Entertainment, Health and Lifestyle

This legendary part of 80’s music was an accident – and it’s back

That sound. That unforgettable drum sound that showed up in iconic 80’s hits like “In the Air Tonight” was an accident.

Over the past few years, a general nostalgia for the 1980s has infiltrated music, film, and television. Those gated reverb drums of the ’80s – you know that punchy percussive sound popularized by Phil Collins and Prince? “Earworm” spoke with two Berklee College of Music professors, Susan Rogers and Prince Charles Alexander, to figure out just how that sound came to be, what makes it so damn punchy, and why it’s back.

Here’s a Spotify playlist of some of the best songs featuring gated reverb: https://spoti.fi/2vH7ZZL

Correction: At 2:01, a previous version of the video mistakenly said the noise gate only lets frequencies above a certain threshold pass through. We should’ve said “amplitudes” instead of “frequencies.” The error has been rectified.

Hanna Heller

Hanna is the entertainment and lifestyle editor for CDN. Fan of great movies, legendary music, outdoor activities and cool stuff in general, her opinions, as expressed in her articles, are her own and not necessarily shared by anyone .. anywhere .. ever. Follow Hanna on Twitter: @Hanna_CDN

Share
Published by
Hanna Heller
Tags: The 80's

Recent Posts

Key Inflation Indicator Rose About As Expected In August

The Federal Reserve’s preferred metric to gauge inflation increased by 0.3% in August, compared to 0.2%…

38 minutes ago

President Donald Trump’s Schedule for Friday, September 26, 2025

Schedule Summary: President Donald Trump will . President Donald Trump’s Itinerary for 9/26/25 ALL TIMES EDT…

13 hours ago

Trump DOJ Prepares Investigation Into Soros Organizations And It’s Quickly Leaked To Liberal Media

Several U.S. attorneys’ offices received instructions to draft plans for investigating billionaire George Soros’ Open…

1 day ago

It’s No Joke, But Joy Reid Is

“I will confess to you, Joy. I do not have all the answers,” said Kamala…

1 day ago

Officer Reportedly Thwarted Alleged Charlie Kirk Assassin’s Plans To Retrieve Rifle

A police officer reportedly encountered Tyler Robinson, the alleged assassin of Turning Point USA founder…

1 day ago

Ditching Chuck Schumer Seems To Be Common Thread Among Many Democrats Running For Senate

Democratic U.S. Senate candidates running in several key races across the country are publicly distancing…

1 day ago