favourite artists

Jade LeMac

Jade LeMac

Jade LeMac naturally exists outside of any boxes, and it’s instantly apparent in her music. She takes pride in her half-Asian heritage and connection to the 2SLBGTQ+ community, both of which have largely influenced her ability to bend and break barriers between genres. The 20-year-old Vancouver-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist pens introspectively emotional soundtracks for even your saddest nights but shows up with anthems for “when you want to have a ‘bad bitch time’ or get pumped up.” Growing up in a tight knit, multicultural family on Canada’s Vancouver Island, she regularly sang karaoke unusually well with her cousins, falling in love with music at a young age. By middle school, she was writing songs of her own. Between endless practicing, she lent her voice to various dance singles for tastemaker electronic label Monstercat and started to attract a following on Instagram. Throughout 2020, Jade built her audience on TikTok, now exceeding 1.2 million followers. During 2021, she unveiled her debut single "Constellations''. The independent release shined, with over 46+ million cumulative streams. Landing a sync in Netflix’s “My Life with The Walter Boys” in 2023, the alternative version, “Constellations - Piano Version”, has quickly become one of her top streamed hits with 34+ million cumulative streams. Now, in 2024, Jade has been recognized by GLAAD with a nomination for Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist and has released her second EP “Confessions”.

Erin LeCount

Erin LeCount

⋆｡°✩ · : a 22 year old artist, singer, songwriter, producer & eternal work in progress. also an essex girl. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7a2vjcNRRU2K21zrw46OEP?si=vPrm7PnlTSmBVg5oG5Z8pQ

Eileen

Eileen

Eileen Alister is a 22-year-old singer-songwriter from Switzerland. She writes about the big feelings, loneliness, and the messiness in between—often oversharing, sometimes too honest, but always sincere. That unfiltered approach is what defines her music, which blends singer-songwriter storytelling with a moody, dark pop edge. Her breakout single Lifetime Lover (2024) started turning heads - quietly, but noticeably - and got people listening - and staying. She followed it up with singles like Corpse Bride and Silly Crush. A debut album is on the way this year, which she'll be touring across Europe. Her first headline tour sold out within hours.

Ellie Goulding

Ellie Goulding

To date <a href="spotify:artist:0X2BH1fck6amBIoJhDVmmJ" data-name="Ellie Goulding">Ellie Goulding</a> has celebrated 10 platinum singles, three #1 albums, two BRIT Awards, a GRAMMY Award nomination and a Golden Globe nomination. She has sold over 27 million albums and 218 million singles, amass 43 billion streams worldwide. Ellie is also one of the most streamed female artists on Spotify with over 8 billion streams. With over 50 million followers combined on her social platforms, she also earned YouTube’s Diamond Award with 10 million subscribers on her YouTube channel and over 6.8 billion views globally. Alongside her incredible music career, <a href="spotify:artist:0X2BH1fck6amBIoJhDVmmJ" data-name="Ellie Goulding">Ellie Goulding</a> is a long-standing activist and philanthropist who uses her platform to engage young people with global issues. In 2017, Goulding was awarded the UN’s New Voices Award, and in recognition of her wider activism became a goodwill ambassador for UN Environment. Earlier this year, Goulding also became a TIME100 Impact Award winner and shortly after, announced her ambassadorship with the WWF.

M83

M83

Blending synth pop and shoegaze into lush music that makes the most of nostalgia's emotional impact, M83 became one of the more influential acts of the 2000s and 2010s. <a href="spotify:artist:2q10Wskc3lPYmEuV7rzMCv">Anthony Gonzalez</a>'s fascination with memories, melancholy, and the past helped set the era's musical trends, whether on the massive washes of sound of 2003's Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts or the hazy love letters to '80s pop of 2008's Saturdays = Youth. <a href="spotify:artist:2q10Wskc3lPYmEuV7rzMCv">Gonzalez</a>'s willingness to expand his music to epic proportions, as on 2011's Grammy-nominated Hurry Up, We're Dreaming, and revisit the less fashionable corners of vintage pop culture, as on 2016's Junk, set him apart from many of his contemporaries. Meanwhile, his mastery of mood made M83 a perfect fit for soundtracks ranging from blockbusters like 2013's Oblivion to art films such as 2019's Knife+Heart. <a href="spotify:artist:2q10Wskc3lPYmEuV7rzMCv">Gonzalez</a> and his brother, filmmaker and occasional M83 band member Yann, grew up in Antibes, France. During his childhood, he pursued the family's passion for football (his maternal grandfather, Laurent Robuschi, was a striker who played in France's national team at the 1966 FIFA World Cup), but an injury at age 14 led him to explore music instead. After his parents gave him a guitar, he formed the band My Violent Wish with Nicolas Fromageau while in secondary school. In his late teens, <a href="spotify:artist:2q10Wskc3lPYmEuV7rzMCv">Gonzalez</a> added synths to his music and recorded a demo that he sent to several local labels, including the Parisian electronic imprint <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Gooom+Records%22">Gooom Records</a>. When the label signed him, he added Fromageau to the lineup to help round out his music. Naming the project after the M83 galaxy, <a href="spotify:artist:2q10Wskc3lPYmEuV7rzMCv">Gonzalez</a> and Fromageau recorded their debut album on an eight-track recorder in 2000. Released in April 2001, the largely instrumental M83 featured production by the band and Morgan Daguenet and introduced the duo's conceptual approach to music-making. Issued in 2003 in Europe and a year later in North America, M83's second full-length, Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts, earned them more recognition and critical acclaim thanks to its expansive mix of electronic beats and shoegaze ambience. Following the Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts tour, Fromageau left M83 to pursue a solo career, ultimately forming the band <a href="spotify:artist:6BXXt6yD472LkV5F8LxeBW">Team Ghost</a> in 2009. <a href="spotify:artist:2q10Wskc3lPYmEuV7rzMCv">Gonzalez</a> returned to the studio to record the project's third album. Featuring the addition of vocals and more consistent rhythms, January 2005's Before the Dawn Heals Us was released by <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Gooom%22">Gooom</a> in Europe and by <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Mute+Records%22">Mute Records</a> in the U.S. When he finished touring in support of the album, he expanded on M83's ambient leanings -- as well as his love of Krautrock -- with September 2007's Digital Shades, Vol. 1, which included contributions from engineer and producer Antoine Gaillet. For M83's fifth album, <a href="spotify:artist:2q10Wskc3lPYmEuV7rzMCv">Gonzalez</a> broadened the scope of his music: Working with producers Ken Thomas and <a href="spotify:artist:6PQgiQKFKgk7EJElgUPo7y">Ewan Pearson</a> and vocalist <a href="spotify:artist:5zWQ4hblHP7XSxlhontr2M">Morgan Kibby</a>, he drew inspiration from his teenage years and the romantic, anthemic sounds of '80s pop music. The results were Saturdays = Youth, which reached number 107 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart and number one on the Billboard Heatseekers chart when it was released in April 2008. After a lengthy tour, <a href="spotify:artist:2q10Wskc3lPYmEuV7rzMCv">Gonzalez</a> moved to Los Angeles in 2010 to commemorate his 30th birthday. That year, he also contributed two new M83 songs and several previously released tracks to the soundtrack to Black Heaven, director Gilles Marchand's story of a young man drawn into a deadly video game. <a href="spotify:artist:2q10Wskc3lPYmEuV7rzMCv">Gonzalez</a> began work on M83's sixth album in 2011, opting for a darker and even more epic approach inspired by <a href="spotify:artist:40Yq4vzPs9VNUrIBG5Jr2i">Smashing Pumpkins</a>' Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness as well as his tours with <a href="spotify:artist:0C0XlULifJtAgn6ZNCW2eu">the Killers</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2qk9voo8llSGYcZ6xrBzKx">Kings of Leon</a>. With collaborators including <a href="spotify:artist:5zWQ4hblHP7XSxlhontr2M">Kibby</a>, producer Justin Meldal-Johnsen, <a href="spotify:artist:61uYVpJPgBq9dNrfUy6kTp">Medicine</a>'s <a href="spotify:artist:5vEVGRTK6nIX5LbLGX2btj">Brad Laner</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:78OKNrjc3BvniYTqvpOp6P">Zola Jesus</a>, the sprawling double album Hurry Up, We're Dreaming arrived in October 2011. The album debuted at number 15 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart and made the Top Ten of the Billboard Rock, Alternative, Independent, and Dance/Electronic Albums charts. Hurry Up, We're Dreaming was also nominated for Best Alternative Music Album at the 2013 Grammy Awards and earned diamond certification in Europe in 2014. In addition, the album's lead single, "Midnight City," charted in France, the U.K., and the U.S. M83's forays into soundtrack work reached a wider audience in 2013, when <a href="spotify:artist:2q10Wskc3lPYmEuV7rzMCv">Gonzalez</a> scored the sci-fi blockbuster Oblivion with composer <a href="spotify:artist:566MlWaCa63jvMZV9YMj3V">Joseph Trapanese</a> and vocalist <a href="spotify:artist:54KCNI7URCrG6yjQK3Ukow">Susanne Sundfør</a>. That year, he worked with the same collaborators to score the low-budget French sex comedy You and the Night, which was directed by his brother Yann. Marking a new direction for <a href="spotify:artist:2q10Wskc3lPYmEuV7rzMCv">Gonzalez</a>, the score was a mellow, romantic orchestral offering that paid homage to the French cinema of the '70s. <a href="spotify:artist:2q10Wskc3lPYmEuV7rzMCv">Gonzalez</a> then contributed M83 songs to the soundtracks to 2014's Divergent and 2015's The Divergent Series: Insurgent. When <a href="spotify:artist:2q10Wskc3lPYmEuV7rzMCv">Gonzalez</a> and Meldal-Johnson began work on the next official M83 album, they looked to TV show themes from the '70s and '80s as well as the fleeting, disposable nature of music in the 21st century. The pair worked with <a href="spotify:artist:54KCNI7URCrG6yjQK3Ukow">Sundfør</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3vbKDsSS70ZX9D2OcvbZmS">Beck</a>, French singer/songwriter <a href="spotify:artist:4qCKUiCnxl18wGx7Bvk5fD">Mai Lan</a>, and vocalist/keyboardist <a href="spotify:artist:3gWrqVNUebQF7alIH0bzZ8">Kaela Sinclair</a>. When Junk arrived in April 2016, it peaked in the Top 30 of the Billboard 200 Albums chart and climbed into the top of the Billboard Independent and Alternative album charts. In 2017, <a href="spotify:artist:2q10Wskc3lPYmEuV7rzMCv">Gonzalez</a> became the musical director of <a href="spotify:artist:0iF2gedsSjoVHRUh5vXSdu">Cirque du Soleil</a>'s touring production Volta and also composed the show's score. The following year, the Go! Remixes EP appeared, featuring interpretations by <a href="spotify:artist:0bUZrFj7rstq07E4iAJHgZ">KC Lights</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4kwxTgCKMipBKhSnEstNKj">Animal Collective</a>, and others. M83 returned with Knife+Heart, the soundtrack to his brother Yann's erotic thriller set in the world of Paris' late-'70s gay pornography industry. Inspired by the soundtracks of the era's adult films as well as giallo film scores, the album came out in March 2019. That September, <a href="spotify:artist:2q10Wskc3lPYmEuV7rzMCv">Gonzalez</a> released DSVII, the second volume of the Digital Shades series. This time, the collection's atmospheric instrumentals reflected the influence of synth pioneers such as <a href="spotify:artist:0WmzT6tMLhdST5BfYagbha">Mort Garson</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6E7hjfR2Qy6392SnUqCnzr">Suzanne Ciani</a>, the fantasy world of Dungeons & Dragons, and the music from vintage sci-fi films and video games. ~ Heather Phares, Rovi

YEBBA

YEBBA

“Somewhere between young, wild and free and an anxiety attack.”

George Ezra

George Ezra

“The Gold Rush Kid? That’s me,” says George, reflecting on the title of his third record. After two blockbuster albums – Wanted On Voyage (2014) and Staying At Tamara’s (2018), both of which reached number 1 in the UK and sold millions around the world, and the latter of which earned him his first number 1 single in ‘Shotgun’ and won him the 2019 Brit Award for British Male Solo Artist – it was time to return to heart and hearth, with an album written and produced entirely in London with longstanding collaborator Joel Pott. ‘Anyone For You’ is a patchwork of lyric ideas found in old notebooks and chance moments shared between musicians in the studio,” explains George. “It’s joyous and infectious, and I can’t help but smile every time I sing it. Going through those notebooks, one of the first scribblings that caught his eye was a verse he’d written when he was 23, before even he’d begun work on his second album:“Tiger Lily moved to the city, she’d just turned 21, and I said: here’s my number, hit me up, if you’re needing anyone, and then I can be anyone anyone anyone anyone anyone for you...” It kicks off a sparkling song that speaks of support and encouragement, and builds to a glorious singalong-a-George chorus: “Let me be your light!” Like the album as a whole, it’s as if Ezra has alchemised the darkness of the last two years into revivifying, invigorating light. ‘Anyone For You’ is out now, and Gold Rush Kid is released on 10th June 2022.

Ryn Weaver

Ryn Weaver

Finding rapture in the silence flanked by graves and naked orchards. Making music for the muses and my lover and for me. 
 Got some new goodies for the children coming✨

Sam Fender

Sam Fender

On Hypersonic Missiles, Fender drew inspiration from the lives around him in North Shields: people trying to scrape through the week and make it to Saturday, the souls lost to unemployment and suicide. Then for Seventeen Going Under, he turned that gaze inwards, the camera focusing in on his own coming of age story in a Springsteenian sweep of drama. On People Watching, however, the perspectives shift, often within songs themselves. Those closest to Fender are here - his friends, loved ones and family - but there’s also his own experiences and battles, internal and external, and much wider questions and reflections. Fender cherry-picked eleven songs that provide a rich picture of exactly where and who he is at this moment in time: the people and events that have shaped him, the word around him and the loves, passions and beliefs that drive him. Sonically, the heart-lifting vistas which connected to so many across Fender’s first two albums are still here, but the songs on People Watching are given a little more space to breathe this time around, and there’s a whole new palette of sounds and textures helping Fender paint his pictures. Thanks in no small part to the role of The War On Drugs’ Adam Granduciel as co-producer. On People Watching Fender has pulled together a collection of songs that not only look back into his own recent, and not so recent past, but also dig into the very roots of who he is. “It’s just a collection of songs about the human experience.”

Noah Kahan

Noah Kahan

Over the past few years, 2x GRAMMY-nominated Vermont singer & songwriter Noah Kahan has exploded from his New England roots into the global mainstream and been touted as one of the biggest breakout artists. At the core of his music are vulnerable lyrics and an unfiltered yet relatable honesty, as the critically acclaimed artist pens songs straight from the heart and cracks jokes with his signature self-deprecating humor. Across three albums and an EP, Kahan has garnered global renown for his singular mix of Folk, Americana, and Rock, landing over seven billion streams, a 4x Platinum Certification for his hit single “Stick Season,” and collaborations with Post Malone, Kacey Musgraves, Brandi Carlile, and more. His widely adored, Double Platinum-Certified album, Stick Season, is inspired by his New England roots and earliest musical inspirations—from Paul Simon to Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens)—conveying a vivid representation of what he loves, fears, and struggles with most. Kahan’s latest “We’ll All Be Here Forever World Tour” saw him performing in sold-out stadiums and arenas around the globe, including two sold-out nights at Boston&#39;s iconic Fenway Park. The shows were livestreamed to benefit his mental health initiative, The Busyhead Project, which has raised over $4 million to expand access to mental healthcare and fight stigma. His live album, Live From Fenway Park, was released following the career-defining shows as the final installment of the Stick Season chapter.

Hailee Steinfeld

Hailee Steinfeld

Academy Award® nominated actress and Republic Records multi-platinum recording artist Hailee Steinfeld remains a force to be reckoned with in pop music. Including her breakout double-platinum debut single "Love Myself," her growing discography encompasses the quadruple-platinum hit "Starving," double platinum-certified “Most Girls,” and platinum-certified singles "Let Me Go" and “Rock Bottom.” To date, Steinfeld has amassed a total of nearly 10 billion streams globally and joined artists like Katy Perry, Charlie Puth, and Meghan Trainor on tour. In 2020, Hailee released “Wrong Direction” to critical acclaim. The single amassed nearly 5 million streams and set the stage for the release of her critically acclaimed sophomore EP Half Written Story which amassed nearly half-a-billion streams. This year, she makes her long awaited return to music with a new single “Coast” [feat. Andreson .Paak].

Iggy Azalea

Iggy Azalea

Iggy Azalea is a four time Grammy-nominated and multi-platinum Australian rapper who has become one of the most accomplished artists in history. Her 2014 debut album The New Classic, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Rap Chart - a first for an international female artist, spawned a US chart topping trifecta of worldwide #1 multi-platinum smash hits: ”Fancy” (featuring Charli XCX, 5x-platinum); “Black Widow” (featuring Rita Ora, 4x platinum); “Problem” (collaboration with Ariana Grande, 6x-platinum). “Fancy” was the longest leading Hot 100 #1 hit by a female rapper in chart history, Billboard’s 2014 Song of the Summer, iTunes Best Song of 2014, the year’s most-streamed song on Spotify, and the most-watched music video on Vevo. While “Fancy” was still residing at #1 on the Hot 100, “Problem” – Iggy’s collab with Ariana Grande – peaked at #2. Iggy had made chart history again, this time as the first artist since the Beatles to rank at #1 and #2 simultaneously with their first two Hot 100 hits. Iggy Azalea’s videos have amassed over 2.5 Billion combined views to date. In 2018, Iggy released her EP, “Survive the Summer,” featuring the RIAA Certified Gold track “Kream” ft Tyga as she gears up for her sophomore album “In My Defense” in 2019.

Niska

Niska

Based in Évry, Essonne, French rapper Niska rose to national success in 2015 with the release of his debut album, Charo Life, but broke through to stardom with his 2017 smash hit "Réseaux." A slick combination of Auto-Tuned vocal hooks, brawny flows, and infectious production gave Niska's music a sinister appeal, and his 2019 album Mr. Sal stayed at the number one position in the French charts for five weeks in a row. Born Stan Dinga Pinto to immigrant parents from the Republic of the Congo, Niska began his career as part of the rap group Negro Deep, eventually signing with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Universal+Music%22">Universal Music</a>'s <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Barclay+Records%22">Barclay Records</a> imprint to record his solo debut, which reached number three on the French pop charts in late 2015. The following year, his second album, Zifukoro, fared similarly well and featured collaborations with several well-known figures from the French rap world, including <a href="spotify:artist:58wXmynHaAWI5hwlPZP3qL">Booba</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:0GOx72r5AAEKRGQFn3xqXK">Maître Gims</a>. Riding a wave of momentum, Niska broke out in 2017 with his third album, Commando, which topped the French charts and also reached the Top Ten in Belgium and Switzerland behind the hit single "Réseaux." In 2018, Niska teamed with <a href="spotify:artist:5fMUXHkw8R8eOP2RNVYEZX">Diplo</a> for the non-album single "Boom Bye Bye," and the next year he released fourth album Mr. Sal. The album featured contributions from <a href="spotify:artist:58wXmynHaAWI5hwlPZP3qL">Booba</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7M2ZGRhAsmh4On0JlVEyCX">Madrane</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2XtC6uU1zPKa4iNwXjD63L">Skaodi</a>, and others and spent weeks at the top of the French charts. Now fully established as a star musician, subsequent singles regularly streamed in the millions or tens of millions. In 2020 Niska collaborated on hit songs with <a href="spotify:artist:2EFpb61Lpi0l5ldOiqbZkK">Landy</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1GQ4ihUi4W36nt5ZKmtMgh">DJ Kayz</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:7xNYY1Zkb1vks5m9ATlJok">Naza</a>, and in 2021 he returned with new material of his own in the form of standalone tracks like "Charge" and "Bolivienne." ~ Timothy Monger

Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber

Justin&#39;s recent album JUSTICE includes the chart-topping global smashes "Peaches feat. Daniel Caesar & Giveon", “Holy” feat. Chance The Rapper, “Lonely” feat. Benny Blanco, “Anyone,” and “Hold On." The album also features guest appearances from The Kid LAROI, Dominic Fike, Khalid, Beam, Burna Boy, Lil Uzi Vert, Jaden, Quavo + more. The JUSTICE campaign has reasserted Justin’s dominance as a live performer; from his triumphant return to the live stage with his T-Mobile-sponsored NYE livestream concert, to his record breaking TikTok performance “Journals Live” to his stunning AR-assisted performance for Spotify, to his epic Nickelodeon Kids&#39; Choice Awards set and this week’s blockbuster NPR Tiny Desk Concert, Justin has delivered undeniable, show stopping performances. Along the way, Justin has appeared as musical guest twice on Saturday Night Live, performed on The American Music Awards, The People’s Choice Awards, and much more. With over 86 billion career streams and over 78 million albums sold worldwide, Justin Bieber continues to reign as one of the biggest artists in the world. Bieber is the #1 artist on Spotify with over 75 million monthly listeners!

Tate McRae

Tate McRae

Singer, songwriter, and dancer triple threat Tate McRae has garnered over 10.8B career streams and multiple #1 Top 40 hits. She’s received countless accolades including Artist Of The Year at the 2024 JUNO Awards, nominations for three MTV VMAs, two Billboard Music Awards, and iHeartRadio Music Awards among others. She’s been featured on Billboard’s 21 Under 21 list for four consecutive years along with Forbes 2021 30 Under 30 list where she was the youngest musician on the list. Tate&#39;s 2020 #1 RIAA certified 4x Platinum single “you broke me first” has amassed over 2.2B streams. Her debut album, i used to think i could fly landed at #1 on Spotify’s Global Top Albums Debut Chart and charted in the Top 10 in multiple countries upon its release. It features her certified Platinum single “she’s all i wanna be.” Last year, the Calgary native&#39;s sophomore album THINK LATER catapulted Tate into pop stardom. It debuted at #4 on Billboard’s album chart and has garnered over 3.4B streams worldwide. Steeped in pop appeal and infectious toplines, the album features her certified 3x Platinum single “greedy” which earned the star #1 on the Billboard Global 200 chart, Global Excl. US chart, Spotify’s Global chart, and hit #1 at Top 40 radio. Her versatility as a performer has captivated audiences around the world. Whether she&#39;s delivering a powerful vocal performance or executing high-energy choreography, Tate brings a unique blend of artistry and authenticity to every stage

Frank Ocean

Frank Ocean

Visionary American recording artist Frank Ocean is one of the most celebrated and critically acclaimed artists of this era. His heavily lauded breakout mixtape ‘Nostalgia Ultra’ in 2011 set the tone for what would be the Grammy-Award winning record ‘Channel Orange’. After a four-year break, Ocean dropped one of the most anticipated albums of all time ‘Endless’, followed a day later by the seminal and game-changing album ‘Blonde’. Between then and now, Frank Ocean has released songs including ‘Chanel’, ‘Provider’, and ‘In My Room’ to further acclaim, plus launched the independent American luxury company, Homer.

Khalid

Khalid

In 2016, Khalid Robinson was voted Most Likely to Go Platinum by his high school class. About a year later, he proved them right. A military kid, Robinson split his childhood between Georgia, Kentucky, upstate New York, and Heidelberg, Germany, eventually settling in El Paso, Texas—a pattern of dislocation that often made him feel like an outsider. Self-described as “an awkward teen,” he picked up songwriting primarily to stave off loneliness, sharing music through SoundCloud and quickly catching the ears of both his peers and the industry. (His breakout single, 2016’s “Location,” was recorded during spring break of his senior year; a few weeks after it came out, he won Prom King; within a couple of years, the song had sold more than five million copies in the U.S. alone.) In 2017, he released <i>American Teen</i>, a celebratory but bittersweet mix of synth-pop and neon-lit R&B that garnered five Grammy nominations—proof that you’re rarely an outsider alone. In between, Robinson featured on high-profile collaborations with Logic (“1-800-273-8255”), Calvin Harris (“Rollin”), and Normani (“Love Lies”), among others. An EP, <i>Suncity</i>, arrived in late 2018, opening with audio of Khalid being given keys to the city of El Paso—not bad for a kid who’d moved there only a few years before. He followed that up with 2019’s soulful, creatively unbounded <i>Free Spirit</i>, on which he charted new emotional terrain with a strong focus on his well-being. Reflecting on his evolution from spectator to artist for Apple Music’s <i>Up Next</i> series, Robinson said, “I would sit in this apartment, I would look at the mountain behind me, I would watch all the lightning, and I would listen to music. I was like, ‘You know what? I need something to help me a little bit more.’” So he took it on himself and started to write.

Normani

Normani

Normani exudes and emanates the kind of confidence you can only earn. The multiplatinum chart-topping singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist speaks her mind through unshakable anthems spiked with style, soul, and spirit. With sky high ambition and a work ethic to match, she consistently progresses with clarity and without compromise. 
 The New Orleans/Texas-raised talent rose to international renown as a member of pop juggernaut Fifth Harmony, performing to sold out arenas, gathering awards, and releasing a string of multiplatinum hits. In 2018, she kickstarted her solo career with the quintuple-platinum “Love Lies” [feat. Khalid]. She joined forces with Sam Smith for 2019’s “Dancing With A Stranger,” reaching quadruple-platinum status and marking her second Top 10 bow on the Billboard Top 200. Following the platinum “Motivation,” she linked up with Megan Thee Stallion for “Diamonds” from the blockbuster soundtrack Birds of Prey: The Album. Meanwhile, she ignited 2021 with the platinum “Wild Side” [feat. Cardi B], which ascended to #1 on Billboard’s Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Chart. NPR predicted the latter “pushes the Fifth Harmony breakout star one step closer to pop sensation.” 
Now, she embraces her poise, passion, and power like never before on a series of 2022 singles and her forthcoming full-length debut album.

