Music Genres

The stereotype that female opera singers are all overweight is as old as the opera itself. But is weight really necessary to be a great soprano?

By Meg Sparwath

Bach was and is a towering figure in musical history, but what is it that makes him so great?

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

The addictive kid's song is now the most-downloaded YouTube video of all time. And before that, it accomplished the rare feat of hitting the Billboard charts. It's not the only kiddie song to make it big.

By Nathan Chandler

During the early 1960s, many songs featuring tragic teen deaths, usually in car crashes, became huge hits. What was behind this morbid craze?

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Soprano Audrey Luna sings an A over high C, the highest note ever achieved onstage at the Metropolitan Opera.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Not everyone agrees that as you age, you only want to hear the oldies.

By Dave Roos

From fleek to bling to hood, hip-hop and teen culture influence the evolution of American and global English.

By Chris Opfer

Would you like to know how to sharpen your music listening skills so that you listen to music rather than just hear it? This article shows you how to sharpen your music listening skills.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

What do tags and turntables have in common? They're both part of the cultural movement known as hip-hop. And while rapping most often takes center stage, movement and style are key cultural elements, too.

By Katherine Neer

Dixieland ... swing ... bebop ... acid jazz ... hard bop ... fusion -- we call them all "jazz" -- but why? What is it that makes jazz "jazz"?

By Cameron Lawrence

The Grand Ole Opry made Nashville the country music capital of the world. Check out our list of 14 notable Grand Ole Opry performers to take the stage at Ryman Auditorium, including Patsy Cline Porter Wagner and Elvis.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.