Alan Cross

Author Archives

• How have The Beatles remained relevant after all these years?

  Fifty-six years after they broke up, The Beatles remain cultural juggernauts. But it wasn't always this way. They had to claw their way back.

  Entertainment

  Jun 7
• Does it feel like much of today’s music sounds the same? You might not be wrong

  There's no other way to say it. Top 40 hits are dull and getting duller. Here's why.

  Entertainment

  May 31
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• Surveys say: Some recent studies about music and music fans

  Music and the listening habits of music fans are frequently studied in an effort to discover important facts, insights and trends. What do the latest surveys reveal?

  Entertainment

  May 24
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• What is this ‘blue dot fever’ and why is the music industry afflicted with it?

  The music industry has come down with a new malady known as 'blue dot fever.' Here are the causes and symptoms.

  Entertainment

  May 17
• Why does the music of your youth sound better than what’s out today?

  Chances are you've heard the music your kids are listening to and wondered what's wrong with their musical taste. You're not alone. This has been happening for millennia.

  Entertainment

  May 10
• Revisiting the days when the mob controlled the jukeboxes

  For decades, the mob had its mitts in jukeboxes, an under-the-radar cash business that warped the music industry.

  Entertainment

  May 3
• Ongoing History Daily: The biggest-selling album of all time

  We're pretty sure we know what the biggest-selling album of all time is. But there's still uncertainty.

  Entertainment

  May 1
• AI-generated music is flooding the internet — and it’s bad for everyone

  The internet is becoming increasingly infested with musical AI slop. This is not good for anyone, including all the streaming music platforms.

  Entertainment

  Apr 26
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• Do you remember when Canada had its own digital music store? What happened to it?

  Puretracks was supposed to be Canada's answer to iTunes and may have morphed into our own streaming service. It did not.

  Entertainment

  Apr 19
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• Ever feel like a music outsider? Here’s a guide to industry jargon

  The music industry has its own language, which often leaves fans out of the conversation. Let me translate.

  Entertainment

  Mar 29
• Are we about to see a rock resurgence? Evidence is starting to mount

  Rock has taken a back seat to hip-hop and pop for quite a while. That, however, may about to change as evidence of a rock resurgence begins to mount.

  Entertainment

  Mar 22
• Heading for a mosh pit any time soon? The history of a unique musical tribal ritual

  How did the mosh pit evolve? There's a surprisingly colourful history to the practice of banging into fellow concertgoers at high speed.

  Entertainment

  Mar 15
• What’s the longest song title? Ask the Rock ‘n’ Roll Book of World Records

  Into musical superlatives? Here's a selection of world records from the unofficial book of rock 'n' roll universe.

  Entertainment

  Mar 8
• After decades of streaming and digital, music fans returning to some old-school ways

  The arrival of Napster in the summer of 1999 jerked music fans away from analogue media into the world of digital. Now, though, we're seeing an interesting course correction.

  Entertainment

  Mar 1
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• 5 of the most unattainable records in the universe

  Yes, the universe. You'll see what I mean about two collectible records beyond anyone's reach.

  Entertainment

  Feb 22
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• Someone wants Kurt Cobain’s death investigated as a homicide. This has to stop

  Once again, someone has decided that they've got proof that Kurt Cobain was murdered. This requires another debunking.

  Entertainment

  Feb 15
• Stage diving, headbanging: An encore explanation of inexplicable rock traditions

  There are some activities, behaviours, and traditions in rock culture that we just accept. But what are the origins of these rituals? Let's find out.

  Entertainment

  Feb 8
• Protest songs are having a moment again. A big one

  With the troubles with ICE across the U.S., musicians are increasingly speaking up. Protest songs are back in vogue.

  Entertainment

  Feb 1
• Whatever happened to the blockbuster movie soundtrack?

  For decades, movies were accompanied by a soundtrack album that often yielded big hit singles. What happened to that?

  Entertainment

  Jan 25
• The scramble is on to help unscramble the mess that is AI-generated music

  Companies Udio and Suno have been scraping the internet for music to train its AI models without asking artists first. The solution maybe something right out of Men in Black.

  Entertainment

  Jan 18
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• New Music Friday: 8 new releases for the middle of January (16 Jan 2026)

  We're approaching the worst of the winter. Fear not, though, because the Five Songs You Must Hear list will brighten things up with promises of spring music.

  Entertainment

  Jan 16
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• David Bowie died 10 years ago — and a flubbed interview with him still haunts me

  It's been 10 years since David Bowie left us and he still matters. And I'm still haunted by my interview disaster with the legendary performer.

  Entertainment

  Jan 11
• What can we expect for music in 2026? Here are a few predictions

  What's in store for music in 2026? Here are a few guesses masquerading as sage predictions.

  Entertainment

  Jan 4
• A look at 2025’s biggest winners and losers in music

  With the end of another year upon us, it's the best time to tally the winners and losers in the world of music in 2025.

  Entertainment

  Dec 28, 2025
• Reflecting on the importance of campus radio as stations continue to close

  Times change, and campus radio is struggling, and in some quarters, the stations are disappearing altogether.

  Entertainment

  Dec 21, 2025