Music

Placebo (band) Placebo is a London-formed alternative rock band known for its androgynous image, emotionally charged songs, and a catalogue spanning the 1990s to the 2020s.

Plain White T's American rock band from the Chicago area best known for the acoustic hit “Hey There Delilah” and the 2006 album Every Second Counts, which brought them mainstream attention.

Plastic Ono Band — Conceptual rock collective founded by Yoko Ono and John Lennon Plastic Ono Band Plastic Ono Band was a flexible rock collective created by Yoko Ono and John Lennon in 1969, known for experimental recordings, political songs like "Give Peace a Chance," and a ro…

Play (Moby album) Play (album) Play is Moby's 1999 breakthrough album that fused electronic production with field and archival vocal samples; its songs were widely licensed and helped bring sample‑based electron…

Play It Loud (Slade album) Play It Loud Play It Loud is the second studio album by English rock band Slade, released in 1970 before the group's breakthrough; it displays a heavier, rawer sound and early formations of the…

Play My Music (Jonas Brothers song) Play My Music "Play My Music" is a 2008 pop-rock song performed by the Jonas Brothers for the Disney Channel film Camp Rock; it appears on the film soundtrack and its pre-release edition.

Playaz Circle Playaz Circle was an American hip‑hop duo from College Park, Georgia, formed by 2 Chainz (then Tity Boi) and Dolla Boy; best known for the 2007 single “Duffle Bag Boy” and connecti…

Playback singer: role, history and cultural significance Playback singer A playback singer records songs that actors lip-sync for films. Widely used in South Asian cinema, the practice shaped film music production, performer careers and popular culture.

Please Forgive Me (song) Please Forgive Me 1993 power ballad by Bryan Adams, co-written with Robert Lange; released as a bonus track on the compilation So Far So Good. Notable for reaching No. 1 in Australia and the top 10…

Please Mr. Postman 1961 debut single by The Marvelettes on Motown; the record became Motown's first Billboard Hot 100 #1 and was later a chart-topping cover by the Carpenters.

Please Please Me: The Beatles' 1963 debut studio album Please Please Me Please Please Me is the Beatles' debut studio album, produced by George Martin and released in the UK in March 1963. It mixes original Lennon–McCartney songs with rock'n'roll cover…

Plectrum (pick): definition, materials, technique and history Plectrum A plectrum, or pick, is a small tool used to pluck strings. Its material, thickness and shape affect tone, attack and technique across instruments from guitar and lute to mandolin…

Plucked string instrument: definition, types, construction and techniques Plucked string instrument An overview of plucked string instruments: how they work, common types (guitar, lute, banjo, mandolin, ukulele, bass), historical development, playing techniques and distinguishing…

Pnau: Australian electronic duo from Sydney Pnau Pnau is an Australian electronic music duo known for dance-oriented synthpop and house production. Formed in Sydney, they gained attention with Sambanova and later collaborated wit…

Pocketful of Sunshine (song) 2008 pop single by Natasha Bedingfield from the US album Pocketful of Sunshine; an upbeat song about escape and optimism that became a top-five hit in the United States.

Poison (American glam metal band) Poison (band) Poison is an American glam metal band formed in Pennsylvania in 1983, known for theatrical image, hit singles like "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," and commercial peak in the late 1980s…

Poker Face — Lady Gaga (song) Poker Face Overview of Lady Gaga's 2008 hit "Poker Face": origins, composition, themes, chart success, awards, live performances, and its continuing cultural legacy.

Political hip hop (conscious rap): history, themes, and influence Political hip hop Political hip hop, or conscious rap, is a strand of hip hop that foregrounds social and political themes—inequality, race, policing, and activism—tracing roots to 1970s spoken-word…

Polonaise: Polish processional dance and musical form Polonaise A stately Polish dance in triple meter that became a noble procession and an important musical genre; notable in folk tradition, ballroom ritual, and Romantic piano repertoire.

Polonaises Op. 40 (Chopin) Two celebrated piano polonaises by Frédéric Chopin, Op. 40 — the heroic A major 'Military' and the brooding C minor — noted for national feeling, virtuosity, and distinctive polona…

Polyrhythm (overlapping rhythms in music) Polyrhythm Polyrhythm is the simultaneous use of two or more contrasting rhythmic patterns. Common in African, Afro-Cuban, Latin, jazz and contemporary music, it shapes groove, tension, and f…

Polytonality: Music using two or more keys simultaneously Polytonality Polytonality is the musical practice of combining two or more distinct keys at once. This article explains what polytonality is, how it sounds and works, its history, notable examp…

Pomp and Circumstance Marches An encyclopedic overview of Edward Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance Marches: their music, history, cultural uses (including the 'Land of Hope and Glory' melody), and notable distincti…

Pon de Replay Debut single by Barbadian singer Rihanna from 2005; a dancehall‑influenced pop track that launched her international career and introduced her Caribbean sound to mainstream radio.

