Music Makers Encyclopedia: Various Artists

Click on a letter to choose an act ("S" for Bruce Springsteen, "B" for Beatles, etc.). Shown with the act are its major awards, short bios for select acts, and links to albums and songs reviewed by the DMDB.

Song(s):
In Dulci Jubilo (writers unknown, 1328)
Coventry Carol (1534)
Greensleeves (writers unknown, 1580)
A Froggie Went A-Courtin’ (anonymous, 1700)
For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow (writers unknown, 1580)
Baa Baa Black Sheep) (writers unknown, 1744)
London Bridge Is Falling Down (unknown, 1744)
O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles) (writers unknown, 1751)
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (traditional, 1760)
Frère Jacques (Are You Sleeping?) (writers unknown, 1780)
Au Clair de la Lune (By the Light of the Moon) (unknown, 1811)
I Saw Three Ships (writers unknown, 1833)
Turkey in the Straw (1834)
Shenandoah (unknown composer(s), 1837)
On Top of Old Smoky (1841)
This Old Man (Nick Nack Paddiwak) (traditional, 1842)
Jimmy Crack Corn (The Blue Tail Fly) (traditional, 1848)
Michael Row the Boat Ashore (traditional, 1867)
She'll Be Comin’ ‘Round the Mountain (traditional, 1870)
Alouette (traditional, 1879)
I've Been Working on the Railroad (traditional, 1881)
The Farmer in the Dell (traditional, 1883)
Reveille (composer unknown, 1890)
Red River Valley (tradtional, 1896)
The Water Is Wide (traditional, 1906)
Perfect Day (1997) – see Lou Reed

Albums (A):

Achtung Baby Covered (AHK-toong BAY-bi Covered) (covers: U2, 2011)
Aida (musical: 1999) – see Elton John
All That Jazz (soundtrack: 1980)
Almost Famous (2000)
American Graffiti (soundtrack: 1973)
An American in Paris (soundtrack: 1951) – see George Gershwin
Annie (cast album: 1977) – see Charles Strouse
Annie Get Your Gun (musical: 1946, soundtrack: 1950) – see Irving Berlin
Anthology of American Folk Music (box, 1926-32, released 1997)
Anything Goes (cast album: 1934) – see Cole Porter
Applause (musical: 1970) – see Charles Strouse
Around the World in 80 Days (soundtrack: 1957)
The Art of McCartney (covers: Paul McCartney, 2014)
Atlantic Rhythm & Blues 1947-1974 (box: 1947-74, released 1991)
Avenue Q (musical: 2000) – see Robert Lopez

Albums (B):

Back to Mono (1958-1969) – see Phil Spector
Bad Boys II (soundtrack: 2003)
The Band's Visit (musical: 2016) – see David Yazbeck
Barbie: The Album (soundtrack, 2023)
Bells Are Ringing (musical: 1957) – see Jule Styne
Best of Sugar Hill Records (1994)
The Best of the Girl Groups (1990)
The Big Chill (soundtrack: 1983)
Big River (musical: 1985) – see Roger Miller
Big Shiny Tunes 2 (1998)
Big Shiny Tunes 6 (2002)
Billboard's Greatest Christmas Hits 1955-Present (Christmas compilation, released 1992)
Billy Elliot: The Musical (musical: 2005) – see Elton John
Blues with a Feeling: Newport Folk Festival Classics (1993)
Bob Dylan: 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration (covers: Bob Dylan songs, live, recorded 1992, released 1993)
The Bodyguard (soundtrack: 1992)
The Book of Mormon (musical: 2011) – see Robert Lopez
Brigadoon (musical: 1947) – see Alan Jay Lerner & Frederick Loewe
Brimstone and Treacle (soundtrack: 1982)
Bubbling Brown Sugar (musical: 1976)
Buena Vista Social Club (1997)
Bye Bye Birdie (musical: 1960, soundtrack: 1963) – see Charles Strouse

Albums (C):

Cabaret (musical: 1966, soundtrack: 1972) – see John Kander
Camelot (musical: 1960, soundtrack: 1967) – see Alan Jay Lerner
Cameo-Parkway (1957-67)
Candide (musical: 1956) – see Leonard Bernstein
Carousel (musical: 1945, soundtrack: 1956) – see Richard Rodgers
Cars (soundtrack: 2006)
Cats (musical: 1981) – see Andrew Lloyd Webber
Chicago/The Blues/Today: Volumes 1-3 (year?)
Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International (covers: Bob Dylan, 2012)
Choose 1985 (1984)
A Chorus Line (musical: 1975) – see Marvin Hamlisch
A Christmas Gift for You (1963) – see Phil Spector
City of Angels (musical: 1989) – see Cy Coleman
Collection of Afghan Music (1966-73) – see Hiromi Lorraine Sakata
A Collection of 16 Tamla Motown Hits (1964)
Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles (covers: Eagles songs, 1993)
Company (musical: 1970) – see Stephen Sondheim
The Concert for Bangla Desh (live, 1971)
Concert of the Century at Carnegie Hall (live, 1976)
Contact (musical: 1999)
Country Music (box: 1928-2002, released 2019)
Coyote Ugly (soundtrack: 2000)
The Cradle Will Rock (musical: 1938) – see Marc Blitzstein
Crazy for You (musical: 1992) – see George Gershwin

