Classic rock star John Mellencamp writes songs that tell real stories. He sings about small towns, working people, and love. His music mixes rock, folk, and heart. If you’re looking for the best ...

Some of the greatest musical movements were pioneered in groups of four. Grunge blew up with the Seattle Four, thrash metal rose to fame with the Big Four, and when it comes to Heartland rock, though ...

A trio of tracks from Mellencamp that boast ear-catching language. Specifically, we wanted to take a look at the opening lines of three of his songs. Indeed, these are three of the best opening lines ...

Each week, SPIN digs into the catalogs of great artists and highlights songs you might not know for our Deep Cut Friday series. The duality of pleasure and pain, of comedy and tragedy, or of life’s ...

A songwriter’s personal life will often find its way into what they write. They might not deliver a blow-by-blow of exactly what’s happening with them in the song that they compose. But personal ...