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Twenty Thousand Hertz: Daily Summaries Delivered
by 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.
Latest Episodes
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- 1 weeks ago54 min
How modern Music Supervisors craft the perfect Needle Drop
In Part 2 of our deep dive into needle drops, Dallas, Casey and Grace uncover more surprising stories behind some of cinema’s most unforgettable song choices. From a fiercely contested track that became a ‘90s comedy staple, to Quentin Tarantino’s habit of raiding old movie soundtracks, these pairings often took strange and unexpected paths to the screen. Along the way, they explore the hidden world of Music Supervision, impossible price tags, and the controversy around musical “soundalikes.”Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound.Subscribe on YouTube to see our video series.Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.Automate your expenses with Ramp and get $250 off at ramp.com/20k.Get three months of free payroll with Gusto at gusto.com/20k.Get NetSuite's free business guide, "Aligning for the Agentic Era: How AI Is Changing Everyday Work," at netsuite.com/20k.
- 2 weeks ago42 min
Needle Drops: How pop songs first started showing up in movies
When a filmmaker pairs a scene with the perfect song, the results can become iconic. But when and how did movies start using popular music this way? In this episode, Dallas, Casey and Grace trace the history of “needle drops,” from a forgotten Broadway song that became an unlikely hit, to the rock ‘n’ roll record that transformed movie soundtracks, to the happy accidents behind some of the most famous scenes of the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s. Along the way, they reveal how movies and popular music became permanently intertwined.Build your home sound system today at sonos.com.Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound.Support the show and get ad-free episodes at 20k.org/plus.Subscribe on YouTube to see our video series.Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.
- 3 weeks ago47 min
Guess That Sound: Video Game Edition
For a special video game edition of our Guess That Sound competition, we invited three game audio experts to test their ears on 18 sounds from gaming history. Play along as they identify iconic fanfares, weapons, spells, power-ups, and some seriously tricky deep cuts. Who will claim the title of ultimate video game sound expert? Featuring Foley Artist and Sound Editor Joanna Fang, Senior Interactive Sound Designer Mark Kilborn, and Sound Designer and Composer Jeffrey Brice.Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound.Support the show and get ad-free episodes at 20k.org/plus.Subscribe on YouTube to see our video series.Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.Get three months of free payroll with Gusto at gusto.com/20k.Visit quo.com/20k for 20% of your first 6 months of business phone software.Build your home sound system today at sonos.com.
- Sep 21, 202627 min
Listener Stories 2026 (Gold): Protest Pop & Birthday Ballads
We’re proud to present the top selections from our 2026 Listener Story competition. In these extraordinary pieces, you’ll hear about the forgotten world of free online record labels, the controversial sounds that shape public spaces, the hidden history of a global pop hit, and finally, this year’s winning story.Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound.Subscribe on YouTube to see our video series.Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.Support the show and get ad-free episodes at 20k.org/plus.Listener Links: Explore Wesley Slover’s custom music at sanctus.audio. Learn about the Sound Co-Op audio collective. Learn about defensive urbanism and subscribe to Darknet Diaries. Explore Ricardo Ramirez’s work at rezsounds.com. Build your home sound system today at sonos.com.Get NetSuite's free business guide, "Aligning for the Agentic Era: How AI Is Changing Everyday Work," at netsuite.com/20k.
- Sep 7, 202633 min
I'm (Still) Lovin' It: The McDonald's Jingle Saga Continues
The “I’m Lovin’ It” jingle is one of the most recognizable melodies on Earth. But the story behind it involves a global competition, thousands of mixes, a Trojan Horse pop song, and a surprising amount of celebrity beef. In this updated version of one of our favorite episodes, we trace how a five-note jingle became a worldwide phenomenon, and the controversy over who actually wrote it. Featuring Tom Batoy and Franco Tortora of Mona Davis Music.Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound.Support the show and get ad-free episodes at 20k.org/plus.Subscribe on YouTube to see our video series.Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.Get three months of free payroll with Gusto at gusto.com/20k.Visit quo.com/20k for 20% of your first 6 months of business phone software.
- Aug 24, 202626 min
Listener Stories 2026 (Silver): Keyboard Clicks & Singing Forests
Our 2026 Listener Story competition continues with five more incredible listener-made pieces. In this Silver collection, you’ll hear the surprising craft behind mechanical keyboards, the natural sounds hidden in Indian ragas, and how learning a new language can transform noise into belonging.Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound.Subscribe on YouTube to see our video series.Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.Support the show and get ad-free episodes at 20k.org/plus.Listener Links: Hear Leonardo Barrios’ music under the name Bardø on Spotify. Learn about Ross Maddox’s work testing the hearing of babies at maddoxlab.org. Explore Nathaniel Harrison’s work with Shore 3 Studios. Hear Vicki Hansen’s music under the name Indiajiva on Youtube and Spotify. Try NetSuite Next for free at netsuite.ai/20k.Shopify: Own your customer relationships. Own your revenue. Start with a free trial at shopify.com/20k
- Aug 10, 202641 min
Colbert & Fallon: Mixing Music for Late Night TV
Mixing music for Late Night television means working fast, putting artists at ease, and delivering polished mixes under immense pressure. In this episode, the Music Mixers of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon swap stories from decades behind the console. They reveal performances that went sideways, why backing tracks can actually make their jobs harder, and what it’s like mixing everyone from Cynthia Erivo to Paul McCartney. Featuring Harvey Goldberg and Lawrence Manchester.Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound.Watch Dallas' on-set videos with Harvey (The Late Show) and Lawrence (The Tonight Show).Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.Support the show and get ad-free episodes at 20k.org/plus.If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.Get three months of free payroll with Gusto at gusto.com/20k.Visit quo.com/20k for 20% of your first 6 months of business phone software.
- Jul 27, 202627 min
Listener Stories 2026 (Bronze): AI Music & Coral Crackles
Twenty Thousand Hertz proudly presents the first five selections from our 2026 Listener Story competition. From AI-generated music, to the hidden crackle of coral reefs, to historic birdsong recordings, these bite-sized stories are crafted with curiosity and care.Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound.Subscribe on YouTube to see our video series.Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.Support the show and get ad-free episodes at 20k.org/plus.If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.Listener Links: Hear Maria Ordovas Montanez's work on the Out There podcast. Follow Rob Porter's Songbirding podcast. Follow Victor Sanchez's work with DC Producciones. Try NetSuite Next for free at netsuite.ai/20k.Shopify: Own your customer relationships. Own your revenue. Start with a free trial at shopify.com/20kVisit quo.com/20k for 20% of your first 6 months of business phone software.
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About 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Twenty Thousand Hertz covers topics including Music, Arts, Design, Commentary. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
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