Pop: meanings across music, culture, art, names and abbreviations Pop Comprehensive overview of the word 'Pop' — its uses in music, culture and art; geographic and personal names; and common abbreviations (POP, PoP). Covers origins, examples, and dis…

Pop music: overview, characteristics, history and cultural influence Pop music A concise encyclopedia entry on pop music: its defining traits, development, common styles, production features, cultural role and how it differs from other popular genres.

Pop punk Pop punk is a rock music genre that blends fast, energetic punk with catchy pop melodies and hooks. It emphasizes accessible songcraft, youthful themes, and often bridges undergrou…

Pop rock: a concise guide to the genre Pop rock Pop rock blends catchy pop melodies with rock instrumentation to create radio-friendly, guitar-centered songs. Overview, characteristics, history, examples, and distinctions.

Pop Ya Collar (song) Pop Ya Collar “Pop Ya Collar” is a 2000–2001 R&B single associated with Usher, released from 8701 after a leak. The song popularised a collar-centric catchphrase and influenced dance, slang, and…

Popol Vuh — German Krautrock Ensemble Founded by Florian Fricke Popol Vuh (band) German Krautrock ensemble Popol Vuh, founded in 1970 by pianist Florian Fricke and named for the Maya manuscript, blended electronic, acoustic and world music across two decades.

Porcelain (song) “Porcelain” is a downtempo electronica song by Moby from his 1999 album Play. Released as a single in 2000, it became one of his best-known tracks and featured in several film soun…

Porno Graffitti Porno Graffitti is a Japanese pop‑rock band from Innoshima (Hiroshima), led by vocalist Akihito Okano and guitarist Haruichi Shindō. Known for energetic songs, media tie‑ins and a…

Portamento: the musical slide between pitches Portamento Portamento is a short, expressive slide from one pitch to another used in voice, strings and other instruments. This article explains its character, history, notation, uses and how…

Portishead (band): overview, sound, history and influence Portishead (band) English musical group from Bristol known for pioneering a cinematic, sample-driven trip hop sound led by Beth Gibbons, Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley.

Poses — Rufus Wainwright album Poses Poses is the second studio album by Rufus Wainwright, released in 2001 on DreamWorks. It expanded his profile with lush chamber-pop arrangements and songs about excess, love and id…

Post-disco: the transition from disco to electronic dance music Post-disco Post-disco is the late-1970s/early-1980s evolution of disco that emphasized electronics, rhythm production, and club-oriented experimentation, and that influenced house, techno and…

Post-grunge Post-grunge is a rock music style that evolved from 1990s grunge into a more polished, melodic and radio-friendly sound with mainstream commercial success and mixed critical recept…

Post-hardcore: an overview of the genre and its development Post-hardcore Post-hardcore is a rock music subgenre that grew from hardcore punk, expanding that sound with greater melodic range, experimentation, and influences from emo, metal and alternativ…

Pour l'Afrique et pour toi, Mali — the national song of Mali Pour l'Afrique et pour toi, Mali Official national song of Mali, adopted in 1962. Lyrics by Seydou Badian Kouyaté and music by Banzumana Sissoko. Emphasizes patriotism, sacrifice, and Pan‑African unity; used at st…

Powderfinger — Australian rock band formed in Brisbane (1989) Powderfinger Powderfinger was an Australian rock band formed in Brisbane in 1989. Known for albums like Double Allergic, Internationalist and Odyssey Number Five, they achieved major national s…

Power (Kanye West song) “Power” is the lead single from Kanye West’s 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, noted for its dense production, prominent sample, and lyrics about fame, authority, and s…

Power metal Power metal is a melodic heavy metal subgenre marked by high, clean vocals, fast tempos, prominent lead guitars and often fantasy-themed lyrics; it developed distinct European and…

Power trio (rock band format) Power trio A three-member rock band format built around guitar, bass and drums. Explains roles, history, musical features, advantages and notable examples of the power trio.

Pray (Sam Smith song) Overview of "Pray," a 2017 song by Sam Smith from The Thrill of It All, its writers, releases including a 2018 version with Logic, themes, and context within Smith's catalogue.

Praying (Kesha song) “Praying” is a 2017 power ballad by Kesha from the album Rainbow, noted for its piano-led arrangement, emotional vocals and themes of survival and forgiveness amid a public legal d…

Preciosa (Selena y Los Dinos album) Preciosa Preciosa is the sixth LP by Mexican‑American Tejano pop band Selena y Los Dinos. Named for Selena’s nickname, the album reflects the group's early regional Tejano‑pop sound and for…

Prelude (musical form) Prelude A short musical piece originally serving as an introductory or improvisatory opening; later adopted as a standalone form in keyboard, orchestral and liturgical music.

Presence (Led Zeppelin album) Presence (album) Presence is Led Zeppelin's seventh studio album, released in 1976. Recorded amid personal difficulties, it is noted for its concentrated, guitar-driven sound and mixed contemporary…