Think you know everything there is to know about music? Prepare to be blown away as we take a look at some of the most interesting, unbelievable facts about musicians and the music industry.
1. Finland Has the Most Metal Bands Per Capita;
Perhaps head-banging is an effective way to keep warm. According to a Reddit user who created a map using data from Encyclopedia Metallum’s archive of metal bands, Finland is home to the most bands of this genre, with 53.5 metal bands per 100,000 people. Second place was tied between two other Nordic nations Sweden and Norway (27.2), while Iceland stole third (22.7). Though heavy metal music originated in the United States and the United Kingdom, their numbers for those countries were 5.5 and 5.2, respectively.
2. An Astronaut Released an Album with All Songs Recorded in Space;
In 2015, a Canadian astronaut named Chris Hadfield released his first album, which was entirely recorded while he was in orbit. Not only was he the first Canadian to walk in space, he’s also a talented musician whose went viral with a cover of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity.” Hadfield spent 144 days at the International Space Station recording his 11 original songs for his appropriately-titled album, Space Sessions: Songs for a Tin Can.
3. Charles Manson Auditioned to be a Member of the Monkees;
A myth has been going around for decades that Charles Manson was among the young folks who auditioned to be a member of the Monkees. Even though this is not exactly an impossible scenario since more than 437 people tried out, and Manson was writing music at the time, including a song that was later released by the Beach Boys, there’s only a technical problem: in 1965, at the time of the auditions, Manson was in prison.
4. Elvis, Tupac, Bob Marley, and Jim Morrison are Still Alive;
And they all live happily together on a beautiful island that no one can find on a map simply because this island exists only in the wild imagination of some die-hard, romantic fans.
5. Lady Gaga is a Hermaphroditet;
Ever since Lady Gaga emerged as one of the hottest acts in pop music, rumors have been circulating about her gender. Gaga herself added fuel to the fire when she reportedly wrote the following in a blog in December 2008: “It’s not something that I’m ashamed of, just isn’t something that I go around telling everyone. Yes. I have both male and female genitalia, but I consider myself a female.” However, her manager has dismissed the claims out of hand, calling them “ridiculous.”
6. The Beatles got High in Buckingham Palace;
There was a myth spread in the Rock community back in the 1960s that the Beatles smoked a joint together in Buckingham Palace before accepting their MBEs. However, the truth appears to be a little bit different. It was Lennon who came up with this story, but the band later confessed it wasn’t true, as they’d have been far too scared and shy to do such a thing.
Weird Music History
“Fight For Your Right” by the Beastie Boys
a misunderstood joke
The song was intended to be a parody of party songs. The Beastie Boys made fun of this genre of music in a video where they showed off their tricks and clichés. Unfortunately, the irony was neither noticed nor understood by most fans. And so a number of fans sang along with “Fight For Your Right To Party” blind to the fact that the song was just fooling them. Despite – or precisely because – the irony eluded fans, the song was known to be a smash hit and many covers were done thereafter.
VIDEO
AUDIO