Music

Right Round (Flo Rida song) Right Round 2009 pop-rap single by Flo Rida featuring Kesha, built on a prominent 1980s sample; notable for its commercial success, mixed reviews, and role in launching Kesha's career.

Rigoletto — opera by Giuseppe Verdi Rigoletto Rigoletto is a three-act Italian opera by Giuseppe Verdi (libretto by Francesco Maria Piave), premiered at La Fenice in Venice in 1851. It is celebrated for its drama, characters a…

Ring of Fire (song) 1963 country song co‑written by June Carter and Merle Kilgore, popularized by Johnny Cash; noted for its mariachi‑style horns, chart success, and wide cultural influence.

Ringmaster (album) Ringmaster is the second studio album by Insane Clown Posse, released January 28, 1994. It continues the group's Dark Carnival saga and helped define their style within horrorcore…

Rip Slyme — Japanese hip hop group Rip Slyme Rip Slyme is a Japanese hip hop group formed in 1994, made up of four MCs and a DJ; noted for upbeat, melodic rap and mainstream success that helped popularize hip hop in Japan.

Rise Against — American melodic hardcore/punk band Rise Against Rise Against is an American punk and melodic hardcore band from Chicago, formed in 1999. Known for fast, melodic songs, political lyrics, animal-rights activism and a string of inf…

Rites of Spring (Washington, D.C. band) Rites of Spring Mid-1980s Washington, D.C. post-hardcore band noted for intense performances, personal lyrics, and influence on the early emo movement. Short-lived but highly influential; members…

Ritornello: form and function in Baroque vocal and instrumental music Ritornello Ritornello, Italian for “little return,” is a recurring instrumental passage used in Baroque vocal and instrumental music that shaped concerto and aria structure and guided tonal o…

Rizzle Kicks (English hip-hop duo) Rizzle Kicks Rizzle Kicks are an English musical duo formed by Jordan Stephens and Harley Alexander-Sule, known for blending hip-hop with pop and vintage influences; notable albums include Ster…

Roar (song) — Katy Perry 2013 empowerment single Roar (song) 2013 pop single by Katy Perry from the album Prism. An anthemic, self-empowerment song that topped charts worldwide, earned mixed reviews, and became a staple of her live shows.

Robert Schumann (1810–1856) Robert Schumann German composer and influential critic of the Romantic era, known for piano music, songs (Lieder), symphonies, a piano concerto, and for founding an important music journal.

Rocks and Rock Music: Geology, Musical Genres, and Cultural Uses Rock Comprehensive overview of rock: geological rocks—their formation, classification, properties and uses—and rock music—origins, major genres, instruments and cultural influence.

Rock Against Communism (RAC) Rock Against Communism A far-right rock music movement that emerged in the UK in the late 1970s, associated with neo‑Nazi groups, white‑power bands, and political propaganda rather than mainstream rock c…

Rock and Roll: Origins, Characteristics, and Cultural Impact Rock and roll Rock and roll is a popular music style that emerged in mid-20th-century America, blending rhythm and blues, country, gospel and other traditions and shaping global youth culture an…

Rock band A rock band is a musical ensemble that performs rock music. This article explains typical lineups, instrument roles, history, stylistic variations, and the cultural importance of r…

Rock en español: Spanish‑language rock music Rock en español Rock en español refers to rock music performed in Spanish, a wide movement spanning Spain, Latin America and Latino communities in the U.S., blending rock styles with regional infl…

Rock Mafia — American songwriting and record-production collective Rock Mafia Rock Mafia is an American songwriting and production collective—Tim James, Antonina Armato and Paul Palmer—known for crafting pop, dance and rock songs with hook-driven, radio-read…

Rock music: history, characteristics, subgenres and cultural impact Rock music A comprehensive overview of rock music: its origins, musical traits, major subgenres, cultural significance and lasting influence on youth and social movements.

Rock opera A rock opera is a longform rock recording or show that presents a unified narrative or thematic arc across multiple songs, blending popular music with theatrical storytelling and r…

Rock Your Body (Justin Timberlake song) Rock Your Body Dance-oriented single from Justin Timberlake's debut solo album Justified, co-written and produced with The Neptunes. Noted for disco/funk influences, falsetto vocals and the widel…

Rocka Rolla — Judas Priest's 1974 debut album Rocka Rolla Rocka Rolla is the debut studio album by British band Judas Priest, released in 1974 on Gull Records. Produced by Rodger Bain, it predates the band's later heavy metal signature so…

Rockabilly: Early Rock and Roll Style, Sound, and Culture Rockabilly Rockabilly is a 1950s American music style blending country, blues and R&B into an energetic early rock sound. Known for slap bass, twang guitar, rebellious lyrics, distinctive fas…

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree — Brenda Lee's holiday standard Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree A classic Christmas pop song written by Johnny Marks and first recorded by Brenda Lee in 1958. Now a perennial holiday staple, it has been widely covered and used in film, TV and a…

Rogues Gallery (Slade album, 1985) Rogues Gallery Rogues Gallery is the thirteenth studio album by English rock band Slade, released in 1985. A polished, radio-oriented collection that spawned several singles but achieved only mod…

Roll Deep London-based grime collective founded by Wiley in the early 2000s. Known for a rotating lineup of MCs and producers and for helping grime reach mainstream charts, notably with the…

Roll with It (Oasis song) 1995 single by Oasis from (What's the Story) Morning Glory? Written by Noel Gallagher; reached No. 2 UK and was a focal point of the 1995 'Battle of Britpop' with Blur.

