Portal:Record production

The Record Production Portal

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This portal is focused on music production within the era of written records through sound recordings, digital downloads, and beyond. Its scope includes articles that document the considerations and mechanisms used by, and consistent with, the purview of the production element. As an art form, music predates transcription and simultaneously transcends descriptive limitations. As an industry, music has demonstrated consistent viability over time. The record producer conjoins these potential, and serves as a broker to bridge the demand (spawned by their aspirations) with supply and satisfaction. The results are measurable and attributable, derived from effort and skillful application of craft, to a manifestation of the art in its melodic form. (Read more)

The music industry consists of the individuals and organizations that earn money by writing songs and musical compositions, creating and selling recorded music and sheet music, presenting concerts, as well as the organizations that aid, train, represent and supply music creators. Among the many individuals and organizations that operate in the industry are: the songwriters and composers who write songs and musical compositions; the singers, musicians, conductors, and bandleaders who perform the music; the record labels, music publishers, recording studios, music producers, audio engineers, retail and digital music stores, and performance rights organizations who create and sell recorded music and sheet music; and the booking agents, promoters, music venues, road crew, and audio engineers who help organize and sell concerts. (Read more)

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Featured articles are displayed here, which represent some of the best content on English Wikipedia.

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"Speechless" is a song by the American recording artist Michael Jackson, included on his tenth studio album, Invincible (2001). It was only released as a promotional single in South Korea. The singer was inspired to write the ballad after a water balloon fight with children in Germany. Jackson collaborated on the production with musicians such as Jeremy Lubbock, Brad Buxer, Novi Novoq, Stuart Bradley and Bruce Swedien. Andraé Crouch and his gospel choir provided backing vocals.

Executives at Jackson's record label, Epic Records, responded positively to the track when given a preview several months before Invincible's release. "Speechless" was issued as a promotional single. Music critics focused on the track's a cappellas, lyrics and music. A clip of Jackson singing "Speechless" was included in the 2009 documentary-concert film Michael Jackson's This Is It. (Full article...)
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Here Is Mariah Carey, also known as Mariah Carey or This Is Mariah Carey, is the third video album by American singer Mariah Carey. It presents Carey performing live at Proctor's Theatre in Schenectady, New York, in July 1993, and also includes non-concert footage. Carey performs ten songs during the video; four are from her third studio album Music Box (1993), which Columbia Records commissioned Here Is Mariah Carey to promote. She is sporadically accompanied by a band, choir, dancers, and string musicians. In creating the stage for the performance, production designers sought inspiration from works by Boris Aronson and Josep Maria Jujol. Lawrence Jordan, who collaborated with Carey on previous occasions, directed the hour-long video.

Approximately 4,500 people attended tapings at Proctor's Theater, and 19 million watched it on television network NBC during its original broadcast on November 25, 1993. Columbia Music Video released it on VHS five days later to generally positive reviews from critics. Although they complimented Carey's voice, many felt the non-concert scenes were redundant. Here Is Mariah Carey peaked at number four on the United States video album chart published by Billboard. Earning a Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America, it was one of the best-selling video albums of 1994 and 1995 in that country. The video also spent six weeks at number one on the Official Charts Company's music videos chart in the United Kingdom. (Full article...)
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Clockwise from top left: Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe

R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. R.E.M. was noted for Buck's arpeggiated "jangle" guitar playing; Stipe's distinctive vocal style, unique stage presence, and cryptic lyrics; Mills's countermelodic bass lines and backing vocals; and Berry's tight, economical drumming. In the early 1990s, other alternative rock acts such as Nirvana, the Pixies, and Pavement named R.E.M. as a pioneer of the genre. After Berry left in 1997, the remaining members continued with mixed critical and commercial success. The band broke up amicably in 2011, having sold more than 90 million albums worldwide and becoming one of the world's best-selling music acts.

The band released their first single, "Radio Free Europe", in 1981 on the independent record label Hib-Tone. It was followed by the Chronic Town EP in 1982, their first release on I.R.S. Records. Over the course of the decade, R.E.M. released acclaimed albums, commencing with their debut Murmur (1983), and continuing yearly with Reckoning (1984), Fables of the Reconstruction (1985), Lifes Rich Pageant (1986), and Document (1987). During their most successful period, they worked with the producer Scott Litt. With constant touring, and the support of college radio following years of underground success, R.E.M. achieved a mainstream hit with the 1987 single "The One I Love". They signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1988, releasing Green later that year, and began to espouse political and environmental concerns while playing arenas worldwide. (Full article...)
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Rock Steady is the fifth studio album by American rock band No Doubt, released on December 11, 2001, by Interscope Records. The band began writing the album with initial recording sessions in Los Angeles and San Francisco, then traveled to London and Jamaica to work with various performers, songwriters, and producers. Sly & Robbie, the Neptunes, and William Orbit were among the many artists the band collaborated with on the album.

As a result of these collaborations, Rock Steady touches on many musical styles, focusing on electropop, dancehall, and new wave. The band attempted to capture the vibe of Jamaican dancehall music, and experimented with writing songs without its standard instrumentation. Lead vocalist Gwen Stefani wrote her lyrics quickly in comparison to previous records, and dealt with topics ranging from partying to ruminations on her relationship with Gavin Rossdale. (Full article...)
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"The Long and Winding Road" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1970 album Let It Be. A piano ballad, Paul McCartney composed it at his Scotland farm in 1968, driven by the Beatles' increasing bitterness towards each other. As he did so, he "imagined it was going to be done by someone like Ray Charles". Main recording took place in January 1969 during the Get Back album project (later renamed Let It Be) and featured a sparse arrangement of piano, bass, guitar, and percussion. However, the Get Back project soon stagnated and no album resulted, and so John Lennon and George Harrison lent the band's January 1969 recordings, including that of "The Long and Winding Road", to producer Phil Spector so that he would attempt assembling an album out of them. He added lavish orchestral and choral overdubs to the song.

