Not just a bunch of dilettantes wearing tailor-made suits and putting around on Italian scooters, the Mods helped bring a new strain of American R&B over to the UK -- in the process developing a real genre of music while opening a sharp class divide that sometimes led to out-and-out street warfare. Read more about Mod music and its history in my latest encyclopedia entry.

Whatever your religious beliefs, the holidays are (almost) upon us again... and while oldies music tends to be Christmas-oriented, there's no reason anyone can't enjoy these ten CD collections -- spanning rock and roll, pop, R&B, country, blues, jazz, reggae, and instrumental rock -- through the end of the year. This list gathers together the best Christmas music, both sacred and secular, released in the first golden era of rock and roll... get a jump on your holiday party right here!

Love it or loathe it, disco was the musical phenomenon of its era... in America, anyway. But disco also brought R&B finally into America's living rooms, romanticized soul, revived an earlier era of ballroom dancing, reduced funk to the basics, and birthed the entire world of modern dance music. Read all about disco -- the hits, the history, and the histrionics -- in my latest Ultimate Guide.

The "national anthem of Halloween" may be the most popular song of the costuming season, but, as this history proves, it only got that way with a lot of help. Wondering how the Hollywood Argyles' "Alley Oop," Ronny and the Daytonas, and Leon Russell fit into the picture? Curious as to how it almost never saw the light of day? Wondering what Boris Karloff and Elvis thought of it? Look no further. Read the story of "Monster Mash" here.

The latest in a series of song histories based on the classic tunes in the video game The Beatles: Rock Band... this one may be the title track from the most famous album of all time, but it wasn't even written when the album's recording began, and it wasn't part of a medley yet, either! But, hey, how many songs with French horn quartets does Jimi Hendrix bother to learn, anyway? Read a detailed breakdown of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" in my latest Beatles fact sheet.

She's already been nominated once for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and may very well finally get in come 2010. But if you don't watch David Letterman (or the Lethal Weapon movies, for that matter) you may still not be familiar with Darlene, who's only one of Phil Spector's favorite female vocalists and arguably the finest girl-group singer of all time. Learn all about Darlene Love in my latest profile.

Too many music fans still assume that Merseybeat, the first wave of what would become known as the British Invasion, was a collection of bands aping the Beatles. In fact, the scene had been around as long as they had, and the Fab Four were simply the most popular group in a genre that was not only bigger than any one band, but even bigger than Liverpool itself. Read more about Merseybeat music and its history in my latest encyclopedia entry.

Blame it on Vietnam, Watergate, malaise, or the aftermath of Sixties turmoil, but early Seventies pop had a decidedly vicious, morbid streak. Pop-culture watchdogs like to complain about today's rock, but these weird little ditties were all over transistor radios then, and no one seemed to notice. This purely subjective list represents my fave picks and where to find them. Check out my list of the '70s greatest (and gravest) tales of death and sorrow.

For such a complacent and prosperous time, the Fifties and early Sixties had its airwaves fairly riddled with the most morbid tales of teen tragedy -- car crashes, doomed lovers, even suicides! Were these designed to appeal to the typical overromantic, histrionic teenager, or was there something darker at work? You decide after checking out my list of the 50s and 60s greatest (and gravest) tales of death and sorrow.

Halloween is almost upon us again, and so what better time to look at the creepiest oldies ever? I've identified my favorites from the Fifties, Sixties, and Seventies -- hits and rarities alike -- and found the rare CDs they're on for you. R&B, rock and roll, pop, even a little jazz... it's all here. You can hear samples of these novelty classics, check out the albums they're on, compare prices, and purchase them here in time for your own theme party! Here's my list of the greatest Halloween oldies of all time.