James Stafford
Cover Stories: The White Stripes, ‘Elephant’
Jack White is the master of the hidden treasure. What surprises lurk in the cover of the White Stripes' 2003 album 'Elephant'?
12 Years Ago: Death Cab for Cutie Release ‘Transatlanticism’
The unofficial follow-up to the Postal Service's only album found footing in the mainstream thanks in part to Seth Cohen (from 'The O.C.').
24 Years Ago: Nirvana Turned ‘Alternative’ Into the Mainstream With ‘Nevermind’
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.
Cover Stories: The Offspring, ‘Americana’
Who sticks a big bug on a little boy's lap? Meet Frank Kozik, the mind behind the Offspring's 'Americana' album cover.
Cover Stories: U2, ‘Boy’
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.
Cover Stories: Beck, ‘Odelay’
What exactly was Beck trying to say with the ambiguous cover art for his 1996 album, 'Odelay'?
When Pearl Jam Took Flannel to the Masses With Their Debut, ‘Ten’
Almost a quarter-century after it was released, Pearl Jam's first album sounds as fresh as the day we first cracked the CD's shrink-wrap.
31 Years Ago: Red Hot Chili Peppers Release Their Self-Titled Debut
The Red Hot Chili Peppers' path to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame began with this tentative first step.
24 Years Ago: Lollapalooza Makes Its Debut
Daytime temperatures hit 111 degrees, Nine Inch Nails played a one-and-a-half minute set and Jane's Addiction got into a fistfight on stage. It's July 18, 1991.
10 Years Ago: Nine Inch Nails Release ‘With Teeth’
NIN's fourth full length album captures Trent Reznor at a turning point.
Martin Luther King Jr. On the Power of Music
"Everybody has the Blues. Everybody longs for meaning. Everybody needs to love and be loved."
Dave Grohl Revisits His Phantom Limb On ‘Sonic Highways’
Sub Pop, Nirvana, and Mudhoney? This must be Seattle.
‘Sonic Highways’ Goes to New Orleans
Can the Foos pull together a song in the birthplace of jazz?
Pearl Jam’s ‘Vitalogy,’ 20 Years Later
Deemed "wildly uneven" upon release, Pearl Jam's third album went on to sell 4 million copies.
5 Artists So Popular They’re Unpopular
The oldest move in the music snob book -- and color me guilty -- is the "I liked their early stuff" gambit, which just means "I liked them before you did, but I've moved on."
8 Reasons Record Stores Beat Online Services
Been a while since you hit your local record store? Here are eight reasons to remedy that.