5 Truly Awful Albums

Now at Christie's; may fetch $11K

(NEWSER) - Looks like the stars were aligned for Ringo. A 1960 letter written by Paul McCartney sought a drummer for the Beatles two years before Starr joined the Fab Four. The note was discovered folded into a book at a Liverpool yard sale, the AP reports. It was a response to an ad placed by a drummer looking for a band. In the missive, McCartney offered the drummer—whose identity remains unknown—an audition. More»

Richard Hamilton designed Beatles' 'White Album'

(NEWSER) - Richard Hamilton, the “Father of Pop Art” who designed the Beatles’ White Album cover, has died in Britain at 89, Billboard reports. Hamilton, who coined the term "pop art" to describe the movement that made heavy use of commercial and pop-culture images, came to prominence in the 1950s with “Just What Is It That Makes Today's Homes So Different, So Appealing?”—a collage of a couple in a house full of products. The Guardian says he was "the most influential British artist of the 20th century.” More»

Lyrics by Lennon, the Boss and others make the list

(NEWSER) - "'Scuse me while I kiss this guy" and other misheard song lyrics, it turns out, are just the tip of the iceberg. List Universe runs down what it calls 10 of the most misinterpreted songs in music. Some highlights to see if you agree:

• "Hotel California": Listeners think devil worship because of the "kill the beast" line, but the Eagles themselves say that's nonsense. It's a reflection of the rock-and-roll lifestyle they were living in Los Angeles at the time.

Yes, they're mostly by George

(NEWSER) - Sam Greenspan admits he had a little trouble with this list for his 11 Points blog , but he toughed it out and came up with the best 11 Beatles songs written by Ringo Starr or George Harrison. The top five:

1. "Something" (George): "Arguably his best lyrics, melody and vocal performance all coming together on one track ."
2. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (George): On the other hand, this could have been No. 1, too.

Norah Jones, Nelly also snag spots

(NEWSER) - The Beatles might have had its heyday a few decades ago, but the band managed to emerge from this decade with the best-selling album. Perhaps more surprising is the decade’s top-selling artist: Eminem, with 32.2 million albums sold—followed closely by, yes, the Beatles again in the No. 2 spot with 30 million sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The most surprising appearance of all, however, is a certain boy band… More»