Portal:Record production

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The Record Production Portal

Noted audio engineer Roger Nichols at a vintage Neve recording console

P:RECORD

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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Year Zero is the fifth studio album by the American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, released by Interscope Records on April 17, 2007. Conceived while touring in support of the band's previous album, With Teeth (2005), the album was recorded in late 2006. It was produced by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, and was the band's first studio album since 1994's The Downward Spiral that was not co-produced by long-time collaborator Alan Moulder. It was the band's last album for Interscope, following Reznor's departure the same year due to a dispute regarding overseas pricing.

In contrast to the introspective style of songwriting featured on the band's previous work, the record is a concept album that criticizes contemporary policies of the United States government by presenting a dystopian vision of the year 2022. It was part of a larger Year Zero project, which included a remix album, an alternate reality game of the same name, as well as a conceived television or film adaptation. The game expanded upon the album's storyline, using websites, pre-recorded phone messages, murals, among other media in promotion of the project. The album was promoted by two singles: "Survivalism" and "Capital G". (Full article...)
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Californication is the seventh studio album by U.S. rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on June 8, 1999, on Warner Bros. Records. It was produced by Rick Rubin. Along with Blood Sugar Sex Magik, Californication is one of the band’s best-selling albums.

Californication marked the return of guitarist John Frusciante, who'd previously appeared on Mother's Milk and Blood Sugar Sex Magik, and shifted the band's style. The lyrics incorporated the sexual innuendos already associated with the band, but added themes including death, California, suicide, drugs, globalization and travel. (Full article...)
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Tchaikovsky, c. 1888

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (/tʃaɪˈkɒfski/ chy-KOF-skee; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer during the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. Tchaikovsky wrote some of the most popular concert and theatrical music in the current classical repertoire, including the ballets Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, the 1812 Overture, his First Piano Concerto, Violin Concerto, the Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy, several symphonies, and the opera Eugene Onegin.

Although musically precocious, Tchaikovsky was educated for a career as a civil servant as there was little opportunity for a musical career in Russia at the time and no system of public music education. When an opportunity for such an education arose, he entered the nascent Saint Petersburg Conservatory, from which he graduated in 1865. The formal Western-oriented teaching that Tchaikovsky received there set him apart from composers of the contemporary nationalist movement embodied by the Russian composers of The Five with whom his professional relationship was mixed. (Full article...)
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Electra Heart is the second studio album by Welsh singer-songwriter Marina Diamandis, released under the stage name Marina and the Diamonds. It was released on 27 April 2012 by 679 Artists and Atlantic Records. Diamandis collaborated with producers including Liam Howe, Greg Kurstin, Dr. Luke, Diplo and Stargate during its recording, and subsequently transitioned from the new wave musical styles seen throughout her debut studio album, The Family Jewels (2010). Their efforts resulted in a concept album consisting of electropop and dance-pop music, a distinct departure from her earlier projects. Lyrically, the album discusses topics of love and identity. Diamandis created the title character "Electra Heart" to represent female archetypes in popular American culture (House Wife, Beauty Queen, Homewrecker, and Idle Teen).

Music critics were divided in their opinions of Electra Heart, expressing ambivalence towards Diamandis' shift in musical style and its overall production. However, the album retrospectively earned the status of a cult classic, with Rolling Stone listing it among the 50 greatest concept albums of all time. The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart with first-week sales of 21,358 copies. In doing so, it earned Diamandis her first chart-topping album there. The album was eventually certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for exceeding shipments of 100,000 units. Electra Heart performed moderately on international charts, including a peak position of number 31 on the US Billboard 200, and became Diamandis' highest-charting album in the United States at the time selling an estimated 11,000 copies. The album was eventually certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for exceeding shipments of 500,000 units. (Full article...)
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Gaetano Donizetti, 1842 portrait

L'Ange de Nisida (The Angel of Nisida) is an opera semiseria in four acts by Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti, from a French-language libretto by Alphonse Royer and Gustave Vaëz.

Parts of the libretto are considered analogous with the libretto for Giovanni Pacini's Adelaide e Comingio, and the final scene is based on the François-Thomas-Marie de Baculard d'Arnaud play Les Amants malheureux, ou le comte de Comminges. Donizetti worked on the opera in late 1839—its final page is dated 27 December 1839. Because the subject matter involved the mistress of a Neapolitan king, and may thus have caused difficulties with the Italian censors, Donizetti decided that the opera should be presented in France. The theater company Donizetti contracted went bankrupt; the opera was reworked as La favorite in September 1840. L'Ange finally received its premiere in its original form in 2018 in a concert performance at London's Royal Opera House. (Full article...)
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Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded is the reissue of Barbadian singer Rihanna's third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad (2007). It was first released digitally in selected countries on June 2, 2008, by Def Jam Recordings and SRP Records. Launched to mark the first anniversary of the original album, Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded features three newly recorded songs and a DVD showing exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of Rihanna's worldwide tour, the Good Girl Gone Bad Tour (2007–2009). For the new material, she worked with past collaborators Ne-Yo, Stargate, and C. "Tricky" Stewart, as well as Brian Kennedy, Mark Endert, Mike Elizondo, Mark "Spike" Stent and Maroon 5.

Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded received generally positive reviews from music critics, who praised the sound and production of the newly added material. However, other critics felt that the album was not worthy of re-release with only three new songs. Among other awards and achievements, the reissue's songs earned two Grammy nominations at the 2009 ceremony; "Disturbia" was nominated for Best Dance Recording, while "If I Never See Your Face Again" (featuring Maroon 5) received a nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. (Full article...)
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Mother's Milk is the fourth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on August 16, 1989 by EMI Records. After the death of founding guitarist Hillel Slovak and the subsequent departure of drummer Jack Irons, vocalist Anthony Kiedis and bassist Flea regrouped with the addition of guitarist John Frusciante and drummer Chad Smith. Frusciante's influence altered the band's sound by placing more emphasis on melody than rhythm, which had dominated the band's previous material. Returning producer Michael Beinhorn favored heavy metal guitar riffs as well as overdubbing. Frusciante perceived Beinhorn's taste as excessive, and as a result, the two constantly fought over the album's guitar sound.

Mother's Milk was a greater commercial success than the band's first three albums, peaking at number 52 on the US Billboard 200. It received widespread airplay for the three singles which are the cover of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground", "Knock Me Down" and "Taste the Pain", and it became their first gold record in early 1990. Although it was not met with the same positive critical reception that its predecessor The Uplift Mofo Party Plan (1987) had garnered, Mother's Milk was the first step for the band in achieving international success and, according to Amy Hanson of AllMusic, "turned the tide and transformed the band from underground funk-rocking rappers to mainstream bad boys with seemingly very little effort." (Full article...)
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R.E.M. performing in 2003. From left to right: Mike Mills (partially cropped), Michael Stipe, touring drummer Bill Rieflin, and Peter Buck

R.E.M. was an American alternative 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. One of the first alternative rock bands, R.E.M. was noted for Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style; Stipe's distinctive vocal quality, unique stage presence, and obscure lyrics; Mills's melodic bass lines and backing vocals; and Berry's tight, economical drumming style. In the early 1990s, other alternative rock acts such as Nirvana, Pixies and Pavement viewed R.E.M. as a pioneer of the genre. After Berry left in 1997, the band 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), Document (1987) and Green (1988). 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, and began to espouse political and environmental concerns while playing arenas worldwide. (Full article...)
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Sir Adrian Cedric Boult, CH (/boʊlt/; 8 April 1889 – 22 February 1983) was a British conductor. Brought up in a prosperous mercantile family, he followed musical studies in England and at Leipzig, Germany, with early conducting work in London for the Royal Opera House and Sergei Diaghilev's ballet company. His first prominent post was conductor of the City of Birmingham Orchestra in 1924. When the British Broadcasting Corporation appointed him director of music in 1930, he established the BBC Symphony Orchestra and became its chief conductor. The orchestra set standards of excellence that were rivalled in Britain only by the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO), founded two years later.

Forced to leave the BBC in 1950 on reaching retirement age, Boult became principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The orchestra had declined from its peak of the 1930s, but under his guidance its fortunes were revived. He retired as its chief conductor in 1957, and later accepted the post of president. Although in the latter part of his career he worked with several other orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and his former orchestra, the BBC Symphony, it was the LPO with which he was primarily associated, conducting it in concerts and recordings until 1978, in what was widely called his "Indian summer". (Full article...)
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The Beatles in 1964; clockwise from top left: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison

The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the most influential band in Western popular music and were integral to the development of 1960s counterculture and the recognition of popular music as an art form. Rooted in skiffle, beat and 1950s rock 'n' roll, their sound incorporated elements of classical music and traditional pop in innovative ways. The band also explored music styles ranging from folk and Indian music to psychedelia and hard rock. As pioneers in recording, songwriting and artistic presentation, the Beatles revolutionised many aspects of the music industry and were often publicised as leaders of the era's youth and sociocultural movements.

Led by primary songwriters Lennon and McCartney, the Beatles evolved from Lennon's previous group, the Quarrymen, and built their reputation by playing clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg, Germany, over three years starting in 1960, initially with Stuart Sutcliffe playing bass. The core trio of Lennon, McCartney and Harrison, together since 1958, went through a succession of drummers, including Pete Best, before inviting Starr to join them in 1962. Manager Brian Epstein moulded them into a professional act, and producer George Martin guided and developed their recordings, greatly expanding their domestic success after they signed with EMI and achieved their first hit, "Love Me Do", in late 1962. As their popularity grew into the intense fan frenzy dubbed "Beatlemania", the band acquired the nickname "the Fab Four". Epstein, Martin or other members of the band's entourage were sometimes informally referred to as a "fifth Beatle". (Full article...)
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Alicia is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter and pianist Alicia Keys. It was primarily recorded at Oven Studios and Jungle City Studios, both in New York, after her 2016 album Here and her judgeship on the singing competition series The Voice, before being released by RCA Records on September 18, 2020. Written and produced largely by Keys, the album also features songwriting and production contributions from Swizz Beatz, Ryan Tedder, Johnny McDaid, Ed Sheeran, and The-Dream, among others. Keys collaborated with more artists on the recording than in her previous albums, enlisting vocalists such as Sampha, Tierra Whack, Diamond Platnumz, Snoh Aalegra, and Jill Scott for certain tracks.