Natasha Bedingfield

Natasha Bedingfield

Natasha Bedingfield is a Multi-Platinum Pop Singer/Songwriter best known for her early 2000s hits “Unwritten,” “These Words,” and “Pocketful of Sunshine.” Her music has graced many notable rom coms such as "Anyone But You," "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants," and &#39;Easy A&#39; and was featured as the theme for the US reality TV show “The Hills.” Recently, “Unwritten” was inducted into the Spotify Billions Club, underscoring its enduring popularity and streaming success. With her music experiencing a resurgence through TikTok trends and dance remixes she continues to hold a place in popular culture.

SIENNA SPIRO

SIENNA SPIRO

19

Ava Max

Ava Max

.

Charli XCX

Charli XCX

it&#39;s charli baby ;)

Lorde

Lorde

BLINK 3 TIMES WHEN U FEEL IT KICKING IN

Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj's unique combination of ferocity and humor, and a rap style built on razor-sharp wordplay, mercilessly blunt lyricism, and delivery that turns on a dime from sugary to snarling, has skyrocketed her from mixtape phenom to enduring global pop star.The rapper's early days included attempts at an acting career and losing her job at Red Lobster for being rude to customers, but she progressed quickly from MySpace demos to nationally adored mixtapes to household-name status. Pink Friday, Minaj's 2010 album debut, saw her appeal to a broader audience with chart-topping reception. Although she has had similar success with later full-lengths such as 2014's The Pinkprint and 2018's Queen, her singles have made an even greater impact. In just over a decade, Minaj has hit the Top 40 over two-dozen times as a headliner with singles such as "Super Bass," "Starships," and "Anaconda." These and other highlights were compiled in 2022 for Queen Radio, Vol. 1, an anthology containing the number one hit "Super Freaky Girl" among its new songs. Her Top 40 entries as a featured artist are even more numerous and include <a href="spotify:artist:5K4W6rqBFWDnAN6FQUkS6x">Kanye West</a>'s "Monster," <a href="spotify:artist:1Cs0zKBU1kc0i8ypK3B9ai">David Guetta</a>'s "Turn Me On," and <a href="spotify:artist:66CXWjxzNUsdJxJ2JdwvnR">Ariana Grande</a>'s "Side to Side." In 2023, Minaj finally released the long-awaited sequel to her debut with her fifth studio album Pink Friday 2. Nicki Minaj was born <a href="spotify:artist:1ZFS9dRo0PtPBltix3eLpP">Onika Tanya Maraj</a> in 1982. Born in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago to parents who were both gospel singers, she lived with her grandmother in Saint James until the age of five, when she joined her mother, who had relocated to Queens, New York. In high school she discovered the performing arts, setting her sights on acting as her main pursuit. She eventually transitioned into music, working as part of a group called the Hood$tars in the early 2000s before going solo. In 2007 she was discovered by <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Dirty+Money+Entertainment%22">Dirty Money Entertainment</a> CEO Big Fendi, who happened upon her demos on MySpace and signed <a href="spotify:artist:1ZFS9dRo0PtPBltix3eLpP">Maraj</a> to the label. At Fendi's suggestion, <a href="spotify:artist:1ZFS9dRo0PtPBltix3eLpP">Maraj</a> took on the stage name Nicki Minaj, jumbling her last name to reflect a more ruthless persona. <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Dirty+Money+Entertainment%22">Dirty Money Entertainment</a> released both her 2007 debut mixtape, Playtime Is Over, and its 2008 follow-up, Sucka Free. Industry buzz was already surrounding Minaj on her earliest releases, and these mixtapes featured guest appearances from stars like <a href="spotify:artist:55Aa2cqylxrFIXC767Z865">Lil Wayne</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:13y7CgLHjMVRMDqxdx0Xdo">Gucci Mane</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5pnbUBPifNnlusY8kTBivi">Jadakiss</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:5tth2a3v0sWwV1C7bApBdX">Lil' Kim</a>. The 2009 mixtape Beam Me Up Scotty was a favorite among a growing fan base and included her first songs to hit the Billboard charts. In August of 2009 Minaj signed to <a href="spotify:artist:55Aa2cqylxrFIXC767Z865">Lil Wayne</a>'s <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Young+Money+Entertainment%22">Young Money Entertainment</a>, becoming the label's first female artist. The floodgates opened from there, as Minaj made cameo appearances on tracks from <a href="spotify:artist:13y7CgLHjMVRMDqxdx0Xdo">Gucci Mane</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5K4W6rqBFWDnAN6FQUkS6x">Kanye West</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0ONHkAv9pCAFxb0zJwDNTy">Pusha T</a>, and others as well as offering verses to hits like "Bedrock" and "Roger That" from the 2009 <a href="spotify:artist:5OrB6Jhhrl9y2PK0pSV4VP">Young Money</a> collaborative album We Are Young Money. An official non-mixtape debut album came in the form of Pink Friday, released in November of 2010 but preceded by the hit singles "Your Love" and "Check It Out." The album saw her leaning more into a pop style than the hard-edged rap of her mixtapes, but the hybrid of the two proved immediately successful, and the album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and went platinum, selling upwards of 375,000 copies during its first week alone. She earned a handful of 2011 Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist, Best Rap Album, and Best Rap Performance. An all-out media blitz followed between albums, with extravagant performances at award shows across the globe, an appearance as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live, and joining <a href="spotify:artist:6tbjWDEIzxoDsBA1FuhfPW">Madonna</a> -- alongside <a href="spotify:artist:0QJIPDAEDILuo8AIq3pMuU">M.I.A.</a> -- for her Super Bowl XLVI halftime show. In early 2012, the Euro-dance-influenced single "Starships" signaled the coming of her official sophomore effort, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, an album built around her devil-may-care alter ego "Roman Zolanski." Guest artists included <a href="spotify:artist:20qISvAhX20dpIbOOzGK3q">Nas</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:55Aa2cqylxrFIXC767Z865">Lil Wayne</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1sBkRIssrMs1AbVkOJbc7a">Rick Ross</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7bXgB6jMjp9ATFy66eO08Z">Chris Brown</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:4L3GTE04bW5N7azA9QPhjA">Beenie Man</a>, while production came from the likes of <a href="spotify:artist:6O9WquDfQTxGRZqZUXVEQx">RedOne</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3dTmCjNP73G0EdbhkWOXSx">Ke'Noe</a>. The album hit number one on the U.S. album charts, driven by a Top Ten showing for "Starships," and "Va Va Voom" also reached the Top 40. By the end of 2012, Minaj had been announced as a judge for the 12th season of American Idol, although she left at the end of the season. It hardly affected her success, as she set two career records during 2013: the most-charted female rapper in the history of Billboard's singles chart, and the first person to win Best Female Hip-Hop Artist at the BET Awards four times in a row. In December 2014, Minaj released her third studio album, The Pinkprint. First single "Lookin Ass" was also featured on the <a href="spotify:artist:5OrB6Jhhrl9y2PK0pSV4VP">Young Money</a> compilation Rise of an Empire released in March of that year, while follow-up "Anaconda" was nominated for Best Rap Song at the 2015 Grammy Awards. Filled with songs about guilt and failed relationships, the album was well received by critics and debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. Throughout 2016, Minaj guested on numerous singles, including <a href="spotify:artist:0QHgL1lAIqAw0HtD7YldmP">DJ Khaled</a>'s "Do You Mind" and <a href="spotify:artist:66CXWjxzNUsdJxJ2JdwvnR">Ariana Grande</a>'s "Side to Side," and she also released her own "Black Barbies." In 2017, she issued a trio of stand-alone singles: "Regret in Your Tears," "Changed It" with <a href="spotify:artist:55Aa2cqylxrFIXC767Z865">Lil Wayne</a>, and "No Frauds" with <a href="spotify:artist:55Aa2cqylxrFIXC767Z865">Lil Wayne</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3TVXtAsR1Inumwj472S9r4">Drake</a>. The latter track went gold and broke into the Top 20 of the Hot 100 and Top Ten of the R&B and rap charts. That year, she also appeared on the <a href="spotify:artist:6oMuImdp5ZcFhWP0ESe6mG">Migos</a> track "MotorSport" with <a href="spotify:artist:4kYSro6naA4h99UJvo89HB">Cardi B</a>, and on <a href="spotify:artist:07YZf4WDAMNwqr4jfgOZ8y">Jason Derulo</a>'s "Swalla" with <a href="spotify:artist:7c0XG5cIJTrrAgEC3ULPiq">Ty Dolla $ign</a>. She returned with the singles "Chun-Li" and "Barbie Tingz" in spring 2018, paving the way for her fourth studio album, Queen, which arrived in August of that year. In addition to third single "Bed" featuring <a href="spotify:artist:66CXWjxzNUsdJxJ2JdwvnR">Ariana Grande</a>, the LP also features guests <a href="spotify:artist:2feDdbD5araYcm6JhFHHw7">Labrinth</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7dGJo4pcD2V6oG8kP0tJRR">Eminem</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:55Aa2cqylxrFIXC767Z865">Lil Wayne</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1Xyo4u8uXC1ZmMpatF05PJ">the Weeknd</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1RyvyyTE3xzB2ZywiAwp0i">Future</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1wvlC6NwleHt1iRD6d5X2C">Foxy Brown</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:1zNqQNIdeOUZHb8zbZRFMX">Swae Lee</a>. Upon release, Queen matched its predecessor with a number two debut on the Billboard 200. More singles arrived the following year, including the non-album track "Megatron," "Tusa" with <a href="spotify:artist:790FomKkXshlbRYZFtlgla">Karol G</a>, "Trollz" with <a href="spotify:artist:7gZfnEnfiaHzxARJ2LeXrf">6ix9ine</a>. Minaj was also featured alongside <a href="spotify:artist:3CbYyyd8wH3RT6t0jwpdzC">Murda Beatz</a> on <a href="spotify:artist:21WS9wngs9AqFckK7yYJPM">PnB Rock</a> 2019 track "Fendi." In February 2020, the rapper returned with her own stand-alone song "Yikes." Minaj's third mixtape Beam Me Up Scotty was reissued in 2021, eleven years after its original release. The project was given new cover art and the track listing was altered somewhat, omitting some of the songs from the original 2009 release and including several new tracks. This new version of Minaj's breakout project debuted in the number two spot on the Billboard 200, making it the highest-charting mixtape from a female rapper up to that point. Throughout the early 2020s, Minaj continued her usual bevy of guest features and collaborations, appearing on tracks by <a href="spotify:artist:5cj0lLjcoR7YOSnhnX0Po5">Doja Cat</a>, former <a href="spotify:artist:3e7awlrlDSwF3iM0WBjGMp">Little Mix</a> vocalist <a href="spotify:artist:73KwqWuob0R53I14Vs56p9">Jesy Nelson</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6veh5zbFpm31XsPdjBgPER">BIA</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:3PhoLpVuITZKcymswpck5b">Elton John</a>. In 2022, she scored more hits as a lead artist with the <a href="spotify:artist:5f7VJjfbwm532GiveGC0ZK">Lil Baby</a> collaborations "Do We Have a Problem?" and "Bussin," then topped the pop chart with "Super Freaky Girl." All three of these singles were included on Queen Radio, Vol. 1, a celebratory anthology released that August. Minaj kicked off 2023 with the flamenco- and trap-inspired "Red Ruby da Sleeze," which she followed with a feature on <a href="spotify:artist:7wlFDEWiM5OoIAt8RSli8b">YoungBoy Never Broke Again</a>'s "WTF," as well as collaborative singles with <a href="spotify:artist:3LZZPxNDGDFVSIPqf4JuEf">Ice Spice</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3Xt3RrJMFv5SZkCfUE8C1J">Kim Petras</a>, spots on tracks from <a href="spotify:artist:4O15NlyKLIASxsJ0PrXPfz">Lil Uzi Vert</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3DbwFQlvLxRSi2uX8mf81A">Sexyy Red</a>, and a very on-brand take on <a href="spotify:artist:6kBjAFKyd0he7LiA5GQ3Gz">Aqua</a>'s "Barbie World" (again with <a href="spotify:artist:3LZZPxNDGDFVSIPqf4JuEf">Ice Spice</a>) for the Barbie soundtrack Barbie The Album. In September of 2023, Minaj released the slow-moving R&B song "Last Time I Saw You" following "Super Freaky Girl" as the second single to precede the upcoming album Pink Friday 2. The album, Minaj's fifth proper studio effort and sequel to her 2010 studio debut Pink Friday, had been in the works since 2019 and was slated for release on December 8, 2023, the rapper's 41st birthday. ~ David Jeffries & Fred Thomas

Eminem

Eminem

Apart from being one of the best-selling artists in music history, Eminem is one of the greatest rappers of his generation. He's effortlessly fast, fluid, dexterous, and unpredictable, capable of pulling off long-form narratives or withering asides. And thanks to his mentor <a href="spotify:artist:6DPYiyq5kWVQS4RGwxzPC7">Dr. Dre</a>, he's had music to match with thick, muscular loops evoking the terror and paranoia conjured by his lyrics. To be certain, a great deal of the controversy Eminem courted came through in how his violent fantasias, often directed at his mother or his wife, intertwined with flights of absurdity that appealed to listeners too young to absorb the psychodramas explored on his breakthrough albums The Slim Shady LP and The Marshall Mathers LP. Eminem's commercial peak came around the time of his 2002 album The Eminem Show (which went platinum 27 times over) and with his crossover onto the big screen that same year with 8 Mile, a film that earned him acclaim for his performance and an Oscar for the film's anthem, "Lose Yourself." Eminem's journey as a living rap legend included struggles with addiction, near-constant feuding with other artists, and a celebrity status that shifted as the years went on. Through all his various changes, however, he continued growing as an artist as well as consistently hitting high commercial marks. Though critics could be unkind to efforts like 2009's Relapse or 2017's Revival, fans made sure that each new album sold at least platinum numbers and topped the charts. Instead of recycling old ideas, the rapper experimented with new production approaches, faster flows, and increasingly complex multisyllabic wordplay on projects like 2020's Music to Be Murdered By and the 2024 concept album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), in which he confronted and killed his alter ego. Born Marshall Mathers in the Kansas City, Missouri suburb of St. Joseph, Eminem spent his childhood between Missouri and Michigan, settling in Detroit in his teens. At the age of 14, he began rapping with a high school friend, the two adopting the names "Manix" and "M&M," which soon morphed into Eminem. Under this name, Mathers entered battle rapping, a struggle dramatized in the fictionalized 8 Mile. Initially, the predominantly Black audience didn't embrace him, but soon his skills earned him a reputation, and he was recruited to join several rap groups. The first of these was the New Jacks, and after they disbanded, he joined Soul Intent, who released a single in 1995. This track also featured <a href="spotify:artist:1W7G3vXPeISR3Oi9ggVfyE">Proof</a>, and the two rappers broke off on their own to form <a href="spotify:artist:5Qi4Bb7a8C0a00NZcA77L0">D-12</a>, a six-member crew that functioned more as a <a href="spotify:artist:34EP7KEpOjXcM2TCat1ISk">Wu-Tang</a>-styled collective than a regularly performing group. As he was struggling to establish his career, Eminem and his girlfriend Kim had a daughter, Hailey, forcing him to spend less time rapping and more time providing for his family. He assembled his first album, Infinite, which received some underground attention in 1996, not all of it positive. After its release, Eminem developed his Slim Shady alter ego, a persona that freed him to dig deep into his dark id, something he needed as he faced a number of personal upheavals, beginning with a bad split with Kim, which led him to move in with his mother and increase his use of drugs and alcohol, capped off by an unsuccessful suicide attempt. All this sturm und drang was channeled into The Slim Shady EP, which is where he first demonstrated many of the quirks that became his trademark, including his twitchy, nasal rhyming and disturbingly violent imagery. The Slim Shady EP opened many doors, the most notable being a contract with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Interscope+Records%22">Interscope Records</a>. After Eminem came in second at the 1997 Rap Olympics MC Battle in Los Angeles, <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Interscope%22">Interscope</a> head Jimmy Iovine sought him out, giving the EP to <a href="spotify:artist:6DPYiyq5kWVQS4RGwxzPC7">Dr. Dre</a>, who proved eager to work with Eminem. They quickly cut Em's <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Interscope%22">Interscope</a> debut in the fall of 1998 -- during which time Marshall reconciled with Kim and married her -- and The Slim Shady LP appeared early in 1999, preceded by the single "My Name Is." Both were instant blockbusters and Eminem became a lightning rod for attention, earning praise and disdain for his violent, satirical fantasias. He quickly followed The Slim Shady LP with The Marshall Mathers LP in the summer of 2000. By this point, there was little doubt that Eminem was one of the biggest stars in pop music: the album sold almost two million copies within the first two weeks of release, but Mathers felt compelled to tweak other celebrities, provoking pop stars in his lyrics, and <a href="spotify:artist:4xtWjIlVuZwTCeqVAsgEXy">Insane Clown Posse</a>'s entourage in person, providing endless fodder for the tabloids. This gossip blended with growing criticism about his violent and homophobic lyrics, and under this fire, he reunited his old crew, <a href="spotify:artist:5Qi4Bb7a8C0a00NZcA77L0">D-12</a>, releasing an album in 2001, then touring with the group. During this furor, he had his biggest hit in the form of the moody ballad "Stan." Performed at the Grammys as a duet with <a href="spotify:artist:3PhoLpVuITZKcymswpck5b">Elton John</a>, thereby undercutting some accusations of homophobia, the song helped Eminem cross over to a middlebrow audience, setting the stage for the ultimate crossover of 2001's 8 Mile. Directed by Curtis Hanson, best known as the Oscar-nominated director of L.A. Confidential, the gritty drama fictionalized Eminem's pre-fame Detroit days and earned considerable praise, culminating in one of his biggest hits with the theme "Lose Yourself," which won Mathers an Oscar. After all this, he retreated from the spotlight to record his third album, The Eminem Show. Preceded by the single "Without Me," it turned into another huge hit, albeit not quite as strong as its predecessor, and there were some criticisms suggesting that Eminem wasn't expanding his horizons much. Encore, released late in 2004, did reach into more mature territory, notably on the anti-<a href="spotify:artist:2JZbcOAw67koOHlFTjMeGX">George W. Bush</a> "Mosh," but most of the controversy generated by the album was for behind-the-scenes events: a bus crash followed by canceled dates and a stint in rehab. Rumors of retirement flew, and the 2005 appearance of Curtain Call: The Hits did nothing to dampen them, nor did the turmoil of 2006, a year that saw Mathers remarrying and divorcing Kim within a matter of four months, as well as the shooting death of <a href="spotify:artist:1W7G3vXPeISR3Oi9ggVfyE">Proof</a> at a Detroit club. During all this, Em did some minor studio work, but he soon dropped off the radar completely, retreating to his Detroit home. He popped up here and there, most notably debuting the hip-hop channel Shade 45 for Sirius Satellite Radio in September 2008, but it wasn't until early 2009 that he mounted a comeback with Relapse, an album whose very title alluded to some of Mathers' struggles with prescription drugs, but it also announced that after an extended absence, Slim Shady was back. While not quite a blockbuster, the album went platinum, and Eminem followed it at the end of the year with an expanded version of Relapse (dubbed Relapse: Refill) that added outtakes and new recordings. Recovery, initially titled Relapse 2, was issued in June 2010. The album debuted on top of the Billboard 200 chart, where it remained for five consecutive weeks, while its leadoff single, "Not Afraid," debuted on top of the magazine's Hot 100 singles chart. The year 2010 also brought Eminem back together with <a href="spotify:artist:6DVipHzYsPlIoA0DW8Gmns">Royce da 5'9"</a> under the <a href="spotify:artist:77IURH5NC56Jn09QHi76is">Bad Meets Evil</a> moniker. In turn, June 2011's Hell: The Sequel marked the release of their first EP as a duo (barring the previous month's release of key EP track "Fastlane" as a single) and was their first batch of new material since a 1999 double A-side. After an intense period of recording, Eminem announced in August 2013 that his next solo album would be a nostalgically themed set of new material entitled The Marshall Mathers LP 2, which landed in early November. The album featured the singles "Berzerk," "Rap God," and "Survival," plus the chart-topping hit "The Monster" with <a href="spotify:artist:5pKCCKE2ajJHZ9KAiaK11H">Rihanna</a>. In 2014, new tracks landed on the double-disc set Shady XV, which celebrated the <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Shady%22">Shady</a> label's 15th birthday. The singles "Phenomenal" and "Kings Never Die" featuring <a href="spotify:artist:4yiQZ8tQPux8cPriYMWUFP">Gwen Stefani</a> arrived a year later, both taken from the Southpaw soundtrack. Eminem resurfaced in October 2017 with a freestyle anti-Trump rap, which didn't appear on Revival, the December 2017 album that was filled with cameos, including appearances by <a href="spotify:artist:6vWDO969PvNqNYHIOW5v0m">Beyoncé</a> ("Walk on Water"), <a href="spotify:artist:6eUKZXaKkcviH0Ku9w2n3V">Ed Sheeran</a> ("River"), and <a href="spotify:artist:1KCSPY1glIKqW2TotWuXOR">P!nk</a> ("Need Me"). His seventh straight chart-topper, it ultimately failed to match the sales heights of past efforts, despite the international success of the "River" single. The next year, without warning, Eminem issued his surprise tenth album, Kamikaze. The set featured appearances by <a href="spotify:artist:6C1ohJrd5VydigQtaGy5Wa">Joyner Lucas</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6DVipHzYsPlIoA0DW8Gmns">Royce da 5'9"</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:3KedxarmBCyFBevnqQHy3P">Jessie Reyez</a>, as well as "Venom," from the film of the same name. In January 2020, he repeated this surprise-release approach with 11th studio album Music to Be Murdered By. The album featured production from <a href="spotify:artist:6DPYiyq5kWVQS4RGwxzPC7">Dr. Dre</a> and cameos from the now-usual host of special guests, this time featuring <a href="spotify:artist:3ZotbHeyVQKxQCPDJuQ4SU">Q-Tip</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6eUKZXaKkcviH0Ku9w2n3V">Ed Sheeran</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3jK9MiCrA42lLAdMGUZpwa">Anderson .Paak</a>, and the late <a href="spotify:artist:4MCBfE4596Uoi2O4DtmEMz">Juice Wrld</a>, among many others. The set debuted at number one on the Billboard charts and was re-released in expanded form in December under the title Music to Be Murdered By: Side B. In 2021, Eminem appeared on the <a href="spotify:artist:4utLUGcTvOJFr6aqIJtYWV">Skylar Grey</a> song "Last One Standing" along with <a href="spotify:artist:6AgTAQt8XS6jRWi4sX7w49">Polo G</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:4AA474G2hRfrHyGrfyDseO">Mozzy</a>. The track was featured on the soundtrack for the film Venom: Let There Be Carnage and cracked the Top 100 of the Billboard charts. 2021 also saw Eminem opening a spaghetti restaurant in Detroit, named Mom's Spaghetti after a line from "Lose Yourself." In February 2022, he performed alongside <a href="spotify:artist:6DPYiyq5kWVQS4RGwxzPC7">Dr. Dre</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1XkoF8ryArs86LZvFOkbyr">Mary J. Blige</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2YZyLoL8N0Wb9xBt1NhZWg">Kendrick Lamar</a>, and others at the half-time show of Super Bowl LVI. That June, Eminem released "The King and I," a track he recorded with <a href="spotify:artist:5nLYd9ST4Cnwy6NHaCxbj8">CeeLo Green</a> for the soundtrack of <a href="spotify:artist:7HhTERkBV4Ot14KphgBfSh">Baz Luhrmann</a>'s <a href="spotify:artist:43ZHCT0cAZBISjO8DG9PnE">Elvis Presley</a> biopic, Elvis. "The King and I" was one of three new songs on Curtain Call 2, a 2022 compilation covering the singles Eminem had released since Curtain Call: The Hits. "From the D to the LBC," a collaboration with <a href="spotify:artist:7hJcb9fa4alzcOq3EaNPoG">Snoop Dogg</a>, was also featured on Curtain Call 2. In June of 2024, Eminem released his 12th studio LP The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce). The album largely centered around the concept of Marshall Mathers being kidnapped by his alter ego Slim Shady and fighting internally between these two sides of his personality. The album included production work from <a href="spotify:artist:6DPYiyq5kWVQS4RGwxzPC7">Dr. Dre</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6GEykX11lQqp92UVOQQCC7">DJ Premier</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:5CiGnKThu5ctn9pBxv7DGa">Benny Blanco</a>, as well as rap cameos from <a href="spotify:artist:0c173mlxpT3dSFRgMO8XPh">Big Sean</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0sKsReKseslDlhxmbN6wLk">BabyTron</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6U3ybJ9UHNKEdsH7ktGBZ7">JID</a>, and others. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande

Armed with a mesmerizing, nimble soprano—and a vocal register often likened to Mariah Carey’s and Christina Aguilera’s—Ariana Grande began her career as a child star on Broadway and Nickelodeon before transforming into a pop and R&B powerhouse. Instantly recognizable thanks to her signature ponytail, cat ears, babydoll dresses, and breezy self-confidence, her slyly sexual personal brand has, like that of the Spice Girls before her, become an iconic image of young female power. But Grande is more than a symbol: Over the course of several albums and scores of hit singles—beginning with 2013’s “The Way” (featuring Mac Miler) through The Weeknd-assisted “Love Me Harder” and “Break Free” (featuring Zedd)—she has consistently outshined her male collaborators and deftly parlayed her stardom into activism. An LGBTQ advocate and outspoken feminist (“I’m tired of living in a world where women are mostly referred to as a man’s past, present, or future PROPERTY,” she tweeted in 2016), she uses her platform to confront issues like misogyny, sexism, homophobia, and bullying, spreading a message of love over all. Nowhere was this more clear than in May 2017: After terrorists attacked her concert in Manchester, England, killing 22 and injuring hundreds, Grande continued her tour. "Perspective changes your life,” she told Beats 1’s Ebro Darden. "You want to stay in the moment and try not to give into fear, because obviously the whole point of finishing the tour was being there for my fans. You want to set the same example and keep going.” And that she did: Her Max Martin-produced smash “No Tears Left to Cry,” an escapist dance-floor triumph released a year after the attack, sends a message of hope and healing, with a dose of hear-me-roar attitude.

