American Songwriter News

By the early 1980s, George Jones‘ career had fallen into a slump, following his bouts of drug and alcohol addiction and his divorce from Tammy Wynette. He hadn’t had a No. 1 hit in six years, and his career was put into question, a result of his substance abuse and concert

3 Pop Stars From the 1960s Who Are Known by One-Word Names

By the early 1980s, George Jones‘ career had fallen into a slump, following his bouts of drug and alcohol addiction and his divorce from Tammy Wynette. He hadn’t had a No. 1 hit in six years, and his career was put into question, a result of his substance abuse and concert no-shows. Then, Jones stunned the industry with the release of his 1980 album, I Am What I Am, and what would become another one of his classics, “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” Read more at link in bio

Emmylou Harris moved around a lot as a child, thanks to her father’s position as a Marine Corps officer. But aside from the constant moving and the stress of her father being captured as a POW in the Korean War when Harris was only a toddler, she lived a comfortable life. Her family had the means to give her piano lessons, she was a cheerleader and a beauty queen, and she got straight A’s in school. In short, she was a far cry from the rough-and-tumble figures that often pervade the folk music canon. When Harris wrote Pete Seeger, she asked the musical icon if she could still sing those songs even though she didn’t live those experiences. Harris hand-wrote her letter on three pages, front and back, obviously eager for any sort of guidance or caution Seeger could provide. In a 2013 interview with NPR, Harris recalled what he had to say. “I wish I still had that letter,” she began. “But basically, he said, ‘Don’t worry about suffering.’ You know, in his own very sweet way. Life will hap

Choose one, and let us know below.

Born on This Day in 1955, the Outlaw Country Trailblazer Who Starred in One of HBO’s Greatest Shows of All Time

Wynonna Judd began her solo career with a new sound, and on her 1992 hit song, “I Saw The Light”, the country legend has an epiphany. Read more at link in bio

The Wings Single Paul McCartney Loves Most: “I Was in a Sensuous Mood”

“Turn Down for What?”: Lil Jon Bringing the Noise for Halftime Show at Seahawks vs. 49ers Playoff Game

On This Day in 1981, a Lost Tape Unearthed in a Basement Dethroned Dolly Parton’s Signature Hit From the Top of the Charts

🔥

4 Historic Classic Rock Albums Recorded in the Famous Rolling Stones Mobile Studio

The Sammy Hagar Story That Further Bolsters Prince’s Mysterious and Oddball Legacy

John Mellencamp Recounts Awkward Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Performance With Johnny Cash: “As Soon as the Song Was Over, I Ran off Stage”

George, you were wrong on that one. 😅 “He thought it was too long, too sad, too depressing, and that nobody would ever play it,” recalled producer Billy Sherrill in Bob Allen’s 1994 book, George Jones: The Life and Times of a Honky Tonk Legend. “He hated the melody and wouldn’t learn it.” Sherrill also claims that Jones frustrated him by continually singing the song to the melody of the Kris Kristofferson hit “Help Me Make It Through the Night.” In the 1989 documentary on Jones, Same Ole Me, Sherrill later added, “I said, ‘That’s not the melody,’ and he said, ‘Yeah, but it’s a better melody.’ I said, ‘It might be—Kristofferson would think so too, it’s his melody.’” Can you believe that?

3 Country Couples Who Have Been Together for Over 25 Years

US Navy Veteran Delivering National Anthem at Seahawks vs. 49ers Game

Country Music Superstar Talks Intense Wellness Regime—and Yes, It Includes “Witchcraft”

3 Popular Classic Rock Songs That Didn’t Make Sense to Listeners Until Later in Life

The Beatles had many greatest hits compilations, but the two that encompass the breadth of their time together are 1962–1966 and 1967–1970, a.k.a the “red and blue” albums. Allen Klein, the Beatles’ late-stage manager, compiled both of these albums.  One grievance (of many) that

The Beatles had many greatest hits compilations, but the two that encompass the breadth of their time together are 1962–1966 and 1967–1970, a.k.a the “red and blue” albums. Allen Klein, the Beatles’ late-stage manager, compiled both of these albums. One grievance (of many) that fans have with Klein was his decision to remix the songs on both of these compilations in stereo. John Lennon also joined in on that grievance. Learn more about Lennon’s qualms with these compilations below. Read more at link in bio