Alicia's mostly low-tempo and melodically subtle music reconciles the experimental direction of Here with her earlier work's bass drum-driven R&B and piano-based balladry. Throughout, individual songs incorporate sounds from a wide range of other genres, including orchestral pop, progressive soul, funk, ambient, country, and Caribbean music. Thematically, they explore identity as a multifaceted concept, sociopolitical concerns, and forms of love within the framework of impressionistic lyrics, personal narratives, and self-knowledge. Keys has described the album as therapeutic and reflective of greater introspection in herself, expressing ideas and feelings of hope, frustration, despair, ambivalence, and equanimity shared in her memoir More Myself (2020), which was written during Alicia's recording. (Full article...)
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Kala is the second studio album by British recording artist M.I.A. It was released on 8 August 2007 through XL Recordings. M.I.A. named the album after her mother and has stated that her mother's struggles in life are a major theme of the album. It was mainly written and produced by M.I.A. and Switch, and features contributions from Timbaland, Diplo, Afrikan Boy and The Wilcannia Mob.

Initially planning to work with American producer Timbaland for the bulk of the album, M.I.A. was unable to gain a long-term work visa to enter the US. Therefore, she recorded Kala in numerous countries around the world, including India, Angola, Trinidad, Liberia, Jamaica and Australia. M.I.A. and Switch relied heavily on the digital audio workstation Logic Pro and recorded additional vocals and background sounds outside the studio environment. Kala incorporates prominent influences from South Asian music, featuring samples of Bollywood and Tamil cinema. The album draws on various styles, from funk carioca to African folk. The songs are about political themes related to the Third World, including illegal immigration, poverty and capitalism. (Full article...)

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... that Light Vessel 95 is now a recording studio?
... that according to Billboard magazine, Laufey created a blueprint for jazz music in the modern music industry and helped push it back into the mainstream?
... that when Divine's song "Lately" topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1998, it became the first number-one single for the performers, the songwriters, the producers, and the record labels?
... that to promote the Buffalo Club, Rising Tide Records sent packages of plastic buffalo to music industry executives in Nashville?
... 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 one critic interpreted a SZA song as being about her fears about the growing influence of AI in the music industry?

Born this day

Birthdays in Music: January 9

Joan Baez, American folk rock singer and songwriter, turns 84.
Dick Yount, American bassist and vocalist with Harpers Bizarre, turns 82.
Jimmy Page, Brit guitarist and record producer, turns 81.
David Johansen, American vocalist with New York Dolls, turns 75.
Crystal Gayle, American singer and songwriter, turns 74.
Cristi Minculescu, Romanian lead vocalist with IRIS, turns 66.
Eric Erlandson, American guitarist with Hole, turns 62.
Phil Hartnoll, Brit disc jockey with Orbital, turns 61.
Haddaway, (born Alexander Nestor Haddaway) German eurodance musician, turns 60.
Dave Matthews, South African guitarist and vocalist with Dave Matthews Band, turns 58.
Carl Bell, American guitarist and songwriter for Fuel, turns 58.
Al Schnier, American guitarist, turns 57.
Lara Fabian, Belgian singer, turns 55.
Alex Staropoli, Italian keyboardist, turns 55.
Hayes Carll, Singer Song Writer Singer Songwriter, turns 49.
AJ McLean, (born Alexander James McLean) American boy band vocalist with Backstreet Boys, turns 47.
Tomiko Van, Japanese j-pop singer, turns 46.
Paolo Nutini, Brit singer-songwriter, turns 38.
Paris Monroe, American singer and member of Clique Girlz, turns 29.

