The Story Of Led Zepplin's "Stairway To Heaven"

April 24, 2022

By many measures, Led Zeppelin's “Stairway To Heaven” ranks as the most famous rock song in history. However, the slow-building anthem never charted since it was never ...

The Story Of Rick James' Super Freak

April 20, 2022

In 1981, Rick James dropped the immortal “Super Freak,” a song that elicits a jovial reaction at a bowling alley or a Bat Mitzvah. The intervening years have managed to soften “Su...

The Unforgettable Earworm “Come On Eileen” by Dexys Midnight Runners

April 12, 2022

1982’s “Come On Eileen” by Dexys Midnight Runners bucked the trend of the ‘80s synthesizers while taking the #1 spot from Michael Jackson’s “Bi...

The Unusual Genesis Of Marvin Gaye's Sexual Healing

April 8, 2022

Marvin Gaye’s incomparable “Sexual Healing” burst onto the scene, thanks to strong pornography, writer David Ritz, and a coastal Belgium town called Ostend. The mas...

Cyndi Lauper's Feminist Anthem Of "Girls Just Want To Have Fun"

April 4, 2022

The first kernel of an idea rarely finishes as the final product. Cyndi Lauper’s "Girls Just Want To Have Fun” exemplifies that construct. The song, wh...

Nancy Sinatra's Salacious "These Boots Are Meant For Walkin'

March 3, 2022

When it comes to the Sinatras, Ol’ Blue Eyes obviously reigns supreme. But thanks to his daughter’s 1966 "These Boots are Made For Walkin", Nancy Sinatra...

How The Rolling Stones’ “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” Was Made In America

February 23, 2022

The Rolling Stones’ “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” made the band overnight stars in America and continued to distinguish the boys from ...

The Story Behind The Song "Bohemian Rhapsody"

February 21, 2022

From left to right, musicians John Deacon and Freddie Mercury (1946 - 1991) of the British rock band Queen perform in concert at the Forum on July 9, 1980 in Inglewood, Cali...

Guns N’ Roses' Surprising “Sweet Child O' Mine”

February 15, 2022

Of all the Guns N’ Roses hits, “Sweet Child O' Mine” remains by far the most unlikely. For starters, the song came from a poem. Yes, it’s based on a poem that Ax...

Def Leppard's Surprising "Pour Some Sugar On Me"

February 11, 2022

“Pour Some Sugar On Me” from Def Leppard’s 1987 album, Hysteria, struck like lucky lightning both creatively and commercially. Ironically, for the band, Hysteria amoun...

How Lionel Richie's "All Night Long" Became An All-Timer

February 7, 2022

Lionel Richie’s “All Night Long” topped the Hot 100 for four weeks in 1983 and likely became a bedroom staple for many years after that. The Jheri curl king pu...

When Controversy Led To A Hit For Billy Joel

February 1, 2022

Billy Joel plays Madison Square Garden in New York, NY, December 1978. (Photo by Don Aters/Icon and Image/Getty Images) Billy Joel was born in 1949. He got an early start i...

Disco Dancing The Night Away

January 24, 2022

Disco music arose from various subcultures; it had origins in the dance parties thrown by the New York City underground gay community as well as in the R&B scene in Philadelphia from the ...

How Van Halen Changed Michael Jackson's Beat It And Music History

January 14, 2022

“Beat It,” improbably, blended the genius of Eddie Van Halen and Michael Jackson to ignite the King of Pop’s most iconic album. Prior to Thriller’s 19...

Rumors Of McCartney’s Death Were Greatly Exaggerated

January 8, 2022

28th January 1980: English songwriter and pop star Paul McCartney on his farm near Rye, Sussex. (Photo by David Harris/Keystone/Getty Images) On October 12, 1969,...

Andy Gibb: A Talent Gone Too Soon

December 19, 2021

In 1958, Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb formed what would become one of the powerhouses of disco music: the Bee Gees. The year that the brothers became a band, they also welcomed the...

Queen's “Another One Bites The Dust” Surprising Journey To #1

December 13, 2021

“Another One Bites The Dust” by Queen introduced the iconic band to Americans in a major way. Billboard’s longest-running #1 top 10 hit of 1980 surpri...