1

Chuck Berry

Image: Provincial Archives of Alberta

Let’s begin with the man known as the "Father of Rock and Roll." To label Chuck Berry as a pioneer would definitively misrepresent the legacy of this amazing musician; Berry was almost solely responsible for introducing the key elements that would eventually define rock music.

Songs like "Maybellene," "Roll Over Beethoven," and "Johnny B. Goode" influenced countless musicians through the ages. Legendary artists like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones famously covered some of his songs, while Bob Dylan once defined Berry as "the Shakespeare of Rock n’ Roll."

2

Bruce Springsteen

Image: Jose Antonio Gallego Vázquez

Up next, we have a boss that anyone would love to have in their office. Bruce Springsteen is undoubtedly one of New Jersey’s favorite sons. Known as "The Boss," Springsteen has dazzled the American public since his first album in 1973, earning a myriad of awards and recognitions in the process, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Known for his insane charisma and distinctive voice, Springsteen has performed with his iconic "E Street" band since 1972. Rolling Stone magazine has described him as "the embodiment of rock and roll" and included him in its list of "100 Greatest Artists of All Time."

3

Jimi Hendrix

Image: Aditya Wardhana

Can the ‘60s be summarized by one musician? Many believe they can even summarized by one performance: Jimi Hendrix’s jaw-dropping rendition of the "Star-Spangled Banner" at Woodstock. In a way, this legendary guitarist embodies the innovation and freedom that characterize this era, but make no mistake: Hendrix’s contributions to rock and roll can’t be limited to a single decade. Suffice it to say that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame considers him to be "arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music."

Born in Seattle, Hendrix showed interest in music from an early age. He bought his first guitar at age 15 and practiced daily, imitating the styles of blues musicians like B.B. King and Howlin’ Wolf. While he sadly passed away at age 27, his legacy continues to live on in every single one of his amazing songs.

4

Elvis Presley

Image: Clem Onojeghuo

Chuck Berry might have been the "Father of Rock and Roll," but Elvis Presley was this genre’s undisputed "King." This musician’s legacy is as timeless and eternal as his songs are, earning him a well-deserved spot among America’s most beloved pop culture icons. Just think of all the countless Elvis impersonators around the world to realize how iconic Elvis’s music and style were.

Elvis received his first guitar at the age of 7. Little did anyone know that this birthday gift would be the first step in a meteoric musical career. From his amazing dance moves to his unbelievable charisma, Elvis will forever be remembered as an American icon.

5

Tom Petty

Image: Samuel Ramos

In the 1980s, when Tom Petty joined the musical supergroup "The Traveling Wilburys," he stood shoulder to shoulder with juggernauts like Bob Dylan, George Harrison, and Roy Orbison. While Petty was relatively a newcomer when he joined what many believe to be the biggest supergroup in history, time would prove that he had what it takes to become one of the most memorable rock stars in history.

According to the man himself, Petty’s love for rock 'n' roll first started when he met Elvis Presley at age 10. This love for music would eventually lead him to form his most iconic band, "Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers," with which he performed for almost 40 years.

6

Jon Bon Jovi

Image: Simon Weisser

It takes talent to make your last name synonymous with rock 'n' roll, but John Francis Bongiovi Jr., better known as Jon Bon Jovi , was able to turn his last name into the name of one of the most groundbreaking bands of the ‘80s.

Born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, Jon formed Bon Jovi when he was still in his teens, quickly rising to fame and becoming an undisputed rock star. While he is still very much active in music, he has also built a very successful acting career, appearing in TV shows like Sex and the City and The West Wing .

7

Jim Morrison

Image: Markus Spiske

Take it to the world of rock 'n' roll to produce a nickname like "the Lizard King" to describe one of the most emblematic vocalists of the '70s. Regardless of whether there was someone who could pull off such a strange nickname, it was Jim Morrison . In fact, this singer chose the nickname himself, as it perfectly described both his fascination with reptiles and Native American culture.

Morrison’s deep voice and magnetic persona were among the main reasons behind The Doors' rise to prominence, quickly making them the first American band to achieve eight consecutive Gold LPs. While his life was unfortunately cut short at the age of 27, his songs, poetry, and journals will forever celebrate the Lizard King’s legacy.

8

Prince

Image: DJ Johnson

Prince's first live band was called "The Revolution," and we believe that this is one of the most aptly named bands in history. After all, this Minneapolis-born musician brought forward a revolutionary and fresh take on music, fashion, and art in general. Known for his amazing falsetto voice and flamboyant persona, Prince is considered to this day one of the very best musicians in history.

You would think that such a flashy and daring musician would take a more ostentatious stage name, but Prince Rogers Nelson performed under his first name throughout his entire career. Actually, that’s not entirely true: while in the midst of a contractual dispute, he performed as " The Artist Formerly Known as Prince " for approximately a decade.