Steven Harwell (Record production, 1967 –September 4, 2023), American vocalist with Smash Mouth, would have turned 58 this year.
Daniel Dumile (Record production, 1971 –October 31, 2020), (a.k.a. MF DOOM) American hip hop musician, would have turned 54 this year.
Rio Reiser (Record production, 1950 –August 20, 1996), German vocalist of Ton Steine Scherben fame, would have turned 75 this year.
Bill Cowsill (Record production, 1948 –February 17, 2006), American lead vocalist with The Cowsills, would have turned 77 this year.
Tim Hart (Record production, 1948 –December 24, 2009), Brit guitarist and vocalist with Steeleye Span, would have turned 77 this year.
Scott Walker (b. Scott Engel) (Record production, 1943–March 22, 2019 ), British-American vocalist for The Walker Brothers, would have turned 82 this year.
Kenneth Kelley (Record production, 1943 –February 17, 2015), American vocalist with The Manhattans, would have turned 82 this year.
Freddie Starr (Record production, 1943 –May 9, 2019), English comedian and singer, would have turned 82 this year.
Barbara Buczek (Record production, 1940 –January 17, 1993), Polish composer, would have turned 85 this year.
Jimmy Boyd (Record production, 1940–March 07, 2009), American actor and singer, would have turned 85 this year.
Malcolm Cecil (Record production, 1937 –March 28, 2021), Brit jazz bassist and founder of TONTO's Expanding Head Band , would have turned 88 this year.
Carson Smith (Record production, 1931 –November 02, 1997), American bass player, would have turned 94 this year.
Domenico Modugno (Record production, 1928 –August 06, 1994), Italian singer and songwriter, would have turned 97 this year.
Bucky Pizzarelli (Record production, 1926 –April 01, 2020), American jazz guitarist, would have turned 99 this year.
Roger Guerin (Record production, 1926 –February 06, 2010), French trumpeter, would have turned 99 this year.
Vic Mizzy (Record production, 1922 –October 17, 2009), American composer of television and film scores, would have turned 103 this year.
Clive Dunn (Record production, 1920 –November 06, 2012), Brit actor and singer, would have turned 105 this year.
Betty Roche (Record production, 1920 –February 16, 1999), American vocalist, would have turned 105 this year.
Jimmy Maxwell (Record production, 1917 –July 20, 2002), American trumpeter, would have turned 108 this year.
Charlie Harris (Record production, 1916 –September 13, 2003), American bass player, would have turned 109 this year.
Kenny Clarke (Record production, 1914 –January 26, 1985), (born Kenneth Clarke Spearman) American bebop drummer, would have turned 111 this year.
Billy O'Connor (Record production, 1914 –November 18, 2001), Canadian pianist, songwriter, and vocalist, would have turned 111 this year.
Dick Jurgens (Record production, 1910 –October 05, 1995), American bandleader, would have turned 115 this year.
Mel Stitzel (Record production, 1902 –December 31, 1952), German pianist, would have turned 123 this year.
Rudolf Bing (Record production, 1902 –September 02, 1997), Austrian-born opera stage manager, would have turned 123 this year.
Alexander Tcherepnin (Record production, 1899 –September 29, 1977), Russian composer, would have turned 126 this year.
Gracie Fields (Record production, 1898 –September 27, 1979), English vaudeville performer, would have turned 127 this year.
Ed Garland (Record production, 1885 –January 22, 1980), American bass player, would have turned 140 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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Paramore is the fourth studio album by the American rock band Paramore. It was released on April 5, 2013, through Fueled by Ramen as a follow-up to Brand New Eyes (2009). Recorded between April and November 2012, the album was described by the band as being a "statement" and a reintroduction of the band to the world and to themselves. It is the first album without guitarist Josh Farro, the only album without drummer Zac Farro and the final album with bassist Jeremy Davis before his departure in 2015.

The album was produced by Justin Meldal-Johnsen, with lead guitarist Taylor York co-producing on four tracks. In contrast to band's previous work, the production of Paramore showcases the band's experimentation with new musical genres, such as new wave and funk rock, and features three acoustic interludes. Paramore received acclaim from music critics, who praised the band's maturity and experimentation in terms of musicianship as well as Williams' vocals and overall presence on the album. Several publications included the album in their year-end lists, including The A.V. Club and The Guardian. (Full article...)
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Ricky Martin is the first English album and fifth studio album by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin. It was released on May 11, 1999, by Columbia Records. Following the release of four Spanish-language albums, and the huge success of his fourth studio album, Vuelve (1998), Martin announced the recording of his first English-language album. He worked with producers KC Porter, Robi Rosa, and Desmond Child to create the album. Musically, Ricky Martin consists of dance-pop tracks, power ballads, mid-tempo pop songs, and rock numbers. After the album's release, Martin embarked on the worldwide Livin' la Vida Loca Tour, which was the highest-grossing tour of 2000 by a Latin artist.

The album was supported by four singles. The lead single "Livin' la Vida Loca" topped the charts in more than 20 countries and is considered to be Martin's biggest hit and one of the best-selling singles of all time. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for five consecutive weeks, becoming Martin's first number one single on the chart. Follow-up singles "She's All I Ever Had", "Shake Your Bon-Bon", and "Private Emotion" became number one and top 10 hits around the world. Ricky Martin received generally favorable reviews from music critics, who complimented its various genres and styles. Paste ranked the album as one of the "10 Best Solo Albums by Former Boy Band Members" in 2020. It was nominated for Best Pop Album at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards. (Full article...)
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Mariah Carey is the debut studio album by American R&B singer Mariah Carey, released on June 12, 1990, by Columbia Records. Its music incorporates a range of contemporary genres with a mix of slow ballads and up-tempo tracks. Originally, Carey wrote four songs with Ben Margulies, which solely constituted her demo tape. After Carey was signed to Columbia, all four songs, after being altered and partially re-recorded, made the final cut for the album. Aside from Margulies, Carey worked with a range of professional writers and producers, all of whom were hired by Columbia CEO, Tommy Mottola. Mariah Carey featured production and writing from Rhett Lawrence, Ric Wake and Narada Michael Walden, all of whom were top record producers at the time. Together with Carey, they conceived the album and reconstructed her original demo tape.

Mariah Carey generally received positive reviews, with critics praising Carey's vocal performance and technique, but were ambivalent towards the songwriting. It became a commercial success, topping the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart for 11 consecutive weeks. Mariah Carey was certified nine-times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting shipments of nine million copies in the United States. The album experienced similar success in Canada, where it topped the charts and was certified seven times Platinum. Mariah Carey fared well in other worldwide territories, reaching the top ten in Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Worldwide, the album has sold more than 15 million copies. (Full article...)
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Phases and Stages is the 17th studio album by American country music singer-songwriter Willie Nelson, released in March 1974. It followed the moderate success of his first Atlantic Records release, Shotgun Willie. Nelson met producer Jerry Wexler at a party where Nelson sang songs from an album he planned to record. The single "Phases and Stages" was originally recorded the same year. Nelson recorded the album at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in two days and Wexler produced it.

