Kraftwerk is a legendary German electronic music band that has actively influenced the development of modern popular music. In this episode, Mark and John trace the development of Kraftwerk, as well as its effect on other bands and musical genres.

Before They Were Robots: Early Kraftwerk

In 1895, Stagger Lee killed William Lyons in an argument. Usually, a crime like this would disappear into the footnotes of history, but this event was different. Learn the true story behind one of America's most popular folk songs in this podcast.

The Birth of a Folk Song: Stagger Lee

At over 380 years old, the Aedis Zildjian cymbal manufacturer is the world's oldest musical company. Learn more about this company -- and cymbals -- in this episode.

The World's Oldest Music Company

Harry Partch

When American composer Harry Partch didn't enjoy the conventional 12-note scale, he created his own scale. He also built his own instruments upon which this scale could be played. Join Mark and John as they explore the musical pursuits of Harry Partch.

Who was Harry Partch?

A standard vinyl record is between 120 to 140 grams, but audiophiles often think this is too flimsy -- why? Join John and Mark as they explore the eccentricities of vinyl records and determine whether or not the weight of a record makes a difference.

Are heavier records better than others?

During many concerts, bands return to the stage after their performance to crank out a few more tunes as the audience screams 'encore.' Explore the history of the encore -- and the philosophy behind the practice -- in this episode.

Is an encore necessary?

From the 1920s into the 60s, the Great American Songbook covers iconic music of the stage and screen. Yet there's no definitive list of the songs and songwriters involved. Learn more about the history of the Great American Songbook in this episode.

The Great American Songbook

Everyone's familiar with the ear-wrenching screech that unexpectantly blasts from speaker systems during a public address -- but what exactly is it? John and Mark investigate the unpleasant phenomenon of feedback in this episode.

What causes feedback?

How do you feel about the seasons? Whether you're in love with winter, summer, spring or fall, odds are that certain tunes remind you of the turning seasons. Join John and Mark as they present a guide to the seasonal music in this episode.

A Seasonal Guide to Music

Have you ever misheard a lyric? If so, then you've heard a mondegreen. Mondegreens are surprisingly common throughout musical history. Join John and Mark as they explore perplexing -- and humorous -- mondegreens in this episode.

What is a mondegreen?

What is the story behind Stagger Lee? Why would astronauts need a DJ? Join Mark and John as they explore everything from the president's record collection to the future of digital music in Stuff From The B-Side, a podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

I love How Stuff Works Podcasts, please make more of this one.

Bring it Back!!

Terrific podcast. Still good after many years of no new ones. Too bad they stopped producing them.

Absolutely great

What is the story behind Stagger Lee? Why would astronauts need a DJ? Join Mark and John as they explore everything from the president's record collection to the future of digital music in Stuff From The B-Side, a podcast from <a href="http://HowStuffWorks.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HowStuffWorks.com</a>.

Stuff from the B-Side

People who suffer from tone deafness have difficulties differentiating between one pitch and the next. Tune in as John and Mark explore the bewildering world of the tone deaf in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

People who suffer from tone deafness have difficulties differentiating between one pitch and the next. Tune in as John and Mark explore the bewildering world of the tone deaf in this podcast from <a href="http://HowStuffWorks.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HowStuffWorks.com</a>.

How Tone Deafness Works

The iPod's shuffle function is meant to randomly move from one song to the next -- but how random can a random function actually be? Learn more in this podcast.

How random is the iPod Shuffle function?

Nerdcore is a special type of hip hop custom-built for nerds. Tune in as the B-Side team takes a look at the underground genre of nerdcore -- from the history to the rappers themselves -- in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

Nerdcore is a special type of hip hop custom-built for nerds. Tune in as the B-Side team takes a look at the underground genre of nerdcore -- from the history to the rappers themselves -- in this podcast from <a href="http://HowStuffWorks.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HowStuffWorks.com</a>.

What is nerdcore?

A good soundtrack can often make the difference between an above-average film and a cinematic masterpiece. Tune in as Mark and John review some of Hollywood's greatest film scores in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

A good soundtrack can often make the difference between an above-average film and a cinematic masterpiece. Tune in as Mark and John review some of Hollywood's greatest film scores in this podcast from <a href="http://HowStuffWorks.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HowStuffWorks.com</a>.

What are the best film scores?

The evolution of the steel drum is inextricably tied to history of Trinidad and Tobago, where drumming was banned in the 1880s. Lend an ear as the B-Siders explore the amazing story of the steel drum in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

The evolution of the steel drum is inextricably tied to history of Trinidad and Tobago, where drumming was banned in the 1880s. Lend an ear as the B-Siders explore the amazing story of the steel drum in this podcast from <a href="http://HowStuffWorks.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HowStuffWorks.com</a>.

How Steel Drums Work

In 2003, researchers compared students' personalities to their music preferences. Could they predict a student's personality based on his or her favorite tunes? Learn the results -- which might surprise you -- in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

In 2003, researchers compared students' personalities to their music preferences. Could they predict a student's personality based on his or her favorite tunes? Learn the results -- which might surprise you -- in this podcast from <a href="http://HowStuffWorks.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HowStuffWorks.com</a>.

How does music reveal your personality?

Billie Holiday was a pioneering jazz singer and tremendously influenced generations of musicians. Join the B-Side guys as they take a look at the life and career of the legendary Billie Holiday in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

Billie Holiday was a pioneering jazz singer and tremendously influenced generations of musicians. Join the B-Side guys as they take a look at the life and career of the legendary Billie Holiday in this podcast from <a href="http://HowStuffWorks.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HowStuffWorks.com</a>.

