Posted on by Bretos Margetis

Music Fast Facts – Week 4

  1. Annie Lennox has won more Brit awards (8) than any other female artist.
  2. Ireland has won the most Eurovision song contests (7 times).
  3. Klezmer music is derived from two Hebrew words, clay and zimmer, meaning “vessel of music.”
  4. The Ocarina, a musical wind instrument, is also known as the Sweet Potato.
  5. A grand piano can be played faster than an upright (spinet) piano.
  6. A piano covers the full spectrum of all orchestra instruments, from below the lowest note of the double bassoon to above the top note of the piccolo.
  7. The last note of a keyboard is C.
  8. The biggest per capita music markets, in order, are Norway ($25 per person per year), UK, Sweden, Japan, Germany, Australia and United States ($15). China has the smallest per capita music spending, at less than a dollar per person.
  9. The longest living person on record, Jeanne Louise Calment (21 February 1875 – 4 August 1997), released a CD on her 121st birthday in 1996. Titled “Time’s Mistress” it features Ms Calment reminiscing to a score of rap music and other tunes.
  10. “Guess Things Happen That Way” by Johnny Cash was the 10-billionth track sold on iTunes, February 2010. It was bought by Louie Sulcer of Woodstock, Georgia, who won a $10,000 (£6,500) iTunes gift card.
  11. The top selling singles of all time are Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” (50 million), Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind ‘97” (33 million), Mungo Jerry’s “In the summertime” (30 million) and Bill Haley’s “Rock Around the Clock” (25 million).