On This Day in 1945, the Singing Redhead From Blue Lick, Kentucky Became Nashville’s First Country Star

🍓 🍓 🍓

4 Chris Stapleton Songs That Are Stunning Lyrical Masterpieces

According to an interview in Anthology, McCartney and Lennon discussed Harrison’s role in the group privately. “It was an option, you know, to include George in the songwriting team,” he said. Optional, sure. Wanted? Maybe not. Paul McCartney continued, “Without wanting to be too sort of mean to him, we had decided. I remember walking up through Woolton past Woolton Church with John one morning and, you know, going over these questions. ‘Should we? Should three of us write, or would it be better just to keep it simple? And we decided, ‘No, we’ll just keep the two of us. So, George [Harrison] used to write his own songs.” For Harrison, songwriting was more of a novel pursuit than with McCartney and John Lennon. Just by age alone, Harrison hadn’t been playing guitar, let alone writing songs, for as long as his older bandmates. And as Harrison would later explain in Anthology, Lennon and McCartney had the advantage of already getting through their “bad song” phase. Harrison felt like he

3 One Hit Wonders That Your Dad Likes to Sing With His Friends

Bob Weir Said This Rock and Roll Pioneer Was His Favorite Musician To Play With (and You Won’t Guess Who It Is)

The Grotesequely Comical yet Flattering Comparison Keith Richards Used To Describe The Beatles

The Hidden Meaning Behind LANY’s Soft Album Cover

Given Vincent’s history with KISS and his own solo career, it might seem strange that fans weren’t interested in his album Guitarmageddon. But the demand for the album had little to do with fans, as Vincent had an unusual marketing campaign that announced that the price of a single song would be $200. That wasn’t a typo. For a fan wanting to hear a single song on Guitarmageddon, it would cost them $200. There are a total of 18 songs on the album. Doing the math for you – that’s $3,600 for every song. Using that money elsewhere, a person could buy a luxury weekend getaway at an exclusive spa. Or take a nice destination trip. While some fans might be willing to pay the massive amount, Vincent said he wouldn’t ship the album unless he hit 1,000 pre-sales. Although not giving away the total number of pre-sales, Vincent defended his stance, insisting, “There’s no money releasing a record like this with bootlegging thieves at my door. Unless I get compensated for my work, the album stays

On This Day in 2015, We Lost the ‘Hee Haw’ Actor, Comedian, and Journalist Who Helped Push Country Music Into Mainstream Television

Ringo Starr Once Said That The Beatles Were Successful Because of One Member’s Quirk: “We Always Thank Paul to This Day”

3 of the Longest-Lasting Marriages in Rock Music History

Carrie Underwood, Riley Green, and LeAnn Rimes Joining Forces for What Might Be the Best Music Festival of 2026

Keith Urban Worried Humans Are Creating Their Own "Demise" With AI: "Our Point of View Still Matters"

Brian May Announces That Queen Will Not Appear at Glastonbury 2027 Over Wildlife Dispute: "Unless That Changes, I Won’t Do It"

In honor of #BobWeir, what's your favorite #GratefulDead song ❤️💀⚡

Bowie lived at the home at 4 Plaistow Grove in Bromley, Kent, from 1955 to 1967 when he was between the ages of eight and 20. The trust said it plans to restore the railway workers’ cottage to its original early 1960s appearance, recreating “the interior layout exactly as it was when Bowie’s father commuted to work at charity Dr. Barnado’s and his mother worked as a waitress.” The restoration will specifically focus on Bowie’s bedroom in the house. Geoffrey Marsh, who helped to curate the Victoria and Albert museum’s David Bowie Is exhibit, has signed on to help with the restoration efforts and to help develop a never-before-seen archive. “It was in this small house, particularly in his tiny bedroom, that Bowie evolved from an ordinary suburban schoolboy to the beginnings of an extraordinary international stardom,” Marsh said in a statement. “As [Bowie] said, ‘I spent so much time in my bedroom. It really was my entire world. I had books up there, my music up there, my record player

What’s your favorite Grateful Dead song 💀⚡️❤️

Green Day Is Teaming up With a Beloved 90s Alternative Rock Group for a Super Bowl Concert in San Francisco

Why This Band Didn’t Feel Too Bad About Beating John Denver to a Now-Legendary 70s Single

