Taboo Songs: The Most Controversial Tracks in Music History episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 3, 2026 · 33 MIN

Taboo Songs: The Most Controversial Tracks in Music History

from Professor of Rock

Today we're returning to our Taboo Songs countdown, where we cover the most controversial tracks that either sparked outrage back in their day or that some modern audiences have tried to cancel…We’ve done many episodes on this and it’s become one of our most popular series. So today we’re at it again. And this time around, we’re turning up the heat… with a truly strange story. The legendary guitarist Link Wray whose distorted guitar tune Rumle became the only song in American history to be all-out banned from radio despite having zero lyrics. It was just too sinister for listeners! Then there’s the story of Cher, who was banned by the US Navy after recording a near-nude music video on a naval ship. Not only did she receive a Naval ban, but she got everyone else banned as well. Then there’s the story of a controversial track Dear God by XTC, that inspired a radio station B-O-M-B threat and a high schooler to take his principal hostage and forcibly play the song over the school’s PA system. They’re the songs that provoked outrage and were deemed too dangerous for the public. Find out which one tops the list... NEXT on the Professor of Rock.34 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jan 3, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

Taboo Songs: The Most Controversial Tracks in Music History

0:00 33:54

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Professor of Rock?

This episode is 33 minutes long.

When was this Professor of Rock episode published?

This episode was published on January 3, 2026.

Can I download this Professor of Rock episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!