Matthew Trzcinski

Music

Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’: How Mariah Carey’s Success Convinced Dave Grohl the Album Wouldn’t Sell That Well

Dave Grohl was convinced Nirvana's 'Nevermind' wouldn't sell particularly well because of the popularity of acts like Mariah Carey and Bon Jovi that sounded so different from Nirvana. Nirvana was surprised at the success of 'Nevermind,' which was critically acclaimed.

Celebrity

Elvis Presley’s Daughter Was Proud That He ‘Paddled’ Her

Priscilla Presley recalled Elvis Presley paddling Lisa Marie Presley twice. Lisa Marie was proud of this and had another anecdote about her father physically disciplining her.

Music

The Beatles’ ‘Yesterday’: Paul McCartney Reacted to Elvis Presley Changing the Lyrics

Elvis Presley performed a version of The Beatles' "Yesterday" that changed a lyric. Paul McCartney felt Elvis was trying to make the protagonist of the song seem less guilty. The Beatles' "Yesterday" was a hit and Elvis released a cover on a hit album.

Movies

Matt Damon’s 3 Favorite Movies Feature the Same Legendary Actor

Matt Damon's three favorite movies are 'The Godfather Part II,' 'Goodfellas,' and 'Midnight Run.' They each feature Robert De Niro. Damon appeared in 'The Good Shepherd,' one of the movies De Niro directed.

Net worth

Charlie Watts: What Was The Rolling Stones’ Drummer’s Net Worth at the Time of His Death?

Charlie Watts became The Rolling Stones' drummer after Mick Avory left the group. Watts amassed a net worth of $250 million. Keith Richards praised his musicianship but didn't hang out with him much on tour.

Music

The Carpenters Might Not Have Sung ‘Superstar’ If Not for Bette Midler

Richard Carpenter decided the Carpenters should cover "Superstar" after watching Bette Midler perform it. He was worried it was too unorthodox for a Carpenters single but released it with encouragement from record executive Jerry Moss. It became a hit.

Music

How Linda Ronstadt Reacted When a Journalist Said Her Songs Paved the Way for a Lady Gaga Album

Linda Ronstadt recorded an album of standards called 'What's New.' Journalist Michael Schulman said this album paved the way for Lady Gaga's 'Cheek to Cheek,' but Ronstadt disagreed. Regardless, 'Cheek to Cheek' was a hit.

Music

This Carpenters Song Became a Single Because of ‘Star Wars’

The Carpenters recorded a cover of Klaatu's "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft." They released it as a single because of the popularity of 'Star Wars.' The track became a hit.

Music

The Beatles: Fans Thought These Songs Were Part of a Secret Fab Four Project

Journalist Steve Smith thought the band Klaatu might secretly be The Beatles. This caused Klaatu's songs to get radio play, but its popularity didn't last. Paul McCartney revealed Klaatu was not The Beatles.

Music

Why Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt Had a Hard Time Recording Songs Together

Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris sang as a group and realized their voices sounded amazing together. They had issues trying to record an album as a trio. The resulting record, 'Trio,' was a hit.

Celebrity

When Priscilla Presley Realized She’d ‘Neglected’ Elvis Presley’s Daughter

Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley had a daughter named Lisa Marie Presley. One time, Lisa Marie seemed uncomfortable around her mother during a photo shoot. Priscilla realized she'd been neglectful and took on a more active role in her daughter's life.

Music

Freddie Mercury Befriended Elton John Because of This Queen Song

Freddie Mercury wrote Queen's "Killer Queen" over a short period of time. Elton John liked the song, which helped Mercury warm up to him. John later sang for Mercury on his birthday. "Killer Queen" was a hit and left a massive impact on pop culture.

Movies

Barbra Streisand: Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s ‘A Star Is Born’ Went in the ‘Wrong’ Direction

Barbra Streisand visited the set of Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper's 'A Star Is Born' and initially praised the film. Subsequently, she deemed it unoriginal. Both her version and Gaga's version won awards.

Music

Debbie Harry: How Her Interactions With Truckers Inspired Blondie’s Name

Blondie is a successful band. Its name was inspired by truckers calling Debbie Harry "Blondie." The band's name wasn't inspired by Adolf Hitler's dog Blondi. Harry herself is not Blondie.

Music

Why Freddie Mercury Felt His Songs Weren’t Like John Lennon’s Songs

Freddie Mercury was a John Lennon fan. Mercury felt he was unable to write political songs like John. John's post-Beatles material was more popular in the United Kingdom than the music Mercury made without Queen.

Music

Bonnie Tyler’s ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ Is Based on This Vampire Movie

Jim Steinman was surprised when he was asked to work with Bonnie Tyler. He gave her "Total Eclipse of the Heart," a song inspired by eclipses and the vampire film 'Nosferatu.' The song was a hit in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Music

The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ Originally Received a Bad New York Times Review, Here’s How John Lennon Reacted

In 1967, The New York Times panned The Beatles' 'Sgt. Pepper' for being overproduced. John Lennon didn't remember if he saw this review. Reviews meant nothing to him at the time. In 2017, The New York Times praised the album in a retrospective review.

Music

Ray Parker Jr. Felt It Would Be ‘Impossible’ to Do This in the ‘Ghostbusters’ Theme Song

Stevie Wonder taught Ray Parker Jr. about music and he used this knowledge to write the 'Ghostbusters' theme song. Parker needed to use the word "Ghostbusters" in the song and figured out how to do so without singing the word. The track was a hit.

Music

Bob Dylan Revealed Why He Doesn’t Perform Songs Like Paul McCartney Does

Bob Dylan thinks his songs are less mainstream than those of Paul McCartney, The Beach Boys, and others. He said he never tried to fit in with the pop scene. Despite this, he had multiple hits in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Music

Blondie: Debbie Harry Revealed This Lyric From ‘Heart of Glass’ Upset People

Blondie's "Heart of Glass" was originally a standard disco song; however, it evolved into something more electronic. Debbie Harry said the song's use of the word "ass" upset people. The song was still a hit in the United States and the United Kingdom.