Rock music has changed dramatically over the decades spawning numerous sounds, subgenres and legendary bands. Since the 1960’s, many rock bands have had great success however, who were the best sellers for each decade? Although not fair to bands that…
Payola refers to the illegal practice of paying a commercial radio station, particularly the disc jockey, to play a song without disclosing the payment. The payola scandal of the 1950s is a significant event in music history that continues to…
In pop and rock music, not every singer starts off fronting the musical performance. The road to stardom usually begins in the shadows. A lot of recent and current top performers started behind the lead singer – harmonizing in the…
In music making, talent sometimes runs in the family. Sibling acts, especially those with siblings in music, have shared a few of the best harmonies and biggest hits in popular music history. From the close-knit vocal stylings, that usually only…
Predicting musical hits is not a precise science. In the wild world of rock music, some of the most iconic rock anthems tracks, including various rock anthems, weren’t originally expected to make waves. These rock anthems defied expectations, broke industry…
The introduction of MTV in 1981 transformed the way audiences encountered and consumed 1980s music videos. The rise of 1980s music videos marked a pivotal moment in the music industry. Music videos became more than promotional tools; 1980s music videos…
Even though the spotlight usually falls on the performers that produce songs, some of music’s most important individuals in music are the songwriters that work the hits behind the scenes. These musical architects produced the melodies and lyrics for popular…
During the 1960s and early 1970s, the golden era of American popular music, a crew of Los Angeles session musicians referred to as “The Wrecking Crew“, were part of many very successful records. Their names have been mostly unknown to…
Something special occurred on Max Yasgur’s dairy farm in Bethel, New York in August of 1969. What was originally intended to be a small music festival developed into the cultural event of a generation. Woodstock concert 1969 was more than…
The initial history of rock music cannot be separated from the introduction of new rock and roll equipment that produced it’s sound. Three visionaries, Leo Fender, Thomas Walter Jennings and Jim Marshall pioneer the new music technology. Their inventions defined…