Tedium Highlight in Music: How a single novelty song capture the public imagination, influenced punk rock and became a cultural institution. Yes, bird is, in fact, the word. 

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Tag results: Music

A Musical War of the Worlds

Some musicals have an enduring legacy long after the final curtain is drawn. Then there's Jeff Wayne's The War of the Worlds.

One Song, Many Writers

How modern songwriting evolved into a game of aggressive credit—even for the people who didn’t technically do the composing.

The Chris Gaines Shuffle

Discussing the evolution and popularity of alter egos, particularly those that aren’t very successful. If we don’t talk about the bad ones, how are they ever gonna learn?

Turner Tunes

That time Ted Turner tried to compete with MTV by launching a competing music network of his own. It lasted five days longer than CNN+ did.

Sell Out With Me, Oh Yeah

Musicians selling out isn’t really that big a deal anymore—except when it’s done really poorly, as in the case of Beck’s odd NFL ad that made Neil Young mad.

To Boldly Sing

Star Trek has inspired plenty of pop culture, but nothing is as bizarre as the musical fandom following its warp trail.

Sounding Board

After pissing off half the internet with our list on faded graphics formats, we’re doing the same thing with outdated audio formats. We’re fearing the worst.

Dancing With The Walking Dead

Zombies are a big part of pop culture, but songs about them are not—except for one performed by the King of Calypso himself, Harry Belafonte.

Tedious Failures, Revisited

A little advice on how to become a successful writer, as explained via lessons on becoming a failed comedy songwriter.

A Tailgate for the Ages

In less than 20 minutes, two filmmakers captured a magnificent moment in music history. Heavy Metal Parking Lot is turning 35, and we’re ready to celebrate.

Rock Of Age$

Why the superfan will become ever more important to the music industry over time, or why $1,200 box sets exist despite appealing to only a few people.

Over the Vinyl Moon

Vinyl records are in the middle of a renaissance—and a popular vinyl subscription service highlights many of the reasons why that is.

Elementary, My Dear Soundtrack

It’s no mystery that the numerous Sherlock Holmes-inspired shows and films have theme songs. We decided to investigate how good they are.

A Little Bit of Background Noise

Relaxation through audio is more than a mere matter of white noise. Read on for a little history of background noise, and why it’s so effective.

Sunday Night Live

While Saturday Night Live might have had the laughs, its short-lived offshoot Sunday Night (aka Night Music) may have been the greatest music TV show ever made.

Moldy Oldie Marketing

How the music industry’s TV-driven direct marketing strategies revived vintage hits, salvaged floundering careers, and brought us Zamfir’s epic pan flute.

Internet Synthesis Protocol

How the professional-minded MIDI format, for an incredibly short but memorable period of time, became the primary way music was shared on the internet.

Doing Things The Wrong Way

Pondering the way that the creative process is often directed by rules which, in many cases, stifle creativity. Sometimes, you just have to throw the rules out.

Rental Self-Own

How the music industry let the perfect solution to file-sharing fall through its fingers in the ’80s—or how record rentals bolstered Japan’s music industry.

Moondog’s Long Howl

The deep influence of Louis “Moondog” Hardin, a cult musician known for dressing like a viking, making his own instruments, and composing without limits.
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