Top Stories

Stories in Beat that you’ll love, handpicked by our team.

A Tapestry of Sound and Vision
Even before MTV made “music video” an everyday term, rock and roll existed as a visual medium almost as much as a sonic one. One of the most obvious side effects of this duality has been the numerous attempts to encapsulate the cultural significance of rock music for television and film. Though not focused solely on rock music, the documentary series Soundbreaking, which aired on PBS before being released on DVD and digitally, is arguably the most successful effort to date. Somewhat paradoxically, the fact that that the program isn't totally focused on rock and roll is what makes it virtually definitive on the subject.
By Don Klees6 years ago in Beat
To the Beat: September 2019
To the Beat is a new series curated by our team, from your stories. Creators on Beat share all kinds of music everyday, so we wanted to make it easier for you to access it all in one place. At the end of every month, we'll be sharing a playlist with songs that have inspired our creators to share stories about them on Vocal. From music that makes you dance, to songs that bring a smile to your face, or those that helped you get over a breakup—you'll find a little bit of everything on To the Beat.
By Vocal Curation Team6 years ago in Beat
How to Grow Your Presence on Spotify
Ok, so you have your music on Spotify. But you notice that your numbers aren't quite what they should be. Not many people are following you or you aren't getting much traffic. Well let's start by breaking a few things down:
By Shawn Dall6 years ago in Beat
The Ultimate Rocky Mountain Roadtrip Playlist: PART 1
Imagine. It’s 5 AM, your alarm goes off and you’re instantly groggy and grumpy by being awake this early. Then you remember why you’re awake—you and your friends have been planning this weekend for months. You packed up the car last night, so all you have to do is pick all passengers up, grab coffees, and hit the road straight for the mountains for a weekend jammed packed with hiking, mountain biking, and climbing. Or maybe you're skiing and snowboarding, I don’t know what time of year it is for you!
By Celia Olson6 years ago in Beat
14 Totally Tubular Songs From 1984 That 'American Horror Story' Fans Must Listen to Now
American Horror Story is back, and Season 9 of Ryan Murphy's FX anthology series is taking viewers back in time to 1984. Fans couldn't be more excited about the show going retro with its references to 80s slasher flicks like Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street, and, judging from the series' new opening credits, AHS: 1984 is going to feature an awesome soundtrack.
By Treva Bowdoin6 years ago in Beat
Can We Talk...
Premiering on September 5, and with already 25+ million views, the "Old Town Road" top-charting artist Lil Nas X released the much-anticipated video for his song, "Panini."
By Melanie Ernestina6 years ago in Beat
Friday's Five at 5 | Volume One
Welcome to "Friday's Five at 5," a series of blog posts which inform you of the best up-and-coming independent artists of right now. This series will reveal some of the most talented musicians in your local area, most of whom are extremely underrated and unfortunately unknown, despite their copious amounts of talent.
By Talya Jacobson7 years ago in Beat
A Guide for New Artists/Singer-Songwriters/Bands
My name is Kate Pavli, and I am a Rock artist called Finding Kate based in London. I moved to London when I was just 17 to pursue my career in music, and along the way I have experienced a lot within the music industry.
By Kate Pavli7 years ago in Beat
Why I Don't Hate "Old Town Road"
I'm 43 years old, and I don't hate "Old Town Road." Repeatedly, I have been told by people my age, and just a little younger, that I am supposed to hate "Old Town Road." Why? Some cite how it combines genres that they assume don't belong together, country and hip hop, or because the song is overly repetitive and meaningless. Some cite the fact that the song features the oft-derided, and rightfully demeaned, Billy Ray Cyrus as a reason the song should be dismissed out of hand.
By Sean Patrick7 years ago in Beat
Joshua Tree
It was a week after my youngest child’s birth. A very special time birth is, a new beginning not only for the child but for all of us. Baby’s mother wanted time to bond with the little one. So we pack up some things and leave for the day.
By Justin Harris7 years ago in Beat
Awakening the Water Dragon
In a small, but popular town, there was a local lake visited by many. Within this dark blue lake lived a dragon of water which has been in a deep slumber for many years. The dragon also had dark blue skin and did not want to be disturbed. People from all over the world have wandered through the park where the dragon lives. The park contains green grass, colorful flowers, one sidewalk for both joggers and runners, and large trees which visitors could have picnics under. At the lake, there are warning signs stating not to throw items into it. These cautionary signs were established to prevent the reawakening of the water dragon following the past incident.
By Frank Sartain7 years ago in Beat
What Rico Nasty Means to the Music Industry
"Hey, you're being really aggressive right now. Is it possible for you to just relax?" I am sure that most black women, if not most, then all of us have had encounters in which our directness or our boldness was incorrectly interpreted as anger, or encounters where we are, in fact, angry for a valid reason, but our right to express our frustration was dismissed as an act of unjustified hostility.
By Nadya K7 years ago in Beat