1

The Supremes

Image: Namroud Gorguis

The ‘60s gave us The Supremes, which was not only one of the most successful girl groups ever but also had the iconic Diana Ross among its members.

Have you heard "Stop! In the name of love / Before you break my heart / Think it over / Think it over"? But that unforgettable 1965 hit was not the Supremes' only success. They created many other hits, such as the famous "You Can't Hurry Love" from 1966. In fact, the group had 12 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100!

The influence of this successful group was so deep that it inspired and contributed to the flourishing and recognition of many other girl groups in the decades that followed, some of which are also on this list.

2

The Jackson 5

Image: Markus Spiske

The Supremes were not the only musical group that gave rise to an iconic solo star. The Jackson 5 appeared in 1964, featuring a very young Michael Jackson and his four brothers: Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon.

In the late ‘60s and ‘70s, the Jackson brothers achieved great success. In fact, one of their first singles, "I Want You Back," from 1969, became a number-one hit. When that song was played all over America, Michael Jackson was only 11 years old! Tunes like "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There" are just a few of the other hits that followed.

In addition, The Jackson 5 had their own TV show, "The Jacksons" (from 1976 to 1977), and they were even inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997!

3

The Monkees

Image: Austin Prock

If you hear, "I thought love was only true in fairy tales..." you know how the lyrics of that song go on, right?

The Beatles' film A Hard Day's Night inspired an American series called The Monkees , televised from 1966 to 1968. If you watched it, you probably remember the musical band of the same name, created specifically for the show. Originally composed of Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, and Davy Jones, The Monkees achieved great musical success, particularly with the hit we just mentioned, "I'm a Believer," which remains famous worldwide.

4

The Ronettes

Image: Gayatri Pandkar

The '60s were prolific in musical groups, and one of the most popular was The Ronettes, a girl group formed by sisters Veronica Bennett (later known as Ronnie Spector) and Estelle Bennett, along with their cousin Nedra Talley. Have you listened to some of their hits, such as "Be My Baby," "Baby, I Love You," and "Walking in the Rain"?

In addition to their catchy tunes, what distinguished The Ronettes was their style, characterized by dramatic makeup, beehive hairstyles , and iconic outfits.

Despite their influence, many years passed before they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007 .

5

The Pointer Sisters

Image: Haley Lawrence

Pop, soul, R&B, jazz, country, and even dance music were some of the genres played by The Pointer Sisters, the girl group from Oakland, California, that rose to fame in the 70s. Their talent and versatility kept them going for several decades!

As their name suggests, The Pointer Sisters were a trio made up of sisters Anita, June, and Ruth Pointer. "I'm So Excited," "Jump (For My Love)," and "Fire" were some of the most famous hits of this three-time Grammy Award-winning group. Have you listened to them? You probably have!

6

New Kids on the Block

Image: Florian Schmetz

NKOTB was the coolest way to refer to the legendary New Kids on the Block (in fact, their fan base called themselves "NKOTB Nation"). Formed in 1984 in Boston, Massachusetts, this boy band triumphed in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.

NKOTB paved the way for other boy bands that emerged in the '90s, reshaping our concept of pop music. "You Got It (The Right Stuff)," "Hangin' Tough," and "Step by Step" were just a few of their many hits, which made them winners of several American Music Awards during their peak years. They also sold more than 80 million records worldwide!

If you want to remember NKOTB, you can listen to their songs, of course, but you can also visit their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where they've been honored since 2014.

7

Salt-N-Pepa

Image: Ben Wiens

In 1985, Queens , New York, saw the birth of Salt-N-Pepa, a legendary hip-hop group that became one of the first female groups in the genre.

Did you ever dream of forming a band when you were in college? We did! So did the members of Salt-N-Pepa. They not only made it happen, but they also became a huge success.

With hits like "Push It," "Shoop," "Whatta Man," and many others, these girls were everywhere. They had so much flow and rhythm that, in 2005, they were inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame!