McCartney, along with the rest of the band, sent Spector a telegram sanctioning his arrangements. However, by late April, he had grown to dislike them. The Beatles' producer George Martin and their engineer during the Get Back sessions Glyn Johns also disapproved of them. McCartney firmly asked the band's manager Allen Klein to curtail Spector's production, which he did not. When McCartney made his case in the English High Court for the dissolution of the Beatles' legal partnership, he cited the treatment of "The Long and Winding Road" as one of six reasons justifying the split. In his defence, Spector argued that the bass playing on the song, done by Lennon, was poor and had to be covered, and that McCartney had been consulted prior to its release. (Full article...)
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Title page of the libretto, published in 1641

Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria (SV 325, The Return of Ulysses to his Homeland) is an opera consisting of a prologue and five acts (later revised to three), set by Claudio Monteverdi to a libretto by Giacomo Badoaro. The opera was first performed at the Teatro Santi Giovanni e Paolo in Venice during the 1639–1640 carnival season. The story, taken from the second half of Homer's Odyssey, tells how constancy and virtue are ultimately rewarded, treachery and deception overcome. After his long journey home from the Trojan Wars Ulisse, king of Ithaca, finally returns to his kingdom where he finds that a trio of villainous suitors are importuning his faithful queen, Penelope. With the assistance of the gods, his son Telemaco and a staunch friend Eumete, Ulisse vanquishes the suitors and recovers his kingdom.

Il ritorno is the first of three full-length works which Monteverdi wrote for the burgeoning Venetian opera industry during the last five years of his life. After its initial successful run in Venice the opera was performed in Bologna before returning to Venice for the 1640–41 season. Thereafter, except for a possible performance at the Imperial court in Vienna late in the 17th century, there were no further revivals until the 20th century. The music became known in modern times through the 19th-century discovery of an incomplete manuscript score which in many respects is inconsistent with the surviving versions of the libretto. After its publication in 1922 the score's authenticity was widely questioned, and performances of the opera remained rare during the next 30 years. By the 1950s the work was generally accepted as Monteverdi's, and after revivals in Vienna and Glyndebourne in the early 1970s it became increasingly popular. It has since been performed in opera houses all over the world, and has been recorded many times. (Full article...)
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Lovering performing in 2010

David Sullivan Lovering (born December 6, 1961) is an American musician and magician. He is best known as the drummer for the alternative rock band Pixies, which he joined in 1986. After the band's breakup in 1993, Lovering drummed with several other acts, including The Martinis, Cracker, Nitzer Ebb and Tanya Donelly. He also pursued a magic career as the Scientific Phenomenalist, performing scientific and physics-based experiments on stage. When the Pixies reunited in 2004, Lovering returned as the band's drummer.

As a drummer Lovering was inspired by bands from a variety of genres, including Rush and Steely Dan. (Full article...)
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Silent Alarm is the debut studio album by English rock band Bloc Party. Recorded in Copenhagen and London in mid-2004 with Paul Epworth as producer, it was released on 2 February 2005, by Wichita Recordings. The album peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart. In the United States, it entered the Billboard 200 at number 114 and the Billboard Independent Albums at number seven. "Helicopter", the double A-side "So Here We Are/Positive Tension", "Banquet" and "The Pioneers" were released as singles. Silent Alarm went on to achieve worldwide sales of over one million copies.

Bloc Party aimed to create an album that appealed to followers of different musical genres. Building on the arrangements in their demo songs recorded in 2004, the band members moulded tracks largely through live takes during the Silent Alarm studio sessions. The compositional focus was on rhythm procured by guitar riffs and the drum and bass parts, while lyricist Kele Okereke's writing examined the feelings and hopes of young adults, including views on global politics. Following the album's completion, Bloc Party embarked on promotional tours before its release. (Full article...)
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Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (top left) and The Five (counter-clockwise from bottom left): Mily Balakirev, César Cui, Alexander Borodin, Modest Mussorgsky, and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

In mid- to late-19th-century Russia, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and a group of composers known as The Five had differing opinions as to whether Russian classical music should be composed following Western or native practices. Tchaikovsky wanted to write professional compositions of such quality that they would stand up to Western scrutiny and thus transcend national barriers, yet remain distinctively Russian in melody, rhythm and other compositional characteristics. The Five, made up of composers Mily Balakirev, Alexander Borodin, César Cui, Modest Mussorgsky, and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, sought to produce a specifically Russian kind of art music, rather than one that imitated older European music or relied on European-style conservatory training. While Tchaikovsky himself used folk songs in some of his works, for the most part he tried to follow Western practices of composition, especially in terms of tonality and tonal progression. Also, unlike Tchaikovsky, none of The Five were academically trained in composition; in fact, their leader, Balakirev, considered academicism a threat to musical imagination. Along with critic Vladimir Stasov, who supported The Five, Balakirev attacked relentlessly both the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, from which Tchaikovsky had graduated, and its founder Anton Rubinstein, orally and in print.

