Music

Love in This Club Part II — Usher featuring Beyoncé & Lil Wayne Love in This Club Part II 2008 R&B/pop sequel-remix by Usher featuring Beyoncé and Lil Wayne, on the album Here I Stand. A reworking of the original with new structure, vocal interplay, and a different lyri…

Love Is Dead (album) Love Is Dead (Chvrches album) Love Is Dead is the third studio album by Scottish synth-pop band Chvrches, released in May 2018. It features prominent singles, collaborations, and a more expansive production sty…

Love Is War (Vanilla Ninja album) Love Is War Love Is War is the fourth studio album by Estonian rock band Vanilla Ninja, released by EMI Music Germany in May 2006. It was the group's first record issued after becoming a three…

Love Like This (Natasha Bedingfield song) Love Like This Overview of 'Love Like This', a 2007 R&B/pop single by Natasha Bedingfield featuring Sean Kingston: composition, release, commercial reception, promotion, and its place on the Pock…

Love on the Brain (song) Love on the Brain A summary and analysis of Rihanna's soul-influenced ballad 'Love on the Brain' from Anti, covering composition, themes, chart success and notable facts.

Love Takes Time — Mariah Carey song Love Takes Time A 1990 pop-R&B ballad by Mariah Carey from her debut album; co-written with Ben Margulies, produced by Walter Afanasieff, and released as the album's second single, it became a Bil…

Love the Way You Lie — Eminem and Rihanna (2010 song) Love the Way You Lie A 2010 hip-hop/pop collaboration by Eminem and Rihanna from Eminem's Recovery. The song explores a volatile relationship, earned global commercial success and generated debate over…

Love Will Never Do (Without You) — Janet Jackson song Love Will Never Do (Without You) 1989–1990 single by Janet Jackson from the album Rhythm Nation 1814; a mid-tempo R&B/pop hit produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis that reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

LoveGame (Lady Gaga song) LoveGame A pop-dance single from Lady Gaga's 2008 debut album The Fame, noted for its club production, sexually suggestive lyrics and a controversial video that drew media attention and air…

Lovely Rita (Beatles song) Lovely Rita A playful Beatles song from 1967's Sgt. Pepper's, written and sung by Paul McCartney (credited Lennon–McCartney). It depicts a female parking attendant and is noted for studio prod…

Lovers & Friends (Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz song) Lovers & Friends A 2004 crunk/R&B single by Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz featuring Usher and Ludacris; a slow jam that sampled Michael Sterling and reached No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

LoveWave (Iveta Mukuchyan song) LoveWave “LoveWave” is a 2016 single by Armenian-German singer Iveta Mukuchyan that served as Armenia’s entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016; noted for its atmospheric production and d…

LP record (long-playing vinyl record) LP record An LP (long-play) record is a 33⅓ rpm vinyl disc that stores analog sound in microgrooves. This article explains its form, history, playback, manufacture, uses, and how it differs…

LSD (supergroup formed by Labrinth, Sia and Diplo) LSD (group) LSD is a pop-electronic supergroup formed in 2018 by English producer-singer Labrinth, Australian singer-songwriter Sia and American DJ-producer Diplo, noted for collaborative sing…

Lucia di Lammermoor: Donizetti's 1835 bel canto opera Lucia di Lammermoor Lucia di Lammermoor (1835) is Gaetano Donizetti's bel canto opera, adapted from Walter Scott, famed for its sextet and the virtuosic mad scene—a staple of the international operati…

Lucifugum — Ukrainian black metal band Lucifugum Lucifugum is an underground black metal band from Ukraine, known for raw production, occult and anti-religious themes, and contributions to the Eastern European extreme metal scene…

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds — song, origins, and cultural impact Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds A detailed overview of the Beatles' song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”: its inspiration, composition, recording, psychedelic associations, censorship, notable covers, and lasting…

Ludovico Einaudi: Italian Pianist and Contemporary Composer Ludovico Einaudi Overview of Ludovico Einaudi, his musical style, development, notable albums and film scores, and his influence on contemporary minimalist and crossover music.

Ludwig van Beethoven: Life, Music, and Lasting Influence Ludwig van Beethoven A concise encyclopedia article on Ludwig van Beethoven covering his life, major works, stylistic development, and influence on Western music.

Luiz Melodia (1951–2017) Luiz Melodia Luiz Melodia was a Brazilian singer, songwriter and actor from Rio de Janeiro known for blending MPB with rock, blues, soul and samba; he won the 2015 Brazilian Music Award for Bes…

Lullaby (cradle song) Lullaby A lullaby is a gentle song used to soothe infants and young children to sleep; it is a widespread cultural form with characteristic rhythms, simple melodies, and both folk and clas…

Lulu (opera by Alban Berg) Lulu (opera) Lulu is a landmark 20th-century opera by Alban Berg, based on Frank Wedekind’s plays. Noted for its psychological drama, explicit subject matter and a fusion of twelve‑tone techniq…

Luna Sea (Japanese rock band) Luna Sea Luna Sea is a Japanese rock band formed in Kanagawa in 1989. Prominent in the 1990s, they mixed alternative, progressive and melodic rock, paused activity in 2000 and have reunited…

Luscious Jackson (American alternative rock band) Luscious Jackson Overview of Luscious Jackson, a 1990s New York group known for blending rock, pop, funk and hip-hop rhythms; members, style, releases, history, reunions and cultural influence.

