A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs

By Andrew Hickey

Society & Culture History Music

What's A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs about?

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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A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs episodes:

04.14.2024
Song 173: “All Along the Watchtower” Part Two, The Hour is Getting Late
For those who haven’t heard the announcement I posted , songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the second part of a two-episode look at the song “All Along the Watchtower”. Part one...
03.25.2024
Song 173: “All Along the Watchtower”, Part One: “He’s Not the Messiah”
For those who haven’t heard the announcement I posted , songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the first of a two-episode look at the song “All Along the Watchtower”. This one is...
03.01.2024
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...
02.16.2024
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...
02.01.2024
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...
01.17.2024
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...
01.17.2024
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...
12.17.2023
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...
11.21.2023
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...
10.30.2023
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...
09.28.2023
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 Franklin's life and work. Click the full post to read...
08.14.2023
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...
07.02.2023
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...
05.20.2023
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 don't worry, that won't be...
05.07.2023
Episode Delayed But Coming Soon
This is just a quick one because I've had a bit of concern from some people as the next episode is taking a while to do. I'm still alive, it's just this episode is a monster one – it's even...
04.03.2023
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...
02.27.2023
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...
02.22.2023
Upcoming episode schedule
This is just a quick one to let people know the schedule for the next little while. I had a flare-up of my chronic illness last week, and so the next episode was delayed. That one's on “(Sitting on) The...
01.31.2023
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...
01.13.2023
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...
12.29.2022
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...
12.28.2022
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...
12.27.2022
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...
12.22.2022
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...
12.18.2022
ADMIN: Holiday Schedule 2022
Transcript This is just to let people know what's happening with the podcast over the next few weeks, as we head into a season which has holiday celebrations for many people, including me. The podcast has been keeping to a fortnightly...
12.07.2022
Episode 159: “Itchycoo Park”, by the Small Faces
Episode 159 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Itchycoo Park” by the Small Faces, and their transition from Mod to psychedelia. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and...
11.23.2022
Episode 158: “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane
Episode one hundred and fifty-eight of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “White Rabbit”, Jefferson Airplane, and the rise of the San Francisco sound. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more...
11.08.2022
Episode 157: “See Emily Play” by The Pink Floyd
Episode one hundred and fifty-seven of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “See Emily Play”, the birth of the UK underground, and the career of Roger Barrett, known as Syd. Click the full post to...
10.25.2022
Episode 156: “I Was Made to Love Her” by Stevie Wonder
Episode one hundred and fifty-six of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “I Was Made to Love Her”, the early career of Stevie Wonder, and the Detroit riots of 1967. Click the full post to...
10.21.2022
Admin: Podcast Now Fortnightly
Transcript You'll have noticed that my experiment with timings has been only a qualified success. While my buffer did allow me to get episodes going out weekly for a while, they've started to lag again, as events and health have derailed...
10.11.2022
Episode 155: “Waterloo Sunset” by the Kinks
Episode one hundred and fifty-five of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Waterloo Sunset” by the Kinks, and the self-inflicted damage the group did to their career between 1965 and 1967. Click the full post to read...
10.07.2022
This Week’s Episode Up… Next Week
This is an apology for there not being a main episode this week. I've been ill most of the week, with an immune system flare-up presumably caused by my covid vaccine booster last week. I've been trying to get the...
09.29.2022
A Request
Transcript Hi. We're still on a skip week, the main podcast will be back next week, but as we've now reached a point in the podcast where more of the people discussed are living than dead, I'd just like to say...
09.21.2022
Episode 154: “Happy Together” by the Turtles
Episode one hundred and fifty-four of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs is the last of our four-part mini-series on LA sunshine pop and folk-rock in summer 1967. Click the full post to read liner notes, links...
09.13.2022
Episode 153: “Heroes and Villains” by the Beach Boys
Episode one hundred and fifty-three of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Heroes and Villains” by the Beach Boys, and the collapse of the Smile album. Click the full post to read liner notes, links...
08.30.2022
Episode 152: “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield
Episode 152 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “For What It’s Worth”, and the short but eventful career of Buffalo Springfield. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and...
08.22.2022
Episode 151: “San Francisco” by Scott McKenzie
We start season four of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs with an extra-long look at “San Francisco” by Scott McKenzie, and at the Monterey Pop Festival, and the careers of the Mamas and the Papas and...
08.14.2022
Season Four Announcement
Transcript This is the official announcement that episode one hundred and fifty-one will be up in precisely one week. I’ve just finished recording it, and am now in the process of recording episodes one hundred and fifty-two through one hundred and...
07.30.2022
July 2022 Q&A
While I’m still on hiatus, I invited questions from listeners. This is an hour-long podcast answering some of them. (Another hour-long Q&A for Patreon backers only will go up next week). Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit,...
07.16.2022
PLEDGE WEEK: “You’re Gonna Miss Me” by The Thirteenth Floor Elevators
This episode is part of Pledge Week 2022. Every day this week, I’ll be posting old Patreon bonus episodes of the podcast which will have this short intro. These are short, ten- to twenty-minute bonus podcasts which get posted to...
07.15.2022
Pledge Week: “Rescue Me” by Fontella Bass
This episode is part of Pledge Week 2022. Every day this week, I'll be posting old Patreon bonus episodes of the podcast which will have this short intro. These are short, ten- to twenty-minute bonus podcasts which get posted to...
07.14.2022
PLEDGE WEEK: “I’m Henry VIII I Am” by Herman’s Hermits
This episode is part of Pledge Week 2022. Every day this week, I’ll be posting old Patreon bonus episodes of the podcast which will have this short intro. These are short, ten- to twenty-minute bonus podcasts which get posted to...
07.13.2022
PLEDGE WEEK: “Hanky Panky” by Tommy James and the Shondells
This episode is part of Pledge Week 2022. Every day this week, I’ll be posting old Patreon bonus episodes of the podcast which will have this short intro. These are short, ten- to twenty-minute bonus podcasts which get posted to...
07.12.2022
PLEDGE WEEK: “The Name Game” by Shirley Ellis
This episode is part of Pledge Week 2022. Every day this week, I’ll be posting old Patreon bonus episodes of the podcast which will have this short intro. These are short, ten- to twenty-minute bonus podcasts which get posted to...
07.11.2022
PLEDGE WEEK: “Blues Run the Game” by Jackson C Frank
This episode is part of Pledge Week 2022. Every day this week, I’ll be posting old Patreon bonus episodes of the podcast which will have this short intro. These are short, ten- to twenty-minute bonus podcasts which get posted to...
07.10.2022
PLEDGE WEEK: “Winchester Cathedral” by the New Vaudeville Band
This episode is part of Pledge Week 2022. Every day this week, I’ll be posting old Patreon bonus episodes of the podcast which will have this short intro. These are short, ten- to twenty-minute bonus podcasts which get posted to...
07.10.2022
ADMIN: Pledge Week 2022
The Facebook community I talk about is at https://www.facebook.com/groups/293630102611672/ The post for asking Q&A questions is here The Patreon post for Q&A questions is here Transcript Hello and welcome to the start of 2022’s Pledge Week. For those of you who don’t know, this podcast...
06.26.2022
Episode 150: “All You Need is Love” by the Beatles
This week’s episode looks at “All You Need is Love”, the Our World TV special, and the career of the Beatles from April 1966 through August 1967. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and...
06.26.2022
Admin: July and Onwards
Transcript This is just a note to let everyone know what's happening over the next few weeks. As I said a few months back, I'm taking a break after episode one hundred and fifty, which I'm uploading at the same time...
05.22.2022
Episode 149: “Respect” by Aretha Franklin
Episode 149 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Respect”, and the journey of Aretha Franklin from teenage gospel singer to the Queen of Soul. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to...

