Music

A Matter of Life and Death (Iron Maiden album) A Matter of Life and Death A Matter of Life and Death is Iron Maiden's fourteenth studio album (2006), noted for its war and mortality themes, lengthy compositions, and strong chart performance including the…

A Midsummer Night's Dream Overture — Mendelssohn's Concert Overture A Midsummer Night's Dream Overture An accessible overview of Felix Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream Overture: its musical character, orchestration, origins in Shakespeare, later incidental music and cultural…

A minor (musical key and scale) A minor A minor is the natural minor scale on A (A–B–C–D–E–F–G). It shares the key signature of C major (no sharps or flats) and has natural, harmonic and melodic forms used in many musica…

A Momentary Lapse of Reason The thirteenth studio album by Pink Floyd, released in 1987 as the band's first major record after Roger Waters' departure; noted for its polished 1980s production, landmark tour a…

A Perfect Circle A Perfect Circle is an American alternative rock band formed by Billy Howerdel and Maynard James Keenan, known for layered, atmospheric rock, acclaimed albums, and members drawn fr…

A Portuguesa (The Portuguese Song) A Portuguesa A Portuguesa is the national anthem of Portugal, composed by Alfredo Keil with lyrics by Henrique Lopes de Mendonça, adopted after the 1910 revolution as a symbol of national unity…

A Sky Full of Stars — Coldplay 2014 single blending piano-pop and EDM (produced with Avicii) A Sky Full of Stars A Sky Full of Stars is Coldplay's 2014 single co-produced with Avicii, blending piano-led pop and EDM elements. It marked a dance-oriented shift for the band and has appeared in fi…

A Star Is Born (2018) — soundtrack album by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper A Star Is Born (2018 soundtrack) Soundtrack album for the 2018 film A Star Is Born, featuring performances by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper; blends pop, country and rock and earned critical and commercial success w…

A Tribe Called Quest A Tribe Called Quest, formed in Queens in 1985, is an influential alternative hip hop group known for jazz-influenced production, socially conscious lyrics, and a lasting legacy on…

A-flat major A-flat major is a major key with four flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭). Known for its warm, lyrical character, it appears frequently in piano literature and in slow orchestral movements.

A-flat minor A-flat minor is a theoretical minor key with seven flats (A♭–B♭–C♭–D♭–E♭–F♭–G♭). It is rarely used in practice and is usually represented enharmonically by G♯ minor.

a-ha: Norwegian synth-pop band known for 'Take On Me' a-ha a-ha are a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo, famed for the hit "Take On Me," pioneering music video, and a career spanning the 1980s to the 2000s with reunions and ongoing influen…

A-sharp minor (A♯ minor) A-sharp minor A-sharp minor is a theoretical minor key with seven sharps (A#, B#, C#, D#, E#, F#, G#). It is enharmonically equivalent to B-flat minor and is rarely used because of cumbersome no…

A-side and B-side (music): meaning, history and modern usage A-side and B-side Terms originating from vinyl and cassette singles that distinguish the featured track (A-side) from the secondary or experimental track (B-side); now used metaphorically in music a…

A. R. Rahman Indian composer, singer and producer who fused Indian classical and folk traditions with electronic and orchestral scoring; acclaimed for film work, international awards and music…

Aadesh Shrivastava: Indian film composer and singer Aadesh Shrivastava Profile of Aadesh Shrivastava (1964–2015), a prolific Indian music composer and singer known for work across Hindi cinema, notable film scores, collaborations and his musical legac…

Aaron Copland (1900–1990): American composer, conductor, and educator Aaron Copland Aaron Copland was a leading 20th-century American composer who shaped a distinctly American concert music voice through ballets, orchestral works, film scores, teaching and writing…

Aarre Merikanto: Finnish composer and early modernist Aarre Merikanto Aarre Merikanto (1893–1958) was a Finnish composer who moved from late-Romantic roots to a distinctive modernist voice. He composed operas, orchestral and chamber works, and taught…

AB III — third studio album by Alter Bridge AB III AB III is Alter Bridge's third studio album, released in late 2010. It received strong reviews, debuted at No. 17 on the Billboard 200, and features the #1 Mainstream Rock single "…

ABBA — Swedish pop group and cultural legacy ABBA ABBA, formed in early 1970s Stockholm, are a Swedish pop quartet whose Eurovision victory and string of international hits shaped global pop and inspired the musical Mamma Mia! and…

Abbey Road Studios: London's Historic Recording Studios Abbey Road Studios Iconic London recording studios established by EMI, famed for The Beatles, orchestral sessions and film scores. Overview of its studios, history, landmark recordings, and cultural…

ABC notation ABC notation is a compact ASCII-based music notation for melodic tunes, widely used to represent folk and traditional music in plain text for sharing, searching, and automated rend…

About a Girl (Nirvana song) A concise overview of Nirvana's 'About a Girl': origins on Bleach, musical traits, recording and release history, live renditions (including MTV Unplugged), and its place in Kurt C…

About Time (Pennywise album) About Time Third studio album by California punk band Pennywise, released in 1995; known for time-related themes, live staples, and as the band's final record with bassist Jason Thirsk.

Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80 Academic Festival Overture A celebratory orchestral overture by Johannes Brahms, written as thanks for an honorary doctorate. Known for its use of student songs (including Gaudeamus igitur) and bold orchestr…

Accept (German heavy metal band) Accept (band) Accept is a German heavy metal band from Solingen, known for pioneering fast, aggressive guitar-driven metal and influencing the development of speed metal and later extreme metal…

Accompaniment (music): roles, types, history and practice Accompaniment Comprehensive overview of musical accompaniment: definition, functions, common patterns, instruments, the accompanist’s role, historical developments and practical techniques acros…

Accordion (musical instrument) Accordion A portable free-reed instrument with bellows and a keyboard or buttons. Used in folk, classical and popular music, it produces sound by air flowing through reeds and exists in many…

Ace of Base — Swedish pop group Ace of Base Ace of Base, formed in Sweden in 1990, rose to international fame in the early 1990s with a blend of pop, dance and reggae-inflected hooks. Known for hits like "All That She Wants"…

Achy Breaky Song — parody by "Weird Al" Yankovic Achy Breaky Song A comedic parody of Billy Ray Cyrus's hit that lampoons the ubiquity of the original; released by "Weird Al" Yankovic on the 1993 album Alapalooza.

Acid Black Cherry — solo project by Yasu (ABC) Acid Black Cherry Acid Black Cherry (often abbreviated ABC) is the solo musical project launched in 2007 by Japanese vocalist Yasu after his band Janne Da Arc went on hiatus. Known for rock, ballads…

Acoustic: Sound, Science, and Musical Contexts Acoustic Overview of 'acoustic' as a term: the science of sound, physical properties of waves, musical uses (unamplified instruments), biological and technological applications, and notable…

Acoustic music: definition, instruments, history and uses Acoustic music Music produced primarily by instruments that generate sound acoustically rather than electronically; covers instruments, styles, history, and distinctions between acoustic and ampl…

Acquiesce (Oasis song) Acquiesce Acquiesce is a 1995 Oasis track by Noel Gallagher, first issued as the B-side to 'Some Might Say' and later collected on The Masterplan; notable for featuring both Liam and Noel Ga…

Adagio (music): the slow tempo and its musical role Adagio (music) Adagio is a musical tempo marking meaning 'at ease' that indicates a slow, lyrical pace. It appears across genres as a movement marking and expressive guideline for tempo, phrasing…

Adelante (Sash! song) 1999 dance single by German DJ group Sash!, featuring Peter Faulhammer and Rodriguez; a Spanish‑titled club track and lead single from the album Trilenium, widely played in Europea…

Adrenaline (Deftones album) Adrenaline (album) Debut studio album by Deftones, released October 3, 1995. A raw, heavy yet atmospheric record that helped define the band's early sound and the 1990s alternative/nu‑metal scene.

Adult Contemporary (music format and Billboard chart) Adult Contemporary Adult Contemporary is a radio music format and a Billboard chart tracking songs favored by adult listeners; it emphasizes melodic, radio-friendly pop, ballads and soft rock and has…

Aegukka — The National Anthem of North Korea Aegukka Aegukka (아egukka) is the official national anthem of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, written by Pak Se-yong and composed by Kim Won-gyun; adopted in 1947 after liberatio…

Aerosmith: American rock band known for blues‑based hard rock and enduring hits Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American rock band formed in Boston in 1970, known for hits like "Dream On," "Walk This Way," and "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing," and for revitalizing rock through…

Afghan National Anthem (Millî Surûd) Afghan National Anthem Overview of Afghanistan's national anthem adopted in May 2006: origins, authors, text language, adoption history, later status and debates over language and lyrics.

AFI (A Fire Inside) — American rock band from Ukiah, California AFI (band) AFI (A Fire Inside) is an American rock band formed in 1991 in Ukiah, California. Known for evolving from punk roots to a darker, melodic alternative style, AFI has released severa…

Africa (Toto song) 1982 soft rock single by American band Toto from Toto IV, written by David Paich and Jeff Porcaro. Known for polished production, evocative lyrics about distant places, and an endu…

African-American music: origins, styles, and cultural influence African-American music A concise overview of African-American music, its historical roots, main genres, musical characteristics, and its broad cultural and social impact in the United States and beyond.

Afrodisiac (Brandy album) Afrodisiac Afrodisiac is Brandy Norwood's fourth studio album, released in June 2004. Noted for Timbaland's inventive production and intimate themes, it received critical praise though it und…

Again (song title and album — multiple musical works) Again Overview and guide to musical works titled "Again", including songs and an album across genres and decades, with notable examples and typical themes.

Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now) 1984 piano-driven ballad by Phil Collins for the film soundtrack 'Against All Odds'. A chart-topping solo single and enduring 1980s pop ballad noted for its emotional vocal perform…

Aggrotech: aggressive electro-industrial dance music Aggrotech Aggrotech is a harsh, dance-oriented offshoot of electro-industrial and EBM, defined by distorted vocals, heavy beats and dark, technoid textures for club and alternative scenes.