Ryan Reed

75-yr-old woman jams with a young street drummer in delightful viral moment Musical chemistry knows no age.

I wrote about this charming viral moment between a young Nashville bucket drummer and "The Godmother of Drumming," Dorothea Taylor. www.upworthy.com/drum-video-d...

Damn, you're right. I spaced out on that one. Thanks for the catch.

People are savoring an unearthed 1994 MTV interview with people who just bought CDs at Tower Records ​"Man, I miss the excitement of buying a CD in a store and jamming out to it song by song on the drive home."

I wrote about the nostalgia trip of watching customers exit Tower Records with freshly purchased CDs in 1994. www.good.is/mtv-news-cds...

Animal control helps 'drunk' raccoon that rampaged through liquor store and passed out in bathroom ​The shelter is now selling "Trashed Panda" T-shirts.

I joined the rest of the Internet and wrote about the drunk raccoon. www.good.is/drunk-raccoo...

Why 6174 is 'the coolest number in the universe' and people remain amazed by this math formula "Not everything has to be useful to be appealing and fun"

I wrote about why 6174 is a fascinating four-digit number. www.good.is/6174-coolest...

Adults share 11 startlingly funny things that random kids have said to them ​"You look like someone who eats the icing first."

I wrote about the bizarre things that random kids have said to people. I'm not sure if "You look like someone who eats the icing first" was intended as an insult or a compliment. www.good.is/funny-kid-qu...

John Oliver raised $1.5 million for public media by auctioning off the wildest TV props ​A bidet signed by a costumed metal band? Sure! All for a great cause.

I wrote about 'Last Week Tonight' auctioning off a bunch of wacky stuff—and, crucially, an original Bob Ross painting—to benefit public media. www.upworthy.com/john-oliver-...

James Brown and opera legend Pavarotti thrillingly revamped a soul classic live in 2002 The pairing sounds bizarre on paper, but it works brilliantly.

I wrote about "The King of the High Cs" singing with "The Godfather of Soul." www.upworthy.com/james-brown-...

Aaron Paul recalls heartbreaking exchange with his daughter that made him rethink smartphone use She had a beautiful "one-word response."

I wrote about this Aaron Paul interview that's making the rounds. Genuinely sweet story. www.good.is/aaron-paul-i...

Millennials share their most beautifully nostalgic memories of the Scholastic Book Fair And now many of them are reliving their youth with their kids.

I wrote about a childhood staple: the Scholastic book fair. www.upworthy.com/scholastic-b...

People share their most painfully embarrassing work-email typos: 'Have a lonely weekend' ​Consider this your "genital reminder" to proofread.

Here's your "genital" reminder to read my story about mortifying work-email typos. www.upworthy.com/funny-typos-...

People who switched careers after 30 share why the change was 'unexpectedly fulfilling' ​"It can be humbling and rewarding simultaneously"

I wrote about people who made a major career shift after 30—and what they learned in the process. www.upworthy.com/mid-life-car...

Millennial-era 'butt rock' is making a comeback. Here are 6 songs even haters should love. ​Are you ready to embrace these "with arms wide open"?

Millennial "butt rock" is now "classic rock"—a depressing reminder of mortality for anyone who owned a pair of JNCO jeans or browsed the CD-singles section at FYE. I looked at this often-ridiculed movement and wrote about six songs that truly hold up. www.good.is/millennial-b...

Experts reveal how to flip 'what's your greatest weakness?' cliche into a winning job interview answer "You want people nodding their heads"

The ultimate job-interview cliché is "What's your biggest weakness?" I got some insight from a few pros on how to answer—and not answer—that question. www.good.is/job-intervie...

Elton John shares 'truly priceless' piece of his own musical history gifted to him by a stranger That’s real generosity.

I wrote about a record-store owner gifting Elton John a piece of musical history. www.upworthy.com/elton-john-v...

Prince dazzled Coachella with Radiohead's 'Creep.' Years later, fan videos finally found a home. ​The cover was so f---ing special.

