MUSIC HISTORY

Lizzo plays Madison's crystal flute at the Library of Congress.

How Lizzo Came to Play James Madison’s 200-Year-Old Crystal Flute During a D.C. Concert

“I want everybody to make some noise for James Madison’s crystal flute, y’all!” —Lizzo, international pop star and classical flautist.

Nirvana might have led the grunge movement, but other bands helped define the era, too.

10 of the Most Influential Grunge Artists of the ‘90s

Bands like Nirvana, Mudhoney, and Pearl Jam helped bring grunge to the mainstream in the ‘90s and defined the era.

Things went a little off the rails at times for these hard rock performers, but sometimes that's how it goes on tour.

Sympathy for the Devils: 8 of the Wildest Tour Stories in Rock Music History

From Ozzy Osbourne biting the head off a live bat during a show to Keith Richards nearly burning down the Playboy Mansion, these tour stories are some of the most notorious in rock music history.

Aerosmith and Run-DMC broke down walls—and musical barriers—with "Walk This Way."

How Aerosmith and Run-DMC's "Walk This Way" Forever Altered the Landscape of American Music

In the '80s, the destruction of two walls changed the course of human events. One was the Berlin Wall, which came down on November 9, 1989. The other was the wall separating Aerosmith from Run-DMC in the 1986 music video for "Walk This Way."

When Motley Crue became Mötley Crüe, they had no idea the umlaut "was a pronunciation thing."

From Motörhead to Mötley Crüe: A History of the Umlaut—Rock's Most Peculiar Punctuation

Where did the gothic garnish that became a trademark of rock bands like Mötley Crüe and Blue Öyster Cult get started?

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy performs during the halftime show at 1999's Super Bowl XXXIII in Miami.

Flipping Out: Revisiting the 1990s Swing Revival

In the late ’90s, young people across America fell hard for swing, a musical genre that hadn’t been popular since before their parents were born.

Picture this: A punk rock icon who wasn't even a natural blonde.

10 Facts About Blondie's Debbie Harry

Debbie Harry became a rock icon as the lead singer and co-founder of the band Blondie, but here are some things you might not know about this natural redhead.

Thank You for the Music: Unpacking ABBA's Everlasting Appeal

When ABBA took an indefinite hiatus in 1982, they couldn’t have predicted the goodwill they’d garner over the next several decades.

How Kenny Loggins Became The King of '80s Movie Soundtracks

After helping to invent the supremely chill, lightly funky sound known as “yacht rock” in the ’70s, Kenny Loggins went full speed into the ’80s and took the highway to the danger zone of movie soundtracks.

Kurt Cobain performing (with a different guitar) in Paris in 1992.

For Sale: Kurt Cobain’s Iconic “Smells Like Teen Spirit” Fender Guitar

The Nirvana frontman didn’t just play the blue Fender Mustang in the “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video—it was also his favorite kind of guitar.

Why Are So Many Pop Songs Roughly Three Minutes Long?

The roughly three-minute limit dates back to the early 20th century—but the digital music landscape is affecting the custom.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe was a musical pioneer.

Gibson Is Paying Tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the Godmother of Rock, With a Line of Merchandise

A gospel singer who rose to national fame in the 1940s, Rosetta Tharpe's work on the electric guitar inspired the likes of Elvis and Johnny Cash.

Watch Paul McCartney Write "Get Back" While Waiting for John Lennon

The new Beatles documentary 'Get Back' shows Paul McCartney writing one of the band's greatest hits on a day when John Lennon was running late.

Billie Holiday performs at the Downbeat in New York City in 1947.

How Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit" Shocked Listeners With Its Brutal Confrontation of Racism

Named the “song of the century” by TIME in 1999, “Strange Fruit” continues to devastate listeners nearly a century after its original recording.

Hell On Heels: How Madonna's Shoe Mishap Scandalized the 1984 MTV VMAs

Madonna wasn't yet a household name when she opened the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards by humping the stage, leading some people—including her own management team—to believe her career was over.

Jim Morrison and his The Doors band mates—Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, and Robby Krieger—pose for their first album cover in 1967.

11 Surprising Facts About Jim Morrison

Jim Morrison was the self-styled Lizard King, a leather-pants-loving rock deity who fronted the Doors and represented the dark and druggy flipside of the utopian ’60s dream.

Janis Joplin in Columbus, Ohio in the summer of 1970.

11 Surprising Facts About Janis Joplin

Janis Joplin didn’t have a long or prolific career. The freewheeling Texas blues-rock howler recorded just four albums between 1967 and 1970. But in that short time, she left an indelible mark on rock ’n’ roll history.

BrAt_PiKaChU/iStock via Getty Images; MTV Networks, Public Domain // Wikimedia Commons

20 Fascinating Facts About The Launch Of MTV

Although MTV has more recently become synonymous with reality TV and cheap clip shows, there was a time when the network truly did live up to its name. And it all began at 12:01 a.m. on August 1, 1981.

Paul Stanley of Kiss brandishes his mangled axe at a New York concert in 2019.

A Brief History of Guitar Smashing, From Pete Townshend to Phoebe Bridgers

The road to Jimi Hendrix’s guitar fire, The Clash’s ‘London Calling’ album cover, and other epic guitar smash moments began in London’s Railway Hotel.

The Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee.

9 Rockin’ Facts About Elvis Presley’s Graceland

Elvis Presley’s Graceland hasn’t changed too much since he lived there—the last record he ever listened to is still in the record player.

The Supremes—Diana Ross, Florence Ballard, and Mary Wilson—pictured in 1967.

15 Facts About History's Most Popular Girl Groups

“Girl Groups” is one of those musical genres that’s difficult to define, but that has been incredibly influential on pop music as a whole throughout the decades.

8 Facts About ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing,’ the Black National Anthem

“Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the so-called Black national anthem, was written by 20th-century novelist/poet/songwriter James Weldon Johnson as a rallying cry for perseverance and social justice.

Dolly Parton winning MusiCares Person of the Year in 2019.

Tennessee Is One Step Closer to Getting a Dolly Parton Statue on Capitol Hill

After funding COVID-19 vaccine research and donating millions of books to kids, Dolly Parton definitely deserves a statue or two.

The Backstreet Boys—Brian Littrell, Nick Carter, A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, and Kevin Richardson—photographed in 1995.

25 Swoon-Worthy Facts About Famous Boy Bands

Although they’ve never been taken too seriously, boy bands have been a force ever since The Beatles took the stage on 'The Ed Sullivan Show' and the world witnessed female "hysteria" at its best.

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