode twelve of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” by Lloyd Price. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode.
Dec 16, 2018
“Rocket 88” by Jackie Brenston and the Delta Cats
Welcome to episode eleven of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “Rocket 88” by Jackie Brenston and the Delta Cats. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript o
Dec 9, 2018
Episode 10: “Double Crossin’ Blues”, by Johnny Otis, Little Esther, and the Robins
Welcome to episode ten of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “Double Crossin’ Blues” by Johnny Otis, Little Esther, and the Robins. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more informat
Dec 3, 2018
Episode 9: “How High The Moon” by Les Paul and Mary Ford
Welcome to episode nine of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at Les Paul and Mary Ford, and “How High The Moon”. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of th
Nov 26, 2018
Episode 8: “The Fat Man” by Fats Domino
Welcome to episode eight of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at Fats Domino and “The Fat Man”. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (more
Nov 19, 2018
Episode 7: Wynonie Harris and “Good Rockin’ Tonight”
Welcome to episode seven of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at Wynonie Harris and “Good Rockin’ Tonight” (more…)
Nov 12, 2018
Episode 6: The Ink Spots — “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin”
Welcome to episode six of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at the Ink Spots and “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin” (more…)
Nov 5, 2018
Episode 5: Rosetta Tharpe and “This Train”
Welcome to episode five of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at Sister Rosetta Tharpe and “This Train” (more…)
Oct 29, 2018
Episode 4: “Choo Choo Ch’Boogie” by Louis Jordan
Welcome to episode four of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at Louis Jordan and “Choo Choo Ch’Boogie” (more…)
Oct 21, 2018
Episode 3: “Ida Red” by Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys
Welcome to episode three of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at Bob Wills and “Ida Red”. (more…)
Oct 21, 2018
A Disclaimer
Transcript This is not a full episode of A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs. The full episode will also turn up in your podcatcher. But I thought I should do a separate episode as a disclaimer. I’m placing this one here because in the next epsiod
Oct 14, 2018
Episode 2: “Roll ‘Em Pete” by Big Joe Turner and Pete Johnson
Here’s the second episode, on “Roll ‘Em Pete” by Big Joe Turner and Pete Johnson. One erratum before we continue — in the episode, I say that “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” follows a particular formula common in hokum
Oct 7, 2018
Episode 1: “Flying Home” by the Benny Goodman Sextet
Welcome to the first episode proper of A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs! As this is the first real episode, you may notice a couple of flaws in the production — those will hopefully get ironed out in the coming weeks. In the meantime, sit
Sep 30, 2018
Introduction
Welcome to A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs! Episode 1, the first episode proper, is coming next week, but for now here’s an introduction, laying out my plans for the series. As I say in the tag at the end of every episode, please, if you like

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs

Episode 18: “Sh-Boom” by the Chords

Episode 17: “Money Honey” by Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters

Episode 16: “Crazy Man Crazy” by Bill Haley and the Comets

Episode 15: “Hound Dog” by Big Mama Thornton

Episode 14″Jambalaya” by Hank Williams

Episode 13: “Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean” by Ruth Brown

Episode 12: “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” by Lloyd Price

“Rocket 88” by Jackie Brenston and the Delta Cats

Episode 10: “Double Crossin’ Blues”, by Johnny Otis, Little Esther, and the Robins

Episode 9: “How High The Moon” by Les Paul and Mary Ford

Episode 8: “The Fat Man” by Fats Domino

Episode 7: Wynonie Harris and “Good Rockin’ Tonight”

Episode 6: The Ink Spots — “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin”

Episode 5: Rosetta Tharpe and “This Train”

Episode 4: “Choo Choo Ch’Boogie” by Louis Jordan

Episode 3: “Ida Red” by Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys

A Disclaimer

Episode 2: “Roll ‘Em Pete” by Big Joe Turner and Pete Johnson

Episode 1: “Flying Home” by the Benny Goodman Sextet

Introduction