Musical history is littered with flagpole moments, momentous occasions whose import and cultural repercussions are better understood from the vantage point of hindsight. November 16 1999, seven years after the release of Dr. Dre’s solo debut The Chronic, and three … Continue reading How Dr. Dre’s 2001 ushered in a new era of hip-hop
Ready to Die, the only album released by The Notorious B.I.G. in his lifetime, has now lived longer than its creator ever did, with September 13 marking its 25th anniversary. The years have been kind to Ready to Die; it’s … Continue reading ‘Ready To Die’ at 25
Like any artform, music is at its best when it refuses to stand still; rather extending branches from its foundations in perpetual exploration for something as yet undefined. Music is also a reflection of the environment in which it is … Continue reading The Enduring Legacy of Chopped and Screwed
The introduction of the ‘compact cassette’ by Phillips in 1963 would prove to become one of the most influential innovations in the way in which people would consume and distribute music for the next 30 years. The clue to its … Continue reading Musicology: The Rise & Fall of the Cassette
The story of Tommy Boy Records is marked by both fame and obscurity. Thanks in part to being the first record label to produce their own merchandising, and the fact that when they began as a 12” singles-only label the … Continue reading The Story of Tommy Boy Records: from the clubs to the charts
We’re gathered here today to pay tribute to an Australian classic. On October 22 Kylie Minogue’s Impossible Princess turned 21 years old. Although a popular album that spawned the moderately successful singles ‘Some Kind of Bliss’, ‘Did it Again’ and … Continue reading Musicology: Revisiting Impossible Princess on its 21st Birthday
Is there a bolder, more dramatic move in pop music than the key change? When done wrong it can make a weak song even cheesier, and it’s pretty obvious when songwriters or producers are merely trying to stretch an underwritten … Continue reading The Top 11 Key Changes in Pop History
Here’s some food for thought: Australia is rich in natural resources, with over 90% of fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, eggs and milk sold in supermarkets being domestically produced. We make so much that we’re able to export more than half … Continue reading From pies to polony, it’s time to talk about Australians’ love of mystery meats
Music doesn’t and should not stand still; instead it follows a continual arc, complete with sidesteps, repetitions and leaps, pushed forward by a combination of innovations and happy accidents. The early 1950s saw the emergence of a new style of … Continue reading Musicology: The History of ‘The Nashville Sound’
August 29th marked what would have been the 60th birthday of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson and the Internet paid tribute to him accordingly. Social media was flooded with dedications of all kinds, ranging from DJ sets, dance choreography, … Continue reading Here’s How The World Paid Tribute to Michael Jackson on his 60th Birthday
Even the greats weren’t immune to the lure of doomed technology — and thanks to some internet randos, you can still play these ‘games’ online. The early ‘90s were a strange time for the music industry. Advances in digital technology … Continue reading Remember When Prince and Bowie Released 90s AF CD-ROM Games? No? Well Luckily The Internet Knows Everything
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Korean pop bands have recently made history in the US charts. This is just one part of a methodical global expansion. Last month, in a staggering achievement for the Korean music industry, South … Continue reading How K-pop is changing the game for the global music industry
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