American Songwriter News

American Songwriter News

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American Songwriter is an American bimonthly magazine covering songwriting. Established in 1984, it features interviews, songwriting tips, news, reviews and lyric contest. The magazine is based in Nashville, Tennessee.

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Alt-rock in the 1990s had a vibe. There was an edge to the music. And it got you going. Not only was alt-rock a burgeoning genre during the decade, but it also showcased a number of big names who would go on to dominate the era. Here below, we wanted to highlight three tracks from three bands from back in the day that knew how to inspire. Indeed, these are three alt-rock songs from the 1990s that will get your friends dancing. Dive deeper in the comments below.

Three straight No. 1 hits are an amazing way to start a career. And yet it sometimes feels like this accomplishment by Andy Gibb is pushed aside. That disdain is unfair to his legacy, even as it must be acknowledged that his famous brothers certainly greased the wheels for his success. Still, Andy was the one out there delivering those songs in 1977 and 1978 with such charisma and grace. Here's a look back at how he took the music world by storm. In relation to his famous brothers, Andy Gibb was about 11 years junior to Barry and nine years younger than twins Maurice and Robin. As such, he grew up in affluence, generally following his brothers from port to port as they conquered the music world. Andy started flirting with his own career in music by the time he was 13. He played in numerous bands. None of them lasted too long. In the mid-70s, his brother suggested he try to make his way in Australia. After all, that was the path to stardom that they took. But Andy didn't always take

The British invasion of the 1960s was more than just a wave of United Kingdom musicians getting more exposure in the United States. These musicians were not only dominating American airwaves. They were doing it by playing American music, and The Rolling Stones were certainly no exception to this trend—right down to how they chose their name.

The British blues rockers famously named themselves The Rolling Stones after a Muddy Waters song. They were on the phone with a venue that needed a name for their ensemble, a Muddy Waters record was nearby, and the rest is history. But the Stones continued to embody artists like Waters in their earliest singles and albums, adopting their musical stylings and covering songs they first made famous in the American blues circuits.

This period of rock 'n' roll history has become so ubiquitous and picked over in the decades that followed that it seems rather ordinary now. But in a 2026 interview with BBC Radio 2, Rolling Stones vocalist Mick Jagger bro

The British invasion of the 1960s was more than just a wave of United Kingdom musicians getting more exposure in the United States. These musicians were not only dominating American airwaves. They were doing it by playing American music, and The Rolling Stones were certainly no exception to this trend—right down to how they chose their name. The British blues rockers famously named themselves The Rolling Stones after a Muddy Waters song. They were on the phone with a venue that needed a name for their ensemble, a Muddy Waters record was nearby, and the rest is history. But the Stones continued to embody artists like Waters in their earliest singles and albums, adopting their musical stylings and covering songs they first made famous in the American blues circuits. This period of rock 'n' roll history has become so ubiquitous and picked over in the decades that followed that it seems rather ordinary now. But in a 2026 interview with BBC Radio 2, Rolling Stones vocalist Mick Jagger bro

Over the weekend, states across the country celebrated America's independence with great food, unforgettable performances, and one of the world's largest fireworks displays. Nothing short of a full-blown patriotic weekend, Disney set out to celebrate the United States with a 24-hour special. Offering interviews, special performances, and a few surprise appearances, nothing compared to when Disney broadcast Reba McEntire covering "America the Beautiful" from Nashville. This was no normal performance for Reba. Much like having to cover the national anthem, the hitmaker knew that people all around the country were watching. If that wasn't enough stress, she was performing a patriotic song that dates back to the late 1800s. Having been covered by countless singers, Reba powered through the lyrics with ease, allowing America to take center stage. Dive deeper and watch the performance for yourself in the comments below.

Young the Giant breaks down the meaning behind one of Victory Garden’s most emotional songs, “Bitter Fruit.”
Watch the full conversation at the link in bio

Vince Gill is more than the voice behind classics like "One More Last Chance" and "Tryin' to Get Over You." Thanks to spending five decades in the music industry, the singer has more than enough knowledge to write an entire "How To" book on how to master the entertainment industry. But when it comes to putting together the perfect concert, Gill admitted that building a setlist is one of the toughest parts of the job. During a recent interview, Gill was asked about the process of preparing for a show. Instead of focusing on staying active, positive, and present, the singer turned his attention to the music. Although every singer hopes to have the perfect show, many worry about their voice. But according to Gill, "Which ones are you going to leave out? Which ones am I going to do? It all has to flow. I'll tell you straight up, it's really hard to keep people's attention for three and a half hours. Which I've been known to do shows that long." A 210-minute concert might sound like a lot

Charlie Handsome has big dreams for Morgan Wallen. Speaking to the Country Music Hall of Fame, the producer revealed what he wants to do next with Wallen.

"One of my goals for moving forward is for Morgan to be able to have No. 1 pop songs with no features," Handsome said. "Even though his voice is definitively country, I feel like it could be a No. 1 song on pop radio.

