The Mistake That Made Motown: How a Broken Microphone Created the Sound of a Generation episode artwork

EPISODE · May 23, 2026 · 18 MIN

The Mistake That Made Motown: How a Broken Microphone Created the Sound of a Generation

from The Second Track · host Podcaster

In 1959, a malfunctioning ribbon microphone at Hitsville U.S.A. should have been thrown in the trash. Instead, it became the secret weapon behind dozens of Motown classics, giving us that warm, slightly distorted vocal sound that defined soul music. The story of how Berry Gordy's penny-pinching accidentally created one of the most recognizable sounds in pop history. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published May 23, 2026

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The Mistake That Made Motown: How a Broken Microphone Created the Sound of a Generation

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