Title: Music Facts, History & Quizzes | Mental Floss
Open Graph Title: Music Facts, History & Quizzes | Mental Floss
X Title: Music Facts, History & Quizzes | Mental Floss
Description: Discover fun music facts, trivia, and surprising stories on Mental Floss—content that entertains, educates, and satisfies your curiosity.
Open Graph Description: Discover fun music facts, trivia, and surprising stories on Mental Floss—content that entertains, educates, and satisfies your curiosity.
X Description: Discover fun music facts, trivia, and surprising stories on Mental Floss—content that entertains, educates, and satisfies your curiosity.
Opengraph URL: https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/music
Domain: www.mentalfloss.com
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{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/music/hotel-california-lyrics-trial","headline":"The Criminal Trial Over Don Henley’s Handwritten “Hotel California” Lyrics","description":"Three collectors were charged with trying to sell Eagles’ lyric drafts, but the case fell apart mid-trial over emails Henley’s own side had held back.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Matt Hoffman"},"datePublished":"2026-11-11T17:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-11-11T17:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/music/hotel-california-lyrics-trial"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/tv/famous-musicians-on-sesame-street","headline":"8 Famous Musicians Who Appeared on ‘Sesame Street’","description":"From Johnny Cash's song for Oscar the Grouch to B. B. King's ode to the letter \"b,\" these 'Sesame Street' appearances by famous musicians were unforgettable.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Chris Wheatley"},"datePublished":"2026-11-10T21:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-11-10T21:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/tv/famous-musicians-on-sesame-street"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/quizzes/music/name-classic-song-name-lyrics","headline":"Quiz: You Know These Classic Songs, But Do You Remember the Names in the Lyrics?","description":"Each of these 30 songs mentions a famous person. Can you name them all in eight minutes or less?","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Natalie Zamora"},"datePublished":"2026-11-09T18:00:03Z","dateModified":"2026-11-09T18:00:03Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/quizzes/music/name-classic-song-name-lyrics"}}
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{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/quizzes/music/name-joni-mitchell-song-one-lyric","headline":"Quiz: Can You Name the Joni Mitchell Song From One Lyric?","description":"Can you name the Joni Mitchell track from one lyric? Prove your music knowledge with these eight questions.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Alexandria Ingham"},"datePublished":"2026-11-07T13:00:03Z","dateModified":"2026-11-07T13:00:03Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/quizzes/music/name-joni-mitchell-song-one-lyric"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/music/story-behind-simon-garfunkel-first-hit","headline":"The Surprising Story Behind Simon & Garfunkel's First No. 1 Hit","description":"Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel's first megahit, \"The Sound of Silence,\" nearly didn't make a major impact at all.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Chris Wheatley"},"datePublished":"2026-11-06T00:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-11-06T00:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/music/story-behind-simon-garfunkel-first-hit"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/quizzes/music/name-simon-garfunkel-song-one-lyric","headline":"Quiz: Can You Name the Simon & Garfunkel Song From One Lyric?","description":"Art Garfunkel was born on this day in 1941. To celebrate, test your knowledge on his folk band!","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Alexandria Ingham"},"datePublished":"2026-11-05T13:00:02Z","dateModified":"2026-11-05T13:00:02Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/quizzes/music/name-simon-garfunkel-song-one-lyric"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/music/song-paul-simon-wrote-art-garfunkel-didnt-want-sing","headline":"The Song Paul Simon Wrote That Art Garfunkel Initially Didn't Want to Sing","description":"Simon and Garfunkel's biggest hit, \"Bridge Over Troubled Water,\" could have sounded very different.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Chris Wheatley"},"datePublished":"2026-11-04T15:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-11-04T15:00:01Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/music/song-paul-simon-wrote-art-garfunkel-didnt-want-sing"}}
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{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/music/paul-mccartney-favorite-beatles-song","headline":"The Beatles Songs Paul McCartney Has Called His Favorites","description":"The living legend has cited preferences for a few unexpected Beatles tracks. Here are Paul McCartney's favorite Beatles songs.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Chris Wheatley"},"datePublished":"2026-11-01T15:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-11-01T15:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/music/paul-mccartney-favorite-beatles-song"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/language/slang/see-you-later-alligator-phrase-origin","headline":"Where Did the Phrase \"See You Later, Alligator\" Come From?","description":"The phrase \"See you later, alligator\" predates rock 'n' roll. Here's how 19th-century rhyming slang created a permanent piece of American pop culture.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Paul Anthony Jones"},"datePublished":"2026-10-31T16:00:02Z","dateModified":"2026-10-31T16:00:02Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/language/slang/see-you-later-alligator-phrase-origin"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/english-rock-band-inspired-beetlejuice-lydia-deetz","headline":"The Moody English Rock Band That Helped Inspire Lydia Deetz in ‘Beetlejuice’","description":"Winona Ryder’s character Lydia Deetz’s signature style in ‘Beetlejuice’ has become iconic over the years—but it didn’t start with her.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Chris Wheatley"},"datePublished":"2026-10-30T21:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-10-30T21:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/english-rock-band-inspired-beetlejuice-lydia-deetz"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/music/legendary-artists-never-had-no-1-hit","headline":"20 Legendary Artists Who Never Had a No. 1 Hit","description":"From Bob Dylan to Bob Marley, these iconic artists made songs everybody knows by heart that never hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Matt Hoffman"},"datePublished":"2026-10-28T12:00:03Z","dateModified":"2026-10-28T12:00:04Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/music/legendary-artists-never-had-no-1-hit"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/nostalgia/90s/things-millennials-grew-up-with-already-obsolete","headline":"20 Things Millennials Grew Up With That Are Already Obsolete","description":"Kids growing up in the 2020s might not recognize many of these items.