As Tchaikovsky had become Rubinstein's best-known student, he was initially considered by association as a natural target for attack, especially as fodder for Cui's printed critical reviews. This attitude changed slightly when Rubinstein left the Saint Petersburg musical scene in 1867. In 1869 Tchaikovsky entered into a working relationship with Balakirev; the result was Tchaikovsky's first recognized masterpiece, the fantasy-overture Romeo and Juliet, a work which The Five wholeheartedly embraced. When Tchaikovsky wrote a positive review of Rimsky-Korsakov's Fantasy on Serbian Themes he was welcomed into the circle, despite concerns about the academic nature of his musical background. The finale of his Second Symphony, nicknamed the Little Russian, was also received enthusiastically by the group on its first performance in 1872. (Full article...)
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S.H.E in 2014
L-R: Hebe Tien, Ella Chen, and Selina Jen

S.H.E are a Taiwanese Mandopop girl group with members Selina Jen, Hebe Tien, and Ella Chen. They formed in 2001 under the management of HIM International Music but decided not to renew their contract in 2019, with members forming their own individual management companies.

S.H.E achieved commercial success in the 2000s and has remained active for more than a decade. Since releasing their debut album Girls' Dorm (2001), the group has recorded 13 albums with sales totaling more than 10 million, and set ticketing records in each of their two concert tours. They have also acted in seven drama series, hosted two variety shows, and contributed ten songs to six drama soundtracks. (Full article...)
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Is This It is the debut studio album by American rock band the Strokes. It was first released on July 30, 2001, in Australia, with RCA Records handling the release internationally and Rough Trade Records handling the United Kingdom release. It was recorded at Transporterraum in New York City with producer Gordon Raphael during March and April 2001. For their debut, the band strived to capture a simple sound that was not significantly enhanced in the studio. Building on their 2001 EP The Modern Age, the band members molded compositions largely through live takes during recording sessions, while lead singer and songwriter Julian Casablancas continued to detail the lives and relationships of urban youth in his lyrics.

After completing the album, the Strokes embarked on a promotional world tour before its release. The album was released progressively to coincide with their tour dates, with it being released in Japan on August 22 and the United Kingdom on August 27. After the September 11 attacks, the American compact disc release was delayed from September 25 to October 9 and had its track list amended, with the song "New York City Cops" being removed and replaced with the newly written track "When It Started"; however, the American vinyl release still includes the track as a result of its release falling on September 11. Three singles were released from the album: "Hard to Explain", "Last Nite", and "Someday". (Full article...)
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AC/DC in Buenos Aires in 2009. From left to right: Malcolm Young, Phil Rudd, Cliff Williams, Angus Young and Brian Johnson

AC/DC are an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1973. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock and heavy metal, although the band calls it simply "rock and roll". They are cited as a formative influence on the new wave of British heavy metal bands, such as Def Leppard and Saxon, and were among "the second generation of rising stars ready to step into the breach as the old guard waned", according to critics.

AC/DC were founded by brothers Angus (lead guitar) and Malcolm Young (rhythm guitar), with Colin Burgess (drums), Larry Van Kriedt (bass guitar) and Dave Evans (lead vocals). They underwent several line-up changes before releasing their Australasian-only debut album, High Voltage (1975). Membership stabilised after the release of Let There Be Rock (1977), with the Young brothers, Phil Rudd on drums, Cliff Williams on bass guitar and Bon Scott on lead vocals. Seven months after the release of Highway to Hell (1979), Scott died of alcohol poisoning and English singer Brian Johnson was then recruited as their new frontman. With Johnson in the line-up, the band recorded one of the best-selling albums of all time, Back in Black (1980). Rudd was fired midway through the Flick of the Switch recording sessions in 1983. He was replaced by Simon Wright, who was also replaced by Chris Slade six years later. (Full article...)

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... that Light Vessel 95 is now a recording studio?
... that until the release of the documentary Predator: The Secret Scandal of J-Pop, sexual abuse claims involving record producer Johnny Kitagawa went widely unreported in Japanese media?
... that former residents of Wolf's Lair include the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, but a recording studio was not added until the estate was bought by Moby in 2010?
... that former residents of Wolf's Lair include the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, but a recording studio was not added until the estate was bought by Moby in 2010?
... that one critic interpreted a SZA song as being about her fears about the growing influence of AI in the music industry?
... that voice actress Rika Hayashi brought a golf club to the recording studio for Tonbo!, a golf-themed anime series?

Born this day

Birthdays in Music: August 5

Airto Moreira, Brazilian percussionist, turns 85.
Greg Leskiw, Canadian guitarist for The Guess Who, turns 79.
Pat Smear, American guitarist for the Foo Fighters, turns 67.
Calvin Hayes, British keyboardist of Johnny Hates Jazz fame, turns 66.
Stuart Neale, (a.k.a. Leighton Buzzard) British pianist, guitarist, and cello player, turns 66.
Stuart Crawford, vocalist for synthpop act, Kajagoogoo, turns 66.
Terri Clark, Canadian country music vocalist, turns 58.
Hype Williams, (born Harold Williams) American music video-turned-film director, turns 56.
Megan Joy, American singer and former American Idol contestant, turns 41.

Adam Yauch (Record production, 1964 –May 4, 2012), (a.k.a. MCA) American rapper of Beastie Boys fame, would have turned 62 this year.

