Music
Scientists Show Humans May Share a 'Musical Grammar'
Across 60 cultures, songs sung in similar social contexts have shared musical features
How Lil Nas X and 'Old Town Road' Defy Categorization
The self-taught 20-year-old musician galloped to global fame with his chart-topping song that fuses country and hip-hop together
New Music and Dance Fusions Kick Off Native American Heritage Month
The National Museum of the American Indian is webcasting many of these public programs live, then archiving them online
The Long Journey of Charlie Parker’s Saxophone
The newly acquired instrument, played by the father of bebop, is on view at the National Museum of African American History and Culture
The Tragic Story of America’s First Black Music Star
Thomas Wiggins, an African-American musician marketed as ‘Blind Tom’, had a lucrative career—but saw none of the profits himself
How the Beatles Took Recording Technology to a New Level in 'Abbey Road'
An expert in sound recording details how the band deployed stereo and synthesizers to put a unique artistic stamp on this iconic album
World-Renowned Soprano Jessye Norman Dies at 74
The opera star, who championed diversity in the arts, was known for her singular voice and versatile range
How Composer John Cage Transformed the Piano—With the Help of Some Household Objects
With screws and bolts placed between its strings, the 'prepared piano' offers up a wide range of sounds
Paul Simon Has 50 Ways to Charm an Audience
As the 2019 recipient of the Smithsonian’s Great Americans Medal, the musician divulged he still has one more song to write
Here's the Guitar That Prince Revolutionized Music With in 'Purple Rain'
The artist gave the "cloud" guitar to the Smithsonian in 1993, but only now do we know it's the same instrument used in the iconic movie
A Century Ago, This Eerie-Sounding Instrument Ushered in Electronic Music
Now, the theremin—a strange little invention that translates hand gestures into pitch and volume—could make a comeback
Found: A Hub Where Humpback Whales Share Their Songs
A new study has found that whales from diverse locations gather at the Kermadec Islands, where they seem to transmit unique ditties
All the World’s a Fantastical Stage for the Artist Mingering Mike
‘Re:Frame’ delves into a work of one of Washington D.C.’s most imaginative artists and his fascination with the historic Howard Theatre
Nina Simone’s Childhood Home Is Under Threat. This Campaign Aims to Save It
The National Trust is hoping to preserve the North Carolina house where Simone first learned to play piano
This Florida Music Festival Takes Place Completely Underwater
To draw attention to coral reef conservation, divers play 'bass-oons' and 'trombonefish' at the Underwater Music Festival in Key West
An Electrifying History of Air Guitar
How the world's most popular invisible instrument became such a hit
The Walkman's Invention 40 Years Ago Launched a Cultural Revolution
In 1979, the new device forever changed the way we listened to music
Bossa Nova Became a Turning Point in Brazilian Culture. João Gilberto Helped Launch It
The musician, who died at 88, developed the understated style in his sister's bathroom, launching the cool, sophisticated sound to international acclaim
Archaeologists Are Finding Woodstock Really Did Take On Life of Its Own
If it seems weird to survey a site that’s only 50 years old, it is. But it's not as unusual as you’d think
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