I wrote about Prince covering Radiohead's "Creep" at Coachella, people being blown away by it, and fans trying (and, for many years, failing) to post the footage on YouTube. www.good.is/prince-creep...

Hello, Discman, my old friend: a Millennial love letter to portable music's black-sheep king ​Less chic than the Walkman, less convenient than the iPod. But it ruled.

I wrote about my love affair with the portable CD player. (Side note: It wasn't until researching for this story that I realized people are starting to make them again. I really need one...) www.good.is/discman-port...

Scatman's 1994 hit finds a new generation after inspiring video about his stutter resurfaces "Stuttering has turned from a handicap into an asset"

I wrote about how Scatman John used scat singing to manage his stutter. (Also, if you haven't seen that jazz-fusion-y live version of "Scatman," do yourself a favor. Damn.) www.good.is/scatman-john...

How Genesis embraced their sensitive side, scoring a crossover hit when they needed it most This love song became a line in the sand.

I wrote about how Genesis, amid the rise of punk, embraced their softer side and scored a breakthrough hit at a pivotal moment. www.good.is/genesis-foll...

'Simpsons' fanatics rank the show's 6 creepiest Halloween episodes They don't call them "Treehouse of Horror" for nothing.

I wrote about some genuinely creepy moments from 'The Simpsons,' just ahead of Halloween.
www.good.is/simpsons-hal...

5 full-album Halloween live covers by Phish that you'll love, even if you hate jam bands They call them "musical costumes."

I wrote about Phish's love of musical Halloween "costumes" and 5 of their full-album cover sets. You may dig them even if you're allergic to jam bands. www.good.is/phish-hallow...

The 35 Songs Rush Could Play on Their 2026 Reunion Tour UCR breaks down the 35 songs Rush will, would and should play on their 2026 reunion tour.

I wrote about the 35 songs Rush could — and should — play during their reunion tour. ultimateclassicrock.com/rush-2026-to...

These 'Twin Peaks' words of everyday wisdom feel profound. But what do therapists think? "Every day, once a day, give yourself a present," Special Agent Dale Cooper once said.

I wrote about one of the greatest scenes in TV history: Cooper explaining to Truman why it's important to "give yourself a present" each day. Is it just a charming piece of writing, or is it a practical bit of wisdom? I asked some therapists to find out. www.good.is/agent-cooper...

I analyzed my Boomer dad's use of the thumbs-up emoji. I learned something about us both. Insert face-palm reaction here.

I wrote about my dad's use of the thumbs-up emoji and how our generations differ in texting style. This was a fun one, and I learned a fair amount about how both of us communicate. www.good.is/boomer-emoji...

I wrote about that time George Harrison joined Paul Simon on 'SNL.' www.good.is/george-harri...

Realtors share the 5 'funniest,' 'weirdest' things they've encountered while showing a house From pentagrams to naked vacationers.

I wrote about the weirdest and/or funniest things realtors have witnessed on the job. www.good.is/funny-realto...

Cat living at Lowe's wanders onto out-of-state delivery truck. Volunteers came to the rescue. ​A purr-fectly wild and heartwarming story.

I wrote about this wild lost-cat story. www.good.is/cat-rescue-l...

Jane Goodall's haunting answer for the 'most important' lesson we can learn from chimps It's all about reconciliation.

I wrote a little bit about Jane Goodall's words of wisdom. www.good.is/jane-goodall...

For absolutely no reason, here are 5 thought-provoking films about free speech The First Amendment is a good amendment.

I wrote about 5 movies that deal with free-speech—for no particular reason I can think of. Yeah, just wanted to. www.good.is/free-speech-...

Scarlett Johansson says Robert Redford changed her life as a kid on set: 'Transformative' "[Film directing] seems pretty interesting. I'd like to do that job some day."

I wrote about Scarlett Johansson realizing she wanted to direct movies after an early role opposite Robert Redford. www.good.is/robert-redfo...