Various Positions (Leonard Cohen album) Various Positions Various Positions is Leonard Cohen's seventh studio album, released in late 1984 with wider availability in early 1985. It introduced a more contemporary production and features th…
Velvet Revolver — American rock supergroup and its brief mainstream era Velvet Revolver Velvet Revolver was a hard rock supergroup formed by ex–Guns N' Roses members in 2002; they released Contraband (2004) and Libertad (2007), won a Grammy, and later became inactive…
Ven Conmigo — Selena album Ven Conmigo Ven Conmigo, released November 12, 1990 on EMI Latin, was an early solo-marketed album by Selena that expanded her presence in Tejano and Latin pop and earned RIAA recognition unde…
Vengeance Falls (Trivium album) Vengeance Falls Vengeance Falls is the sixth studio album by American metal band Trivium, released in October 2013 on Roadrunner Records. Produced by David Draiman, it emphasizes melody and modern…
Venom: Pioneering English Black Metal Band Venom (band) Venom are an English heavy metal band formed in Newcastle in 1979, widely credited with shaping early black metal. Known for raw production, controversial imagery, and influential…
Venus as a Boy — song by Björk Venus as a Boy Overview of Björk’s song “Venus as a Boy”: musical character, lyrics, release as a single from Debut, background after The Sugarcubes, reception and use in the film Léon (The Profe…
Vermilion (Slipknot song) Vermilion (song) Second single from Slipknot's Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses), released in two contrasting versions—heavy and stripped-down—known for themes of obsession, isolation and dynamic con…
Verse–chorus form Verse-chorus form A common song structure in popular music where alternating verses and choruses create contrast and repetition; widely used in rock and pop since the mid-20th century.
Veruca Salt (American alternative rock band) Veruca Salt American alternative rock band formed in Chicago in 1993 by Louise Post and Nina Gordon, noted for the 1994 album American Thighs and singles such as "Seether" and "Volcano Girls."
Vespertine (Björk album) Vespertine Vespertine is Björk's 2001 studio album, noted for intimate electronic textures, choral and orchestral touches, three singles, and a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Album.
Vheissu — Thrice's 2005 experimental album Vheissu Vheissu is Thrice's 2005 album that expanded the band's post-hardcore roots into experimental, atmospheric and thematically layered music with distinctive artwork and lyrical motif…
Vibraphone A pitched percussion instrument with tuned metal bars and motor-driven resonators producing vibrato; common in jazz and modern classical music, played with mallets and a sustain pe…
Vibrating string: physics, musical use, and behavior Vibrating string An overview of vibrating strings: how they produce waves and sound, the physical laws and modes that govern them, their role in musical instruments, historical study, and practical…
Vibrato: expressive pitch modulation in singing and instrumental music Vibrato Vibrato is a controlled, periodic fluctuation of pitch used by singers and instrumentalists to add warmth and expression. This article explains how it is produced, its history, and…
Vices & Virtues — Panic! at the Disco (2011 album) Vices & Virtues Third studio album by Panic! at the Disco, released March 18, 2011. Produced by Butch Walker and John Feldmann, it marked a stylistic return to pop‑rock with synthesizers after lin…
Video game music: history, styles, and role in interactive media Video game music An overview of video game music, covering its technical origins, adaptive techniques, stylistic range, commercial distribution, performance tradition, and cultural recognition.
Vielle: the bowed string instrument of medieval Europe Vielle The vielle is a medieval European bowed string instrument, ancestor of later viols and violins. This article covers its form, history, musical role, and distinctions from related i…
Vienna Philharmonic The Vienna Philharmonic is a world-renowned orchestra based in Vienna, Austria, famed for its distinctive Viennese sound, residency at the Musikverein, and its annual New Year's Co…
Vihuela: Spanish Renaissance instrument and Mexican mariachi vihuela Vihuela Vihuela denotes two different plucked string instruments: the 16th‑century Spanish vihuela de mano for polyphonic music, and the Mexican vihuela used in mariachi ensembles for rhyt…
Viking metal: a heavy metal subgenre inspired by Norse history and myth Viking metal Viking metal is a heavy metal subgenre that draws on Norse mythology, Viking history and epic atmospheres. It blends metal styles with folk elements and lyrical themes about the Vi…
Vikingarna (Swedish dansband) Vikingarna Vikingarna was a long-running Swedish dansband formed in 1958 and active until 2004, known for popular dance-oriented recordings and a major role in Scandinavia’s dance music scene…
Vintage Violence (John Cale album) Vintage Violence Vintage Violence is John Cale's debut solo studio album, released in March 1970 on Columbia Records. It marks a shift from his Velvet Underground work toward more melodic, singer-s…
Viol (viola da gamba): history, characteristics, repertoire and revival Viol A bowed, fretted string instrument popular from the Renaissance to Baroque eras. Overview of its construction, playing technique, repertoire, decline and 20th‑century revival for e…
Viola: instrument, construction, role in ensembles and distinguishing features Viola The viola is a bowed string instrument pitched between the violin and cello. This article explains its construction, tuning, sound character, historical development, repertoire, an…
Violent by Design — Jedi Mind Tricks album Violent by Design Second studio album by American hip hop group Jedi Mind Tricks, released in October 2000. Known for dense, cinematic production and confrontational lyrical themes; reissued by Baby…
Violent Femmes American alternative rock band formed in Milwaukee in 1980, known for an acoustic punk sound, raw lyrics and influential debut with songs like "Blister in the Sun."
