Mental Floss

MUSIC



George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley of Wham!

With their brightly colored short shorts and ridiculously catchy songs, Wham! were the definitive pop group of the '80s—though they were initially seen as a political act.

Kenneth Partridge














The pattern is named after the European dance craze, but what exactly the dots have to do with polka is a bit of a mystery.

Shaunacy Ferro






From left: Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickson, Dolly Parton, Jimmy Buffett, and Gil Scott-Heron.

Jimmy Buffett—yeah, the “Margaritaville” guy—is one of just a few authors to have books that topped both the fiction and non-fiction ‘New York Times’ bestsellers lists. Other authors that have that distinction include Hemingway and Steinbeck.

Anastasia Rose Hyden