Born 67 Years Ago Today in California, the Unlikely Music Star Who Sold 12 Million Albums by Making Fun of Other People’s Hits

“Weird Al” Yankovic, born in California in 1959, built a successful music career by parodying popular songs, turning comic recordings into chart hits and selling about 12 million albums. His path from teenage accordion player to best-selling performer shows how parody became a lasting part of popular music, while his work in film and books extended his career beyond recording.

Yankovic sent homemade songs to the Dr. Demento radio show as a teenager and signed a record deal in 1982. His breakthrough hit “Eat It” followed in 1984; “White and Nerdy” reached the Hot 100 top 10 in 2006, and Mandatory Fun debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. He also co-wrote and starred in the initially unsuccessful film UHF, later a cult favourite, and wrote two children’s books.