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Elizabeth Berkley is reflecting on the tumultuous period that followed her role in the disastrous 1995 erotic drama Showgirls.

Berkley, 54, is best known as caffeine pill queen Jessie Spano on Saved by the Bell. The actress rose to stardom as the overachieving teenager on the Saturday morning TV series, which ran from 1989 to 1993 on NBC, and has found a tremendous career in film and television in recent years. But in a new Instagram post, Berkley is opening up about the intense response that Showgirls received from critics, and the ways she kept going during the tumultuous period.

Sharing a photo she found of herself at 21 years old that she found at her parents’ house, Berkley noted that it came from the world tour for Showgirls. In the film, Berkley played Nomi Malone, a young drifter who came to Las Vegas aspiring to be a showgirl.

“Having to defend myself and a movie that was made by many people. I didn’t ask ‘why’- I stood in my power, despite the journalists wanting to try to take it away. In my world, that wasn’t an option. I’m sure you all have moments, whether public or private that have tried to destroy your sense of self. While being tested over and over, I refused to self-destruct and because of the choices I made, it emboldened mine. The reality that replaced the fantasy might have been brutal at the time, it ended up being far more fantastic. Hold onto your dreams and yourself no matter what!💕,” Berkley shared. “I found this today at my parents’ house… there were other far more glamorous pics I sorted through, but something about this one struck me that I wanted to share… Hope it reminds you of how special you are if you needed that today ❤️❤️🎥✨.”

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While she made waves with her film Showgirls, Berkley went on to become an indie darling and appeared in a variety of TV series, including NYPD Blue and Titus. In 2011, she wrote a guidebook, Ask Elizabeth, for teenage girls.

These days, her acting career is still thriving, with appearances on Cobra Kai and All’s Fair. She even starred in a recent campaign for Betsey Johnson, looking better than ever.

We were stunned by a recent photograph that Berkley shared on her Instagram page. The black-and-white shot showed the blonde beauty with her hair smoothed down in soft waves.

Related: ‘Saved by the Bell’ Star Elizabeth Berkley, 53, Has Only Gotten More Stunning Since Her Jessie Spano Days

In 1983, Madonna was just beginning to break through with her self-titled debut album. More than four decades later, she is still adding No. 1 albums to her résumé, and on Aug. 16, the woman once dubbed the “reigning queen” of video celebrates her 68th birthday.

Madonna Louise Ciccone was born Aug. 16, 1958, in Bay City, Mich., and eventually became one of the defining artists of the MTV era. But her influence on music video went far beyond simply being in the right place at the right time.

Cultural critic Mark C. Taylor went so far as to call the music video the quintessential postmodern art form in his 1993 book Nots, naming Madonna its “reigning queen,” a title that she arguably still holds today.

Decades later, Billboard backed up that lofty assessment in a major way, ranking Madonna No. 1 on its 2020 list of the 100 Greatest Music Video Artists of All Time.

In its ranking, Billboard credited Madonna’s “high-concept videos” with helping her achieve era-defining fame, noting that the visuals were “an integral part of her ever-changing image.”

The publication pointed to videos including “Material Girl,” “Like a Prayer” and “Vogue” as particularly significant moments in her career, ultimately choosing the David Fincher-directed video for “Vogue” as her finest.

The honor came nearly two decades after MTV also ranked Madonna as the greatest music video artist of all time, citing her “innovation, creativity and contribution to the music video art form” and “her ability to always intrigue the audience captivates.”

In 2010, Rolling Stone named her no. 36 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time and several of her albums have been named to the publication’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

It’s hard to separate Madonna’s rise from the music-video revolution of the 1980s. Videos became an essential part of her work, from the old-Hollywood homage of “Material Girl” to the religious imagery and controversy surrounding “Like a Prayer.”

“Vogue,” meanwhile, became another defining visual achievement. The black-and-white video drew heavily on the glamour of Hollywood’s golden age while bringing voguing and elements of ballroom culture to an enormous mainstream audience.

But Madonna’s ability to reinvent herself wasn’t limited to her visuals.

After moving to New York City in 1978 to pursue dance, Madonna played drums and guitar in bands before eventually turning her attention toward a solo music career. She released her debut single, “Everybody,” in 1982, followed by her self-titled debut album the next year.

Then came Like a Virgin.

Released in 1984, the album became Madonna’s first No. 1 on the Billboard 200, while its title track gave her the first of her 12 No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100.

Over the decades that followed, Madonna amassed 38 Hot 100 top 10s and 50 No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart. She also became the best-selling female music artist of all time and generated more than $1.6 billion in concert ticket sales over the course of her career.

More than 40 years after her breakthrough, Madonna isn’t simply celebrating past accomplishments.

Her 15th studio album Confessions II arrived on July 3, 2026, as a follow-up to her hugely successful 2005 album Confessions on a Dance Floor. The new album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, giving Madonna her 10th chart-topper.

That achievement put her in extraordinarily rare company: Madonna and The Beatles are now the only acts to have accumulated at least 10 No. 1s on all four of the Billboard 200, Billboard Hot 100, U.K. Albums Chart and U.K. singles chart.

She’s been busy elsewhere in 2026, too. Madonna joined Sabrina Carpenter at Coachella in April, performed during the FIFA World Cup final halftime show in July and recently teamed up with Kylie Minogue for a new version of “Love Sensation.”

The collaboration became another milestone when it reached the top 10 in the U.K., giving Madonna her highest-charting single there since “Celebration” in 2009.

More than four decades after music videos helped turn her into one of the world’s biggest stars, the “reigning queen” of the medium is still finding new ways to rule the charts.

Related: Paul McCartney’s No. 1 Duet Partner Swooped In to Outbid Him For The Beatles’ Catalog For $47.5 Million 41 Years Ago Today

In 1978, Frankie Valli traded a movie role for a No. 1 hit.

The song was “Grease,” and it was the theme song for the blockbuster movie of the same name.

Written by Bee Gees legend  Barry Gibb, “Grease” featured a funky beat and a catchy chorus, with Valli’s high-flying vocals giving it instant appeal. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1978 and gave Valli a new record deal with Warner Bros. Records.

It all started when Valli rejected a role in the movie that starred John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in favor of recording the title song.

“Barry Gibb called and said, ‘I wrote a song. I think it’s for you. It’s going to be the title song for this motion picture,'” Valli recalled in an interview with Billboard.

He noted that his manager at the time, Allan Carr, who was partnered in the movie Grease with Robert Stigwood, offered him the choice of taking a role in the movie or recording the theme song.