AURORA

AURORA

🫀“Though its precise function and anatomy were not clearly understood, the heart was believed to be the centre of the soul. Of intuition. Of emotion and intention. Until we decided these were qualifications of the mind. Emotion overpowered by logic. And with the world being so corrupted by money, power and selfishness you cannot help but ask yourself - What Happened To The Heart?” 🫀 07.06.24

Jessie J

Jessie J

English singer/songwriter Jessie J combines deep, soulful vocals, a sharp pop sense, and a down-to-earth manner that recalls Beyonce, Gwen Stefani, and P!nk. She issued a trio of U.K. Top Five albums -- Who You Are, Alive, and Sweet Talker -- in the early 2010s, while also recording chart-topping singles "Price Tag," "Domino," "Bang Bang," and her cover of "Bridge Over Troubled Water." Born Jessica Cornish in Chadwell Heath, London in 1988, she started her career at the age of 11, performing in the West End production of Andrew Lloyd Webber&#39;s Whistle Down the Wind. After studying musical theater at the prestigious BRITS School, she signed a deal with indie label Gut Records, which went bankrupt before releasing any of her music. After building an established presence, she signed to LAVA/Republic Records and began working with Dr. Luke, Atlanta rapper B.o.B, and R&B producer Labrinth releasing her debut album Who You Are & follow up Alive. Sweet Talker arrived in October 2014, reaching the Top 10 in the U.S. and U.K. She issued a handful of new singles in 2017, including "Real Deal" and "Queen," which were slated to appear on a planned 2018 LP. Email: [email protected]

Gabriela Bee

Gabriela Bee

Gabriela Bee is redefining what it means to be a next-gen artist. At just 18, she’s already a seasoned performer, having owned stages like Wembley Arena and electrified festival crowds of over 100k while touring with Walk off the Earth. Her viral covers and original tracks have taken the internet by storm, amassing over 13M followers and billions of views across platforms. With roots in a South American musical household, Gabriela grew up with rhythm in her veins. As a kid, she turned family living rooms into sold-out arenas, complete with hand-drawn tickets. Fast forward, and she’s now crafting raw, poetic lyrics that cut deep and resonate with fans worldwide. Gabriela’s sound is a fusion of soulful storytelling and killer vocals, refined through collaborations with Grammy-winning producers and writers. Her debut project promises to be a fearless, heartfelt journey that solidifies her as one of the most exciting young voices in music today.

Shawn Mendes

Shawn Mendes

A Juno-winning and Grammy-nominated pop singer/songwriter who broke records with his debut single, Canada's Shawn Mendes became known to international audiences when he was just 15. His mix of <a href="spotify:artist:6eUKZXaKkcviH0Ku9w2n3V">Ed Sheeran</a>'s and <a href="spotify:artist:1uNFoZAHBGtllmzznpCI3s">Justin Bieber</a>'s styles was a hit from his first single, 2014's "Life of the Party," which made him the youngest artist to land a debut single in the Top 25 in the U.S. His full-length debut, 2015's Handwritten, went to number one in the U.S. and Canada, a feat repeated by releases including 2018's Shawn Mendes and 2020's Wonder. Mendes also found success with stand-alone singles like 2021's <a href="spotify:artist:0GM7qgcRCORpGnfcN2tCiB">Tainy</a> collaboration "Summer of Love" and his solo cut "It'll Be Okay." In 2022, he voiced the lead character and sang on the soundtrack to the musical film Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile. A year later, he offered the climate change-inspired single "What the Hell Are We Dying For?" Born and raised in Pickering, Ontario, in Greater Toronto, Shawn Peter Raul Mendes taught himself guitar at the age of 14. He also sang in his school's glee club and took acting lessons as a teen. After posting a series of cover songs to various video-sharing sites beginning in 2013, he earned a dedicated following. His version of <a href="spotify:artist:5xKp3UyavIBUsGy3DQdXeF">A Great Big World</a>'s "Say Something" won Ryan Seacrest's cover-song contest in April 2014, and Mendes signed to <a href="spotify:artist:1UqvcbBmsHw8rjIZe1WiZl">Island Records</a> a month later. That June, they released the then-15-year-old's debut single "Life of the Party." American radio initially ignored it, but the track entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 24, making Mendes the youngest artist to land their first single in the Top 25. The song was also included on his four-track <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Island%22">Island</a> debut, The Shawn Mendes EP, which performed well, reaching number five on the Billboard charts and setting the stage for his full-length debut, 2015's Handwritten. Handwritten debuted at number one in the U.S., Canada, and Norway, also reaching the Top Ten in several other European countries. Meanwhile, Mendes had his first U.S. Top Ten hit with third single "Stitches," reaching number four while topping the singles chart in the U.K. In addition, his song "Believe" appeared on the soundtrack for the Disney Channel fantasy musical Descendants. While opening for <a href="spotify:artist:06HL4z0CvFAxyc27GXpf02">Taylor Swift</a> on the North American dates of her 1989 World Tour, Mendes and <a href="spotify:artist:1l8Fu6IkuTP0U5QetQJ5Xt">Fifth Harmony</a>'s <a href="spotify:artist:4nDoRrQiYLoBzwC5BhVJzF">Camila Cabello</a> collaborated on the song "I Know What You Did Last Summer," which was included on a deluxe version of Handwritten that arrived in November 2015. The song reached the Top 20 of the American and Canadian singles charts. Recorded in upstate New York and issued in September 2016, Mendes' second long-player, Illuminate, offered the Top Ten tracks "Treat You Better" and "There's Nothin' Holdin' Me Back." Featuring co-songwriting contributions from <a href="spotify:artist:1YIpZOfyHXMUgUaxxxgbaC">Teddy Geiger</a> and Scott Harris, the album debuted at number one in the U.S. and Canada, and "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" went on to win a Juno Award for Single of the Year. Illuminate was followed in December by the digital-only Live at Madison Square Garden. Mendes launched a massive world tour in April 2017, which included a live acoustic session for MTV Unplugged that was released in November. In April 2018, Mendes performed his song "In My Blood" at a concert for Queen Elizabeth II's 92nd birthday at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The track's lyrics explored the songwriter's struggles with anxiety disorder and was later released as the lead single for his third full-length, Shawn Mendes, which arrived in May of that year. Featuring collaborations with <a href="spotify:artist:1YIpZOfyHXMUgUaxxxgbaC">Geiger</a>, it debuted at number one in the U.S., Canada, and Australia and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album alongside the lead single's nomination for Song of the Year. In Canada, the eponymous LP collected Juno Awards for Pop Album and Album of the Year, and Mendes won Artist and Songwriter of the Year. "In My Blood" earned him yet another Juno, his second for Single of the Year. A deluxe version of Shawn Mendes followed later in 2019 containing the hit singles "If I Can't Have You" and "Señorita." Again featuring <a href="spotify:artist:4nDoRrQiYLoBzwC5BhVJzF">Camila Cabello</a>, "Señorita" became a global chart-topper that picked up a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. "Wonder," the title track and first single from Mendes' fourth album, went to number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 after its October 2020 release, while its sequel "Monster" -- a duet with <a href="spotify:artist:1uNFoZAHBGtllmzznpCI3s">Justin Bieber</a> -- peaked at eight. Wonder appeared on December 4, 2020, reaching number one in both the U.S. and Canada. A non-album collaboration with <a href="spotify:artist:0GM7qgcRCORpGnfcN2tCiB">Tainy</a>, "Summer of Love," arrived in August 2021, followed a few months later by the solo track "It'll Be Okay." The singles continued the following year with "When You're Gone." Mendes voiced the titular anthropomorphic saltwater crocodile in the family musical film Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (2022), for which he also contributed the songs "Carried Away" and "Heartbeat," among others. In June 2023, Mendes issued the track "What the Hell Are We Dying For?" Written and recorded only days before its release, the song was centered around the effects of climate change, and its cover depicted the New York skyline through the orange haze smoke from devastating Canadian wildfires. ~ Marcy Donelson & David Jeffries, Rovi

Finneas

Finneas

Bios are boring

Kehlani

Kehlani

Contemporary R&B singer and songwriter Kehlani Parrish studied ballet and modern dance at the Oakland School for the Arts. An injury prompted a move to OSA's music department, where she blossomed as a vocalist. During eighth grade, she joined Poplyfe, a band that competed on America's Got Talent during the program's sixth season. Following an affable performance of Travie McCoy's "Billionaire," judge Piers Morgan noted that he thought Kehlani, the frontperson, could be successful without the band. While Kehlani brushed the notion aside, she eventually went solo and presented herself as a slightly younger, more down-to-earth alternative to contemporary R&B artists like Jhené Aiko. Her first release, the eight-track Cloud19, was released in 2014, and a pair of its songs registered on Billboard's Twitter Emerging Artists chart. A lengthier set, You Should Be Here, followed in 2015 with guest appearances from BJ the Chicago Kid and Chance the Rapper. Shortly after its release, major-label Atlantic announced that it had signed Kehlani to a recording contract. You Should Be Here was later nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Urban Contemporary Album. Atlantic released several Kehlani tracks during 2015 and 2016, including "Gangsta," her first crossover hit, taken from Suicide Squad: The Album. Kehlani's first proper full-length, SweetSexySavage, arrived on Atlantic in early 2017. Featuring the singles "CRZY" and "Distraction," the album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200. ~ Andy Kellman

J Balvin

J Balvin

Colombian reggaeton singer J Balvin is a chart-topping recording artist whose polished urban singles ("Yo Te Lo Dije" and "Mi Gente"), and multi-platinum-selling albums (including 2012's La Familia) have made him a top-tier Latin pop crossover act whose focus has been to break the segregation of the American music industry's language barrier. His numerous number one singles (multi-platinum album sales, and hit videos that have garnered over ten-billion views) have made him one of the most recognizable members of the second generation of reggaeton artists and a trendsetter for new and high fashion. Born José Álvaro Osorio Balvin in Medellín, Colombia, he became interested in music at a young age while listening to rap, champeta, bachata, and reggae on the radio. He was also a big fan of music videos; it was from these that he began to develop his dance moves and cultivate his own style. He signed to EMI Colombia in 2009 and released his first single, "Ella Me Cautivó," which charted at 35 on the U.S. tropical chart. This was followed by the release of the full-length Real in 2010. Balvin contributed four tunes to the soundtrack of the Tim Bulot film El Negocio. All of them charted, including "En Lo Oscuro," which hit the top spot in his native country. Balvin was a featured vocalist on the Colombian version of Robin Thicke's smash single "Blurred Lines," which was issued in October of 2013, just prior to his own second album, La Familia. All four singles from the album charted in Colombia's Top Ten, and "Yo Te Lo Dije" hit number two on the rhythm chart and number nine on the Latin pop chart in the U.S. The B Sides collection appeared in September of 2014, featuring two more radio chart-topping singles in "6 AM" and "Ay Vamos." The latter won a Latin Grammy for Best Urban Song. His 2015 single "Ginza," the official pre-release for his next album, entered the Hot Latin Songs chart at number one, topped several others, and was certified platinum. Balvin's collaborations were as notable as his own work that year. He and Julión Álvarez were featured on Juan Gabriel's single "La Frontera." His "Latino Remix" of Justin Bieber's smash "Sorry" scored big for both artists at Latin pop radio and in digital streaming and downloads. In 2016, Balvin won the Premios Lo Nuestro Artist of the Year Award and was a featured guest on both Sofia Carson's charting debut single, "Love Is the Name," and on Alejandro Sanz's "Cuando Seas Grande" -- from a performance at La Voz -- along with Gloria Trevi and Los Tigres del Norte. In May he released the single "Bobo"; it topped the Latin songs chart. "Safari," featuring Pharrell Williams, BIA, and Sky, was released in June, followed by the full-length Energia. The album, produced by Sky and featuring contributions from Bull Nene, Daddy Yankee, Fuego, Yandel, and Juanes, hit the top spot on several Latin album charts. The following year, he scored a hit with a remix of his track "Mi Gente" that featured Beyoncé. The song became his first U.S. Top Ten single. Balvin kicked off 2018 with a handful of collaborative singles: "Machika" with Jeon and Anitta; "X" with Nicky Jam; and Cardi B's "I Like It" with Bad Bunny. After leading the 2018 Billboard Latin Music Awards finalists' list with nominations in 12 categories, Balvin announced the May release of Vibras, his 14-track, fifth long-player. Again working with producer Alejandro Ramírez, (aka Sky Rompiendo el Bajo), who has been his musical partner since La Familia, the set moved reggaeton in new directions and sounds as it played host to a slew of guests including Carla Morrison, Wisin y Yandel, Zion y Lennox, L.A.-based flamenco singer Rosalía, Brazilian pop star Anitta, and Aruban singer Jeon. Vibras debuted at number 15 in the Top 200--the highest charting debut for any Latin recording--and number one at both the Top Latin Albums and Latin Album Sales the week of release. Sales earned Balvin platinum status in the United States and multi-platinum status in Mexico and Colombia. In addition, the recording placed at either number one or two on various global streaming outlets. ~ Thom Jurek

Bridgit Mendler

Bridgit Mendler

When Los Angeles-based musician, producer, and actress Bridgit Mendler stepped back into the studio for the first time in four years, she knew it was going to feel different. Heartbreak, self-discovery, and fresh musical inspiration set her on a new path “to make something raw – something genuine”. Entwining pop with hip-hop, alternative R&B, indie rock, and even dancehall, Bridgit Mendler has emerged with career-changing work. Her fall 2016 EP Nemesis features hit singles “Atlantis” featuring <a href="spotify:artist:6y02TEMv71ArWB2qhIaQ5m" data-name="Kaiydo">Kaiydo</a>, and “Do You Miss Me At All.” Upon seeing the celebration around her return to the studio, Bridgit resolved to release more music in 2017. “Temperamental Love,” her first single of the year, showcases a duet with Toronto-based rapper <a href="spotify:artist:4rkobn5JkPJDD1yN9DVU2d" data-name="Devontée">Devontée</a>. Bridgit followed up the collaboration with “Can’t Bring This Down,” a pop-R&B track with up-and-coming hip-hop artist <a href="spotify:artist:2O2dI9lY9PnWtAa4OlrgMi" data-name="Pell">Pell</a> that was added to numerous playlists including Spotify&#39;s New Music Friday in 11 different territories. Her latest single "Diving" with electronic duo <a href="spotify:artist:4QDvXnbmw1znkqkK1119Fc" data-name="RKCB">RKCB</a> peaked at #2 on HypeMachine and received placement on over 25 influential playlists. Bridgit is the actress who took on pop music differently; her independent spirit lets her take the reins on who she works with and what they can create together. To be in her presence means to be welcomed with curiosity, care, and intellect, these characteristic traits make her appreciated and loved by both the TV and music communities.

Madison Beer

Madison Beer

Madison Beer is a platinum-selling, 2x GRAMMY-nominated singer, songwriter, producer, and author. Since debuting at 12, she has built an impressive resume by 25, becoming a dynamic multi-hyphenate with visceral vocals that honestly portray the human experience. Her second studio album, Silence Between Songs (2023), earned her first GRAMMY nomination for Best Immersive Album and secured her second consecutive spot on the Billboard 200, following Life Support (2021). In April 2023, Madison showcased another side of her artistry with her memoir, The Half Of It, an unflinching account of self-love and personal growth over a decade in the spotlight. That year, she also released singles, most notably "Spinnin" and "Sweet Relief". The "Sweet Relief" music video quickly hit a million views, while "Spinnin" inspired her third headlining tour. The Spinnin Tour, spanning 60 dates across the US, EU, UK, and AUS, included stops at iconic venues like Radio City Music Hall and The Greek Theater. Recently, Madison earned a second GRAMMY nomination for "Make You Mine" Best Dance Pop Recording. Since April 2024, it’s topped Billboard’s Dance Airplay chart, marking her first solo #1. She followed with "15 MINUTES", another chart-topping Dance Radio hit, earning back-to-back #1s. A true creative force, Madison writes, produces, directs, and designs with uncompromising authenticity. With an audience of over 78M on social media, Madison is one of the most influential voices of her generation.

Dove Cameron

Dove Cameron

An artist of extraordinary vision, Dove Cameron redefines what’s possible in the confines of a three-minute pop song. As revealed on her breakthrough single “Boyfriend”—an empowered piece of noir-pop turned massively beloved queer anthem, co-written by the 26-year-old singer/songwriter—she imbues her music with equal parts drama and confession, raw abandon and unsparing self-awareness (Currently starring in the Apple TV+ musical-comedy series Schmigadoon! alongside the likes of Keegan-Michael Key, Alan Cumming, and Kristen Chenoweth, she won a 2018 Daytime Emmy Award for her dual role as both title characters on the Disney Channel’s Liv and Maddie.) With its bombastic rhythms and cinematic strings, “Boyfriend” also spotlights Cameron’s singular musicality, a quality influenced by the jazz and classical records her late father often played for her as a child growing up on Bainbridge Island (a town off the coast of Seattle). After discovering her obsession with music as a young girl, she started creating her own songs at age 15, then continued honing her craft as her acting career took off; by 2019 she’d landed a deal with Sony’s Disruptor Records/ Columbia Records, and soon made her long-anticipated debut as a solo artist.

Camila Cabello

Camila Cabello

Camila Cabello is a diamond-certified, GRAMMY®-nominated Cuban-born singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. She has notably emerged as the first Hispanic woman to reach RIAA Diamond status with her Billboard Hot 100 #1 smash “Havana” [feat. Young Thug]. She’s garnered dozens of awards, including two Latin GRAMMY® Awards, five American Music Awards, and a Billboard Music Award. In 2018, her full-length debut album, Camila, bowed at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 and eventually went platinum, receiving a GRAMMY® nomination for “Best Pop Vocal Album”, with “Havana (Live)” nominated for Best Pop Solo Performance. With the success of the triple-platinum single “Never Be The Same,” she made history again as “the first artist ever to land two multi-format number one singles with the first two singles from a debut album.” In 2019,she teamed up with Shawn Mendes for “Señorita,” scoring a GRAMMY® nomination for “Best Pop Duo/Group Performance”. Her sophomore full-length, Romance, ascended to platinum status and her third full-length album, Familia was nominated for a Grammy and has over 500 million streams, making her the first female artist since Adele to triple up atop Billboard’s Hot 100, Top 200, and Artist 100 charts. Most recently, Camila released her critically acclaimed fourth studio album C,XOXO which represents an evolution for the singer-songwriter tapping into genres that extend beyond just pop and drawing inspiration from her Miami roots.

Rita Ora

Rita Ora

With her soulful vocals and joyful energy, British-Albanian pop singer Rita Ora made her debut in the late 2000s, quickly rising to the top of the U.K. charts with her debut album Ora. Even after years of label issues threatened to halt her career, she remained on the charts and issued the triumphant sophomore effort Phoenix in 2018. Born Rita Sahatçiu in Pristina, Kosovo to Albanian parents, she fled the former Yugoslavia with her family in 1991, relocating to England, where she was raised in Notting Hill. An attendee of the famous Sylvia Young Theater School, she sang from an early age and honed her skills singing in pubs and at open mikes. In 2007, she made her first official appearance, guesting on Craig David's single "Awkward"; the next year, she joined Tinchy Stryder on his single "Where's Your Love." Her big break arrived in 2009, when an open mic performance attended by one of Jay-Z's A&R men landed her a deal with the rapper's label, Roc Nation. While working on her debut album, she provided the vocals for DJ Fresh's 2012 drum'n'bass hit "Hot Right Now," which topped the charts in the U.K. She returned to the number one spot that same year with her debut solo single, "R.I.P.," the first taste of her first full-length, Ora, which went straight to the number one spot on the U.K. album charts. Six years would pass before a proper sophomore follow-up, as Ora remained mired in label issues (eventually leading to a messy split with Roc Nation in 2016). Yet she remained on the charts with a consistent string of singles and collaborations, notably 2014's "Black Widow" with Iggy Azalea (her first Top 10 in the U.S.); 2015's "Poison"; 2017's Top 10 hit "Your Song," and 2018's "For You," a duet with Liam Payne for the Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack that topped charts across Europe and was a modest hit in the U.S. Her official sophomore full-length, the aptly-titled Phoenix, finally arrived in late 2018 on Atlantic Records. Along with a star-studded list of producers -- including Alesso, Avicii, Benny Blanco, and Cashmere Cat -- Ora also recruited Julia Michaels ("Keep Talking"), Rudimental ("Summer Love"), and Cardi B, Bebe Rexha, and Charli XCX on the single "Girls." ~ Neil Z. Yeung

Meghan Trainor

Meghan Trainor

Meghan Trainor first made history in 2014 with her diamond-certified smash single “All About That Bass.” Since then, the award-winning singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist has garnered a GRAMMY® for Best New Artist, achieved eight multi-platinum singles and two multi-platinum albums, sold out three world tours, penned multi-platinum hits for peers across pop and country, and received countless industry awards and nominations. She kicked off 2020 with the release of her third full-length album, Treat Myself, which includes the platinum smash “No Excuses.” At the end of 2020 she released her first-ever Christmas album, A Very Trainor Christmas, featuring the #1 holiday radio single “White Christmas” ft. Seth MacFarlane. In 2022 Meghan released her fourth full-length album, Takin’ It Back, which features platinum hit “Made You Look,” which has garnered over 950 million streams and become a global sensation. She kicked off 2023 by joining the judging panel of the iconic star-maker series, Australian Idol, in its highly anticipated return to air. In April 2023, Meghan made her literary debut with Dear Future Mama, a humorous, unflinching guide to pregnancy and motherhood. Meghan also gave birth to her second child with husband Daryl Sabara, Barry Bruce Trainor. Most recently, Meghan released her sixth album, Timeless, out now, and will be embarking on a North American touring run this fall.

JADE

JADE

JADE – https://JADEofficial.com

Jesy Nelson

Jesy Nelson

BRIT award-winning singer and songwriter Jesy Nelson returns with a phenomenal new single ‘Bad Thing’, a track that perfectly establishes her as one of the most exciting solo artists working in the UK today. The expectation upending single is produced by BRIT-nominated duo Loose Change and co-written with Grammy-nominated songwriter Tayla Parx. This powerful, almost painfully beautiful track has more in common with a Bond theme tune than anything you might expect from Nelson. ‘Bad Thing’ effortlessly attests to a person stepping into their own shoes. It’s the sound of a person finding their voice, emotionally as well as musically. This is Jesy’s life told through music by her and for her, a woman who knows her own mind, has a story to tell and a want to tell it. As one quarter of Little Mix, Jesy has sold over 50 million records worldwide, had five number one singles, won three Brit awards and appeared on countless magazine covers. The UK quartet are one of the best-selling girl groups of all time and the most streamed girl group on Spotify. Jesy made the difficult decision to leave the band in 2020, when the country, and the world, was in lockdown. Jesy is also an award-winning documentary presenter, thanks to her incredible work in 2019 on BBC1’s Jesy Nelson: Odd One Out, a frank, candid look at Jesy’s experiences around online bullying and body image, which won a National Television Award and a Visionary Honour award for Documentary of the Year.

