
"Surf City" was recorded by Jan & Dean, but written by Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys. It was the first #1 hit Wilson wrote.

"The House Of The Rising Sun" is a traditional folk song, either about a brothel or a prison.

It really was so easy for Linda Ronstadt to score a hit with her Buddy Holly cover of "It's So Easy." She would sometimes change the lyric to: "It's so easy to have a hit, all you have to do is recycle it."

The kid in Madonna's "Open Your Heart" video became a successful songwriter. His songs include Amy Winehouse's "You Sent Me Flying" and James Blunt's "1973."

In 2010, the biggest-selling song in the UK was "Love the Way You Lie" by Eminem.

Neil Young rarely allows his songs to be sampled, but he let the Canadian group Redlight King use "Old Man" in their 2011 song, also called "Old Man."
The drummer and one of the primary songwriters in Grand Funk talks rock stardom and Todd Rundgren.
Mike is lead guitarist with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, and co-writer of classic songs like "Boys Of Summer," "Refugee" and "The Heart Of The Matter."
Justin wrote the classic "Nights In White Satin," but his fondest musical memories are from a different decade.
Are classic songs like "Over The Rainbow" and "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" in the public domain?
Taylor talks about "The Machine" - the hits, the videos and Clive Davis.
The Doobies guitarist and lead singer, Tom wrote the classics "Listen To The Music," "Long Train Runnin'" and "China Grove."