TED Talks
TED: How music streaming transformed songwriting | Björn Ulvaeus
Money, money, money ... in the music business, there seems to be little left for the songwriters that fuel it. ABBA co-founder Björn Ulvaeus calls for the industry to support its most valuable asset, breaking down how the streaming...
TED Talks
Nora Brown: "East Virginia" / "John Brown's Dream"
In a mesmerizing set, musician Nora Brown breathes new life into two old-time banjo tunes: "East Virginia" and "John Brown's Dream." An evocative performance paired with a quick history of the banjo's evolution.
TED Talks
Andrew Bird: A one-man orchestra of the imagination
Musical innovator Andrew Bird winds together his trademark violin technique with xylophone, vocals and sophisticated electronic looping. Add in his uncanny ability to whistle anything, and he becomes a riveting one-man orchestra.
TED Talks
Jennifer Lin: Improvising on piano, aged 14
Pianist and composer Jennifer Lin gives a magical performance, talks about the process of creativity and improvises a moving solo piece based on a random sequence of notes.
TED Talks
Joe Kowan: How I beat stage fright
Humanity's fine-tuned sense of fear served us well as a young species, giving us laser focus to avoid being eaten by competing beasts. But it's less wonderful when that same visceral, body-hijacking sense of fear kicks in in front of 20...
TED Talks
Vusi Mahlasela: "Thula Mama"
South African singer-songwriter Vusi Mahlasela dedicates his song, "Thula Mama," to all women -- and especially his grandmother.
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Ancient Greece's greatest popstar | Diane J. Rayor
Over 2,500 years ago, one of ancient Greece's most celebrated popstars and erotic poets enraptured listeners. The singer-songwriter offered a uniquely intimate perspective on love, passion, and longing, and was the first on record to...
TED Talks
Pamelia Kurstin: The untouchable music of the theremin
Virtuoso Pamelia Kurstin performs and discusses her theremin, the not-just-for-sci-fi electronic instrument that is played without being touched. Songs include "Autumn Leaves," "Lush Life" and David Mash’s "Listen, Words Are Gone."
SciShow
How Music Can Heal the Brain
Sometimes you hear music and you automatically tap your foot, or do a little dance, or walk to the beat. What’s happening in your brain that makes your body move like that? Can music’s effects on movement or speech rewire your brain?
TED Talks
Raul Midon: "Tembererana"
Singer/guitarist Raúl Midón performs "All the Answers" in a world premiere at TED2007, followed by the sprightly "Tembererana."
TED Talks
Raul Midon: "Peace on Earth"
Guitarist and singer Raul Midon plays "Everybody" and "Peace on Earth" during his 2007 set at TED.
TED Talks
Sleepy Man Banjo Boys: Bluegrass virtuosity from ... New Jersey?
All under the age of 16, brothers Jonny, Robbie and Tommy Mizzone are from New Jersey, a US state that's better known for the rock of Bruce Springsteen than the bluegrass of Earl Scruggs. Nonetheless, the siblings began performing...
TED Talks
Eddi Reader: "What You've Got"
Singer/songwriter Eddi Reader performs "What You Do With What You've Got," a meditation on a very TED theme: how to use your gifts and talents to make a difference. With Thomas Dolby on piano.
SciShow Kids
Squeaks Loves Music! | SciShow Kids Compilation
Sometimes, Squeaks needs to recharge his batteries. And when he does, he hangs out in his room and listens to his favorite music!
Crash Course
The Electron: Crash Course Chemistry
Hank brings us the story of the electron and describes how reality is a kind of music, discussing electron shells and orbitals, electron configurations, ionization and electron affinities, and how all these things can be understood via...
TED Talks
Jared Ficklin: New ways to see music (with color! and fire!)
Designer Jared Ficklin creates wild visualizations that let us see music, using color and even fire (a first for the TED stage) to analyze how sound makes us feel. He takes a brief digression to analyze the sound of a skatepark -- and...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Why we love repetition in music - Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis
How many times does the chorus repeat in your favorite song? How many times have you listened to that chorus? Repetition in music isn't just a feature of Western pop songs, either; it's a global phenomenon. Why? Elizabeth Hellmuth...
SciShow
Why Is That Song Stuck in My Head?!
Why do songs get stuck in our heads? And what can we do to get rid of them!? Michael Aranda explains current scientific thought on the subject (and also does a pretty good Shia LaBeouf impression).
Crash Course
Speciation: Of Ligers & Men - Crash Course Biology
Hank explains speciation - the evolutionary process by which new biological species arise - in terms of finches, ligers, mules, and dogs.
PBS
Should "Happy Birthday" be Protected by Copyright?
Did you know the rights to "Happy Birthday" are still privately held today? Copyright was originally created for two reasons: to protect the original creators so they could benefit from their work AND have creative works enter the Public...
TED Talks
Adam Sadowsky: How to engineer a viral music video
The band OK Go dreamed up the idea of a massive Rube Goldberg machine for their next music video -- and Adam Sadowsky's team was charged with building it. He tells the story of the effort and engineering behind their labyrinthine...
TED Talks
TED: How love can help repair social inequality | Chloé Valdary
What does Kendrick Lamar have in common with Disney's "Moana"? They recognize our common humanity and show us how to love ourselves and one another, says writer and educator Chloé Valdary. She shares how she uses pop culture to help...
Crash Course
Tragedy Lessons from Aristotle: Crash Course Theater #3
Aristotle. He knows a lot, right? And if you choose to believe Aristotle, then you must believe all the mechanics of tragedy that Mike is about to lay on you. This week, we're looking at Aristotle's rules for the basic elements of...