Wind of Change

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Pineapple Street Studios / Crooked Media / Spotify

English Documentary Music Society & Culture Explicit

Apple Podcasts Website RSS

Episodes 15

Avg. Duration 34m

Activity Highly Active

Apple Rating ★ 4.6 (4,328)

Since Apr 2020

Latest Episode Mar 2026

Publishing Details

Schedule

Irregularly

Format

Serial

Hosting

feeds.megaphone.fm

Contact & Outreach

About This Podcast

It’s 1990. The Berlin Wall just fell. The Soviet Union is on the verge of collapse. And the soundtrack to the revolution is one of the best selling songs of all time, the metal ballad “Wind of Change,” by the Scorpions. Decades later, journalist Patrick Radden Keefe heard a rumor: the song wasn’t written by the Scorpions. It was written by the CIA. This is his journey to find the truth. Wind of Change is an Original Series from Pineapple Street Studios, Crooked Media and Spotify.

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English Podcasts Report Documentary Report Music Report Society & Culture Report English Documentary Report

Recent Episodes

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Out Now: Bonus Episodes

Jul 06, 2020 1m Trailer

Thanks for listening to Wind of Change. We’ve made two additional episodes of the show — a pair of stories that we couldn’t fit into the main season of the podcast, but are so wild we had to share…

S1E8 8. Hello, Klaus

Jun 29, 2020 50m

HANOVER, GERMANY, 2020: There is one last person Patrick needs to ask about “Wind of Change.” At a small hotel in sleepy Hanover, Germany, it is time to confront Klaus Meine about his biggest hit.…

S1E7 7. Rorschach

Jun 22, 2020 45m

MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 2019: On a boat ride down the Moskva River, Patrick starts to fear that this entire podcast could itself be CIA propaganda. Or worse, Ksenia, his Russian fixer points out: propaganda…

S1E6 6. The Doctor Is In

Jun 15, 2020 57m

CAYMAN ISLANDS, 1982: The Scorpions’ manager Doc McGhee has a secret past: he played a role in one of the largest drug busts in U.S. history, working with a smuggling ring that included CIA asset…

S1E5 5. I Follow The Moskva

Jun 08, 2020 41m

MOSCOW, USSR, 1989: Klaus Meine, the lead singer of the Scorpions, has said for 30 years that the Moscow Music Peace Festival in 1989 inspired him to write “Wind of Change.” Bon Jovi, booze, Ozzy…

S1E4 4. The KGB Rock Club

Jun 01, 2020 45m

LENINGRAD, USSR, 1988: Patrick finds another person who has told an eerily similar story about the Scorpions and the CIA. But he won’t answer emails, so Patrick travels to a GI Joe convention in…

S1E3 3. America’s Secret Weapon

May 25, 2020 44m

LAGOS, NIGERIA, 1961: One of America’s most beloved singers died without ever knowing that during the Cold War she had been used by the CIA. And a 40-year-old mystery resurfaces: when the Nitty…

S1E2 2. You Call It An Operation, We Call It A Performance

May 18, 2020 46m

KYIV, UKRAINE, 2019: Patrick flies to Ukraine and witnesses how fully the political message of “Wind of Change” still resonates with fans at a Scorpions show in Kyiv. Plus: what does the CIA say when…

S1E1 1. My Friend Michael

May 11, 2020 44m

LANGLEY, VIRGINIA, 2011:The Scorpions’ song “Wind of Change” became the soundtrack to the end of the Cold War. But decades later, New Yorker investigative journalist Patrick Radden Keefe heard a…

Wind of Change, coming May 11

Apr 25, 2020 3m Trailer

A power ballad helped bring down the Soviet Union. Was it written by the CIA? Journalist Patrick Radden Keefe investigates the secret history of Cold War espionage and heavy metal.Wind Of Change is…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Wind of Change have?

Wind of Change has published 15 episodes since April 2020, covering topics in Documentary, Music.

Is Wind of Change still active?

Wind of Change is currently highly active with new episodes irregularly. Average episode length is 34m.

How do I contact Wind of Change for sponsorship or guest appearances?