Articles by Justin Beckner
‘Let It Go’ Changed Everything About Frozen: How Three Notes and a Key Change Built a Global Anthem
Is the Super Mario Bros. Theme Jazz? Here’s How Its Harmony Works
Titanic’s ‘My Heart Will Go On’ Is a Masterclass in Ballad Writing and Emotional Build
The Stranger Things Theme Is Super Popular, and It Works Almost Entirely Without Harmony: Here’s How That Works
Why the Pirates of the Caribbean Theme Works: Hans Zimmer’s Relentless Rhythmic Engine
‘The Simpsons Theme’ Song Is So Catchy: There’s a Reason Why Your Brain Won’t Forget It
Pink Floyd’s ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ Models Trauma and Pressure Through Composition: Why It Still Feels Modern
Nostalgic Yet Fresh: Why Zach Bryan’s Songs Feel ‘Old’ Even When They’re New
Bruno Mars Has Kept Classic Funk in the Mainstream: The Groove-First Approach That Still Works
Paul McCartney vs. John Lennon: Neither Is a ‘Better’ Songwriter, but Their Differences Tell the Story
How David Bowie’s Approach to Composition Still Resonates Ten Years Later
The King of Rock & Roll Was More Than Just That: How Elvis Presley Fused Blues, Country, and Gospel Into Rock & Roll
Scott Joplin: How the King of Ragtime Shaped American Music
‘Last Christmas’: The Enduring Appeal of Wham!’s Holiday Classic
Now a Christmas Classic, ‘O Holy Night’ Was Originally Banned by Church Leaders
A Holiday Standard Shaped by War: Why ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas’ Still Resonates
‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ Was Rewritten to Be Happier, So Why Does It Still Sound Sad?
Frank Sinatra Loathed ‘Strangers in the Night,’ Yet It Became One of the Legendary Singer’s Most Successful Tunes
His Legacy Is Controversial, and Yet His Works Are Impressive: Way Ahead of His Time, This Legendary Composer Is Known for All the Wrong Reasons
How Billy Joel’s Early Bar-Gig Years Shaped “Piano Man” and Why the Song Still Connects Today
Don’t Follow the Formula: They Deliberately Defied Rock Songwriting Trends, and Yet They’re One of the Biggest in the Genre
Executives Wanted to Cut ‘Over the Rainbow,’ but a Producer Fought to Keep It — and Made Movie History
