Peter Jackson's latest J.R.R. Tolkein-based film, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug hits theaters today. But Tolkein's books haven't just inspired films. Here's a look back at a few Hobbit- and Lord of the Rings-inspired musical moments.

MUSIC
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr are remembered for their instrumental roles in launching the British invasion and bringing the aesthetic of rock and roll to new frontiers with everything from electronic effects to sitars.
If you’re the type of artist that cares more about the art than the money and fame, then hiding your identity is the best way to keep your audience’s attention on the art rather than the superficial. Here are 11 stories behind masked bands.
Sometimes it helps to get away.
Here's a tip of the cap to seven speed demon songwriters who whipped up some of their biggest hits in a matter of hours.
You know how you occasionally hear an awesome turn of phrase and immediately think, “That would make the best band name? These people did the same thing, but the difference between us and them is that they actually went on to name a band.
Artists and writers can't always being their works to grandiose completion. Here are a few that left us hanging.
In 1968, the “Canadian Content” law was enacted: It required every radio station to dedicate 25 percent of each broadcast hour to Canadian content.
Some composers play it safe and write music that makes easy listening. Others like testing the limits. Here are some unique experiments in classical music.
Here are five one-hit wonders who deserve to be remembered for their five minutes in the limelight—and what they’ve been up to since.
Encores have become concert standard issue. Artists pencil in a big hit or two at the back end of their set list, walk off stage, wait for fans to shout for the encore, act surprised, play aforementioned hit songs in all their encore glory, rinse, repeat.