Pop & Voices
A Delayed Flight Becomes a Close Barbershop Listening Room
A maintenance delay gives Port City Sound an unexpected audience inside a plane. Their warm “Under the Boardwalk” harmonies travel between the seats, turning a wait into…
DESIGNALLS / EXPLORE
Reviews & Features
Performance stories, songwriting context and closer listening across our complete 750-article music collection.
750 stories
Pop & Voices
KZ Tandingan Changes the Shape of “Over the Rainbow” in Her Audition
KZ Tandingan brings a lively personal voice to “Over the Rainbow” in her X Factor audition. The familiar ballad opens gently before her rhythmic phrasing and vocal…
Pop & Voices
Lambert’s Kennedy Center “Believe” Develops Through Quiet and Release
Adam Lambert gives Cher’s “Believe” a moving ballad setting at the Kennedy Center Honors. His expressive phrasing and gradual vocal rise turn the familiar dance song into…
Pop & Voices
Elton John and Billy Joel Share “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” at MSG
Elton John and Billy Joel share “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” at Madison Square Garden. Their distinct voices give the familiar melody a warm duet character, connecting two…
Pop & Voices
Ohio State’s Band Makes Michael Jackson’s Moonwalk a Field Formation
Ohio State’s marching band turns a Michael Jackson tribute into a moving picture across the football field. Music and marching combine as the giant figure moonwalks, making…
Pop & Voices
“Stayin’ Alive” Finds New Motion in Interweaving Vocal Parts
Tabea Bös and Jonas Wolf give “Stayin’ Alive” a beautifully unexpected madrigal setting. Layered vocal lines replace the disco groove, letting the Bee Gees melody unfold through…
Rock & Alternative
Linganore’s Talent Show Turns Contrasting Tights Into a Moving Illusion
Linganore students turn contrasting tights into a delightfully confusing dance illusion. Coordinated steps make legs seem to cross between performers, giving the 2014 talent-show routine its playful…
Instrumental & Classical
William Joseph Sets “Nothing Else Matters” Between Piano and Rain
William Joseph gives Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters” a striking piano setting under falling rain. Melody, strings and cinematic imagery bring the ballad into a new instrumental atmosphere…
Pop & Voices
Lucy Thomas Follows the Long Melodic Lines of “Unchained Melody”
Lucy Thomas gives “Unchained Melody” a beautifully sustained vocal setting. Her clear tone and carefully shaped phrases carry the familiar ballad from its quieter opening toward a…
Stage & Culture
David Armand Translates Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” Into Mime
David Armand turns Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” into a delightfully inventive mime on Fast and Loose. His quick gestures and expressive reactions make the familiar lyrics…
Pop & Voices
Joni Mitchell Gives “I’m Still Standing” a Different Rhythmic Character
Joni Mitchell and fellow singers bring a warm, jazz-inflected “I’m Still Standing” to the Gershwin Prize tribute. Her measured delivery changes the song’s musical atmosphere while keeping…
Pop & Voices
Céline Dion and Josh Groban Meet Through the Phrases of “The Prayer”
Céline Dion and Josh Groban build “The Prayer” through expressive solo phrases and shared harmonies. Their duet brings contrasting vocal colors together, letting the melody grow into…