Despite its reputation for traditionalism, the genre has long welcomed outside influences—a fact that's as true today as it was in the period covered by Country Funk 1967-1974.
Both fans and skeptics of Nashville need to hear her excellent new album, Platinum.
A recent history of the Beatles' BBC appearances points out an oft-forgotten fact: 50 years ago, most people didn't like them.
His lyrical filth used to come with a dose of musical innovation, but no longer.
Depression derailed his career (and claimed his life), but a new box set reminds that Hathaway's eclectic, politically charged soul music deserves a spot among 1970s R&B greats.
A new compilation chronicles the influential Minneapolis R&B sound of the 1970s and early 1980s—right before Prince shared his Dirty Mind with the world.
808s and MRK-2s aren't hollow replacements for live percussion—they're influential, boundary-pushing instruments of their own, as a new book documents.
On The Marshall Mathers LP 2, he offers what's been missing from hip hop lately: aggressive, commercially viable, virtuoso rapping.
NYC's art-punk golden age, Chapel Hill's indie-rock community, and Memphis's Stax Records all declined in about the same way: The underdogs became the establishment.
Bands like Mazzy Star, the Pixies, and Sebadoh have been regrouping and releasing new music in much the same, cash-in spirit the boomers did.
Today's R&B stars borrow liberally from their predecessors, but Sly Stone's production quirks and messy rhythms have rarely been duplicated.
The documentary 20 Feet From Stardom showcases an oft-ignored part of the music industry while still minimizing issues of race and gender.