The album narrates the story of a divorce. Side one tells the woman's story and side two the man's. The album peaked at number 34 on Billboard's Top Country Albums and the single "Bloody Mary Morning" reached number 17 on Billboard's Country singles. Despite the chart positions attained by the album, and its singles, Atlantic Records closed their Country music division in September 1974. (Full article...)
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Sucker Punch: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack album for the film of the same name. It was released on March 22, 2011 by WaterTower Music. The album consists of covered songs, mainly by the film's stars. Emily Browning sings on three songs, while Carla Gugino and Oscar Isaac perform a cover of Roxy Music's "Love Is the Drug" as a duet. Recording artists Björk, Skunk Anansie, Emilíana Torrini, Queen, Carla Azar, Alison Mosshart and Yoav also have songs on the soundtrack.

All of the covers on the album were produced by Marius de Vries and Tyler Bates, who utilized orchestral and rock sounds. Director Zack Snyder wanted the songs to add depth, dimension and meaning to the fantasy aspects of the film. The recording sessions began in September 2009. Part of Browning's audition for her role in the film included recording herself while singing. Snyder liked her voice and invited her to sing the Smiths' song "Asleep". The crew and Smiths' frontman Morrissey were happy with the result, and Browning recorded two more songs for the soundtrack, including Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" which is played during the film's opening sequence. (Full article...)
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The Amazing Jeckel Brothers is the fifth studio album by American hip hop group Insane Clown Posse, released on May 25, 1999, by Island Records, in association with Psychopathic Records. Recording sessions for the album took place from 1998 to 1999. The album is the fifth Joker's Card in the group's Dark Carnival mythology. The album's lyrics focus on the nine circles of hell and the morality of man as he is torn between righteousness and evil. The album's titular Jeckel Brothers are spirits who juggle balls of fire, representing the sins committed during the mortal life of the dead.

The Amazing Jeckel Brothers was the second studio album Insane Clown Posse released by Island. The Amazing Jeckel Brothers features guest appearances by rappers Ol' Dirty Bastard and Snoop Dogg, and additional contributions by The Jerky Boys and Twiztid. It debuted at number four on the Billboard charts and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). (Full article...)
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The Madcap Laughs is the debut solo album by the English singer-songwriter Syd Barrett. It was recorded after Barrett had left Pink Floyd in April 1968. The album had a lengthy recording history, with work beginning in May 1968, but the bulk of the sessions taking place between April and July 1969, for which five different producers were credited − including Barrett, Peter Jenner (1968 sessions), Malcolm Jones (early-to-mid-1969 sessions), and fellow Pink Floyd members David Gilmour and Roger Waters (mid-1969 sessions). Among the guest musicians are Willie Wilson from Gilmour's old band Jokers Wild and several members of Soft Machine.

The Madcap Laughs, released in January 1970 on Harvest in the UK but not released in the US until 1974, enjoyed minimal commercial success on release, reaching number 40 on the UK's official albums chart. It was re-released in 1974 as part of Syd Barrett (which contained The Madcap Laughs and Barrett), which saw the first US issue of the two LPs. The album was remastered and reissued in 1993, along with Barrett's other albums, Barrett (1970) and Opel (1988), independently and as part of the Crazy Diamond box set. A newly remastered version was released in 2010. (Full article...)
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Versus is the first EP by American singer Usher. It was released on July 20, 2010 on LaFace Records and Jive Records in conjunction with the deluxe edition of his sixth studio album Raymond v. Raymond. Several producers contributed to the production of the EP, including Polow da Don, Jim Jonsin, Rico Love, Drumma Boy, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and Max Martin. Versus is marked as "the last chapter of Raymond v. Raymond", and follows the theme of Usher exploring around the subjects of being newly single and a father.

Preceding the EP's release was the lead single "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love", which achieved international success. The song peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100, and peaked inside the top-ten in several other countries singles charts. "Hot Tottie" and "Lay You Down" were released as the second and third singles, respectively, with the former becoming a US top-thirty hit. To promote the album, Usher appeared in several award and television shows, including Good Morning America, The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live!. (Full article...)
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Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (transl. The Master, the Wife, and the Slave) is a 1962 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Abrar Alvi and produced by Guru Dutt, who also co-stars in it alongside Meena Kumari, Rehman, and Waheeda Rehman. The film is based on Bimal Mitra's Bengali novel Saheb Bibi Golam (1953) and was the second adaptation of the novel after the 1956 Bengali film of the same title, starring Sumitra Devi, Uttam Kumar and Chhabi Biswas. Having seen the novel and its staged version, Dutt wanted to adapt Saheb Bibi Golam into a film. It is set in the 19th century during the British Raj and focuses on Bhoothnath (Dutt), who meets Chhoti Bahu (Kumari), the lonely wife of a zamindar (Rehman). The film follows Chhoti Bahu's effort to keep her husband—who likes drinking and watching tawaifs perform—at their home by drinking with him. She becomes addicted to alcohol, leading both of them into bankruptcy.