“Well, I had already heard the title song, and I loved it,” Valli shared “I called [arranger] Don Costa up and told him to come over right away and hear this song. He said, ‘If you don’t record this song, you’re crazy.’ So I said, ‘What’s the song if I want to be in the movie?’ And they said, ‘Beauty School Dropout.’ It was done by Frankie Avalon. It never became a hit, but he made a lot of money from it being on the soundtrack. But ‘Grease’ was one of the biggest records I ever had in my career.”

Interestingly, Avalon also initially turned down the role, which was the character Teen Angel in the iconic  1978 film.

“I turned it down,” Avalon told the Riggle’s Picks podcast of the first time he was offered the part of Teen Angel. “I had seen the play on Broadway, and I said ‘pass.’”

Producers wouldn’t take no for an answer, but Avalon insisted, “I’ve seen the play. Teen Angel is an extension of Elvis. I’m not Elvis. I don’t have the long sideburns, I don’t do the gyration, I don’t sing like that. I got my own style.”

Producers told the singer they would change the character and have him wear all white instead of black. “So they designed the role the way I wanted to do it,” Avalon revealed.

CBS Photo Archive / Getty Images

Avalon performed the song “Beauty School Dropout” in a dreamy scene with Frenchy (Didi Conn) as he advised her to go back to high school.

He later described the filming experience for Grease as a good one. “I was on the set for about six days, rehearsing, and then two days of filming, and that was it,” Avalon told Remind magazine in 2025.

Elvis, who died in 1977 during the summer that Grease was filmed, had actually been considered for the Teen Angel role, accoing to Entertainment Weekly. Donny Osmond was also considered to play the crooning angel in the fantasy sequence.

Decades later, it’s hard to imagine Grease any other way. Valli delivered the perfect theme song, while Avalon pulled off a swoon-worthy performance in the film that fans still adore.

Related: 1978 Pop-Rock Duet, Written Overnight for Hit Film, Climbed the Charts to No. 1 48 Years Ago Today

For Disney travelers who appreciate immersive resort storytelling, the bar has never been higher. Today’s vacationers aren’t just looking for a convenient place to sleep after a long day in the parks; they want accommodations that feel elevated, serene, and deeply rooted in Disney artistry without feeling like a child’s cartoon bedroom.

Now, Disney is offering a stunning glimpse into the future of luxury resort design.

At D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Walt Disney Imagineering pulled back the curtain on Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge, the brand-new, nature-inspired Disney Vacation Club and Deluxe property currently rising along the shores of Bay Lake. Scheduled to officially open in Summer 2027, the resort is generating major buzz—especially with the first look inside its standalone, waterfront Lake Houses.

Reporting on the newly revealed interior design plans, Arica Conrad of WDW News Today broke down the unique creative vision behind these one- and two-bedroom lakeside cabins, which draw inspiration from Disney’s 2003 animated classic Brother Bear.

Rather than leaning on overt character graphics, Conrad highlighted how Imagineers are approaching the spaces: “These one- or two-bedroom cabins will be themed to Disney’s animated film, Brother Bear (2003). They are designed as ‘artists’ retreats,’ paying tribute to the Disney artists who worked on the film”.

Related: Disney’s Newest Resort Will Offer First-Ever Accommodations With Unprecedented Theme-Park Views

For travelers who love rich aesthetic detail, the design choices mark a refreshing evolution in Disney hotel interiors.

Inside the cabins, the vibe blends contemporary lakeside luxury with clever artistic nods. The living spaces feature rich cherry hardwood floors, dark stone kitchen countertops, wood-beamed ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the water. The Brother Bear touches feel organic to the wilderness setting—from subtle woodland decor and animal-den artwork beneath pull-down twin beds to a show-stopping design feature in the master bedroom.

As Conrad detailed from the preview, “Above the bed is a large wood decor piece shaped like a mountain range. Rainbow lights shine behind the mountains, mimicking the Northern Lights seen in the film. The Northern Lights motif continues in the bathroom with artwork above the tub. The shower tiles are rainbow-colored, and there are wood beams above the double sinks“.

Related: Disney Is Quietly Building a Major New Resort at Walt Disney World

For Disney Vacation Club members and resort enthusiasts, Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge represents the ultimate “best of both worlds” getaway.

Tucked quietly along Bay Lake near Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness, the resort is designed to offer a peaceful, unhurried retreat immersed in nature, while still keeping you just a short, scenic boat ride away from Magic Kingdom.

By designing the standalone Lake Houses as authentic artists’ retreats inspired by ‘Brother Bear,’ Disney is leaning into what Disney fans love most: incredible Imagineering creativity, thoughtful artistic craft, and the kind of immersive Disney magic that makes a stay truly unforgettable.

Whether you’re planning a multi-generational family milestone or looking for the perfect luxury rest-day haven, this new lakeside sanctuary is shaping up to be one of Walt Disney World’s most sought-after bookings when it debuts in 2027.

Related: Disney World Just Dropped a Major Reveal for Its Next Resort

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Over a decade before it became a viral TikTok hack, I learned how to jazz up a box of cake mix watching Food Network chef Sunny Anderson demonstrate her version of a “cake-over” on Rachael Ray’s talk show. Replacing the oil with melted butter, adding an extra egg, swapping water for milk (or blooming cocoa powder mix in hot water for chocolate cake), and tossing in a couple of teaspoons of vanilla or almond extract worked like a charm to make my kids’ birthday cakes taste as if they came from a bakery without ever stepping foot inside one. It’s been my go-to for years when I don’t want to spend the money on a store-bought cake. 

It literally meltsss in your mouth. 😩 This my 2nd one ina week &a half.😭 #boxcake #cakemix #foodie #chocolatecake

While I can nail the flavor and texture of bakery cakes thanks to the aforementioned tricks, decorating is not my forte. Another hack I’ve leaned on recently is a cake pan that does the decorating for me, like Dolly Parton’s version with an embossed stamp that adds a delicate butterfly imprint to whatever you bake in it. Just $11 at Walmart, the Dolly Parton Butterfly Stamp Square Cake Pan can make a homemade layered cake look pretty enough to display in a confectionery shop window. 

Courtesy of Walmart

This nine-inch square pan leaves a subtle butterfly motif on the bottom of your cakes, brownies, cheesecakes, cornbread, casseroles, or anything else you decide to whip up. Durable carbon steel construction provides consistent heat distribution, while the silicone-based non-stick coating allows your baked goods to slide out of the pan without sticking. 

