music — Bunk History

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No One Writes Great Christmas Songs Anymore

But maybe those midcentury classics weren't really Christmas songs at all.

by Addison Del Mastro via The American Conservative on December 21, 2017

family Thanksgiving meal

The Dark and Divisive History of America’s Thanksgiving Hymn

How a beloved song with origins in 16th-century Europe captures both a holiday's spirit of unity and a country's legacy of exclusion.

by Neil J. Young via The Atlantic on November 23, 2017

The Kids Of Bowery's Hardcore 'Matinee,' Then And Now

Drew Carolan captured the mien of a subculture centered on midafternoon expressions of anger and community.

by Drew Carolan via NPR on November 16, 2017

The Rope: The Forgotten History of Segregated Rock & Roll Concerts

The Platters, the Flamingos, and other pioneering performers share stories of divided audiences and harrowing violence.

by Steve Knopper via Rolling Stone on November 16, 2017

The Powerful Tune That Drives ‘The Battle Hymn of the Republic’

A melody can carry an undeniable purpose even before it gets paired with a lyric.

by Jon Batiste via The Atlantic on November 7, 2017

Joni Mitchell: Fear of a Female Genius

One of the greatest living artists in popular music still isn’t properly recognized.

by Lindsay Zoladz via The Ringer on October 16, 2017

“Like Sonny Liston”: An Appreciation of Tom Petty

Patterson Hood argues that Tom Petty achieved perfection in his songwriting... time and time again.

by Patterson Hood via The Bitter Southerner on October 6, 2017

Illustration of the folk hero, John Henry, face down with a hammer in his hand.

A History of American Protest Music: This Is the Hammer That Killed John Henry

How a folk hero inspired one of the most covered songs in American history.

by Tom Maxwell via Longreads on October 4, 2017

The Flood Blues

How floods have united people of color from the Gulf Coast states for nearly a century.

by Tyina Steptoe via Process: A Blog for American History on September 15, 2017

Mavis Staples singing on stage, head back and hand raised.

Mavis Staples on Prince, Trump, Black Lives Matter, and Her Exercise Regimen

Mavis Staples' lyrics span from the civil-rights-era to today's societal issues.

by Mavis Staples, Elon Green via The New Yorker on September 11, 2017

Michel Foucault in Death Valley

Simeon Wade describes visiting Death Valley with Michel Foucault in 1975.

by Simeon Wade, Heather Dundas via Boom California on September 10, 2017

The Umpire Strikes Out: Baseball Music and Labor

The classic baseball hit "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" has a lot more to do with U.S. history than one might think.

by Wendi Maloney via Library of Congress on July 31, 2017

The Rise and Fall of the “Sellout”

The history of the epithet, from its rise among leftists and jazz critics and folkies to its recent fall from favor.

by Franz Nicolay via Slate on July 28, 2017

Howard Coffin hosts President Calvin Coolidge on Sapelo Island, Georgia.

Black Gullah Culture Fascinated Americans Just As President Coolidge Visited

The culture on Sapelo Island, Georgia was unique.

by Melissa L. Cooper via Timeline on July 7, 2017

Prince's Epic 'Purple Rain' Tour: An Oral History

Members of the Revolution look back on Prince's massive, awe-inspiring 'Purple Rain' tour in our exclusive oral history.

by David Browne via Rolling Stone on June 22, 2017

All 213 Beatles Songs, Ranked From Worst to Best

We had to count them all.

by Bill Wyman via Vulture on June 7, 2017

The Syncopated Geography of Hip-Hop

Music scholar Katya Deve explores the history and geography of hip-hop.

by Katya Deve via ArcGIS StoryMaps on May 12, 2017

Guitar Shorty sitting on a bench outside of a house, and playing guitar while smoking a cigar.

Put on my Clothes and Look Like Somebody Else

The life of Guitar Shorty was a mixture of facts, lies and fantasy. He was a blues musician who lived far outside mainstream society.

by Sarah Bryan via Oxford American on April 17, 2017

The Notorious Night Biggie Was Murdered in Los Angeles

Shaq, Baron Davis, and Nick Van Exel reflect on The Notorious B.I.G., his murder, and the city they called home.

by Justin Tinsley via Andscape on March 8, 2017

How The Hutchinson Family Singers Achieved Pop Stardom with an Anti-Slavery Anthem

"Get Off the Track!" borrowed the melody of a racist hit song and helped give a public voice to the abolitionist movement.

by Tom Maxwell via Longreads on March 7, 2017

Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield

The Story of Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, America's First Black Pop Star

The 19th century singer forced critics and audiences to reconcile their ears with their racism.

by Adam Gustafson via The Conversation on February 7, 2017

“Jingle Bells” History Takes Surprising Turn

A researcher in Boston discovers that the beloved Christmas favorite was first performed in a Boston minstrel hall.

by Joel Brown via BU Today on December 8, 2016

How Rock and Roll Became White

And how the Rolling Stones, a band in love with black music, helped lead the way to rock’s segregated future.

by Jack Hamilton via Slate on October 6, 2016

Strummin’ on the Old Banjo

How an African instrument got a racist reinvention.

by Ben Marks via Collectors Weekly on October 4, 2016

A Hamilton Skeptic on Why the Show Isn’t As Revolutionary As It Seems

"It's still white history. And no amount of casting people of color disguises the fact that they're erasing people of color from the actual narrative."

by Lyra Monteiro, Rebecca Onion via Slate on April 5, 2016

Prayers for Richard

Reflections on the life of Little Richard, the star who mistook a satellite for a ball of fire.

by David Ramsey via Oxford American on December 11, 2015

Jim Crow-era postcard with illustration of a black boy in the jaws of an alligator

How America Bought and Sold Racism, and Why It Still Matters

Today, very few white Americans openly celebrate the horrors of black enslavement—most refuse to recognize the brutal nature of the institution or activ...

by Lisa Hix via Collectors Weekly on November 10, 2015

The Cruel Truth About Rock And Roll

A lifelong fan reflects on how sexual exploitation is part of rock's DNA.

by Ann Powers via NPR on July 15, 2015

The Song That Never Ends: Why Earth, Wind & Fire's 'September' Sustains

How the Earth, Wind & Fire hit "September" came into being, and why it continues to unite the generations on the dance floor.

by Dan Charnas via NPR on September 19, 2014

A Little Bit Softer Now, a Little Bit Softer Now…

The gradual decline of the fade-out in popular music.

by William Weir via Slate on September 15, 2014

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