The Dark Side of the Moon at 50: an album artwork expert on Pink Floyd’s music marketing revolution: This month marks 50 years since the release of The Dark Side of the Moon. Pink Floyd’s eighth studio album beamed the band into super stardom with platinum-selling singles such as Money and The Great Gig in …
Nigeria elections: the surprising influence of Afrobeats music on politics: In the run-up to Nigeria’s February 2023 elections, the country’s younger generation has mobilised to demand change and redefine the political landscape – and music has been pivotal. Despite being dismissed by several political commentators, Nigeria’s younger generations have shifted the former two-party liberal electoral …
Harry Styles is winning big because his music is a breezy pop antidote to our post-pandemic blues: At this year’s Brit Awards, British artist Harry Styles took home the most coveted award of the night, album of the year, for Harry’s House. He beat the likes of grime artist Stormzy, indie group The 1975 and …
Jean-Paul Zé Bella: the cunning Cameroonian soldier who became a global music legend: The Zangalewa Dance Troupe, inspired by the Cameroonian band Zangalewa, performs in a prison in Kenya. Screengrab/YouTube/Mwalimu Cheche Productions One of Cameroon’s most influential music stars – Jean-Paul Zé Bella – passed away on 15 January at the age of 71 after …
Burt Bacharach created music for all the ways men fall in love: American composer Burt Bacharach, who has died at the age of 94, is arguably one the greatest songwriters of all time. With hits going back to the 1950s, Bacharach continued working until the age of 92. Together with lyricist Hal David, Bacharach created …
The incredible story of how east African culture shaped the music of a state in India: Siddi children performing Dance Dhamaal in Ahmedabad in Gujarat, India. Courtesy Sayan Dey, CC BY-SA The term Siddi refers to Afro-Indians – Africans who mixed with Indians through marriage and relationships. Africans crossed the Indian Ocean and arrived in …
Justin Bieber sells his back catalogue – an expert explains why artists give up rights to their music: Justin Bieber performing on stage. Jack Fordyce Justin Bieber is the latest artist in a growing list of musicians who have sold the rights to their music. This move is typically made by more seasoned artists such …
Stella Chiweshe: Zimbabwe’s mbira queen, rebel music star and pioneer: Stella Chiweshe, performing in Amsterdam in 1988, kept ancient traditions alive. Frans Schellekens/Redferns via Getty Images Stella Rambisai Chiweshe, affectionately known in Zimbabwe as “the queen of mbira” or “Ambuya (grandmother) Chiweshe”, passed away on 20 January 2023. Chiweshe was born in July 1946 in …
Madosini, a South African national treasure whose music kept a rich history alive: Madosini performing in Johannesburg in 2021. Oupa Bopape/Gallo Images via Getty Images Renowned African musician, songwriter and storyteller Latozi “Madosini” Mphahleni passed away late in 2022. The cultural and indigenous music activist, who laughed as often as she played, was loved by …
Tár – an exploration of the flawed musicians behind decadent music: Tár (2022) follows superstar conductor Lydia Tár, played by Cate Blanchett, as she conducts the Berlin Philharmonic (represented in the film by the Dresden Philharmonic) in a much-anticipated performance of Gustav Mahler’s Fifth Symphony. Conductors have only received relatively sporadic exposure on film. Among …
Why do musicians like Elton John find retirement so tough? A music psychology expert explains: Elton John performs in Michigan as part of the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour in 2018. Tony Norkus With his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, Elton John confirmed his latest plans for retirement. The final show of the tour in …
Why happy rather than sad music soothes newborns – new research: OLHA TOLSTA/Shutterstock Music is the language of emotions, arousing and regulating our feelings. For example, research has shown that college students listen to music 37% of the time, and it fills them with happiness, elation or nostalgia during 64% of these sessions. Children might …
Noise pollution: how the sounds of the city were redefined as ‘urban music’ in 1920s Japan: Cash machines, elevators and escalators that talk. Jingles in department stores, train stations, supermarkets and shopping arcades. Loud speaker warnings about the dangers of riding on the bus or train, overlayed by sirens, car horns, traffic and pedestrians. “For …
Spotify Wrapped: how sharing your music tastes can drive feelings of Fomo: Use of Spotify Wrapped has quadrupled since its inception in 2017. Shutterstock With its eye-catching animations, it would be easy to dismiss Spotify Wrapped – which gives users a roundup of their most listened-to music of the last year – as just another …
Review: 25 Years of Garage – music documentary falls prey to the same mistakes that killed the scene: Promotional artwork for 25 Years of Garage. Platinum Pictures A host of veterans from the heyday of the UK’s garage scene (including Heartless Crew, Dane Bowers and members of So Solid Crew) star in 25 Years of …
TikTok’s use of music poses a threat to artistic diversity – an expert explains why: Tik Tok earned USD $ 12 billion (£10.5 billion) in advertising revenue in 2022. Daniel Constante It has been another bumper year for TikTok. The short-form video service has earned US$ 12 billion (£10.5 billion) in advertising revenue in 2022, …
Music streaming in South Africa – new survey reveals musicians get a raw deal: Ihor Melnyk/Getty Images, CC BY-SA Musicians worldwide have been placing their tracks with global streaming platforms such as Spotify for many years. South African musicians, however, have reported only sparse earnings from streaming music online. When our 2020 survey revealed this, …
South Africa’s dance music craze, amapiano, could conquer the world – if its stars step up: Kamo Mphela performs at the First Annual South African Amapiano Music Awards in 2021. Oupa Bopape/Gallo Images via Getty Images There’s a lot of hype around amapiano. The South African dance music genre has dominated dancefloors since 2019, spreading …