Albums (D):

Damn Yankees (musical: 1955, soundtrack: 1958) – see Richard Adler
Dazed and Confused (soundtrack, 1993)
Deadicated (covers: Grateful Dead, 1990)
Dear Evan Hansen (musical: 2015) – see Steven Levenson
Different Strokes for Different Folks (covers: Sly & the Family Stone, 2005)
Dirty Dancing (soundtrack: 1987)
Doo Wop Box: 101 Vocal Group Gems (box: 1948-87, released 1994)
Dreamgirls (musical: 1982, soundtrack: 2006)

Albums (E):

8 Mile (soundtrack: 2002)
Evita (musical: 1976) – see Andrew Lloyd Webber
Exodus (soundtrack: 1961)

Albums (F):

Fabulous Swing Collection: Foot Tappin' Favorites & Jumpin' Jitterbugs from the Fabulous Swing Era (1944)
Fantasia (soundtrack: 1940) – see Disney
Fiddler on the Roof (musical: 1964) – see Jerry Bock
Finian's Rainbow (musical: 1947) – see Burton Lane
Fiorello! (musical: 1959) – see Jerry Bock
The First Rock and Roll Record (box: 1916-56, released 2011)
Fifty First Dates (soundtrack: 2004)
Flashdance (soundtrack: 1983)
Flower Drum Song (musical: 1959) – see Richard Rodgers
Folk Music of the Mediterranean (1952)
Footloose (soundtrack: 1984) – see Dean Pitchford
Forrest Gump (soundtrack: 1994)
42nd Street (soundtrack: 1933, musical: 1980) – see Harry Warren
Fosse (musical: 1999)
Free to Be You and Me (1972)
From Spirituals to Swing: Legendary 1938 & 1939 Carnegie Hall Concerts (live, 1938-39)
Frozen (soundtrack: 2013) – see Disney
Fun Home (musical: 2013) – see Jeanine Tesori
Funny Girl (musical: 1964, soundtrack: 1968) – see Jule Styne
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (musical: 1962) – see Stephen Sondheim

Albums (G):

Garden State (soundtrack: 2004)
A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder (musical: 2013) – see Robert Freedman
Gigi (soundtrack: 1958, musical: 1973) – see Alan Jay Lerner
Ghost Brothers of Darkland County (soundtrack, 2013)
The Girl Can’t Help It (1956)
Godspell (musical: 1971) – see Stephen Schwartz
Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino (covers: Fats Domino, 2007)
Golden Throats: The Great Celebrity Sing-Off (1988)
Gone with the Wind (soundtrack: 1939) – see Max Steiner
Grease (musical: 1972)
Grease (soundtrack: 1978)
Great American Train Songs (2003)
The Great Cantors (1990)
Greatest Rap Hits, Vol. 2 (compilation, 1981)
The Greatest Showman (soundtrack: 2017)
Guys and Dolls (musical: 1950) – see Frank Loesser
Gypsy (musical: 1959) – see Jule Styne

Albums (H):

Hair (musical: 1967, soundtrack: 1979) – see Galt MacDermot
Hairspray (musical: 2003) – see Marc Shaiman
Hallelujah, Baby! (musical: 1968) – see Jule Styne
Hamilton (musical: 2015) – see Lin-Manuel Miranda
The Harder They Come (soundtrack: 1973) – see Jimmy Cliff
Harry Chapin Tribute (covers: Harry Chapin, live, 1990)
Hello, Dolly! (musical: 1963, soundtrack: 1969) – see Jerry Herman
Hey, Let’s Twist! (1961)
High Fidelity (soundtrack: 2000)
High School Musical (TV soundtrack: 2006) – see Disney
High School Musical 2 (TV soundtrack: 2007) – see Disney
Hip Hop Greats: Classic Raps (1990)
Hitsville USA: The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971 (box: 1959-71)
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (musical: 1961) – see Frank Loesser
Human Rights Now! (live, 1988)

Albums (I):

I'm Your Fan (covers: Leonard Cohen, 1991)
The Indestructible Beat of Soweto (1986)
In the Heights (musical: 2008) – see Miranda Lin-Manuel
Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur (covers: John Lennon, 2007)

