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What do you really want to know about the music artists you love most? American Songwriter has the latest news on popular music’s most fascinating figures, of course. But let’s go deeper. Let’s pick through the inner-workings of a smash hit. Or learn about songs you may think you know well, but most certainly do not know the famous artists who wrote them.

Is a rising star you’ve only kinda-sorta heard about playing the Grammys? We’ll have interesting articles with backstory galore on what makes them tick as songwriters and musicians. Perhaps the singer you saw live the other night name-checked a legendary influence you’re not familiar with. American Songwriter will familiarize you with the source of your favorite artist’s inspiration.

The unique angles from which we approach music history are just about endless. Your path to music wisdom just got a whole lot shorter.

Latest stories

R.E.M. members playing instruments together

Why R.E.M. Stopped Playing This 1991 Song for Good After Just Two Performances

3 Rock Songs Everyone Knows — But No One Listens to Closely Enough

3 Famous Songs That Everyone Knows, but No One Listens to Closely Enough

Laura Nyro in the studio

This Underrated 1968 Pop Album That Inspired Elton John Still Sounds So Good Almost 60 Years Later

3 of the Most Pivotal Country Albums Came Out in 1970

3 of the Most Pivotal Country Albums That Came Out in the Year 1970

These 3 Rock Songs From 1988 Have Unbelievably Sad Lyrics, but We Keep Listening to Them Anyway

3 Stunning Covers of Songs That Were More Successful Than the Original Versions

More stories

  • On the Charts in 1986, Falco’s Novelty Tune About a Classical Music Icon Became the First German-Language Song to Top the Hot 100

    On the Charts in 1986, Falco’s Novelty Tune About Mozart Became the First German-Language Song To Top the Hot 100

    March 29, 2026, 3:30 pm

  • Sibling rock duo Malcolm and Angus Young of AC/DC

    Why AC/DC Never Performed This Song Live, Even Though It Went No. 1 and Appeared in an Arnold Schwarzenegger Cult Classic

    March 29, 2026, 3:23 pm

  • On This Day in 2020, We Said Goodbye to Country Music’s ‘90s “Pickup Man”

    On This Day in 2020, We Said Goodbye to Country Music’s “Pickup Man” of the 90s

  • Sheryl Crow Sang the Demo on This Massive Hit for Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood

    Sheryl Crow Sang the Demo on This Massive Hit for Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood

    March 29, 2026, 2:00 pm

  • John Deacon and Freddie Mercury 1977

    3 Classic Rock Songs From the 1970s That Drove Mom and Dad Crazy

    March 29, 2026, 1:38 pm

  • 3 Retro Rock Songs That We Can Still Feel the Influence Of Today

    1 Comment

    3 Pairs of Country and Rock Songs That Are About the Same Emotion

    March 29, 2026, 1:30 pm

  • On the Charts 46 Years Ago, Conway Twitty Hit No. 1 With This Steamy Ode To Keeping the Marital Flame Alive

    On the Charts 46 Years Ago, Conway Twitty Hit No. 1 With This Steamy Ode To Keeping the Marital Flame Alive

    March 29, 2026, 1:03 pm

  • 1 Comment

    3 Indie Bands From the 2010s That You Know by Their Hits (And Other Songs You’re Missing Out On)

    March 29, 2026, 1:00 pm

  • 3 Real People That Inspired the Lyrics to These Beatles Hits

    3 of the Most Underrated and Overrated Songs From The Beatles’ Psychedelic Era

  • New Year's Rockin' Eve 1974

    3 of the Best Pop Songs That Close Out Albums From the 1970s

    March 29, 2026, 12:30 pm

  • On This Day in 1998, a Fatal Mistake Turned Johnny Rodriguez’s Life Into a Bad Country Song—and a Near Life Sentence

    Where Are They Now? These 3 Country Artists From the 1970s Who Disappeared

    March 29, 2026, 12:01 pm

  • The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger Made a Surprise Visit to His Old Grammar School and Sang with Some of the Music Students

    Remember When: Mick Jagger Released a Solo Album That Caused Major Turmoil in the Rolling Stones Camp in 1985

    March 29, 2026, 12:00 pm

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  • R.E.M. members playing instruments together

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    This Underrated 1968 Pop Album That Inspired Elton John Still Sounds So Good Almost 60 Years Later

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    3 of the Most Pivotal Country Albums That Came Out in the Year 1970

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    • Subscribe to Newsletter
      • Sign up for The Daily Co-Write
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  • Latest News
  • Contests
    • Song Contest
      • Enter Song Contest
      • Song Contest Winners
      • Rules and Deadlines
      • Meet the Judges
    • Lyric Contest
      • Enter Lyric Contest
      • Dream Day on Music Row
      • Lyric Contest Winners
      • 2026 Lyric Contest Judges
      • Rules and Deadlines
    • Road Ready Talent Contest
      • Enter Road Ready
      • Road Ready Winners
      • The Public’s Pick
      • Road Ready Rules and Deadlines
    • Hip Hop Contest
      • Enter The Beat4Beat Contest
    • Contest Promotions
      • Promotion Winners
  • Song Contest
  • Community
    • Subscribe to Magazine
    • Subscribe to Newsletter
    • Foundations Songwriting Course
    • Apply To Songwriting Camps
    • Become Songwriter Member
    • Access Membership Hub
    • Manage My Subscription/Membership
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  • Watch
    • Watch on YouTube
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