Music Research

Includes biographies, reviews, discographies, song credits, descriptions of musical genres and lists of artists that fall in the genre, etc. Music categories include pop/rock, jazz, r&b, rap, country, blues, electronic, latin, reggae, international, and classical.

Current music charts and historical information for Billboards most popular charts.

Freely available live music and audio archives from a huge database of archival sources from hundreds of institutions.

project to build a "searchable, editable, and expandable collection of tunes, melodies, and musical themes." Users can search for tunes by playing on digital piano keyboards, whistling or singing into a microphone, or tapping out a rhythm using their keyboard.

Includes National Recording Registry tacks, lists of archives with significant sound archives, links to the National Jukebox with historic recordings, and more.

A great resource for audio content on music topic produced by National Public Radio. Resources include analysis, interviews, music, live concerts, streaming music feeds, etc. The content is searchable and can either be downloaded or streamed.

Open network of digital resources for the study of music. Includes music scores, books, and journal articles.

Online radio station, with free account registration, that allows you to create "radio stations" based on style of music, similar artists, etc. Streaming audio.

Search by artist, band, city, or venue for concert tours.

Set up a free account to track live music events in your area

Online streaming audio. Must set up a free account to use.

Huge website that includes composer biographies, basic repertoire guide, musical works information, reviews and articles, buying guide, and music links.

Offers detailed reviews of classical music releases. Also includes news and essays about classical music.

"As of March 2016, the resource hosts public-domain scores of more than 22,200 choral and vocal works by 2,600-plus composers. Users may easily search by composer and title and can conduct broader searches using pull-down options to select specific score categories, including sacred and secular genres, voicing, and accompaniment. " (quote Choice August 2016 review)

Online collection of musical scores. The goal of the wiki is "to is to create a virtual library containing all public domain music, as well as music from composers who are willing to share their work with the world without charge." The site is searchable. Scores are available as PDF downloads. Also includes some MP3 audio files from performers who contributed their performances to the site.

Free online access of digitized material from the Philharmonic archive. The Leonard Berstein era (1943-1970) material is projected to be completed by 2012. Resources include programs, scores, images, business documents, and will also include video and audio files.

Central place for the documentation of music primary sources. Choose the limit "Digital Copies Only" to find digitized items. Independent national working groups at libraries and archives in many countries worldwide catalog historical musical sources: music prints, music manuscripts, libretti, and theoretical writings about music. The results are edited and published by RISM.

Portal to music offered the Smithsonian's non-profit record label. Includes a searchable database where you can preview tracks and then pay if you want the complete recording. Website also includes streaming audio by topic, artist information, Folkways Magazine, podcasts, etc.

Digital images of 19th and 20th century American sheet music, published in the United States between 1850 and 1920.

Digital collection of American sheet music with a focus on 19th century popular music.

Includes National Recording Registry tacks, lists of archives with significant sound archives, links to the National Jukebox with historic recordings, and more.

Promotes and preserves blues recordings and performances. Awards the Blues Music award and the Keeping the Blues Alive award.

Jazz magazines site that offers some free content, including a very detailed database of jazz and blues artists. Artist profiles may include a biography, discography, and articles.

NPR's portal to their jazz news coverage. Also include full audio of several jazz radio shows.

Database of shows produced on Broadway. Categories include Shows, People, Organizations, Theatres, and Seasons.

History of musicals, chronologies, musical films. reviews, and other reference resources.

Awards for both musical theater and plays that debut on Broadway.

Online music magazine that focuses on indie pop/rock music. Site includes news articles, music reviews, videos, etc.

Online site offers reviews, new articles, artist biographies, etc. The Blume Library subscribes to the print magazine.

Public radio rock and roll talk show on Chicago Public Radio station WBEZ. The show includes music news, interviews and performances, music criticism, and listener commentary. Weekly podcast and archives available for free.

Collects and describes historical artifacts of hip hop. Includes digital collections.

NPR's coverage of hip-hop news and performances

NPR's coverage of R&B / Soul news and performances

"National organization dedicated solely to the orchestral experience ... a nexus of knowledge and innovation, advocacy, and leadership advancement for managers, musicians, volunteers, and boards."