Albums (J):

The Jazz Scene (1949)
Jazz at the Philharmonic (box, 1944)
Jerome Robbins' Broadway (musical: 1989)
Jersey Boys (musical: 2005) – see Bob Gaudio
Jesus Christ Superstar (studio: 1970, musical: 1971, soundtrack: 1973) – see Andrew Lloyd Webber
Jolson (musical: 1995)

Albums (K):

The King and I (musical: 1951, soundtrack: 1956) – see Richard Rodgers
Kinky Boots (musical: 2012) – see Cyndi Lauper
Kismet (musical: 1953) – see Alexander Borodin
Kiss Me, Kate (musical: 1948, soundtrack: 1954) – see Cole Porter
Kiss of the Spider Woman (musical: 1992) – see John Kander
K-Tel: High Energy (compilation: 1978-79, released 1979)
K-Tel: Rock Revival Greats (compilation: 1955-64, released 1982)
K-Tel: Starflight (compilation: 1978-79, released 1979)
K-Tel: Wings of Sound (compilation, 1979)

Albums (L):

La Bamba (soundtrack, 1987)
La Cage Aux Folles (musical: 1984) – see Jerry Herman
Left of the Dial: Dispatches from the '80s Underground (box: 1979-89, released 2004)
Les Misérables (musical: 1980, soundtrack: 2012) – see Claude-Michel Schönberg
Listen to Me: Buddy Holly (covers: Buddy Holly, 2011)
The Lion King (soundtrack: 1994, musical: 1997) – see Elton John
A Little Night Music (musical: 1973) – see Stephen Sondheim
Livin', Lovin', Losin': Songs of the Louvin Brothers (2003)
Lost in the Stars (musical: 1949) – see Kurt Weill
The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams (covers: Hank Williams, 2011)
Lost on the River: The New Basement Tapes (2014)
Loud, Fast & Out of Control: The Wild Sounds of '50s Rock (box: 1948-61, released 1999)

Albums (M):

A Man and a Woman (Un Homme et Une Femme) (soundtrack: 1967)
Man of La Mancha (musical: 1965) – see Mitch Leigh
Mary Poppins (soundtrack: 1964) – see Disney
Memphis (musical: 2009) – see David Bryan
Miami Vice (TV soundtrack: 1985)
The Mighty Two (1990)
Miss Saigon (musical: 1989) – see Claude-Michel Schönberg
Moana (soundtrack: 2017) – see Disney
Moulin Rouge (soundtrack: 2001) – see Baz Luhrmann
Moulin Rouge! (musical: 2018)
Music from the Morning of the World: Balinese Gamelan & Ketjak, Ramayana Monkey Chant (1966)
The Music Man (musical: 1957, soundtrack: 1962) – see Meredith Willson
The Music of Disney (1992) – see Disney
My Fair Lady (musical: 1956, soundtrack: 1964) – see Alan Jay Lerner
The Mystery of Edwin Drood (musical: 1985) – see Rupert Holmes

Albums (N):

Nine (musical: 1982) – see Maury Yeston
Nobody's Child (1990)
The Nonesuch Explorer: Music from Distant Corners of the World (1971)
No Thanks! The '70s Punk Rebellion (box: 1973-81, released 2003)
Now That's What I Call Disney (box: 1937-2011) – see Disney
Now That's What I Call Music 3 (1984)
Now! 2 (1997)
Now! 3 (1998)
Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968 (1965-68)

Albums (O):

O Brother, Where Art Thou? (soundtrack: 2000) – see T-Bone Burnett)
Oklahoma! (musical: 1943, soundtrack: 1955) – see Richard Rodgers
Oldies But Goodies (1959)
Oliver! (musical: 1960, soundtrack: 1968) – see Lionel Bart
Once (musical: 2011) – see Glen Hansard
On the Halls (1930)
1000 Volts of Stax: Rare and Unissued Tracks from the Golden Era of Soul (1991)

Albums (P-Q):

The Pajama Game (musical: 1954) – see Richard Adler, 1955)
Pal Joey (musical: 1940, soundtrack: 1957) – see Richard Rodgers
Passion (musical: 1994) – see Stephen Sondheim
Phantom of the Opera (musical: 1986) – see Andrew Lloyd Webber
Phases of the Moon: Traditional Chinese Music (1991)
Philadelphia (soundtrack: 1994)
Porgy and Bess (opera, 1935) – see George Gershwin
The Producers (musical: 2001) – see Mel Brooks
Pulp Fiction (soundtrack: 1994)

Albums (R):

