"Today" by Smashing Pumpkins is sarcastic in the line "today is the greatest day." Lead singer Billy Corgan wrote it about the crippling depression he was battling following the band's first big tour.
MC Skat Kat was created for the remix of "Opposites Attract," which was released as the last single from Paula Abdul's Forever Your Girl album. The team that created the Kat also did a-ha's "Take On Me" video.
The Beastie Boys' "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" is a parody of heavy metal music. Kerry King of Slayer played guitar on the track - purposefully out of tune in parts.
"True" by Spandau Ballet is about chief songwriter Gary Kemp's unrequited love for Altered Images singer and Gregory's Girl star Clare Grogan.
Eddie Van Halen played the guitar solo on "Beat It" as a favor to Quincy Jones, who produced the album.
"Baby One More Time," the breakout song for Britney Spears, was originally offered to TLC but they passed on it. The R&B trio didn't feel comfortable singing the line, "hit me baby one more time."
Kristian talks songwriting technique, like how the chorus should redefine the story, and how to write a song backwards.
Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.
Zac tells the story of Hanson's massive hit "MMMbop," and talks about how brotherly bonds effect their music.
Untangling the events that led to the "Stairway To Heaven" lawsuit.
Songwriters have used cards and card games to make sense of heartache, togetherness, and even Gonorrhea.
The Evanescence frontwoman on the songs that have shifted meaning and her foray into kids' music.