Avicii

Avicii

As one of the most popular DJs of the late-2000s EDM boom, Grammy-nominated Swedish producer Avicii went on to top the charts in multiple countries and tour the world with his uplifting house anthems. Born Tim Bergling in Stockholm in 1989, he began making music at the age of 18, writing and remixing tracks in his bedroom and uploading them onto the Internet. Influenced by Daft Punk and Steve Angello, his melodic house sound gained a huge following, which led to support from both Tiësto, who invited him to perform a weekly residency at Privilege in Ibiza, and Pete Tong, who released first single "Manman" through his Bedroom Bedlam label. In addition to remixing tracks for Little Boots, Robyn, and Dizzee Rascal, Bergling issued a handful of his own singles, like "Bromance" and "My Feelings for You" in 2010. "Seek Bromance" -- which added the vocals of Amanda Wilson atop his earlier track -- became a modest hit across Europe. However, it wasn't until his next single, 2011's "Levels," that his international popularity exploded. Featuring a sample of Etta James' "Something's Got a Hold on Me," the track topped dance charts across the globe and reached platinum status in at least ten countries, launching Avicii into the mainstream. Toward the end of 2012, Bergling issued "I Could Be the One," a collaborative single with Nicky Romero. The song became another hit for the producer and was featured heavily on reality TV shows and European radio. The following year, he released the single "Wake Me Up." Featuring the vocals of Aloe Blacc, the pastoral soul track peaked at the top of the charts in over 20 countries, making it his biggest hit to date. That "folktronica" sound would feature heavily on his debut album, True, which arrived in late 2013. The multi-platinum LP featured guests like Adam Lambert, MØ, and Nile Rodgers, and produced four additional hit singles like "Hey Brother" and "Addicted to You." A version of the album featuring Bergling's own club remixes -- the aptly titled True: Avicii by Avicii -- arrived in 2014. That same year, Bergling scored another mainstream hit with "A Sky Full of Stars," a collaboration with Coldplay. In late 2015, his sophomore album, Stories, arrived. Continuing his cross-genre exploration of EDM and pop, Bergling recruited guests like Zac Brown, Wyclef Jean, Matisyahu, and Martin Garrix for the effort, which topped the Billboard dance chart upon release. While he continued to perform and release new music, Bergling announced in early 2016 that he would retire from the live scene due to persistent health concerns. That summer, he performed his final live set in Ibiza. New music in the form of the Avici (01) EP arrived in summer 2017 while Bergling continued to produce material for an expected second and third installment of the EP series. However, on April 20, 2018, he suddenly passed away in Muscat, Oman at the age of 28. ~ Neil Z. Yeung & Jon O'Brien

YG Marley

YG Marley

<p>Joshua Omaru "YG" Marley, known more popularly as YG Marley, is an American singer and songwriter. He was born on December 5, 2001, in Beverly Hills, California. As the son of celebrated figures Lauryn Hill and Rohan Marley, and the grandson of reggae legend Bob Marley, YG Marley became involved in music at a very early age. In fact, he often accompanied his mother on stage during her performances. His career, however, was not confined to music alone; in 2017, he ventured into modeling with a campaign for Urban Outfitters and featured in Teen Vogue alongside his sister, Selah Marley. In 2023, YG Marley's decades-long interest in music finally coalesced into a solo career with the release of the single "Praise Jah in the Moonlight," which achieved viral success and marked his official entry into the music industry. The track not only topped the US and streaming charts but also paved the way for his international recognition, charting in the Top 10 in countries such as the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Norway, and Sweden. The song's success also made YG Marley the sixth member of the Marley family to have a song on the Billboard Hot 100.&nbsp;</p>

Jonas Blue

Jonas Blue

Jonas Blue’s career to date has been astounding and its effect has been felt worldwide with singles like ‘Fast Car’, ‘Perfect Strangers’ ‘Rise, ‘Mama’ & ‘Polaroid’ collectively having been certified platinum over 130 times around the globe. Amassing an army of recognisable hits, with over 22 billion global streams, 92 million worldwide singles sales, 6 billion video views, BRIT Billion Award Holder, BRIT certified Breakthrough Album, 5 BRIT Award nominations and multiple brand deals, Jonas has cemented his name as a main stage DJ and pop powerhouse. Debut album &#39;Blue&#39; featuring standout hit singles Fast Car, Mama, Rise and Perfect Strangers was the recipient of the Brit Certified Breakthrough Award and later cemented gold status. Jonas’ hard work & inspiring music continued to receive global success with singles featuring a combo of hot artists including HRVY, Leon, Ava Max, Rita Ora, Tiesto and more. A man on a mission, whose sights are set for the top with the release of 2023 ‘Weekends’ with top German DJ/Producer Felix Jaehn, ‘Crying on The Dancefloor’ as collab project ‘Endless Summer’ with Sam Feldt and latest 2023 smash ‘Past Life’, another with Felix Jaehn, we will see collaborations and showstopping DJ sets aplenty. Blue continues to spread his message of togetherness, unity & positivity - a crucial message needed in todays world more than ever right now & is synonymous with his music and hugely successful career to date.

Van Morrison

Van Morrison

Equal parts blue-eyed soul shouter and wild-eyed poet-sorcerer, Van Morrison is among popular music's true innovators, a restless seeker whose incantatory vocals and alchemical fusion of R&B, jazz, blues, and Celtic folk produced what is regarded as perhaps the most spiritually transcendent body of work in the rock & roll canon. Having penned iconic songs such as "Gloria," "Brown-Eyed Girl," and "Moondance," Morrison has, from the very beginning -- as frontman for Irish blues rockers <a href="spotify:artist:5BaHqGtf6UAZnHfqdPaTDA">Them</a> during the early 1960s to a solo career that has lasted more than 50 years -- been subject only to the whims of his own muse. His solo recordings, beginning with the mystical, jazzy folk of Astral Weeks in 1968, cover extraordinary stylistic ground, yet retain a consistency of vision and purity of execution unmatched among his contemporaries. His swinging meld of jazz, pop, folk, blues, and Celtic soul fueled the albums of his <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Warner+Bros%22">Warner Bros</a>. period from the late '60s (Moondance) to the early '80s (Common One). From the late '80s through the end of the century with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Mercury%22">Mercury</a>, he connected the spiritual power of his musical vision to a re-engagement with his Belfast roots on Irish Heartbeat (accompanied by <a href="spotify:artist:6AnrSlk5Gp1YMXgaI3mWCL">the Chieftains</a>) and to the blues wails and gospel whispers of his youth on Too Long in Exile, Healing Game, and Back on Top. During the 21st century, his recordings underscored his indelible singing style that bypasses the confines of language to articulate emotional truths far beyond the scope of literal meaning, whether recording pop (Magic Time), country (Pay the Devil), Celtic R&B (Keep Me Singing), folk (Moving on Skiffle), rock & roll (Accentuate the Positive), or fingerpopping jazz (You're Driving Me Crazy, with <a href="spotify:artist:2hpwTpq2QENZv7EAvniKDR">Joey DeFrancesco</a>). Morrison also cultivated a reputation as an outspoken contrarian in his later years, a side that was showcased on such modern-day protest albums as 2021's Latest Record Project, Vol. 1 and the following year's What's It Gonna Take? George Ivan Morrison was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on August 31, 1945; his mother was a singer, while his father ardently collected classic American jazz and blues recordings. At 15, he quit school to join the local R&B band the Monarchs, touring military bases throughout Europe before returning home to form his own group, <a href="spotify:artist:5BaHqGtf6UAZnHfqdPaTDA">Them</a>. Boasting a fiery, gritty sound heavily influenced by Morrison heroes like <a href="spotify:artist:0Wxy5Qka8BN9crcFkiAxSR">Howlin' Wolf</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3qXzj7WzBV3kwy1yEV1RcC">Brownie McGhee</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:69VgCcXFV59QuQWEXSTxfK">Sonny Boy Williamson</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:22JuR9OeENcP54XN5TlNWS">Little Walter</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5BaHqGtf6UAZnHfqdPaTDA">Them</a> quickly earned a devout local following, and in late 1964 recorded their debut single, "Don't Start Crying Now." The follow-up, an electrifying reading of <a href="spotify:artist:07NzVZ0BHZ0QOOw7nGvCgo">Big Joe Williams</a>' "Baby Please Don't Go," cracked the U.K. Top Ten in early 1965. Though not a major hit upon its original release, <a href="spotify:artist:5BaHqGtf6UAZnHfqdPaTDA">Them</a>'s Morrison-penned "Gloria" endures among the true classics of the rock pantheon, covered by everyone from <a href="spotify:artist:22WZ7M8sxp5THdruNY3gXt">the Doors</a> to <a href="spotify:artist:0vYkHhJ48Bs3jWcvZXvOrP">Patti Smith</a>. Lineup changes plagued the band throughout its lifespan, however, and at the insistence of producer <a href="spotify:artist:6OlM1c9K0fDPA0CfZ122eF">Bert Berns</a>, session musicians increasingly assumed the lion's share of recording duties. A frustrated Morrison finally left <a href="spotify:artist:5BaHqGtf6UAZnHfqdPaTDA">Them</a> following a 1966 tour of the U.S., quitting the music business and returning to Belfast. After <a href="spotify:artist:6OlM1c9K0fDPA0CfZ122eF">Berns</a> relocated to New York City to form <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Bang+Records%22">Bang Records</a>, he convinced Morrison to travel stateside and record as a solo artist; the sessions produced arguably his most familiar hit, the jubilant "Brown-Eyed Girl" (originally titled "Brown-Skinned Girl"), a Top Ten smash in the summer of 1967. By contrast, however, the resulting album, Blowin' Your Mind, was a bleak, bluesy effort highlighted by the harrowing "T.B. Sheets." The sessions were originally intended to produce only material for singles, so when <a href="spotify:artist:6OlM1c9K0fDPA0CfZ122eF">Berns</a> released the LP against Morrison's wishes, he again retreated home to Ireland while the album tanked on the charts. <a href="spotify:artist:6OlM1c9K0fDPA0CfZ122eF">Berns</a> suffered a fatal heart attack in late 1967, which freed Morrison of his contractual obligations and energized him to start working on new material. His first album for new label <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Warner+Bros.%22">Warner Bros.</a>, 1968's Astral Weeks, remains not only Morrison's masterpiece, but one of the greatest records ever made. A haunting, deeply personal collection of impressionistic folk-styled epics recorded by an all-star jazz backing unit including bassist <a href="spotify:artist:6Xktfsmu8Tlg3071prbJej">Richard Davis</a> and drummer <a href="spotify:artist:7txdgV9R0IGjkZ8R6rPake">Connie Kay</a>, its poetic complexity earned critical raves but made only a minimal commercial impact. The follow-up, 1970's Moondance, was every bit as brilliant; buoyant and optimistic where Astral Weeks had been dark and anguished, it cracked the Top 40, generating the perennials "Caravan" and "Into the Mystic." The first half of the '70s was the most fertile creative period of Morrison's career. From Moondance onward, his records reflected an increasingly celebratory and profoundly mystical outlook spurred on in large part by his marriage to wife <a href="spotify:artist:4ZQ4X7ONS7tE4PTvfI5RNQ">Janet Planet</a> and the couple's relocation to California. After His Band and the Street Choir yielded his biggest chart hit, "Domino," Morrison released 1971's Tupelo Honey, a lovely, pastoral meditation on wedded bliss highlighted by the single "Wild Night." In the wake of the following year's stirring Saint Dominic's Preview, he formed the Caledonia Soul Orchestra, featured both on the studio effort Hard Nose the Highway and on the excellent live set It's Too Late to Stop Now. However, in 1973, he not only dissolved the group but also divorced <a href="spotify:artist:4ZQ4X7ONS7tE4PTvfI5RNQ">Planet</a> and moved back to Belfast. The stunning 1974 LP Veedon Fleece chronicled Morrison's emotional turmoil; he then remained silent for three years, reportedly working on a number of aborted projects but releasing nothing until 1977's aptly titled A Period of Transition. Plagued for some time by chronic stage fright, Morrison mounted his first tour in close to five years in support of 1978's Wavelength; his performances became more and more erratic, however, and during a 1979 date at New York's Palladium, he even stalked off-stage in mid-set and did not return. Into the Music, released later that year, evoked a more conventionally spiritual perspective than before, a pattern continued on successive outings for years to come. Albums like 1983's Inarticulate Speech of the Heart, 1985's A Sense of Wonder, and 1986's No Guru, No Method, No Teacher are all largely cut from the same cloth, employing serenely beautiful musical backdrops to explore themes of faith and healing. For 1988's Irish Heartbeat, however, Morrison teamed with another of his homeland's musical institutions, the famed <a href="spotify:artist:6AnrSlk5Gp1YMXgaI3mWCL">Chieftains</a>, for a collection of traditional folk songs. Meanwhile, Avalon Sunset heralded a commercial rebirth of sorts in 1989. While "Whenever God Shines His Light," a duet with <a href="spotify:artist:2nvKpWcP8etYTq4JrRiUiy">Cliff Richard</a>, became Morrison's first U.K. Top 20 hit in over two decades, the gorgeous "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You" emerged as something of a contemporary standard, with a <a href="spotify:artist:2y8Jo9CKhJvtfeKOsYzRdT">Rod Stewart</a> cover cracking the U.S. Top Five in 1993. Further proof of Morrison's renewed popularity arrived with the 1990 release of <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Mercury%22">Mercury</a>'s best-of package; far and away the best-selling album of his career, it introduced the singer to a new generation of fans. A new studio record, Enlightenment, appeared that same year, followed in 1991 by the ambitious double set Hymns to the Silence, widely hailed as his most impressive outing in years. Following the uniformity of his '80s work, the remainder of the decade proved impressively eclectic: 1993's Too Long in Exile returned Morrison to his musical roots with covers of blues and R&B classics, while on 1995's Days Like This he teamed with daughter <a href="spotify:artist:3kZ87yoF7d0FcRKAqQw6M0">Shana</a> for a duet on "You Don't Know Me." For the <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Verve%22">Verve</a> label, he cut 1996's How Long Has This Been Going On, a traditional jazz record co-credited to longtime pianist <a href="spotify:artist:5rWKAmlxinr3muqedXVIHa">Georgie Fame</a>, and for the follow-up, Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison, he worked with guest of honor <a href="spotify:artist:0sN4enVJwylJKEXZlSbgsm">Allison</a> himself. Morrison continued balancing the past and the future in the years to come, alternating between new studio albums (1997's The Healing Game, 1999's Back on Top) and collections of rare and live material (1998's The Philosopher's Stone and 2000's The Skiffle Sessions and You Win Again). It wasn't until 2002 that an album of new material surfaced, but in May, his long-anticipated Down the Road was released. Three years later, Morrison issued Magic Time. Pay the Devil, a country-tinged set, appeared in 2006 on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Lost+Highway+Records%22">Lost Highway Records</a>. That same year, Morrison released his first commercial DVD, Live at Montreux 1980 and 1974, drawn from two separate appearances at the Montreux Jazz Festival. In 2008, Morrison released Keep It Simple, his first album of all-original material since 1999's Back on Top. In November of that same year, Morrison performed the entire Astral Weeks album live at two shows at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, which resulted in 2009's Astral Weeks: Live at the Hollywood Bowl album and Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl: The Concert Film. His 34th studio album, Born to Sing: No Plan B, recorded in Belfast, appeared in the fall of 2012. In 2015, Morrison made his debut for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22RCA+Records%22">RCA Records</a> with Duets: Re-Working the Catalogue, which found him sharing the mike on 16 songs with artists such as <a href="spotify:artist:1GxkXlMwML1oSg5eLPiAz3">Michael Bublé</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5gxynDEKwNDgxGJmJjZyte">Steve Winwood</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1zxmHkQCUfZYDjwV6MYjZN">Mick Hucknall</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:7bvcQXJHkFiN1ppIN3q4fi">Joss Stone</a>. After signing a deal with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Sony+Legacy%22">Sony Legacy</a> to reissue much of his back catalog, the label issued It's Too Late to Stop Now...Vols. II, III, IV and DVD in June 2016. It consisted of unreleased music from the tour that produced the classic 1973 live album. Later that month, Morrison announced the release of an album of new studio set material. Released in September, Keep Me Singing offered 12 originals as well a cover version of Don Robey's "Share Your Love with Me." A year later, in September 2017, Morrison returned with his 37th album, Roll with the Punches, which saw him mixing new originals with renditions of blues and soul classics that inspired him, from <a href="spotify:artist:6hnWRPzGGKiapVX1UCdEAC">Sam Cooke</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2bmixwMZXlkl2sbIbOfviq">Bo Diddley</a> to <a href="spotify:artist:22JuR9OeENcP54XN5TlNWS">Little Walter</a> and more. Guitarist <a href="spotify:artist:0AD4odMWVQ2wUSlgxOB5Rl">Jeff Beck</a> was a prominent guest. It peaked at number five on the Top 200 and number four in the U.K. He followed it less than three months later in December with Versatile, which was recorded in a handful of hotels in County Down. It featured Morrison delivering his own homage to jazz and iconic pop standards including <a href="spotify:artist:1YuknfkSYTTbolRpwZBOv4">George</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6Yd6jR0AcWlI8JjJ954IDV">Ira Gershwin</a>'s "A Foggy Day" and "They Can't Take That Away from Me," <a href="spotify:artist:6rrwIOOzyvn76SDbkxjIjS">Cole Porter</a>'s "I Get a Kick Out of You" (one of two advance singles along with "Makin' Whoopee"), "Let's Get Lost," "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," and "Unchained Melody," popularized by the <a href="spotify:artist:4b0WsB47XCa9F83BmwQ7WX">Righteous Brothers</a>. The covers are interspersed with six originals, and it topped the jazz album charts and the album remained in the Top Ten for five months. Morrison hit the road with a vengeance. He performed completely sold-out tours across Europe and North America. In April 2018, Morrison issued his 39th album (and fourth in a year-and-a-half) in collaboration with Hammond B-3 and trumpet ace <a href="spotify:artist:2hpwTpq2QENZv7EAvniKDR">Joey De Francesco</a> and his quartet (drummer Michael Ode, guitarist <a href="spotify:artist:1HJipEfSoTMkMV0pFggoJZ">Dan Wilson</a>, and tenor sax man <a href="spotify:artist:7J9YpX3eZIWlcRbDnbny88">Troy Roberts</a>). Recorded over just a few days in San Francisco, the set includes jazz and blues standards and reworked jazz versions of a number of songs from Morrison's catalog including "Travellin' Light," "Every Day I Have the Blues," "Miss Otis Regrets," and "The Things I Used to Do." These are juxtaposed with completely revisioned tracks from Morrison's catalog including "All Saints Day," "The Way Young Lovers Do," "Have I Told You Lately," and "Celtic Swing." A week after its release, the album entered the jazz charts in the top spot and remained in the Top Ten for nearly 22 weeks while the group toured the globe. In December, Morrison released his 40th album, The Prophet Speaks. Comprised of six new originals and covers of blues and soul classics from <a href="spotify:artist:1yNOfXGQNGjAynk77wv85x">John Lee Hooker</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0R3bGv703d8JFKdZxsHr58">Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6hnWRPzGGKiapVX1UCdEAC">Sam Cooke</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4nts0oxMT67lVUoi5Kjxrb">Solomon Burke</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:5v8WPpMk60cqZbuZLdXjKY">Willie Dixon</a>, the set was once again recorded with <a href="spotify:artist:2hpwTpq2QENZv7EAvniKDR">De Francesco</a>'s quartet. The following year, Morrison's reissue campaign continued with a triple-disc deluxe version of 1997's The Healing Game. That fall, Morrison released Three Chords and the Truth, a self-produced 14-track offering that included a duet with <a href="spotify:artist:1XE70WwxhnrXNAJYQQ9ygx">Bill Medley</a>, the surviving half of '60s white-soul legends the <a href="spotify:artist:4b0WsB47XCa9F83BmwQ7WX">Righteous Brothers</a>, and included jazz guitarist <a href="spotify:artist:0lVSkUuqtXLeEQLs8wXwx2">Jay Berliner</a> (the soloist on Astral Weeks). The set also included the song "If We Wait for Mountains," a collaboration with legendary Irish lyricist (and fellow OBE honoree) Don Black. Van Morrison responded to the COVID-19 quarantines with a series of anti-lockdown protest singles in 2020. These digital tracks set the stage for 2021's Latest Record Project, Vol. 1, a double album filled with politically charged social commentary. Morrison continued down this path on 2022's What's It Gonna Take? He largely retreated from controversy with 2023's double album Moving On Skiffle, a collection of covers and interpretations of classic American folk, country, and blues songs. In August, he released Beyond Words: Instrumental to his fan club, then in November he released his second double-album of 2023: Accentuate the Positive, a collection of rock & roll oldies. ~ Jason Ankeny & Steve Leggett, Rovi

James Marriott

James Marriott

James Marriott is an alternative British musician based in Brighton. The multi-disciplinary creative launched his independent music career in 2020 and has, since then, cultivated a significant fan base through his music. He has performed multiple sold-out tours across the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, including festival appearances at Reading and Leeds, Isle of Wight, Pink Pop and many more. Blending alternative and indie-pop soundscapes, James has crafted his unique sound that is rapidly gaining popularity across the globe. After reaching number 17 in the official album charts with his debut album, "Are We There Yet?", 2025 brings forward a new era of James&#39; music career with the first single of his second album, "I Don&#39;t Want To Live Like This", having been released on the 30th of January.

sombr

sombr

late nights and young romance. instagram: @somb.r

joji

joji

Joji is one of the most enthralling artists of the digital age. Following on the heels of RIAA platinum-certified single “Glimpse of Us,” his new album SMITHEREENS expands on the melancholic, yet powerful emotions of the breakout hit. Comprising two parts, SIDE A of the album heralds a mature sonic direction for Joji through wistful and contemplative ballads accompanied by lush production that blooms within each song. SIDE B, produced mainly by Joji himself, digs deeper into the lo-fi and off-kilter sounds that hark back to his experimental beginnings as an artist. Of the album, Billboard raved, “Anyone familiar with Joji’s dulcet tones and emotionally revealing lyricism could have predicted that he’d become a solo star.” AllMusic also said of the album, which clocks in at just under 25 minutes, “is the perfect length to wallow in sadness before wiping off the tears and carrying on. It&#39;s not the happiest of experiences, but it is his most mature and relatable statement to date.” SMITHEREENS follows his album Nectar, executive produced and arranged by Joji, which bowed out at #3 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

Ruth B.

Ruth B.

With over 5.5 billion cumulative streams (including 2 billion on “Dandelions”), Rolling Stone proclaiming that “She’s THE one to watch,” and millions upon millions of followers, views, and likes across all social platforms, Ruth B. is one of the most listened to artists worldwide. Recently she returned with a collaboration with viral music star Dean Lewis, releasing the hauntingly beautiful song “28”. After her debut song “Lost Boy,” which was an instant viral global chart-topping hit in 2015 that propelled her debut EP The Intro into a gold-certification, she released two more critically acclaimed full projects that earned her three Juno nominations, including Album of the Year and Artist of the Year. In 2022, Ruth B.’s beautiful composition “Paper Airplanes,” was used as the end title song for Tyler Perry’s feature film A Jazzman’s Blues. To follow it all up came “Jupiter Rising” from R&B young superstar Rod Wave, who used Ruth’s recent song, “Paper Airplanes”, as the musical bed for his R&B hit single. This year brought more hits with “Always You”, the theme song from the major motion picture Maybe I Do, to the young singer Lyn Lapid’s hot new Republic Records track “Do You Really” composed by and featuring Ruth B. on vocals. Both Ruth B. and Dean Lewis are members of the 4 billion streams club, and their collaboration on “28” is just a signal of more to come from Ruth B.

Jenna Raine

Jenna Raine

Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Jenna Raine has won over supporters across the globe with her sweetly expressive vocals and magnetic stage presence. Her single “see you later (ten years)” has transformed from a gorgeously stripped-back, introspective song that she wrote alone at her piano into a massively beloved anthem of healing and hope. Born during her personal quest to write 100 songs during lockdown, “see you later (ten years)” immediately went viral on TikTok where Jenna now has more than 1.4 million followers. The poignant piano ballad took on a life of its own, with hundreds of thousands of videos created that share stories of struggles, heartbreak and resilience using the powerful lyric “this isn’t goodbye, this is simply a see you later.” Upon its official release, the song quickly rose to #1 on Spotify’s Global and US Viral Charts, racking up more than 33 million streams and earning radio support, debuting on Billboard’s Adult Top 40 Chart.

Alex Warren

Alex Warren

text me (818) 403-3015 Named among PEOPLE‘s list of “Talented Emerging Artists Making Their Mark,” Alex Warren is one of the most followed Gen Z celebrities on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. From being homeless and sleeping in friends’ cars to his current rise to stardom, Warren has shared the intimate details of his life with the world for over a decade, building an online community of 26M+ cumulative followers. Known for his vulnerable pop melodies, passionate vocals, and lyrical candor, Warren has won over new fans with a series of singles and first-ever headline tour. Now, with “Before You Leave Me” and more new music to follow, Alex Warren is poised to make an even greater connection than ever before.

Lizzy McAlpine

Lizzy McAlpine

Older (and Wiser) is out now 🌟 Tickets to my Europe/UK tour are on sale now!