9

Steven Tyler

Image: Matt Botsford

Steven Tyler might have the nickname that every rock singer probably covets: known as "the Demon of Screamin’," Aerosmith’s frontman is recognized for his powerful voice and vast vocal range.

Tyler has been at the helm of Aerosmith since its beginning in Boston in the early ‘70s, producing such hits as "Dream On" and "Walk This Way." While the band is currently on hiatus due to Steven injuring his vocal cords, Aerosmith still hopes to return to performing soon.

10

Kurt Cobain

Image: Panos Sakalakis

The '90s introduced the world to a new take on rock music: for many, grunge was the quintessential sound of this decade, characterized by its raw and angry tone. In that sense, there’s no band that represents the '90s better than Nirvana, and this legacy is in no small part due to Kurt Cobain.

Known for his scruffy yet powerful voice, Cobain led this iconic trio since its inception in 1987. While his untimely death deprived the world of his incredible talent, his legacy still lives on in amazing songs like "Smells like Teen Spirit" and "Come as You Are."

1

The cowboy hat on the bed

Image: Olivier Piquer

For a proper cowboy, a hat is as important as their horse or saddle. This means that there’s a protocol around this garment that needs to be followed, one important rule being that a hat should never be placed on top of a bed.

Why? There are several explanations, including the idea of bad spirits living in your hair, the old custom of placing a deceased person’s hat on top of their coffin, or the more practical reasoning of wanting to avoid lice. No matter the origin, no respectable cowboy would place his hat on the bed unless he wanted to attract misfortune his way.

2

The Appalachian woods

Image: Elijah Mears

The Appalachian Mountains are filled with myths and legends, and certain rules are passed down and followed by nearly everyone, even those most skeptical about the supernatural. Many of these rules concern the woods and how one should behave in them : don’t go into the woods from dusk till dawn, don’t leave the marked trail, ignore any unknown voice calling you, and don’t look too closely into the trees.

While these rules could be explained by the simple reason of the woods being the hiding place of bandits in the past, and a difficult place to navigate in the dark, they have also been regarded as a place filled with spirits and supernatural beings, which no one wants to come across.

3

Seeing Mothman

Image: James Wainscoat

A local cryptid celebrity in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, the Mothman has allegedly been sighted several times since the 1960s. Many legends and beliefs have formed around his figure, one of them being that coming across the Mothman is a sign of an impending tragedy .

This belief gained strength after several reported sightings occurred just before the collapse of the Silver Bridge in 1967. Since then, the Mothman has been considered a harbinger of doom and a bad omen.

4

A mirror to ward off the devil

Image: Denny Müller

Louisianans have many myths and beliefs, especially those rooted in Cajun culture. Influences from French Acadia, Spain, and Western Africa have been incorporated into popular wisdom in a distinctly unique way.

One Cajun custom advises the use of a mirror to repel M’su Diable or "Mr. Devil." M’su Diable is known for being very vain, so he will never waste the opportunity to admire himself. If you hang a mirror in the porch, next to the door, he will stay there all night instead of entering the house, and the sunrise will scare him off.

5

Eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Eve

Image: Nguyen Dang Hoang Nhu

Each holiday has certain foods associated with it, many of which are considered non-negotiable. For many Southern households, New Year’s Eve is synonymous with black-eyed peas, which are said to attract good luck and prosperity for the coming year.

While it’s a popular belief, this custom has distinctly historical origins. After the Civil War, black-eyed peas became a staple food across the South and saved more than one family from starvation. Today, they are often paired with collard greens, which are said to represent dollar bills.

6

Rocking an empty chair

Image: Robin Jonathan Deutsch

Irish and Scottish settlers brought with them a deeply rooted belief: you shouldn’t rock an empty cradle, cause you might wake the spirits. Across the South and the Appalachians, this belief transformed over time and became attached to another object: the rocking chair.

Often placed on porches or near the fire, a rocking chair moving on its own was believed to be occupied by a supernatural being . If someone rocked an empty chair, the spirits might consider this an invitation into the house.

7

The color of the porch

Image: Thomas Park

If you like the look of Southern front porches, you may have noticed that they often feature a pale blue ceiling. The use of haint blue—a collection of pale blue-green shades —is not an aesthetic choice, but a spirit-warding custom stemming from the enslaved Gullah Geechee people.

By painting the ceiling (and sometimes doors, windows, and shutters) blue, spirits might confuse it with the sky and pass through it, or with water, and avoid it. Over time, the tradition of haint blue— haint being an alternative spelling of _haunt_—spread throughout the South.

8

Bananas on a boat

Image: Ian Talmacs

Bananas are a pretty convenient fruit: they’re tasty, nutritious, and come naturally prepackaged. But don’t try saying that to Alaskan fishermen. They’ll tell you that bananas should never be brought on a boat, or no fish will be caught.

