The Controversial History of the Word ‘Hillbilly,’ Which Was First Defined in Print 125 Years Ago
In 1900, a political writer described the “hill-billie” as someone who “talks as he pleases, drinks whiskey when he gets it and fires off his revolver as the fancy takes him.” Since then, the label has been used in both mockery and pride
Artificial ‘Brain’ Aims to Allow Composer to Keep Making Music Three Years After His Death
Before dying in 2021, Alvin Lucier donated blood for “Revivification,” an installation that generates sound in response to neural signals
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
Windows 95 Jingle, 1960 World Series Broadcast and Other ‘Audio Treasures’ Added to the National Recording Registry
From a list of 2,600 nominations submitted by the public, the Library of Congress has selected 25 songs, albums and sounds that are at least ten years old to preserve for posterity
New Museum Examines the History of American Public Housing—and the Stories of Its Residents
Located in a preserved 1930s development in Chicago’s West Side, the museum includes three recreated apartments representing families of different decades and demographics
Rare Early Beatles Demo Tape Found Collecting Dust in Vancouver Record Store
The 15-song recording dates to the Liverpool band’s failed audition for Decca Records in early 1962—months before it released its first hit
How ‘Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood’ Introduced the ‘First Lady of Children’s Music’ to a Large National Audience
When musician Ella Jenkins appeared on the show, she brought Black diasporic music and her signature songs to televisions across America
How the Vienna Vegetable Orchestra Performs Music Using Carrots, Turnips, Radishes and Pumpkins
The band has now secured a world record for playing more than 340 concerts on instruments made from produce. After each concert, the band members serve soup to the audience
You Can Buy a Reel-to-Reel Tape of a Young Bob Dylan Performing Six Songs at the Gaslight Cafe
Billed as “Bob Dylan’s first demo tape,” the recordings from September 1961 played an outsize role in launching the 20-year-old aspiring songwriter’s career
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
Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus Is Selling His Beloved Banksy Painting
The pop-punk musician is auctioning off Bansky’s 2005 painting “Crude Oil (Vettriano)” and plans to donate a portion of the proceeds to Los Angeles charities
Paul McCartney Is Selling His Rediscovered Photos of the Beatles’ Rise to Fame
Ahead of the sale, the collection of 36 images—all taken between December 1963 and February 1964—will be exhibited at Gagosian
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
This Storied Stradivarius Violin Made in 1714 Just Sold for Over $11 Million at Auction
The instrument was owned by a notable 19th-century Hungarian violinist
On This Day in 1964, 73 Million Americans Tuned in to Watch the Biggest Act in Music
Teenage girls threw themselves behind the Beatles and helped Ed Sullivan create the most-watched television event of its time
How the Theme Song From a Maligned Martin Scorsese Movie Became New York City’s Unofficial Anthem
Frank Sinatra’s rendition of “Theme From New York, New York” still raises spirits through challenging times and marks joyous occasions 45 years after its release
One of the Oldest Surviving Operas by a Black American Composer Will Be Performed for the First Time—138 Years After It Was Written
Edmond Dédé’s 1887 magnum opus “Morgiane”—billed as “the most important opera never heard”—will finally get its premiere after languishing in obscurity for more than a century
Bob Dylan’s Drafts of ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ Lyrics Sell for $508,000 at Auction
The rare papers were part of a larger collection from rock journalist Al Aronowitz, a close friend of Dylan’s in the 1960s
How Scientists and Composers Teamed Up to Create a Stunning Natural Version of Colombia’s National Anthem
A team trekked for two weeks and collected the sounds of birds, frogs, a jaguar and whales in order to make the song
Music History and Contemporary Art Destroyed in the Deadly Los Angeles Wildfires
An archive of scores by composer Arnold Schoenberg and the collections of countless contemporary artists have been lost in the blaze
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