Articles on Popular music

Displaying 21 - 40 of 56 articles

Elements affecting the popularity of songs change over time and should be continuously explored, say data science researchers. (Shutterstock)

Can big data really predict what makes a song popular?

Whether we’re talking songs that are popular on Spotify, or were Billboard hits through the ‘40s up to recent years, popularity cannot be attributed solely to quantifiable acoustic elements.
Peter Hook at a recent Joy Division Orchestrated performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall. VDImages & Yannis Hostelidis

Will time tear us apart? Exploring the appeal of Joy Division 40 years on

The music alone, despite its unquestionable majesty, cannot entirely explain the enduring appeal of a band that existed for barely two years before its lead singer took his own life.
David Bowie in the film clip for Space Oddity: the song would become an anthem for space exploration with an enduring appeal. YouTube

Space Oddity at 50: the ‘novelty song’ that became a cultural touchstone

Fifty years ago, on July 11, 1969, David Bowie released Space Oddity. With its adventurous orchestration, unsettling harmonics and melancholy narrative, the now classic song captured a moment.

Top contributors

More