Entertainment Facts About Music

None of the Beatles knew how to read music. (Paul McCartney eventually taught himself.)

Elvis Presley got a 'C' in his eighth grade music class.

Jon Bon Jovi runs two restaurants in New Jersey called JBJ Soul Kitchen with no prices on the menu. Guests pay whatever they can, volunteer for an hour, or simply eat — no questions asked. Everyone gets the same chef-prepared meal in the same dining room. The idea is to fight food insecurity with dignity, not charity.

Eddie Cochran recorded 'Three Steps to Heaven' just weeks before his fatal car crash in 1960. Released posthumously, it became a #1 hit in the UK.

Eminem repeated the 9th grade three times.

During an interview when Adele was asked about her weight and figure, she replied “I don’t make music for eyes. I make music for ears”.

Queen is the only band in which every member has composed more than one UK #1 single, and all four members were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003.

In Montreal, there's a seasonal art installation called '21 Balançoires' featuring swings that play musical notes when you swing on them—and the music only harmonizes when strangers swing together.

Eminem's mother sued him for $10 million in defamation over one line in "My Name Is." A judge ruled in her favor — for $25,000. Her lawyer took $23,354.25 in fees. She walked away with exactly $1,645.75.

Elvis wanted to record "I Will Always Love You." His manager Colonel Tom Parker called Dolly Parton and said there was one condition - hand over 50% of the publishing rights. Dolly said no. Years later, Whitney Houston covered it for The Bodyguard. Dolly earned over $10 million from that single cover. She later joked she made enough money to buy Graceland.

A completely silent song on Spotify called "Sleepify" earned a band over $20,000 in royalties before being removed. Fans played it on repeat overnight while sleeping to support the band Vulfpeck, who used the money to fund a free tour.

In 2012, Walmart ran a Facebook contest to send Pitbull to the store with the most votes. The internet hijacked it and voted for a tiny Walmart in Kodiak, Alaska — a remote island only reachable by plane or boat. Everyone expected him to back out. He didn’t. He flew to Alaska, performed for the whole town, took photos with fans, and called it "the greatest thing ever."

Pharrell Williams was fired from three different McDonald's locations. His reason: "I was eating the chicken nuggets." Years later, McDonald's hired him to produce "I'm Lovin' It" — the most successful fast food jingle in history.

A memorial tree was planted in Los Angeles' Griffith Park in honor of Beatles guitarist George Harrison. It was killed by an infestation of beetles.

Billy Joel never sells front row tickets. He sends his crew to find real fans in the cheapest seats and moves them to the front row. He was tired of "bored, rich people" staring up at him.

Celine Dion hated "My Heart Will Go On" so much she almost refused to record it. She did one throwaway demo just to get her husband to stop asking. That single take sold 18 million copies and won an Oscar. Rolling Stone later voted it the 4th most annoying song ever made.