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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Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/itsnottvitshbo

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It's Not TV. It's HBO. 25:53 Share

Twenty Thousand Hertz

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It's Not TV. It's HBO.