Ben Manilla

R.E.M.'s "Radio Free Europe." was the band's first single and a breakthrough moment in indie rock.

This hit country song was written in 1970 by Loretta Lynn. With her plaintive, but proud voice, Lynn tells the story of growing up poor in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky. Lyn...

The first song in our series is Howlin’ Wolf’s "Smokestack Lightning," a cornerstone of Chicago Blues. Howlin' Wolf's daughter and his longtime guitarist Hubert Sumlin talk about the ...

Morton Subotnick's Silver Apples of the Moon, was the first album of all-electronic music. Released in 1967, it found favor with electronics geeks, as well as legions of stoners who ...

"Radio Free Europe" was R.E.M.'s first single. It represents a breakthrough moment, when indie rock was splitting away from punk music to become its own sound. Engineer Mitch Easte...

Loretta Lynn, Nashville veteran Harold Ray Bradley, and Jack White of The White Stripes explain what makes "Coal Miner's Daughter" a classic.

Every year the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress selects 25 recordings to be preserved for all time. One song chosen this year is Howlin’ Wolf’s "Smokestack Lightning," a cornerstone of Chicago Blues. Howlin' Wolf's daughter and longtime guitarist Hubert Sumlin talk ...

This samba was recorded by the Brazilian singer Carmen Miranda in 1939. Dori Caymmi, the son of the songwriter, and biographer Martha Gil-Montero explain how the song brought Brazilia...

This guitar instrumental altered the course of rock music. The story of Link Wray and "Rumble," from 1958, is told by guitarist Steven Van Zandt, bassist James Hutchinson, and writer ...

This 1961 comedy routine by Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner is about a man so old, he once knew Jesus — personally — and dated Joan of Arc. Billy Crystal and Rob Reiner explain why "2000 Y...

Our series begins with John Lee Hooker's breakthrough song "Boogie Chillen". Blues veteran Charlie Musselwhite and writer Peter Guralnick explain how Hooker's 1948 song left its mark ...

One of this year's selections is a song so sad that George Jones was initially reluctant to record it. Yet it became one of the most popular songs in country music. 

Every year the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress selects 25 recordings to be preserved for all time. One of this year's selections is the famous 1961 comedy routine by Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner about a man so old, ...

Every year the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress selects 25 recordings to be preserved for all time. One song chosen this year is "O Que è Que a Bahiana Tem," a samba recorded by Brazilian singer Carmen Miranda in 1939.

Every year the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress selects 25 recordings to be preserved for all-time. This year's picks include John Lee Hooker's breakthrough song "Boogie Chillen". Blues veteran Charlie Musselwhite and writer Peter Guralnick explain how Hooker's 1948 ...