What makes a perfect song? Is it the hook? Is it the perfect balance of beautiful vocals and pristine instrumentation? Maybe it’s the lyrics, or maybe it’s the overall sound. When it comes to country ...

No matter how numb my fingers are from the below-freezing windchills, I always spare 20 frosty seconds to fish through my pockets for my headphones to cue the soundtrack of my walk across campus.

Among the historic wins, spirited if chaotic tributes and breakthrough moments for new talent at Sunday's Grammy Awards, one small pleasure was the emergence of a new comedy duo. Twice during the ...

The year before punk broke, rock's old guard made a strong, pressing stand. But as the UCR staff-selected list below of the Top 40 Songs of 1976 shows, the music that dominated headlines at the end of ...

“USA250: The Story of the World’s Greatest Economy” is a yearlong WSJ series examining America’s first 250 years. Read more about it from Editor in Chief Emma Tucker. Before Billboard charts, before ...

Year-end season is normally all about positivity—publications pick their favorite albums and songs from the previous 12 months, and then we all argue over placements and omissions. “Where’s __?” is an ...

Rap in 2025 was all about experimentation. From the year’s first runaway hit, NBA player-turned-musician Gelo’s single “Tweaker,” to the maximalist ecclesiastics of Playboi Carti’s Music, or even in ...

Another song list! This one is a personal favorite of mine, because it means I get to spend a lot of time with artists I like covering other artist’s songs. Last December, Paste crowned Merce Lemon’s ...

Here are the 51 best rock and metal songs of 2025! We know you all have a long, long list of your favorites from this year, whether it's in a playlist curated by our streaming overlords and ones ...

As a breakout artist, having one massive hit is sort of a mixed blessing. So it is with Ella Langley and "You Look Like You Love Me," the Riley Green duet that dominated country music in 2024 and has ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Quentin Singer is music journalist who covers rock and heavy music. Guitar music is a ubiquitous feature of popular music, ...