HowStuffWorks Newsletter
The Music Channel teaches us about the industry, the instruments and the genres. These articles explain why music is such an important fabric of our collective soul.
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Ukraine's entry, Kalush Orchestra's "Stefania," combines traditional folk sounds with modern hip-hop. Sentimental and upbeat at the same time, the song has become an anthem for the war-torn nation and will likely win the contest.
Can one big hit set a musician for life? Maybe in the old days but what about now?
By Dave Roos
With his good looks and appealing voice, this youngest member of the Gibb brothers seemed destined for a long music career. But it was not to be. What went wrong for Andy Gibb?
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The Rolling Stones drummer infused one of the greatest rock 'n' roll bands with a ton of rock and a lot of jazz. His death today leaves a huge hole in rock music.
The crowd-sourced syllabus, which is typically circulated through hashtags on social media, has grown popular over the past several years. And of course there's one for the K-pop phenom BTS.
Need some hints? It's a music video, not sung in English, that is popular all over the world.
By Alia Hoyt
The lyre is a small U-shaped harp that has appeared all over the world, from the ancient Greco-Roman culture, to India, Africa and beyond. Do people still play this ancient stringed instrument?
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Most people know the correct lyrics to "Happy Birthday," and that's about it. Can you finish these song lyrics correctly? Don't disappoint your favorite recording artists!
By Alia Hoyt
The newly opened National Museum of African American Music celebrates the legacy and contrubutions of Black musicians in all genres, from hip-hop, rap and soul to jazz, funk, blues and pop.
Lady Day, as her fans called her, had a captivating vocal style. But it's the way she poured her life into her songs that made her so memorable. Here are five songs you should know.
On Sept. 5, 2020, a small crowd gathered in the St. Burchardi church in Halberstadt, Germany, to hear the first sound change in almost seven years to an organ piece by composer John Cage that will go on until the year 2640.
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How did Saul Hudson become Slash? And where did the name Meat Loaf come from? Test your knowledge of musical nicknames with this rockin' quiz!
By Mark Mancini
This smooth music style of the late '70s and early '80s features a SoCal vibe and lots of collaboration among its practitioners (Toto, Michael McDonald, etc.) Don your captain’s hat, grab a pina colada and test your yacht rock knowledge!
Known for his lilting cover of 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow,' which he sang while playing the ukulele, IZ was a big part of the Hawaiian Cultural Renaissance.
The droning didgeridoo, or didge, is an ancient wind instrument created by the aboriginal people of northern Australia, but still widely played today.
By Jeremy Glass
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The living embodiment of the Las Vegas lounge singer, Wayne Newton's been packing in the crowds on the Strip for over 50 years. So, what's his secret?
With a fiercely loyal fanbase, kawaii band BABYMETAL is reshaping heavy metal into something the world has never quite seen before.
Whether you’re a tween, teen or middle-aged mom, chances are good that at some point, your heart has been captured by at least one boy bander. So, we think you've got the right stuff to ace this quiz.
By Alia Hoyt
Most of the biggest bands in the world are made up of young guys, even today. But what's happened to the ladies?
By Dave Roos
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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
St. Vincent, one of indie rock's female pioneers, helped design a guitar that some say is a perfect female fit.
By Chris Opfer
The story goes that the only explanation for Robert Johnson's sudden prowess at playing the blues must have been an unholy alliance with Satan. But what was the truth?
By Dave Roos
So you think you know BTS? They're the K-Pop sensation all over the airways (and social media). But only the ultimate BTS ARMY fans can pass this quiz. See if you're good enough!
By Alia Hoyt & Danielle Douez
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Bach was and is a towering figure in musical history, but what is it that makes him so great?
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.