Decoder Ring: The New Age Hit Machine

Decoder Ring: The New Age Hit Machine

Author: Slate Podcasts December 26, 2022 Duration: 25:41

Today, we’re excited to share an episode from Slate’s Decoder Ring that we think you’re going to love.


For this episode, a story from Slate senior producer Evan Chung about how Yanni, John Tesh and a number of other surprising acts made it big in the 1990s. It’s a throwback to a simpler time— when musicians struggled to find their big break, but discovered it was possible with a telephone, a television, and our undivided attention.


This story originally aired in 2019 on Studio 360 from PRX.


We hear from George Veras, Pat Callahan, and John Tesh.


This episode was written and produced by Slate’s Evan Chung. Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. Derek John is Slate’s Executive Producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


What makes a song a smash? Talent? Luck? Timing? All that—and more. Chris Molanphy, pop-chart analyst and author of Slate’s “Why Is This Song No. 1?” series, tells tales from a half-century of chart history. Through storytelling, trivia and song snippets, Chris dissects how that song you love—or hate—dominated the airwaves, made its way to the top of the charts and shaped your memories forever. Get more Hit Parade with Slate Plus! Join for monthly early-access episodes, bonus episodes of "The Bridge," and ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Hit Parade show page on...
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia
Podcast Episodes
I Wanna Rock with Q. Edition Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:54
What does a music producer do? If his name is Quincy Jones, a little bit of everything: conducting, arranging, composing. Assembling teams of ace session musicians. Sometimes, even picking a catchy title and telling an a…
Be My Baby-Baby-Baby Edition Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:21
Girl groups have long been underestimated—even by the producers and managers who created them.For women listeners, girl groups narrated profound emotions and expressed personal freedom—even when the singers were not so f…
Be My Baby-Baby-Baby Edition Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:22
Girl groups have long been underestimated—even by the producers and managers who created them.For women listeners, girl groups narrated profound emotions and expressed personal freedom—even when the singers were not so f…
We Want It That Way Edition Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:50
When you hear “boy band,” what do you picture? Five guys with precision dance moves? Songs crafted by the Top 40 pop machine? Svengalis pulling the puppet strings? Hordes of screaming girls?As it turns out, not all boy b…
We Want It That Way Edition Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:02
When you hear “boy band,” what do you picture? Five guys with precision dance moves? Songs crafted by the Top 40 pop machine? Svengalis pulling the puppet strings? Hordes of screaming girls?As it turns out, not all boy b…
Gotcha Covered Edition Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:19
Cover songs once had a simple playbook: Artists would faithfully rerecord a song—note for note and word for word. They might modernize the instrumentation. If they were feeling radical, they’d punch up the vocals a bit.N…
Gotcha Covered Edition Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:39
Cover songs once had a simple playbook: Artists would faithfully rerecord a song—note for note and word for word. They might modernize the instrumentation. If they were feeling radical, they’d punch up the vocals a bit.N…
Hello, Gorgeous Edition Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:45
Barbra Streisand: star of stage and screen. Oscar-winner, film director and TV producer. Culture warrior and meme generator.Yes, all that—but don’t get it twisted: Barbra’s legend rests in her catalog of hit songs—and th…
Hello, Gorgeous Edition Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:42
Barbra Streisand: star of stage and screen. Oscar-winner, film director and TV producer. Culture warrior and meme generator.Yes, all that—but don’t get it twisted: Barbra’s legend rests in her catalog of hit songs—and th…
And the Grammy Goes to… Edition Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:53
Do you watch the Grammy Awards every year and groan, or even yell at the screen? Hit Parade host Chris Molanphy sure does. But he has a weird hot take: The Grammys are better off not trying to be cool. They should reward…