Sarah McLachlan wrote "Angel" about the Smashing Pumpkins touring keyboard player Jonathan Melvoin, who overdosed on heroin and died in 1996.
"Ghosttown" from 2014 was Madonna's 45th chart-topper on the Dance Club Songs chart, breaking the record for the most #1s an artist has tallied on a single Billboard chart.
Adele's "Someone Like You" is the first song with just piano and voice to hit #1 in the history of the Billboard Hot 100, which started in 1958.
Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of Kiss wrote "Rock And Roll All Nite" as a "rallying cry for all of our fans." In later years, members of Kiss wrote songs separately.
Celine Dion's 1998 festive tune "The Magic of Christmas Day (God Bless Us Everyone)" came from an unlikely source. It was penned by Dee Snider of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister.
Robert Plant's "Heaven Knows" is a satirical look at the '80s, when style seemed to trump substance.
Kristian talks songwriting technique, like how the chorus should redefine the story, and how to write a song backwards.
The drummer and one of the primary songwriters in Grand Funk talks rock stardom and Todd Rundgren.
An interview with Ray and Derek Shulman of the progressive rock band Gentle Giant to discuss counterpoint, polyrhythms, and... Bon Jovi.
Go beyond The Beatles to see what you know about the British Invasion.
A band so baffling, even their names were contrived. Check your score in the Ramones version of Fact or Fiction.
Bowie's "activist" days of 1964 led to Ziggy Stardust.