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.
The History of Black-Owned Record Labels
Decades before Motown ruled the radio, labels like Black Swan and Black Patti put out records that didn't stereotype African American music.
Can Bach Make You Buy More Stuff?
Classical music carries an air of sophistication. One scholar tries to figure out whether it also translates into more ka-ching.
Album Cover Artwork Was Super Boring before Alex Steinweiss
Inspired by the Bauhaus and WPA posters, the midcentury designer all but invented the modern record-album cover.
How Tribute Bands Celebrate Music History
They're not just cheese! For some people, seeing a band play note-for-note covers of classic songs goes beyond nostalgia.
How a Fake Supergroup Mocked the Real Thing
The Masked Marauders were the cockamamie creation of a bored rock critic. They still sold 100,000 albums.
Why Do We Listen to Sad Music?
Scientists investigate the emotional and physical effects of sad music, in an ongoing quest to explain the "paradox of pleasurable sadness."
Send Your Valentine a Song
These love songs from the Bowling Green State University Sheet Music Collection make the perfect gift. Plus, the covers are gorgeous.
The Conservative Christian War on Rock and Roll
Tracing an early front in the culture wars to a trio of evangelical opponents of rock music in the 1950s and '60s.