Music History
Everything published on Viyolens under Music History — reviews, buying advice and how-tos written for players and producers in the UK.
The Complete Guide to Uk Pop Charts History
The UK pop charts have measured commercial music success for nearly seven decades. Discover how charting began with hand-counted sales, evolved through technological change, and reflects the dynamic r...
The Complete Guide to Pink Floyd Christmas Number 1
Pink Floyd's approach to commercial success prioritised album-driven artistry over seasonal chart chasing—a philosophy that shaped their enduring cultural influence.
The History of Highlife
From Ghana's coastal palm-wine circles to E. T. Mensah's golden-age dance bands: the full story of how highlife came to be.
The Complete Guide to British Singles Chart History
The British singles chart has tracked which records dominated the UK for nearly seven decades, revealing musical tastes and cultural shifts through decades of chart battles.
The History of Gregorian Chant
Centuries in the making, passed voice to voice long before anyone wrote it down. Here's where Gregorian chant actually came from, and how it survived.
The History of Breakbeat
The history of breakbeat is the story of one good idea getting passed from person to person across fifty years. It starts in the Bronx and is still evolving now.
A Beginner's Guide to Breakbeat
The breakbeat is the sound of a drum pattern that doesn't behave itself — and it generated decades of innovation. Here's the essential guide to what it is, where it came from and what it became.
The Complete Guide to Most Number One Singles Uk
The race for most number one singles in the UK Official Charts tells the story of British and international popular music across seven decades.
Essential Phonk Albums Explained
A short, scrappy shelf of records carried a Memphis underground sound into a global genre. Here are the essential phonk albums, explained one by one.
The History of Techno Music
How techno music travelled from a struggling Detroit suburb to Berlin's biggest clubs, told through the people and labels who actually built it.
The History of Heavy Metal
The History of Latin Music
This is a story of collision and reinvention, spanning oceans, empires and centuries - from colonial ports to New York dancehalls to the biggest stages on earth.
A Beginner's Guide to Cumbia
Cumbia isn't one sound but a whole family of related styles — here's where it began, what to listen for, and how it grew into so many regional forms.
The History of New Wave
No single band or city started it, and it didn't die so much as splinter. Here's the ten-year arc, told straight, from CBGB to the mid-80s comedown.
The History of Ambient Drone
Ambient drone draws on minimalism, electronic music, noise and post-rock — here is how it developed into a distinct and lasting form.
The History of Amapiano
No single studio, no one founding legend, no tidy origin myth — amapiano grew up in the townships and became a global phenomenon anyway. Here's how.
Essential Psytrance Albums Explained
In a scene built on DJ sets and compilations, an album actually mattering means something. Here are the records that earned it, and why.
The History of Gabber
How a handful of Rotterdam producers pushing tempo and distortion further than anyone dared built one of the Netherlands' most recognisable youth cultures.
The Complete Guide to Gothic
Gothic music blends post-punk's raw energy with orchestral darkness and romantic melancholy. From Bauhaus to contemporary acts, explore a genre that validates deeper emotions and celebrates beautiful...
The History of Afrobeats
How a scene built in Lagos and Accra, out of highlife, juju and hiplife, ended up soundtracking clubs from London to Los Angeles.
The Best Classic Songs Right Now
The greatest classic rock songs aren't just hits — they're fully formed artistic statements. Here are the essential tracks you need to know.
The Best Blues Music Songs Right Now
Not a chart — a set of essential blues songs that never really left rotation, because each one solved a musical problem first.
The Complete Guide to Grunge 1990S
The 1990s witnessed grunge's explosion from Seattle's underground to global phenomenon. This generational movement combined heavy power with emotional honesty, reshaping rock music and youth culture f...
Essential Hymns Albums Explained
Music History is filed under
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Concertina
Compact bellows instrument with a bright, nimble voice, widely used in British, Irish and maritime folk music.
Country Music
Country music combines storytelling lyrics, melodic hooks and acoustic-led band arrangements.
1 topic
Florence and the Machine
Florence and the Machine-inspired instruments and production gear for expressive songwriting, layered sound and dynamic...
K Pop
Polished, performance-led pop with global influence, slick production and strong visual identity.
1 topic
Oboe Instrument
An oboe instrument suits players seeking focused tone, expressive control and a respected orchestral woodwind voice.
Post Malone
Post Malone-inspired gear for modern songwriting, recording and performance across pop, rap and melodic production style...
Roland Tr
Discover Roland TR rhythm machines for beat-making, step sequencing and classic electronic drum programming.
Triangle Instrument
Triangle instruments deliver bright, clear accents for orchestras, schools, ensembles and general percussion use.
