Chart Beat Podcast With Marc Myers on New Book 'Anatomy of a Song': 'It's a Literary Jukebox'

Countless fun facts dot Anatomy of a Song, from who earned the privilege of being in a Presley recording session (and who didn't) to how the 45 was born by RCA out of a battle with then-rival Columbia (which had invented the 33, which itself edged out the 78). Other revelations: which mid-'60s hit renewed Brian Wilson's creativity; how certain religious groups considered The Isley Brothers' "Shout – Part 1" blasphemous; and the disco diva that inspired Blondie's "Heart of Glass."

Overall, Myers considers the book (which he worked on for roughly a year, waking up in the wee hours daily) to be a thank-you to the artists that shaped his musical upbringing. "Music has given me so much joy, as a kid, as a teenager, as a college student, and today. I felt that I was paying back, paying tribute to the artists whose 45s I fought over with my brother all those years ago.

"To interview them was a privilege. Each song has a heartbeat, and to get that from the artists, that's the passion."

A sampling of previous episodes with host Gary Trust:
Anthony Head on the "Buffy" Musical Episode / Suzanne Vega / Bobby Bones (hosted by Jim Asker) / How Daya Broke Through on New Label Artbeatz / The Eagles' Timothy B. Schmit / Joel Whitburn / Debbie Gibson / Hit Songs Deconstructed on The Chainsmokers & Meghan Trainor / Lionel Richie (hosted by Trevor Anderson)

Enjoy the entire latest Chart Beat Podcast and check back for more upcoming episodes with artists, label executives, radio programmers and personalities, songwriters, producers and more. And, to receive every episode automatically in your inbox, subscribe to (and rate) the Billboard Chart Beat Podcast on iTunes!