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Paul Anthony Jones"},"datePublished":"2026-10-24T19:00:02Z","dateModified":"2026-10-24T19:00:02Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/nostalgia/90s/things-millennials-grew-up-with-already-obsolete"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/music/one-hit-wonders-1980s","headline":"20 One-Hit Wonders From the 1980s You Still Know Every Word To","description":"These 20 one-hit wonders will transport you back to the 1980s. We apologize ahead of time for getting these super catchy songs stuck in your head. ","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Paul Anthony Jones"},"datePublished":"2026-10-21T18:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-10-21T18:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/music/one-hit-wonders-1980s"}}
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{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/quizzes/music/name-tom-petty-song-one-lyric","headline":"Quiz: Can You Name the Tom Petty Song From One Lyric?","description":"How well do you know Tom Petty's songs? If we give you a lyric, can you match it to the title?","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Alexandria Ingham"},"datePublished":"2026-10-20T12:00:02Z","dateModified":"2026-10-20T12:00:02Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/quizzes/music/name-tom-petty-song-one-lyric"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/quizzes/music/is-this-lyric-monster-mash-spooky-scary-skeletons","headline":"Quiz: Is This a Lyric From “Monster Mash” or “Spooky, Scary Skeletons”?","description":"“Monster Mash” and “Spooky, Scary Skeletons” are two of the most popular Halloween songs you’ll hear each year. But how well do you remember the lyrics?","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Natalie Zamora"},"datePublished":"2026-10-19T23:00:02Z","dateModified":"2026-10-19T23:00:03Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/quizzes/music/is-this-lyric-monster-mash-spooky-scary-skeletons"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/music/tom-petty-clear-favorite-album","headline":"Tom Petty Had a Clear Favorite Among His Own Albums","description":"The late musician called this 1994 album “the most me.”","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Chris Wheatley"},"datePublished":"2026-10-19T12:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-10-19T12:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/music/tom-petty-clear-favorite-album"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/music/tom-petty-favorite-least-favorite-tom-petty-songs","headline":"Tom Petty's Favorite (and Least Favorite) Tom Petty Songs","description":"The legend's top pick from his catalog was not one of his biggest hits. ","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Logan DeLoye"},"datePublished":"2026-10-18T18:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-10-18T18:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/music/tom-petty-favorite-least-favorite-tom-petty-songs"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/music/biggest-song-every-year-1960s","headline":"The Biggest Song From Every Year in the 1960s","description":"From the Beach Boys' “Surfin U.S.A.” to the Beatles' “Hey Jude,” the biggest songs from the 1960s spanned rock and roll, R&B, bubblegum pop, and much more.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Eden Gordon"},"datePublished":"2026-10-16T14:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-10-16T14:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/music/biggest-song-every-year-1960s"}}
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{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/movies/quentin-tarantino-movies-ranked","headline":"All 9 Quentin Tarantino Movies, Ranked","description":"With his tenth and possibly final movie still on the horizon, there's no better time to revisit Quentin Tarantino's filmography. ","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Suhaib Adeel"},"datePublished":"2026-11-11T13:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-11-11T13:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/movies/quentin-tarantino-movies-ranked"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/literature/books/colin-meloy-wildwood-interview","headline":"Colin Meloy on the Folklore, Forests, and Political Message of 'Wildwood'","description":"The author and Decemberists frontman talks Portland, AI, and the universal stories behind his novel, now a movie from Laika Studios.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Eden Gordon"},"datePublished":"2026-11-11T02:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-11-11T02:00:01Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/literature/books/colin-meloy-wildwood-interview"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/holiday-jokes-funny-share-with-everyone","headline":"75 Holiday Jokes That Are So Funny, You'll Want to Share Them With Everyone","description":"These jokes are sure to add a little laughter to your Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's celebrations! ","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Logan DeLoye"},"datePublished":"2026-11-10T19:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-11-10T19:00:01Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/holiday-jokes-funny-share-with-everyone"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/tv/original-name-sesame-street-wasn-t-as-catchy","headline":"The Original Name for ‘Sesame Street’ Wasn't Nearly as Catchy","description":"The beloved show's first title was the name of an actual street in the East Village. ","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Sabrina Reed"},"datePublished":"2026-11-10T17:00:01Z","dateModified":"2026-11-10T17:00:01Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/tv/original-name-sesame-street-wasn-t-as-catchy"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/quizzes/movies-tv/name-sesame-street-character-clue","headline":"Quiz: Can You Name the ‘Sesame Street’ Character From One Clue?","description":"Put your ‘Sesame Street’ knowledge to the test on the show’s 57th anniversary.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Alexandria Ingham"},"datePublished":"2026-11-10T13:00:01Z","dateModified":"2026-11-10T13:00:01Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/quizzes/movies-tv/name-sesame-street-character-clue"}}
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