MUSIC

8 Extinct Musical Instruments Man’s Forgotten How to Play

Can you imagine a world without pianos and guitars? Few can, and fewer still would want to actually live in such a place. But history has shown that musical devices don't last forever.

7 Weird and Wonderful “Let It Go” Remixes

This Frozen number has taken the internet by storm.

Mozart Wrote Dirty Songs, Too

People love to complain about today’s music. All the lyrics are too bland, repetitive, and racy. So thank goodness we have a canon of treasured composers to fall back on! You know, guys like Mozart. He wrote songs with substance.

10 Musicians With Official "Days" Named After Them

Happy Kurt Cobain Day to the residents of Aberdeen, Washington.

11 Directors Who Collaborated with Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson's world-wide hits and record-breaking albums gave him the power to push the medium of the music video farther than any musical artist before or after him.

4 Crazy, Early Foreign Language Versions of Beatles Songs

It was 50 years ago this week that the Beatles first landed in the U.S. and set off a wave of Beatlemania from coast to coast with their historic appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. By the end of the 1960s, their music had spread worldwide, not only in th

10 Really Weird Pieces of Classical Music

Classical music seems to have a reputation for being straight-laced, stuffy, and obsessed with rules. But over the centuries, hundreds of composers have tested the boundaries of musical expression in strange and unique ways. Here are ten prime examples.

33 Fascinating Stories Behind Famous Songs

In this week's episode of mental_floss on YouTube, The Gregory Brothers stop by to share a little music history.

6 Not-So-Jolly Christmas Carols

There are some Christmas songs that don't get a lot of attention because they're dark, even by non-holiday song standards.

8 Moments When Music and Middle-Earth Collided

Peter Jackson's latest J.R.R. Tolkein-based film, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug hits theaters today. But Tolkein's books haven't just inspired films. Here's a look back at a few Hobbit- and Lord of the Rings-inspired musical moments.

11 Unexpected Musical Collaborations

When two musically disparate acts collaborate, the end results can be ... interesting.

20 Songs You Might Not Know Were Covers

Sometimes we don't realize that our favorite songs have been around longer than we thought.

The Original "Mahna Mahna"

The Beatles performing on stage in 1963.

21 Fab Facts About The Beatles

John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr are remembered for their instrumental roles in launching the British invasion and bringing the aesthetic of rock and roll to new frontiers with everything from electronic effects to sitars.

Why These 11 Bands Wear Masks

If you’re the type of artist that cares more about the art than the money and fame, then hiding your identity is the best way to keep your audience’s attention on the art rather than the superficial. Here are 11 stories behind masked bands.

9 Famous Works Written in Exile

Sometimes it helps to get away.

11 Artists Accused of Music Plagiarism

Could it be true? That the summer’s biggest hit is not really a Robin Thicke original? There's controversy brewing over “Blurred Lines.”

11 '80s TV Stars Who Recorded Obscure Albums

When these stars weren't acting, they were singing.

The Stories Behind 22 Classic Album Covers

Here's what went into some of the most recognizable album covers in music history.

167 Theremin Players Perform Beethoven

7 Famous Songs Written in Less Than a Day

Here's a tip of the cap to seven speed demon songwriters who whipped up some of their biggest hits in a matter of hours.

Mr. Tambourine Man, the #1 Hit 48 Years Ago

Getty Images/Simpsons Wikia/Erin McCarthy

21 Band Names Based on TV Shows

You know how you occasionally hear an awesome turn of phrase and immediately think, “That would make the best band name? These people did the same thing, but the difference between us and them is that they actually went on to name a band.

Interesting Facts About 10 National Anthems

Every anthem has a story—not just of its nation's history, but of itself and how it came to be.

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