Pete Burns (Record production, 1959 –October 23, 2016), Frontman for new wave music act, Dead or Alive, would have turned 67 this year.
Jemeel Moondoc (Record production, 1951–August 29, 2021), American avant-garde jazz alto saxophonist and flautist, would have turned 75 this year.
Sammi Smith (Record production, 1943 –February 12, 2005), American country music singer, would have turned 83 this year.
Rick Huxley (Record production, 1942 –February 11, 2013), British bassist for The Dave Clark Five, would have turned 84 this year.
Damita Jo DuBlanc (Record production, 1930 –December 25, 1988), American lounge music performer and comedian, would have turned 96 this year.
Otto Lington (Record production, 1903 –December 15, 1992), Danish violinist, would have turned 123 this year.
Ambroise Thomas (Record production, 1811 –February 12, 1896), French opera composer, would have turned 215 this year.

List of musical events • Anniversaries • More birthdays...

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These are all Good articles, which meet a core set of high editorial standards.

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Take Off Your Colours is the debut studio album by English rock band You Me at Six, originally released on 6 October 2008 through Slam Dunk Records. After forming in 2004, they released an EP titled We Know What It Means to Be Alone in 2006, and went on a tour with Elliot Minor in support of the release. After releasing "Save It for the Bedroom" as a single to promote their tour, the band gained attention from both independent and major record labels.

Following their tour with Elliot Minor, the writing process for the new album began. Although all the music's writing was credited to the entire band, vocalist Josh Franceschi and guitarist Max Helyer were usually the biggest creative forces among the group, being responsible for songs' concepts. The album was recorded in two weeks at Outhouse Studios in Reading, Berkshire with producers Matt O'Grady and John Mitchell. The band's work resulted in Take Off Your Colours displaying a sound that most critics associated with pop-punk, though this result was unintended. Specifically, the record was noted to sound similar to the work of Fall Out Boy, New Found Glory, and Panic! at the Disco. (Full article...)
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Trespass is the second studio album by the English rock band Genesis. It was released on 23 October 1970 by Charisma Records, and is their last album with original guitarist Anthony Phillips and their only album with drummer John Mayhew.

Genesis turned professional in autumn 1969, and began to rehearse intensely and play live shows. After several months of touring they secured a recording contract with Charisma Records, and entered Trident Studios in London in July 1970 to record Trespass. The music marked a departure from more pop-oriented songs, as displayed on their first album From Genesis to Revelation, towards folk-flavoured progressive rock. This ranged from light acoustic pieces with multiple twelve-string guitars such as "Dusk", to the heavier live favorite "The Knife". The sleeve, featuring a knife slash across the front, was designed by Paul Whitehead. It was the first of three covers designed by Whitehead for the band. (Full article...)
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Chromatica is the fifth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Lady Gaga and her sixth overall. It was released on May 29, 2020, by Interscope Records and its subsidiary Streamline. Gaga supervised the production with longtime collaborator BloodPop and a variety of other producers to create the album. Musically, Chromatica is a dance-pop record inspired by early 1990s house music, returning Gaga to her dance music roots and eschewing the stripped-down style of its predecessors Joanne (2016) and A Star Is Born (2018). The album's visual aesthetic saw Gaga adopt a cyberpunk-inspired persona.

Chromatica is a concept album centering on ideas of unwavering happiness and the pursuit of healing. Songs on the record encompass themes inspired by failed romance and mental health struggles in Gaga's private life. The music is distinguished by dense synthesizers, percussion, grooves, and orchestral arrangements that merge overarching melodies. Blackpink, Ariana Grande, and Elton John contribute guest vocals. Most of the recording took place at Henson Recording Studios and Gaga's in-home Hollywood Hills studio. Interscope advertised Chromatica through product endorsements and TV partnerships, although the marketing campaign was adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. To support the album, Gaga embarked on The Chromatica Ball concert series in July 2022, the first all-stadium tour of her career, after it was postponed twice due to the pandemic. It was commemorated in the 2024 HBO/Max special, Gaga Chromatica Ball. (Full article...)
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Page Avenue is the debut album by American rock band Story of the Year. Goldfinger frontman John Feldmann, who served as a talent scout for Maverick Records, began working on demos with the band, and eventually for their debut album. Sessions took place at Feldmann's home studio, Foxy Studios in Marina del Rey, California; the group tracked three songs before guitarist Greg Haupt left in November 2002. Guitarist Philip Sneed was drafted in and sessions recommenced in early 2003. The album's release through Maverick Records was pushed back several times to September 16, 2003.

The band toured as part of the Warped Tour before "Until the Day I Die" was released as a radio single. In early 2004, the band supported Linkin Park on their US arena tour; they subsequently worked with Linkin Park's Joe Hahn on a music video for "Anthem of Our Dying Day". The track was released as a single in April 2004, and the group embarked on a headlining US tour. A second stint on the Warped Tour followed, taking a month-long break, and headlining the Nintendo Fusion Tour. A music video was released for "Sidewalks"; the track was released as a single in October. (Full article...)
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11 is the eleventh studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams. The album was released by Polydor Records on March 17, 2008. 11 was the first release of new Adams material since Colour Me Kubrick in 2005 and the first studio album in four years since Room Service. Adams, Jim Vallance, Eliot Kennedy, Gretchen Peters, Trevor Rabin and Robert John "Mutt" Lange received producing and writing credits. Similar to Adams' previous material, the themes in 11 are mainly based on love, romance, and relationships. 11 received generally mixed reviews from contemporary music critics.

