Kevin Johnson – MuseScore

Peabo Bryson Dead at 75: ‘A Whole New World’ Was the First Animated Disney Song to Top the Billboard Hot 100

Kevin Johnson — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 12:05:07 +0000

Peabo Bryson has passed away at the age of 75. His voice turned "A Whole New World" into the first animated Disney song to top the Billboard Hot 100, knocking Whitney Houston's record-breaking run off the top spot.

How Drake Interpolated Lykke Li’s ‘I Follow Rivers’ for ‘Janice STFU’

Kevin Johnson — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:46:26 +0000

The original floats down the scale in D minor over a reverb-soaked dance beat. Drake shifts it a half step down, strips the warmth out, and turns it into something that hits like a verdict.

‘On the Floor’ by Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull Returns to Billboard Charts 15 Years Later

Kevin Johnson — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Fifteen years after its release, "On the Floor" has returned to the Billboard Global 200, and Jennifer Lopez says she had no idea it was coming. The song debuted at No. 117 on the Global 200 and No. 80 on the Global Excl. US charts dated May 30, 2026.

Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf: Instruments, Motifs, and What Makes It Work

Kevin Johnson — Fri, 29 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Prokofiev designed every character in the story to have its own instrument and motif, a system so effective that it has introduced generations of listeners to the orchestra. The LA Phil's new recording with Viola Davis narrating brings that system back into focus.

Sonny Rollins’ ‘Tenor Madness’: Remembering a Jazz Giant Through His Only Session With Coltrane

Kevin Johnson — Thu, 28 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Sonny Rollins, the legendary "saxophone colossus" who died on May 25th at age 95, left behind a body of work that jazz will never exhaust. In "Tenor Madness," his only recorded meeting with Coltrane, he builds an entire blues story from a single half-step.

‘The Less I Know the Better’ by Tame Impala: No Traditional Chorus, 2.4 Billion Streams

Kevin Johnson — Wed, 27 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Parker mixed the vocals low, skipped harmonies entirely, and built the song around a bass line that functions almost independently from the chords above it. Understanding those choices explains why "The Less I Know the Better" has remained so popular for over a decade.

Paul McCartney and The Beatles’ ‘Hello Goodbye’ on Colbert’s Final Late Show: Song That Never Ends

Kevin Johnson — Tue, 26 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000

The Beatles built "Hello Goodbye" to avoid resolution. Its harmony keeps promising an ending it never delivers, using plagal and deceptive cadences to sidestep closure at every turn.

Charlie Daniels’ ‘The Devil Went Down to Georgia’: The Fiddle Duel Explained

Kevin Johnson — Mon, 25 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000

In 1979, Charlie Daniels built a fiddle duel with a deliberate imbalance, with the Devil's solo designed to lose. The musicianship behind one of country music's most iconic moments is now preserved in the National Recording Registry.

‘Dangerous Woman’ at 10: How Ariana Grande Redefined Pop

Kevin Johnson — Fri, 22 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Ariana Grande's third studio album marked the moment she stopped playing it safe and started playing it iconic. A sparse Em-G-C-C groove and a voice pushed to its limits turned out to be the blueprint for everything that followed.

Missioned Souls Cover Boston’s ‘Foreplay/Long Time’: Kids Steal the Show

Kevin Johnson — Thu, 21 May 2026 12:32:10 +0000

These young musicians from the Philippines, called Missioned Souls, tackle one of rock's most technically demanding tracks. In this note-perfect run of the Boston's piece, they were joined by their parents.