Features - Grunge

Joni Mitchell playing an acoustic guitar during a photoshoot in 1968

4 Folk Musicians Who Discovered Their Signature Sound By Accident

From playing banjos upside down to overly protective technicians, a fateful alignment of happenstance provided these folk artists with their own unique sound.

The Beatles playing together in the '60s

5 British Rock Bands That Helped Launch The Most Successful Solo Careers

Besides changing the trajectory of rock music, these British bands, including Genesis, the Police, and Black Sabbath, spawned some legendary solo careers.

Devo performing onstage in the late 1970s

4 Flop Songs That Got A Second Chance In TV Commercials

Some songs aren't destined for fame, but others just had to wait for the right moment, or right TV commercial, to make them into smash hits.

One-Hit Wonders Whose Songs Survived Longer Than Their Brief Fame

Some songs get into the pop culture so deeply that we see them decade after decade, even songs by one-hit wonders like Ram Jam, Wild Cherry, and Baltimora.

5 Classic Albums That Define The Sound Of '80s New Wave

From Duran Duran to the Police, these albums were foundational to the musical landscape of the '80s, as well as that most joyful and quirky of genres, new wave.

Steve Morse playing guitar on stage in 1970s

5 Country Rock Albums That Helped Change The Sound Of The '70s

Country Rock may have begun in the '60s, but came into its own in the '70s, and albums from the likes of the Eagles forged the unique sound of that decade.

The 5 Best Rock Live Albums Recorded In Japan

Bands such as Judas Priest, Cheap Trick, and Scorpions recorded live albums in Japan that are so good they've become indelible parts of rock history.

The Best Surprise Guest Appearances In Classic Rock Concert History

These surprise guest performances by acts like David Bowie, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, and the Rolling Stones were some of the best in classic rock history.

Ella Fitzgerald singing into a microphone.

The Most Beautiful Female Voices Of The '50s

The instrumentation behind these female singers played second fiddle to their extraordinary voices, and helped popularize genres to the masses during the 1950s.

Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo performing on stage, holding a microphne.

5 Flop Songs That Ended Up Making A Fortune

Flop songs like "Blister in the Sun" and "Bad to the Bone" were not Billboard hits, but later, they earned lots of money when used in TV and film.

Chris Hillman and Stephen Stills performing with Manassas

The 4 Best Country Rock Supergroups Of The '70s

In the 1970s, giants such as Chris Hillman, Stephen Stills, and Gram Parsons united to form these outstanding yet short-lived country rock supergroups.

4 Motown Singers Whose Voices Were More Famous Than Their Names

Vocalists such as Levi Stubbs and Gladys Horton might not be household names, but they propelled some of Motown's best songs to the top of the charts.

The 5 Best Debut Albums Written By Solo Female Artists

Once upon a time, a woman writing and performing her own music solo was considered a rarity, but these famous singers changed the game forever.

Close up of person pulling red vinyl record from sleeve in store

Hidden Messages Led Zeppelin And Other Bands Etched Into Their Vinyl Records

Vinyl records have a runout groove that is typically just "dead wax," but sometimes bands will inscribe secret messages into this part of the album.

Fred Schneider, Keith Strickland, Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson of the B-52's in 1989

5 Songs That Prove 1989 Was The Best Year Of The B-52s' Career

Hit songs like "Love Shack," "Roam," and "Cosmic Thing," off of their 1989 album of the same name prove that year was the best of the B-52's career.

5 Of The Most Beautiful Voices In Motown History

Motown was home to some of the most famous singers in music history, so anyone who stands out as a spectacular singer is the cream of the crop.

Thijs van Leer of Focus playing keyboards and singing onstage

The 5 Best One-Hit Wonders Of Progressive Rock

Progressive rock is kind of a niche genre, but it has still had its moment in the sun, with some one-hit wonders actually charting with prog rock tunes.

Junior Campbell of Marmalade singing and performing

Top 10 Hits From 1970 Everyone Forgot About

1970 was a great year for music, but while some tunes still endure from the time, other hits faded from memory even though they shouldn't have.

The Best Girl Groups With Only 1 Major Hit

One-hit wonders come and go, but their songs live on in pop-culture memory. These girl groups that only had one major hit are perfect examples.

Black and white photo of Frank Sinatra in the '50s posing next to a camera for promotional material for Columbia Records

The 5 Most Beautiful Male Voices Of The '50s

Some singers will always stand out above the rest, and these classic songsmiths from the 1950s are so unforgettable that they're still legends today.

5 Songs That Prove 1967 Was The Best Year Of The Monkees' Career

The Monkees started as a made-for-TV rock band, but they evolved into a real band, and by 1967, thanks to these songs, they had the best year of their career.

Gene Simmons sticking his tongue out and playing bass

5 Artists That Perfected Shock Rock

Alice Cooper, Kiss, and Gwar are a few of the acts that combined rock music with over-the-top onstage antics to shape the phenomenon known as "shock rock."

5 Musicians Who Helped Invent Prog Rock As We Know It

Prog rock may not exist in the way we know it today if not for musicians like Frank Zappa, Robert Fripp, Syd Barrett, Dave Brubeck, and innovator Dr. Bob Moog.

5 Country Rock Bands That Defined The '70s

Country-infused rock was pioneered in the 1970s, and bands that defined that era include the Eagles, The Band, Pure Prairie League, and the Allman Brothers.

4 Classic Rock Bands That Sounded Completely Different Before They Were Famous

Many classic rock bands that eventually found fame came to define the genre. However, a lot of them started off with a very different sound style.

Buggles posing with TV for a publicity shot

Unforgettable TV Moments Set To One-Hit Wonders

Some of the most memorable moments in TV history stand out because of the song in the scene, and these one-hit wonders found a second life on television.

The 5 Best Double Albums Of All Time

Double albums are an audacious ambition that sometimes doesn't pay off for musicians, but in these instances, oversized records became legendary.