There are two possible origins of this belief. Some say the aversion to bananas stems from the old ships that carried this fruit—they sailed as fast as possible to prevent the cargo from spoiling, which disturbed the water and scared away fish. Others say that overripe bananas attract fruit flies and were believed to cause other food to spoil.

9

The tail of the cow

Image: Screenroad

Florida has historically been the state most prone to hurricanes, which has led to the development of superstitions and beliefs around the subject. A common belief involves cows, or more specifically, their tails.

If a cow holds its tail straight up, many Floridians say it means a hurricane is on the way . There are many scientific reasons for cows to hold their tail upright, and none have to do with weather prediction, but as far as we know, Floridians have not been proven wrong yet.

10

Whistling at night

Image: Lukas Robertson

Many cultures across the world refrain from whistling at night to avoid attracting spirits and malevolent beings. For Hawaiians, it is not just any spirit**. A whistle after dark might attract the** Huakaʻi pō or Nightmarchers , the ghosts of ancient Hawaiian warriors.

If you happen to come across them, your only hope is to lie on your stomach and avoid looking at them as a sign of respect. If you are lucky enough to be a descendant of a warrior, they will recognize you and protect you. But just to be on the safe side, it’s best to leave the whistling for daytime.

1

Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Image: Diana Polekhina

Introduced in 1984 by General Mills, it was designed to be the cereal version of cinnamon toast. It is made from a mix of wheat and rice, and covered in cinnamon sugar. Besides breakfast, Cinnamon Toast Crunch is also popular as a snack on its own, in trail mixes, or as a crunchy topping.

2

Lucky Charms

Image: FlyD

Another General Mills classic, this "magically delicious" cereal features a mix of toasted oat pieces and colorful marshmallows. Besides the original flavor, there are several varieties of Lucky Charms, including Chocolatey Chocolate, S'mores, Berry Swirl, and Minis. A breakfast classic for many decades, one of its most famous features is its mascot, Lucky the Leprechaun.

3

Kellogg’s Raisin Bran

Image: Andreas Haslinger

One of Kellogg’s better-known "healthy" options, Raisin Bran is popular as a source of fiber. It was originally a copy of another cereal of the same name, but after a legal battle, it was determined that "raisin bran" was too descriptive to be a trademark, popularizing the name as a generic term for this type of cereal. What makes it so popular? Its name and marketing have long contributed to the perception of it as a "healthy cereal."

4

Cheerios

Image: Liia

Did you know that the original name of Cheerios was CheerieOats? It was introduced in the 1940s by General Mills, and it is a popular choice due to its whole-grain oat base, low sugar, no cholesterol, and the fact that it is gluten-free. Unlike many other cereals, the original version is not the most popular; it has been surpassed by the Honey Nut flavor.

5

Life

Image: M Alazia

Introduced by Quaker Oats, Life cereal gained popularity through a famous marketing campaign featuring a picky eater named Mikey, one of the longest-running ads in American television history. Life is marketed as a healthy, whole-grain choice without artificial flavors or colors, and has several flavors besides the original.

6

Frosted Flakes

Image: engin akyurt

Did you know that cornflakes were invented by the brother of the founder of Kellogg’s? One of Kellogg’s most well-known cereals worldwide, Frosted Flakes was developed when sweet cereal became increasingly more popular. To boost its appeal to children, the cereal was introduced alongside a mascot, Tony the Tiger, now one of the most recognizable characters in the industry.

7

Cocoa Puffs

Image: Brands&People

One of the first chocolate cereals to exist, Cocoa Puffs is certainly among the most popular. Developed in the 1950s by General Mills, it initially used Hershey’s cocoa. Cocoa Puffs’ popularity is not limited to the American market. It is also a top seller in Canada, Europe, and Latin America, where it is commercialized in partnership with Nestlé under the name Nesquik.

8

Froot Loops

Image: Haley Owens

After Kellogg’s unsuccessfully tried to create a competitor to Cheerios, the company was left with specialized equipment designed to produce O-shaped cereal. Rather than scrap it, Kellogg’s used the machinery to develop a new, colorful cereal, along with a new mascot, Toucan Sam. Although the different colors in Froot Loops are meant to suggest different flavors, Kellogg’s has confirmed that they all taste the same.

9

Honey Bunches of Oats

Image: Benyamin Bohlouli

Originally called Battle Creek, this popular cereal was the result of experimentation. Released by Post in the 1980s, it was developed when one of the company’s employees mixed several existing cereals. After some feedback, honey was added to the mix, and it was renamed Honey Bunches of Oats.

10

Rice Krispies

Image: Emma Miller

Developed in the 1920s, Rice Krispies is not only one of Kellogg’s most iconic products but also one of the most popular cereals in America. Its famous "Snap, Crackle, Pop" slogan was inspired by the sounds the cereal makes when milk is added and was later adopted as the names of its three mascots.