Three songs were released from the album in various forms: "I Thought I'd Seen Everything", "Tonight We Have the Stars" and "She's Got a Way", of which all were released internationally. "I Thought I'd Seen Everything" was the only one to have any lasting effects on the music chart, reaching mostly the Top 50, Top 100 and Top 200 in Europe and Canada. Adams was nominated for a Juno Award in the category "Best Artist" in 2009 for this record. (Full article...)
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Reckoning (alternatively titled File Under Water) is the second studio album by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released on April 9, 1984, by I.R.S. Records. Produced by Mitch Easter and Don Dixon, the album was recorded at Reflection Sound Studios in Charlotte, North Carolina, over 16 days in December 1983 and January 1984. Dixon and Easter intended to capture the sound of R.E.M.'s live performances, and used binaural recording on several tracks. Lead singer Michael Stipe dealt with darker subject matter in his lyrics, with water-related imagery being a recurring theme on the album.

Released to critical acclaim, Reckoning reached number 27 in the United States—where it was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1991—and peaked at number 91 in the United Kingdom. (Full article...)
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"Kanariya" (Japanese: "Canary") is a song recorded by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki for her second studio album, Loveppears (1999). It was released by Avex Trax in Japan and Hong Kong on December 8, 1999, and through Avex USA in North America in early 2000. The recording also served as Hamasaki's second limited-edition single, with limited physical units of 300,000 copies. The track was written by Hamasaki herself, while production was handled by long-time collaborator Max Matsuura. Two versions of "Kanariya" were made available for consumption—a radio edit produced by American disc jockey Jonathan Peters, and the album version composed by Yasuhiko Hoshino. Lyrically, the song was written in third person perspective.

Upon its release, "Kanariya" received mixed reviews from music critics, with some of them praising the original and radio edit, but generally criticizing the remixes. Commercially, the single experienced success in Japan, peaking at number one on the Oricon Singles Chart and TBS' Count Down TV chart. It sold just below its 300,000 restricted copies, and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for shipments of 200,000 units. An accompanying music video for the recording was directed by Wataru Takeishi, with it portraying Hamasaki in a dark laboratory surrounded by keyboards and electronic devices. To promote the single, it appeared on several remix and greatest hits compilation albums released by Hamasaki. (Full article...)
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Original 1970 American release

The Man Who Sold the World is the third studio album by the English musician David Bowie, originally released through Mercury Records in the United States on 4 November 1970 and in the United Kingdom on 8 April 1971. Produced by Tony Visconti and recorded in London from April to May 1970, the album features the first appearances on a Bowie record of future Spiders from Mars members Mick Ronson and Mick Woodmansey.

Following the largely acoustic and folk rock sound of David Bowie (1969), The Man Who Sold the World marked a shift toward hard rock, with elements of blues rock. The lyrics are darker than his previous releases, exploring themes of insanity, religion, technology and war. None of its songs were released as singles; some tracks appeared as B-sides between 1970 and 1973. Originally titled Metrobolist, a play on the film Metropolis (1927), the title was changed at the last minute by Mercury without Bowie's consultation. (Full article...)
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Glee: The Music, Volume 1 is the debut soundtrack album by the cast of the musical television series Glee, which aired on Fox in the United States. It features cover versions from the first nine episodes of the first season and was released on November 2, 2009 by Columbia Records and 20th Century Fox Television Records. The album received mixed reviews from critics, with many praising large ensemble numbers, but comparing it to karaoke tracks. It went to number one on album charts in Ireland and the United Kingdom, and peaked at number three in Australia and number four in both Canada and the United States. Volume 1 has been certified Platinum in these five countries.

All non-bonus tracks from the album have been released as digital singles. The cast's debut single, a cover of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'", charted within the top five in many countries and has sold over one million copies in the US. Other high-charting and best-selling singles include the covers of Queen's "Somebody to Love", Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline", and "Defying Gravity" from the musical Wicked. Glee Live! In Concert! saw the cast tour the US in promotion of the series' first season and its musical releases. The album earned a nomination for Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media for the 2011 ceremony. (Full article...)
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Matangi is the fourth studio album by English recording artist M.I.A. It was released on 1 November 2013 through N.E.E.T. Recordings and Interscope. M.I.A.'s longtime collaborator Switch primarily handled Matangi's production; Hit-Boy, Doc McKinney, Danja, Surkin, and The Partysquad provided additional contributions. The album was recorded in various locations around the world and featured uncredited input from WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Its title is a variant of M.I.A.'s real first name and references the Hindu goddess Matangi. The lyrics feature themes related to Hinduism, including reincarnation and karma, and the music blends Western and Eastern styles.

The album was initially scheduled to be released in December 2012 but it was delayed multiple times; in August 2013, M.I.A. threatened to leak the album herself if the label did not finalise a release date. The lead single, "Bad Girls", was released nearly two years before the album. "Bring the Noize", "Come Walk with Me", and "Y.A.L.A." were also made available as singles prior to Matangi's release and "Double Bubble Trouble" and "Sexodus" were released subsequently. (Full article...)
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Venus Doom is the sixth studio album by Finnish rock band HIM. The album was recorded at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki with producers Hiili Hiilesmaa and Tim Palmer, both whom had collaborated with the band on various occasions, and released on 14 September 2007. During the making of Venus Doom, HIM was struggling with the personal problems of vocalist Ville Valo. In particular, his alcohol abuse had worsened to the point that he suffered health problems and a nervous breakdown during the recording process, after which he entered rehab. Musically the album has been described as HIM's heaviest and darkest album to date, with influences from bands such as My Dying Bride, Anathema and Paradise Lost. Much of the album's lyrical themes and heaviness were inspired by Valo's personal difficulties, including his break-up with fiancé Jonna Nygrén.