A Walmart shopper called this rose gold pan a “beautiful and affordable” way to bake a pretty cake at home, adding that they were “very happy” with the decorative butterfly imprint. The same design is also available in rectangular and round cake pans, as well as a cookie sheet.

To try the TikTok cake hack, you’ll need a box of cake mix, and what better kind to use in Dolly’s pan than one from the queen of country herself? Dolly Parton’s Duncan Hines cake mixes come in classic yellow, chocolate, strawberry, banana, and coconut, each retailing for $2, and all with rave reviews from Walmart customers who’ve tried them. While you’ll probably want to leave the top of any cake you bake in this embossed pan unfrosted or dusted with powdered sugar so the butterfly design shows, Dolly has a selection of creamy frostings in buttercream, chocolate, and strawberry flavors (also just $2) that you can slather between the layers.

• Dolly Parton Stainless Steel Short Turner, $9 (was $10) at Walmart
• Dolly Parton Jeweled Mosaic Covered Mug Set, $20 (was $25) at Walmart
• Dolly Parton Stainless Steel Tumbler, $20 (was $27) at Walmart

Related: Dolly Parton’s $11 Dish Towel Set Has the Sweetest Butterfly Design That’ll Bring a Touch of Country Charm to Your Home

You can spend $11 on the Dolly Parton Butterfly Stamp Square Cake Pan today and bake pretty cakes in it for years to come. Snag it now at Walmart and add a sweet touch of Dolly’s signature style to your desserts.

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It’s hard to believe that the “Queen of Screen” turns 68 today, but sure enough, Angela Bassett was born on Aug. 16, 1958.

She has done it all. Whether it’s performing as the great Tina Turner or saving Los Angeles from some of the wildest situations, Bassett makes it clear that when she is on the screen, we all need to be seated.

Age has certainly not slowed Bassett down, as she continues to star on 911, which returns for its 10th season in fall 2026. Formerly a sergeant, her character Athena Grant is now a detective, and that means the potential for darker and wilder cases. At the same time, she shows her humanity, as she continues to support her children’s dreams and deal with being a widow after the loss of Bobby Nash.

If you’re not watching 911, then you’re likely watching American Horror Story. Returning for its 13th season at the end of September, Bassett will reprise the iconic role of Marie Laveau, which she originally played during the third season. 

Marie Laveau is not the only real person from history Bassett has taken on, with many likely remembering her as Tina Turner in the 1993 movie What’s Love Got to Do with It. That role would lead to an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe win, making it clear early on that she was a star not to be reckoned with.

Bassett isn’t just an iconic actress, though. She has worked as an executive producer and director on multiple projects, including 911 and American Horror Story, and she holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s from Yale University, along with an Honorary Doctorate. And while much of her private life remains private, she is always supportive of her husband, Courtney B. Vance, making it clear that Hollywood marriages can last — they’ve been married since 1997! — and thrive.

Currently, eyes are on whether she will return to the Marvel universe in Black Panther 3. After playing Queen Ramonda during the first two movies, her character made the ultimate sacrifice to save an innocent, but that won’t prevent her from returning. The Ancestral Plane is slated to play a bigger role in the third movie, making it possible for Basset to return.

There is no stopping the “Queen of Screen,” and we just want to wish her a happy birthday! Now we just get to see what type of wild saves Athena will make during 911 Season 10 when it premieres in October.

Related: Long Before ‘The Boys’ TV Show, Brandon Sanderson Wrote His Own Story About Evil Superheroes

On August 16, 1977, the world lost Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll. But inside the gates of Graceland, a small circle of women lost the man they loved.

Over the years, Priscilla Presley, Linda Thompson, Ginger Alden, and the late Lisa Marie Presley each shared unforgettable accounts of that devastating day. In their own words, here’s how the women closest to Elvis experienced the darkest moment in rock history.

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Priscilla Presley’s relationship with Elvis spanned 14 years. Married for six years, they were rock and roll’s first true power couple.

Priscilla was not at Graceland on the day Elvis died, but the tragic news reached her in Los Angeles. She vividly remembered receiving the phone call that would forever change her life.

In her book, Softly As I Leave You: Life After Elvis, she recalled meeting her sister, Michelle, for lunch when she learned something was wrong with her ex-husband. Michelle informed her that Joe Esposito, one of Elvis’ closest friends, was desperately trying to reach her.

“It was something about Elvis being in the hospital. My heart stopped. I knew Joe wouldn’t be doing that if it was just another of Elvis’s hospital stays. Something was terribly wrong,” she wrote, in an excerpt published by CBS News.

Priscilla continued, “I did a U-turn and raced home, running traffic lights and going far too fast. Cars skidded to a halt to miss me. It’s a miracle I didn’t get hit. All the way home, I prayed over and over, ‘Dear God, please let it be all right.’ Lisa was at Graceland, due to come home later that day, so she was part of whatever was happening.”

She concluded, “When I reached home, I could hear the phone ringing as I got out of the car. I prayed it would keep ringing until I reached it. I let myself into the house with shaking hands and grabbed the receiver. It was Joe. I said, ‘What’s happened?’ He replied, ‘It’s Elvis. Cilla, he’s dead. We’ve lost him.'”

RELATED: Priscilla Presley Reveals Her Real Feelings About Losing Elvis 49 Years After His Death

Lisa Marie Presley’s memoir, From Here to the Great Unknown, was published posthumously in October 2024. Within its pages, she shared her own recollections about the moment her father, Elvis Presley, died.

PEOPLE Magazine published an excerpt from the book. In it, Lisa wrote of learning of Elvis’s passing. She was nine years old.

“I ran to him, but somebody grabbed me, pulled me back. They were trying to work on him. I was screaming bloody murder. I knew it was not good.”

She added that she would “never get past” the sound of her grandfather, Vernon Presley, crying out loud.

“That noise. I’ll never get past that sound of him wailing. I could hear, ‘Oh, he’s gone. He’s gone.’ My life as I knew it was completely over.”

RELATED: ’80s Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Makes First Trip to Graceland in Decades for Elvis Week

For four years, from 1972 to 1976, Linda Thompson lived at Graceland and shared a deeply intimate chapter of Elvis’s life. They were together almost every moment of every day, during a time when the King of Rock and Roll was heavily touring and made twice-a-year trips to Las Vegas for his residency.

Linda was not with Elvis when he passed; they had ended their relationship eight months earlier in December 1976.

Thompson recalled the moment she learned of the king’s death via a phone call from his daughter, Lisa Marie Presley. The New York Daily News shared her remarks via PEOPLE Magazine.

