Twenty Thousand Hertz

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.

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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.
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If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mystery.20k.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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.

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.

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.

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.
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