Violin The violin is a four‑stringed bowed instrument central to Western art music and many folk traditions, known for its wide expressive range, high register, and roles from soloist to…
Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61 (Beethoven) Violin Concerto (Beethoven) Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61 (1806) is a symphonic, three-movement masterpiece for solo violin and orchestra, noted for its long orchestral opening, timpani gestu…
Violin Concerto (Alban Berg, 1935) Violin Concerto (Berg) Alban Berg's Violin Concerto (1935) fuses twelve-tone technique with lyrical Romantic expression. Dedicated "To the Memory of an Angel," it is among the twentieth century's best-kn…
Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 (Mendelssohn) Violin Concerto (Mendelssohn) Felix Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 (completed 1844) is a cornerstone of the Romantic violin repertoire, noted for its songlike themes, formal innovations, and e…
Tchaikovsky — Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35 Violin Concerto (Tchaikovsky) A major Romantic-era showpiece for solo violin and orchestra by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, written in 1878 and premiered in Vienna in 1881. Noted for its lyricism, virtuosity and pl…
Violone: the large bowed viol of the Renaissance and Baroque eras Violone The violone is a large bowed bass of the viol (viola da gamba) family used from the late Renaissance through the Baroque as a fretted, underhand-bowed bass voice in ensembles and c…
Virgin Killer (Scorpions album) Virgin Killer Virgin Killer is the fourth studio album by German rock band Scorpions (1976). Noted for its hard-rock sound and a highly controversial cover image that prompted censorship debates…
Virtuoso (performing arts) Virtuoso A virtuoso is a performer with exceptional technical skill and artistry, historically linked to demanding repertoire and showmanship in music and other performing arts.
Vision of Love (song by Mariah Carey) Vision of Love Debut single by Mariah Carey from her 1990 self-titled album. A chart-topping ballad that introduced her vocal style, earned critical awards, and influenced pop singing techniques.
Vitamin String Quartet An instrumental ensemble from Los Angeles known for string-quartet arrangements of contemporary rock, pop and R&B songs, released as tribute albums and widely licensed for media.
Viva la Vida (Coldplay song) Viva la Vida A detailed overview of Coldplay's 2008 song 'Viva la Vida': its sound, themes, production, release, chart success, cultural impact and notable facts.
Viva la Vida (2008): Coldplay album — recording, release, singles and Prospekt's March edition Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends Viva la Vida (2008) — Coldplay's fourth album: recording process (June 2007–April 2008), release details, key singles like Violet Hill, Viva la Vida and Lost!, and the expanded Pro…
VNV Nation VNV Nation is an electronic music act led by Ronan Harris that mixes synthpop, trance and EBM into futurepop. Originating from Ireland/UK and based in Hamburg, they are noted for m…
Vocal range: definition, measurement, and classification Vocal range Vocal range is the span of pitches a human voice can produce. This article explains how it is measured, factors that affect it, its role in singing and speech sciences, and common…
Vocalion Records Vocalion Records was a record label active in the early to mid‑20th century, issuing 78 rpm recordings of jazz, blues, country and popular music in the United States and the United…
Vocaloid: Singing synthesis software, voicebanks, and cultural impact Vocaloid Vocaloid is a voice synthesis platform for creating sung vocals from typed lyrics and melodies. It combines recorded voice samples, an editor interface, and a synthesis engine used…
Vogue (Madonna song) A 1990 dance-pop and house single by Madonna that popularized voguing, praised for its production, choreography and cultural influence, and notable for reaching #1 on the Billboard…
Voice (polyphony) In polyphonic music, a voice is an independent melodic line or 'part' within a texture of two or more simultaneous lines, used in vocal and instrumental music and central to counte…
Voivod — Canadian progressive metal band Voivod Voivod is a Canadian metal band known for evolving from speed and thrash roots into a distinctive progressive, dissonant style with science-fiction themes and striking artwork.
Voluntary (music) A voluntary is a short, free-form piece—typically for organ—used in church services. Prominent in English late Renaissance and Baroque practice, it includes trumpet and double form…
W.A.S.P. — American heavy metal band W.A.S.P. W.A.S.P. is an American heavy metal group formed in Los Angeles in 1982, known for theatrical stage shows, provocative lyrics, and a career that influenced 1980s metal and shock-ro…
Wait and Bleed (Slipknot song) Wait and Bleed A concise encyclopedic overview of Slipknot's breakthrough song 'Wait and Bleed': origins, musical traits, release and impact, live role, and notable versions.