Thompson wrote that she was “frozen by a dread of acknowledging the truth.” Lisa Marie exclaimed, “Linda, my daddy’s dead!”  

RELATED: Elvis Presley’s Longtime Love Shares Rare Photos of Their Private Life Together

Ginger Alden was engaged to Elvis Presley and with him at Graceland at the time of his death. They had become engaged in January 1977 after knowing one another for two months.

Alden said she woke and realized Elvis was not in bed, but thought nothing of it, as he often went into his bathroom to read. She called her friend, followed by her mother, before checking on him, she explained in her book, Elvis & Ginger.

“I glanced at the clock and saw it was close to 2:20. The bathroom door was cracked open a little,” she began.

“I knocked on the door and asked, ‘Elvis?’ There was no answer. Slowly opening the door, I peered in and saw Elvis on the floor off to the left. I stood paralyzed as I took in the scene,” Alden continued.

She called for help, and security guard Al Strada and Joe Esposito rushed up Graceland’s stairs. They later called Elvis’ personal physician, Dr. George Nichopoulos, and his friend, Charlie Hodge, who all tried to revive him until paramedics arrived. Elvis was declared dead at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee at 3:30 p.m.

Almost five decades have passed since that quiet late-summer afternoon at Graceland. But the loss still feels real for those who shared his life. Elvis belonged to the world, but to Priscilla, Linda, Ginger, and Lisa Marie, he was family.

Related: Elvis Presley’s Private Bedroom: The Real Reason It Was Never Opened to the Public

In the 1980s, Madonna was no stranger to controversy. But one of her biggest songs took on a life of its own after its release in the summer of 1986.

The song, “Papa Don’t Preach,” appeared on Madonna’s third album True Blue, and quickly became more than a pop song as it sparked a debate over teen pregnancy and the choices that young women make.

Written by Brian Elliott, the song opens with a dramatic string arrangement before snapping into an upbeat ‘80s dance pop groove, with Madonna singing about a pregnant teen who begs her father to accept her decision to keep her baby.

“Papa Don’t Preach” was fueled by a popular music video shot in Staten Island starring Madonna, Alex McArthur, and Danny Aiello, helping the song reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on August 16, 1986.

Madonna predicted the song would be controversial.

“’Papa Don’t Preach’ is a message song that everyone is going to take the wrong way,” she told The New York Times in 1986. “’Immediately they’re going to say I am advising every young girl to go out and get pregnant. …This song is really about a girl who is making a decision in her life. She has a very close relationship with her father and wants to maintain that closeness. To me it’s a celebration of life. It says, ‘I love you, father, and I love this man and this child that is growing inside me.’ Of course, who knows how it will end? But at least it starts off positive.”

As predicted, as “Papa Don’t Preach” climbed the charts, the song was debated by Planned Parenthood and pro-life groups.

Planned Parenthood of New York City executive director Alfred Moran said the song was “destructive” as it romanticized teen pregnancy.

“The message is that getting pregnant is cool and having the baby is the right thing and a good thing and don’t listen to your parents, the school, anybody who tells you otherwise -don’t preach to me, Papa. The reality is that what Madonna is suggesting to teenagers is a path to permanent poverty,” he told The New York Times.

Feminists for Life in America praised “Papa Don’t Preach” as a “pro-life” song that told of an alternative to abortion.

Everyone from  activist Tipper Gore to feminist attorney Gloria Allred weighed in on the song, with Allred suggesting to The Los Angeles Times that Madonna should “make a public statement noting that kids have other choices, including abortion, or if she doesn’t want to make a statement, then she has the responsibility to make another record supporting the opposite point of view.”

Songwriter Elliot explained that he simply penned the song as “a sensitive plea for compassion and understanding about a young girl who found herself at a crossroads in life and didn’t know where to turn.”

He also noted that Madonna brought “a lot of depth” to the song.

“But once she sang it, it became the property of everybody, and they’ve all brought their different set of interpretations to it,” Elliott added. “I still feel it’s a lucky thing for me. Any time a song can galvanize the public and create this kind of debate, it’s as much as any pop song can ever hope to be.”

Forty years later, “Papa Don’t Preach” still stands out as one of Madonna’s boldest and most debated songs, a snapshot of the provocative pop star at the height of her cultural influence.

Related: 1986 One-Hit Wonder Was Hated For Not Being ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll’—Even Though the Video Starred a Heavy Metal God

If you know the famous banjo-and-guitar showdown from Deliverance, you know Eric Weissberg, even if you don’t immediately recognize his name.

Weissberg, who was born Aug. 16, 1939, would have turned 87 today. The New York-born musician became best known for playing banjo on “Dueling Banjos,” the memorable instrumental featured in the 1972 film Deliverance. The recording became an unlikely pop sensation, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1973.

It was by far Weissberg’s biggest commercial success, but his career extended well beyond that one famous song.

“Dueling Banjos” was featured prominently in the 1972 film starring Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox.

For the recording, Weissberg played five-string banjo while Steve Mandell played guitar. The single became a major hit after the movie’s release, spending four weeks at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 behind Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly With His Song.” It also reached No. 5 on Billboard’s country chart and No. 1 on the adult contemporary chart.

The song wasn’t just a commercial success. Weissberg and Mandell won the 1974 Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance for “Dueling Banjos.”

And the album connected to the recording was even more successful: Dueling Banjos reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

There’s another surprising part of the story. One of the most recognizable pieces of music associated with a 1970s Hollywood movie actually had roots nearly two decades earlier

Because the music wasn’t actually written for Deliverance.

“Dueling Banjos” was based on “Feudin’ Banjos,” a 1950s composition by musician Arthur “Guitar Boogie” Smith. Weissberg and Mandell arranged and recorded their version for the movie, but Smith was initially not properly credited. He eventually sued and received songwriting credit and royalties.

The recording was released under the name “Dueling Banjos” after the movie made the tune famous.

Before his biggest hit, Weissberg had already built a substantial career as a folk and bluegrass musician.

He was a member of the Tarriers and later became a prolific session musician. His credits included work with artists such as Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, John Denver, Billy Joel, Melanie, Art Garfunkel, Jim Croce and the Talking Heads, among others.

He had studied at Juilliard and was known for playing a wide range of instruments, including banjo, guitar, fiddle, mandolin, dobro and bass.

Weissberg died in 2020 at age 80. But decades after “Dueling Banjos” became a No. 2 hit, that instantly recognizable banjo performance remains his lasting musical calling card.

