Acoustic guitar – MuseScore

Olivia Rodrigo’s “The Cure”: The Stripped-Back Verse That Makes the Bridge Hit Harder

Anna Stoll — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 12:02:42 +0000

"The Cure" is still a heartbreak song. But Rodrigo's twist is that she knows the love she's reaching for won't fix her, and she's reaching for it anyway.

Gigi Perez’s ‘Sailor Song’: How the Vocal Drives The Time

Justin Beckner — Sun, 24 May 2026 13:45:59 +0000

Featuring three chords played with a capo at the fourth fret, the real reason "Sailor Song" works isn't in the harmony. Play it to a click, and it just goes lifeless.

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.

‘Paint It Black’: The Phrygian Mode Behind The Rolling Stones’ Riff

Justin Beckner — Wed, 20 May 2026 17:30:00 +0000

In 1966, pop radio was all about the usual major keys, minor keys, and an occasional bluesy bent third. Then, The Rolling Stones built a hit around the flat second of the Phrygian mode, an interval more common in flamenco and Indian classical music. Almost nobody on the Top 40 radio was doing it.

Ella Langley’s “Be Her” Chords, Chart History, and Billboard Hot 100 Milestone

Kevin Johnson — Mon, 18 May 2026 12:21:51 +0000

Langley and her co-writers stumbled onto a ii-I pattern that country radio almost never uses. Somehow, it made the foundation of two songs sitting at the top two spots on the Hot 100. That kind of harmonic restraint producing that kind of commercial result is worth paying attention to.

Buck Owens’ 1972 Hit ‘Made In Japan’ Finds New TikTok Life

Justin Beckner — Fri, 15 May 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Buck Owens' 1972 hit is racking up hundreds of thousands of TikTok videos, soundtracking Shōgun edits, lyric videos, and tributes to Vietnam veterans. The song was written by Bob and Faye Morris with backing guitar from Buckaroos legend Don Rich.

Noah Kahan’s ‘Doors’: Major-Key Tension and Chorus Release

Anna Stoll — Thu, 14 May 2026 12:30:47 +0000

Built around the metaphor of a door between two people, the standout track from "The Great Divide" turns a simple chord progression into one of Kahan's most quietly devastating songs about closeness and rejection.

Kacey Musgraves Covers SZA’s ‘Kill Bill’ at BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge

Kevin Johnson — Wed, 13 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Trading SZA's lo-fi synth for pedal steel guitar, Musgraves reimagines the revenge fantasy, with a single lyric swap in the last chorus pulling the song in a new direction.

Katy Perry “The One That Got Away” Chord Progression, Deceptive Cadence, And 2026 TikTok Comeback

Anna Stoll — Tue, 12 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000

In E major, the bridge sets up a B chord that wants to come home, and then doesn't. That single thwarted resolution, paired with a music-box keyboard and staccato synth strings, is why the song reads as nostalgia even before you hear the lyrics.

Stevie Nicks, Sabrina Carpenter Duet ‘Landslide’ at 2026 Met Gala

Kevin Johnson — Mon, 11 May 2026 12:51:17 +0000

Inside the Temple of Dendur, Nicks opened the song solo before Carpenter joined her on the second verse, giving the Fleetwood Mac classic new emotional meaning.