Music

Drum and Bugle Corps: Origins, Instruments, and Competitive Tradition Drum and bugle corps Ensemble that combines brass, percussion and color guard in marching performance; evolved from military signals into a modern, competitive touring activity with annual shows.

Drum kit (drum set or trap set) Drum kit A drum kit is a coordinated collection of drums, cymbals and hardware played by a drummer to provide rhythm and texture across many musical styles.

Drum machine: electronic percussion instrument and sequencer Drum machine A drum machine is an electronic instrument that produces percussion sounds and rhythmic patterns. Used in many musical styles, it ranges from analog circuits to sample-based units…

Drumstick Drum stick A drumstick is a handheld beater used to strike percussion instruments. This article explains types, parts, materials, historical development, selection tips, common uses, and nota…

Drummer: role, instruments, history and musical contexts Drummer An overview of the drummer: definition, instruments and parts, historical development, musical roles (band, marching, studio), skills, practice approaches and key distinctions.

Dubstep — electronic dance music genre and culture Dubstep Dubstep is an electronic music genre originating in South London, known for heavy bass, syncopated rhythms and a range of styles from underground dub-influenced tracks to aggressiv…

Duet: definition, types, history and uses in music Duet A duet is a musical work or performance for two performers. This article explains forms, instrumentation, historical development, common uses and distinctions between duet and duo.

Dulce Amor — Selena's independent 1988–1989 album Dulce Amor Dulce Amor is the seventh independent LP by Selena, featuring Tejano and cumbia influences. It raised her profile at the 1989 Tejano Music Awards and preceded her signing with EMI…

Dulce Amor (song) A 1988 Spanish-language single by Selena written by A.B. Quintanilla III, blending cumbia and jazz-fusion elements; nominated for Song of the Year at the 1989 Tejano Music Awards.

Dungeon Family (Atlanta hip hop collective) Dungeon Family Dungeon Family is an influential Atlanta musical collective known for Southern hip hop infused with funk and soul. Formed around producer Rico Wade's studio 'The Dungeon', it inclu…

Duran Duran — English new wave and pop band Duran Duran Duran Duran are a British pop and new wave band formed in Birmingham in 1978, known for glamorous music videos, hit singles in the 1980s, and a lasting influence on pop culture and…

Dynamics (music): notation, interpretation, and expressive use Dynamics (music) Musical dynamics describe variations in loudness and their notation. This article explains common markings, historical development, practical interpretation, and how performers sha…

E major (musical key) E major E major is a musical key built on the note E, with a key signature of four sharps. It is prominent in violin and guitar literature, common for concertos, and has a distinctive orch…

E minor E minor is a common minor key based on E with one sharp (F#). Widely used in classical, guitar, and rock music, it has distinct scale forms, characteristic chords, and notable repe…

E-flat major E-flat major is a musical key built on E♭ with three flats. It defines a familiar major scale, a set of diatonic chords, relationships to related keys, and many notable works in th…

E-flat minor Comprehensive overview of the musical key E-flat minor: structure, notation, relationships, historical use, notable repertoire and practical considerations for performers and arran…

Earl (mixtape) — debut release by Earl Sweatshirt Earl (mixtape) Debut mixtape by Earl Sweatshirt, self-released on Odd Future's site in 2010. Noted for its abrasive lyrics, sparse production and role in launching Earl's career and the Odd Futur…

Early Norwegian black metal scene: origins, controversies and legacy Early Norwegian black metal scene The early Norwegian black metal scene was a formative musical and cultural movement in Norway in the early 1990s, known for its sound, imagery, intense anti-establishment attitudes…

Early Winter (Gwen Stefani song) Early Winter A melancholic pop ballad from Gwen Stefani’s 2006 album The Sweet Escape, written with Tim Rice-Oxley and released as the album’s fifth single in Europe in January 2008.

Earth Song (Michael Jackson song) Earth Song Comprehensive article on Michael Jackson's 'Earth Song' — its themes, recording and video, notable live performances and controversies, and the song's legacy and reception.

East 17 English pop and dance group from Walthamstow, London, formed in 1991. Known for the debut album Walthamstow and the 1994 UK number-one single "Stay Another Day"; sold over 18 milli…

East Coast blues (Piedmont blues) East Coast blues Regional blues style from the U.S. East Coast known for ragtime-influenced, fast fingerpicking and alternating-thumb bass patterns; influential in folk revival and fingerstyle guit…

East Coast hip hop: Origins, Style, and Cultural Impact East Coast hip hop A concise overview of East Coast hip hop, the regional style that began in New York in the 1970s, noted for lyricism, sampling, boom-bap production, and its role in hip hop culture…

Eat It — 'Weird Al' Yankovic's parody of Michael Jackson's Beat It Eat It A 1984 musical parody by "Weird Al" Yankovic of Michael Jackson's "Beat It," known for its comedic food-themed lyrics, a visual send-up of the original video, and its role in Yanko…

Eat Me, Drink Me (Marilyn Manson album) Eat Me, Drink Me Eat Me, Drink Me is the sixth studio album by Marilyn Manson, released June 5, 2007. Produced by Marilyn Manson and Tim Sköld, it presents a more personal, melodic sound and preced…

Eazy-Duz-It (album) Eazy-Duz-It Debut solo album by rapper Eazy‑E, released September 16, 1988. Produced by Dr. Dre and DJ Yella, an early landmark of West Coast gangsta rap noted for its production, guests, and…

eBay (song) — 'Weird Al' Yankovic parody eBay (song) A comedic parody by “Weird Al” Yankovic of the Backstreet Boys' hit, lampooning compulsive online auction buying and early 2000s e-commerce culture.

