Captain Beefheart: Trout Mask Replica
A few months ago, the Republican candidate Jon Huntsman tweeted: “I wonder if a tweet where I admit how much I like Captain Beefheart will make the followers skyrocket even […]
A few months ago, the Republican candidate Jon Huntsman tweeted: “I wonder if a tweet where I admit how much I like Captain Beefheart will make the followers skyrocket even […]
Did you know there are audio recordings that predate Thomas Edison’s phonograph by almost 20 years? The phonautogram was invented by a Frenchman named Éduoard Léon-Scott and patented in 1857, […]
The first song in our series is Howlin’ Wolf’s “Smokestack Lightning,” a cornerstone of Chicago Blues. Howlin’ Wolf’s daughter and his longtime guitarist Hubert Sumlin talk about the importance of […]
“Radio Free Europe” was R.E.M.’s first single. It represents a breakthrough moment, when indie rock was splitting away from punk music to become its own sound. Engineer Mitch Easter, radio […]
Every year the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress selects 25 recordings to be preserved for all time. One song chosen this year is Loretta Lynn’s 1970 hit […]
This special feature narrated by Jonathan Clarice takes a look back on 40 years of fantastic music and the extensive musical journey of Derek and the Dominos. It is a […]
Our series begins with John Lee Hooker’s breakthrough song “Boogie Chillen.” Blues veteran Charlie Musselwhite and writer Peter Guralnick explain how Hooker’s 1948 song left its mark on American music. […]
This samba was recorded by the Brazilian singer Carmen Miranda in 1939. Dori Caymmi, the son of the songwriter, and biographer Martha Gil-Montero explain how the song brought Brazilian music […]
This 1961 comedy routine by Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner is about a man so old, he once knew Jesus — personally — and dated Joan of Arc. Billy Crystal and Rob […]