"Hangin' Tough" came at the peak of New Kids on the Block mania. Their writer/producer Maurice Starr wrote it about the struggles the band faced early on. It was #1 in England and America.
Buck Dharma of Blue Oyster Cult wrote "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" after he was diagnosed with a heart condition and started thinking about his own mortality.
Running 7:58, Meat Loaf's "I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)" is the longest-ever #1 hit.
When "Theme From Shaft" won an Oscar, Isaac Hayes became the first African American to win in the "Best Song" category.
The phrase "Hasta la vista, baby" was popularized in the 1987 Jody Watley song "Looking For A New Love," 4 years before Arnold Schwarzenegger said it in the movie Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
With a message of acceptance and inclusivity, "True Colors" became a gay rights anthem. Cyndi Lauper help form an organization called True Colors United to help support LGBTQ youth.
With $50 and a glue stick, Bruce Pavitt created Sub Pop, a fanzine-turned-label that gave the world Nirvana and grunge. He explains how motivated individuals can shift culture.
"London Bridge," "Ring Around the Rosie" and "It's Raining, It's Pouring" are just a few examples of shockingly morbid children's songs.
Dean's saga began with "Ariel," a song about falling in love with a Jewish girl from New Jersey.
The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."
"Mony Mony." "Crimson and Clover." "Draggin' The Line." The hits kept coming for Tommy James, and in a plot line fit for a movie, his record company was controlled by the mafia.
Shears does very little promotion, which has kept him secluded from the spotlight. What changed when Cyndi Lauper had a hit with his song? Not much, really.
