Trying to make sense of a fragmented, disparate musical tradition.

An interview with the singer.

Three nights with 311 in the waning moments of free American life.

The singer spends most of her time at home, working on a new album. That doesn’t mean she’s not paying attention.

As R. Kelly’s career flourished, an industry overlooked allegations of abusive behavior toward young women.

An in-depth history of the most important pop innovation of the last 20 years, from Cher’s “Believe” to Kanye West to Migos.

The rise and fall of a band in public and behind closed doors.

The story of pianist Bill Evans and his lifelong obsession with a single song.

His rise to the top of the Billboard charts coincides with a list of criminal charges, including domestic battery by strangulation, false imprisonment, and aggravated battery of a pregnant woman.

A profile of the artist at the time of her fifth solo record.

Two years after she sued producer Dr. Luke, saying he had drugged, raped, and emotionally abused her, Kesha is still bound to her original recording contract. She owes $100,000 (conservatively) per month on legal bills and can’t release any new music.

“On paper, [DJ Khaled] doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. He’s released eight full-length albums but doesn’t actually rap on any of them. He’s perhaps the most quoted figure in hip-hop, able to create viral catch phrases with an ease that marketing executives dream about. He’s played a serious role in the hip-hop industry throughout his career, yet he’s perceived almost exclusively as a meme by fans across the nation.”

He created the template for contemporary hit-making, made Ace of Base the biggest group in the world, and mentored the most successful songwriter since the Beatles. Why have you never heard of Denniz Pop? Excerpted from The Song Machine: Inside the Hit Factory.

A band's tour problems range from bedbugs to internal strife.

His health failing and his business in tatters, the head of Death Row Records faces murder charges that could put him away for life.

How a hit Rihanna single gets made.

Is the streaming Swedish music service, now making its U.S. debut, the best shot the industry has at staying profitable and relevant?

How did a pair of young rappers from Scotland, laughed off the stage for their accents, land a deal with Sony and start partying with Madonna? They pretended to be American.