MUSIC

11 Popular Songs That Reference Shakespeare

1. "Romeo and Juliet" – Dire Straits Dolly Parton, Steve Forbert, Elvis Costello, Michael Penn... These are just a few of many artists who've referenced the name Romeo in their songs. But this beautiful tune from Mark Knopfler stands out for its streetwis

Why Were CD Boxes So Big in the Early 1990s?

Image credit: Daniel R. Tobias/Wikimedia CommonsI was working at Tower Records back in the late 1980s, when the compact disc started replacing the vinyl LP. Beyond the arguments over the analog vs. digital sound (which continue to this day) and the higher

"Rainbow Connection," 33 Years Later

33 years ago yesterday, The Muppet Movie made its silver screen debut. Over the opening credits, Kermit played his banjo in the swamp, singing the now-iconic theme song, "Rainbow Connection." The song was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Glob

"Man of Constant Sorrow," the Blind Fiddler's Tune Everybody Knows

Bob Dylan's first national TV appearance came in March of 1963 on a program called "Folk Songs, and More Folk Songs!" He performed three songs, including "Man of Constant Sorrow," a folk tune from circa 1913, originally recorded by the partially blind fi

11 Problems Music Can Solve

Music can cheer you up when you're sad, make you dance like a fool, and allow you to drown out the world when you need to. But music has its scientific uses, too.

I Love Uke: 100 Years After Its First Wave of Popularity, the Ukulele is Back

Zooey Deschanel plays one. So do William H. Macy and Mr. Schuester on Glee. Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder accompanies himself exclusively on one for his latest album, Ukulele Songs. Meanwhile, every third TV commercial seems to feature a soundtrack of a s

The Craziest Hall & Oates Video Ever

Sometimes there's a music video that changes everything -- a video that makes your bad day turn good, turns your frown upside down, and confuses the everliving hell out of you. Today, I bring you that video. In 1976 1973, Hall & Oates made a "promotiona

11 Musicians Who Overcame Disabilities

1. Ludwig van Beethoven At age 26, the great German composer and pianist began to lose his hearing. His problems began with a severe form of tinnitus, and it's thought they may have been complicated by syphilis, lead poisoning, typhus, or possibly his hab

The Beatles Cartoons

In September of 1965, the Beatles were the hottest act in the history of show business. In addition to their millions of record and album sales and their sold out concerts all over the world, the Fab Four garnered record-high ratings on their TV appearan

The Day John Lennon Became a Disc Jockey

When John Lennon visited WNEW’s Dennis Elsas in 1974, he brought along some of his favorite records to

Elvis Presley's Strangest Concert

Based on the pandemonium Elvis Presley had generated the last two times he played Jacksonville, Florida, Colonel Tom Parker, his manager, booked him for six shows over two days in August of 1956. All six shows would be at the Florida Theater, a medium-siz

Johnny Cash's "A Boy Named Sue" Was Written by Shel Silverstein

© Chris Hoffmann/dpa/Corbis / © Jeff Albertson/CORBIS In February 1969, Johnny Cash had a party at his house in Hendersonville, TN. As the evening went on, the party turned into a guitar pull, with some of Johnny's friends trying out their latest songs.

From Sonic Youth's Guitars to LA Tubas: 4 Famous Stolen Instruments

Any musician would tell you that instruments are expensive. Yet, the fame of these artists didn't prevent these robberies.

11 Items in Van Halen's Contract Rider (Including No Brown M&Ms)

Van Halen is back! Featuring David Lee Roth and three Van Halens, the band has reunited for a North American tour, and their new record was released just three days ago. So I thought I'd take a look back at the band's infamous early-1980s tour rider*, t

Great Moments In Kazoo History

Here are a few fascinating points in the history of the great musical equalizer.

Why Don't You Hear Someone's Accent in a Song?

Ever wonder how singers manage to loser their accent when they sing? Is it there, but we just don't hear it, or is there a reason behind it?

The Stories Behind 11 More Classic Album Covers

Last month, Bill DeMain took us behind the scenes for 11 iconic album covers. Today he's back with 11 more. 1. Satan Is Real (1960) The Louvin Brothers Design by Ira

The 25 Most Powerful Songs of the Past 25 Years

They’re not the most beautiful songs, or the most musically important. In fact, a few could literally drive you nuts. But the following tunes have made a difference somehow.

Do you remember "Christmas Tree," Lady Gaga's 2008 holiday tune? Neither does anyone else.

11 Christmas Songs That Never Really Took Off

From The Beatles to Lady Gaga, some of the music world's biggest names are responsible for some of the holiday season's biggest clunkers.

The Stories Behind 11 Classic Album Covers

Discover the stories behind 11 classic album covers, including The Clash's "London Calling" and more.

The Beatles's Bizarre 1960s Christmas Shows

By the 1963 Christmas season, The Beatles were already the biggest musical stars in the history of British entertainment. Which makes their live "The Beatles Christmas Shows" of 1963 and 1964 even more bizarre.

The FBI Plot Against "Louie Louie"

In the winter of 1963-64, a team of FBI agents spent their days hunched over portable record players, struggling to decode a message that threatened the morality of America’s youth. It wasn’t from the Russians or Castro, but a band of white-bread Portland

'Jingle Bells' Was Originally Written as a Thanksgiving Song

Thanksgiving's got nothing on Christmas when it comes to music. Beyond Adam Sandler's "The Thanksgiving Song," there aren't a ton of tunes you associate with Turkey Day. Unless you count "Jingle Bells." Wait, what?

11 Things You May Not Know About "God Bless America"

You may know all the words, but how much do you know about the song

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