The Year The Grammys Honored Disco
In 1980, The Grammys gave disco its own category, but the genre was already receding into invisibility.
Creating the Musical Canon
When you look at the canon of popular music, who's on the list looks very much like those who made the list.
Tchaikovsky’s Patroness
Madame von Meck offered Tchaikovsky her generous patronage, but spoke to him only through letters.
The Radicalism of Johnny Cash
The best-selling musical artist in the world in 1969, Johnny Cash sang of (and for) the "forgotten Americans": the imprisoned men of all races.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: A History in Pictures
In 1927, the parade replaced live animals with helium balloons designed by puppeteer Tony Sarg.
Thank You, Tweens, for Your Pop Music Icons
Olivia Rodrigo is only the latest star to emerge from the wonderful world of Disney.
How Women Singers Subverted Tango’s Masculinity
In the hands of performers known as cancionistas, the genre known for its machismo was transformed.
The Work of Pioneering Musicologist Eileen Southern
The scholarship of Black music was transformed by Southern's work, and is now being honored by a new initiative.
Way before MTV, Music Ruled the Living Room
I want my Ed Sullivan, Arthur Godfrey, and Lawrence Welk! To say nothing of Soul Train!
How Dolly Parton Is Literally Like a Cougar
The mountain cat’s cries, like Dolly Parton’s famous songs, carry the diverse voices of rural Appalachia.