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
Eight Historic Moments That Took Place at the Waldorf Astoria New York
The famous hotel reopens this spring after an extensive renovation that began in 2017
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
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 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
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
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
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
Motown Records, Founded on This Day in 1959, Broke Racial Barriers in Pop Music With Its Beloved Hits
Berry Gordy’s record label used the ‘sound of young America’ to bring people together
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
Beatlemania Took the United States by Storm on This Day in 1963, Launching the British Invasion
With their arrival in America, the Beatles ushered in a new era of hyper-popular rock ’n’ roll music
The Real Story Behind ‘A Complete Unknown’ and Bob Dylan’s Early Career, From His Arrival in New York City to When He ‘Went Electric’
A new film starring Timothée Chalamet tracks Dylan’s evolution from an acoustic folk singer to a rock ‘n’ roll superstar
This 300-Year-Old Stradivarius Violin Could Become the Most Expensive Musical Instrument Ever Sold at Auction
Crafted by the renowned violin maker Antonio Stradivari in 1714, the rare instrument is expected to sell for between $12 million and $18 million
Read Freddie Mercury’s Heartbreaking Announcement of His Diagnosis With HIV/AIDS, Released on This Date in 1991, Just a Day Before the Queen Frontman Died
Until Mercury released the statement, tabloid newspapers hounded the ailing singer, while only a smaller inner circle knew about the extent of his illness
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
You Can Buy the Recording Console the Beatles Used to Make Their Iconic Album ‘Abbey Road’
After a years-long restoration, the unique device that recorded hits like “Come Together” and “Here Comes the Sun” is now fully functional
Four Unreleased Jimi Hendrix Demo Recordings Billed as ‘Better Than the Originals’ Are Going Up for Sale
Created in London in the 1960s, the tracks are heading to auction as part of a larger collection of memorabilia connected to the famous American guitarist
Page 1 of 17