8

Backstreet Boys

Image: Steve Johnson

If someone says, "Tell me why," many of us would probably respond with, "Ain't nothing but a heartache." And that's just one of the many ways the Backstreet Boys have left their mark across generations.

As one of the best-selling boy bands, Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, Brian Littrell, and Kevin Richardson were a sensation in the late '90s and early 2000s . Their music was everywhere, and fans were desperate to meet them.

As you know, they had several hits that we still remember, such as "I Want It That Way," "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)," and "As Long As You Love Me." You've probably danced to the beat of some of these hit songs, right? Did you have a favorite?

9

Destiny's Child

Image: Rob Sarmiento

Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams were the final and best-known members of a girl group called Destiny's Child. Do any of these names ring a bell?

Big hits like "Say My Name" and "Bills, Bills, Bills"—which won them a couple of Grammy Awards, by the way—launched these women to total stardom. Destiny's Child was a constant presence on the charts during the late ‘90s and early 2000s, and had us all singing catchy lyrics like "Say my name, say my name / If no one is around you, say baby I love you."

In addition to several major hits that still live on in many people's minds and hearts, Destiny's Child gave us the incredible, iconic, record-breaking Beyoncé . What more could we ask for?

10

'N Sync

Image: Alphacolor

This list could never be complete without mentioning the unforgettable 'N Sync.

Not only was this one of pop's most legendary boy bands, but it also featured one member who eventually became a solo superstar. Yes, you guessed it— we're talking about Justin Timberlake! He, along with JC Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick, Joey Fatone, and Lance Bass, formed 'N Sync in 1995. Their first album, released in 1998, sold over 10 million copies in the U.S. alone and included hits like "I Want You Back."

The faces of the 'N Sync members were everywhere: on posters, T-shirts, dolls, and all sorts of merchandise, selling out not just in the U.S. but also in other parts of the world. Remember their performance at the 2001 Super Bowl ?

1

Elvis Presley’s senior prom

Image: No-longer-here

Did you know Elvis Presley wore actual blue suede shoes to his senior prom? In 1953, at just 18 years old, the soon-to-be King of Rock and Roll attended Humes High School's formal dance at The Peabody Hotel in Memphis.

Wearing a tuxedo for the first time, Elvis picked up his date, a 14-year-old girl named Regis Wilson, in a dark blue rented Chevy. Once they were at the Continental Ballroom Elvis confessed he didn’t know how to dance, so they spent the night watching from the sidelines. Sadly, a few weeks later Regis’ family decided to move to Florida and they never saw each other again.

2

I have a dream

Image: Unseen Histories

2023 marked the 60th anniversary of the famous "I Have a Dream" speech. But did you know that Martin Luther King Jr wrote the finishing touches for it in the lobby of The Willard InterContinental hotel just hours before addressing the people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial?

It's no wonder such an important event in U.S. history occurred at this Washington D.C. hotel. Located just a few blocks from the White House, the Willard was witness to numerous key political moments: It was Lincoln's temporary residence before his inauguration, and Calvin Coolidge lived here during his vice presidency. Not only that, the lobby of this hotel is where Ulysses S. Grant coined the term "lobbyist".

3

Marilyn’s last photoshoot

Image: Marten Bjork

In late June 1962, six weeks before her passing, Marilyn Monroe was photographed in suite 261 of the Bel-Air Hotel in Los Angeles. The most desired and sought-after actress at the time arrived at the hotel with a suitcase loaded with dresses and necklaces and ordered three bottles of Don Perignon. Over the next three days, photographer Bert Stern took 2,571 snapshots of her.

These iconic images were published by Vogue magazine just one day after her death and have since become history as the last portraits of one of the most beloved American stars of all time.

4

Blonde on Blonde

Image: Janka Jonas

The Hotel Chelsea in New York City boasts perhaps the longest list of celebrity residents: Mark Twain, Patti Smith, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Stanley Kubrick, Leonard Coen, Sid Vicious and Robert Mapplethorpe all resided here at some point since its opening in 1884.

