John Williams: A Composer’s Life

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 [https://defactosound.com/]. Subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@dallastaylor.mp3?sub_confirmation=1] to see our video series. Follow Dallas on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/dallastaylor.mp3/], ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@dallastaylor.mp3], ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/dallastaylorsound], and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dallastaylor/]. Support the show and get ad-free episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠20k.org/plus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://20k.org/plus]. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mystery.20k.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [http://mystery.20k.org/]. Listener Links: * Hear Maria Ordovas Montanez's work on the Out There [https://www.outtherepodcast.com/episodes/fkt] podcast. * Follow Rob Porter's Songbirding [https://songbirding.com/] podcast. * Follow Victor Sanchez's work with DC Producciones [https://www.instagram.com/dcproducciones.gdl/]. Try NetSuite Next for free at netsuite.ai/20k [https://netsuite.ai/20k]. Shopify: Own your customer relationships. Own your revenue. Start with a free trial at shopify.com/20k [http://shopify.com/20k] Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quo.com/20k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.quo.com/20k] for 20% of your first 6 months of business phone software.

Eurovision Song Contest: Inside the Gimmicks & Glamour

For millions of people, Eurovision is a cultural institution, and one of the biggest live television events on Earth. But for many Americans, it remains a complete mystery. In this episode, producer Andrew Anderson takes Dallas and Grace on a joyful crash course through the history, music, controversies, and glorious absurdity of the Eurovision Song Contest. Along the way, they discover which music superstars got their start in Eurovision, how receiving “nul points” can ruin or launch a career, and what this competition reveals about Europe itself. Featuring “Doctor Eurovision” Paul Jordan [http://dreurovision.com/].

John Williams: A Composer’s Legacy

In our last episode, we followed composer John Williams from his childhood to his 1970s run with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. Now, we pick up the story as John enters an era of seemingly impossible success… from Raiders of the Lost Ark to Home Alone, Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, and beyond. In this episode, we explore how John revived the grand orchestral score, conquered the classical music world, and crafted melodies that millions of people can instantly recognize. Along the way, journalist Tim Greiving [https://timgreiving.com/] reveals the habits, quirks, and creative brilliance of this living legend. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by ⁠⁠⁠Defacto Sound⁠⁠⁠ [https://defactosound.com/]. Support the show and get ad-free episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠20k.org/plus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://20k.org/plus]. Subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@dallastaylor.mp3?sub_confirmation=1] to see our video series. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mystery.20k.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [http://mystery.20k.org/]. Follow Dallas on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/dallastaylor.mp3/], ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@dallastaylor.mp3], ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/dallastaylorsound], and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dallastaylor/]. Find out how you can get the iPhone 17 Pro at no cost with an eligible trade in at ⁠⁠att.com/iphone⁠⁠ [https://att.com/iphone], or by visiting an AT&T store. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quo.com/20k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.quo.com/20k] for 20% of your first 6 months of business phone software. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month Shopify trial at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shopify.com/20k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [http://shopify.com/20k]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

John Williams: A Composer’s Life

John Williams has written some of the most famous film scores ever, from Star Wars to Indiana Jones to Jurassic Park. But before the blockbuster success, there was a kid growing up around jazz musicians in New York, and a young composer trying to find his voice. In this episode, journalist Tim Greiving [https://timgreiving.com/] takes us through John’s early life and career, from his years as a session player to the meeting with Steven Spielberg that changed everything. Along the way, we unpack the stories behind John’s early iconic scores, including the two-note terror of Jaws, the symphonic world of Star Wars, and the mysteries of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by ⁠⁠Defacto Sound⁠⁠ [https://defactosound.com/]. Subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@dallastaylor.mp3?sub_confirmation=1] to see our video series. Follow Dallas on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/dallastaylor.mp3/], ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@dallastaylor.mp3], ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/dallastaylorsound], and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dallastaylor/]. Support the show and get ad-free episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠20k.org/plus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://20k.org/plus]. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mystery.20k.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [http://mystery.20k.org/]. Buy the biography John Williams: A Composer’s Life [https://global.oup.com/academic/product/john-williams-9780197620885] wherever you get your books. Subscribe to Tim’s Substack Behind the Moon [https://behindthemoon.substack.com/], an exclusive dive behind the scenes of the book. Find out how you can get the iPhone 17 Pro at no cost with an eligible trade in at att.com/iphone [https://att.com/iphone], or by visiting an AT&T store. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Age of Audio: The Future of Podcasting (and 20k)

After making Age of Audio [https://www.aoamovie.com/], a feature documentary about the history of podcasting, filmmaker Shaun Michael Colón [https://www.instagram.com/openendedfilms/] sat down with Dallas for a revealing conversation about the state and future of this industry. Together, Dallas & Shaun unpack the shift toward celebrity chit chat shows, what gets lost in video, the real economics of making Twenty Thousand Hertz, and why highly crafted audio storytelling still matters. Learn about this year’s Listener Stories competition and submit your story at ⁠⁠20k.org/2026⁠⁠ [https://20k.org/2026]. For updates on Age of Audio, visit the ⁠⁠official website⁠⁠ [https://www.aoamovie.com/], or follow the film on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/aoamovie] and ⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@aoamovie]. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by ⁠⁠⁠Defacto Sound⁠⁠⁠ [https://defactosound.com/]. Support the show and get ad-free episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠20k.org/plus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://20k.org/plus]. Subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@dallastaylor.mp3?sub_confirmation=1] to see our video series. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mystery.20k.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [http://mystery.20k.org/]. Follow Dallas on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/dallastaylor.mp3/], ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@dallastaylor.mp3], ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/dallastaylorsound], and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dallastaylor/]. Find out how you can get the iPhone 17 Pro at no cost with an eligible iPhone trade in at ⁠⁠att.com/iphone⁠⁠ [https://att.com/iphone], or by visiting an AT&T store. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]