The book's rights were bought after his production venture Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1960) became commercially successful and covered his company's loss following the failure of Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), his previous directorial project. Mitra and Alvi took a year to write the screenplay, facing difficulties in translating the novel from Bengali to Hindi. Principal photography took place in Andheri and Dhanyakuria with cinematographer V. K. Murthy; the film was edited by Y. G. Chawhan. Hemant Kumar composed the soundtrack and Shakeel Badayuni wrote the lyrics. (Full article...)
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Headstrong is the debut studio album by American singer Ashley Tisdale, released on February 6, 2007, by Warner Bros. Records. Tisdale began working on the project after the first installment of High School Musical (2006). Tisdale described her work on the album; "…I didn't really know who I was and I was trying to figure out who to do. I now am way more comfortable in my own skin." The performer worked with a variety of established writers and producers on the album, including Diane Warren, J.R. Rotem, Ryan Tedder, Evan "Kidd" Bogart, Bryan Todd and Kara DioGuardi, among others. Commenting that the album garnered its title from her personality, Tisdale said she wanted to use her first album to formally introduce herself “personally”, and not as one of the several characters she is known for.

Headstrong's style derives mainly from the genres of pop, hip-pop and contemporary R&B, backed by electronica. Additionally, the album incorporates hip hop beats, while some tracks infuse dancehall and some styles of world music. The album, lyrically, discusses themes central to modern teen pop, such as broken hearts, crushes and self-confidence. Many music critics compared this first effort to the debut albums of fellow Disney Channel-alums Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. Carrying primarily an urban-pop tone, the "hip pop" of Gwen Stefani was also said to be an influence on the album. Headstrong, itself, received mixed reviews from critics, who—while complimenting it overall—called it ‘ordinary’ and panned the ballads. Critics were also unimpressed to ambivalent regarding Tisdale's vocal skills. Regardless, the album debuted at number five on the Billboard 200, selling over 64,000 copies in its opening week. It was later certified gold by both the RIAA and the Irish Recorded Music Association. (Full article...)
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Mythmaker is the tenth studio album by Canadian electro-industrial band Skinny Puppy. It was released on January 30, 2007 by Synthetic Symphony. Lead vocalist Nivek Ogre said the band took a simplified approach, but that it was a difficult record to make. It charted on a number of billboard charts, and received mostly positive reviews, with critics focusing on whether it was stylistically similar to previous albums.

Tracks from the album were featured in the Saw V soundtrack and Jackass video game. The band supported the album with the Mythrus Tour later the same year it was released. (Full article...)
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MCMXC a.D. is the debut studio album by the German musical project Enigma, led by Romanian-German musician Michael Cretu. It was released in Europe by Virgin Records on 3 December 1990, and in the United States by Charisma Records on 12 February 1991. Cretu became fascinated with mixing archaic sounds with modern music after producing German pop singer Sandra's song "Everlasting Love", for which he experimented with Gregorian chant. Following Michael Cretu and Sandra's marriage in 1988, Michael developed the idea of the musical project Enigma and recorded the album over the course of eight months in 1990 at A.R.T. Studios.

MCMXC a.D. combines new-age music with dance rhythms, as well as combining themes of religion and Gregorian chant with sexuality, for which the album received generally positive reviews from music critics. The Gregorian chant was taken from recordings by Capella Antiqua München, which resulted in the Munich-based choir's label, Polydor Germany suing Cretu and Virgin Records for infringing on its "right of personality". The case was dropped after Cretu agreed to pay compensation. (Full article...)

More selected albums

General images - load new batch

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

Image 1Danny Knicely records with Furnace Mountain Band in Virginia (2012) (from Recording studio)
Image 2Neve VR60, a multitrack mixing console. Above the console are a range of studio monitor speakers. (from Recording studio)
Image 3Donna Summer wearing headphones during a recording session in 1977 (from Recording studio)
Image 4Engineers and producers watch a trumpet player from a window in the control room during a recording session. (from Recording studio)
Image 5The studio at Ridge Radio in Caterham, England (from Recording studio)
Image 6Korg D888 eight-track digital recorder (from Multitrack recording)
Image 7A selection of instruments at a music studio, including a grand piano (from Recording studio)
Image 8Mixing desk with twenty inputs and eight outputs (from Multitrack recording)
Image 9Control room at the Tec de Monterrey, Mexico City Campus (from Recording studio)
Image 10The TEAC 2340, a popular early (1973) home multitrack recorder, four tracks on ¼ inch tape (from Multitrack recording)
Image 11Home studio setup (from Recording studio)
Image 12Digital 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 13Hip 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 14The 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 15The Siemens Studio for Electronic Music c. 1956. (from Recording studio)
Image 16Scully 280 eight-track recorder at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music (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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Flo Rida's first U.S. number-one single "Low" was the longest-running number-one of 2008, topping the chart for 10 consecutive weeks.

The Billboard Hot 100 is a chart that ranks the best-performing singles of the United States. Published by Billboard magazine, the data is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan based collectively on each single's weekly physical and digital sales, and airplay. In 2008, there were 14 singles that topped the chart in 52 issues of the magazine.

