Articles by Kevin Johnson
Prince Wrote 'Purple Rain' With Four Chords. Two Tweaks Made It Sound Endless
'All the Things You Are' Moves Through Five Keys. It Became a Bebop Blueprint
Luther Vandross Is Heading to the Rock Hall: The Jazz Harmony That Made 'Never Too Much' Feel Different
Almost a Decade Later, Dominic Fike's 'Babydoll' Is a 2026 Hit: Its Writing and Big Sound Made It Work
The Amazing Digital Circus Made Caine's Villain Song Sound Joyful: That's What Makes It Disturbing
Lover Girl: Laufey's "Elegant Fusion" Earns ASCAP Recognition and a Deluxe Encore
Frank Sinatra's 'My Way' Was a French Pop Song First: Now Paul Anka Is Getting the BMI Icon Award for What He Did to It
Despite SNES Limitations, Chrono Trigger's 'Corridors of Time' Feels Like It's Floating: Luke Pickman's Version Uses Its Full Potential
One Descending Chord Pattern Drives Chicago's '25 or 6 to 4'. A 1970 Live Clip Proves It.
Billy Joel Opens 'My Life' With Beethoven's 'Ode to Joy' in New MSG Concert Film. Here's How It Works.
Execs Tried to Cut 'Moon River' From Breakfast at Tiffany's: Audrey Hepburn Said 'Over My Dead Body'
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Is Here, and 'Gusty Garden Galaxy' Is Its Secret Weapon. Here's Why It Works.
John Cage’s 4′33″: Four Minutes, 33 Seconds, and Not a Note Too Many
Arpeggios in BTS' 'Swim' Make It Feel Like Water: Dmaj7 Is Doing Heavy Lifting in the New No. 1 Hit
Norah Jones and Josh Homme Singing 'Somethin' Stupid' Shouldn't Work. Here's Why It Does.
Ella Langley Beat Records Set by Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. Here's the Music Theory Behind 'Choosin' Texas.'
Flea Plays Frank Ocean's 'Thinkin Bout You' on Trumpet: Inside the Arrangement From His Solo Debut
Why Elton John Went Minor on the Most Defiant Line in 'I'm Still Standing'
Microtonal Mayhem Goes Viral: Why Angine de Poitrine's Music Shouldn't Work (but Does)
Oscar Peterson's 'Hymn to Freedom': How Gospel Passing Chords Became a Civil Rights Anthem
How Carole King Used Suspended Chords to Write One of Music's Greatest Comfort Songs
30 Years Later, the Goo Goo Dolls' 'Iris' Is Taking Over TikTok: The Story Behind Its 4-Strings-Tuned-to-D Sound
