53 minSeason 1 • Episode 8
LatestShifts the focus away from the creation of music to the experience of listening to it, and to the formats that have shaped and ultimately defined that experience. From vinyl, cassette tape, CD, and MP3, each generation has had a piece of musical media to call its own– a way of listening that determines not only how and where we listen, but also the manner in which we collect, store, and share the music we love. What remains unchanged is the fundamental miracle of recorded music for the listener: the music we listen to becomes a pivotal part of who we are.
Explore the art of music recording with a behind-the-scenes look at the birth of brand new sounds. Featuring more than 160 original interviews with some of the most celebrated recording artists of all time, Soundbreaking explores the nexus of cutting-edge technology and human artistry that has created the soundtrack of our lives.
Production
Incredible archival footage and isolated track breakdowns.
Writing
Stories that even diehard fans haven't heard before.
Score
The music IS the subject, and it's spectacular.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The series took six years to produce and originally planned for PBS before HBO swooped in — which explains the wild breadth of licensing they pulled off.
Soundbreaking aired just as streaming was decimating the album format, making its love letter to the studio era feel almost elegiac — or prophetic, depending on your optimism.
US