Rapper Flo Rida's "Low" was the first number one of the year, and the longest-running single in 2008, staying at number one for 10 consecutive weeks. It is the longest stay at the top for a single since R&B singer Beyoncé's "Irreplaceable" reigned for 10 straight weeks starting in late 2006. "Low" is the best-performing single of 2008 in the United States, ranking number one on Billboard's year end chart of the Top Hot 100 Hits of 2008. Other singles with extended runs at number one include Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl", which stayed at the top spot for seven straight weeks, and T.I.'s "Whatever You Like", which topped the chart for seven non-consecutive weeks. (Full article...)
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Wham!'s "Last Christmas", originally released in 1984, was the 2024 Christmas number one.

In the United Kingdom, Christmas number ones are singles that top the UK Singles Chart in the week in which Christmas Day falls. The singles have often been novelty songs, charity songs or songs with a Christmas theme. Historically, the volume of record sales in the UK has peaked at Christmas.

The Christmas number one is considered especially prestigious. Christmas number-one singles have often also been the best-selling song of the year, though in recent years they have been released by reality television contestants and charity efforts. The Christmas number is announced by BBC Radio 1 on the Friday before Christmas. The most recent Christmas number one single is "Last Christmas" by Wham!. (Full article...)
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Toby Keith, one of the most successful country artists of the 1990s and 2000s, had his first number one in 1993.

Hot Country Songs is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music songs in the United States, published by Billboard magazine. In 1993, 33 different songs topped the chart, then published under the title Hot Country Singles & Tracks, in 52 issues of the magazine, based on weekly airplay data from country music radio stations compiled by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems.

The number one song at the start of the year was "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away" by Vince Gill. It remained in the top spot until the chart dated January 16, when it was replaced by "Somewhere Other Than the Night" by Garth Brooks. Brooks also topped the chart with three other songs during the year, "That Summer", "Ain't Goin' Down ('Til the Sun Comes Up)" and "American Honky-Tonk Bar Association", giving him the most number ones of an artist in 1993. The total of five weeks which the songs spent at number one was the highest total by any act during the year. Tracy Lawrence and Vince Gill each had three number ones during the year, Gill's total including "The Heart Won't Lie", a duet with Reba McEntire. The longest unbroken run at the top was the four weeks which Alan Jackson spent at number one with "Chattahoochee". (Full article...)
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With the issue of Billboard dated August 4, 2018, "Meant to Be" by Bebe Rexha (pictured) and Florida Georgia Line broke the record for the longest run at number one on the Hot Country Songs chart, having been in the top spot for 35 weeks. The song's run at number one ultimately extended to 50 weeks at the top.

Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay are charts that rank the top-performing country music songs in the United States, published by Billboard magazine. Hot Country Songs ranks songs based on digital downloads, streaming, and airplay not only from country stations but from stations of all formats, a methodology introduced in 2012. Country Airplay, which was published for the first time in 2012, is based solely on country radio airplay, a methodology which had previously been used for several decades for Hot Country Songs. In 2018, three different songs topped the Hot Country Songs chart and 33 different songs topped Country Airplay.

The Country Airplay chart began the year with "Like I Loved You" by Brett Young holding the top position, while "Meant to Be" by Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line held the number one spot on Hot Country Songs, continuing a run that had begun on the chart dated December 16, 2017. When "Meant to Be" spent an eleventh week in the top spot in February, it overtook Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" as the longest-running number one song on the chart for a lead female artist. In August, the song spent a 35th consecutive week in the top spot and broke the record previously held by 2017's "Body Like a Back Road" by Sam Hunt for the most weeks at number one on the chart. "Meant to Be" ultimately held the top spot on the Hot Country Songs listing until the issue of Billboard dated November 24, 2018, when it was replaced at number one after 50 weeks by "Lose It" by Kane Brown. This was the second number one for Brown after "What Ifs", which had coincidentally ended Hunt's then-record run the previous year. The longest-tenured number one single on Country Airplay in 2018 was "She Got the Best of Me" by Luke Combs, with four weeks spent at the top. (Full article...)
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Connie Smith (pictured in 2007) ended an eight-week run at number one in January. This would remain the longest run in the top spot by a female vocalist for nearly 50 years.

Hot Country Songs is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music songs in the United States, published by Billboard magazine. In 1965, 19 different singles topped the chart, which was published at the time under the title Hot Country Singles, in 52 issues of the magazine. Chart placings were based on playlists submitted by country music radio stations and sales reports submitted by stores.

At the start of the year, Connie Smith was at number one with "Once a Day", the song's sixth week atop the chart, and remained at number one until the issue dated January 23, 1965, when it was displaced by "You're the Only World I Know" by Sonny James. "Once a Day"'s total of eight consecutive weeks at number one set a new record for the longest unbroken run by a solo female singer atop the Hot Country chart which stood until 2012 when Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" remained atop the chart for nine consecutive weeks. Smith was the only solo female vocalist to appear at number one on the country listing in 1965; the only other female artist to reach the top spot during the year was Priscilla Mitchell, who topped the chart with "Yes, Mr. Peters", a duet with Roy Drusky. (Full article...)
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Luis Enrique was the first artist to reach number one on the Tropical Airplay chart in 1994.

