Pop-culture drama and candle guides, all in one place
The stories behind music's most famous feuds, Hollywood's wildest award-show moments and the internet's biggest viral storms, told in plain English and kept strictly to the facts on record.
Then slow down with our candle guides: how soy, beeswax and coconut wax compare, how to burn a candle so it lasts, how fragrance families work, where candles came from, and a little corner for the llamas who inspired our name.
Music drama
Feuds, breakups, rejected auditions and contract clauses that turned into some of the best stories in pop and rock history.
Music dramaDolly Parton said no to Elvis and kept her biggest songElvis Presley wanted to record "I Will Always Love You," but his manager wanted half the publishing rights. Dolly Parton refused, and the song later became a record-breaking hit.
Music dramaHow Fleetwood Mac made Rumours while breaking upFleetwood Mac recorded Rumours in 1976 while two couples in the band were splitting. The heartbreak went straight into the songs, and the album sold over 40 million copies.
Music dramaOasis, the Gallagher brothers and the plum in ParisOasis split in August 2009 after a backstage fight in Paris that Noel Gallagher says started with a thrown plum. Fifteen years later the brothers announced a reunion.
Music dramaThe DJ who played Bohemian Rhapsody 14 times in two daysQueen were told their six-minute song was too long for radio. London DJ Kenny Everett played it 14 times in two days in 1975, and it became a nine-week UK number one.
Music dramaThe Eagles said they would reunite when hell froze overAfter their 1980 breakup, Don Henley said the Eagles would play together again "when hell freezes over." In 1994 they did, and named the album after the line.Music dramaThe day Decca turned down the BeatlesOn January 1, 1962, the Beatles auditioned for Decca Records in London and were rejected. It became the most famous "no" in music history.Hollywood & award-show drama
Rival stars, wrong envelopes, a swan on the red carpet and the real story of the Hollywood sign.
Screen dramaBill Murray, Garfield and the name mix-upBill Murray has said he agreed to voice Garfield in 2004 because he thought one of the writers was Joel Coen of the Coen brothers. It was actually Joel Cohen. The writer disputes the story.
Screen dramaBjörk wore a swan to the Oscars and laid an eggAt the 2001 Academy Awards, Björk wore a dress shaped like a swan and dropped an egg on the red carpet. Mocked at the time, the dress later ended up in a major museum show.Screen dramaFamous award-show and live-TV moments comparedA side-by-side table of the most talked-about live-TV slip-ups and surprises, what went wrong, and how each one was fixed or handled.
Screen dramaHalle Berry brought her Oscar to accept a RazzieIn 2005 Halle Berry became one of the few stars to collect a Golden Raspberry for Worst Actress in person, and she brought her Oscar along.
Screen dramaJoan Crawford, Bette Davis and the Oscar Crawford collectedIn 1963 Bette Davis was nominated for Best Actress and her co-star and rival Joan Crawford was not. Crawford still ended up on stage holding the Oscar, on behalf of the winner.
Screen dramaSteve Harvey crowned the wrong Miss Universe on live TVAt Miss Universe 2015, host Steve Harvey announced the wrong winner. Minutes later he returned to correct it, live, in front of a worldwide audience.Internet drama
Lawsuits that backfired, a dress that built Google Images, a video that broke YouTube's counter and a song that became a prank.
Internet dramaCoolio was furious about "Amish Paradise," then admitted he was wrongIn 1996 "Weird Al" Yankovic released a parody of Coolio's hit "Gangsta's Paradise." Coolio objected loudly. Years later, he said publicly that his reaction had been a mistake.Internet dramaGangnam Style broke YouTube's view counterPSY's "Gangnam Style" was the first video to reach a billion views on YouTube. In 2014 it got so close to the maximum number the view counter could store that YouTube upgraded it.
Internet dramaGrumpy Cat won a 710,000 dollar court case over coffeeGrumpy Cat, the internet's most famous frown, became a business. When a beverage company went beyond its licensing deal, a federal jury awarded her company 710,001 dollars in 2018.
Internet dramaHow three college students turned Kevin Bacon into a gameIn 1994 three students noticed Kevin Bacon seemed connected to everyone in Hollywood. Their game, Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, became a pop culture phenomenon and a lesson in network science.Internet dramaJennifer Lopez's green dress is why Google Images existsWhen Jennifer Lopez wore a plunging green Versace dress to the 2000 Grammys, so many people searched for it that Google built an image search. It launched in July 2001.Internet dramaPop-culture drama FAQQuick answers about the stories in our music, screen and internet drama guides, plus how we choose stories, check facts and keep things fair to the real people involved.Candle basics
Wax types, wicks, scent throw, container versus pillar candles, how to choose a candle and an A-Z glossary.
CandlesA-Z glossaryPlain-English definitions of candle, fragrance, showbiz and llama words used across the Al Drama Llama guides, from accord to wool.
CandlesCandle wax types comparedSoy, beeswax, coconut, rapeseed and paraffin wax all burn differently. This guide compares how each one is made, how it smells, how long it lasts and what it is best for.
CandlesCandle wicks explainedThe wick controls the size of the flame, the melt pool and the amount of soot. Learn how cotton and wood wicks work and how wick size changes the way a candle burns.CandlesCold throw and hot throwThrow is how well a candle's scent fills a room. Here is what cold throw and hot throw mean, what affects them and how to get the most fragrance from a candle.CandlesContainer candles vs pillar candlesJar candles and free-standing pillars use different waxes, burn in different ways and need different care. This side-by-side guide helps you pick the right one.CandlesHow to choose a candleA practical buying guide covering wax, wick, jar, size, scent strength and price, so you can choose a candle that burns well and smells the way you want.