Rihanna

Rihanna

Among the most popular and acclaimed artists in postmillennial contemporary music, Rihanna is also uncommonly dynamic, having mixed and matched pure pop, dancehall, R&B, EDM, and adult contemporary material throughout her career. She went supernova in 2005 with her boisterous debut single, "Pon de Replay," a worldwide hit, and was a near-constant presence in the upper reaches of global pop charts until she took a break from releasing music in the late 2010s. Through 2017, the native Barbadian headlined 11 number one hits, including "Umbrella" and "Only Girl (In the World)," singles that earned her two of her nine Grammy Awards. More than just a singles artist, Rihanna continually pushed ahead stylistically with her LPs, highlighted by the bold Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), the steely Rated R (2009), and the composed Anti (2016), all of which confounded expectations and placed within the Top Ten of the Billboard 200 with eventual multi-platinum certifications. Rihanna studded her secondary discography as a featured artist during this period with major crossover pop hits headlined by the likes of <a href="spotify:artist:3nFkdlSjzX9mRTtwJOzDYB">Jay-Z</a> ("Run This Town"), <a href="spotify:artist:7dGJo4pcD2V6oG8kP0tJRR">Eminem</a> ("Love the Way You Lie"), and <a href="spotify:artist:2YZyLoL8N0Wb9xBt1NhZWg">Kendrick Lamar</a> ("LOYALTY."). She returned to the Top Ten in 2022 with the understated ballad "Lift Me Up," her first solo release in six years, recorded for the soundtrack of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Born Robyn Rihanna Fenty in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna exhibited star quality as a child, often winning beauty and talent contests. Because she lived on a fairly remote island in the West Indies, however, she didn't foresee the global stardom she later attained. Her break came courtesy of a fateful meeting with <a href="spotify:artist:0kbIz7wAczMyXXs9tfdDNE">Evan Rogers</a>, writer and producer of pop hits for such big names as <a href="spotify:artist:6Ff53KvcvAj5U7Z1vojB5o">*NSYNC</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1l7ZsJRRS8wlW3WfJfPfNS">Christina Aguilera</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2tFN9ubMXEhdAQvdQxcsma">Jessica Simpson</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:2y8Jo9CKhJvtfeKOsYzRdT">Rod Stewart</a>. The New Yorker was vacationing in Barbados with his wife, an island native, when he was introduced to an aspiring singing group that featured Rihanna. The trio performed for <a href="spotify:artist:0kbIz7wAczMyXXs9tfdDNE">Rogers</a>, who was then eager to work with Rihanna as a solo artist. After the fledgling singer recorded material with <a href="spotify:artist:0kbIz7wAczMyXXs9tfdDNE">Rogers</a> in the U.S. and signed with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22SRP%22">SRP</a> (Syndicated Rhythm Productions), operated by <a href="spotify:artist:0kbIz7wAczMyXXs9tfdDNE">Rogers</a> and partner Carl Sturken, she sparked the interest of the Carter Administration -- that is, the newly appointed <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Def+Jam%22">Def Jam</a> president <a href="spotify:artist:3nFkdlSjzX9mRTtwJOzDYB">Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter</a>. Following an audition, Rihanna accepted an on-the-spot offer to sign with the major label. Come May 2005, <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Def+Jam%22">Def Jam</a> rolled out "Pon de Replay," Rihanna's first single and the lively introduction to the full-length Music of the Sun. Produced almost entirely by <a href="spotify:artist:0kbIz7wAczMyXXs9tfdDNE">Rogers</a> and Sturken, the song synthesized Caribbean rhythms with pop-R&B songwriting. "Pon de Replay" caught fire almost immediately and peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, denied the top spot by <a href="spotify:artist:4iHNK0tOyZPYnBU7nGAgpQ">Mariah Carey</a>'s "We Belong Together." Music of the Sun, released that August, spawned a Top 40 placement with "If It's Lovin' That You Want" and ranged stylistically from a remake of <a href="spotify:artist:6mLXvSt7Xxy2r9uBba1O6Z">Dawn Penn</a>'s rocksteady-styled crossover hit "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" (featuring dancehall star <a href="spotify:artist:2NUz5P42WqkxilbI8ocN76">Vybz Kartel</a>) to the <a href="spotify:artist:6vWDO969PvNqNYHIOW5v0m">Beyoncé</a>-like "Let Me" (co-produced by emergent duo <a href="spotify:artist:7KUri7klyLaIFXLcuuOMCd">Stargate</a>). Music of the Sun was only eight months old when Rihanna followed up in April 2006 with A Girl Like Me. It showed that the singer wasn't a fluke success and could also stretch out, laced with three dissimilar hits. "SOS," high-gloss dance-pop with a sample of <a href="spotify:artist:6aq8T2RcspxVOGgMrTzjWc">Soft Cell</a>'s version of "Tainted Love," topped the Hot 100. "Unfaithful," her first big ballad, and "Break It Off," an electro-dancehall hybrid (with <a href="spotify:artist:3Isy6kedDrgPYoTS1dazA9">Sean Paul</a>), became her third and fourth Top Ten pop singles. Superstar status was attained with Good Girl Gone Bad, an album that built on Rihanna's commercial momentum and developed into a blockbuster. Released in May 2007 and "reloaded" with additional material the following June, its lengthy promotional campaign yielded several chart-topping singles and boasted collaborations with A-listers such as <a href="spotify:artist:3nFkdlSjzX9mRTtwJOzDYB">Jay-Z</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:21E3waRsmPlU7jZsS13rcj">Ne-Yo</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5Y5TRrQiqgUO4S36tzjIRZ">Timbaland</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:31TPClRtHm23RisEBtV3X7">Justin Timberlake</a>. Lead single "Umbrella," co-written by <a href="spotify:artist:1W3FSF1BLpY3hlVIgvenLz">the-Dream</a> and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, sounded like nothing else on the airwaves and shot to number one, as did "Take a Bow" and "Disturbia," while "Hate That I Love You" and "Don't Stop the Music" added to the tally of Top Ten entries. "Umbrella" gave Rihanna her first Grammy win for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. The album was on its way to triple-platinum status by October 2009, when Rihanna set the dark and provocative tone for fourth album Rated R with "Russian Roulette," another <a href="spotify:artist:21E3waRsmPlU7jZsS13rcj">Ne-Yo</a> collaboration and Top Ten single. Abused lover, dominatrix, and murderer were among the perspectives Rihanna offered throughout the album, released that November. Even the additional Top Ten hits "Hard" and "Rude Boy" -- the latter her fifth number one -- were stern in demeanor, making the early hits sound like the work of a significantly more complex artist. While Rated R was riding high, <a href="spotify:artist:3nFkdlSjzX9mRTtwJOzDYB">Jay-Z</a>'s "Run This Town," with Rihanna on the intro and hook, won Grammys for Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. Annual studio albums, each one with a November release date and a broad range of light and dark material covering EDM, contemporary R&B, adult contemporary, dancehall, and straight-up pop, continued well into the following decade. In 2010, just after <a href="spotify:artist:7dGJo4pcD2V6oG8kP0tJRR">Eminem</a> featured her on the diamond platinum "Love the Way You Lie," there was Loud. Led by the <a href="spotify:artist:7KUri7klyLaIFXLcuuOMCd">Stargate</a>-produced "Only Girl (In the World)," eventually a Grammy winner for Best Dance Recording, it was sustained with additional Hot 100 toppers "What's My Name?" (featuring <a href="spotify:artist:3TVXtAsR1Inumwj472S9r4">Drake</a>) and "S&M." Talk That Talk was heralded in 2011 with Rihanna's most triumphant single, "We Found Love," on which she collaborated with <a href="spotify:artist:7CajNmpbOovFoOoasH2HaY">Calvin Harris</a>. After she nabbed yet another Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Grammy, this time for her role on <a href="spotify:artist:5K4W6rqBFWDnAN6FQUkS6x">Kanye West</a>'s "All of the Lights," the streak concluded, and culminated, with the 2012 set Unapologetic. Her first LP to top the Billboard 200 (after all of the previous six had gone Top Ten), it also became her first to win a Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album. "Diamonds," the anthemic and inspirational standout among some of Rihanna's brashest moments, became her tenth number one pop hit and 18th to peak within the Top Ten. Within a span of three years, Rihanna had released her fourth through seventh albums. An equal amount of time passed prior to the release of her eighth full-length. In 2013, she lengthened her list of chart accolades as a featured artist with an assist on <a href="spotify:artist:7dGJo4pcD2V6oG8kP0tJRR">Eminem</a>'s "The Monster," which became her 25th Top Ten hit as a lead or featured artist, went to number one, and led to her fourth Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Grammy. No longer with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Def+Jam%22">Def Jam</a> -- a deal had been signed with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Roc+Nation%22">Roc Nation</a> via <a href="spotify:artist:3nFkdlSjzX9mRTtwJOzDYB">Jay-Z</a>, who left <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Def+Jam%22">Def Jam</a> several years earlier -- Rihanna released non-album singles throughout 2015, beginning with the unembellished "FourFiveSeconds," an unlikely matchup with <a href="spotify:artist:4STHEaNw4mPZ2tzheohgXB">Paul McCartney</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:5K4W6rqBFWDnAN6FQUkS6x">Kanye West</a> that reached number four. "American Oxygen" didn't flourish as much from a commercial standpoint but upon release became one of her most remarkable recordings, a dignified ballad with a personal, pro-immigration theme. Album eight, the strikingly composed Anti, became Rihanna's second consecutive number one album following its January 2016 arrival. She partnered again with <a href="spotify:artist:3TVXtAsR1Inumwj472S9r4">Drake</a>, resulting in another number one hit with "Work." "Needed Me," a buzzing slow jam cooked up with a production team including <a href="spotify:artist:0YinUQ50QDB7ZxSCLyQ40k">DJ Mustard</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6cKkRS7JwVT2K3rCCnOHyk">Kuk Harrell</a>, and "Love on the Brain," a throwback soul belter involving <a href="spotify:artist:6cKkRS7JwVT2K3rCCnOHyk">Harrell</a> and Fred Ball, entered the Top Ten as well. Those who missed the comparative lack of high-spirited exuberance in Anti were placated across 2016 and 2017 with Rihanna's guest appearances on <a href="spotify:artist:7CajNmpbOovFoOoasH2HaY">Calvin Harris</a>' "This Is What You Came For" and <a href="spotify:artist:5wPoxI5si3eJsYYwyXV4Wi">N.E.R.D.</a>'s "Lemon." Meanwhile, <a href="spotify:artist:3TVXtAsR1Inumwj472S9r4">Drake</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1RyvyyTE3xzB2ZywiAwp0i">Future</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0QHgL1lAIqAw0HtD7YldmP">DJ Khaled</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:2YZyLoL8N0Wb9xBt1NhZWg">Kendrick Lamar</a> likewise profited from Rihanna's featured spots. <a href="spotify:artist:2YZyLoL8N0Wb9xBt1NhZWg">Lamar</a>'s "LOYALTY." made Rihanna a five-time winner of the Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, setting a record for women artists in that category. Apart from a featured appearance on <a href="spotify:artist:2HPaUgqeutzr3jx5a9WyDV">PartyNextDoor</a>'s 2020 single "Believe It," Rihanna wasn't behind any new music for several years, as she focused her efforts on her Fenty cosmetics and fashion empire and started a family. She returned in October 2022 with "Lift Me Up" from the soundtrack of Ryan Coogler's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The ballad, written by Rihanna with producer <a href="spotify:artist:24eDfi2MSYo3A87hCcgpIL">Ludwig Göransson</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:687cZJR45JO7jhk1LHIbgq">Tems</a>, and Coogler, entered the Hot 100 at number two. ~ Andy Kellman & Jason Birchmeier, Rovi

David Bowie

David Bowie

Everyone has a David Bowie that they fell in love with first—the otherworldly outsider Ziggy Stardust, the electronic adventurer, the wild-eyed glam pioneer, the enigmatic storyteller. But it was Bowie's ability to reinvent himself so vividly that captivated us again and again. Driven by boundless imagination, David Bowie was a multifaceted music icon, a social provocateur, a force in fashion, and a gifted actor whose unique personas and perspectives traveled with him through the decades. From the moment his homesick astronaut captured the spotlight in the late ‘60s to his exploratory, jazz-influenced <i>Blackstar</i> almost 50 years later, he excelled and innovated with turns in pop, glam, punk, soul, hard rock, and electronic music. And even though Bowie released vital albums throughout his life—and will forever embody the most artful edge of rock ’n’ roll—he was more than just the music he made. Bowie's fearlessness inspired us to celebrate the complexity and beauty of being completely ourselves.

juju<3

juju<3

i love you! your love, my love, our love! insta: j.u.j.u.ha soundcloud: juju<3

Dylan Conrique

Dylan Conrique

Dylan Conrique is a multi-hyphenate entertainer, singer-songwriter, actress and dancer. Making her music debut in 2020, she has since established herself a source of inspiration and hope for her fans through her earnest approach to songwriting that showcases strength and vulnerability well beyond her 18 years. Dylan’s breakout came in February 2022 with her viral hit “Birthday Cake,” which has amassed over 100 million streams since its release and earned Dylan the distinctions of People’s Emerging Artist of 2022 and YouTube Music’s Artist on the Rise. Written at the age of just 15, the poignant ballad tells the story of a loved one’s passing and has been lauded as a cathartic reprieve from the grief of loss. Building off the success of the song, Dylan released her June 2022 follow up single “i miss you (skin to skin),” a yearning mid-tempo track that captures the universal experience of coming-of-age heartbreak. A multifaceted talent, Dylan first started her entertainment career on-screen. Currently, she stars as series regular Tamara Collins on the hit ABC series The Rookie, which will premiere its fifth season in Fall 2022. Raised in Loomis, California, Dylan grew up among horses and spent 0me riding ATVs and motorbikes. She is of Mexican-American descent and currently resides in Los Angeles with her dog, Layla, and cat, Roper.

Alina

Alina

Hey!! I am a 19 year old singer, songwriter, and guitar player from Las Vegas, but currently studying songwriting in Nashville, Tennessee. My dream is to have my music heard and related to by people. I have been writing songs since I was around 7 years old and I have been surrounded by music my entire life; it feels like home to me. Being able to share the music I create with those who are willing to listen is unreal and it motivates me to keep on writing and creating. Thank you for listening <3

James Arthur

James Arthur

James Arthur can look back on a decade-long career, including 4 studio albums to date, 16 billion sold units (audio/video streams/downloads), and countless sold-out gigs at some of the most legendary venues across the globe. His album <a href="spotify:album:7oiJYvEJHsmYtrgviAVIBD" data-name="Back from the Edge">Back from the Edge</a> debuted at #1 UK in 2016 and went multi-platinum worldwide, and <a href="spotify:album:029WUoBjWc7Js1QiPH3mw0" data-name="James Arthur (Deluxe)">James Arthur (Deluxe)</a> , <a href="spotify:album:0cm9LOQUBK3JUgyoRj238z" data-name="YOU">YOU</a>, and <a href="spotify:album:0P4xzdUBgd8cMncwM7okcd" data-name="It&#39;ll All Make Sense In The End">It&#39;ll All Make Sense In The End</a> all charted within the top 3 UK charts. His smash hit <a href="spotify:track:5uCax9HTNlzGybIStD3vDh" data-name="Say You Won&#39;t Let Go">Say You Won&#39;t Let Go</a> boasts nearly 4 billion worldwide streams, spent 43 weeks in the UK charts, and landed at #1 in more than 10 countries, achieving multi-platinum status across the globe. The track recently achieved Diamond Status in the US – making James Arthur one of just 100 recipients of an RIAA Diamond Single certification in the program&#39;s history. And even his old tracks, such as <a href="spotify:track:55Am8neGJkdj2ADaM3aw5H" data-name="Train Wreck">Train Wreck</a> (2016) or <a href="spotify:album:0BbIbUGBYjryhlMrbM7ki2" data-name="Car&#39;s Outside">Car&#39;s Outside</a> (2019) can be seen celebrating revivals on TikTok and Spotify. Having 40 million monthly listeners on Spotify speaks for itself, not to mention the fact that the list of his collab partners features the biggest names on the scene: <a href="spotify:artist:0NGAZxHanS9e0iNHpR8f2W" data-name="Alok">Alok</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1zNqDE7qDGCsyzJwohVaoX" data-name="Anne-Marie">Anne-Marie</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1IueXOQyABrMOprrzwQJWN" data-name="Sigala">Sigala</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4ehtJnVumNf6xzSCDk8aLB" data-name="Martin Jensen">Martin Jensen</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4WN5naL3ofxrVBgFpguzKo" data-name="Rudimental">Rudimental</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:64KEffDW9EtZ1y2vBYgq8T" data-name="Marshmello">Marshmello</a> and many more. With tracks ranging from pop and R&#39;n&#39;B, to soul, rock, and even rap, James Arthur has proven time and time again that his powerful vocals know no boundaries. Fans adore the way his voice gets under their skin, and right now is a very good time to be a James Arthur fan because new music is currently in the works!

Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley

In 1992, the U.S. Postal Service conducted a nationwide vote on a crucial subject: Should their upcoming stamp feature Young Elvis or Older Elvis? More than 75 percent of the million-plus ballots voted for Young Elvis, but the fact that the question was asked at all speaks to the difficulty of pinning down just who the man was and how he should be remembered: Boundary-breaking R&B singer or Hollywood crooner? Rock pioneer or Vegas showman? An artist who legitimized blues for white audiences or appropriated it from black performers?<br> In truth, Elvis Presley was all these things and more, a prism through which just about every myth we have about race, pop culture, and the American dream can be refracted. Born in 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi, in a two-room shotgun house built by his father, Presley moved to Memphis as a teenager, recording his first sides for Sun Records a couple of months after he finished high school. He liked country, but also blues; he liked ballads, but played with an irrepressible energy that helped shape the feel of rock and roll. (His breakthrough, an uptempo cover of the blues singer Arthur Crudup’s “That’s All Right,” reportedly started as a goof Presley was killing time with between takes of something more subdued.)<br> In addition to becoming one of the first artists to successfully make R&B for white audiences, Presley was also one of the first performers whose fame (good and bad) came in large part from television—you can’t see hips move in the newspaper. (The <i>New York Times</i>, reporting on Presley’s <i>Milton Berle Show</i> performance in June 1956: “His one specialty is an accented movement of the body that heretofore has been primarily identified with the repertoire of the blonde bombshells of the burlesque runway.”)<br> Presley parlayed his screen appeal into a successful movie career, spending most of the '60s in Hollywood. (A handful of his most indelible songs—including “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and “Return to Sender”—started life on soundtracks to movies in which he also starred.) In 1968, he ventured to recapture the jolt of his early years, staging a television special (<i>Elvis</i>, a.k.a. the ’68 Comeback Special) that constituted his first live performance since 1961. The following year, he released <i>From Elvis in Memphis</i>, an album that found him suddenly, effortlessly, in step with contemporary pop and soul.<br> Though Presley toured almost relentlessly until his death from a heart attack in 1977, he became increasingly cloistered, at one point giving up recording studios in favor of using a mobile studio RCA Records sent to his Memphis mansion, Graceland. A car aficionado with no shortage of spending money, he was known to occasionally approach strangers outside Cadillac showrooms and ask which model and color they liked best before offering—out of the blue—to pick up the bill. Nearly 80,000 people were estimated to have attended the procession for his funeral, where he was buried next to his mother.

Leon Thomas III

Leon Thomas III

MUTT out now. https://www.leonthomas.com/

ELLIOT JAMES REAY

ELLIOT JAMES REAY

At just 23 years old, Manchester&#39;s own Elliot James Reay has already captured the hearts of a global audience. With over 4 million dedicated fans and hundreds of millions of views, Elliot&#39;s velveteen voice and vintage style have made him a standout talent. ‍Elliot&#39;s debut single, &#39;I Think They Call This Love,&#39; generated immense anticipation, with over 10 million views before its release and over 150 million streams to date. ‍The song encapsulates timeless romance, classic songwriting, and swooning vocal harmonies, reminiscent of a long-lost&#39; 50s gem, and it marks the beginning of Elliot&#39;s own original repertoire. A magnetic performer in the making, Elliot&#39;s charm lies in his authenticity and simplicity. In partnership with Interscope and EMI, he’s unveiled his second and third single, Boy In Love, and Daydreaming, and is hard at work on his debut album. With big plans for touring in 2025, Elliot James Reay is poised to become a significant force in the music world.

The Weeknd

The Weeknd

The Weeknd is the alias of alternative R&B enigma-turned-pop star Abel Tesfaye, whose aching accounts of emotionally and physically toxic indulgences have translated to multi-platinum sales and Grammy recognition. The singer and songwriter made his early-2010s breakthrough with morose ballads that seemed to have no designs on mainstream appeal. Within a few years, however, Tesfaye had scored Top Ten hits with an Ariana Grande duet ("Love Me Harder"), the lead single from a major motion picture ("Earned It"), and a retro-contemporary disco-funk single ("I Can't Feel My Face"), the last of which was nominated for a Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award despite its subject (cocaine). Tesfaye received early support from Drake and scored his first Top Ten R&B/hip-hop placement as the featured artist on the fellow Torontonian's "Crew Love," but he swiftly outgrew his status as a Drake affiliate with his own hits and a streak of appearances on high-profile tracks by Wiz Khalifa, Future, Beyoncé, and Lana Del Rey. Tesfaye debuted the Weeknd in late 2010 with three songs uploaded to YouTube. Made with producer Jeremy Rose, they served as a low-key prelude to three mixtapes self-released as free digital downloads the following year. First was with House of Balloons (March), where clear traces of radio-friendly contemporary R&B à la Trey Songz, Jeremih, the-Dream, and Drake were synthesized with the progressive left-of-center likes of Spacek and Sa-Ra. Recorded in collaboration with producers Doc McKinney and Illangelo, among others, the set garnered widespread coverage within days of its release. A similar second mixtape, Thursday (August), preceded several appearances on Drake's album Take Care. Featuring a cover of Michael Jackson's "Dirty Diana," Echoes of Silence (December) completed the trilogy just before the end of the year. The following June, "Crew Love," off Take Care, reached the Top Ten of Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart. A few months later, Tesfaye was featured on another charting single, Wiz Khalifa's "Remember You." After Tesfaye signed with Universal Republic, the three Weeknd mixtapes were remastered and bundled with three new songs for Trilogy, issued in November 2012. Despite consisting of material previously available for free, the set debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart. The following April, Tesfaye won Juno Awards in the categories of Breakthrough Artist of the Year and R&B/Soul Recording of the Year. Trilogy was certified platinum by the RIAA the next month. Kiss Land, much darker in tone than its title implied, followed in September 2013 and debuted at number two. Out of its several singles, only "Live For," featuring Drake, touched the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart. Tesfaye had much more success with a series of non-album singles that followed. "Often," released in 2014, was a Top Ten R&B/Hip-Hop hit. He was featured on Ariana Grande's "Love Me Harder," which reached the Top Ten of the Hot 100 and went platinum in the U.S. "Earned It," featured in Fifty Shades of Grey, repeated the same feats. In 2015, Tesfaye issued "The Hills," a booming, nightmarish ballad co-produced by Illangelo, and "Can't Feel My Face," an upbeat Max Martin collaboration, as the first two singles from Beauty Behind the Madness. Both songs topped the Hot 100. The album was issued that August and debuted at the same position. At the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, it won in the category of Best Urban Contemporary Album, while "Earned It" received the nod for Best R&B Performance. Through the end of 2015 and into 2016, Tesfaye was featured on Disclosure's "In the Night," Kanye West's "FML," Future's "Low Life," and Beyoncé's "6 Inch." "Starboy," produced by Daft Punk, was released in September 2016 as the lead single from Tesfaye's album of the same title. It became the singer's fifth Top Ten pop single prior to the November arrival of Starboy, which landed on top of the Billboard 200. The album's success was sustained with the second single, its other Daft Punk production, "I Feel It Coming." Appearances on singles by Nav, Lana Del Rey, and French Montana were scattered through 2017. The following year saw the Weeknd appear on the track "Pray for Me," with Kendrick Lamar -- one of the lead singles from the official soundtrack for Marvel's Black Panther movie. In March of 2018 he dropped a surprise EP titled My Dear Melancholy,. The release marked a return to the darker sound and aesthetic of Trilogy and featured contributions from Gesaffelstein, Skrillex, and Mike WiLL Made-It. ~ Andy Kellman

Bobby Darin

Bobby Darin

There's been considerable discussion about whether Bobby Darin should be classified as a rock & roll singer, a Vegas hipster cat, an interpreter of popular standards, or even a folk-rocker. He was all of these and none of these. Throughout his career he made a point of not becoming committed to any one style at the exclusion of others; at the height of his nightclub fame he incorporated a folk set into his act. When it appeared he could have gone on indefinitely as a sort of junior version of Frank Sinatra, he would periodically record pop/rock and folk-rock singles whose principal appeal lay outside of the adult pop market. At one point he started calling himself Bob Darin and recorded songs with vague anti-establishment overtones that could be said to be biting the largely bourgeois hands that fed his highest-paying gigs. It may be most accurate to say that Darin was, above all, a singer who wanted to do a lot of things, rather than make his mark as a particular stylist. That may have cost him some points as far as making it to the very top of certain genres, but it also makes his work more versatile than almost any other vocalist of his era. When Darin had his first hits in the late '50s, he was a teen idol of sorts, albeit a teen idol with much more talent and mature command than the typical singer in that style. The novelty-tinged "Splish Splash" was his breakthrough smash, followed by "Queen of the Hop" and the ballad "Dream Lover." There was a slight R&B feel to Darin's delivery that may well have influenced R&B-pop/rock singers such as Dion, though it would be an exaggeration to call Darin a blue-eyed soul man. In late 1959, he found a new direction when the swinging "Mack the Knife," a tune from Brecht-Weill's musicalThreepenny Opera, made number one. The song came from an album of pop standards, heralding his move toward light big-band jazz, which was consolidated by the Top Ten success of "Beyond the Sea" in 1960. In the early '60s, Darin had mostly abandoned rock for the adult pop market, becoming a huge success on the Vegas-nightclub circuit, and moving into the all-around entertainer mode with starring roles in movies (including one as a non-singing jazz musician in John Cassavetes' Too Young Blues). He also continued to score regular hits with the likes of "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby," "Things," and "Lazy River." To keep people guessing, there was also a hit cover of "What'd I Say" and some country tunes (one of which, "You're the Reason I'm Living," made it to number three on the pop charts). Around 1963, he put a folk section into his nightclub act that employed guitarist Roger McGuinn, who was then a couple of years away from fame as the leader of the Byrds. Darin didn't make the expected retreat into Rat Pack land when his records stopped making the upper reaches of the charts in the mid-'60s. In 1965, there was a rather nice self-penned jangly folk-rocker, "When I Get Home," that become a British hit for the Searchers. Another 1965 flop, "We Didn't Ask to Be Brought Here," was an unexpected antiwar tune. When he made his return to the Top Ten in late 1966, it was with a cover of a gentle Tim Hardin folk-rock song, "If I Were a Carpenter." His final Top 40 hit the following year, "Lovin' You," opted for material by another major folk-rock composer, John Sebastian. Darin may indeed have been far hipper and more politically aware than the average nightclub act, covering tunes by Dylan and the Rolling Stones, participating in a 1965 civil rights march to Alabama, and penning some Dylan-influenced songs of his own in the late '60s. It doesn't seem accurate to say that this was the true Bobby Darin, shedding his show biz skin for something that came to him more naturally; in 1967, the same year he covered Jagger-Richards' "Back Street Girl," he also recorded material for an album titled Bobby Darin Sings Doctor Dolittle. By the early '70s he was working Vegas and similar joints again, exchanging his blue jeans for a tuxedo, and hosting a TV variety series. In a much odder turn of events, began recording for Motown, though these efforts met little success. Afflicted with a rheumatic heart, Darin was always aware that his time might be limited, and he died near the end of 1973 during open-heart surgery. He left behind a considerable quantity (and diversity) of recorded work, and underwent a critical reevaluation of sorts, especially among rock critics, which might have aided his election to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. A 1996 four-CD box set, divided into thematic discs, attempted to put his wide-ranging efforts into perspective. In 2004, actor Kevin Spacey starred as Bobby Darin in the feature film biography Beyond the Sea. Spacey also directed and sang Darin's songs for the film, which were released as the film's soundtrack. Beyond the Sea may have been the splashiest celebration of Darin's legacy, but the singer never receded from the pop culture spotlight, as his music continued to appear in films and see reissues, including the 2016 compilation Another Song on My Mind, which shined a spotlight on his underappreciated Motown work from the early '70s. ~ Richie Unterberger

Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash was one of the most imposing and influential figures in post-World War II country music. With his deep, resonant baritone and spare percussive guitar, he had a basic, distinctive sound. Cash didn't sound like Nashville, nor did he sound like honky tonk or rock & roll. He created his own subgenre, falling halfway between the blunt emotional honesty of folk, the rebelliousness of rock & roll, and the world-weariness of country. Cash's career coincided with the birth of rock & roll, and his rebellious attitude and simple, direct musical attack shared a lot of similarities with rock. However, there was a deep sense of history -- as he would later illustrate with his series of historical albums -- that kept him forever tied with country. And he was one of country music's biggest stars of the '50s and '60s, scoring well over 100 hit singles. Cash, whose birth name was J.R. Cash, was born and raised in Arkansas, moving to Dyess when he was three. By the time he was 12 years old, he had begun writing his own songs. He was inspired by the country songs he had heard on the radio. While he was in high school, he sang on the Arkansas radio station KLCN. Cash graduated from high school in 1950, moving to Detroit to work in an auto factory for a brief while. With the outbreak of the Korean War, he enlisted in the Air Force. While he was in the Air Force, Cash bought his first guitar and taught himself to play. He began writing songs in earnest, including "Folsom Prison Blues." Cash left the Air Force in 1954, married a Texas woman named Vivian Leberto, and moved to Memphis, where he took a radio announcing course at a broadcasting school on the GI Bill. During the evenings, he played country music in a trio that also consisted of guitarist Luther Perkins and bassist Marshall Grant. The trio occasionally played for free on a local radio station, KWEM, and tried to secure gigs and an audition at Sun Records. Cash finally landed an audition with Sun Records and its founder, Sam Phillips, in 1955. Initially, Cash presented himself as a gospel singer, but Phillips turned him down. Phillips asked him to come back with something more commercial. Cash returned with "Hey Porter," which immediately caught Phillips' ear. Soon, Cash released "Cry Cry Cry"/"Hey Porter" as his debut single for Sun. On the single, Phillips billed Cash as "Johnny," which upset the singer because he felt it sounded too young; the record producer also dubbed Perkins and Grant as the Tennessee Two. "Cry Cry Cry" became a success upon its release in 1955, entering the country charts at number 14 and leading to a spot on The Louisiana Hayride, where he stayed for nearly a year. A second single, "Folsom Prison Blues," reached the country Top Five in early 1956 and its follow-up, "I Walk the Line," was number one for six weeks and crossed over into the pop Top 20. Cash had an equally successful year in 1957, scoring several country hits including the Top 15 "Give My Love to Rose." Cash also made his Grand Ole Opry debut that year, appearing all in black where the other performers were decked out in flamboyant, rhinestone-studded outfits. Eventually, he earned the nickname of "The Man in Black." Cash became the first Sun artist to release a long-playing album in November of 1957, when Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar hit the stores. Cash's success continued to roll throughout 1958, as he earned his biggest hit, "Ballad of a Teenage Queen" (number one for ten weeks), as well another number one single, "Guess Things Happen That Way." For most of 1958, Cash attempted to record a gospel album, but Sun refused to allow him to record one. Sun also was unwilling to increase Cash's record royalties. Both of these were deciding factors in the vocalist's decision to sign with Columbia Records in 1958. By the end of the year, he had released his first single for the label, "All Over Again," which became another Top Five success. Sun continued to release singles and albums of unissued Cash material into the '60s. "Don't Take Your Guns to Town," Cash's second single for Columbia, was one of his biggest hits, reaching the top of the country charts and crossing over into the pop charts in the beginning of 1959. Throughout that year, Columbia and Sun singles vied for the top of the charts. Generally, the Columbia releases -- "Frankie's Man Johnny," "I Got Stripes," and "Five Feet High and Rising" -- fared better than the Sun singles, but "Luther Played the Boogie" did climb into the Top Ten. That same year, Cash had the chance to make his gospel record -- Hymns by Johnny Cash -- which kicked off a series of thematic albums that ran into the '70s. The Tennessee Two became the Tennessee Three in 1960 with the addition of drummer W.S. Holland. Though he was continuing to have hits, the relentless pace of his career was beginning to take a toll on Cash. In 1959, he had begun taking amphetamines to help him get through his schedule of nearly 300 shows a year. By 1961, his drug intake had increased dramatically and his work was affected, which was reflected by a declining number of hit singles and albums. By 1963, he had moved to New York, leaving his family behind. He was running into trouble with the law, most notably for starting a forest fire out West. June Carter -- who was the wife of one of Cash's drinking buddies, Carl Smith -- would provide Cash with his return to the top of the charts with "Ring of Fire," which she co-wrote with Merle Kilgore. "Ring of Fire" spent seven weeks on the top of the charts and was a Top 20 pop hit. Cash continued his success in 1964 as "Understand Your Man" became a number one hit. However, Cash's comeback was short-lived as he sank further into addiction, and his hit singles arrived sporadically. Cash was arrested in El Paso for attempting to smuggle amphetamines into the country through his guitar case in 1965. That same year, the Grand Ole Opry refused to have him perform and he wrecked the establishment's footlights. In 1966, his wife Vivian filed for divorce. After the divorce, Cash moved to Nashville. At first, he was as destructive as he ever had been, but he became close friends with June Carter, who had divorced Carl Smith. With Carter's help, he was able to shake his addictions; she also converted Cash to fundamentalist Christianity. His career began to bounce back as "Jackson" and "Rosanna's Going Wild" became Top Ten hits. Early in 1968, Cash proposed marriage to Carter during a concert; the pair were married that spring. Also in 1968, Cash recorded and released his most popular album, Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison. Recorded during a prison concert, the album spawned the number one country hit "Folsom Prison Blues," which also crossed over into the pop charts. By the end of the year, the record had gone gold. The following year, he released a sequel, Johnny Cash at San Quentin, which had his only Top Ten pop single, "A Boy Named Sue," which peaked at number three; it also hit number one on the country charts. Cash guested on Bob Dylan's 1969 country-rock album Nashville Skyline. Dylan returned the favor by appearing on the first episode of The Johnny Cash Show, the singer's television program for ABC. The Johnny Cash Show ran for two years, between 1969 and 1971. Cash was reaching a second peak of popularity in 1970. In addition to his television show, he performed for President Richard Nixon at the White House, acted with Kirk Douglas in The Gunfight, sang with John Williams and the Boston Pops Orchestra, and he was the subject of a documentary film. His record sales were equally healthy as "Sunday Morning Coming Down" and "Flesh and Blood" were number one hits. Throughout 1971, Cash continued to have hits, including the Top Three "Man in Black." Both Cash and Carter became more socially active in the early '70s, campaigning for the civil rights of Native Americans and prisoners, as well as frequently working with Billy Graham. In the mid-'70s, Cash's presence on the country charts began to decline, but he continued to have a series of minor hits and the occasional chart-topper like 1976's "One Piece at a Time," or Top Ten hits like the Waylon Jennings duet "There Ain't No Good Chain Gang" and "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky." Man in Black, Cash's autobiography, was published in 1975. In 1980, he became the youngest inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame. However, the '80s were a rough time for Cash as his record sales continued to decline and he ran into trouble with Columbia. Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis teamed up to record The Survivors in 1982, which was a mild success. The Highwaymen -- a band featuring Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson -- released their first album in 1985, which was also moderately successful. The following year, Cash and Columbia Records ended their relationship and he signed with Mercury Nashville. The new label didn't prove to be a success, as the company and the singer fought over stylistic direction. Furthermore, country radio had begun to favor more contemporary artists, and Cash soon found himself shut out of the charts. Nevertheless, he continued to be a popular concert performer. The Highwaymen recorded a second album in 1992, and it was more commercially successful than any of Cash's Mercury records. Around that time, his contract with Mercury ended. In 1993, he signed a contract with American Records. His first album for the label, American Recordings, was produced by the label's founder, Rick Rubin, and was a stark, acoustic collection of songs. American Recordings, while not a blockbuster success, revived his career critically and brought him in touch with a younger, rock-oriented audience. In 1995, the Highwaymen released their third album, The Road Goes on Forever. The following year, Cash released his second album for American Records, Unchained, which featured support from Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. His VH1 Storytellers outing was released in 1998, and in the spring of 2000, Cash compiled Love, God, Murder, a three-disc retrospective focusing on the major songwriting themes dominant throughout his career. The new studio album American III: Solitary Man appeared later that year. Health problems plagued Cash throughout the '90s and into the 2000s, but he continued to record with Rubin; their fourth collaboration, American IV: The Man Comes Around, was released in late 2002. The following year, the Mark Romanek-directed video for his cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt" garnered considerable acclaim and media attention, culminating in an unexpected nomination for video of the year at the MTV Video Music Awards. Not long after the video sparked numerous stories, his beloved wife June Carter Cash died on May 15, 2003, of complications following heart surgery. Four months later, Johnny died of complications from diabetes in Nashville, TN. He was 71. Five months later, the compilation Legend of Johnny Cash became a Top Ten hit. In 2006 Lost Highway released the next-to-last installment of Cash's legendary "American" recordings, American V: A Hundred Highways, from the late singer's last sessions with collaborator Rick Rubin. The final installment from those sessions appeared as American VI: Ain't No Grave, in early 2010, and is reported to be the last of the American Recordings releases. Sony Legacy started a vigorous "bootleg" series of rare, unreleased, or hard to find Cash tracks in 2011 with the two-disc Bootleg, Vol. 1: Personal File and continued into 2012 with three further two-disc sets of rare material. In 2014, Out Among the Stars -- a collection of unreleased material recorded in the early '80s, produced by Billy Sherrill and finished under the direction of John Carter Cash in 2013 -- appeared in the spring. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan

One of the greatest figures of the 20th century, Bob Dylan helped shape the sound and form of popular music in the rock & roll era. Dylan emerged from the Greenwich Village folk scene in the early 1960s, earning a reputation as a perceptive, powerful songwriter, equally capable of penning a protest anthem or a romantic love song. His flair for impressionistic, stream-of-conscious lyrics marked a shift within folk music, an evolution Dylan also introduced to rock & roll when he picked up an electric guitar in 1965. Over the course of 18 months, he released Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde, a trio of records that broadened the vocabulary of rock & roll, placing Dylan at the cutting edge of popular culture. Although he subsequently stepped away from the zeitgeist, his restless, occasionally messy work of the '70s and the '80s expanded his formidable songbook through a combination of classic albums (Blood on the Tracks) and intriguing detours (Empire Burlesque). By the end of the '90s, Dylan established himself as a road warrior -- his ceaseless concerts were unofficially dubbed "the Never-Ending Tour" -- and righted his recording career, developing a raucous, robust blend of roadhouse blues, rockabilly, torch songs, and folk showcased on the Grammy-winning albums Love and Theft and Modern Times, as well as his acclaimed 2020 record Rough and Rowdy Ways. For a figure of such substantial influence, Dylan came from humble beginnings. Born in Duluth, Minnesota, Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) was raised in Hibbing, Minnesota, from the age of six. As a child he learned how to play guitar and harmonica, forming a rock & roll band called the Golden Chords when he was in high school. Following his graduation in 1959, he began studying art at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. While at college, he began performing folk songs at coffee houses under the name Bob Dylan, taking his last name from the poet <a href="spotify:artist:33PtzSjT25Ve4MwKu3xNff">Dylan Thomas</a>. Already inspired by <a href="spotify:artist:1FClsNYBUoNFtGgzeG74dW">Hank Williams</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:4rAgFKtlTr66ic18YZZyF1">Woody Guthrie</a>, Dylan began listening to blues in college, and the genre wove its way into his music. He spent the summer of 1960 in Denver, where he met bluesman <a href="spotify:artist:4YlupUs1jsfZzwXRGmVlX8">Jesse Fuller</a>, the inspiration behind the songwriter's signature harmonica rack and guitar. By the time he returned to Minneapolis in the fall, he had grown substantially as a performer and was determined to become a professional musician. Dylan made his way to New York City in January of 1961, immediately making a substantial impression on the folk community of Greenwich Village. He began visiting his idol <a href="spotify:artist:4rAgFKtlTr66ic18YZZyF1">Guthrie</a> in the hospital, where he was slowly dying from Huntington's chorea. Dylan also began performing in coffee houses, and his rough charisma won him a significant following. In April, he opened for <a href="spotify:artist:1yNOfXGQNGjAynk77wv85x">John Lee Hooker</a> at Gerde's Folk City. Five months later, Dylan performed another concert at the venue, which was reviewed positively by Robert Shelton in The New York Times. <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Columbia%22">Columbia</a> A&R man John Hammond sought Dylan out on the strength of the review, and signed the songwriter in the fall of 1961. Hammond produced Dylan's eponymous debut album (released in March 1962), a collection of folk and blues standards that boasted only two original songs. Over the course of 1962, Dylan began to write a large batch of originals, many of which were political protest songs in the vein of his Greenwich Village contemporaries. These songs were showcased on his second album, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. Before its release, Freewheelin' went through several incarnations. Dylan had recorded a rock & roll single, "Mixed Up Confusion," at the end of 1962, but his manager, Albert Grossman, made sure the record was deleted because he wanted to present him as an acoustic folkie. Similarly, several tracks with a full backing band that were recorded for Freewheelin' were scrapped before the album's release. Furthermore, several tracks recorded for the album -- including "Talking John Birch Society Blues" -- were eliminated from the album before its release. Comprised entirely of original songs, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan made a huge impact in the U.S. folk community, and many performers began covering songs from the album. Of these, the most significant were <a href="spotify:artist:6yrBBtqX2gKCHCrZOYBDrB">Peter, Paul and Mary</a>, who made "Blowin' in the Wind" into a huge pop hit in the summer of 1963, thereby making Bob Dylan a household name. On the strength of <a href="spotify:artist:6yrBBtqX2gKCHCrZOYBDrB">Peter, Paul and Mary</a>'s cover and his opening gigs for popular folkie <a href="spotify:artist:1EevBGfUh3RSQSGpluxgBm">Joan Baez</a>, Freewheelin' became a hit in the fall of 1963, climbing to number 23 on the charts. By that point, <a href="spotify:artist:1EevBGfUh3RSQSGpluxgBm">Baez</a> and Dylan had become romantically involved, and she was recording his songs frequently. Dylan was writing just as fast. By the time The Times They Are A-Changin' was released in early 1964, Dylan's songwriting had developed far beyond that of his New York peers. Heavily inspired by poets like <a href="spotify:artist:4vx0JjaytbaSQXvUDhxf2y">Arthur Rimbaud</a> and John Keats, his writing took on a more literate and evocative quality. Around the same time, he began to expand his musical boundaries, adding more blues and R&B influences to his songs. Released in the summer of 1964, Another Side of Bob Dylan made these changes evident. However, Dylan was moving faster than his records could indicate. By the end of 1964, he had ended his romantic relationship with <a href="spotify:artist:1EevBGfUh3RSQSGpluxgBm">Baez</a> and had begun dating a former model named Sara Lowndes, whom he subsequently married. Simultaneously, he gave <a href="spotify:artist:1PCZpxHJz7WAMF8EEq8bfc">the Byrds</a> "Mr. Tambourine Man" to record for their debut album. <a href="spotify:artist:1PCZpxHJz7WAMF8EEq8bfc">The Byrds</a> gave the song a ringing, electric arrangement, but by the time the single became a hit, Dylan was already exploring his own brand of folk-rock. Inspired by the British Invasion, particularly <a href="spotify:artist:3ICflSq6ZgYAIrm2CTkfVP">the Animals</a>' version of "House of the Rising Sun," Dylan recorded a set of original songs backed by a loud rock & roll band for his next album. While Bringing It All Back Home (March 1965) still had a side of acoustic material, it made it clear that Dylan had turned his back on folk music. For the folk audience, the true breaking point arrived a few months after the album's release, when he played electric at the Newport Folk Festival supported by <a href="spotify:artist:6kz7WuPaUa4QVreP27I33i">the Paul Butterfield Blues Band</a>. The audience greeted him with vicious derision, but he had already been accepted by the growing rock & roll community. Dylan's spring tour of Britain was the basis for D.A. Pennebaker's documentary Don't Look Back, a film that captures the songwriter's edgy charisma and charm. Dylan made his breakthrough to the pop audience in the summer of 1965, when "Like a Rolling Stone" became a number two hit. Driven by a circular organ riff and a steady beat, the six-minute song broke the barrier of the three-minute pop single. Dylan became the subject of innumerable articles, and his lyrics became the subject of literary analyses across the U.S. and U.K. Well over 100 artists covered his songs between 1964 and 1966; <a href="spotify:artist:1PCZpxHJz7WAMF8EEq8bfc">the Byrds</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2VIoWte1HPDbZ2WqHd2La7">the Turtles</a>, in particular, had big hits with his compositions. Highway 61 Revisited, his first full-fledged rock & roll album, became a Top Ten hit shortly after its summer 1965 release. "Positively 4th Street" and "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" became Top Ten hits in the fall of 1965 and spring of 1966, respectively. Following the May 1966 release of the double album Blonde on Blonde, he had sold over ten million records around the world. During the fall of 1965, Dylan hired <a href="spotify:artist:7wngg77nJAFHLvmvGnlE2g">the Hawks</a>, formerly <a href="spotify:artist:2viYME3n7SlMsIOEqWmEHv">Ronnie Hawkins</a>' backing group, as his touring band. <a href="spotify:artist:7wngg77nJAFHLvmvGnlE2g">The Hawks</a>, who changed their name to <a href="spotify:artist:4vpDg7Y7fU982Ds30zawDA">the Band</a> in 1968, would become Dylan's most famous backing band, primarily because of their intuitive chemistry and "wild, thin mercury sound," but also because of their British tour in the spring of 1966. The tour was the first time the British had heard the electric Dylan, and their reaction was disagreeable and violent. At the Manchester concert (long mistakenly identified as the show from London's Royal Albert Hall), an audience member called Dylan "Judas," inspiring a positively vicious version of "Like a Rolling Stone" from Dylan and the band. The performance was immortalized on countless bootleg albums (an official release finally surfaced in 1998), and it indicates the intensity of Dylan in the middle of 1966. He had assumed control of Pennebaker's second Dylan documentary, Eat the Document, and was under deadline to complete his book Tarantula, as well as to record a new record. Following the British tour, he returned to America. On July 29, 1966, he was injured in a motorcycle accident outside of his home in Woodstock, New York, suffering injuries to his neck vertebrae and a concussion. Details of the accident remain elusive -- he was reportedly in critical condition for a week and had amnesia -- and some biographers have questioned its severity, but the event was a pivotal turning point in his career. After the accident, Dylan became a recluse, disappearing into his home in Woodstock and raising his family with his wife Sara. After a few months, he retreated with <a href="spotify:artist:4vpDg7Y7fU982Ds30zawDA">the Band</a> to a rented house, subsequently dubbed Big Pink, in West Saugerties to record a number of demos. For several months, Dylan and <a href="spotify:artist:4vpDg7Y7fU982Ds30zawDA">the Band</a> recorded an enormous amount of material, ranging from old folk, country, and blues songs to newly written originals. The songs indicated that Dylan's songwriting had undergone a metamorphosis, becoming streamlined and more direct. Similarly, his music had changed, owing less to traditional rock & roll, and demonstrating heavy country, blues, and traditional folk influences. None of the Big Pink recordings were intended for release, but tapes from the sessions were circulated by Dylan's music publisher with the intent of generating cover versions. Copies of these tapes, as well as other songs, were available on illegal bootleg albums by the end of the '60s; it was the first time that bootleg copies of unreleased recordings became widely circulated. Portions of the tapes were officially released in 1975 as the double album The Basement Tapes. While Dylan was in seclusion, rock & roll had become heavier and artier in the wake of the psychedelic revolution. When he returned with John Wesley Harding in December of 1967, its quiet, country ambience was a surprise to the general public, but it was a significant hit, peaking at number two in the U.S. and number one in the U.K. Furthermore, the record arguably became the first significant country-rock record to be released, setting the stage for efforts by <a href="spotify:artist:1PCZpxHJz7WAMF8EEq8bfc">the Byrds</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:0rESpKEusFHxhW59MIf7eM">the Flying Burrito Brothers</a> later in 1969. Dylan followed his country inclinations on his next album, 1969's Nashville Skyline, which was recorded in Nashville with several of the country industry's top session men. While the album was a hit, spawning the Top Ten single "Lay Lady Lay," it was criticized in some quarters for its uneven material. The mixed reception was the beginning of a full-blown backlash that arrived with the double album Self Portrait. Released early in June of 1970, it was a hodgepodge of covers, live tracks, reinterpretations, and new songs, and was greeted with negative reviews from all quarters of the press. Dylan followed the album quickly with New Morning, which was hailed as a comeback. Following the release of New Morning, Dylan began to wander restlessly. He moved back to Greenwich Village, he finally published Tarantula in November of 1970, and he performed at the Concert for Bangladesh in August 1971. During 1972, he began his acting career by playing Alias in Sam Peckinpah's Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, which was released in 1973. He also wrote the soundtrack for the film, which featured "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," his biggest hit since "Lay Lady Lay." The Pat Garrett soundtrack was the final record released under his <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Columbia%22">Columbia</a> contract before he moved to David Geffen's fledgling <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Asylum+Records%22">Asylum Records</a>. As retaliation, <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Columbia%22">Columbia</a> assembled Dylan, a collection of Self Portrait outtakes, for release at the end of 1973. Dylan only recorded two albums -- including 1974's Planet Waves, coincidentally his first number one album -- before he moved back to <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Columbia%22">Columbia</a>. <a href="spotify:artist:4vpDg7Y7fU982Ds30zawDA">The Band</a> supported Dylan on Planet Waves and its accompanying tour, which became the most successful tour in rock & roll history; it was captured on 1974's double-live album Before the Flood. Dylan's 1974 tour was the beginning of a comeback culminating with 1975's Blood on the Tracks. Largely inspired by the disintegration of his marriage, Blood on the Tracks was hailed as a return to form by critics and it became his second number one album. After jamming with folkies in Greenwich Village, Dylan decided to launch a gigantic tour, loosely based on traveling medicine shows. Lining up an extensive list of supporting musicians -- including <a href="spotify:artist:1EevBGfUh3RSQSGpluxgBm">Joan Baez</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5hW4L92KnC6dX9t7tYM4Ve">Joni Mitchell</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6iuM8yp1x2N0l6SONhyq4b">Ramblin' Jack Elliott</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0B6QEFtRnneEzb4iqjI0Nw">Arlo Guthrie</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2jzjxYOe3G5aeucbMg0Smp">Mick Ronson</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3ExrAwcOqgGjt9kFRwdM76">Roger McGuinn</a>, and poet <a href="spotify:artist:1yA9QiqL6p9Qo3nHFb8DkT">Allen Ginsberg</a> -- Dylan dubbed the tour the Rolling Thunder Revue and set out on the road in the fall of 1975. For the next year, the Rolling Thunder Revue toured on and off, with Dylan filming many of the concerts for a future film. During the tour, Desire was released to considerable acclaim and success, spending five weeks on the top of the charts. Throughout the Rolling Thunder Revue, Dylan showcased "Hurricane," a protest song he had written about boxer Rubin Carter, who had been unjustly imprisoned for murder. The live album Hard Rain was released at the end of the tour. Dylan released Renaldo and Clara, a four-hour film based on the Rolling Thunder tour, to poor reviews in early 1978. Early in 1978, Dylan set out on another extensive tour, this time backed by a band that resembled a Las Vegas lounge act. The group was featured on the 1978 album Street Legal and the 1979 live album At Budokan. At the conclusion of the tour in late 1978, Dylan announced that he was a born-again Christian, and he launched a series of Christian albums the following summer with Slow Train Coming. Though the reviews were mixed, the album was a success, peaking at number three and going platinum. His supporting tour for Slow Train Coming featured only his new religious material, much to the bafflement of his long-term fans. Two other religious albums -- Saved (1980) and Shot of Love (1981) -- followed, both to poor reviews. In 1982, Dylan traveled to Israel, sparking rumors that his conversion to Christianity was short-lived. He returned to secular recording with 1983's Infidels, which was greeted with favorable reviews. Dylan returned to performing in 1984, releasing the live album Real Live at the end of the year. Empire Burlesque followed in 1985, but its odd mix of dance tracks and rock & roll won few fans. However, the five-album/triple-disc retrospective box set Biograph appeared that same year to great acclaim. In 1986, Dylan hit the road with <a href="spotify:artist:4tX2TplrkIP4v05BNC903e">Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers</a> for a successful and acclaimed tour, but his album that year, Knocked Out Loaded, was received poorly. The following year, he toured with <a href="spotify:artist:4TMHGUX5WI7OOm53PqSDAT">the Grateful Dead</a> as his backing band; two years later, the souvenir album Dylan & the Dead appeared. In 1988, Dylan embarked on what became known as "the Never-Ending Tour" -- a constant stream of shows that ran on and off into the late '90s. That same year, he appeared on The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 1 -- by the supergroup also featuring <a href="spotify:artist:7FIoB5PHdrMZVC3q2HE5MS">George Harrison</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0JDkhL4rjiPNEp92jAgJnS">Roy Orbison</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2UZMlIwnkgAEDBsw1Rejkn">Tom Petty</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:3bTAaMx9nf237AkBnGw3vL">Jeff Lynne</a> -- and released his own Down in the Groove, an album largely comprising covers. The Never-Ending Tour received far stronger reviews than Down in the Groove (the <a href="spotify:artist:2hO4YtXUFJiUYS2uYFvHNK">Traveling Wilburys</a>' album fared much better), but 1989's Oh Mercy was his most acclaimed album since 1975's Blood on the Tracks, due in part to <a href="spotify:artist:5S0AJvE9NB1kGrXRfYh690">Daniel Lanois</a>' strong production. However, Dylan's 1990 follow-up, Under the Red Sky (issued the same year as the second album by <a href="spotify:artist:2hO4YtXUFJiUYS2uYFvHNK">the Traveling Wilburys</a>, now a quartet following the death of <a href="spotify:artist:0JDkhL4rjiPNEp92jAgJnS">Roy Orbison</a> shortly after the release of <a href="spotify:artist:2hO4YtXUFJiUYS2uYFvHNK">the Wilburys</a>' first long-player in 1988), was received poorly, especially when compared to the enthusiastic reception of the 1991 box set The Bootleg Series, Vols. 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased), a collection of previously unreleased outtakes and rarities. For the remainder of the '90s, Dylan divided his time between live concerts, painting, and studio projects. He returned to recording in 1992 with Good as I Been to You, an acoustic collection of traditional folk songs. It was followed in 1993 by another folk record, World Gone Wrong, which won the Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album. After the release of World Gone Wrong, he released a greatest-hits album and a live record. Dylan released Time Out of Mind, his first album of original material in seven years, in the fall of 1997. Time Out of Mind received his strongest reviews in years and unexpectedly debuted in the Top Ten, eventually climbing to platinum certification. Such success sparked a revival of interest in Dylan, who appeared on the cover of Newsweek and began selling out concerts once again. Early in 1998, Time Out of Mind received three Grammy Awards: Album of the Year, Best Contemporary Folk Album, and Best Male Rock Vocal. Another album of original material, Love and Theft, followed in 2001 and went gold. Soon after its release, Dylan announced that he was making his own film, starring <a href="spotify:artist:266j9hfnayXOZhRRi0sTOu">Jeff Bridges</a>, Penelope Cruz, John Goodman, Val Kilmer, and many more. The accompanying soundtrack, Masked and Anonymous, was released in July 2003. Dylan opted to self-produce his new studio album, Modern Times, which topped the Billboard charts and went platinum in both America and the U.K. It was Dylan's third consecutive album to receive praise from critics and support from consumers, and it was followed three years later in 2009 by Together Through Life, another self-produced effort (as Jack Frost) that also featured contributions from <a href="spotify:artist:4pp6PKB7hDh3LqQVuSrHTD">David Hidalgo</a> of <a href="spotify:artist:6OWapcJm9xd55ci9CYbAuT">Los Lobos</a> and Mike Campbell of <a href="spotify:artist:4tX2TplrkIP4v05BNC903e">Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers</a>. He capped off the year with an old-fashioned holiday effort, Christmas in the Heart. Proceeds from the album were donated to various charities around the world. Dylan released the self-produced (again as Jack Frost) Tempest on September 11, 2012; it debuted at three on both the Billboard 200 and the U.K. charts. The next two years brought acclaimed entries in the ongoing Bootleg Series -- 2013 saw the release of Another Self Portrait (1969-1971), which restored the reputation of a much-maligned era, and 2014 saw the long-awaited appearance of The Basement Tapes Complete -- and then Dylan threw a curve ball for his next studio album. Released in February 2015, Shadows in the Night found the singer/songwriter devoting himself to selections from the Great American Songbook in the pre-rock & roll era. Every one of the ten songs had previously been recorded by <a href="spotify:artist:1Mxqyy3pSjf8kZZL4QVxS0">Frank Sinatra</a>, and Dylan's album was made up of his versions of <a href="spotify:artist:1Mxqyy3pSjf8kZZL4QVxS0">Sinatra</a>'s saloon songs, arranged by his own touring band. Shadows in the Night debuted at seven in the U.S. and at number one in the U.K. It was followed in the autumn by the next installment in The Bootleg Series, The Cutting Edge 1965-1966. Available in three editions -- a double-disc distillation, a comprehensive six-disc box, and a complete, limited-edition 18-CD set -- The Cutting Edge 1965-1966 collected unreleased (and unbootlegged) outtakes from the recording of Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, and Blonde on Blonde. In May 2016, Dylan returned with Fallen Angels, his second <a href="spotify:artist:1Mxqyy3pSjf8kZZL4QVxS0">Sinatra</a>-inspired collection of songs from the Great American Songbook; it debuted at number seven on the Billboard charts. Later that year, <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Columbia%22">Columbia</a>/<a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Legacy%22">Legacy</a> released The 1966 Live Recordings, a 36-disc box set containing every known recording from that pivotal year, but its release was overshadowed by Dylan winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in the autumn of 2016. Dylan continued his exploration of the Great American Songbook with the March 2017 release of Triplicate, a triple album containing three thematically arranged collections of pop standards. Entitled Trouble No More 1979-1981, the 13th volume of The Bootleg Series spotlighted Dylan's Christian era in the early '80s and arrived in November 2017. Live 1962-1966: Rare Performances from the Copyright Collections, a double-disc set of highlights culled from previously released rarities collections, appeared in July 2018. Four months later, the six-disc deluxe version of More Blood, More Tracks: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 14 appeared. It contained all known studio recordings -- full and partial -- that eventually resulted in the classic Blood on the Tracks in 1975. Dylan further explored his 1975 archives in 2019, teaming with director Martin Scorsese for the documentary Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese. The film appeared in June, accompanied by a 14-disc box called The Rolling Thunder Revue: The 1975 Live Recordings. Later in 2019, The Bootleg Series, Vol. 15: Travelin' Thru -- a triple-disc set concentrating on Dylan's Nashville recordings of the late '60s, highlighted by his sessions with <a href="spotify:artist:6kACVPfCOnqzgfEF5ryl0x">Johnny Cash</a> -- was released. Dylan released "Murder Most Foul," a nearly 17-minute track about the JFK assassination, on March 27, 2020. It was his first original song in eight years, and it was quickly followed by "I Contain Multitudes" and "False Prophet," a pair of singles that announced the arrival of his 39th studio album, Rough and Rowdy Ways, on June 19, 2020. Rough and Rowdy Ways debuted at number one on Billboard upon its release; it entered the U.K. charts at number one. The outtakes collection 1970 -- a set featuring unreleased material from the Self Portrait and New Morning sessions, including recordings with <a href="spotify:artist:7FIoB5PHdrMZVC3q2HE5MS">George Harrison</a> -- appeared in February 2021, followed that July by Shadow Kingdom: The Early Songs of Bob Dylan, an in-studio concert film shot in moody black & white; the soundtrack to the film would arrive in 2023. In September, Springtime in New York: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 16 (1980-1985) was released. Easily one of the artist's most provocative periods, it focused on the years that birthed Shot of Love, Infidels, and Empire Burlesque, with numerous unreleased outtakes, alternate takes, rehearsal recordings, and live performances. Dylan's book The Philosophy of Modern Song, a collection of essays about songs by other artists, was published in November 2022. Containing a remixed version of the original 1997 album along with outtakes, The Bootleg Series, Vol. 17: Fragments--Time Out of Mind Sessions (1996--1997) appeared in January 2023. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

