The bedrock of David Guetta's Nicki Minaj-featuring single "Hey Mama" is a sample of "Rosie," a 1940s prison recording from folk archivist Alan Lomax that songwriter Esther Dean first showed the French DJ on YouTube.
Jim Croce was killed in a plane crash on September 30, 1973. A few weeks later, his song "Time In A Bottle" hit #1.
One of the first hit songs used in a major marketing campaign was "Start Me Up" by The Rolling Stones. Microsoft paid $3 million to use it in commercials for Windows '95.
"Torn" by Natalie Imbruglia was first recorded by the group Ednaswap in 1993. It was written by Ednaswap's Anne Previn and Scott Cutler, who went on to write some hits for Miley Cyrus.
Taio Cruz throws his hands up "sometimes" in "Dynamite" because the song was originally written about surrender.
Zayn's "Pillowtalk" reached #1 on the Hot 100, something his former One Direction bandmates never achieved.
The rock revolutionist on songwriting, quitting smoking, and what she thinks of Rush Limbaugh using her song.
U2, Carly Simon, Joanna Newsom, Brian Wilson and Fiona Apple have all gone to Van Dyke Parks to make their songs exceptional.
An interview with Dr. John Covach, music professor at the University of Rochester whose free online courses have become wildly popular.
Dave explains how the video appropriated the meaning of "Runaway Train," and what he thought of getting parodied by Weird Al.
"How much does it cost? I'll buy it?" Another songwriter told Jonathan to change these lyrics. Good thing he ignored this advice.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers have some rather unusual song titles - see if you can spot the real ones.
