Mental Floss

MUSIC HISTORY



Leonard Cohen in London in June 1974.

In the 35 years since its release, Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" has been covered by more than 300 artists in a variety of genres and become a staple of TV singing shows. Not bad for a song that Cohen's own record label hated.

Kenneth Partridge




INXS's Michael Hutchence in Mystify: Michael Hutchence (2019).

Over the course of the 1980s, INXS went from fledgling Australian pub rockers to global superstars. Then tragedy struck when, in 1997, lead singer Michael Hutchence was found dead.

Kenneth Partridge


Beastie Boys via YouTube

With their raucous mix of rock and hip-hop, the Beastie Boys were a band everyone could love. They also made killer music videos, and “Sabotage” is arguably one of the best in the history of the medium.

Kenneth Partridge
AFP/Getty Images

Though he’s widely considered one of the most iconic musicians of the 20th century, Jimi Hendrix passed away as his career was really just getting started.

Jennifer M Wood


Tucker Ransom, Getty Images

The music festival still carries a wealth of cultural relevance. Fans have a middle-aged farmer to thank for it.

Jake Rossen


Carl Lender - Flickr, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

On August 1, 1942, Jerry Garcia was born in San Francisco, California—and would soon go on to change the history of music as we know it.

Jennifer M Wood


Paul McCartney of The Beatles and Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones sit opposite each other on a train at London's Euston Station.

Who are America’s all-time favorite musicians and bands? When it comes to the best-selling artists of all time, The Beatles still rule—yes, even a half-century after their breakup.

Tara Rahimi








Warner Home Video

Though much has been written about the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the most entertaining look at the master composer's life might very well be Amadeus, Milos Forman's 1984 film about the artist's life (and rivalries).

Erika Berlin


Illustration by Mental Floss. Image: Rischgitz, Getty Images

Haunted houses wouldn't be as scary without the Baroque master's 'Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.' But that's not all we have to thank him for.

Lucas Reilly