Topic

Music

A collection of 66 issues

The Four Extra Teeth That Defined Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury was deeply self-conscious of the four extra teeth that caused his famous overbite, yet refused to fix them. He was convinced this rare dental flaw was the secret to his iconic four-octave range, fearing that correcting it would destroy his voice.

Biography & Personal Stories Music Medicine, Psychology & Health

The Secret Singer Who Finished Scar's Villainous Anthem

Jeremy Irons is celebrated as the iconic voice of Scar, but when his voice gave out recording 'Be Prepared,' a secret substitution was made. The powerful final verses were actually sung by another Disney legend hiding in plain sight: the voice of the hyena Ed.

Entertainment & Media Music Biography & Personal Stories

The Sound of Money: How David Bowie's Groundbreaking Bonds Collided with the Digital Revolution

In 1997, David Bowie transformed his musical legacy into a unique financial asset. The initially successful venture became a cautionary tale when the rise of digital piracy threatened the very royalty streams investors were betting on, nearly silencing the sound of money.

Business & Economics Music Technology & Innovation

The Vinyl Gold Rush: How a Teflon Salesman Built a Music Empire on TV

Before Spotify, one company used hypnotic late-night TV ads to sell millions of compilation albums. By licensing hit songs and bypassing retailers, K-Tel perfected a direct-to-consumer model that turned radio hits into a vinyl empire built on pure nostalgia.

Business & Economics Music History

The Public Safety Warning That Powered a Hip-Hop Classic

The menacing hook and infectious beat of Busta Rhymes' 1997 hit 'Dangerous' have an unlikely origin: a 1980s public service announcement. A stark warning about household poisons was ingeniously flipped into the foundation for a platinum-selling party anthem.

Music Entertainment & Media Oddities & Curiosities

The Secret Harmony: How Heart's Ann Wilson Became an Unlikely Voice for Alice in Chains

In a moment that bridged two generations of Seattle rock, Heart's legendary vocalist Ann Wilson lent her voice to Alice in Chains' 1992 acoustic EP, Sap. This unlikely collaboration was born from the city's tight-knit music scene, creating a haunting harmony that endures.

Music History Biography & Personal Stories

The Colossal Wurlitzer Hidden Inside the Carmex Plant

Inside a nondescript Wisconsin factory that produces Carmex lip balm lies an extraordinary secret: the world's largest Wurlitzer theater pipe organ. The personal passion of the founder's grandson, this colossal instrument is played daily, filling the industrial space with music.

Oddities & Curiosities Music Biography & Personal Stories

Hitting the Wrong Note: The Musical Protest That Made Baseball History

When a minor league organist grew tired of an umpire's bad calls in 1985, he turned to his sheet music for protest. The three notes he played earned him a permanent, and hilarious, place in baseball's book of unwritten rules.

History Sports & Games Music

More Than Clowns: The Militant March Behind the World's Most Famous Circus Tune

The iconic circus melody is actually "Entry of the Gladiators," a military march by Czech composer Julius Fučík from 1897. Intended to evoke Roman gladiators, its frantic tempo was adopted by circuses, forever linking the militant tune to clowns.

Music History Entertainment & Media

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