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.
The Longest Song Ever Was Almost 6 Days Long
What Was the Largest Concert Ever? 7 Events by Crowd Size
5 Things We've Always Wondered About Andy Gibb
Can 'One-hit Wonders' Live Off Royalties Forever?
Why Are Boy Bands Bigger Stars Than Girl Groups?
How Did Nashville Become the Hub of Country Music?
The Easiest Instrument to Learn: 9 Options for Beginners
The Light and Airy Lyre Has Plucked Its Way Through the Ages
Getting to Know the Didge, the 'World's Healthiest Instrument'
10 Chicago Festivals to Keep You Partying Year-round
10 Country Music Festivals Uniting Fans in North America
14 EDM Festivals Where the Vibes Are Immaculate
Learn More / Page 6
Music licensing is something that happens constantly. The music you hear on the radio in a restaurant or in a department store is all licensed. Find out when and why we have to pay to play.
If you grew up listening to Casey Kasem's Top 40, you probably waited with bated breath to find out which song made it to No. 1 that week. Well, the Top 40 is still around. Learn how a song makes it into that elite list.
Your band's hitting it big in the clubs, you've got a demo and you're ready to shop for a record label. Find out what record labels can do for you and learn about the differences between the big guys and the indies.
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The last time you bought a CD did you wonder how much of the sticker price was actually going to the artist who performed? How does a Platinum-selling musician end up broke? Find out what musicians are actually being paid.
Ready to kick out the jams? To make your songs resonate like you know they can, you'll need the right equipment. Instruments and amps are just the beginning -- public venues require special audio equipment to make sure things sound the way they should. Read this before you rock.
We've all heard the stories - artist "x" suing label "y" over some unfair clause in a contract and label "y" suing artist "x" over some contract breach... How complicated can this stuff be? Find out.
If you want to make money as a musician and you're not signed to a record contract yet, you need to be playing clubs. But club gigs are not so easy to come by. Find out how to get started in the club circuit.
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Looking to create a demo CD of your work? If you don't have the money to pay for time at a pro recording studio, there are other avenues. Find out what you'll need to cut your own music CD at home.
There aren't too many inventions that have had as much cultural impact as the electric guitar. Its distinctive sound winds its way through most popular music from the past 50 years -- the electric guitar IS rock and roll.
If you pluck a string on an electric guitar that is not plugged in, you'll notice that you can barely hear the sound. Why is that?
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