Another famous guest who spent time at this iconic Manhattan hotel is American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. More bohemian than glamorous, the place fitted perfectly with the musician's style and was the ideal environment for his upcoming work. And so, in 1965 while staying in room 211, Dylan wrote a couple of songs for his seventh studio album, Blonde on Blonde .

5

First Organized Crime Convention

Image: cottonbro studio

The Blackstone in Chicago is best known as "The Hotel of Presidents" since it has welcomed several heads of state since its opening in 1910. However, it is also associated with some notorious American gangsters. Al Capone himself reportedly held meetings at this hotel while getting his haircut in the barbershop during the Prohibition Era.

Another Blackstone infamous guest was Italian-born gangster Charles "Lucky" Luciano. In 1931, he hosted his first crime convention in the hotel's Crystal Ballroom. Apparently, the purpose of the meeting was to create a board of directors for his "National Crime Syndicate", a confederation of several criminal organizations.

6

The birth of the Academy Awards

Image: Felix Mooneeram

This story involves not one but two mythical American hotels. In 1927, film producer and co-founder of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Louis B. Mayer, felt the need to create an organization that would bring together all the players in the film industry. He invited a small group to a formal banquet at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles where he officially presented his idea of an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

A few months later, on May 11, the first organizational meeting was held in the Crystal Ballroom of the Biltmore Hotel. At that meeting, they appointed the first authorities and granted the first honorary membership to American inventor Thomas Edison. In addition, they agreed to establish an annual award. According to legend, art director Cedric Gibbons sketched the design of the Oscars statuette that very day on one of the hotel's napkins.

7

The British invasion

Image: Boer, Poppe de, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

By 1964 the Beatles had become so popular that it was no surprise that 3,000 fans were waiting for them at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport the first time they traveled to the United States. The Fab Four stayed at The Plaza in Manhattan and the scenario was the same: the hotel was overrun by hordes of teenage girls who eventually found their way into the fire stairways.

Paul, John, Ringo, and George occupied the 10-room Presidential suites on the 12th floor. They sometimes waved to the fans downstairs, guarded by over 50 policemen. After four days of commotion, the hotel authorities did not want them to return, so, on subsequent visits, the Beatles stayed at the Warwick Hotel.

8

Golden Globe splash

Image: Carolyn Ne

In 1999, before the Golden Globes ceremony, Angelina Jolie promised that if she won the award for Best Actress for her role in the movie Gia she would take a dip in the Beverly Hilton pool. She not only held her promise but also was accompanied by some friends and even ended up throwing in a journalist.

In an interview, the actress said that the dare came about because one very hot summer afternoon when she was a girl, she ended up diving into the hotel pool with a girlfriend. As expected, they were kicked out and she never came back —that is, until the night of the famous splash, ball gown and all!

9

Good Will Hunting

Image: Life-Of-Pix

Since its opening in 1976, the Viceroy L'Ermitage in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, has been a true Hollywood institution. Celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Brad Pitt, and Laurence Olivier, have stayed in one of the 116 suites of this luxurious and secluded hotel numerous times.

But perhaps the spot that holds the most mystique in this hotel is The Lobby Lounge and Bar, once known as the Writer's Bar. Rumor has it, that this is where the biggest names in the industry used to hold their meetings and writing appointments. Apparently, the most fantastic stories in the history of cinema were conceived here, one of these masterpieces being Good Will Hunting . In this bar, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon penned the script for one of the most beloved films of the 20th century. Did you know that?

10

Bungalow 4

Image: Andrew Campana

American business tycoon Howard Hughes was possibly the most peculiar long-time hotel resident who ever lived. Hughes stayed at several hotels during his lifetime but he had a soft spot for the renowned Beverly Hills Hotel in California. So much so that in 1942 he bought three or four of the famous pink stucco bungalows and moved in.

This hotel, built in 1912, accommodated all his eccentricities, including making room for his personal chef —apparently, the only one who knew exactly how to make his favourite pineapple upside-down cake— and delivering his roast beef sandwiches to a specific tree on the premises. Being a billionaire certainly has its perks!