Shortly after cutting a demo of “Take My Breath Away”, Giorgio Moroder was at the studio when his Ferrari began experiencing brake trouble. A man named Tom Whitlock told Moroder that he was a “mechanic and could fix it,” the composer recalled. “Later, he said, ‘Oh, by the way. I’m also a lyricist. If you ever need some words…’ I was never good at lyrics, so [I] gave him my demos. He wrote words for ‘Danger Zone’ and ‘Take My Breath Away’ among others, and the imagery was perfect.” Around the same time Whitlock was helping Moroder out with his car troubles (and composing lyrics for his music), Moroder was working with a rising new-wave synth band featuring Teri Nunn as the lead singer. Berlin had saved up funds to hire Moroder on one song, but they had no idea he would later provide them with their best-selling single. Moroder hired several singers to perform “Take My Breath Away”, and after no one quite fit the bill, he reached out to Berlin to see if they were interested.

70s, 80s, and 90s: Here Are the 3 Country Bands That Dominated Each Decade

3 Songs From the 1980s That Should Have Never Been Released

3 One-Hit Wonders From the 1970s To Listen to Under the Stars

“They Don’t Know to This Day”: The Questionable Methods The Beatles Used To Keep Engineers in the Studio

4 Pop-Rock Albums From the 80s That Spun out Endless Hit Singles

Born on This Day in 1929, “Nashville’s Greatest Guitarist” Who Played With Roy Orbison, Marty Robbins, and Hank Williams

3 CMA Winners From 1973 We Still Can’t Get Enough of Today

The 1970s Classic Country Song Bruce Springsteen Loved, and Covered

How Freddy Fender’s Biggest Hit Completed an Unlikely Comeback Story

4 Overplayed Alternative Rock Songs From 1993 You Still Want To Hear

3 One-Word Classic Rock Songs From 1968 That Are Awesome

Throughout rock music history, certain bands have scored massive hit singles right off the bat. More often than not, however, a band’s first foray into the Top 40 is a modest success, perhaps setting the table to improve upon it. In the case of arena rock stalwarts Survivor,

Throughout rock music history, certain bands have scored massive hit singles right off the bat. More often than not, however, a band’s first foray into the Top 40 is a modest success, perhaps setting the table to improve upon it. In the case of arena rock stalwarts Survivor, their first single to crack the Top 40 barely squeaked its way to that level and is now mostly forgotten. But one man hearing and loving that song led to their big break and biggest hit. Read more at link in bio

From the beginning of Alabama’s career, they planted their roots firmly in country music. And no one was more surprised than the Alabama members when “Feels So Right“, their seventh single, also became a hit on the pop charts. Read more at link in bio

Adding his name to the growing list, it seems that a film surrounding the life and legacy of Ozzy Osbourne has been in the works. And apparently, they already have an actor portraying the legendary singer. Read more at link in bio

Remember When a TV Show and Beatles Tribute Band Attempted To Find the Next John Lennon in 2018?

For the last three years, Drake Milligan has been a tried and true road dog. He’s been all over the world, released two albums, and in total, accepted seemingly every opportunity that has been thrown his way. He’s garnered new experiences, cemented his feet in the business, further connected with his fanbase, and comfortably grown into his sound. That is what leads Milligan, here and now, relishing in the release of his sophomore album and his world tour. Read the exclusive at the link in bio.

On This Day in 2010, We Said Goodbye to “Mister Country”—the Ex-Husband of June Carter Who Dominated the Charts in the 1950s

We’re hopping on the trend and taking a look back at our 2016 covers! 👀

AS EXCLUSIVE:  You may not know Paul Overstreet’s name, but if you’re a fan of country music from the 1980s or ’90s, you know his work. His writing credits include the Randy Travis classics “On the Other Hand” and “Diggin’ Up Bones,” “Deeper Than the Holler,” and “Forever and

You may not know Paul Overstreet’s name, but if you’re a fan of country music from the 1980s or ’90s, you know his work. His writing credits include the Randy Travis classics “On the Other Hand” and “Diggin’ Up Bones,” “Deeper Than the Holler,” and “Forever and Ever, Amen.” He also co-wrote the Judds’ “Love Can Build a Bridge” and Keith Whitley’s “When You Say Nothing At All.” The list goes on. On January 14th, Overstreet released his latest single, “Doin’ It to Country Songs.” Read more at links in bio

