Lecture 105: 6 Songs That Almost Never Happened — And Changed Pop Forever

Pop history is full of miracles — songs that were passed on, doubted, or nearly shelved, only to become the very tracks that defined generations. In this episode of The Pop Professor Podcast, we trace six iconic songs that almost never made it into the world: the teen-pop ignition spark, the global storm, the ballad-turned-universal hymn, the reluctant anthem, the streaming-era manifesto, and the King of Pop’s moonlit masterpiece.

Along the way, we uncover the behind-the-scenes drama, the cultural ripple effects, and the career-defining shifts that prove music history isn’t inevitable — it’s fragile, chaotic, and sometimes hangs on a single “yes.”

Text The Professor

Support the show