It’s Not TV: Behind HBO’s legendary sounds
11/17/21 • 28 min
5 Listeners
In the 1980s, every movie that aired on HBO began with a truly epic theme song—a sweeping orchestral piece that triggers instant nostalgia for anyone who grew up with it. Then in the 90s, HBO introduced a 5-second audio logo for their original content. Today, we associate that sound with some of the most groundbreaking TV shows of all time. In this episode, we reveal the story behind the creation of these two iconic sounds. Featuring composer Ferdinand Jay Smith and former HBO Executive Vice President Bruce Richmond.
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In the 1980s, every movie that aired on HBO began with a truly epic theme song—a sweeping orchestral piece that triggers instant nostalgia for anyone who grew up with it. Then in the 90s, HBO introduced a 5-second audio logo for their original content. Today, we associate that sound with some of the most groundbreaking TV shows of all time. In this episode, we reveal the story behind the creation of these two iconic sounds. Featuring composer Ferdinand Jay Smith and former HBO Executive Vice President Bruce Richmond.
Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn.
Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook.
Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.
If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.
Get 10% off your first month of BetterHelp at betterhelp.com/20k.
Visit zocdoc.com/hertz to download the Zocdoc app and sign up for free.
Check out SONOS at sonos.com.
Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/itsnottvitshbo
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Next Episode
The Static Angel: How HBO perfected its sonic identity
In part 2 of our series on HBO, we explore the tough questions that the company faced in the digital era: Are people still willing to sit through a 90-second theme song before they watch a movie? Does the sound of analog TV static even make sense to younger viewers? Could the company change with the times without losing the nostalgia they had built around their key sounds? Featuring composer Ferdinand Jay Smith, former HBO Executive Vice President Bruce Richmond, HBO and HBO Max Head of Brand Marketing Jason Mulderig, and Made Music Studio Creative Director Mickey Alexander.
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Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/hbo20
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