RELATED: 53-Year-Old Andy Griggs Had Two No. 2 Country Hits You May Remember

Ketty Lester turns 92 today, capping off a career that’s spanned more than six decades and touched music, television and film in ways few artists can claim.

Her breakout came in 1961, when she reimagined the 1945 standard “Love Letters” with a stripped-down, gospel-tinged arrangement. The song shot to No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, sold over a million copies, and earned her a Grammy nomination. It became so iconic that Elvis Presley recorded his own version four years later, using an arrangement nearly identical to hers.

She wasn’t the only legend paying attention. John Lennon later borrowed the song’s haunting piano part for his own track “God,” a quiet tribute to the record that first caught his ear.

Music wasn’t Lester’s only calling. In the 1970s, she pivoted to acting, landing roles in films like Blacula and Uptight. But her most career-defining role came on television, playing Hester-Sue Terhune on Little House on the Prairie for six seasons, a part that introduced her to an entirely new generation of fans.

Lester kept working long after her chart-topping days, taking on parts in soap operas, gospel albums and even a role in House Party 3 in the 1990s. In 2020, she published a memoir chronicling the full arc of her career, and in 2024, she returned to the spotlight one more time, attending Little House on the Prairie’s 50th anniversary reunion, where she met fans and delivered a sermon on stage.

Now, at 92, Lester has spent more than nine decades on this earth and more than sixty years in the industry, leaving behind a song still being rediscovered by new listeners, a TV role fans still remember fondly, and a legacy that reaches from gospel choirs in Arkansas all the way to Elvis Presley and John Lennon.

When it comes to the Age of Enlightenment in Europe, Denis Diderot is a major figure. He was a French philosopher, art critic and writer who served as the chief editor of the Encyclopédie from 1745 to 1772, per Britannica; this was “one of the principal works” of this era, hence his influence. As the University of Kent reported, he and Voltaire were the two people who “shaped the French Enlightenment” the most in the 18th century. Through the Encyclopédie, Diderot and the other writers and editors “challenged traditional authority and emphasized reason and empirical knowledge,” according to EBSCO. And our quote of the day is a great example of Diderot’s rhetoric and beliefs, specifically about how passion can add greatness to your life, not tarnish it.

As the World History Encyclopedia reported, Diderot was born in 1713, in Langres, France, and his father was a well-respected master cutler, meaning he made cutlery or silverware. Diderot went on to study at a college run by Jesuits, then in Paris, but his father disowned him because he refused to take a job within the Church or in law, and then because he married below his station. 

Diderot made a living as a tutor and translator, but had financial problems throughout his life, per the University of Kent. In fact, the Russian Empress Catherine II (Catherine the Great) was his saving grace when, in 1766, she bought his library to give him money, and he was even allowed to keep it until he died. 

He wrote many works, from treatises to books to art critiques and, of course, his ideas that influenced the Enlightenment. That last piece is what he’s most known for, and you can see a bit of that anti-autocracy, anti-institutionalized religion sentiment in today’s quote.

Related: Quote of the Day: Philosopher René Descartes on Why Brilliance Requires Action

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“Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things.”

This quote appears in Diderot’s first original work from 1746, Pensées Philosophiques, otherwise known as Philosophic/Philosophical Thoughts in the English translation. As the title states, it’s a slew of different philosophical ideas and thoughts that Diderot has, including “new and explosive anti-Christian ideas” that were packaged in prose, per Britannica. And while he doesn’t completely reject institutionalized religion, as EBSCO reported, he did write that people’s faith should be put to the test with reasoning and logic, and that things like passion are actually necessary to human nature and life.

He originally wrote and sold this work to make money for his mistress at the time, and it was published anonymously. This led some people to believe that the likes of Voltaire or Étienne Bonnot de Condillac wrote it. It was subsequently “condemned” by the Parlement of Paris in July of 1746 because of its radical ideas.

This line is at the beginning of the first chapter, which he starts off by noting that he understands a lot of people aren’t going to agree with him. He then makes his first point: people denounce “the passions,” blaming them for pain and suffering that “man endures.” However, he writes that passion is “the source of all his pleasures,” and it’s not something you can pray away or just remove from your body or mind. 

He then has today’s quote. In an earlier 1916 translation of the quote by Margaret Jourdain, it reads: “Yet it is passions, alone and strong, that can elevate the soul to great things.”

Diderot follows up that sentiment, saying that without passions “there is no sublime, either in morality or in achievement; the fine arts return to puerility, and virtue becomes a pettifogging thing.”

Related: Quote of the Day: Stoic Philosopher Cato the Younger on When To Use Discretion and Self-Restraint

As mentioned above, a main thesis that ran through Diderot’s Philosophic Thoughts was that you have to melt reason and emotion together to find harmony. And when he’s talking about “passions” in today’s quote, he’s referring to anything that involves deep emotions.

Essentially, Diderot is saying that intense feelings of love, desire, elation, anger and more, are actually what make us human. And without them, we make childish art and our virtues come from a petty place. Without passion, ambition and deep devotion to things outside of the Church, we cannot achieve great things. 

Related: Quote of the Day: Viola Davis’ 7-Word Question Could Change How You See Hard Times

• “We swallow whole the lie which flatters us and sip drop by drop a truth set down before us.”
• “What has not been examined impartially has not been well examined. Skepticism is therefore the first step toward truth.”
• “Watch out for the fellow who talks about putting things in order! Putting things in order always means getting other people under your control.”
• “Strong thoughts are iron nails driven in the mind, that nothing can draw out.”
• “If you want me to believe in God, you must make me touch him.”

Up Next:

Related: Quote of the Day: ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ Author L. Frank Baum on the Power of Learning

Eric Burdon has spent more than six decades onstage, but earlier this year, the legendary singer made the difficult decision to step back from a scheduled performance to focus on his health.

Burdon, who turns 85 in November 2026, was expected to perform with Eric Burdon & The Animals aboard the Rock Legends Cruise XIII in February. However, his team announced that he would no longer be able to participate following recent health concerns and on the advice of his doctors.

In a statement shared by the cruise organizers, Burdon’s team said the singer decided to prioritize his recovery. His medical team was reportedly optimistic about his recovery, but the timing of the cruise did not allow enough time for him to properly heal.

The cancellation was particularly disappointing for Burdon, who had been looking forward to the event and expressed his appreciation for the Native American community, which is close to his heart.

For fans, the news offered a reminder of just how remarkable Burdon’s career has been.

