

Kenneth Partridge
Joined: Jul 4, 2016
Kenneth Partridge is a music and pop-culture writer based in Brooklyn. He's written for such publications as Billboard, The AV Club, Pitchfork, and Refinery29. His hobbies include reading, running, shopping for records, and attempting to justify his love of ska.


How Celine Dion's 'My Heart Will Go On,' a Song No One Wanted, Became a Titanic Hit

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

11 Surprising Facts About Nirvana's 'Nevermind'
25 Surprising Facts About John Lennon
Before he was one of the world's most iconic musicians, John Lennon was a choir boy and a Boy Scout.
The Bizarre Alter Egos of 11 Major Celebrities
In showbiz, personality goes a long way. Personalities go even further. From Ziggy Stardust to Sasha Fierce, artists have used alter egos as a means of stepping outside of themselves, if only momentarily.
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.
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.
Why People Hate Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime," According to a Musicologist
Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime" is both a song that people love to hate and a song that people love to love. Nate Sloan, musicologist and co-host of the 'Switched On Pop' podcast, has some ideas on why the song so polarizing.
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.
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.
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.
MUSIC
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.
MUSIC
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.
MUSIC
15 Surprising Facts About Amy Winehouse
There will never be another musician like Amy Winehouse. When the British singer arrived on the scene in 2003, she was a brash jazz chanteuse giving old music a modern makeover—but she began her career as a rapper.
MUSIC
11 Facts About Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven"
In the pantheon of classic rock songs, there are none more classic than “Stairway to Heaven.” Led Zeppelin’s 1971 opus has it all: mystical lyrics, memorable riffs, a monster guitar solo, and crazy urban legends involving Hobbits and the Devil.