WTMD will present a 6-part radio documentary–Freedom Needs A Soundtrack–Sunday, November 1, 2026, from 8 to 11 AM.
Thirty years ago, the Beastie Boys, U2, Rage Against the Machine, Björk, Radiohead, Pearl Jam, A Tribe Called Quest, and other major artists came together for nonviolence, freedom, and Tibet through the Tibetan Freedom Concerts.
In this six-part audio documentary, concert co-founder Erin Potts tells how a small team of twenty-somethings helped build one of the largest concert series of
the 1990s. With friends, artists, activists, and organizers who were part of the story, Erin looks back at how the concerts began, what they changed, and what their legacy offers today.
Through first-person storytelling and archival recordings, Freedom Needs a Soundtrack takes listeners behind the scenes of a cultural movement that helped bring Tibet to the world stage. From a study abroad program in Nepal, witnessing acts of resistance inside Tibet, to sold-out stadiums and Capitol Hill, the series explores how music, friendship, and nonviolent action inspired a generation.
Along the way, some of the era’s most influential artists lend their voices and talents to a movement that grows far beyond the concert stage. Featuring concert organizers, artists,
former political prisoners, and Tibetan activists, the series explores the relationship between culture and social change—and what this remarkable story still has to offer today.
The series includes new interviews and archival recordings with Adam Yauch, Bono, Björk, Dave Grohl, Thom Yorke, Tom Morello, Flea, Biz Markie, Yoko Ono, Kurt Loder, Erin Potts, Lhadon Tethong, Ngawang Sangdrol, Deyden Tethong, Palden Gyatso, Sam Chapin, and others.
Airing Sunday mornings from 8 AM – 11 AM on WTMD:
November 1 – Episode 1: The Power of Music (29:26)
November 8 – Episode 2: Inside Tibet (29:29)
November 15 – Episode 3: Standing Up for Freedom (28:51)
November 22 – Episode 4:The First Concert (27:48)
November 29 – Episode 5: No Slowing Down (26:16)
December 6 – Episode 6: After the Storm (28:03)
Don’t miss Freedom Needs A Soundtrack!
📻 – Set your radio dial to 89.7 FM
📲 – Tune in with our free mobile app
💻 – Listen live at WTMD.org
🔉- Stream through your smart speaker
