Disco and Classical Music: A Copacetic Couple
Despite seeming like strange dance partners, disco and classical make the best music—together.
German Song in America
In the late 1800s, German American singing festivals united German immigrant communities and brought new kinds of cultural activities to the United States.
The Storied History of HBCU Marching Bands
Marching bands at historically Black colleges and universities can be seen as both celebratory emblems and complicated arbiters of Black American culture.
Toledo’s Most Singular Pharmacist
The Ella P. Stewart Scrapbooks offer insight into the life and legacy of a pioneering Black woman who broke color barriers and helped birth the fight for civil rights.
“Let it Go” and “Defying Gravity”: Queer Anthems in Lockstep
The leading songs from Wicked and Frozen emphasize the importance of self-determination and being true to oneself.
Henry Cowell’s One True Desire
To “live in the whole world of music” was all the influential, experimental composer wanted—and did, even while imprisoned at San Quentin.
The Enduring Drive-In Theater
Even as televisions spread across the American landscape, the drive-in movie theater grew in popularity in the years following World War II.
In the Mood for “Fake” Music?
In 2017, it was reported that Spotify was promoting fake artists on its platform. But this type of approach to “content creation” wasn’t new.
The Accordion Blues
Though many associate the accordion with polkas and klezmer, the instrument played an important role in Black music after its arrival in the United States.
Charting the Music of a Movement
Galvanized by an act of racial violence, the band A Grain of Sand brought a new version of Asian American activism and identity to the folk music scene.