How Billie Holiday Worked

Dave Brubeck

Dave Brubeck is a legendary American jazz pianist known for his use of unorthodox time signatures. Tune in as Mark and John take a closer look at the work of this unique jazz icon in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

Dave Brubeck is a legendary American jazz pianist known for his use of unorthodox time signatures. Tune in as Mark and John take a closer look at the work of this unique jazz icon in this podcast from <a href="http://HowStuffWorks.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HowStuffWorks.com</a>.

What makes Dave Brubeck's Time Out unique?

Today, the guitar is one of the world's most well-known and popular instruments -- but where did it come from? Tune into this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about the history and evolution of the guitar.

The History of the Guitar

The term 'interval' refers to the distance or relationship between two notes. In this continuing series on the basics of music theory, the crew examines different types of intervals, as well as their respective roles in classical and modern music.

Music Theory 101: Intervals

Bursting onto the scene in 1975, "Jaws" became the first blockbuster film. Much of the film's success comes from John William's score -- but why is the music so scary? Tune in as John and Mark figure it out in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

Bursting onto the scene in 1975, "Jaws" became the first blockbuster film. Much of the film's success comes from John William's score -- but why is the music so scary? Tune in as John and Mark figure it out in this podcast from <a href="http://HowStuffWorks.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HowStuffWorks.com</a>.

Why is the "Jaws" theme so scary?

As the world reels after the death of Michael Jackson, fans across the planet pay tribute to the King of Pop. Join Mark and John as they ask why Michael Jackson's "Thriller" is the world's best-selling album in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

As the world reels after the death of Michael Jackson, fans across the planet pay tribute to the King of Pop. Join Mark and John as they ask why Michael Jackson's "Thriller" is the world's best-selling album in this podcast from <a href="http://HowStuffWorks.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HowStuffWorks.com</a>.

Why is "Thriller" the world's best-selling album?

Building on last week's exploration of tempo, Mark and John break down the use of time signatures. Lend our resident audiophiles an ear and learn more about music theory in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

Building on last week's exploration of tempo, Mark and John break down the use of time signatures. Lend our resident audiophiles an ear and learn more about music theory in this podcast from <a href="http://HowStuffWorks.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HowStuffWorks.com</a>.

Music Theory 101: Time Signature

Historically, musicians have a penchant for drug use -- the old association of sex, drugs and rock'n'roll has a grain of truth. Check out this podcast as Mark and John, HowStuffWorks.com's resident musicologists, take a look at this phenomenon.

Historically, musicians have a penchant for drug use -- the old association of sex, drugs and rock'n'roll has a grain of truth. Check out this podcast as Mark and John, <a href="http://HowStuffWorks.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HowStuffWorks.com</a>'s resident musicologists, take a look at this phenomenon.

Why would classical musicians use drugs?

When the Beatles toured the U.S. for the second time in 1965, the sound systems were terrible in many venues. That all changed in Atlanta, Georgia, however. Learn more about the first use of concert monitors in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

When the Beatles toured the U.S. for the second time in 1965, the sound systems were terrible in many venues. That all changed in Atlanta, Georgia, however. Learn more about the first use of concert monitors in this podcast from <a href="http://HowStuffWorks.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HowStuffWorks.com</a>.

Did The Beatles use the first concert monitors?

Joe Satriani

When Joe Satriani listened to Coldplay's "Viva La Vida", he detected a familiar melody -- one so familiar, in fact, that he suspected an act of plagiarism. Listen as Mark and John compare the melodies in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

When Joe Satriani listened to Coldplay's "Viva La Vida", he detected a familiar melody -- one so familiar, in fact, that he suspected an act of plagiarism. Listen as Mark and John compare the melodies in this podcast from <a href="http://HowStuffWorks.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HowStuffWorks.com</a>.

Did Coldplay plagiarize Joe Satriani?

In this episode of Mark and John's continuing series on Les Paul, the B-Side crew takes a look at Paul's inventive side. Learn how this musician developed the solid-body electric guitar in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

In this episode of Mark and John's continuing series on Les Paul, the B-Side crew takes a look at Paul's inventive side. Learn how this musician developed the solid-body electric guitar in this podcast from <a href="http://HowStuffWorks.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HowStuffWorks.com</a>.

The Legendary Les Paul: The Solid-Body Electric Guitar

Conductors lead groups of musicians in a simultaneous performance. Despite their prominent role, many people don't know what conductors actually do. Tune in and learn more about conductors in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

Conductors lead groups of musicians in a simultaneous performance. Despite their prominent role, many people don't know what conductors actually do. Tune in and learn more about conductors in this podcast from <a href="http://HowStuffWorks.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HowStuffWorks.com</a>.

How Conductors Work

In this episode of a continuing series on music theory, Mark and John explore notation and pitch, two fundamental concepts for any budding musician. Listen in and learn more about notation and pitch in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

In this episode of a continuing series on music theory, Mark and John explore notation and pitch, two fundamental concepts for any budding musician. Listen in and learn more about notation and pitch in this podcast from <a href="http://HowStuffWorks.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HowStuffWorks.com</a>.

Music Theory 101: Notation and Pitch

The best podcast episodes on physical health. Episodes talk about your diet, sleep, exercise and all the things that people do to improve their physical health and live a healthier life. This topic is for everyone, with applications in all of our everyday lives. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Best Episodes on Physical Health & Your Body

The best podcast episodes of the most interesting stories and things. From skyping someone while they're in space, to tracking down and meeting a telephone scammer in person, to the story of a Galapagos. These episodes will keep you and all your friends entertained and captivated for hours. Learn something new in every episode! Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!