“Sorry about the other two who had to drop out,” one Facebook user commented. “Prayers for them.”

“I really am disappointed that Eric Burdon cancelled,” another said.

“I was looking forward to seeing him more than anyone else. I know things happen, but this is really bad news for me. I haven’t seen him since the 80’s and probably won’t get another chance.”

“Burdon is especially saddened to miss this event, as the Native American community is close to his heart, and he was truly looking forward to being on board,” a top fan chimed in.

“He extends his sincere thanks to the organizers, fellow artists and fans for their understanding, kindness and continued support, and he hopes to reconnect with audiences in the future. Sending love and healing prayers for his complete recovery, and maybe he can join us next year and we can all celebrate his health!”

As the original frontman of The Animals, Burdon helped define the British Invasion with his unmistakable voice on songs including “House of the Rising Sun,” “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood,” “We Gotta Get Out of This Place” and “It’s My Life.”

The Animals became international stars during the 1960s, while Burdon later continued his career as a solo performer and with different versions of The Animals.

More than 60 years after The Animals first found success, Burdon remains closely connected to the music that made him famous. He has continued performing for audiences around the world, and recent footage of him onstage has prompted fans to celebrate his enduring voice and stage presence.

RELATED: The Animals’ Rock Classic Began With a Song Much Older Than You Think

Deion Sanders once played a professional football game and baseball game on the same day, as sports fans are well aware.

On a similar note, some athletes like to juggle two professions simultaneously, dabbling in entertainment while competing on the field in the same week.

Ceyair Wright, who once portrayed LeBron James‘ son in Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021), was about to suit up as an NFL rookie for the Cincinnati Bengals this season — until he called it quits.

On Saturday, August 15, reports from the team’s training camp confirmed on social media that Wright, 23, has left the roster to pursue acting.

“Rookie CB Ceyair Wright, who has several acting credits, left camp to pursue TV/Film opportunities,” reads the recent X post by Bengals radio voice Dan Hoard. “He’s been replaced by rookie Matthew McDoom (#41) who was released by the Ravens last week.”

Other media outlets then ran with the juicy update, including Bleacher Report with a joint Instagram post. “Bengals rookie Ceyair Wright was offered the lead role in a movie he couldn’t pass down 👀,” reads the post’s caption. See below.

Fans have since flooded the post’s comments section to share their reaction and speculate on what projects Wright might join. “Bro better be in the new x men film 🤣😅,” wrote one Instagram user, while another person commented, “He must be in some batman movie or sum.”

“[Wright] called us last night and let us know that he had an opportunity,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor told reporters on Saturday, per NBC News. “I know it was a difficult decision for him. I think two things he’s really passionate about were colliding, and he decided to pursue this opportunity. So he’s a great kid, comes from a great university. And, you know, we wish him the best. He was fun to be around. He really competed hard for us. It was fun watching him play. I thought he was ascending as a player. But, obviously, he’s chosen to go a different path.”

To solve today’s New York Times Connections Sports Edition puzzle, you’ll need to tap into your knowledge of college sports teams, have a general idea of players from the North and possibly know how to play defense when necessary.

Get excited—there’s another New York Times game to add to your daily routine! Those of us word game addicts who already play Wordle, Connections, Strands and the Mini Crossword now have Connections Sports Edition to add to the mix.

So, if you’re looking for some hints and answers for today’s Connections Sports Edition on Sunday, August 16, 2026, you’ve come to the right place.

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The New York Times

Connections Sports Edition is just like the regular Connections word puzzle, in that it’s a game that resets at 12 a.m. EST each day and has 16 different words listed. It’s up to you to figure out each group of four words that belong to a certain category, with four categories in total.

This new version is sports-specific, however, as a partnership between The New York Times and The Athletic.

As the NYT site instructs, for Connections Sports Edition, you “group sports terms that share a common thread.”

Related: The 26 Funniest NYT Connections Game Memes You’ll Appreciate if You Do This Daily Word Puzzle

Here are some hints about the four categories to help you figure out the word groupings.

• Yellow: Long story short.
• Green: Team leaders in the West.
• Blue: Baseball players from the 6ix.
• Purple: Not offense, but…

OK, time for a second hint…we’ll give you the actual categories now. Spoilers below!

• Yellow: ACC SCHOOLS, ABBREVIATED
• Green: FIRST NAMES OF AFC WEST QBS
• Blue: TORONTO BLUE JAYS
• Purple: DEFENSIVE _____

If you’re looking for the answers, no worries—we’ve got them below. So, don’t scroll any further if you don’t want to see the solutions!

The answers to today’s Connections Sports Edition #692 are coming up next.

Related: 15 Fun Games Like Connections to Play Every Day

• ACC SCHOOLS, ABBREVIATED: BC, CAL, CUSE, PITT
• FIRST NAMES OF AFC WEST QBS: BO, FERNANDO, JUSTIN, PATRICK
• TORONTO BLUE JAYS: BIEBER, CEASE, GUERRERO, SPRINGER
• DEFENSIVE _____: BACK, END, INDIFFERENCE, TACKLE

Don’t worry if you didn’t get them this time—we’ve all been there.

Up next, catch up on the answers to recent Wordle puzzles.

Related: 6 Store-Bought Ice Cream Treats That Will Transport You Back to the ’90s

What’s your favorite part of visiting Disney World? Or maybe it’s Disneyland, if you live on the West Coast.

Those who frequent the Anaheim, California theme park can rejoice following a series of announcements at this weekend’s D23 convention in that very city. And if you’ve been itching for Disneyland’s aging Tomorrowland to finally get a revamp, you’re really in for a treat.

On stage during the Horizons: A Carousel of Progress Disney Experiences during the annual fan event, Chairman Thomas Mazloum announced that a reimagining of Tomorrowland in Disneyland park is in the works, according to the Disney Parks Blog.

The planned transformation “will honor the legacy of the original land while reimagining its future. Disneyland Resort will strive to preserve what guests cherish most, while also introducing new experiences and possibilities for the next generation of fans,” according to the Disney Parks website.

The announcement write-up also noted that “Walt Disney Imagineers are already beginning to dream up the next chapter of innovation and storytelling for Tomorrowland with new attractions, more open spaces and new places for Disneyland guests to dream about the future. The plans for Tomorrowland will restore the spirit of optimism, innovation and possibility that inspired Walt Disney to create ‘a vista into a world of wondrous ideas…’ in 1955 and have defined this land for decades.”