Lute: history, construction, types, and musical role Lute A compact encyclopedic overview of the lute: its construction, historical development, regional variants, playing techniques, repertoire, and modern revival.

Luthier: Maker, Restorer and Technician of Wooden Stringed Instruments Luthier A luthier designs, builds, maintains and repairs wooden stringed instruments such as guitars, violins and cellos, combining woodworking, acoustics and instrument-specific setup ski…

Luxurious (Gwen Stefani song) Luxurious A mid-2000s single by Gwen Stefani from her debut solo album that samples The Isley Brothers' 'Between the Sheets' and spawned a hip-hop remix featuring Slim Thug.

Lying Is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off Fourth single by Panic! at the Disco from their debut album A Fever You Can't Sweat Out, released Aug 7, 2006. Known for its long title, theatrical pop-punk sound and themes of dec…

Lynyrd Skynyrd — American Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd, formed in Jacksonville, Florida, is a seminal Southern rock band best known for 'Free Bird' and 'Sweet Home Alabama'. They influenced rock with guitar-driven arrang…

Lyre (ancient stringed instrument) Lyre A lyre is a small harp-like stringed instrument with a yoke and crossbar. Prominent in ancient Mediterranean cultures, it was used for song accompaniment, education, ritual and sto…

Lyric (poetry and song) Lyric Overview of 'lyric' as a poetic category and as the words of a song: definitions, features, historical overview, forms, writing and performance, and distinctions between lyric poet…

Lyric Opera of Chicago Major American opera company founded in 1954 in Chicago, resident in the Civic Opera Building and noted for large-scale productions, education initiatives, and a long performing le…

Lyrics: words of a song — form, meaning, history and legal issues Lyrics An overview of lyrics: definition, structure (verse, chorus, bridge), interpretation, history, uses and copyright considerations including online publication concerns.

M83 (French electronic music project) M83 M83 is a French electronic music project led by Anthony Gonzalez, known for lush synth textures, dream-pop aesthetics, the single "Midnight City," and a film score role in Oblivion…

Ma Baker (Boney M. song) Ma Baker 1977 Euro-disco single by Boney M., produced by Frank Farian; a fictionalized take on outlaw Ma Barker that became a major European hit and has been widely remixed.

Ma Baker (Sash! song) 1998 Eurodance single by German DJ group Sash! that reinterprets and samples Boney M.'s 1977 song 'Ma Baker', often marketed as 'Somebody Scream! Ma Baker'.

Maamme (Our Land) — Finland’s national anthem Maamme Maamme ("Our Land") is the national anthem of Finland, originally a Swedish-language poem by Johan Ludvig Runeberg set to music by Fredrik Pacius; it exists in Finnish and Swedish…

Macarena A Spanish dance-pop song by Los del Río that became a global hit in the mid-1990s, known for its simple choreographed dance, an English-language remix, and widespread cultural impa…

Macbeth (opera) — Verdi's adaptation of Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth (opera) Opera by Giuseppe Verdi, first composed in 1847 and based on Shakespeare's Macbeth. Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave with additions by Andrea Maffei; notable for dramatic…

Machiavel (Belgian rock band) Machiavel Machiavel is a Belgian rock group formed in 1974; they began as progressive rock and later moved toward a harder, more guitar-driven sound while remaining active for decades.

Machine Head (American metal band) Machine Head American heavy metal band from Oakland known for combining thrash and groove metal, influential 1990s debut and a long career marked by stylistic shifts and energetic live performa…

Machine Shop Recordings Independent imprint associated with Linkin Park and Mike Shinoda, known for artist development and releases linked to the band's extended creative projects, including collaboration…

Mad as Rabbits (song) — Panic! at the Disco Mad as Rabbits Overview and context for 'Mad as Rabbits', a track from Panic! at the Disco's album Pretty. Odd., noted as the last recorded while Ryan Ross and Jon Walker were members.

Mad World — song by Tears for Fears and notable cover versions Mad World “Mad World” is a 1982 song by Tears for Fears, noted for its melancholic new wave sound and a spare, widely heard cover from the film Donnie Darko; it has become a frequently inter…

Madama Butterfly (Puccini) Madama Butterfly Madama Butterfly is Giacomo Puccini’s three-act opera (1904) about Cio-Cio-San, an arranged marriage, cultural collision and tragic consequences. Revised after its premiere, it is…

Madame Monsieur — French electropop duo known for Eurovision 2018 entry Madame Monsieur Madame Monsieur is a French vocal-producer duo of Émilie Satt and Jean-Karl Lucas, noted for the song "Mercy," which represented France at the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 in Lisbo…

Made in Heaven (Queen album) Made in Heaven Made in Heaven is Queen's fifteenth and final studio album featuring Freddie Mercury's posthumous vocals, completed and released by the surviving members in November 1995.

Madrigal: a Renaissance secular vocal composition Madrigal A madrigal is a polyphonic secular vocal piece popular in 16th–17th century Europe, notable for expressive text-setting, word-painting and choir or small-group performance without…