1

Postal "Army" (of Sorts)

Image: Emily Powers

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), founded in 1775, is the nation’s oldest federal law enforcement agency . It protects the USPS, its employees, and its customers from crimes such as mail fraud, theft, and identity theft.

USPIS agents investigate mail-related crimes, provide security at postal facilities, and work to stop illegal drugs from being transported through the mail system.

2

Zip codes

Image: Tareq Ismail

ZIP codes were introduced by the USPS in 1963 to improve mail sorting and delivery. The five-digit code, short for Zone Improvement Plan, pinpoints specific geographic areas.

The digits represent a region, a city or county, and a local delivery zone . Today, ZIP codes are also used to study demographics and help businesses target mailings to particular areas.

3

The Postal Anthem

Image: Keagan Henman

The "United States Postal Service Anthem," composed by Jack Stamp (yes, that is his real name), honors the USPS and its long-standing service to the nation. It’s a musical tribute to the dedication of postal workers and the agency’s role in American life.

The lyrics highlight the USPS’s core values: honesty, integrity, and reliability, while celebrating its impact on U.S. history and everyday citizens.

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4

Guaranteed delivery

Image: Victória Kubiaki

The USPS is legally required to deliver to every U.S. address, no matter how remote . This includes over 153 million addresses, even in hard-to-reach areas.

To meet this huge challenge, USPS uses curbside mailboxes, local post offices, and partnerships with community centers. Virtual mailbox services, such as Stable, also help remote residents access and manage their mail online.

5

A lot of mail

Image: Sam LaRussa

Every day, the USPS handles over 400 million pieces of mail, including 162 million First-Class items. It delivers worldwide to more than 180 countries through its Global Express Guaranteed service and processes approximately 44% of the world’s mail . That is a lot of mail, by any standard.

To manage this massive volume, USPS uses advanced automation tools and operates over 34,000 retail locations, keeping its system fast, efficient, and reliable.

6

Going out West

Image: Jim Strasma

In the 19th century, the USPS played a vital role in developing the American West, providing new settlements with access to mail, supplies, and communication. Post offices and mail routes connected remote areas to the rest of the country.

This network helped settlers stay in touch with loved ones, receive news, and trade goods. Without the USPS, much of the frontier would have remained isolated.

7

Post office in a tavern

Image: Kevin Snow

‍ The first USPS office was established in Boston in 1775, inside a tavern associated with Benjamin Franklin , who served as the first Postmaster General. Franklin viewed mail delivery as key to America’s independence and began developing a postal network.

The office supported routes to Philadelphia and New York, and by 1789, post offices existed in all 13 colonies.

8

A floating post office

Image: Alessio Billeci

The Halibut Cove Post Office in Homer, Alaska (ZIP code 99603, in case you are interested), is unlike any other: it floats on water!

This tiny post office operates from a houseboat that’s permanently docked , serving the local community right from the harbor.

9

Bad handwriting department

Image: Kit (formerly ConvertKit)

We are not sure as to how often this happens, but it must be often. When automated equipment at a USPS processing plant cannot read a piece of letter mail, an image of the mail is captured and sent to the Remote Encoding Center (REC). At the REC, employees review the image and manually enter the address information .

The information is matched up with a valid address, the data is transmitted back to the equipment at the plant, and a barcode is printed on the letter, which can be read by the processing machines.

10

Mail a brick

Image: Math

Yes, you can mail a brick through the U.S. Postal Service. Just write the recipient’s address and return information directly on the brick with a permanent marker .

Once it’s weighed and stamped with the correct postage, your brick is ready to ship.

11

Someone mailed a kid

Image: Jonathan Borba

In 1913, shortly after the Parcel Post service began, some parents mailed their children to relatives. One baby in Ohio was sent to his grandmother just a few miles away .

The child arrived safely, but the incident led to new rules banning people from being sent through the mail.