“We are entering Disneyland’s next great chapter where new generations will continue to relive fond memories of the past and savor the the challenge and promises of the future, and it all begins with Tomorrowland,” said Mazloum, 59, during his big reveal, per the Los Angeles Times.

Today, Tomorrowland is home to a number of popular attractions, such as Space Mountain and Star Tours, but is also littered with underutilized buildings and a dead PeopleMover track, the LA Times also noted on Saturday, August 15.

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When it comes to furnishing and decorating your home, the first step is determining the aesthetic you want for your space. You could go rustic farmhouse or whimsical cottagecore, mid-century modern, or any number of popular styles. If you want to give your home timeless appeal, it’s hard to go wrong with traditional interior design and vintage-inspired decor. Furniture that captures the essence of the old-money lifestyle and classic detailing that feels affluent yet understated has always been and should stay in style for years to come. 

If you like the collected & cozy nature of a traditional style but don’t want your house to look like a museum, this one’s for you. Here’s the pieces I’d recommend looking for! #interiordesigntips #vintagedecor #vintageinteriors #antiques #interiordesign traditional style, traditional home decor, traditional interior design, home with personality, vintage interiors, vintage home decor, antiquehomedecor, vintage cozy eclectic home decor, thrifting haul trinkets, nancy meyer aesthetic

While the traditional aesthetic has a bougie vibe, you can incorporate this trend into your home without spending a pretty penny. At Walmart, you can find old-money pieces that ooze quiet luxury at budget-friendly prices, like this Grecian-inspired Homfa 5-Tier Bookcase With Doors, which is currently on sale for under $150. Normally retailing for $220, this bookcase is now marked down to just $140, which is a buzzworthy deal considering that designer brands carry similar styles that are considerably more expensive. You can score this bookcase in two finishes, including a reddish-brown hue and a white version. 

Courtesy of Walmart

Featuring a structured silhouette with geometric panels and bold pillars inspired by ancient Greek architecture, this bookcase captures the essence of vintage-inspired charm. It has a bark-grain finish, giving it some texture, warmth, and a traditional vibe. This bookcase will instantly elevate your home’s aesthetic, adding a touch of quiet luxury that’ll make your home feel tastefully posh and elegant. 

Just as functional as it is decorative, this bookcase is a dream for storage and organization. It boasts ample storage space that’ll help you streamline your space in no time. The top half is fixed with three open shelves, where you can store linens and bedding, or put your book collection, LEGO creations, and decor pieces on display. For reference, the top shelf has a 10.4-inch vertical clearance, and the two shelves below have a 12.3-inch clearance. 

The lower portion of this bookcase features a two-tiered shelf hidden behind two doors. This cabinet is ideal for storing items you’d prefer to keep concealed to reduce the visual clutter. Designed to maximize storage space, the shelf is adjustable between three heights so you can fit items of various sizes. The doors are set on soft-closing hinges, preventing them from slamming shut. 

Courtesy of Walmart

Made of heavy-duty medium-density fiberboard (MDF) derived from pinewood, this bookcase is sturdy and durable with a 350-pound weight capacity. It weighs 70 pounds and has a thickened base for stability. Measuring about 28 inches wide, 13 inches deep, and 71 inches tall, this piece will make a statement wherever you put it. 

With its neutral hue and classy design, this bookcase should easily complement the rest of your furniture and decor. Place it anywhere in your home that could use additional storage and some sprucing up, whether it’s your living room, dining room, bedroom, or office.

• Hiphuta 10-Shelf Cabinet With Barn Doors, $180 (was $228) at Walmart
• Yocwo Arched Bookcases With Drawer, From $154 (was $300) at Walmart
• Homfa Wall-Mounted 5-Tier Ladder Bookcase, $70 (was $110) at Walmart

Related: Amazon’s ‘Stunning’ Vintage-Style Floral Lamp Will Transport You to the French Countryside for Just $60

Whether you’re looking to give your home a traditional feel or just need a stylish storage solution, the Homfa 5-Tier Bookcase With Doors is definitely worth adding to your space. Head to Walmart and snag it while it’s still on sale for just $140! 

Don’t miss future deals! Sign up for Parade Picks to receive our commerce team’s curated selection of discounts and sales, twice a week.

To solve today’s Strands puzzle, you might need a little extra training.

Move over, Wordle, Connections, Connections Sports Edition, and Mini Crossword—there’s a new NYT word game in town! The New York Times‘ recent game, “Strands,” is becoming increasingly popular as another daily activity fans can find on the NYT website and app.

With daily themes and “spangrams” to discover, this is the latest addictive game to cross off your to-do list before a new one pops up 24 hours later.

We’ll cover exactly how to play Strands, hints for today’s Spangram, and all of the answers for Strands #896 on Sunday, August 16.

The New York Times

According to the New York Times, here’s exactly how to play Strands:

Find theme words to fill the board.

• Theme words stay highlighted in blue when found.
• Drag or tap letters to create words. If tapping, double-tap the last letter to submit.
• Theme words fill the board entirely. No theme words overlap.

Find the “spangram.”

• The spangram describes the puzzle’s theme and touches two opposite sides of the board. It may be two words.
• The spangram highlights in yellow when found.
• An example spangram with corresponding theme words: PEAR, FRUIT, BANANA, APPLE, etc.

Need a hint?

• Find non-theme words to get hints.
• For every three non-theme words you find, you earn a hint.
• Hints show the letters of a theme word. If there is already an active hint on the board, a hint will show that word’s letter order.

If that doesn’t help, here’s a hint for today’s Strands game: Follow my lead.

Warning: Spoilers ahead!

In today’s puzzle, there are six theme words to find (including the spangram). Here are the first two letters for each word:

• INTERN
• PROTEGE
• DISCIPLE
• APPRENTICE
• MENTEE
• JO (SPANGRAM)

Today’s Spangram is a mix of horizontal and vertical

Today’s Spangram answer on Today’s NYT ‘Strands’ Hints, Spangram and Answers for Sunday, August 16, 2026, is JOBTRAINING.

• INTERN
• PROTEGE
• DISCIPLE
• APPRENTICE
• MENTEE
• SPANGRAM: JOBTRAINING

Related: 6 Store-Bought Ice Cream Treats That Will Transport You Back to the ’90s

Today’s New York Times Connections puzzle is a bit more complicated than it looks, but as long as you know a little bit about our early ancestors, you should be good to go.

There’s nothing quite as exhilarating as the feeling of completing the daily New York Times Wordle, Strands, Mini Crossword and Connections Sports Edition word games in one fell swoop. But sometimes that can be easier said than done. If you need help with today’s Connections puzzle, keep reading.

