Pop History | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/pop-history/RSS feed for Pop HistoryenTue, 16 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000The Queen of Soap Operas Started Off By Telling Stories About the Drama She Was Missing in Her Own Lifehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/queen-soap-operas-started-off-telling-stories-about-drama-missing-own-life-180988817/Irna Phillips was a radio voice actor in Chicago when she was asked to create a serialized program. From that, she created a legacy that includes ‘Guiding Light’ and ‘As the World Turns’Tue, 16 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/queen-soap-operas-started-off-telling-stories-about-drama-missing-own-life-180988817/They Were Just Having a Back-to-School Party in an Apartment Rec Room. Little Did They Know They Were Creating Hip-Hophttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/they-were-just-having-back-school-party-apartment-rec-room-little-did-know-creating-hip-hip-180988814/The music genre that became a global sensation started with some creative teens just getting together and riffing rhymes to DJ Kool Herc’s curated beatsMon, 15 Jun 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/they-were-just-having-back-school-party-apartment-rec-room-little-did-know-creating-hip-hip-180988814/When This Restoration Expert Gets His Hands on a Relic, the Result Can Send You Back in Timehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/restoration-expert-gets-hands-relic-result-send-you-back-in-time-180987832/At a Maryland antiques mall, Curtis Kauffman takes trinkets from the past and makes them better than ever. For his customers, that’s worth a lotThu, 08 Jan 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/restoration-expert-gets-hands-relic-result-send-you-back-in-time-180987832/An Industrious Grocer in the 1930s Wanted to Make It Easier for His Customers to Buy More. They Just Needed a Pushhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/industrious-grocer-1930s-wanted-make-easier-customers-buy-more-just-needed-push-180987633/There was a time when shoppers could buy only as much as they could carry. And as ubiquitous as shopping carts are today, it initially took some convincing to use themTue, 18 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/industrious-grocer-1930s-wanted-make-easier-customers-buy-more-just-needed-push-180987633/The Colorful, Scandalous, True History of the Machine That Created American Pophttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/colorful-scandalous-true-history-machine-created-american-pop-180987173/The jukebox got its start earlier than you might think, but it truly became iconic when rock 'n' roll took over in the 1950sThu, 04 Sep 2025 09:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/colorful-scandalous-true-history-machine-created-american-pop-180987173/'The Shark Is Broken' Brings the Making of 'Jaws' to Broadwayhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-shark-is-broken-jaws-broadway-180982604/The play examines the tensions stirring between the film's three leads as they navigate a chaotic production processWed, 26 Jul 2023 21:27:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-shark-is-broken-jaws-broadway-180982604/Tony Bennett's Passion for Art Lives On in His Paintingshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tony-bennett-passion-art-lives-on-his-paintings-singer-180982583/Smithsonian curators reflect on the beloved crooner's legacy as a musician and visual artistFri, 21 Jul 2023 20:32:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tony-bennett-passion-art-lives-on-his-paintings-singer-180982583/Hear an A.I.-Generated Andy Warhol 'Read' His Diary to You in New Documentaryhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-ai-generated-andy-warhol-reads-his-diary-to-you-in-new-documentary-180979658/An new Netflix television series employs artificial intelligence to recreate the voice of the Pop Star iconThu, 10 Mar 2022 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-ai-generated-andy-warhol-reads-his-diary-to-you-in-new-documentary-180979658/Black Dolls Tell a Story of Play—and Resistance—in Americahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/african-american-history-black-dolls-toys-180979530/A new exhibition traces the toys' history from handmade cloth figures to an American Girl characterWed, 16 Feb 2022 15:03:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/african-american-history-black-dolls-toys-180979530/'Do You Hear What I Hear?' Conjures Images of Peace Everywhere—and Nuclear Annihilationhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/do-you-hear-what-i-hear-conjures-images-of-peace-everywhereand-nuclear-annihilation-180979292/Composed at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the classic Christmas song contains another message—one of unityThu, 23 Dec 2021 20:30:55 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/do-you-hear-what-i-hear-conjures-images-of-peace-everywhereand-nuclear-annihilation-180979292/