
Robert Smith doesn't license Cure songs for commercials, but he made an exception in 2004 when he let Hewlett-Packard use "Pictures Of You." He needed the money to buy the group's back catalogue.

Fall Out Boy's "The Phoenix" samples the classical work "Allegro Non Troppo," which was composed by Dmitri Shostakovich in 1941. Vocalist Patrick Stump was inspired by "the creepiness" of the strings.

Train's guitarist had to Google an instructional video to learn how to play the ukulele for "Hey Soul Sister."

The first release of "The Sound Of Silence" was acoustic, and went nowhere. It became Simon & Garfunkel's first hit when a producer at their label overdubbed it with electric instruments.

The '60s hit "Then He Kissed Me" was covered by The Beach Boys as "Then I Kissed Her."
You may not recognize his name, but you will certainly recognize Peter Lord's songs. He wrote the bevy of hits from Paula Abdul's second album, Spellbound.
The former Dead Kennedys frontman on the past, present and future of the band, what music makes us "pliant and stupid," and what he learned from Alice Cooper.
The lead singer and pianist for Procol Harum, Gary talks about finding the musical ideas to match the words.
Toto's keyboard player explains the true meaning of "Africa" and talks about working on the Thriller album.
The men of Sparks on their album Hippopotamus, and how Morrissey handled it when they suggested he lighten up.
How Bing Crosby, Les Paul, a US Army Signal Corps Officer, and the Nazis helped shape rock and Roll.