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.

Listen in podnod RSS feed Show website

260 episodes
Updated July 21

Episodes260

Newest first

Mar 1, 2024
Song 172, Hickory Wind by the Byrds: Part 4, Hour of Darkness
For those who haven’t heard the announcement I just posted , songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the fourth and final part of a four-episode look at the Byrds in 1966-69 and the birth of country rock, this
Feb 16, 2024
Song 172, Hickory Wind by the Byrds: Part 3, The Parsons Tale
For those who haven’t heard the announcement I just posted , songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the third part of a four-episode look at the Byrds in 1966-69 and the birth of country rock. Click the full
Feb 1, 2024
Song 172, “Hickory Wind” by the Byrds: Part Two, Of Submarines and Second Generations
For those who haven’t heard the announcement I just posted , songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the second part of a multi-episode look at the Byrds in 1966-69 and the birth of country rock. Click the ful
Jan 17, 2024
Song 172, “Hickory Wind” by the Byrds: Part One, Ushering in a New Dimension
For those who haven’t heard the announcement I just posted , songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the first part of a multi-episode look at the Byrds in 1966-69 and the birth of country rock. Click th
Jan 17, 2024
Announcement Regarding Schedule
This is just a brief announcement. The fact that I’ve released stuff so inconsistently over the last year, along with the last episode being so long that it actually caused problems for Tilt’s editing softwaere has caused me to reconsider how
Dec 17, 2023
Episode 171: “Hey Jude” by the Beatles
Episode 171 looks at “Hey Jude”, the White Album, and the career of the Beatles from August 1967 through November 1968. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also
Nov 21, 2023
Episode 170: “Astral Weeks” by Van Morrison
Episode 170 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Astral Weeks”, the early solo career of Van Morrison, and the death of Bert Berns. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of
Oct 30, 2023
Episode 169: “Piece of My Heart” by Big Brother and the Holding Company
Episode 169 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Piece of My Heart” and the short, tragic life of Janis Joplin. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backe
Sep 28, 2023
Episode 168: “I Say a Little Prayer” by Aretha Franklin
Episode 168 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “I Say a Little Prayer”, and the interaction of the sacred, political, and secular in Aretha Franklins life and work. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information
Aug 14, 2023
Episode 167: “The Weight” by The Band
Episode one hundred and sixty-seven of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “The Weight” by the Band, the Basement Tapes, and the continuing controversy over Dylan going electric. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to
Jul 2, 2023
Episode 166: “Crossroads” by Cream
Episode 166 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Crossroads”, Cream, the myth of Robert Johnson, and whether white men can sing the blues. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of
May 20, 2023
Episode 165: “Dark Star” by the Grateful Dead
Episode 165 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Dark Star” and the career of the Grateful Dead. This is a long one, even longer than the previous episode, but dont worry, that wont be the norm. Theres a reason these two were much l
Apr 3, 2023
Episode 164: “White Light/White Heat” by the Velvet Underground
Episode 164 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “White Light/White Heat” and the career of the Velvet Underground. This is a long one, lasting three hours and twenty minutes. Click the full post to read liner notes, link
Feb 27, 2023
Episode 163: “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding
Episode 163 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay”, Stax Records, and the short, tragic, life of Otis Redding. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a tra
Jan 31, 2023
Episode 162: “Daydream Believer” by the Monkees
Episode 162 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Daydream Believer”, and the later career of the Monkees, and how four Pinocchios became real boys. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and
Jan 13, 2023
Episode 161: “Alone Again Or” by Love
Episode one hundred and sixty-one of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Alone Again Or”, the career of Love, and the making of Forever Changes. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcrip
Dec 29, 2022
XMAS BONUS: “Christmas Time is Here Again” by the Beatles
As we’re in the period between Christmas and New Year, the gap between episodes is going to be longer than normal, and the podcast proper is going to be back on January the ninth. So nobody has to wait around for another fortnight for a new episode
Dec 28, 2022
XMAS BONUS: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
As we’re in the period between Christmas and New Year, the gap between episodes is going to be longer than normal, and the podcast proper is going to be back on January the ninth. So nobody has to wait around for another fortnight for a new episode, I th
Dec 27, 2022
XMAS BONUS: Little St. Nick
As we’re in the period between Christmas and New Year, the gap between episodes is going to be longer than normal, and the podcast proper is going to be back on January the ninth. So nobody has to wait around for another fortnight for a new episode
Dec 22, 2022
Episode 160: “Flowers in the Rain” by the Move
Episode 160 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Flowers in the Rain by the Move, their transition into ELO, and the career of Roy Wood. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the epi

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs

Song 172, Hickory Wind by the Byrds: Part 4, Hour of Darkness

Song 172, Hickory Wind by the Byrds: Part 3, The Parsons Tale

Song 172, “Hickory Wind” by the Byrds: Part Two, Of Submarines and Second Generations

Song 172, “Hickory Wind” by the Byrds: Part One, Ushering in a New Dimension

Announcement Regarding Schedule

Episode 171: “Hey Jude” by the Beatles

Episode 170: “Astral Weeks” by Van Morrison

Episode 169: “Piece of My Heart” by Big Brother and the Holding Company

Episode 168: “I Say a Little Prayer” by Aretha Franklin

Episode 167: “The Weight” by The Band

Episode 166: “Crossroads” by Cream

Episode 165: “Dark Star” by the Grateful Dead

Episode 164: “White Light/White Heat” by the Velvet Underground

Episode 163: “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding

Episode 162: “Daydream Believer” by the Monkees

Episode 161: “Alone Again Or” by Love

XMAS BONUS: “Christmas Time is Here Again” by the Beatles

XMAS BONUS: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

XMAS BONUS: Little St. Nick

Episode 160: “Flowers in the Rain” by the Move