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When Christopher Walken Danced to 'Weapon of Choice'
Get the history behind Christopher Walken's dance moves in the 2001 music video 'Weapon of Choice.'
MUSIC
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.
James Patterson and Dolly Parton Teamed Up to Write a Mystery Novel
"Run, Rose, Run," a novel that explores Nashville's country music scene, marks new territory for both James Patterson and Dolly Parton.
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.
Pack of Lies: The Enduring Legacy (and Mystery) of Phil Collins's "In the Air Tonight"
"In the Air Tonight," Phil Collins's first solo single, has been inspiring vigorous air-drumming and bizarre rumors for more than 40 years.
Bleat Along to Classic Holiday Tunes With This Goat Christmas Album
The music might be silly, but it's kind of catchy—and all for an excellent cause.
Mr. Monster Goes to Washington: When Elmo Testified in Front of Congress
The beloved 'Sesame Street' star went to Capitol Hill 20 years ago and became the first non-human to ever testify in front of Congress.
Do Olympic Figure Skaters Have to License the Music They Skate To?
Nathan Chen won gold against a backdrop of Elton John songs. But who shelled out for the music license?
'I Like to Ram It': The Stories Behind 7 of the Strangest Sports Anthems
Sports teams use popular music to rally their fans. Sometimes, they compose their own. And that's how you wind up with lyrics like "Abracadabra, alakazam, slam dunk sesame."
11 Misunderstood "Love" Songs
Love songs are like Rorschach tests—or, to put it more romantically, puffy clouds. We hear in them what we want, and that leaves lots of room for misinterpretation.
The Soundtrack of Summer 1963
A lot may have changed in the last fifty years, but at least one rule of American popular culture has stayed the same: a hot summer needs a hot soundtrack.
Here’s How to Cancel Your Spotify Premium Subscription
Save yourself the frustration of trying to find a ‘Cancel’ option in the Spotify app—there isn’t one.
New York University Is Currently Offering a Taylor Swift Course
How to Cross Over From Country Music Princess to Pop Music Queen in 10 Years or Less (Taylor’s Version).
How John C. Reilly’s Own Tramp Clown History Inspired His Chicago Performance
The 2002 ‘Chicago’ movie gave us a John C. Reilly we’d never seen before. But members of his childhood church probably weren’t surprised.
You Gotta Believe: How PaRappa the Rapper Took Music Video Games to Another Level
Rhythm-loving dog PaRappa the Rapper was a surprise hit for the Sony PlayStation in 1996. But he was almost a rapping shrimp.
Daniel Radcliffe Is Playing "Weird" Al Yankovic in a New Biopic
The Roku Original movie will apparently hold nothing back and depict Yankovic's 'famously depraved lifestyle.'
11 Fast Facts About the Ramones
By stripping rock and roll down to its four-chord essentials, the Ramones helped pioneer the punk rock movement of the 1970s.
Our 25 Most Popular Stories of 2021
Based on our most popular stories of 2021, it seems safe to say that our readers adore their pets, are fascinated by the strange features they see on motor vehicles, and really want to know what happened to all that white dog poop they used to see.
1997 Flashback: 25 Songs Turning 25 In 2022
In 1997, the first Harry Potter book was published in the U.K., 'Titanic' arrived in theaters, and you probably had Hanson's "MMMBop" stuck in your head—whether you liked it or not.
Winnie-the-Pooh, Bambi, The Sun Also Rises, and Other Important Works Will Enter the Public Domain January 1
You want more 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies'? Because this is how you get 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.'
Our 40 Favorite Stories of 2021
From Universal Orlando's wild (and usually inoperable) 'Jaws' ride of the '90s to the very real—and very captive—tiger shark that threw up a human arm and sparked a 1935 murder investigation, the Mental Floss team is sharing some of our favorite stories f
Christmas Number One: Behind the Battle To Have the UK's Top Song On Christmas Day
If you’ve ever seen 'Love Actually,' you know that for a musician, being at the top of the UK charts on Christmas Day is a coveted place to be.
10 Facts About Run-DMC’s "Christmas In Hollis"
It took a little convincing, but in 1987—fresh off their smash hit album 'Raising Hell'—Run-DMC agreed to record a holiday song for the star-studded charity album 'A Very Special Christmas.' And a Christmas classic was born.
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.