Fifty Years Ago, This Irresistible Disco Song and Dance Craze Swept the Nation and Changed the Music Landscape
Disco music’s time in the sun may have passed, but the legacy of “The Hustle,” a mega hit in the genre, lives on
Eight Places to Experience a Movie Like It’s 1925
Theaters from Washington to Florida and Massachusetts to Arizona show silent films accompanied by live music played on elaborate theater organs
Josephine Baker’s Memoir Is Now Being Published for the First Time in English
A newly available memoir reveals a tender, private side of the global celebrity
How One of History’s Most Famous and Beloved Movies Was Almost Forgotten
“Citizen Kane” was a titanic achievement in film but failed to be recognized as such until years later
A Brilliant Folk Musician Turned the Natural Sounds of the Blue Ridge Mountains Into Powerful Songs
Daniel Bachman is on a mission to evoke Virginia’s past through strange medleys of sounds
A Curious Industry Once Gave Anyone With a Song in Their Heart a (Long) Shot at Stardom
How the dubious tradition of song-sharking led to a strangely beautiful repository of folk art
Quincy Jones Was a ‘Musician’s Musician’ Who Was Uniquely Beloved in the Cutthroat Music Industry
A Smithsonian curator reflects back on the artistic legend, a “Renaissance man” with 28 Grammys to his name, who died Sunday at 91 years old
Could Anyone Bring an Extinct Animal Back to Life? And More Questions From Our Readers
You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts
Desi Arnaz Is Getting a Much-Deserved Historical Marker in Miami Beach
The Cuban-American actor and producer has stars on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, but this new honor pays tribute to his start as a musician in South Florida
The Stratocaster Became Rock Music’s Most Iconic Guitar 70 Years Ago
The plucky design behind the legendary instrument that forever changed the look of rock ‘n’ roll
Eight Movie Museums Cinephiles Need to Visit
From Chaplin’s World in Switzerland to Popeye Village in Malta, these spots celebrate much-loved films and filmmakers
The Stories Behind Six Iconic Album Cover Shots Taken in America—and Where to Recreate Them
These picture-perfect album covers have turned unassuming street corners, empty beach stretches and looming buildings into musical monuments
Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries
These 15 Groovy Photos Capture the Joy of Music
Musical instruments have existed for eons, and humans continue to create and enjoy them
How This Self-Taught Guitarist Became a Music Legend
For decades, Libba Cotten was one of the most distinctive folk musicians in America
An Absolutely Fabulous Celebration of History’s Greatest Divas
This heady, exquisitely delightful new book reveals the power behind the sequins
How Engineers Created a Flying ‘Star Wars’ X-Wing
The starfighter-outfitted drone was the first remotely piloted aircraft of its kind and size approved by the Federal Aviation Administration for public demonstration
How Museums Are Preserving and Celebrating Selena’s Legacy
The singer’s presence can still be felt at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History
Before Beyonce and Taylor Swift Ran the World, There Was Joan Baez
Today’s artists—especially women—are sometimes criticized for speaking out, but for Baez, art and activism were indivisible
How John Coltrane’s ‘My Favorite Things’ Changed American Music
Looking back at the moment when one of our greatest jazzmen raised the stakes for everyone who came after
Mickey Mouse and Many Other Beloved Creations, Including Peter Pan and ‘Mack the Knife,’ Are Now in the Public Domain
Almost a century after the cartoon mouse made his first appearance, he finally belongs to everyone—sort of
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