ArtsDesign

Twenty Thousand Hertz

Dallas Taylor

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

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23 episodes
fortnightly
Avg 32 min
English

Episodes 23

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#248
September 7 · 33 min
I'm (Still) Lovin' It: The McDonald's Jingle Saga Continues
The inside story of fast food’s longest-running jingle.
#247
August 24 · 26 min
Listener Stories 2026 (Silver): Keyboard Clicks & Singing Forests
The second collection of listener-produced pieces from our 2026 competition.
#246
August 10 · 41 min
Colbert & Fallon: Mixing Music for Late Night TV
Behind the scenes with the Music Mixers of Late Night television.
#245
July 27 · 27 min
Listener Stories 2026 (Bronze): AI Music & Coral Crackles
The first collection of listener-produced pieces from our 2026 competition.
#244
July 13 · 33 min
Eurovision Song Contest: Inside the Gimmicks & Glamour
The silly, surprising history of “Europe’s Super Bowl.”
#243
June 15 · 36 min
John Williams: A Composer’s Legacy
From blockbusters to concert halls.
#242
June 1 · 33 min
John Williams: A Composer’s Life
From piano player to film composer.
#241
May 25 · 28 min
Age of Audio: The Future of Podcasting (and 20k)
After the podcasting Gold Rush, what comes next?
#240
May 18 · 39 min
Age of Audio: The Inside Story of Podcasting
A brief history of this strange and beautiful medium.
#239
May 11 · 37 min
The Poop Song Conspiracy
Why are there so many poop songs on Spotify?
#238
May 4 · 27 min
The Heartfelt Music of Bluey w/ Composer Joff Bush
How simple melodies carry big feelings.
#237
April 20 · 33 min
The Acoustic Worlds of Radiolab Creator Jad Abumrad
How Jad Abumrad makes the familiar sound strange.
#236
March 23 · 27 min
He was deaf for 35 years + Listener Stories kickoff
One final piece from last year’s Listener Story competition.
#235
March 9 · 29 min
Harry Potter and the Sound Designer’s Stone
The sound design sorcery of the new Harry Potter audiobooks.
#234
February 23 · 25 min
When Everything Stopped, He Started Listening
How David Jeffers rebuilt himself, one sound at a time.
#233
February 9 · 34 min
The State of the 20K Multiverse™
Mics, camera, action!
#232
January 26 · 35 min
Doctor Who & The BBC Radiophonic Workshop
From TARDIS to tape loops, the story of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.
#231
January 12 · 24 min
Butterfly in the Synth: Reading Rainbow’s Magical Theme Song
The birth and evolution of Reading Rainbow’s iconic theme music.
#230
Dec 31, 2025 · 20 min
Auld Lang What? The surprising origins of the New Year’s song
Why do we sing “Auld Lang Syne” on New Years?
#229
Dec 17, 2025 · 44 min
Guess That Sound 2025: Youtube Channel Champs
Three guests from our video series go head to head in our annual Mystery Sound competition.

Showing 1–20 of 23 episodes