The 15 Most Popular REBEAT Articles of 2015
It seems like just yesterday that we were counting down the top articles of 2014 and reminiscing about REBEAT’s first year of publication. Over the past 365 days, REBEAT has only gotten bigger and better, mainly because of the incredible staff of writers and, of course, our wonderful readers. (By the way, we still love reading your comments and hearing from you on Facebook and Twitter.)
As we look back on 2015, we remember the fun we’ve had, as evidenced by these 15 articles which range from scandalous countdowns to true tales to a fond farewell to a legendary TV show to a week-by-week accounting of the worst year in music. Yes, we’ve had a lot of adventures this year, and we can’t wait to see what 2016 brings!
1) 10 More Censored, Altered, and Banned Album Covers from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s
In January, I published an article on REBEAT entitled “12 Censored, Altered, and Banned Album Covers from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s,” and that piece was so well-received, I decided to do this follow-up….More?
2) 10 Covers of ‘60s Songs That Were More Successful in the ‘80s
In October, I did a piece on covers of ‘60s songs that outperformed the originals and hit #1 in the ‘70s, and not surprisingly, in the 1980s, artists were still mining the ‘60s treasure troves for little-known gems to remake….More?
3) My Grandfather Overdubbed the Beatles on Ed Sullivan
So many of us have Beatles stories, and my family is no different. But I want to share this one especially since there may be more to it: the slight chance that it could be an unknown snippet of Beatles history….More?
4) Grand Funk’s “Captain” Mark Farner and the Mutiny of the American Band
In the late ’60s and early ’70s, before the age of modern concerts where pyrotechnics, dancers, and a backdrop of film clips may entertain the audience during a performance, arena rock was born….More?
5) Weed, Nudity, and a Severed Nipple: 8 Pivotal ‘Mad Men’ Moments from the Past 7 Seasons
It’s the end of an era, itself marking the end of an era: the last seven episodes of Mad Men are upon us….More?
6) 10 Noteworthy Surf-Rock Songs Not by the Beach Boys or Jan and Dean
Listed below, in chronological order, are 10 surf songs that may not be as well known as hits by the Beach Boys or Jan and Dean but are just as important, and in some cases, actually influenced that Beach Boys and Jan and Dean sound….More?
7) The 12 Best Films of Disney’s “Dark Age”
The main reason for dubbing the late ’60s, ’70s and ’80s as such was because, during this time, the Disney company was in a bit of trouble….More?
8) The Top 11 “Two-Hit Wonders” of the 1970s
I would think the curse of being a “Two Hit Wonder” would be far worse than that of being a one-hit wonder, because two hits clearly indicates the group built a little momentum, but for whatever reason, they were unable to sustain it and there were no more chart records….More?
9) It’s The Same Old Song: 9 Notable Cases of Music Plagiarism
Rod Stewart has been accused of it. So was Johnny Cash. Even two of the Beatles were found guilty of doing it….More?
10) Peter Yarrow: 50 Years of Social Justice… and Counting! – Part One
In a phone interview last month, I spoke with Yarrow about his beginnings in folk music, the legacy of Peter, Paul and Mary, and the continuing power of music to change minds and hearts….More?
11) Forget “Retro”: The Truth About Those ’70s Fashions
I’m always fascinated by the obsession with retro clothing and fashion. As someone who graduated from high school in the late ’70s and from college in the early ’80s, I was old enough to make conscious fashion decisions and purchases in both decades….More?
12) Week-By-Week Proof That 1974 Was the Worst Year in the History of Modern Music
Forgettable. Regrettable. Nausea inducing. Nineteen seventy-four was a year I lived through, and musically, it wasn’t pretty….More?
13) Gettin’ Together With Tommy James, Onstage, Online, and On the Big Screen – Part One
We chatted with Tommy James about his many current projects, including his newest studio album, his behind-the-scenes YouTube series, and the upcoming film based on his autobiography, Me, the Mob, and the Music, about his time at the infamous Roulette Records….More?
14) Deep Tracks: The Kinks
With over 20 studio albums spanning a 30-year period and spawning multiple hits, the Kinks have a lengthy and varied discography….More?
15) 15 Times the Beach Boys Embarrassed Us – And We Loved Them Anyway
Being in the Beach Boys fandom requires the sort of unconditional love that’s usually reserved for children or close family members. Sometimes, it seems like the boys from Hawthorne are even better at making bad decisions than they are at singing pristine harmonies…More?
What were your favorite REBEAT articles of the year? Let us know in the comments!
