How a blind, destitute man became a world-class composer while living on the streets of New York.

“When constant revisionism and re-invention is under way, what does it profit a biographer to drag the weary ‘facts’ before us?”

On Sam Cooke, theme parties, and the importance of McDonald’s-related jingles when street performing.

The lip-syncing app Musical.ly claims that it has signed up 50% of American teens.

Brazilian businessman Zero Freitas has amassed the world’s largest collection of records, the majority of which have never been digitized.

An interview with Solange.

The secret diary of Nina Simone.

When Spanish authorities sentenced this provocative musician to prison for “glorifying terrorism,” his dedicated fans helped him make a daring escape across the border.

The musician visits the Los Angeles of his youth and says goodbye to the past.

The life of Fountains of Wayne’s Adam Schlesinger, who died from COVID at age 52.

Why did I ever believe a teen girl could hold all the power?

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.

The Maroon 5 singer discusses douchebaggery.

Conspiracy theories, utopian fantasies, and cult involvement surrounding the international standard of musical tuning.

An interview with Stevie Wonder.

Three days on road with former chef and current rap eccentric Action Bronson.

He outsold Elvis, signed one of the first pay-for-play contracts and befriended Martin Luther King Jr. A profile of Harry Belafonte.

An oral history of James Brown, from Macon to the top.

A memory of interviewing the late great songwriter Townes Van Zandt shortly before his death.

On the Balkan musical genre Turbo-Folk, its ties to Serbian ultranationalism, and the strongman nightclub owner who brought it to Croatia.

On the road with three high school show choirs and a dream.

Spins from the DJs at Atlanta’s seminal Magic City strip club can turn nobodies into hip-hop stars.

In what will likely be his last political act, Willie Nelson declares war on corporate marijuana.

The article that kept the New Yorker alive was written by a debutante. Who happened to be married to Irving Berlin.

From Stefani Joanne Germanotta to Lady Gaga: the self-invented, manufactured, accidental, totally on-purpose creation of the world’s biggest pop star.