What's A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs episodes:

Song 173: “All Along the Watchtower” Part Two, The Hour is Getting Late

Song 173: “All Along the Watchtower”, Part One: “He’s Not the Messiah”

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 Delayed But Coming Soon

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

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

Upcoming episode schedule

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

ADMIN: Holiday Schedule 2022

Episode 159: “Itchycoo Park”, by the Small Faces

Episode 158: “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane

Episode 157: “See Emily Play” by The Pink Floyd

Episode 156: “I Was Made to Love Her” by Stevie Wonder

Admin: Podcast Now Fortnightly

Episode 155: “Waterloo Sunset” by the Kinks

This Week’s Episode Up… Next Week

A Request

Episode 154: “Happy Together” by the Turtles

Episode 153: “Heroes and Villains” by the Beach Boys

Episode 152: “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield

Episode 151: “San Francisco” by Scott McKenzie

Season Four Announcement

July 2022 Q&A

PLEDGE WEEK: “You’re Gonna Miss Me” by The Thirteenth Floor Elevators

Pledge Week: “Rescue Me” by Fontella Bass

PLEDGE WEEK: “I’m Henry VIII I Am” by Herman’s Hermits

PLEDGE WEEK: “Hanky Panky” by Tommy James and the Shondells

PLEDGE WEEK: “The Name Game” by Shirley Ellis

PLEDGE WEEK: “Blues Run the Game” by Jackson C Frank

PLEDGE WEEK: “Winchester Cathedral” by the New Vaudeville Band

ADMIN: Pledge Week 2022

Episode 150: “All You Need is Love” by the Beatles

Admin: July and Onwards

Episode 149: “Respect” by Aretha Franklin