MUSIC HISTORY

The Surprising Name Origins of 20 Famous 1980s Bands

The decade of shoulder pads, leg warmers, and piano-keyboard neckties brought with it some ridiculously awesome band names.

The 10 Most Streamed Songs of the 20th Century

Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" was a massive hit when it was released in 1975, and is still a hit in the internet era.

Freddie Mercury’s Beloved London Estate Is on the Market

Attention all Queen fanatics with at least $38 million to spare: Freddie Mercury’s former London home can be yours!

10 Songs Inspired by the RMS ‘Titanic’

Songs about ‘Titanic’ go way beyond Celine Dion’s smash hit “My Heart Will Go On.”

Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus of Milli Vanilli.

The Great Milli Vanilli Hoax: The Truth Behind the Music Scandal That Rocked the 1990s

In 1990, Grammy-winning duo Milli Vanilli went from 'Top of the Pops' to laughing stocks when it was revealed that they had not sung a note on their own album.

The Romantic Rivalry Behind Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’

The 50-year-old song has remained relevant because, according to Dolly Parton, “Most of us have actually had a Jolene or a Joe in our lives at one time or another.”

10 Women You Probably Didn’t Know Were in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Discover these lesser-known but still highly accomplished female musicians that have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, like Ma Rainey and LaVern Baker.

14 Fascinating Facts About Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Despite what you might have heard (or seen on the big screen), famed composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart probably wasn’t poisoned by Antonio Salieri—but he did spend time with a young Marie Antoinette and keep a starling as a pet.

If You Knew: The Short, Brilliant Life—and Lasting Legacy—of Jeff Buckley

If the only thing Jeff Buckley ever did was record his 1994 cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” he would still have a permanent spot in music history.

Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst doesn't care if you think 'Limp Bizkit' sucks.

The Surprising Name Origins of 20 Famous 1990s Bands

Limp Bizkit did it all for the nookie ... and the chance to make people not want to listen to their music?

Those Illuminati rumors still haven't gone away, HOV ...

12 Unbelievable Music Conspiracy Theories

Whether it's about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce or Jay-Z’s part in the Illuminati, these music conspiracy theories are good for a laugh—and maybe a deep-dive on Reddit (or two).

The Beatles arrive to hundreds of adoring fans.

Watch The Beatles Arrive in New York City for the First Time in 1964

Not even John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, or Ringo Starr could imagine the fandom that awaited them when they headed to the U.S. for the first time.

How Nelson Mandela Helped Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” Become a Hit

Tracy Chapman’s 1988 classic “Fast Car” might never have risen to the near top of the charts if it wasn't for a technical mishap.

Diana Ross in 1982, Katy Perry in 2015, and Jennifer Lopez in 2018.

35 Famous Musicians Who Have Never Won a Grammy

Who hasn't won a Grammy? Jennifer Lopez, Nicki Minaj, and dozens of other beloved artists.

A scene from “The Greatest Night in Pop”

The Greatest Night in Pop: 10 Facts About the Making of “We Are the World”

In the ’80s, pop music decided to take on the world’s problems. There was Band Aid, Live Aid, Farm Aid, and of course, USA for Africa's “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.”

Illustration to Robert Burns' poem "Auld Lang Syne" by J.M. Wright and Edward Scriven.

A Brief History of “Auld Lang Syne”

On New Year’s Eve, after the ball has dropped, revelers queue up "Auld Lang Syne"—that song that makes you cry, even though you don’t understand it and know almost none of the words.

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.

15 Alternative Lyrics From Old Versions of “The Twelve Days of Christmas”

Liven up your singing of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" by subbing in these old—and occasionally strange—lyrics.

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.

Bob Geldof (L) and Midge Ure (R) outside a London recording studio while working on "Do They Know It's Christmas?" on November 25, 1984.

Band Aid: The Charitable—and Controversial—History of “Do They Know It's Christmas?”

Band Aid's charity song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" enlisted everyone from Sting to Bananarama, but its efforts to help the Ethiopian famine didn't go exactly as planned.

Margaret O'Brien and Judy Garland in 'Meet Me in St. Louis' (1944).

How “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” Went From Morbid Omen to Holiday Mainstay

The original “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” implied that you’d never have a merry Christmas again.

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.

Now’s a good time—so good, so good, so good—to dig into the rich history of “Sweet Caroline.”

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.

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