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Behind the Song: Why Tyler, The Creator Is Paranoid on “Noid”
Tyler, The Creator previews his seventh studio album Chromakopia with the nightmarish lead single “Noid.” Backed with a chopped guitar riff, Tyler samples the Zambian rock band Ngozi Family and their...
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The Story Behind the Lengthy Evolution of “Vertigo” by U2
Some bands may be comfortable with putting out music that is less than perfect, but those bands aren’t U2. The Irish superstars have built a reputation for second-guessing their own work and spending...
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Behind the Song: Rosé and Bruno Mars Give a Nod to a Korean Drinking Game on...
Three years have passed since Blackpink’s Rosé released her solo debut R. The solo project featured two laid-back electro-pop singles, “On the Ground” and “Gone.” On October 18, the K-pop singer...
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The Meaning Behind One Direction’s Nostalgic “Night Changes”
One Direction called their fourth studio album Four. But the 2014 release also marked the end of the road (vintage boy band reference) for Zayn Malik. For the next album, the quintet recorded as a...
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How Liam Payne Embraced His Freedom From One Direction on “Strip That Down”
When Liam Payne released his debut solo single “Strip That Down,” in 2017, he embraced a newfound freedom from One Direction. The single features rapper Quavo with writing contributions from Ed Sheeran...
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The First Song Paul Simon Wrote at 13 to Perform With Art Garfunkel Turned...
When Paul Simon was 11, he was cast in a school production of Alice in Wonderland for a sixth-grade graduation show. There, he met his future musical partner Art Garfunkel, who was also performing in...
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The Story Behind Bon Jovi and Jennifer Nettles’ History-Making Crossover Hit...
Billboard has been publishing a country singles chart since 1958, but it took close to half a century for a rock band to occupy its No. 1 spot. The rock band in question—Bon Jovi—didn’t tread into...
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The Song Nina Simone Wrote in Harsh Response to the Beatles’ “Revolution”
When John Lennon introduced his multiple versions of the politically charged “Revolution” to the Beatles, it sowed seeds of discord among the Fab Four, worldwide, and more specifically, Nina Simone....
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Warren Zevon’s Contribution to the Infamous Neil Young v. Lynyrd Skynyrd Feud
We often associate the ubiquitous, albeit hyperbolic, feud between Neil Young and Lynyrd Skynyrd with their respective songs, “Southern Man” and “Sweet Home Alabama,” but this dichotomy excludes a...
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A Love Song to a Car: The Story Behind “409” by The Beach Boys
Ever since people could jump in a car and hit the open road, they have been singing about it. In the early 1900s, songs like “The Motor Car,” “The Auto Race,” and “In My Merry Oldsmobile” were...
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The Meaning Behind the Song Graham Nash Wrote About His Wrongly Imprisoned...
When Graham Nash was 14, his father William served a one-year sentence in jail for a crime he never committed. The senior Nash had purchased a stolen camera for his son from a family member but refused...
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The Meaning Behind Eminem’s Heartfelt Lullaby “Mockingbird”
When Marshall Mathers introduced the world to Slim Shady, he uttered three memorable words: My name is. The rapper known as Eminem became famous with his alter ego, displaying many sides that were...
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The Story Behind Art Garfunkel’s Debut Solo Single and His String of Reunions...
By the time Simon & Garfunkel released their final album Bridge Over Troubled Water and parted ways in 1970, Paul Simon already had a debut solo album (The Paul Simon Songbook) underhis belt years...
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Behind the Meaning of Paul Simon’s “Run That Body Down”
The life of a successful musician is hectic to say the least. Paul Simon is one such musician that has filled his life with extensive tours, studio sessions, and more. He talked about the effects of...
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Johnny Cash Rejected This Tom Petty Song Over One Chord
As any musician knows, sometimes, the way a song sounds in your head doesn’t end up working out in real life, and such was the case for a standalone Tom Petty song that Johnny Cash rejected over its...
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John Lennon Was “Self-Conscious” of Imitating This Blues Legend’s Vocal Style
Despite the bravado they might adopt on stage or in the studio, many artists are often deeply insecure or self-conscious about some elements of their creative work, and John Lennon’s fear of imitating...
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The Story Behind the First Song Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings Wrote About...
By 1978 Willie Nelson, and Waylon Jennings were country music superstars and certified outlaws. After reaching success on their own, the two teamed up for some collaborative albums including their 1978...
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John Fogerty Recalls the Lyrics to an “Unusual” CCR Classic That Came to Him...
John Fogerty has posted the latest in a series of video features in which he shares stories about how he wrote some of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s most famous songs. In the new clip, Fogerty recalls...
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How The Cure’s New Single “Alone” Inspired Their Latest Album
The Cure’s new single “Alone” is the band’s first since 2008. It preceded their latest album Songs of a Lost World, which arrived on November 1. Frontman Robert Smith said in a statement, “It’s the...
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The Story Behind “Woodstock,” the Song Joni Mitchell Wrote About the Festival...
You know that Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young song “Woodstock,” about the iconic music festival? Did you know it was actually written and recorded first by Joni Mitchell? Did you also know that...
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