Venus Doom received positive reviews from critics, with many commending the album's heaviness and experimentation. The album charted in thirteen countries, including the top ten in four. Venus Doom was eventually certified gold in Finland and gave the band their highest US chart position to date at number twelve, selling over 38.000 copies in the first week. The album also gave the band their first Grammy nomination for "Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package". Two singles were released, with "The Kiss of Dawn" reaching number two in Finland. During the summer of 2007, HIM toured across the United States as a part of Linkin Park's Projekt Revolution Tour, as well as opening for Metallica in Europe. HIM began the supporting tour for Venus Doom in the fall of 2007 in North America, followed by the UK, before returning to Europe in early 2008. (Full article...)
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Taking Back Sunday is the fifth studio album by American rock band Taking Back Sunday. After returning home from touring the Soundwave festival in February and March 2010, guitarist Matthew Fazzi and bassist Matthew Rubano were dismissed from the group. They were replaced by guitarist John Nolan and bassist Shaun Cooper, both of whom were former members of the band. Later in March, the band began writing material for their next album in El Paso, Texas. The following month, demos were recorded with the aim to release a new album later in the year. Recording began in October with producer Eric Valentine at Barefoot Recording in Hollywood, California and finished in January 2011.

In March 2011, Taking Back Sunday was announced for release, and a month later, a music video of "El Paso" was released. In May, "Faith (When I Let You Down)" was released as a single, along with its music video. In June, "This Is All Now" was released as a single, and on June 28, Taking Back Sunday was released through Warner Bros. and Sire Records. The band embarked on a tour of the US with Thursday in June and July. In July, a music video was released for "Faith (When I Let You Down)" featuring footage of the band recording and performing at The Bamboozle festival, followed by the release of the single "You Got Me" in August. A US fall tour was undertaken in October and November, followed by a music video for "You Got Me" in the latter month. In March 2012, a music video was released for "This Is All Now". The band then had a headline spot on the 2012 edition of Warped Tour between June and August. (Full article...)

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The following are images from various record production-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1The Siemens Studio for Electronic Music c. 1956 (from Recording studio)
Image 2Home studio setup (from Recording studio)
Image 3Donna Summer wearing headphones during a recording session in 1977 (from Recording studio)
Image 4The TASCAM 85 16B analog tape multitrack recorder can record 16 tracks of audio on 1-inch (2.54cm) magnetic tape. Professional analog units of 24 tracks on 2-inch tape were common, with specialty tape heads providing 8, or even 16 tracks on the same tape width (8 tracks for greater fidelity). (from Multitrack recording)
Image 5Neve VR60, a multitrack mixing console. Above the console are a range of studio monitor speakers. (from Recording studio)
Image 6Danny Knicely records with Furnace Mountain Band in Virginia (2012) (from Recording studio)
Image 7Korg D888 eight-track digital recorder (from Multitrack recording)
Image 8The studio at Ridge Radio in Caterham, England (from Recording studio)
Image 9Scully 280 eight-track recorder at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music (from Multitrack recording)
Image 10Engineers and producers watch a trumpet player from a window in the control room during a recording session. (from Recording studio)
Image 11Digital audio interface for the Pro Tools computer-based hard disk multitrack recording system. Digital audio quality is measured in data resolution per channel. (from Multitrack recording)
Image 12The TEAC 2340, a popular early (1973) home multitrack recorder, four tracks on ¼ inch tape (from Multitrack recording)
Image 13A selection of instruments at a music studio, including a grand piano (from Recording studio)
Image 14Hip-hop producer and rapper RZA in a music studio with two collaborators. Pictured in the foreground is a synthesizer keyboard and a number of vinyl records; both of these items are key tools that producers and DJs use to create hip-hop beats. (from Hip-hop production)
Image 15Control room at the Tec de Monterrey, Mexico City Campus (from Recording studio)
Image 16Mixing desk with twenty inputs and eight outputs (from Multitrack recording)

Featured lists - load new batch

Featured lists have been determined by the Wikipedia community to be the best lists on English Wikipedia.

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Music recording certifications are typically awarded by the worldwide music industry based on the total units sold, streamed, or shipped to retailers. These awards and their requirements are defined by the various certifying bodies representing the music industry in various countries and territories worldwide. The standard certification awards given consist of Gold, Platinum, and sometimes Diamond awards, in ascending order; the UK and Australia also have a Silver certification, ranking below Gold. In most cases, a "Multi-Platinum" or "Multi-Diamond" award is given for multiples of the Platinum or Diamond requirements.

Many music industries around the world are represented by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). The IFPI operates in 66 countries and services affiliated industry associations in 45 countries. In some cases, the IFPI is merely affiliated with the already operational certification bodies of a country, but in many countries with lesser-developed industries, the IFPI acts as the sole certifying body servicing the country or region's music industry. Still other countries not represented by the IFPI have certifying bodies operating independently, such as individual record companies which service the country or region's music industry as a whole. (Full article...)
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Katy Perry (pictured)'s "I Kissed a Girl" topped the chart for nine consecutive weeks, tying Madonna's "4 Minutes" for the joint-longest-running number-one single of the year.

The Canadian Hot 100 is a chart that ranks the best-performing singles of Canada. Published by Billboard magazine, its data are similar to Billboard's U.S.-based Hot 100 in that it compiles Nielsen SoundScan based collectively on each single's weekly physical and digital sales, as well as airplay. Canada's airplay chart is compiled with information collected from monitoring more than 100 stations that represent rock, country, adult contemporary and contemporary hit radio genres. The online version of the chart features the Canadian flag next to tracks that qualify as Canadian content.