CandlesCandle wax types comparedSoy, beeswax, coconut, rapeseed and paraffin wax all burn differently. This guide compares how each one is made, how it smells, how long it lasts and what it is best for.CandlesCandle wicks explainedThe wick controls the size of the flame, the melt pool and the amount of soot. Learn how cotton and wood wicks work and how wick size changes the way a candle burns.CandlesCold throw and hot throwThrow is how well a candle's scent fills a room. Here is what cold throw and hot throw mean, what affects them and how to get the most fragrance from a candle.CandlesContainer candles vs pillar candlesJar candles and free-standing pillars use different waxes, burn in different ways and need different care. This side-by-side guide helps you pick the right one.CandlesHow to choose a candleA practical buying guide covering wax, wick, jar, size, scent strength and price, so you can choose a candle that burns well and smells the way you want.Candle care
The first burn, trimming wicks, fixing tunneling, fire safety, a care checklist and answers to common candle questions.
CareCandle FAQStraight answers to the questions people ask most about candles, from frosting and wet spots to soot, weak scent, hot climates and what to do with an empty jar.CareCandle care checklistA tickable checklist for every stage of a candle's life, from unboxing and the first burn to daily care, storage and reusing the empty jar.CareCandle fire safetyCandles are open flames. These simple rules, based on common fire-safety guidance, keep your home, children and pets safe while you enjoy the glow.CareHow and when to trim a candle wickA trimmed wick means a calm flame, less soot and a longer-lasting candle. Here is the right length, the right tools and what to do with wood wicks.CareHow to fix a tunneling candleTunneling leaves a wall of wasted wax around a deep hole. Learn why it happens, three safe ways to fix it and how to stop it from coming back.CareThe first burn and the memory ringThe first time you light a candle decides how it burns for the rest of its life. Here is how long to burn it, why, and what to do if you got it wrong.
CareThe first burn and the memory ringThe first time you light a candle decides how it burns for the rest of its life. Here is how long to burn it, why, and what to do if you got it wrong.Scents and fragrance
Fragrance families, top, heart and base notes, scenting each room, candles versus diffusers and melts, and the warm scents of oud and amber.
ScentCandles vs diffusers, melts and spraysCandles, reed diffusers, wax melts, room sprays and incense all scent a room in different ways. This comparison covers strength, cost, safety and the best use for each.
ScentFragrance families explainedPerfumers sort scents into families such as floral, fresh, woody, amber and gourmand. Knowing your favorite family makes choosing candles and perfumes much easier.
ScentOud, amber and bakhoorThe warm, rich scents loved across the Arabian Peninsula. What oud really is, why amber in perfume is not fossil resin, how bakhoor is used to scent a home and how to enjoy these notes in candles.
ScentScenting every roomWhich scents suit a bedroom, a kitchen or a living room, how to layer scents through your home without clashing, and simple seasonal ideas.
ScentTop, heart and base notesEvery fragrance is built in layers that appear at different times. Here is how the fragrance pyramid works and what it means for candles compared with perfume.Candle history and craft
Where candles came from, how they are made today, the main candle types and why a fresh candle needs to cure.
CraftA short history of candlesFrom rushlights dipped in animal fat to whale-oil candles, paraffin and modern soy wax, here is how candles went from a daily necessity to a small luxury for mood and scent.CraftCandle types explainedContainer candles, pillars, tapers, votives, tealights, wax melts, multi-wick and wooden-wick candles compared, with what each one is best for and how to burn it.CraftCuring and fragrance loadWhy a freshly poured candle can smell weaker than one that has rested, how long different waxes need to cure, and what fragrance load means for scent, safety and burn quality.CraftHow candles are madeA step-by-step look at how a container candle is made, from choosing wax and wick to adding fragrance, pouring, cooling and curing, plus how pillars, tapers and dipped candles differ.Llamas
The animal behind our name: llama facts, llamas versus alpacas, guard llamas and the truth about spitting.
LlamaGuard llamasFarmers in many countries keep llamas to protect sheep, goats and alpacas from coyotes and stray dogs. How guard llamas work, which llamas make the best guardians and their limits.
LlamaLlama factsWhere llamas come from, how big they get, what they eat, how they communicate and why the Andes would not be the same without them. The essential facts about our favorite dramatic animal.
LlamaLlamas vs alpacasLlamas are bigger, with banana-shaped ears, and were bred as pack animals. Alpacas are smaller, with short pointed ears and softer fiber. A side-by-side guide to telling them apart.LlamaWhy llamas spitLlamas are famous for spitting, but they rarely aim at people. Here is why llamas spit, what the "spit" actually is, the warning signs before it happens and how to stay out of range.
LlamaLlama factsWhere llamas come from, how big they get, what they eat, how they communicate and why the Andes would not be the same without them. The essential facts about our favorite dramatic animal.LlamaLlamas vs alpacasLlamas are bigger, with banana-shaped ears, and were bred as pack animals. Alpacas are smaller, with short pointed ears and softer fiber. A side-by-side guide to telling them apart.LlamaWhy llamas spitLlamas are famous for spitting, but they rarely aim at people. Here is why llamas spit, what the "spit" actually is, the warning signs before it happens and how to stay out of range.Watch on YouTube
Celebrity and pop-culture drama, one short story at a time.
Hand-poured soy candles
Small-batch soy candles, poured by hand and delivered across Saudi Arabia.