"Obviously we did do that, but we did that with Post [Malone] who had done it before in that space," he added, referencing "I Had Some Help," the 2024 smash that hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

That's not the only time Wallen has taken the top spot on the pop charts. He accomplished the feat with Tate McRae on "What I Want," and solo on "Last Night" and "Love Somebody."

Handsome produced all four of Wallen's No. 1s, and wants to continue to create charting hits with the singer.

"Moving forward, I'm going to merge more of the things people could consider pop and find a way to do that," he said. "But I don't know

Charlie Handsome has big dreams for Morgan Wallen. Speaking to the Country Music Hall of Fame, the producer revealed what he wants to do next with Wallen. "One of my goals for moving forward is for Morgan to be able to have No. 1 pop songs with no features," Handsome said. "Even though his voice is definitively country, I feel like it could be a No. 1 song on pop radio. "Obviously we did do that, but we did that with Post [Malone] who had done it before in that space," he added, referencing "I Had Some Help," the 2024 smash that hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. That's not the only time Wallen has taken the top spot on the pop charts. He accomplished the feat with Tate McRae on "What I Want," and solo on "Last Night" and "Love Somebody." Handsome produced all four of Wallen's No. 1s, and wants to continue to create charting hits with the singer. "Moving forward, I'm going to merge more of the things people could consider pop and find a way to do that," he said. "But I don't know

Paul McCartney dug deep into The Beatles' catalogue for Taylor Swift's nuptials. The music icon performed "I Want to Hold Your Hand" at the pop star's wedding reception after she exchanged vows with Travis Kelce, People reported. The 1964 track went to No. 1 following its release, but is not one that was played often by the band or its members. According to Setlist, McCartney last played "I Want to Hold Your Hand" the year it was released. That came during The Beatles' New York City concert at the Paramount Theatre. His return to the song came at Madison Square Garden, where Swift and Kelce tied the knot. McCartney wasn't the only big star to take the stage following the highly-publicized ceremony. Stevie Nicks also performed during the reception, the first outlet reported. Swift is close with both McCartney and Nicks. During a recent interview with BBC Sounds, the former musician said he does see "a parallel" to Beatlemania and Swift's level of fame. "I don't think she needs any

With all of Washington, D.C., turning into a full-blown July 4th celebration, the White House administration hoped to make it a patriotic display unlike any other. And while the night featured one of the largest fireworks displays, Mother Nature proved once again why she remained undefeated. As rain pummeled the area, singers like Sammy Hagar, Gretchen Wilson, and more could only watch as their performances were canceled. That didn't stop the singers from receiving backlash for wanting to take part. But according to Hagar, July 4th wasn't a "political thing."

Although Hagar wasn't able to perform, the singer still found himself being attacked for adding his name to the 250th lineup. Not wanting to fall into an ongoing debate, the singer promised, "This is not a political thing! This is the celebration of our country's birthday no matter who the president is at this time — this is our 250th birthday as a country. We've been up! And we've been down! And may always continue and survive."

With all of Washington, D.C., turning into a full-blown July 4th celebration, the White House administration hoped to make it a patriotic display unlike any other. And while the night featured one of the largest fireworks displays, Mother Nature proved once again why she remained undefeated. As rain pummeled the area, singers like Sammy Hagar, Gretchen Wilson, and more could only watch as their performances were canceled. That didn't stop the singers from receiving backlash for wanting to take part. But according to Hagar, July 4th wasn't a "political thing." Although Hagar wasn't able to perform, the singer still found himself being attacked for adding his name to the 250th lineup. Not wanting to fall into an ongoing debate, the singer promised, "This is not a political thing! This is the celebration of our country's birthday no matter who the president is at this time — this is our 250th birthday as a country. We've been up! And we've been down! And may always continue and survive."

Myles Smith Discusses Lyric Interpretations at Pilgrimage Music Festival (Franklin, TN). Presented by George Dickel.

#mylessmith #pilgrimagefestival

Better Than Ezra discusses their artists recomendations at Pilgrimage Music Festival (Franklin, TN). Presented by George Dickel.

#betterthanezra #pilgrimagefestival

Catching Up with Charlie Worsham at Pilgrimage Music Festival (Franklin, TN). Presented by George Dickel.

#charlieworsham #pilgrimagefestival #georgedickel

Catching up with Lukas Nelson at Pilgrimage Music Festival (Franklin, TN). Presented by George Dickel.

Read more: https://americansongwriter.com/exclusive-lukas-nelson-confirms-new-album-coming-discusses-bluegrass-cover-someone-like-you-more/)

#lukasnelson #georgedickel #pilgrimagefestival

This groups reunion was a ‘healing experience’.

What song starts with a ‘B’ and ends with an ‘E’?

Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty’s name seem to go hand in hand.

What’s the last song you heard?

We’re throwing it back to this jaw dropping MTV Awards moment. https://loom.ly/l8t1mNw