Music Genealogy
Spectrum City is a music genealogy project that attempts to trace the ancestral influences of modern popular music. Music follows the same Darwinian principles as life. Natural selection ensures successful mutations are replicated and thrive, whereas sonically flawed mutations become extinct after a few generations.
Ricky ChopraPublished 3 days ago in Beat
To the Beat: February 2021
Being the Queen is not all about singing, and being a diva is not all about singing. It has much to do with your service to people. And your social contributions to your community and your civic contributions as well. - Aretha Franklin
Vocal Curation TeamPublished 4 days ago in BeatI Was Raised by Barbie and The Acid Queen
Music has always been a vessel for the African American experience. In the beginning, it was traditional biblical gospel to cope and communicate within the Antebellum South. Since, it has transformed into multiple genres, from the blues during the Great Depression, describing the trials of down trodden Americans. To rock and roll alongside the flower children of the sixties.
First Place in Black Women in Music Challenge
Heather Lowery is Normalizing Female Leadership
Heather Lowery was at a major music event, waiting to meet with a music manager, when a male passerby mistook her for a groupie. At the time, she was Vice President of Talent and Touring for Live Nation Entertainment.
Love At First Listen
Regardless of if you are recently single or have been livin’ the bachelorette/bachelor life for some time now, remember Valentine’s Day isn’t exclusively for couples. There is nothing wrong with being single and in 2021 we’re now releasing the shame and stigma that comes along with it! There is a humongous difference in being alone and being lonely. Therefore, “singles awareness day” (S.A.D.) should stand for “singles awe-inspiring day” instead! Let’s remember why we’re single and celebrate it. Grab the wine, call your girlfriends (optional but encouraged), and set the vibe with these tunes guaranteed to boost morale and ROCK your Valentine’s Day!
Rini MulaniPublished 16 days ago in BeatHow to Celebrate Valentine's Day at Your Grandfather's Deathbed
Step One: Answer the Call Take the red eye on Friday night (post eye surgery – so a true red eye, red eye) to Boston from San Diego to visit your dying grandfather.
Aj SlepianPublished 16 days ago in Beat
The Other Side of Love with The Beatles: An Anti-Valentine's Day Playlist
The Beatles became famous with their simple, saccharine tunes about love. ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’, ‘She Loves You’, ‘Love Me Do’, and ‘From Me To You’ not only brought them fame, it also showed that few bands were better when it came to encapsulating the joyous feeling of love within the confines of a three-minute pop song.
Christopher DonovanPublished 18 days ago in Beat- First Place in Anti-Valentine's Day Playlist Challenge
covid ruined our valentine's day. here's my coping playlist.
I've been on Earth for twenty-two years, and never in my life have I experienced a good Valentine's Day. I don't seem to mesh with the holiday. In elementary school, kids celebrated by handing out candies...which was cool until you realized those candies were Nerds or nasty conversation hearts that taste like chalk. In high school, all my besties had boyfriends save for me. Valentine's Day was the one day a year I couldn't hang with them after school.
Kathryn MilewskiPublished 18 days ago in Beat
The Benefit of Mr Kite
“To Norwegian Wood!” Exclaimed Sadie as she toasted her winning horse and clinked glasses with her bandmates and their inner circle.
James Nicholas FullerPublished 14 minutes ago in Beat
Other things… Mac Miller’s ‘Circles’ and Posthumous Albums
At the time of Mac Miller’s untimely death, he was already deep into the recording of Circles; the now posthumously released album that acts as the follow-up to 2018’s Swimming. The two albums were intended to create a loosely drawn concept – Swimming in Circles – that reflects the deeply introspective nature of Miller’s lyrical content.
Charlotte StanbridgePublished 29 minutes ago in BeatThe Lead Man's Journal
The Lead Man’s Journal 5/14/22 New Orleans, Louisiana Congratulations little black Moleskine notebook - you just became the landing strip of the thoughts nobody else will hear, but must be expressed. Ever since I blacked out after the Mardi Gras concert two months ago, I’ve been poked and prodded by doctors, only for them to say it was all in my head. They told me to write, so I’m writing. Derrick, my manager is so obsessed with getting me right only because his job depends on me. Otherwise, I think he’d throw me to the wolves and get a brand new model. He still may. I’m the front man, so if I go, the band would have to have a complete overhaul. Rebranding, new merchandise, maybe even a new name. You think the bet’s worth the hand? Honestly, when I landed this gig, it was like winning the lottery to me. Now I feel like I’ve traded my life for a blur of an existence and a miser who’s in charge of my piggy bank.
A Rose WilliamsPublished about an hour ago in Beat
Long Live The Music
The crowd lined around the block. Shaking and gleaming with joy. The smiling faces of hundreds of dreamers waited for the doors to open. This would be a moment they'd never forget. One day, they'd tell their children about the time they waited in line all morning to see them play live. They'll talk about driving hours to hear that one song they played over and over.
The Space Between Your Ears and Your Hands
I was playing the softest open roll I possibly could. Against the metronome of my mind I am playing quintuplets; lost inside the rattling of the springs beneath a snare drum, counting the shakes that subdivide each pulse in my hands. The notes move rapidly, but I can feel the silence between all of them.
TJ GhinderPublished about 2 hours ago in BeatSigns A Band Is Over
Everyone has their favourite bands. Some change all the time whilst others become long-term favourites. When I was younger, my favourites flatuated between Spice Girls, Sugababes, Atomic Kitten, Kaiser Chiefs and Busted. As I got older my tastes have changed and I have firm favourites like Depeche Mode and Nightwish. A lot of bands that I have loved have now split up. Sometimes it is hard, but necessary if there is tension between band members or if they want to go their own separate ways and do their own thing.
Chloe GilholyPublished about 2 hours ago in Beat
5 Romantic LGBTQ Wedding Songs
There is nothing wrong with "Thinking Out Loud" by Ed Sheeran or "So High" by John Legend as your wedding day song. In fact, though very popular as wedding songs they remain undoubtedly very beautiful songs to express one's love with. That being said, sometimes as LGBTQ people it would be nice to have romantic songs written for our types of relationships by artists that understand our struggles.
yanina maysonetPublished about 2 hours ago in Beat
a song called 'reparations'
I have no doubt the greatest musician of all time toiled in obscurity on some plantation, the last note of her life crackling from her lungs under the boiling Deep South sun.
Keita ErskinePublished about 3 hours ago in Beat
Creators We’re Loving
The creative faces behind your favorite stories.
Rachel K
9 published stories
Blake O'Connor
27 published stories
Kathryn Milewski
48 published stories
Christian Johnson
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RJ
69 published stories
People! Just say Something!
55 published stories
Jayna
16 published stories
C.R. Hughes
35 published stories
Paulina Pachel
53 published stories
Rini Mulani
4 published stories
Monisha Sen
5 published stories
Mark Campbell
13 published stories