Stormzy

Stormzy

A London-based MC of Ghanaian heritage known for his spirited blend of grime, gospel, and R&B, Stormzy is one of the U.K.'s most successful artists, with a trio of chart-topping, widely acclaimed albums to his name. Climbing out of the underground grime scene with a series of triumphant mixtapes, singles, and freestyles, he made his breakthrough in 2017 with his platinum-certified debut album, Gang Signs & Prayer. Within five years of the release of his debut EP, he was a Glastonbury Festival headliner. His first number one hit single, "Vossi Bop," preceded his sophomore album, 2019's Heavy Is the Head. His introspective, ballad-heavy third album, This Is What I Mean, appeared in 2022, and he explored U.K. drill and Afroswing on subsequent singles like 2023's "Longevity Flow." Born Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo, Jr. in the south London town of Croydon, he launched his career clashing at youth clubs around his hometown. His performances evolved from grime-only music that showed a love of artists like <a href="spotify:artist:2p1fiYHYiXz9qi0JJyxBzN">Skepta</a> to more rap-oriented material that reflected Stormzy's growing appreciation for artists like <a href="spotify:artist:3TVXtAsR1Inumwj472S9r4">Drake</a>. Late in 2013, he began uploading his "Wicked Skengman" series of freestyles over classic grime beats; in 2014 he made his official debut with the EP Dreamers Disease. A year later, he released the single "Know Me From" along with "WickedSkengMan 4," the first track in his "WickedSkengMan" freestyle series and a Top 20 hit in the U.K. That December, Stormzy performed the single's B-side, "Shut Up," at a match between heavyweight boxers Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte. The song jumped into the Top 40 following the broadcast, and the rapper launched a campaign to have the song top the charts during Christmas. This boosted the track to the number eight position, and the number one position on the R&B singles chart. Before returning to the studio to record his first LP, he released the non-album single "Scary" in the spring of 2016. Stormzy returned in 2017 with his official full-length debut, Gang Signs & Prayer (<a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22%23Merky+Records%22">#Merky Records</a>), which featured the platinum single "Big for Your Boots," "Cigarettes & Cush" with <a href="spotify:artist:0cGUm45nv7Z6M6qdXYQGTX">Kehlani</a>, and "Blinded by Your Grace, Pt. 2" with <a href="spotify:artist:7uMh23xWiuR7zsNkuNcm2G">MNEK</a>. The critically lauded set debuted atop the U.K. albums chart and was soon certified platinum. In 2018, the record took home the prize for British Album of the Year, and Stormzy was crowned British Male Solo Artist of the Year at the annual Brit Awards. Riding the wave of acclaim, he was announced as one of the headliners at 2019's Glastonbury Festival. That year, he also scored his first number one single in the U.K. with "Vossi Bop." In October, Stormzy appeared on the cover of Time, topping the U.S. magazine's list of "next generation leaders." The single "Own It," featuring <a href="spotify:artist:6eUKZXaKkcviH0Ku9w2n3V">Ed Sheeran</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3wcj11K77LjEY1PkEazffa">Burna Boy</a>, reached number two in the U.K. pop singles chart, and preceded Stormzy's second album, the chart-topping Heavy Is the Head. 2020 saw the release of "Disappointed" and "Still Disappointed," two diss tracks aimed at <a href="spotify:artist:7k9T7lZlHjRAM1bb0r9Rm3">Wiley</a>. Stormzy released charting collaborations with <a href="spotify:artist:5VNMclLseLzRnVhvkrqdpn">Loski</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7zJL978NtANOysfGY21ty6">Ghetts</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:6Ip8FS7vWT1uKkJSweANQK">Dave</a>, then returned in 2022 with the seven-minute "Mel Made Me Do It," accompanied by an 11-minute cameo-filled video. This Is What I Mean, Stormzy's third album, arrived in November, with guest vocalists including <a href="spotify:artist:2WoVwexZuODvclzULjPQtm">Sampha</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0QWrMNukfcVOmgEU0FEDyD">Jacob Collier</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:7aFTOGFDEqDtJUCziLVsVC">Nao</a>. Remixes of the Afroswing single "Hide & Seek" appeared in 2023 along with the drill-leaning "Toxic Trait" (with <a href="spotify:artist:3rbtPd0NcvhO2AzMfzx90z">Fredo</a>) and "Longevity Flow." ~ David Jeffries & Neil Z. Yeung

Stevie Nicks

Stevie Nicks

Of all the singer-songwriters to emerge from the '70s, few embody the contrast of confidence and vulnerability like Stevie Nicks. Born in Arizona, where she learned country duets with her grandfather as a child, Nicks (along with her then-partner, singer/guitarist Lindsey Buckingham) went on to help transform Fleetwood Mac from a British blues band into one of the most influential pop groups of all time. She brought a sense of softness and sophistication to rock music at a time when it was still primarily considered the province of youth culture. Her best-known turns with Fleetwood Mac—"Rhiannon," "Dreams," "Landslide"—proved that pop could be both feminine and powerful, earthbound yet mystical. Nicks helped close the distance between our notions of artist and star–and inspired a generation of women from Madonna and Courtney Love to Taylor Swift and Beyoncé to do the same. For as accessible as they are, Nicks’ songs are also symbolic, even mythological, springing from what seem like a world lurking somewhere beyond our own: Her 1981 solo debut, <i>Bella Donna</i>, mixes a rootsy, unvarnished sound with images of demons, dreams, mountains, and doves—an especially perceptive blend for an era when spirituality and self-realization were creeping into the mainstream. Ultimately, though, it's Nicks' connection to—and evocation of—the dualities and subtleties of womanhood that define her music: “My mission maybe wasn’t to be a mom and wife,” she reflected in an interview with ABC’s <i>Downtown</i>. “Maybe my particular mission was to write songs to make moms and wives feel better.”

Chitra

Chitra

the beginning & end are one in the same <3 contact: [email protected]

Kodaline

Kodaline

Dublin, Ireland-based modern rock quartet Kodaline specialize in soaring, radio-ready guitar rock that&#39;s drawn comparisons to Coldplay, Keane, U2, and Oasis. Formed in the working-class town of Swords around the talents of Steve Garrigan, Vinnie May, Jr., Jason Boland, and Mark Prendergast, the band released an eponymous EP in 2012, with plans to unleash a full-length outing the following year. At the end of 2012, the band was shortlisted for the BBC&#39;s Sound of 2013, but was beat to the top spot by Haim. Kodaline released their debut album, In a Perfect World, in June 2013, which was preceded by the singles High Hopes and Love Like This. The album was a major success in Ireland, going platinum twice, and it also did well in Britain (it peaked at three and went gold) as well as portions of Europe. Kodaline&#39;s second album, Coming Up for Air, followed in early 2015. The album peaked at number four on the U.K. charts and spawned the singles "The One" and "Honest." In the summer of 2017, the band returned with the single "Brother."

James Bay

James Bay

James Bay is a musician’s musician: the UK singer, songwriter, guitarist, and producer upholds traditions of timeless songcraft while confidently challenging himself and popular music in equal measure. He spikes a tried-and-true style with clever lyricism, honest confessions, and instrumental proficiency. This year, he returns with his thrilling fourth album, Changes All The Time, due on September 20th via Mercury/Republic Records. The album includes collaborations with Noah Kahan and The Lumineers on lead single “Up All Night,” and features writing collaborations with The Killers’ Brandon Flowers (“Easy Distraction”) and Holly Humberstone (“Dogfight”). On the heels of his platinum- certified 2015 debut Chaos And The Calm, Bay garnered GRAMMY® nods in the categories of “Best New Artist,” “Best Rock Album,”and “Best Rock Song” for the gold-selling single “Hold Back The River.” Meanwhile, “Let It Go” went triple-platinum. Nominated for dozens of awards, he took home two BRIT Awards, two Q Awards, and top honors at the Ivor Novello Awards and ECHO Awards. Tallying nearly 9 billion streams to date, he has notably dueted with numerous musical icons including Alicia Keys on The Voice, was asked to join Mick Jagger while supporting The Rolling Stones at Twickenham Stadium in London, and joined Sheryl Crow on stage after performing his own set at Eric Clapton’s 2019 Crossroads Guitar Festival in Dallas, TX. He also notably opened for Bruce Springsteen at Hyde Park in 2023.

Pharrell Williams

Pharrell Williams

Along with fellow Virginians <a href="spotify:artist:2wIVse2owClT7go1WT98tk">Missy Elliott</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5Y5TRrQiqgUO4S36tzjIRZ">Timbaland</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:0KuF7reCTOZwV7YJnHQqgr">Neptunes</a> partner Chad Hugo, Pharrell Williams has played a crucial role in the progression of post-new jack swing R&B and rap, and consequently pop. Williams actually got his start during the tail end of the new jack era as the co-writer of <a href="spotify:artist:6lLYZf9GpSq6Pf09g2N2xK">Wreckx-N-Effect</a>'s number two 1992 pop hit "Rump Shaker," but he and Hugo truly distinguished themselves six years later as producers of <a href="spotify:artist:1wiBLzTI7z9RUwEpNPdFT6">Mase</a>'s "Lookin' at Me" and <a href="spotify:artist:2GqgiChw79vIYobk2zJFsO">Noreaga</a>'s "Superthug," crossover hits that showcased the duo's uniquely chunky and choppy sound. Williams and Hugo built on this momentum throughout the 2000s, scoring hits that included <a href="spotify:artist:31TPClRtHm23RisEBtV3X7">Justin Timberlake</a>'s "Rock Your Body" (2002), <a href="spotify:artist:3nFkdlSjzX9mRTtwJOzDYB">Jay-Z</a>'s "Excuse Me Miss" (2003), <a href="spotify:artist:7hJcb9fa4alzcOq3EaNPoG">Snoop Dogg</a>'s "Drop It Like It's Hot" (2004), and <a href="spotify:artist:3ipn9JLAPI5GUEo4y4jcoi">Ludacris</a>' "Money Maker" (2006), all the while keeping their extracurricular genre-blind group <a href="spotify:artist:5wPoxI5si3eJsYYwyXV4Wi">N.E.R.D.</a> afloat. After numerous accolades for <a href="spotify:artist:0KuF7reCTOZwV7YJnHQqgr">the Neptunes</a>, including a Grammy for Producer of the Year in 2004 and a Producer of the Decade acknowledgment from Billboard, the charismatic Williams remained a force in mainstream music as a producer, songwriter, tough-talking rapper, and falsetto-equipped singer. Working less frequently with Hugo, he added to his list of colorful hits songbook with <a href="spotify:artist:0ZrpamOxcZybMHGg1AYtHP">Robin Thicke</a>'s "Blurred Lines" (2013), <a href="spotify:artist:4tZwfgrHOc3mvqYlEYSvVi">Daft Punk</a>'s "Get Lucky" (2013), and <a href="spotify:artist:2YZyLoL8N0Wb9xBt1NhZWg">Kendrick Lamar</a>'s "Alright" (2015). Williams likewise prospered with intermittent solo material, highlighted by the Top Five albums In My Mind (2006) and G I R L (2014), and the number one pop hit "Happy" (2013). After Williams co-produced the Academy Award-nominated Hidden Figures, and contributed music for the film's soundtrack, he and Hugo reactivated <a href="spotify:artist:5wPoxI5si3eJsYYwyXV4Wi">N.E.R.D.</a> with "Lemon" (2017), the group's first Top 40 hit. Following collaborations with <a href="spotify:artist:6oMuImdp5ZcFhWP0ESe6mG">Migos</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4nDoRrQiYLoBzwC5BhVJzF">Camila Cabello</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:4fpTMHe34LC5t3h5ztK8qu">the Carters</a>, he joined with <a href="spotify:artist:4V8LLVI7PbaPR0K2TGSxFF">Tyler, The Creator</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:1URnnhqYAYcrqrcwql10ft">21 Savage</a> for 2022's "Cash In Cash Out." Pharrell Williams forged a long-term friendship and musical partnership with Chad Hugo while in seventh grade band camp. Among the Virginia Beach natives' aspirant peers in high school were <a href="spotify:artist:5Y5TRrQiqgUO4S36tzjIRZ">Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley</a> and Melvin "Magoo" Barcliff, with whom Williams recorded as S.B.I. (Surrounded by Idiots), but as the fledgling <a href="spotify:artist:0KuF7reCTOZwV7YJnHQqgr">Neptunes</a>, Williams and Hugo, joined by Shay Haley and Mike Etheridge, caught the attention of <a href="spotify:artist:5VDmBevaLkMLnK0rLOjijw">Teddy Riley</a>. The new jack swing architect sponsored a talent show at Princess Anne High School, across the street from his Virginia Beach recording studio, and was impressed enough by <a href="spotify:artist:0KuF7reCTOZwV7YJnHQqgr">the Neptunes</a>' performance to sign the young musicians to a development deal. While producing his brother Markell's group, <a href="spotify:artist:6lLYZf9GpSq6Pf09g2N2xK">Wreckx-N-Effect</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5VDmBevaLkMLnK0rLOjijw">Riley</a> enlisted Williams to co-write "Rump Shaker," which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 at the end of 1992. The following year, Williams could be heard calling out <a href="spotify:artist:2NmK5FyrQ18HOPXq1UBzqa">SWV</a>'s name throughout that group's <a href="spotify:artist:5VDmBevaLkMLnK0rLOjijw">Riley</a>-produced "Human Nature" remix of "Right Here." Together and separately, Williams and Hugo acquitted themselves the next few years with work for <a href="spotify:artist:5VDmBevaLkMLnK0rLOjijw">Riley</a>'s <a href="spotify:artist:2P3cjUru4H3fhSXXNxE9kA">Blackstreet</a>, as well as <a href="spotify:artist:2NmK5FyrQ18HOPXq1UBzqa">SWV</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:1urjDGTd4iBze91Z1W1gu7">Total</a>. In 1996, the latter two groups were the first acts to release material crediting <a href="spotify:artist:0KuF7reCTOZwV7YJnHQqgr">the Neptunes</a>, by then the collaborative songwriting and production alias of Williams and Hugo. <a href="spotify:artist:0KuF7reCTOZwV7YJnHQqgr">The Neptunes</a> left their first indelible marks in 1998. <a href="spotify:artist:1wiBLzTI7z9RUwEpNPdFT6">Mase</a>'s "Lookin' at Me," featuring Puff Daddy, became Williams and Hugo's first Top Ten pop hit that September, and <a href="spotify:artist:2GqgiChw79vIYobk2zJFsO">Noreaga</a>'s "Superthug" -- with Williams also providing the amusing intro and a secondary vocal -- hit number 36 that October. The duo soon became among the most prolific, revered, and successful producers in commercial R&B, rap, and pop. Their sound, appealingly plastic-sounding with beats that could be replicated with a pair of fists pounding on a cafeteria table, became as identifiable and as mimicked as that of <a href="spotify:artist:5Y5TRrQiqgUO4S36tzjIRZ">Timbaland</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2wIVse2owClT7go1WT98tk">Missy Elliott</a>, who had entered the mainstream a few years earlier. Among <a href="spotify:artist:0KuF7reCTOZwV7YJnHQqgr">the Neptunes</a>' most creative and popular productions during this early run were <a href="spotify:artist:50NoVNy9GU1lCrDV8iGpyu">Ol' Dirty Bastard</a>'s "Got Your Money" (1999), <a href="spotify:artist:0IF46mUS8NXjgHabxk2MCM">Kelis</a>' "Caught Out There" (1999), <a href="spotify:artist:3nFkdlSjzX9mRTtwJOzDYB">Jay-Z</a>'s "I Just Wanna Love U" (2000), <a href="spotify:artist:26dSoYclwsYLMAKD3tpOr4">Britney Spears</a>' "I'm a Slave 4 U" (2001), <a href="spotify:artist:2gBjLmx6zQnFGQJCAQpRgw">Nelly</a>'s "Hot in Here" (2002), <a href="spotify:artist:2J257euzcjnDLipsyJH3F2">Clipse</a>'s "Grindin'" (2002), and <a href="spotify:artist:31TPClRtHm23RisEBtV3X7">Justin Timberlake</a>'s "Rock Your Body" (2003). The last of that bunch led to a Grammy award in the category of Producer of the Year, Non-Classical. As <a href="spotify:artist:0KuF7reCTOZwV7YJnHQqgr">the Neptunes</a> continued to take on commissioned work, Williams' voice became increasingly familiar. He was now more likely to provide the chorus and the background vocals of the same song, in addition to appearing in the accompanying video. Meanwhile, Williams, Hugo, and Shay Haley instituted <a href="spotify:artist:5wPoxI5si3eJsYYwyXV4Wi">N.E.R.D.</a>, an outlet for hybrids of rock, rap, soul, and funk that didn't conform with any particular radio format. In Search Of..., the debut <a href="spotify:artist:5wPoxI5si3eJsYYwyXV4Wi">N.E.R.D.</a> album, was originally released in Europe in 2001, but when it arrived in the U.S. the following year, much of its electronic components had been replaced with live instrumentation, affirming Williams' and Hugo's desire to evade creative restrictions. Although In Search Of... wasn't met with the same level of success as most of the synchronous <a href="spotify:artist:0KuF7reCTOZwV7YJnHQqgr">Neptunes</a> productions, the album enabled Williams to extend his reach as a frontperson, and cleared a path to his first solo single in 2003. Produced with Hugo and featuring <a href="spotify:artist:3nFkdlSjzX9mRTtwJOzDYB">Jay-Z</a>, "Frontin'" built anticipation for The Neptunes Present...Clones, a compilation of all-new tracks from artists produced by Williams and Hugo, released on their <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Interscope%22">Interscope</a>-affiliated <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Star+Trak%22">Star Trak</a> label. The track sent the parent album to the top of the Billboard 200 and eventually reached number five on the Hot 100, thus maintaining the duo's momentum up to the release of <a href="spotify:artist:5wPoxI5si3eJsYYwyXV4Wi">N.E.R.D.</a>'s second album, Fly or Die, in 2004. <a href="spotify:artist:0KuF7reCTOZwV7YJnHQqgr">Neptunes</a>' highlights across the remainder of that year and throughout 2005 included <a href="spotify:artist:7hJcb9fa4alzcOq3EaNPoG">Snoop Dogg</a>'s "Drop It Like It's Hot" and <a href="spotify:artist:4yiQZ8tQPux8cPriYMWUFP">Gwen Stefani</a>'s "Hollaback Girl," both of which topped the Hot 100. After a number of delays, Williams' first solo album, In My Mind, arrived in 2006. Produced by Williams alone, it featured appearances from several of his previous collaborators and debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 chart. Williams didn't release another solo album for eight years, but his name, as well as that of <a href="spotify:artist:0KuF7reCTOZwV7YJnHQqgr">the Neptunes</a>, continued to be of high value. Successful collaborations with the likes of <a href="spotify:artist:4iHNK0tOyZPYnBU7nGAgpQ">Mariah Carey</a> ("Say Somethin'"), <a href="spotify:artist:6vWDO969PvNqNYHIOW5v0m">Beyoncé</a> ("Green Light"), <a href="spotify:artist:3nFkdlSjzX9mRTtwJOzDYB">Jay-Z</a> ("I Know"), <a href="spotify:artist:2auiVi8sUZo17dLy1HwrTU">Solange</a> ("I Decided"), and <a href="spotify:artist:6tbjWDEIzxoDsBA1FuhfPW">Madonna</a> ("Give It 2 Me") continued through the latter half of the 2000s. There was a handful of Grammy nominations, as well as a win for <a href="spotify:artist:3ipn9JLAPI5GUEo4y4jcoi">Ludacris</a>' "Money Maker," which took the Best Rap Song award for 2006.<a href="spotify:artist:5wPoxI5si3eJsYYwyXV4Wi"> N.E.R.D.</a> remained an occasional diversion with 2008's Seeing Sounds in 2010's Nothing, the latter released the same year as the animated comedy Despicable Me, for which Williams provided soundtrack material and co-composed the score. During 2011 and 2012, Williams produced material for dozens of projects, most notably <a href="spotify:artist:2YZyLoL8N0Wb9xBt1NhZWg">Kendrick Lamar</a>'s Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City and <a href="spotify:artist:2h93pZq0e7k5yf4dywlkpM">Frank Ocean</a>'s Channel Orange, two of the era's landmark albums. The roll continued through 2013 and 2014. "Blurred Lines," a number one pop hit for <a href="spotify:artist:0ZrpamOxcZybMHGg1AYtHP">Robin Thicke</a>, involved Williams as producer, co-songwriter, and featured artist. Williams co-wrote and fronted "Get Lucky" and "Lose Yourself to Dance," two songs from <a href="spotify:artist:4tZwfgrHOc3mvqYlEYSvVi">Daft Punk</a>'s chart-topping Random Access Memories. The soundtrack for Despicable Me 2 contained several Williams songs, led by the worldwide smash hit "Happy," a ubiquitous soul-pop throwback for which Williams conceived a 24-hour music video. When the nominees for the 2013 Grammy Awards were announced, Williams' name appeared in seven categories. At the ceremony the following January, "Get Lucky" won Record of the Year and Random Access Memories won Album of the Year. Williams also took the award for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical. Two months later, signed as a solo artist to <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Columbia%22">Columbia</a>, home of <a href="spotify:artist:4tZwfgrHOc3mvqYlEYSvVi">Daft Punk</a>, Williams released his second album, G I R L. It reached number two on the Billboard 200, by which time "Happy" had achieved yet more success, becoming one of the top-selling digital singles of all time with sales of more than five million. In addition, Williams continued hit-making as a featured artist and producer with singles such as <a href="spotify:artist:1RyvyyTE3xzB2ZywiAwp0i">Future</a>'s "Move That Dope," <a href="spotify:artist:3DiDSECUqqY1AuBP8qtaIa">Alicia Keys</a>' "It's On Again," and <a href="spotify:artist:6eUKZXaKkcviH0Ku9w2n3V">Ed Sheeran</a>'s "Sing," and he joined the television singing competition The Voice as a judge. Williams was as busy and relevant as ever during the latter half of the 2010s. Among his biggest hits during this period were <a href="spotify:artist:2YZyLoL8N0Wb9xBt1NhZWg">Kendrick Lamar</a>'s Grammy-winning "Alright," <a href="spotify:artist:2wIVse2owClT7go1WT98tk">Missy Elliott</a>'s Top Ten R&B/hip-hop return "WTF (Where They From)," and <a href="spotify:artist:4nDoRrQiYLoBzwC5BhVJzF">Camila Cabello</a>'s number one pop hit "Havana." He also contributed to high-profile albums by <a href="spotify:artist:3DiDSECUqqY1AuBP8qtaIa">Alicia Keys</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2h93pZq0e7k5yf4dywlkpM">Frank Ocean</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3CygdxquGHurS7f9LjNLkv">Little Big Town</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7CajNmpbOovFoOoasH2HaY">Calvin Harris</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7tYKF4w9nC0nq9CsPZTHyP">SZA</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6ueGR6SWhUJfvEhqkvMsVs">Janelle Monáe</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:31TPClRtHm23RisEBtV3X7">Justin Timberlake</a>, as well as <a href="spotify:artist:6vWDO969PvNqNYHIOW5v0m">Beyoncé</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3nFkdlSjzX9mRTtwJOzDYB">Jay-Z</a>'s duo recording as <a href="spotify:artist:4fpTMHe34LC5t3h5ztK8qu">the Carters</a>. Williams' Hollywood connections concurrently deepened with musical contributions to The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Paddington, and SpongeBob Squarepants: Sponge Out of Water, the last of which featured new <a href="spotify:artist:5wPoxI5si3eJsYYwyXV4Wi">N.E.R.D.</a> material. For Hidden Figures, Williams not only contributed original music for the soundtrack and Golden Globe-nominated score but co-produced the film, itself an Academy Awards nominee for 2016's Best Picture. In 2017, Williams reunited with the Despicable Me team for the third installment in the series, and made a full return with Hugo and Haley as <a href="spotify:artist:5wPoxI5si3eJsYYwyXV4Wi">N.E.R.D.</a>, who scored their first Top 40 pop hit with the rowdy <a href="spotify:artist:5pKCCKE2ajJHZ9KAiaK11H">Rihanna</a> collaboration "Lemon" and released their fifth album, NO ONE EVER REALLY DIES. He continued to work actively with other artists, writing and producing <a href="spotify:artist:6oMuImdp5ZcFhWP0ESe6mG">Migos</a>' 2018 hit "Stir Fry" and working again with <a href="spotify:artist:4fpTMHe34LC5t3h5ztK8qu">the Carters</a> on their single "Apeshit." Williams landed his own hit that same year with "Sangria Wine," a collaboration with <a href="spotify:artist:4nDoRrQiYLoBzwC5BhVJzF">Camila Cabello</a>. In June 2019, he contributed the track "Letter to My Godfather" to the Clarence Avant documentary The Black Godfather. Another soundtrack song, "Just a Cloud Away," arrived in 2022 as part of Despicable Me 2, after which Williams hit number 26 on the Hot 100 with "Cash In Cash Out," featuring <a href="spotify:artist:4V8LLVI7PbaPR0K2TGSxFF">Tyler, The Creator</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:1URnnhqYAYcrqrcwql10ft">21 Savage</a>. He finished out the year with a second Hot 100 single, pairing with <a href="spotify:artist:0Y5tJX1MQlPlqiwlOH1tJY">Travis Scott</a> on "Down in Atlanta." "Airplane Tickets," a collaboration with <a href="spotify:artist:1zNqQNIdeOUZHb8zbZRFMX">Swae Lee</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:1mcTU81TzQhprhouKaTkpq">Rauw Alejandro</a>, arrived in December 2023. ~ Andy Kellman, Rovi