3 One-Hit Wonders From 1971 That Deserved Another Shot at Fame

Slash, Joe Bonamassa, Hank Azaria, and More Rock The Soho Sessions With The Beatles, CSNY, Bruce Springsteen Covers

This Unreleased Luke Combs Song Is the Perfect Soundtrack to Lazy Summer Lake Days

Paul McCartney Has Written the Foreword to an Upcoming Book Set Featuring Late Beatles Producer George Martin’s Musical Scores

Although they dealt with some highs and lows, Heart proved quite adept at staying relevant as a crossover act for a long stretch of time. Even into the 90s, nearly two decades after they began, the group was still hitting the Top 40. Their last Top 40 hit came at a time when Ann

Although they dealt with some highs and lows, Heart proved quite adept at staying relevant as a crossover act for a long stretch of time. Even into the 90s, nearly two decades after they began, the group was still hitting the Top 40. Their last Top 40 hit came at a time when Ann and Nancy Wilson, the group’s stalwart leaders, were trying to wrest back control over the band’s artistic direction. But they went back to the well of outside writing help one more time. Read more at link bio

Looking past the awards she received for “You Look Like You Love Me”, the hit song brought Ella Langley a great deal of rumors. Collaborating on the song with Riley Green, fans believed the two were secretly dating. Some online detectives uncovered more than a few clues to suggest the singers were a couple. For Langley and Green, they have continuously denied the rumors. But no matter the rumors, it seems that Green might have some competition after a United States Marine asked Langley to the Marine Corps Ball. Read more at link in bio

Eric Church’s 2026 Free the Machine Tour Dates Kick Off Soon. Here’s How to Get Tickets

On This Day in 2015, We Lost One Half of This Husband-Wife Bluegrass Songwriting Duo Who “Would Not Take No for an Answer”

The Electrical Error That Caused Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir to Call The Grateful Dead’s Woodstock Set “Terrible”

“Never Hit a Pre-Save Button Faster”: Carly Pearce Announces Release Date for New Song “Church Girl”

3 Rock Stars Who Tragically Died While Performing on Stage

Watch the First Trailer for Netflix’s New Take on ‘Star Search’ With Jelly Roll

Born on This Day in 1943, the Country Star Who Overcame Hardship To Dominate the Charts in the 70s and 80s

4 Country Duos That Came Before Brooks & Dunn

With Weir’s Jan. 10 passing at age 78, music’s biggest names are paying tribute to the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer. On Thursday (Jan. 15), Sir Paul McCartney added his name to the mix, reminiscing about the last time he spoke with Bob Weir. Read more at link in bio

Serving the Song: David Huckfelt on ‘I Was Born, But…’

Remember When a Candid John Lennon Interview Caused The Beatles a Ton of Problems in 1966 With Just 4 Words?

Iceland travel guides? You got it. 🇮🇸 @ofmonstersandmen take us through their favorite local Icelandic activities to check out while visiting. Listen more on Off The Record wherever you get your podcasts.

3 Country Songs That Sound Better Live Than in the Studio

On This Day in 1988, This Former Beatle Got to No. 1 Nearly 24 Years After the Fab Four Scored Their First No. 1

You Will Never Hear Another Voice Like Willie Nelson, and This Stripped Back Performance With Vince Gill and Albert Lee Proves It

3 Country Songs From the 1970s That Musicians Wrote for Their Wives

Country Star Recalls “Breaking Point” That Led to Touring Hiatus

Stevie Nicks Made Her Views on Marriage Crystal Clear in This Mike Campbell Co-Write That Took Nearly 30 Years to Release

4 Deep Cuts That Famous Classic Rock Stars Consider Their Best Work

What Is and What Will Be: Drake Milligan Talks Sophomore Album, Worldwide Tour, and Growing Into His Sound

How a Sick Partygoer (And Maybe Guy Stevens) Inspired This 1967 One-Hit Wonder With the “Greatest Acid Lyric Ever Written”

Listen: Dolly Parton Reimagines Her Own 1977 Classic With All-Star Lineup of Reba, Lainey Wilson, Miley Cyrus, and Queen Latifah

Jack White shares his thoughts in a 2018 interview with Dan Rather, revealing why he thought musicians of the 1960s had it so much easier than artists of the 2020s. americansongwriter.com/jack-white-tel…