He has interviewed some of music's biggest names and his videos regularly attract millions of views on YouTube.
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videos → interview → YouTube
So, how did Rick Beato become one of the internet's biggest music personalities?
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Beato → become → personalities
"I always tell people that my channel was just one video at a time," the 64-year-old says.
"
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old → tell → time
I didn't have any grand strategy.
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I → have → strategy
I just made videos on things I was interested in."
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I → make → things
That curiosity began in 2016, when Beato was just a proud dad showcasing his young son Dylan's perfect pitch.
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Beato → begin → son
A clip challenging him to identify complex chords by ear swiftly went viral.
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clip → challenge → ear
Today, his channel Everything Music has 5.8 million subscribers, sharing not only his hot takes on contemporary music and the perils of AI, but thoughtful dives into instrumental technique, technology and trends.
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channel → have → technique
His popular What Makes This Song Great? segment dissects the production, songwriting and music theory of iconic records; everything from Nirvana and Fleetwood Mac to Adele.
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segment → make → Adele
Beato's passion and expertise has earned him the trust of huge talent.
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passion → earn → talent
Sting and Flea have personally requested to be interviewed, adding to a star-studded CV that includes Billy Joel, Seal, Sheryl Crow, Josh Homme and super producer Rick Rubin.
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that → request → Joel
"I never talk about myself.
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I → talk → myself
I always think …
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I → think → ?
I'm here to talk about music and about them.
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I → talk → them
Beato thoroughly enjoys it.
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Beato → enjoy → it
You can see a "pinching himself" grin creep across his face as he basks in awe of a jazz great's improvisational skill or soaks up a rare showbiz anecdote.
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he → see → anecdote
A pandemic interview with Brian May was a turning point, helping him appreciate that rock stars are human beings, too.
"
uncertain
stars → help → May
It was really disarming because he was like, 'Rick, I can't believe I'm talking to you.
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I → believe → you
I've seen you in that same spot all the time.'
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I → see → spot
"He made it easy to talk to these incredibly talented, gifted people after that," he continues.
"Even though a lot of them have written the most famous songs of all time … when it comes down to it, they're like you and I.
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they → make → you
Except, when they put their pants on, they make gold records, as Christopher Walken would say," he says, quoting a classic Saturday Night Live skit.
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he → put → skit
There are still plenty of names on Beato's bucket list:
"Paul McCartney, Angus Young, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Eddie Vedder, Dave Grohl," he says.
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he → be → list
A few may be ticked off already, but "I never say it before it happens because I don't want to jinx it."
uncertain
I → tick → it
The Australian connection
Beato took his video content to the live stage a few years back.
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Beato → take → stage
Facing an audience instead of a camera was "a little strange at first" but public speaking was "no big deal" thanks to his background as a college professor.
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speaking → face → professor
His fans feel the same, selling out shows in Melbourne and Brisbane and prompting a venue upgrade in Sydney.
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fans → feel → Sydney
Beato's first major label gig was producing an Australian singer, the late, Perth-born American Idol contestant Michael Johns.
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gig → produce → singer
I produced a band he was in before he got signed [The Rising], then we did demos and co-wrote a bunch of songs together," he explains.
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he → produce → songs
Beato took Johns's death, in 2014 at age 35 from a blood clot, really hard.
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Beato → take → clot
"Tragic," Beato reflects.
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Beato → reflect → ?
Becoming Beato
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Becoming → become → Beato
Born in Fairport, New York into a musical family, Beato played cello and double bass as a child before teaching himself guitar at age 13.
He earned degrees in classical music and a Master's in jazz guitar in 1987.
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He → bear → 1987
He would go on to lecture at several music institutions, including the prestigious Berklee College of Music and his alma mater, Ithica College.
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He → go → Music
In the 90s, he inked a songwriting deal and was a member of rock band Billionaire.
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he → ink → Billionaire
He moved to Atlanta in 1995 and bought Black Dog Sound Studios, which he operates to this day.
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he → move → day
Unafraid to voice his distaste on popular music or the financial fallout of streaming, Beato divides opinion.
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Beato → voice → opinion
To some, he epitomises "old man yells at clouds" clickbait.
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man → epitomise → clickbait
For many, it's never just "this sucks", it's always "this sucks because …"
How does he cope with backlash?
"
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he → suck → backlash
I think it's funny.
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it → think → ?
I enjoy when people criticise my opinions," Beato says.
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Beato → enjoy → opinions
…and 16 more, not listed.
The Aporia