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U2, Justin Bieber and Katy Perry are among the megastars teaming up to benefit earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan. But their compilation, “Songs for Japan,” will have a long road to match the success of early efforts like “We Are The World” and Live Aid. We look at why contemporary charity singles and albums tend to fall short. 

Concept Albums. They’re the pop-music equivalent of the novel. But, sometimes … novels can be really, really boring. On today’s Soundcheck Smackdown, music critic Amanda Petrusich and Steven Wilson of the prog-rock band Porcupine Tree debate whether the concept album is ingenious…or just indulgent. Plus, journalist and biographer James Kaplan tells us about the concept album’s surprising history.

For the last half of the 20th century, the banjo didn't wander far from folk, bluegrass and the "Dueling Banjos" scene in the film Deliverance. But today, banjos are popping up in a wide variety of genres.

For the last half of the 20th century, the banjo didn't wander far from folk, bluegrass and the "Dueling Banjos" scene in the film Deliverance. But today, banjos are popping up in a wide variety of genres. Today: Stan Jay of the Staten Island-based instrument shop Mandolin Brothers explains the ...

With Fashion Week in high swing in New York, we turn to an artist who blurs the line between pop music and haute couture: Lady Gaga. The divisive superstar was called "a pretentious pop starlet" and "a savvy media manipulator" by the music writer Jonah Weiner -- and he's a ...

In the second installment of our weekly "Seven Sins" series, music journalist Amanda Petrusich and food writer Fred Plotkin explain how gluttony has inspired exceptional (but occasionally gross) music.

List: Amanda Petrusich's deadly medley for gluttony

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