Working Class Metal: How Bon Jovi Changed the Hair-Metal Game with “Livin’ On a Prayer”
In the 1980s, harder rocking songs were dominating the airwaves and the newly premiered MTV. With their heavy drums, metallic guitar solos, and in-your-face riffs, these songs shared common themes of partying and girls. The glam-rock scene coming out of…
Black Hole Sun: How Chris Cornell and Michael Beinhorn Let Go of the Past to Find Soundgarden’s Future
What happens when lead singer Chris Cornell removes his self-imposed limitations on songwriting and embraces his own inspirations and desires? The world gets caught in the inescapable pull of 1994’s Black Hole Sun. The song is Soundgarden's greatest commercial success,…
“Don’t Stop”: Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours and the Platinum Power of Resilience in the Midst of Heartbreak
In early 1976, the members of Fleetwood Mac were facing some of the most trying moments of their personal lives. And they had a decision to make. Christine McVie later explained: “We had two alternatives – go our own ways…
One of Nasville’s greatest – Bil Vorndick: Artists Who Changed Music
Bil VornDick was one of the great unsung heroes of American music. He never obtained the name-recognition of some of the more high-profile American engineers and producers from New York and Los Angeles, but he was famous and treasured in…
Jeff Wayne Discusses The Musical Version Of The War Of The Worlds: An Interview
Jeff Wayne is a musical icon who has been entertaining audiences with his unique blend of rock, classical, and progressive music for over four decades. His most famous work, the musical adaptation of H.G. Wells’ "The War of the Worlds,"…
Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds: Albums That Changed Music
Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds is one of the most successful and celebrated concept albums of all time. Released in 1978, the album is a masterpiece, that enjoyed instant commercial success. The album has gone…
Two-Tone and Ska’s HUGE Influence on Music
Written by Thomas Hanslowe In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a new sound emerged from Great Britain: two-tone ska, also known as “second wave ska.” Combining the attitude and aggression of punk rock with the danceable rhythms of Jamaican…
“I Will Survive”: How Gloria Gaynor Took a B-Side Single to Legendary Stardom
Gloria Gaynor has been hailed “The Queen of Disco '' - a title she solidified in 1978 when she catapulted a B-side single to unimaginable stardom, creating a legendary track that has inspired generations of listeners. To this day, “I…
Genesis: Artists Who Changed Music – Part 2
During the first ten years of its existence, from 1967 to 1977, Genesis was one of the world’s most famous and influential prog rock bands, creating classic albums like Nursery Cryme, Foxtrot, Selling England By The Pound and The Lamb…
Genesis: Artists Who Changed Music – Part 1
Genesis is unique in being one of the most influential prog rock bands in the history of music, and at the same time enjoying house-hold-name mainstream success in the pop market. Genesis sold a stunning 100 and 150 million albums…
Artists Who Changed Music: King Crimson 1974 – Present Day
King Crimson is one of the most important bands in the history of music. Founded in 1968, the band has over the decades seen many different line- ups, that played very different styles of music, and that have changed music…
Artists Who Changed Music: King Crimson
King Crimson is one of the most important bands in the history of music. It pioneered a new genre of music, and has repeatedly broken new musical ground. Every single one of King Crimson’s musical innovations has been hugely influential…
Artists Who Changed Music: Todd Rundgren
By his early 20s, Todd Rundgren was not only one of the most up-and-coming music producers of his era, he was also one the age’s most prolific and influential songwriters. Having written, recorded, and produced his first two solo albums…