Jason Persse for AOL Heading into the final day of Coachella 2012, one fact hovered over everyone: We already knew about the Tupac Hologram. What surprises could the day hold? The specter of Sunday's guest from beyond the grave seemed to haunt the other bands as well. Wild Flag's Carrie Brownstein pointed out that the desert head made it ...

Jason Persse for AOL Day two, week two, of the flame-broiled Coachella festival brought the highest temperatures yet, but this time the crowds were ready. Shirts? Who needs 'em? From the neo-tribal drum-circle vibe during tUnE-yArDs' set to the frothing mosh pit that opened up for English punk godfathers Buzzcocks, there was something a ...

Jason Persse for AOL After an opening weekend full of surprise guests both living and dead, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival kicked off its second weekend on Friday, April 20, with a rather unpleasant surprise: temperatures well into the 100s. Brutal even by desert standards, the blazing heat kept the daytime crowds a bit thin, ...

Jason Persse for AOL Twenty years after leading the charge in the Grunge revolution, Sub Pop records is still going strong -- though based on Thursday night's Sub Pop CMJ showcase at Manhattan's Mercury Lounge, the venerable Seattle label has mellowed nicely with age. Massive waves of sludge and feedback were nowhere to be found, replaced by ...

The right opening song can make or break a movie and forever change the way you think about a piece of pop music. Because there are so many classic examples, we compiled our list of favorites with a few ground rules. First, no musicals -- sorry, 'Sound of Music.' Second, songs only -- hence the absence of ...

Jason Persse for AOL On Saturday, March 19, Austin played host to the fifth Mess with Texas party -- a massive, free, and totally unofficial two-stage blowout held during South by Southwest. Held at the East Side Drive-In, the all-day show's stacked line-up featured a who's-who of SXSW's biggest acts, from fresh faces like Esben and the ...

A "riff" is defined as a short, repeating musical theme that forms a song's framework. Thus, guitar riffs are the basic building blocks of rock 'n' roll -- and we've gathered the greatest of the great. Emotional impact, cultural significance and good old-fashioned recognizability are just as important as being flashy or hard to play. ...