Echo and the Bunnymen English post‑punk/alternative rock band from Liverpool, formed in 1978; noted for atmospheric guitars, Ian McCulloch's vocals and landmark early‑1980s albums such as Ocean Rain.

Ecuador (song) — 1997 single by Sash! Ecuador (song) A 1997 Eurodance/trance single by German DJ group Sash! featuring Adrian Rodriguez, notable for its Spanish vocals, club success and inclusion on the album It's My Life – The Album…

Edgar Meyer — American double bassist and composer Edgar Meyer Grammy Award–winning American double bassist and composer known for blending classical technique with bluegrass and Americana; frequent collaborator with Yo-Yo Ma, Béla Fleck, Josh…

Edguy — German power metal band Edguy Edguy is a German power metal band formed in Fulda in 1992, known for melodic, theatrical songwriting, energetic live shows, and the leadership of vocalist Tobias Sammet.

Editors (English rock band) Editors (band) Editors are an English rock band formed in 2002, known for their atmospheric, post-punk influenced sound and charting albums like The Back Room and An End Has a Start.

Eduard Strauss: Viennese composer and conductor of the Strauss family Eduard Strauss Overview of Eduard Strauss (1835–1916), Austrian conductor and composer of dance music, his career, musical style, family connections, and his role in preserving and shaping the St…

Edvard Grieg: Norwegian composer and pianist Edvard Grieg Edvard Grieg (1843–1907) was a leading Norwegian Romantic composer and pianist, famed for his Piano Concerto, the incidental music to Peer Gynt, the Lyric Pieces and songs rooted i…

Effect pedal A compact electronic device used by musicians to alter an instrument or voice signal. Effect pedals create sounds such as distortion, delay, chorus, wah and reverb and are arranged…

Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say) A mid-tempo pop song by Lady Gaga from her debut album The Fame, released as a single in January 2009. Known for its doo-wop touches, a retro-themed video and modest chart success…

Eiffel 65 — Italian Eurodance group Eiffel 65 Eiffel 65 is an Italian Eurodance/Italodance act best known for the 1999 hit "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" and the album Europop. The group's style blends synth hooks, processed vocals and cl…

Eine kleine Nachtmusik (Serenade No. 13 in G major, K.525) Eine kleine Nachtmusik Overview of Mozart's Serenade No. 13, its instrumentation, structure, historical context, uses and performance practice.

Eino Tamberg — Estonian composer and educator Eino Tamberg Eino Tamberg (1930–2010) was a leading Estonian composer known for orchestral, stage and chamber works. He taught composition, influenced generations of musicians and produced a wi…

Ektara: the single-string folk lute of South Asia and beyond Ektara Ektara is a simple one-string plucked instrument used by wandering bards and devotional singers across South Asia and parts of North Africa. This article explains its form, history…

El Cantante (soundtrack) Soundtrack album for the 2007 biopic El Cantante, featuring mainly salsa reinterpretations associated with Héctor Lavoe, performed and credited to Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez;…

El Chico Del Apartamento 512 A lively cumbia-pop single by Selena from the 1994 album Amor Prohibido, notable for its narrative about a neighbor and for being released just before Selena's death. Popular in co…

El Gran Carlemany — national anthem of Andorra El Gran Carlemany El Gran Carlemany is the national anthem of Andorra, with lyrics by Enric Marfany Bons and music by Joan Benlloch i Vivó. Adopted in 1921, it is sung in Catalan and reflects Andorr…

El Toro Relajo — Selena’s mariachi song El Toro Relajo A mariachi-style song recorded by Selena for the Don Juan DeMarco soundtrack, later issued on the 1995 album Dreaming of You and released as a single in the United States and Mexic…

Electric Avenue (song) 1983 single by Eddy Grant blending reggae and electronic pop; named for a Brixton street and notable for its social themes, synth riff, and global chart success (peaked at No. 2 in…

Electric blues Electric blues is a blues style defined by amplified instruments—notably electric guitar, bass and harmonica—shaped in urban US scenes and foundational to rock, R&B, and modern blu…

Electric guitar: design, history, and musical role Electric guitar Overview of the electric guitar: construction, pickups and electronics, historical development, playing techniques, major manufacturers and common variants.

Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) Electric Light Orchestra Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) is an English rock band known for blending pop/rock with orchestral arrangements, led by Jeff Lynne and prominent in the 1970s and early 1980s.