Kenneth Partridge
Joined: Jul 4, 2016
Kenneth Partridge is a music and pop-culture writer based in Brooklyn. He's written for such publications as Billboard, The AV Club, Pitchfork, and Refinery29. His hobbies include reading, running, shopping for records, and attempting to justify his love of ska.
The Surprising Name Origins of 20 Famous 1990s Bands
How Nelson Mandela Helped Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” Become a Hit
The Greatest Night in Pop: 10 Facts About the Making of “We Are the World”
The Long, Contentious History of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U”
The winding tale of “Nothing Compares 2 U” begins in 1984, when Prince wrote the song, and continues through to 2021, when Sinead O’Connor declared it “my song.”
Why Devo's Mark Mothersbaugh Turned Down the Chance to Play Doc Brown in ‘Back to the Future’
Mark Mothersbaugh—frontman for Devo, the band behind the 1980 mega-hit “Whip It”—could have also played a role in one of the biggest movies of the '80s.
1999 in Review: 25 Songs Everyone Was Listening to 25 Years Ago
From TLC's “No Scrubs” to Limp Bizkit's “Nookie,” 1999 was both a good year for pop music and a weird one.
The Complicated, Controversial History of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”
Each December, "Baby, It’s Cold Outside"—a ’40s-era American standard that some modern listeners hear as a depiction of sexual misconduct—invites a barrage of controversies, radio bans, and think pieces.
Not the Same: How Creative Strife Led to the Creation of U2’s “One”
U2 was at a breaking point when “One,” which has been repeatedly named one of the greatest songs of all time, brought the band back together.
25 Non-Christmas Things That Have Happened on December 25
Other momentous events have happened on December 25, like Washington crossing the Delaware and the birth of Jimmy Buffett.
The Truth Is Out There: The 25-Year Mystery of a Song From ’The X-Files’ Has Been Solved
For 25 years, a segment of 'The X-Files' fans have been wondering about the creative origins of a country song that played in the background of a scene in season 6. Finally, they have their answer.
The Final Days of John Lennon
Shortly before 11 p.m. on Monday, December 8, 1980, John Lennon was gunned down in front of his New York City apartment building by an obsessed fan. This is the story of the days leading up to that tragedy.
Why People Hate Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime,“ According to a Musicologist
Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime“ is both a song people love to hate and a song people love to love. Musicologist Nate Sloan has some ideas as to why the song is so polarizing.
10 Surprising Facts About Wham!’s “Last Christmas”
Over the course of his illustrious career, George Michael gave the world many gifts. One that keeps on giving is “Last Christmas,” the 1984 holiday classic by Wham!, Michael's pop duo with Andrew Ridgeley.
Unraveling the Many Mysteries of Neil Diamond’s ’Sweet Caroline’
Now’s a good time—so good, so good, so good—to dig into the rich history of Neil Diamond's iconic tune.
Time After Time: The Surprising Connection Between Taylor Swift’s “22” and Hanson’s “MMMBop”
It’s possible to sing the chorus to Hanson’s 1997 smash “MMMBop” over the chords to Taylor Swift’s 2012 hit “22.”