MUSIC

The Time Freddy Krueger Became a Nightmare for Will Smith

The rapper's 1988 song, "Nightmare on My Street," made reference to a killer named Fred who was "burnt like a weenie." New Line Cinema didn't find it funny, but it has just been rediscovered online.

Mike Myers's Bohemian Rhapsody Cameo Is a Nod to Wayne's World

Mama mia!

Guillermo del Toro to Write and Direct Pinocchio Musical for Netflix

"I’ve wanted to make this movie for as long as I can remember," the Oscar-winning director said.

The Stories Behind 7 Famous Songs about Smiling

You're never fully dressed without one.

Ji-Elle, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

Benjamin Franklin and History's Most Dangerous Musical Instrument

The glass armonica was Benjamin Franklin's biggest contribution to the world of music—and then it started to kill people.

21 Far Out Facts About Dazed and Confused

Richard Linklater's ode to the 1970s arrived in theaters 25 years ago ... and quickly flopped at the box office.

Can You Find the 30 Album Covers Referenced in This Picture?

Look closely.

Dolly Parton, They Might Be Giants, and More Featured on New Album Inspired By the 27 Amendments

Even the amendments most history books gloss over.

Highway Fidelity: When Cars Came With Record Players

In 1956, Chrysler introduced a record player that could be mounted under dashboards and promised that it would never skip. Common sense argued otherwise.

The Super Mario Bros. Theme Song Has Lyrics You've Probably Never Heard

“Today, full of energy, Mario is still running, running."

Jazz Icon Charles Mingus Wrote a Manual for Toilet Training Your Cat

Poop like the coolest cats around.

Egide Charles Gustave Wappers, Wikimedia Commons // Public domain

How the Performance of a French Opera About a Neapolitan Revolt Sparked a Belgian Revolution

In 1830, King William I of Netherlands celebrated his birthday with an opera. The performance would help destroy his country.

BBC's 'Slow Radio' Programming Includes the Sounds of Clocks, Cows, and Zoo Animals

Decompress with these programs.

Illustration of a katzenklavier from the satirical magazine 'Kladderadatsch' circa 1897.

The Katzenklavier: An Organ Made of Cats

Long before the wonders of keyboard cat, felines and music had a tense relationship. The two were tied by an infernal instrument—the katzenklavier, or cat organ.

7 Movies That Could Have Starred Michael Jackson

Willy Wonka and Quasimodo were only the beginning of MJ's big-screen aspirations.

Michael Jackson's Long-Missing Glove Is Going on Sale—for $15,000

It sat in storage for almost a decade.

National Portrait Gallery Celebrates Aretha Franklin With Week-Long Exhibition

The Queen of Soul is getting some major R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Too Sexy to Last: The Right Said Fred Story

Guy Holmes popped the tape into the cassette player in his car and waited. The British record promoter was eager to hear new acts, but knew that the majority of them weren’t going to be good or unique enough to cut through the noise of the worldwide music

Mick Jagger in David and Albert Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin's Gimme Shelter (1970).

25 Great Rockumentaries Every Music (and Movie) Fan Should See

The best music documentaries deliver a stellar soundscape, offer a backstage pass to the real humans who make it, and hold our ears even if we aren’t already devoted fans. If a little history gets made in the process, even better.