Raisin (musical: 1973) – see Judd Woldin
Rave On: Buddy Holly (covers: Buddy Holly, 2011)
Really! The Country Blues (recorded 1927-33, released 1962)
Redhead (musical: 1959) – see Dorothy Fields
Red Hot Blue (covers: Cole Porter, 1990)
Rembetica: Historic Urban Folk Songs from Greece (1992)
Rent (musical: 1996) – see Jonathan Larson
Return to the Forbidden Planet (musical: 1983)
Revamp: The Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin (covers: Elton John, 2018)
Rhythm, Country & Blues (1994)
Rock for Amnesty (1987)
The Rocky Horror Show (musical: 1973, soundtrack: 1975)
Romeo Juliet (soundtrack: 1996) – see Baz Luhrmann

Albums (S):

Saturday Night Fever (soundtrack: 1977)
1776 (musical: 1969) – see Sherman Edwards
She's Having a Baby (soundtrack: 1988)
Show Boat (musical: 1927, soundtrack: 1951) – see Jerome Kern
Singin’ in the Rain (soundtrack: 1952) – see Nacio Herb Brown
Singles (soundtrack: 1992)
Ska Bonanza: The Studio One Ska Years (1965)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (soundtrack: 1938) – see Disney
Some Kind of Wonderful (soundtrack: 1987)
The Sound of Music (musical: 1959, soundtrack: 1965) – see Richard Rodgers
South Pacific (musical: 1949, soundtrack: 1958) – see Richard Rodgers
Spamalot (musical: 2004) – see Eric Idle
The Spirit Cries: Music from the Rainforests of South America & the Caribbean (1993)
Spring Awakening (musical: 2006) – see Duncan Sheik
St. Louis Woman (musical: 1946) – see Harold Arlen
Star Wars (soundtrack: 1977) – see John Williams
Stars for a Summer Night (1961)
The Sting (soundtrack: 1974) – see Marvin Hamlisch
Stormy Weather (soundtrack, 1943)
Sunday in the Park with George (musical: 1984) – see Stephen Sondheim
Sunset Boulevard (musical: 1993) – see Andrew Lloyd Webber
Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (musical: 1979, cast recording: 1979, soundtrack: 2007) – see Stephen Sondheim

Albums (T):

Thoroughly Modern Millie (musical: 2002) – see Jeanine Tesori
Three Little Words (soundtrack: 1950)
Timeless: Hank William Tribute (covers: Hank Williams, 2001)
Titanic (soundtrack: 1997) – see James Horner
Titanic: A New Musical (musical: 1997) – see Maury Yeston
A Tom Moulton Mix (2006)
Top Gun (soundtrack: 1986)
Tougher Than Tough: The Story of Jamaican Music (box: 1958-93, released 1993)
Toys (soundtrack: 1993)
Trainspotting (soundtrack, 1996)
Turn the Beat Around (compilation: 1974-78, released 1990)
20 All Time-Hits of the '50s (1999)
20 Dynamic Hits (1972)
Two Gentlemen of Verona (musical: 1971) – see Galt MacDermot
Two of a Kind (soundtrack: 1983)
Two Rooms (covers: Elton John, 1991)

Albums (U):

Uptown MTV Unplugged (live, 1993)
Urban Cowboy (soundtrack: 1980)

Albums (V):

Valley Girl (soundtrack: recorded 1983, released 1994)
A Very Special Christmas (Christmas, 1987)
A Very Special Christmas 2 (Christmas, 1992)

Albums (W):

Waiting to Exhale (soundtrack: 1995)
We Are the World (1985)
West Side Story (musical: 1957, soundtrack: 1961) – see Leonard Bernstein
When the Wind Blows (soundtrack: 1986)
Wicked (musical: 2003) – see Stephen Schwartz
The Wiz (musical: 1975) – see Charlie Smalls
Will Rogers Follies (musical: 1991) – see Cy Coleman
The Wizard of Oz (soundtrack: 1939) – see Harold Arlen
Wonderful Town (musical: 1953) – see Leonard Bernstein
Woodstock (live soundtrack: recorded 1969, released 1970)
Woodstock Two (live, recorded 1969, released 1971)
Woodstock: Three Days of Peace and Music (25th Anniversary Box) (live box, recorded 1969, released 1994)
Woodstock – Best of (live, recorded 1969, released 1994)
Woodstock Diary (live, recorded 1969, released 1994)
Woodstock: 40 Years On (live box, recorded 1969, released 2009)
World of Gnawa (2001)

Albums (X-Y-Z):

Xanadu (soundtrack: 1980) – see Olivia Newton-John

Click on a letter to choose a recording act ("S" for Bruce Springsteen, "B" for Beatles, etc.). Shown with the act are its major awards, short bios for select acts, and links to albums and songs reviewed by the DMDB.