Music Industry
The Music Industry highlights the business side of making music and what it takes to have a hit, as well as how to not be that one-hit wonder.
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Why Are Boy Bands Bigger Stars Than Girl Groups?
Most of the biggest bands in the world are made up of young guys, even today. But what's happened to the ladies?
How Did Nashville Become the Hub of Country Music?
How this relatively small Southern city beat out the others to become 'Music City U.S.A.'?
5 Differences Between Spotify and Apple Music
Start studying up for the streaming wars, music lovers.
How the Grammys Work
Billions of dollars' worth of CDs and digital downloads are sold each year and the Grammy Awards recognize the people who create all this music. How are winners picked and who have been some of the most controversial?
The Comeback of the Cassette
Hot on the heels of the vinyl revival comes a mini-boom for cassette sales. But who's really buying them?
The Vinyl Album Is Dead. Long Live the Album!
Will subscription music services – and the unlikely comeback of vinyl – save the music album from extinction?
Are Pop Song Lyrics Getting More Repetitive?
A computer programmer used data analysis to crunch the numbers for six decades of pop music's hottest hits.
Is Music Sampling Dead? Not So Fast
The copyright infringement lawsuits didn't kill off sampling. Musicians just figured out how to hide it better so artists often can't tell they're being sampled.
See the Band, Buy the T-shirt (More Easily)
You want to wear the cool T-shirt the day after the concert; the band wants your cash to fuel life on the road. The Merch Cat app is geared at making both things happen.
Red Lobster Owes Beyoncé Some Free Cheddar Bay Biscuits
But does name-checking a product in a song always mean a big sales bump?
Composing in Code: Musician-Programmers Are Changing the Way Music Is Made
Here's a riddle: If a musician creates an artificial intelligence that composes music, then who actually wrote the concerto?
Now You Can Sing 'Happy Birthday' Without Looking Over Your Shoulder (Probably)
Now that "Happy Birthday to You" is free to use, people everywhere will publicly sing it, right? Most likely. But the answer's not so clear.
The Perfect Length for a Pop Song
Do we really prefer three-minute radio songs, or is that just what we're given?
What does 'digitally remastered' mean?
Your favorite band has just digitally remastered and reissued all of its albums. You already own everything they've ever made — should you buy them all again?
How the RIAA Works
Known for its Gold and Platinum Record awards, the Recording Industry Association of America's goal is to promote and protect the music industry. But how does that mission lead to a lawsuit against a 12-year-old girl?
How Music Sampling Works
Have you ever heard a brand new song on the radio and realized that it sounds familiar? Chances are the producers sampled a drum break or a bass line from a classic song, reworking it into a completely new piece.
How Auto-Tune Works
Have you noticed in recent years that a lot of pop stars sometimes sound like singing robots? You've probably heard of the pitch-correcting software called Auto-Tune -- and its effect on modern music.
How Multitrack Recording Works
Have you ever listened to a song and wondered how the artist was able to make so many different sounds come together onto one recording? Since the 1950s, multitrack recording has made recording music easier -- and a lot more interesting.
How One-hit Wonders Work
The very term conjures up images of red balloons, burning beds and Eileen and Mickey spinning right round like a record. How do artists become one hit wonders?
How Booking Agents Work
Booking agents secure work for many different types of artists. Read this article to learn more about booking agents.
How Music Mixing Software Works
DJs use music mixing software to help them produce hot beats. Read this article to learn about music mixing software.
How do they remaster CDs and DVDs?
The process of remastering CDs and DVDs has become increasingly popular as we move further into the digital age. Read this article to learn all about the remastering process.
How Recording Engineers Work
There's a reason why your favorite band's album sounds so good. Recording engineers are the backbone of album recording sessions. But what exactly happens behind the scenes?
How Concert Tours Work
Going to see your favorite band's concert tour can be a rush. But there's a lot more that goes into putting on a concert tour than you can imagine. What happens behind the scenes?
How Becoming a Roadie Works
Being a roadie for a major rock band might sound cool, but there's a lot of hard work involved. What does it take to become a roadie?
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