Photo by Alexander Cropper/Redferns For Britpop newbies, here are a few facts to catch you up to speed on the 1990s and a time when guitar bands domi... read more
How they came up with their signature sound, and the stories behind hits like "Hold On Loosely" and "Caught Up In You"
Lyrics don't always follow the rules of grammar. Can you spot the ones that don't?
How our favorite songs taught us about Champagne Problems, Dirty Work, Freak Flags, Soft Options and other useful phrases
Chris Hill, who co-wrote nine songs on Raye's new album, tells us how they came together.
The songwriting team Leiber and Stoller wrote "Hound Dog" for a blues singer named Big Mama Thronton, who first recorded the song in 1953. Elvis covered it in 1956, and it became his biggest hit.
More facts about Hound DogHe's not just bringing the funk uptown - Bruno has been spreading it all over town for years, writing and producing songs for artists like Travie McCoy ("Billionaire") and B.o.B. ("Nothin' on You") before flying solo with Doo-Wops & Hooligans in 2010.
More about Bruno Mars
David Gray explains the significance of the word "Babylon," and talks about how songs are a form of active imagination, with lyrics that reveal what's inside us.
Read the Interview
This song starts in Boston with a tea party and takes us to the other end of the American Revolution.
Read the Story
First question: Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson appeared in videos for what artist?
Take the Quiz
Have you got the smarts to know which of these graduation song stories are real?
Try the Fact or Fiction
Stunning, staggeringly powerful song -- an all-time favorite among the many works of genius Billy Joel has created. From the lovely simplicity of the opening piano figure, it builds organically into a pop masterpiece of sheer grandeur and magnificence, a plaintive cry from the very soul of us all. The bridge ("I could find a lover... I could find a friend... I could have security until the bitter end") is one of the best encapsulations of human interaction and interpersonal relationships any philosopher could have possibly stated; Billy has an incredible facility with lyrical & musical invention which few could ever hope to duplicate or even come close!...