When "Theme From Shaft" won an Oscar, Isaac Hayes became the first African American to win in the "Best Song" category.
John Mellencamp considers "Pink Houses" an "anti-American song," laying bare the struggles of the poor and working class.
Neil Young wrote the CSN&Y song "Ohio" about the Kent State Shootings, when the National Guard opened fire on students at Kent State University in Ohio, killing four.
16-tear-old Lorde wrote the lyrics to "Royals" at home in just half an hour. She was inspired by the "ridiculous, unrelatable, unattainable opulence" that runs through such albums as Kanye West and Jay-Z's Watch the Throne and Lana Del Rey's Born To Die.
Rob Reiner named his 1986 movie "Stand By Me" after the song, since he thought The Body, a Stephen King story on which it was based, sounded like a horror movie.
One of the first successful female singer-songwriters, Janis had her first hit in 1967 at age 15.
Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Mila Kunis and John Malkovich are just a few of the film stars who have moonlighted in music videos.
Oliver Leiber talks about writing and producing hits for Paula Abdul, and explains his complicated relationship with his father, the songwriter Jerry Leiber.
Martyn talks about producing Tina Turner, some Heaven 17 hits, and his work with the British Electric Foundation.
When a song describes a wedding, it's rarely something to celebrate - with one big exception.
He wrote "She Blinded Me With Science" so he could direct a video about a home for deranged scientists.
