Latest articles by Ethan Hein
The flawed genius of pop's biggest anthems, from Hey Jude to Hey Ya!
Our resident music professor explains why it's the weird, unexpected, and slightly annoying details that turn great songs into timeless classics
“He was one of the weirdest bass players in the history of rock”: 5 basslines that capture the genius of The Grateful Dead's Phil Lesh
We take a backwards glance at 5 of Lesh's greatest moments with The Grateful Dead
“It has a reputation for being a big, dumb, four-chord song”: A music professor breaks down the theory behind Oasis’s Wonderwall
As the Gallaghers reunite for the Oasis Live '25 tour, we put Wonderwall under the musical microscope and explore how the song became a standard for beginner guitarists
"He sounds like an alien": A music professor breaks down the theory behind Jeff Buckley's Lilac Wine
In recognition of Grace's 30th anniversary, we put one of the album's highlights under the musical microscope
A music professor breaks down the theory behind Prince's When Doves Cry
As Purple Rain celebrates its 40th anniversary, we put one of Prince's best-loved songs under the musical microscope
"I drink and I smoke and I use Auto-Tune": But what's the music theory behind Charli XCX's Brat?
With Brat summer in full swing, we put Charli XCX's world-shakingly popular album under the musical microscope
A music professor breaks down Chappell Roan’s Good Luck, Babe!
We put Chappell Roan's breakthrough hit under the musical microscope
A music professor breaks down Sabrina Carpenter's Espresso
We put this "finely engineered product of the pop machine" under the musical microscope
"An effortless command of musical time”: A music professor breaks down Amy Winehouse's Back to Black
With Winehouse's biopic in the cinemas, we put her best-loved song under the musical microscope
The borrowed hooks and unstable grooves behind Michael Jackson's Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
We put one of MJ's best-loved tunes under the musical microscope and explore the unlikely origins of its iconic hook
“Part of a beautiful American tradition”: A music theory expert explains the country roots of Beyoncé’s Texas Hold ‘Em, and why it also owes a debt to the blues
The lead single from Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé’s forthcoming country album, goes under the musical microscope
What makes an Oscar-winning song? We break down the music theory behind Billie Eilish's What Was I Made For?
We put Eilish's haunting contribution to the star-studded Barbie soundtrack under the musical microscope
"The verse melody is subtly strange, and it took me a while to figure out why": A music professor breaks down the theory and production behind Tracy Chapman's Fast Car
We put Chapman's moving 1988 single under the musical microscope after Luke Combs' Grammy-nominated cover thrusts it back into the charts