In 2008, 11 singles topped the chart. Although 12 singles claimed the top spot in 52 issues of the magazine, Timbaland's "Apologize" featuring OneRepublic began its peak position in late 2007, and is thus excluded. Katy Perry and Lady Gaga each earned two number-one singles as a lead artist. Two number-one singles tied for the longest-running chart-topping single of 2008, for nine weeks: Madonna's "4 Minutes" featuring Justin Timberlake and Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl", although the former had a non-consecutive run. Other chart-topping singles from 2008 include Flo Rida's "Low" featuring T-Pain, which stayed at number one for eight straight weeks. Rihanna's "Take a Bow" is noted for its jump from seventieth to first place on the Canadian Hot 100, which was the largest upward movement to number one at the time. (Full article...)
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MercyMe recorded seven number-one singles during the decade including "Word of God Speak", the longest-running number-one single of the decade.

The Christian Songs chart is a record chart compiled by Billboard magazine. Launched on June 21, 2003, the chart was ranked during the decade by overall audience impressions (the approximate number of audience impressions made for each play, as determined by BDS data cross-referenced with Arbitron listener information). While the chart covers all Christian radio formats, it is dominated by Christian adult contemporary (Christian AC) radio stations, which cater to a mostly adult audience. As opposed to Christian stations that cater to young audiences, Christian AC stations tend to play hits often and for long periods. As a result, number-one singles on the Christian Songs chart often had lengthy stays at the top position.

During the 2000s, 44 singles reached the number one position on the Christian Songs chart. MercyMe was the most successful group, with seven of their singles topping the chart during the 2000s. The band's "Word of God Speak" was the longest-running number one single of the 2000s, having spent a total of 23 non-consecutive weeks atop the chart. Casting Crowns spent the longest time atop the chart during the decade, as their six number one singles spent a combined total of 62 weeks at the summit. Out of the 44 singles that hit the number-one position during the 2000s, 15 singles spent two separate runs atop the chart. Three singles ("Word of God Speak", "My Savior My God", and "Cry Out to Jesus") returned to the top position for three distinct runs. Nineteen artists recorded number-one singles during the decade. The first number-one single of the 2000s on the chart was Third Day's "You Are So Good to Me", which led the chart's debut week of June 21, 2003, and seven consecutive weeks afterward; the final number-one single was TobyMac's "City On Our Knees", which led the chart for the final eleven weeks of the 2000s, and continued to lead into 2010. (Full article...)
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Brooks & Dunn had three number ones in 1998, one in collaboration with Reba McEntire.

Hot Country Songs is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music songs in the United States, published by Billboard magazine. In 1998, 26 different songs topped the chart, then published under the title Hot Country Singles & Tracks, in 52 issues of the magazine. Chart rankings were based on weekly airplay data from country music radio stations compiled by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems.

At the start of the year, Garth Brooks was at number one with "Longneck Bottle", which had been in the top spot since the chart dated December 20, 1997. The song remained there for the first chart of 1998 before being replaced by "A Broken Wing" by Martina McBride. Brooks went on to have two further number ones in 1998, "Two Piña Coladas" and a cover version of Bob Dylan's "To Make You Feel My Love". Unrelated singer Kix Brooks and his musical partner Ronnie Dunn, collectively known as Brooks & Dunn, also had three number ones in 1998. The duo topped the listing with "How Long Gone", "Husbands and Wives" and "If You See Him/If You See Her", a collaboration with vocalist Reba McEntire. Other acts to reach number one with more than one song in 1998 were Clint Black, Faith Hill, Hill's husband Tim McGraw, Jo Dee Messina, George Strait, Shania Twain and Dixie Chicks, whose two chart-toppers came from Wide Open Spaces, their first album to feature new vocalist Natalie Maines. (Full article...)
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Marty Robbins spent 10 weeks at number one with "Don't Worry".

Hot Country Songs is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music songs in the United States, published by Billboard magazine. In 1961, nine different singles topped the chart, which at the time was published under the title Hot C&W Sides, C&W being an abbreviation for country and western. Chart placings were based on playlists submitted by country music radio stations and sales reports submitted by stores.

Each of the nine number ones during the year was by a different artist. In the first issue of 1961, dated January 9,^[A] Johnny Horton reached number one with "North To Alaska", replacing Ferlin Husky's "Wings Of A Dove", the final chart-topper of 1960. Horton's single spent five weeks at number one before Husky's song returned to the top of the chart for two further weeks. "North to Alaska" was a posthumous number one for Horton, who had died in an automobile accident the previous November. Following Husky's spell in the top spot, Marty Robbins had the longest unbroken run at number one of the year, spending ten consecutive weeks atop the chart with "Don't Worry". Immediately after this run, Faron Young had a nine-week spell atop the listing with "Hello Walls", an early songwriting success for Willie Nelson, who would go on to be one of the most successful and celebrated singers in country music history. Despite continuing to chart regularly, Young would not reach number one again until 1972. (Full article...)
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George Jones had a six-week run at number one with "She Thinks I Still Care".

Hot Country Songs is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music songs in the United States, published by Billboard magazine. In 1962, 11 different singles topped the chart in 52 issues of the magazine, based on playlists submitted by country music radio stations and sales reports submitted by stores. The chart was published under the title Hot C&W Sides through the October 27 issue and Hot Country Singles thereafter, a title it would retain until 1990.

