On this day: the curiosities from the world of music on January 11

Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, William Michael Albert Broad or Peter Gene Hernandez: perhaps not all of you know these names, but in reality they are the original name and surname of some of the most famous singers in the world.

Musicians often change their stage name for commercial reasons, to shorten it or to make it easier to memorize. Others choose a new name for convenience or emotional reasons.

Here is the real name of some of the most famous musicians and how it was chosen.

Officially entering the world of record trade is not easy for any musician, which is why the release of the debut album is probably the most important moment for those who dream of working with music.

In 2013, the music magazine Rolling Stone compiled the ranking of the 100 best debut albums. This is the methodology: some albums were excluded if the artist then accomplished even greater feats, while debut albums with incredible success were highlighted that were subsequently no longer equaled by their artists.

Also excluded from the ranking are debut albums by solo artists by musicians who were already known in band (e.g. John Lennon). Here are the top ten positions.

Who says that there are only guitars, pianos and drums? The world of musical instruments is very rich, varied and original.

In fact, there are instruments that are little known all over the world, but equally interesting both for the operating modes and for the type of sound they produce.

Some of these instruments represent variants of traditional instruments such as the flute or double bass, while others are totally original, born from the inventiveness and creativity of musicians, craftsmen, but also of scientists (for example Benjamin Franklin).

Here are some of the most unique tools in the world that you may not have known!

Not just intros: songs sometimes make it to the top of the charts thanks to unforgettable, all-singing choruses. Making this list was NME, New Musical Express, Britain's historic weekly music magazine.

Three key elements were taken into consideration in making this list:

1. The ability of the refrain to move the listener

2. The ability of the refrain to make the listener sing along

3. The ability of the refrain to make the listener dance.

Here is the list of the most recognizable refrains: do you agree with this ranking or would you have changed anything?

A survey conducted by magazine Classic Rock , in 2018, determined the best guitar solos ever for readers of this periodical.

Classic Rock is a British magazine dedicated, as its name implies, to rock music.  Published by Future, this magazine is also responsible for its sister publications Metal Hammer and Prog.

Although it focuses mainly on band most important from the 1960s to the early 1990s, the magazine also includes articles and reviews of contemporary artists and new bands it deems noteworthy.

Here are what the best solos are according to the readers of Classic Rock.

The well-known specialized magazine Rolling Stone published in 2003 the list of the 500 best music albums of all time.

The list was determined through voting by a special jury composed of 273 musicians, critics, historians and personalities of the music industry. Each juror could express up to 50 preferences.

This ranking has then been updated twice, undergoing radical changes: the first change was in 2012, the second in 2020. In the latest version, 154 new albums have been added, 86 of them from the XXI century.

Very short, but intense: some songs last only a few minutes (or even a few seconds), but are enough to remain in the history of rock and music in general.

In this ranking, we find some of the most famous rock songs, but also those of shorter overall length.

These songs include some famous ones by artists such as RHCP, Led Zeppelin and, of course, The Beatles, who are somehow always present when it comes to charts.

Here are some of the shortest songs in rock history!

The definition of a phobia indicates an irrational and persistent fear and revulsion of certain situations, objects, activities, animals or people that can, in severe cases limit the autonomy of the sufferer.

Even the most famous singers are affected by some phobias, more or less peculiar, from the classic fear of flying to the unusual fear of owls: in fact, phobias are often related to traumatic events and can appear strange in the eyes of the sufferer.

Here are the fears that some of the most famous singers have admitted having.

The American Film Institute has released its ranking of the 100 best songs that are part of the soundtrack of U.S. movies.

In order to be selected, the films had to meet these criteria: they had to be at least 60 minutes long, they had to be in English, they had to have won critical acclaim, and they had to have won awards and popularity over time, leaving a positive impact on American music.

Here are the Top 15 best English-language songs excerpted from movies according to AFI.

How many times in your life have you listened to songs extracted from the best-selling albums of all time? Some albums have changed the history of music and art in general, and their value has been certified by the number of copies of the album purchased.

These records are iconic and have marked an era: even today, many people buy a copy of such albums to keep a historical product with them, especially now that vinyls are popular again.

Here are what are the best-selling albums of all time according to data provided by the certification bodies made available by different nations, taking into consideration, of course, the number of officially declared sales.

These days is depopulating on the net (and not only), the song Music Session #53, made by the Argentine rapper and record producer Bizarrap in collaboration with the singer Shakira.

In this song, Shakira lashes out very harshly against her ex-husband, former footballer Gerard Piqué, who ended his relationship with the Colombian singer after falling in love with the 24-year-old model Clara Chia Marti.

The lyrics of this song are very harsh and the song has depopulated everywhere, getting 14.4 million stream out of Spotify in one day. But that of Shakira is not the only case of song dedicated to the former partner: many singers of all ages have done something similar, not necessarily to lash out against this person, but also to thank him for the part of the life path accomplished together. Here are some of the most famous songs that musicians have dedicated to their exes!

The password in the luxury industry is "customization" to the customer's wishes. In the case of pianos, this trend has created amazing musical instruments.

A grand piano is a major investment, and it is natural that it involves not only the financial aspect, but also the emotional aspect, since it is about the passion of playing and listening to music.

To understand what it means when it comes to a high-end piano, here are what are the 10 most expensive pianos in the world according to the portal Luxury Pianos.

The well-known US magazine Rolling Stone in 2021 has updated the list of the 500 most beautiful songs of all time.

The ranking was first published on December 11, 2003 and was compiled by a jury chosen by the editorial staff, composed of 172 musicians, music critics and experts in the recording industry. Subsequently, the ranking was changed twice: the first in 2010, the second in 2021, when 254 songs that were previously not present were added.

Obviously, there is nothing more subjective than music: these songs are considered the best according to the criteria defined by Rolling Stonemagazine, but each of us has his own personal ranking of the best songs ever. Here, however, is the Top 20 of Rolling Stone.

Sleeper Hit: this term refers to songs that achieved international fame long after their release as singles, months, years or even decades later.

There are many reasons why a song that initially went unnoticed can later become a hit: for example, the inclusion of the song on the soundtrack of a film or TV series, or the release of a remix of that single.

Here are some of the most famous cases of sleeper hits, songs that reached success late.

In 2008, 'Rolling Stone' compiled a list of the 100 best singers of all time.

This ranking was compiled 15 years ago by 180 people, including several musicians (e.g. Bruce Springsteen, Rod Stewart, Justin Timberlake, George Michael, Keith Richards), journalists and music experts.

On 1 January 2023, however, 'Rolling Stone' published an update of the ranking that revolutionised the list, especially with regard to the Top Ten. As the well-known US magazine was keen to point out, this ranking does not only take into account technical and vocal abilities (it is not a list of the best voices of all time), but also the originality of the vocal timbre, the record catalogue, the writing ability and the musical legacy of the singers in question. Here are the top 20 positions.