Rollin' (Limp Bizkit song) Overview of Limp Bizkit's 2000 single “Rollin’ (Air Raid Vehicle)”: versions, collaborators, reception, and notable uses in wrestling, film and games.

Rolling in the Deep — Adele song from 21 Rolling in the Deep Adele's 2010 lead single from the album 21. Co-written with Paul Epworth, the song blends blues, gospel and pop, topped charts worldwide and won major awards, becoming one of the d…

Romantic music: characteristics, history, and key developments Romantic music Romantic music, dominant in the 19th century, emphasizes emotion, expanded harmony, programme music and nationalism. It shaped symphonies, opera, piano literature and the modern or…

Rondo (musical form) Rondo A rondo is a musical form built around a recurring principal theme that alternates with contrasting episodes; commonly used for finales from the Baroque through the Classical era.

Room a Thousand Years Wide A 1990 single by Soundgarden from the Badmotorfinger era, notable for guitarist Kim Thayil's lyrics and drummer Matt Cameron's music; an atypical composition in the band's catalog.

Room on the 3rd Floor (debut album by McFly) Room on the 3rd Floor Debut studio album by English pop rock band McFly, released July 2004. It debuted at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart, broke the record for the youngest band with a UK No. 1 album, and…

Roots rock: origins, characteristics, and influence Roots rock Roots rock is a style of rock that returns to folk, blues, and country traditions. Emerging in the United States in the 1960s, it influenced country rock, southern rock and later A…

Rosé Quartet: Vienna's Long-Running String Quartet (1882–1938) Rosé Quartet A concise overview of the Rosé Quartet, its personnel changes, repertoire, premieres, and influence on Vienna's chamber music life between 1882 and 1938.

Rotation (music broadcasting and playlist scheduling) Rotation (music) Rotation is the repeated scheduling of a limited set of recordings or videos on radio or TV. It controls frequency, spacing and order to balance exposure, listener retention and va…

Rouge (Brazilian pop girl group) Rouge Rouge is a Brazilian pop girl group formed in 2002 via the talent show Popstars. Known for hits like "Ragatanga", they achieved multi-platinum sales, reunions and significant influ…

Round (music): vocal canon and community singing Round (music) A round is a musical canon sung by multiple groups entering in sequence. This article explains its structure, history, examples (e.g., Frère Jacques, Sumer is icumen in), and uses…

Roxette: Swedish pop duo and international hitmakers Roxette Roxette was a Swedish pop rock duo formed by Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson in 1986. They achieved global success with hits like "The Look" and "It Must Have Been Love" and toure…

Royal Academy of Music (London) Royal Academy of Music A leading London conservatoire founded in 1822, offering performance, composition and research programmes, with a notable library and instrument collection and historical links to…

Röyksopp — Norwegian electronic music duo Röyksopp Röyksopp are a Norwegian electronic music duo formed in Tromsø in 1998. Known for atmospheric synth-pop, cinematic production and collaborations with guest vocalists, they have rel…

RPM (Canadian music magazine) RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music-industry magazine (1964–2000) known for publishing national singles and album charts and for helping shape Canada’s popular-music ecosystem.

Rude Boy (Rihanna song) Rude Boy A 2010 single by Barbadian singer Rihanna blending dancehall and reggae influences; notable for Billboard success, international chart performance, a distinctive video, and cultura…

Rudimental — English electronic music quartet Rudimental Rudimental are a London-based electronic music quartet known for drum-and-bass–influenced production, collaborations with high-profile vocalists, and energetic live shows blending…

Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall A live tribute album by Rufus Wainwright released in 2007 that recreates the repertoire and spirit of Judy Garland’s celebrated 1961 Carnegie Hall concert.

Rufus Wainwright (album) Self-titled debut studio album by Rufus Wainwright, introducing his piano-driven, theatrical baroque-pop style and literate songwriting to a wider audience.

Rumba: Afro‑Cuban music and the ballroom dance Rumba Rumba denotes both Afro‑Cuban musical and social dance traditions and a distinct International Ballroom dance; this article explains origins, styles, musical features, and key diff…

Rumour Has It (Adele song) Adele's 2011 single from the album 21, co-written and produced with Ryan Tedder. An upbeat soul-pop track about gossip and relationships, released Nov 5, 2011; it reached the US to…

Run (Sash! song) “Run” is a 2002 dance single by German production team Sash! featuring Boy George. It was released as the second single from their fourth album S4!Sash! and reflects the early-2000…