Music & Technology

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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See the Wildest Winners of Competition to Invent New Musical Instruments

Where else can you find an instrument that can be played with a mallet, a violin bow or a hair comb?

By Melanie Radzicki McManus Mar 15, 2017 Music / Musical Instruments

5 Things You Didn't Know About Bob Marley

Emancipate yourself from mental slavery by learning more about this reggae superstar.

By Kathryn Whitbourne Feb 3, 2017 Music / Musicians & Bands

How Does the YMCA Feel About the Village People Song 'Y.M.C.A.'?

Nearly four decades after the Village People anthem hit the discos, the song's namesake still isn't really ready to fully embrace it.

By Chris Opfer Jan 31, 2017 Music / Musicians & Bands

5 Things You Didn't Know About 'London Calling'

When the Clash started working on their third album, they had no idea it would be so influential.

By Kathryn Whitbourne Dec 14, 2016 Music / Musicians & Bands

5 Things You Didn't Know About Jim Morrison

Which other famous rock star inspired the Lizard King's persona?

By Kathryn Whitbourne Dec 8, 2016 Music / Musicians & Bands

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.

By David Dennis Dec 6, 2016 Music / Music Industry

Do We Really Stop Caring About Music As We Get Older?

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

By Dave Roos Sep 23, 2016 Music / Music Genres

What Does Your Playlist Say About Your Personality?

Whether you love cheery pop tunes or melodramatic ballads has a lot to do with your age and gender, right? Actually, your musical taste depends more on your personality.

By Jonathan Strickland Aug 11, 2016 Music / Musicians & Bands

Pianist Plays Gorgeous Music While Floating in the Arctic Ocean

Ludovico Einaudi's 'Elegy for the Arctic' is part of a Greenpeace campaign to draw attention to the region's rapidly melting ice.

By Christopher Hassiotis Jun 21, 2016 Music / Musicians & Bands

The Sound of Ancient Irish Horns, Rediscovered in Modern India

A musicologist uncovers a surprising link between the musical cultures of ancient Europe and India.

By Christopher Hassiotis May 16, 2016 Music / Musical Instruments

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.

By Jason Hoch Apr 1, 2016 Music / Music Industry

Killer Mike Talks Activism and Music at SxSW

Music executive Shanti Das and rapper Killer Mike have a conversation about Atlanta, music and social justice.

By Yves Jeffcoat Mar 26, 2016 Music / Musicians & Bands

Red Lobster Owes Beyoncé Some Free Cheddar Bay Biscuits

But does name-checking a product in a song always mean a big sales bump?

By Dave Roos Feb 24, 2016 Music / Music Industry

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?

By Julia Layton Feb 3, 2016 Music / Music Industry

Love Kate Bush? Join the Crowd. Literally.

Reenactments of the 'Wuthering Heights' video are happening all over the world in July.

By Alia Hoyt Jan 26, 2016 Music / Musicians & Bands

5 Times David Bowie Was Censored in the Past

Overt religious themes? Canine-human hybrids? Gender-bending marionettes? Yep, David Bowie did it all, and often faced censorship because of it.

By Chris Opfer Jan 12, 2016 Music / Musicians & Bands

So Now Bling Means Blink, Drake? How Hip-Hop Pushes Linguistic Evolution

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

By Chris Opfer Dec 31, 2015 Music / Music Genres

Where Have All the Angry Mainstream Musicians Gone?

Protest music? What's that? Maybe musicians today are too concerned about getting paid. Or maybe there are ones who care, but industry forces make it tough to get heard.

By Chris Opfer Dec 17, 2015 Music / Musicians & Bands

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.

By Laurie L. Dove Dec 14, 2015 Music / Music Industry

You Might Not Get to Hear Wu-Tang Clan's Latest Album

That infamous pharma exec Martin Shkreli just bought the sole copy. Bummer.

By Jonathan Strickland Dec 9, 2015 Music / Musicians & Bands

Not All Musicians Live Fast and Die Young

Sure, some do, but it depends on what kind of music you're listening to.

By Alison Cooper Nov 10, 2015 Music / Musicians & Bands

The Perfect Length for a Pop Song

Do we really prefer three-minute radio songs, or is that just what we're given?

By Alia Hoyt Oct 22, 2015 Music / Music Industry

Why do banjos sound so twangy?

At a glance, the banjo seems like a pretty simple instrument. In actuality, a complex combination of acoustics, physics and musicianship work in tandem to produce that signature twang.

By Debra Ronca Music / Musical Instruments

Was Major Tom a real astronaut?

Did David Bowie really write "Space Oddity" to pay tribute to a brave astronaut who was lost in space? Or is it solely a testament to Bowie's unique brilliance?

By Bambi Turner Music / Musicians & Bands

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?

By Debra Ronca Music / Music Industry