James Stafford

One writer who lived in Hollywood during the dying days of '80s hair metal recalls how Nirvana's 'Nevermind' instantly redefined pop culture in the '90s.

Who sticks a big bug on a little boy's lap? Meet Frank Kozik, the mind behind the Offspring's 'Americana' album cover.

This week's dustup between Jack White and Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney is just the latest shot fired in a long line of actual battles of the bands.

The cover of U2's 1980 debut was originally a very literal image of young boy, but it was deemed too controversial for the U.S. release.

The darkest of L.A. guitarists meets the funkiest of monks for one of the most eccentric albums in the Chili's discography.

Overlooked in the U.S. upon its initial release, Blur's fourth album is now often considered a masterpiece of Britpop.

The last album to feature all four R.E.M. band members and recorded on the road, 'New Adventure in Hi-Fi' remains an underrated classic.

After Whiskeytown but before he became one of the most prolific singer-songwriters of his generation, Ryan Adams introduced himself with a modern masterpiece.

What exactly was Beck trying to say with the ambiguous cover art for his 1996 album, 'Odelay'?

Reliability isn't exactly a defining quality of a rock star. Here are 15 albums that were started (and sometimes finished) but never got an official release.