'Empire': A World Of Unbuttoned Shirts And Dishy Music Stories
Fox's new drama about the family behind a music mega-company is pretty standard soapy television with some nice performances and a limited understanding of music.
Music & Culture
How Santería Seeped Into Latin Music
Santería ceremonies are for calling out to the spiritual world, and that spiritual connection is made through music. Felix Contreras explores how some sacred beats made a secular crossover.
Marian Anderson's Groundbreaking Met Opera Moment
Sixty years ago, opera singer Marian Anderson made her long overdue debut at New York's Metropolitan Opera. She was its first African-American soloist.
In 2014, Pop Followed Beyonce's Lead
Beyonce's 2013 self-titled album explicitly connected feminism to sexual confidence; it cast a long shadow over the female-led pop singles that dominated Top 40 this year.
'Voices Within The Music': A Brief History Of Guitar Effects
Be it an effects pedal or a hole stabbed in an amp, distortion and sound manipulation have long been part of rock 'n' roll's DNA.
Anatomy Of A Hit: Kelly Clarkson's 'Since U Been Gone'
What makes one song sound like another? Sometimes it's coincidence; sometimes it's plagiarism. And sometimes, it's the byproduct of deliberate craftsmanship.
Finland's HIM Releases Early Work In 'Lashes to Ashes'
It's cold and dark in Finland, but the Finnish band HIM has been heating things up. HIM is currently touring the U.S.; two band members join NPR's Scott Simon to talk about their music.
Cornell To Digitize A Rich Hip-Hop Archive
The founding publicity director of Def Jam Records, Bill Adler, amassed a highly valuable collection of music, writing and images.
All Possibilities: The 'Purple Rain' Story
Though revered now, Prince's iconic 1984 film and album succeeded against daunting odds. Music critic and journalist Alan Light provides the details in his new book, Let's Go Crazy.
Before Dylan, Dave Ray's Blues Rocked Minneapolis
When Bob Dylan moved to Minneapolis in 1959, he was overshadowed by a singer and guitar player named Dave Ray of the blues trio Koerner, Ray and Glover. A new box set traces the singer's evolution.