Spoilers ahead! We’ve warned you. We mean it. Read no further until you really want some clues or you’ve completely given up and want the answers ASAP. Get ready for all of today’s NYT ‘Connections’ hints and answers for #1162 on Sunday, August 16, 2026.

The New York Times

If you’ve been having trouble with any of the connections or words in Sunday’s puzzle, you’re not alone, and these hints should definitely help you out. Plus, I’ll reveal the answers further down.

Related: The 26 Funniest NYT Connections Game Memes You’ll Appreciate if You Do This Daily Word Puzzle

1. Can often lead to a band’s big break.
2. You must be willing.
3. Like your in-laws.
4. First humans.

Related: 300 Trivia Questions and Answers to Jumpstart Your Fun Game Night

Ready for the answers? Scroll below this image (the image that represents your very appreciated patience!).

iStock

1. MUSICAL PERFORMANCE: CONCERT, GIG, SET, SHOW
2. PARTICIPANT: LEG, PHASE, STAGE, STRETCH
3. FAMILY RELATIONSHIP MODIFIERS: CHAMOMILE, GRINCH, HOTFOOT, LANYARD
4. DESCRIPTORS FOR OUR HUMAN ANCESTORS: FROM NEANDER, HANDY, UPRIGHT, WISE

How’d you do?

Up Next:

– 15 Fun Games Like Connections to Play Every Day
– Hints, Clues and Answers to the NYT’s ‘Mini Crossword’ Puzzle

Did You Miss a Few Days? Let’s Catch You Up With Recent Connections Answers

Related: 6 Store-Bought Ice Cream Treats That Will Transport You Back to the ’90s

You’ll solve today’s NYT Wordle puzzle in record time if you’ve ever had shrimp mold.

But the day just isn’t complete until I’ve solved all of the free word games from the New York Times, including Connections, Connections Sports Edition, Strands, and Mini Crossword. If you’re stuck on today’s Wordle answer, we’re here to help—but beware of spoilers for Wordle #1884 ahead.

Let’s start with a few hints.

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There are two vowels in today’s five-letter word.

Today’s Wordle begins with a vowel.

There are no double letters in today’s Wordle.

A hint for today’s Wordle is: A cold molded salad typically consisting of gelatin, meat, or tomato juice and chopped meat or seafood.

OK, that’s it for hints—I don’t want to totally give it away before revealing the answer!

Related: 16 Games Like Wordle To Give You Your Word Game Fix More Than Once Every 24 Hours

We’ll have the answer below this friendly reminder of how to play the game.

SPOILERS BELOW—do not scroll any further if you don’t want the answer revealed.

The New York Times

Today’s Wordle answer on Sunday, August 16, 2026, is ASPIC.

-If you missed it, catch up with the answer to yesterday’s Wordle.

Related: Every 5 Letter Word Wordle Hasn’t Used Yet (Updated Daily)

One of rock’s most celebrated collaborations is suddenly back on the charts more than four decades after it was recorded.

Queen and David Bowie’s 1981 hit “Under Pressure” has re-entered Billboard’s Hard Rock Streaming Songs chart this week, landing at No. 24.

It’s the latest sign of remarkable staying power for a song that brought together two of rock’s biggest acts for a collaboration that came together almost entirely by chance.

“Under Pressure” has now spent 210 weeks on the Hard Rock Streaming Songs chart, according to Billboard, and has climbed as high as No. 9. All told, across every Billboard chart, “Under Pressure” has spent a whopping 300 weeks on one chart or another.

The renewed success comes 45 years after Queen and Bowie created the song during an impromptu recording session in Switzerland and more than a decade after Rolling Stone readers voted it the Greatest Duet of All Time.

Released in October 1981, “Under Pressure” became a major international hit, reaching No. 1 in the United Kingdom.

Its original performance in the United States, however, was considerably more modest.

In “The Billboard Book of Number One Hits,” music historian Fred Bronson notes that Queen had already scored two U.S. No. 1 singles with “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and “Another One Bites the Dust” by the time the band joined forces with Bowie.

But despite the star power behind “Under Pressure,” Bronson writes that the single “ran out of steam at number 29” in the United States.

That makes the song’s decades-long afterlife particularly remarkable.

“Under Pressure” has grown far beyond its original U.S. chart peak, becoming one of the most recognizable recordings in both Queen and Bowie’s catalogs.

Rolling Stone readers eventually voted “Under Pressure” the Greatest Duet of All Time, placing the collaboration at No. 1 in a poll celebrating music’s most memorable pairings.

The publication recalled that Bowie originally went to Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland, intending to contribute vocals to a different Queen song, “Cool Cat.” That collaboration didn’t work out, but Bowie and the four members of Queen began jamming together instead.

Within hours, they had “Under Pressure.”

The song’s famously spontaneous creation has become nearly as legendary as the recording itself.

Rolling Stone also included “Under Pressure” on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, describing it as an “epic anthem of resistance” that grew from an impromptu jam.

Queen guitarist Brian May recalled the unusual process, explaining that the musicians entered the studio without predetermined vocal parts.

“Everybody just goes in there with no ideas, no notes,” May told Rolling Stone, explaining that they later assembled the different pieces they had created.

Bowie similarly remembered just how quickly everything happened. In a Q&A on his website in 2004, he was asked about the story behind “Under Pressure,” something even Bowie marvels at:

The song was written from the ground up on the night I visited their studio. I believe the riff had already been written by Freddie and the others so then we jointly put together the different chord sections to make it a cohesive piece of music. Then Freddie and I came up with our individual top line melodies. So when you hear Freddie sing, that’s what he wrote and when you hear me sing, that was mine. Then we worked on the lyrics together. I still cannot believe that we had the whole thing written and recorded in one evening flat. Quite a feat for what is actually a fairly complicated song.

One part of the recording would become particularly famous: its instantly recognizable bass line. Yet one thing Queen and Bowie never managed to do was perform their famous collaboration together live.

Rolling Stone noted that even at 1985’s Live Aid, where both acts appeared on the same historic bill and Bowie’s set immediately followed Queen’s, they did not join forces for “Under Pressure.”

The song nevertheless continued to grow in stature long after its original release.

Now, 45 years after Queen and Bowie happened to find themselves in the same Swiss studio, the collaboration once voted the greatest duet of all time is back on a Billboard chart once again.

Related: 1975 Rock Epic, Revived 17 Years Later, Just Named the Greatest No. 2 Hit of All Time by Billboard