In the issue of Billboard dated January 6, the number one song was "Walk On By" by Leroy Van Dyke, in its eleventh week in the top spot. The single remained atop the chart through the issue dated March 3 for a final total of nineteen weeks at number one. This figure set a record for the most weeks at number one on the Hot Country chart which would stand for more than 50 years until Florida Georgia Line spent 24 weeks at number one between December 2012 and August 2013 with the song "Cruise". Claude King tied Van Dyke for the most weeks spent at number one in the calendar year of 1962, with an unbroken run of nine weeks in the peak position with the song "Wolverton Mountain". Marty Robbins had an eight-week run at the top with "Devil Woman". (Full article...)
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Michael Peterson achieved his only number one in December.

Hot Country Songs is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music songs in the United States, published by Billboard magazine. In 1997, 23 different songs topped the chart, then published under the title Hot Country Singles & Tracks, in 52 issues of the magazine. Chart rankings were based on weekly airplay data from country music radio stations compiled by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems.

At the start of the year, the number one song was "One Way Ticket (Because I Can)" by LeAnn Rimes, which had reached the top of the chart in the issue of Billboard dated December 28, 1996. It remained at the top for one further week in 1997 before Kevin Sharp began a four-week run at the top with his debut single, a cover version of R&B singer Tony Rich's song "Nobody Knows". This would prove to be the only number-one hit for Sharp, who died in 2014 at age 43. Three other vocalists achieved their first number-one country songs in 1997. Rick Trevino spent one week in the top spot in March with "Running Out of Reasons to Run", which would also prove to be his only number one. Trace Adkins achieved the feat with "(This Ain't) No Thinkin' Thing" in April, and Michael Peterson scored his first and only chart-topper in December with "From Here to Eternity". (Full article...)
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Hank Williams (third from right) and his Drifting Cowboys band reached number one for the first time in 1949.

In 1949 Billboard magazine published three charts covering the best-performing country music songs in the United States. At the start of the year, the magazine published two charts covering the genre: Most-Played Juke Box Folk Records, which had appeared in Billboard since 1944, and Best Selling Folk Retail Records, which had debuted in 1948. With effect from the issue of the magazine dated June 25, Billboard began using the term "country and western" for the first time in the titles of the charts, renaming the juke box chart to Most-Played Juke Box (Country & Western) Records and the best sellers chart to Best-Selling Retail Folk (Country & Western) Records. In December the magazine added a third country chart when it began publishing the Country & Western Records Most Played By Folk Disk Jockeys listing. All three charts are considered part of the lineage of the current Hot Country Songs chart, which was first published in 1958.

The artist with the most weeks at number one on the juke box chart was Eddy Arnold, who spent a total of twenty weeks in the top spot with five different songs. On the retail chart, singing cowboy actor Jimmy Wakely had the highest number of total weeks at number one, comprising ten weeks in the top spot with two solo singles and a further thirteen with "Slipping Around", a duet with Margaret Whiting. The ten consecutive weeks which "Slipping Around" spent atop the juke box chart from late October until the end of the year tied with "Don't Rob Another Man's Castle" by Eddy Arnold for the longest unbroken run of the year at number one on that chart, and its spell at number one on the retail chart was the longest run in the peak position on that listing. Arnold's song spent a total of twelve non-consecutive weeks at number one on the juke box chart, the highest cumulative total for any one song. On the retail chart, "Lovesick Blues" by Hank Williams and his Drifting Cowboys spent the most total weeks in the top spot, with sixteen non-consecutive weeks at number one. Wakely and Arnold were the only artists to take more than one song to number one in 1949, a feat which they each achieved on both the juke box and retail charts. (Full article...)
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The official German airplay chart ranks the most frequently broadcast songs on German radio stations. In 2018, 19 different songs reached the top, based on weekly airplay data compiled by MusicTrace on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI). The radio stations are chosen based on the reach of each station. A specific number of evaluated stations is not given.

Felix Jaehn's collaboration "Like a Riddle" with Hearts and Colours & Adam Trigger was the first number one of the year. It was replaced the following week by P!nk's "Beautiful Trauma". Lost Frequencies' & Zonderling's "Crazy" dethroned P!nk after her two-week reign and topped the chart for the following five weeks. "Flames", released in March, by French DJ David Guetta and Australian singer Sia reached the top on 11 May. After eight consecutive weeks atop, it was replaced by Calvin Harris' and Dua Lipa's "One Kiss" on 29 June, which was the second best-performing song of the year and was played more than 48,000 times within 2018. Namika's "Je ne parle pas français (Beatgees Remix)", featuring Black M, was the only German and French song atop the chart in 2018 and was played 35,000 times on evaluated stations. Nico Santos' "Safe" and Alle Farben, Kelvin Jones & Younotus "Only Thing We Know" topped the chart for four weeks each in the summer. (Full article...)
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"End of Summer" by Tame Impala, the 2026 recipient

The Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Recording (formerly known as Best Dance Recording) is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for works containing quality vocal performances in the dance music and/or electronic music genres. Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position".

The award for Best Dance Recording was first presented to Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder in 1998 for the song "Carry On". In 2003, the Academy moved the category from the "Pop" field into a new "Dance" field, alongside the category Best Dance/Electronic Album. According to the Academy, the award is designated for solo, duo, group or collaborative performances (vocal or instrumental), and is limited to singles or tracks only. (Full article...)