In October 1994, Billboard magazine established Tropical Airplay, a chart that ranks the top-performing songs played on tropical radio stations in the United States based on weekly airplay data compiled by Nielsen's Broadcast Data Systems (BDS). It is a subchart of Hot Latin Songs, which lists the best-performing Spanish-language songs in the country. According to a 1985 article by Billboard, tropical music is the "sound of the Spanish-speaking Caribbean – though it extends beyond it". It usually encompasses dance genres such as salsa, merengue, bachata, vallenato, and the Colombian cumbia and tropical music in Mexico. Five songs topped the chart in 1994 and 12 tracks did the same in 1995. Until November 5, 1994, BDS ran test charts which only listed the number one song of the week on Billboard's electronic database.

The first song to reach number one on the Tropical Airplay chart was "Quién Eres Tú" by Luis Enrique which remained in the top spot for three weeks. It was replaced by La India's cover of "Nunca Voy a Olvidarte", making her the first female artist to reach the top of the chart. Both artists were the only acts to have more than one chart-topper in 1994. La India had the final number one song of the year with her rendition of "Ese Hombre" which was also the first at the start of 1995. La India and Gloria Estefan were the only female acts to reach number one in 1995. (Full article...)
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Randy Travis spent four weeks at number one in 1988.

Hot Country Songs is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music songs in the United States, published by Billboard magazine. In 1988, 49 different songs topped the chart, then published under the title Hot Country Singles, in 53 issues of the magazine, based on playlists submitted by country music radio stations and sales reports submitted by stores.

Only four songs spent more than a single week at number one in 1988: "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses" by Kathy Mattea, "I Told You So" by Randy Travis, "I'll Leave This World Loving You" by Ricky Van Shelton and "When You Say Nothing at All" by Keith Whitley. Travis and Shelton each scored two other number ones during the year to give them a total of four weeks in the top spot. This figure was matched by Rosanne Cash, who achieved three solo number ones and one in collaboration with her then-husband Rodney Crowell, making her the only artist to take four different songs to number one in 1988. Highway 101, Restless Heart, George Strait and Tanya Tucker each topped the chart with three different songs. (Full article...)
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Wynonna spent eight weeks at number one in 1992.

Hot Country Songs is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music songs in the United States, published by Billboard magazine. In 1992, 25 different songs topped the chart, then published under the title Hot Country Singles & Tracks, in 52 issues of the magazine, based on weekly airplay data from country music radio stations compiled by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems.

In early 1992, after performing with her mother in the duo The Judds since the early 1980s, Wynonna Judd, now known mononymously as Wynonna, launched her solo career and achieved immediate success. She topped the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart with her debut single "She Is His Only Need" and followed it up before the end of the year with two more chart-toppers with "I Saw the Light" and "No One Else on Earth". The three songs spent a total of eight weeks at number one, the most by any act in 1992. Alan Jackson was the only other artist to achieve three number ones during the year, but his three chart-toppers, "Dallas", "Love's Got a Hold on You" and "She's Got the Rhythm (And I Got the Blues)", spent only four weeks in total at the top of the chart. Brooks & Dunn, Collin Raye, Garth Brooks and Vince Gill each reached number one with two songs. (Full article...)
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Hank Locklin spent 14 consecutive weeks at number one with "Please Help Me, I'm Falling".

Hot Country Songs is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music songs in the United States, published by Billboard magazine. In 1960, five different songs 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.

In the issue of Billboard dated January 4, the song at number one was "El Paso" by Marty Robbins, the track's third week in the top spot. It held the peak position for the first five weeks of 1960, during which time it also topped the all-genre Hot 100 chart for two weeks. During the remainder of the year, only four other songs reached the top of the Hot C&W Sides listing, three of which each spent twelve or more consecutive weeks at number one. In the issue of Billboard dated February 8, Jim Reeves began a 14-week unbroken run at the top of the chart with "He'll Have to Go", which was immediately followed by a run of the same length by Hank Locklin's "Please Help Me, I'm Falling". Both songs were produced by Chet Atkins, widely seen as the originator of the "Nashville Sound", a new style of country music which eschewed elements of the earlier honky-tonk style in favour of smooth productions which had a broader appeal. Cowboy Copas next spent 12 weeks at number one with "Alabam". Several singles peaked at number two during these songs' extended runs at the top of the chart, including "One More Time" by Ray Price, which spent eight consecutive weeks in second place behind Locklin's song. (Full article...)
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The Latin Grammy Hall of Fame is a hall of fame established by the Latin Recording Academy to recognize "early recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance that were released more than 25 years ago". LARAS is also the same organization that distributes the Latin Grammy Awards. The albums and songs are picked by a panel of recording-arts professionals, such as musicologists and historians, and selected from all major categories of Latin music.

The first inductions were made in 2001 to honor 17 recordings. These included Santana's cover of Tito Puente's "Oye Como Va", Javier Solís's rendition of "Sabor a Mí" and the 1948 performance of Joaquín Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez by Regino Sainz de la Maza and the Orquesta Nacional de España. The inductions have each occurred six years apart from one another. (Full article...)