will.i.am

will.i.am

will.i.am has been at the forefront of the contemporary American hip hop movement for more than 20 years. He is known as a rapper, songwriter, producer, actor, and entrepreneur, and globally as a founding member of the critically acclaimed Black Eyed Peas, a group that has found themselves back on the charts after an eight year hiatus. Over the years, will.i.am has experimented with many different musical projects outside of the hip hop arena. On his 2013 album #willpower, he collaborated with an extensive and diverse host of artists, including David Guetta, Swedish House Mafia, Afrojack, Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, Nicole Scherzinger, French Montana, Wiz Khalifa, K-pop group 2NE1, and others. He is also known for his production work on a number of releases for well-regarded artists such as Michael Jackson, U2, Mariah Carey, Justin Timberlake, Fergie, Kelis, John Legend, Lady Gaga, Kesha, Nicki Minaj, and many more. More recently, he has released singles with artists such as Steve Aoki, MC Kevin o Chris, Papatinho, and Pia Mia. will.i.am has been recognized by seven Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, a CLIO Award, the World Economic Forum’s Crystal Award, and an Honorary Fellowship by the Institution of Engineering and Technology. He is also involved in a number of charitable initiatives and world organizations, including the World Economic Forum, and his own i.am Angel Foundation which supports STEAM education programs for disadvantaged youth.

Calvin Harris

Calvin Harris

Calvin Harris feat. Ne-Yo

Jeff Buckley

Jeff Buckley

Since he was the son of cult songwriter <a href="spotify:artist:6zHRqvws8dVeqL8D31ponr">Tim Buckley</a>, Jeff Buckley faced more expectations and preconceived notions than most singer/songwriters. Perhaps it wasn't surprising that Jeff Buckley's music was related to his father's by only the thinnest of margins. Buckley's voice was grand and sweeping, which fit with the mock-operatic grandeur of his <a href="spotify:artist:44NX2ffIYHr6D4n7RaZF7A">Van Morrison</a>-meets-<a href="spotify:artist:36QJpDe2go2KgaRleHCDTp">Led Zeppelin</a> music. His audacious debut, Grace, made him one of the most popular alternative artists of the '90s, accentuated by his early and tragic death in 1997, and his cover of <a href="spotify:artist:5l8VQNuIg0turYE1VtM9zV">Leonard Cohen</a>'s "Hallelujah" virtually redefined the song for a modern audience. Buckley began playing while in high school. Eventually, he moved to Los Angeles to study music; while he was there, he performed with several jazz and funk bands, as well as playing with <a href="spotify:artist:0AcEt9ujUBWQ50cZsaskWo">Shinehead</a>, a leader in the dancehall reggae movement. A few years later, he moved to New York, forming Gods & Monsters with the experimental guitarist <a href="spotify:artist:7pfGmIs49lIUBtoqAtyUEH">Gary Lucas</a>. The band became a hip name, yet its lifespan was short. Buckley began a solo career playing clubs and coffee houses, building up a considerable following. Soon, he signed a record deal with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Columbia+Records%22">Columbia Records</a>, releasing the Live at Sin-e EP in November of 1993. It received good reviews, yet they didn't compare to the raves Buckley's full-length debut, 1994's Grace, received. Unlike the EP, the album was recorded with a full band, which gave the record textures that surprised some of his longtime New York followers. Nevertheless, it made several year-end "Best of 1994" lists and earned him a belated alternative hit, "Last Goodbye," in the spring of 1995. A long hiatus followed as Buckley worked on material for his follow-up effort, provisionally titled My Sweetheart the Drunk. Originally slated to be produced by <a href="spotify:artist:4rxXqaQUe5udkRsGRDDDIY">Tom Verlaine</a>, who later dropped out of the project, Buckley finally began work on the record in Memphis during the late spring of 1997. On the night of May 29, he and a friend traveled to the local Mud Island Harbor, where Buckley spontaneously decided to go swimming in the Mississippi River and waded into the water fully clothed. A few minutes later, he disappeared under the waves; authorities were quickly contacted, but to no avail -- on June 4, his body was finally found floating near the city's famed Beale Street area. Buckley was 30 years old. A collection of unreleased recordings, Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk, appeared in 1998, and two live albums arrived during 2000-2001, Mystery White Boy and Live a l'Olympia. Over the next decade and a half, other posthumous records appeared -- the compilation So Real: Songs from Jeff Buckley in 2007, the live album Grace Around the World in 2009 -- but the biggest excavation from the vaults was 2016's You and I, which presented cover versions the singer/songwriter had recorded early in his career. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

Clairo

Clairo

American indie luminary Clairo has spearheaded new pop conventions and upended them all the same. Her soft rock intimations, interwoven with tendrils of ‘70s soul and lush R&B, have spellbound listeners of all ages, and landed her on the stages of Coachella, the Newport Folk Festival and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Born Claire Cottrill in Atlanta, GA, the artist began self-recording songs and music videos at the age of 13, which amassed a huge fanbase on YouTube. Released in 2017, her lo-fi pop confessional “Pretty Girl” went viral, earning her a joint record deal with Fader Label. Since then, her albums Immunity (2019) and Sling (2021) have traversed the Billboard charts and garnered critical acclaim from Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, the New York Times and more. For each of her full-length projects Clairo collaborated on production with legendary names like Vampire Weekend artist Rostam Batmanglij (Immunity), Jack Antonoff (Sling), and now partners with Leon Michels for her new era. Her soul-baring third studio album, Charm, comes out July 12.

Bleachers

Bleachers

new jersey

Olivia Dean

Olivia Dean

Olivia Dean if you know what I mean

Beyoncé

Beyoncé

About a half-hour into her 2019 concert documentary, <i>HOMECOMING</i>, Beyoncé Knowles says, “When I decided to do Coachella, instead of me pullin’ out my flower crown, it was more important that I brought <i>our culture</i>”—in this case, the homecoming rituals of historically Black colleges and universities in the American South. An incredible show, no doubt. But the real impact lay in realizing how few of the millions of people watching her had probably seen anything like it. Of course, this is what Beyoncé does. Few modern pop artists have worked as hard to put the culture and concerns of Black America in front of a broader audience, whether it’s civil rights (“Formation”), Black feminism (“***Flawless,” “Irreplaceable”), the collective pride of HBCU culture (<i>HOMECOMING</i>), or the liberations of disco and house music (<i>RENAISSANCE</i>). Entertainment, yes—but also a kind of ambassadorship. Born in 1981 and raised in Houston, she started singing and dancing as a child. (One teacher, Darlette Johnson, discovered she could sing when she started humming a song and Knowles finished it—a performance the shy Knowles wouldn’t reproduce until Johnson offered her a dollar.) In 1990, she joined Girl’s Tyme, which evolved into Destiny’s Child. Under the management of Knowles’ father, Mathew, they became one of the biggest forces in pop, blending the familiar comforts of the all-girl vocal group with notions of female empowerment, sisterhood, and a refreshingly contemporary mix of pop, R&B, and hip-hop (“Bills, Bills, Bills,” “Say My Name,” “Survivor,” “Soldier”). Her first solo feature was on a track by her future husband, JAY-Z (“’03 Bonnie & Clyde”), marking the beginning of a fertile partnership and a point of enduring public fascination. (The song was also helmed by a rising Chicago producer named Kanye West, who flipped a 2Pac sample—“Me and My Girlfriend”—into a desperado set piece.) From there, Knowles has been more or less unstoppable. As her fame has grown, her sound and approach have only gotten bolder, spawning intimate, relatively experimental albums like <i>BEYONCÉ</i> and <i>Lemonade</i> alongside celebrations like the JAY-Z collaboration <i>EVERYTHING IS LOVE</i> (credited to THE CARTERS) and 2022’s <i>RENAISSANCE</i>, which celebrated the liberated sound of queer disco and house. It isn’t just the music—which has crisscrossed from dancehall to soul ballads to New Orleans bounce to the chopped-and-screwed sound of her native Houston—but also the figure she cuts in the culture. Here’s a woman who sang at a presidential inauguration (2009, the Obamas, Etta James’ “At Last”), revealed her pregnancy in front of an audience of millions (2011, the MTV Video Music Awards, “Love on Top”), and joined ranks with Black Lives Matter (“Formation”) and feminism (“***Flawless”) when her high-profile status had all but exempted her; who name-checked figures like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Audre Lorde, and Cornel West for people who might otherwise not have encountered them. In 2017, she spoke on behalf of transgender rights, and later that year she gave former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick the Sports Illustrated Muhammad Ali Legacy Award, cementing her role as both pop star and public figure. “It was important to me that everyone that had never seen themselves represented felt like they were on that stage with us,” she said in <i>HOMECOMING</i>. “As a Black woman, I used to feel like the world wanted me to stay in my little box. And Black women often feel underestimated,” she explained in the movie. “I wanted everyone to feel thankful for their curves, their sass, their honesty—thankful for their freedom.”

Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran

Idiosyncratic pop singer Ed Sheeran borrows from any style that crosses his path, molding genres to fit a musical character all his own that's charming, personable, and popular on a global scale. Elements of folk, hip-hop, pop, dance, soul, and rock can be heard in his big hits "The A Team," "Sing," "Thinking Out Loud," and "Shape of You" -- which gives him a broad appeal among different demographics. It also helped elevate him to international acclaim not long after the release of his 2011 debut LP, +, and took 2014's x and 2017's ÷ to the top of both the U.K. albums chart and the Billboard 200. Sheeran maintained his stardom with savvy collaborations -- his 2019 album No. 6 Collaborations Project featured an eclectic roster including <a href="spotify:artist:6LuN9FCkKOj5PcnpouEgny">Khalid</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4nDoRrQiYLoBzwC5BhVJzF">Camila Cabello</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4kYSro6naA4h99UJvo89HB">Cardi B</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1uNFoZAHBGtllmzznpCI3s">Justin Bieber</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4YLtscXsxbVgi031ovDDdh">Chris Stapleton</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:0du5cEVh5yTK9QJze8zA0C">Bruno Mars</a> -- and by continuing to write candidly about his life: his 2021 album = was filled with songs about being a new father. Sheeran's musical explorations continued on -, a 2023 album that featured several tracks co-written and co-produced by <a href="spotify:artist:2hSyEBc9TBb9j38FOCdkIf">Aaron Dessner</a> of <a href="spotify:artist:2cCUtGK9sDU2EoElnk0GNB">the National</a>, and its swiftly released companion Autumn Variations. When Ed Sheeran released +, he had just turned 20. He had been playing music since he was a child in Framlingham, Suffolk -- he was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire but his family moved when he was young -- enthralled by the classic rock he heard around the house. Sheeran started writing music in his early teens, recording a self-made album called Spinning Man when he was 13 in 2004. In addition to making music at home -- he put out an EP titled The Orange Room in 2005 -- he'd busk on the streets and play whatever stage he could find. When he was 16, he dropped out of school and moved to London so he could make a go of a professional career, landing work as a guitar tech for Nizlopi, gigging whenever he could, and auditioning unsuccessfully for the ITV series Britannia High. The self-released EP You Need Me arrived in 2009 -- it followed 2006's eponymous EP and 2007's Want Some? -- but his momentum started to build in 2010 thanks to the EPs Loose Change and Songs I Wrote with Amy and, especially, performance videos he posted to YouTube. Sheeran started to generate considerable buzz -- <a href="spotify:artist:7LnaAXbDVIL75IVPnndf7w">Jamie Foxx</a> invited him to appear on his Sirius/XM radio show -- and he landed a deal with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Asylum+Records%22">Asylum Records</a> in late 2010. After a final independent EP, No. 5 Collaborations, arrived in January 2011, he signed a contract with <a href="spotify:artist:3PhoLpVuITZKcymswpck5b">Elton John</a>'s management team. All of this laid the groundwork for a busy 2011. Sheeran entered the studio with <a href="spotify:artist:20twLKFb2Nhd8duUH0k2DJ">Jake Gosling</a> to record his major-label debut. Its first single, "The A Team," arrived in June 2011, entering the charts at number three. August brought "You Need Me, I Don't Need You," setting the stage for the September release of +. Assisted by the success of November's single "Lego House," the record became a huge hit in the U.K., a fact underscored by his win of British Breakthrough in the 2012 Brit Awards. Sheeran's success soon spread to Australia, Europe, Canada, and then the United States. He received a boost in the U.S. by opening for <a href="spotify:artist:3rIZMv9rysU7JkLzEaC5Jp">Snow Patrol</a> in 2012, but that paled in comparison to the exposure he received opening for <a href="spotify:artist:06HL4z0CvFAxyc27GXpf02">Taylor Swift</a> on her Red tour in 2013. His endorsement from <a href="spotify:artist:06HL4z0CvFAxyc27GXpf02">Swift</a>, combined with his landing of the closing credits song "I See Fire" for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, set Sheeran up for an eventful 2014. Along with reuniting with <a href="spotify:artist:20twLKFb2Nhd8duUH0k2DJ">Jake Gosling</a>, Sheeran worked with <a href="spotify:artist:1EpmQFTiJbcxzwbLpuUL8L">Rick Rubin</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2RdwBSPQiwcmiDo9kixcl8">Pharrell</a> for X, the sophomore set that arrived in June 2014. X debuted at number one on both sides of the Atlantic and generated the huge hits "Thinking Out Loud" and "Sing," success that helped Sheeran secure a win for Album of the Year in the 2015 Brit Awards, along with the trophy for Best Male Solo Artist. His success wasn't limited to Britain. X was the second biggest-selling album in the world in 2015, coming in behind <a href="spotify:artist:4dpARuHxo51G3z768sgnrY">Adele</a>'s 25, and "Thinking Out Loud" took home the Grammys for Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance in 2016. Sheeran spent the majority of 2016 recuperating and recording his third album with executive producer <a href="spotify:artist:5CiGnKThu5ctn9pBxv7DGa">Benny Blanco</a>. Early in 2017, he released two singles, "Castle on the Hill" and "Shape of You," with the latter reaching number one on the charts throughout the world. Their parent album, ÷, appeared in March. ÷ topped the pop charts in over 20 territories, including the U.K. and U.S., and it generated another international hit in "Galway Girl." Ed Sheeran's massive popularity was confirmed in June 2017, when he was awarded an MBE on the occasion of the Queen's Birthday Honours. Over the next year, Sheeran stayed busy touring. He also picked up several more accolades including winning the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album for ÷ and Best Pop Solo Performance for "Shape of You." In 2019, he paired with <a href="spotify:artist:1uNFoZAHBGtllmzznpCI3s">Justin Bieber</a> for the single "I Don't Care." It was the first of a series of duets which Sheeran collected on No. 6 Collaborations Project. The album appeared on July 12, 2019 and topped numerous charts just a few weeks after the release of Yesterday, a Danny Boyle film set in an alternate world where <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">the Beatles</a> never existed that featured Sheeran in a pivotal role. No. 6 Collaborations Project went on to be nominated for a Grammy in the Best Pop Vocal Album category. In December 2020, Sheeran offered up the acoustic non-album single, "Afterglow" as a Christmas gift to his fans. Sheeran returned with "Bad Habits" in June 2021; the single topped the charts in nearly every country, save the U.S., where it peaked at two. The track was the first single from his fifth album, =. Arriving in October 2021, the record found Sheeran grappling with fatherhood and featured songwriting collaborations from <a href="spotify:artist:4bUqnkrDrb4f7rqmDR9yDu">Foy Vance</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7bhMBjjQhgPX0q9S4Ajncn">Ben Kweller</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:32opPqLCT3sF24Aso7wTXw">Natalie Hemby</a>, among others. It continued Sheeran's streak of number one albums in the U.K. and was equally successful internationally. That December, he joined <a href="spotify:artist:3PhoLpVuITZKcymswpck5b">Elton John</a> for the holiday song "Merry Christmas," which topped the U.K. singles chart and Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. The single was also included on a Christmas edition of =, as well as <a href="spotify:artist:3PhoLpVuITZKcymswpck5b">John</a>'s The Lockdown Sessions. Sheeran then collaborated with Colombian singer <a href="spotify:artist:1vyhD5VmyZ7KMfW5gqLgo5">J Balvin</a> on 2021's "Sigue" and 2022's "Forever My Love." Also in 2022, he scored a Top Ten U.K. hit with the Pokémon-related "Celestial" before kicking off 2023 with "F64," a heartfelt tribute to the late British music entrepreneur Jamal Edwards. Sheeran launched the cycle for his fifth album in early 2023 with the release of the singles "Eyes Closed" and "Boat." Both songs were included on -, a record that featured several collaborations with <a href="spotify:artist:2hSyEBc9TBb9j38FOCdkIf">Aaron Dessner</a> of <a href="spotify:artist:2cCUtGK9sDU2EoElnk0GNB">the National</a>, along with work by <a href="spotify:artist:1rjeVTt9Ra1ldvN7SpeK0G">Max Martin</a>, Shellback, and <a href="spotify:artist:4bUqnkrDrb4f7rqmDR9yDu">Foy Vance</a>. Four months after - debuted at number one in the U.K. and number two in the U.S., Sheeran released Autumn Variations, an album recorded with <a href="spotify:artist:2hSyEBc9TBb9j38FOCdkIf">Dessner</a> as producer. - earned a Best Pop Vocal Album nomination at the 66th Grammy Awards. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

Hozier

Hozier

In September 2013, when Irish solo artist Andrew Hozier-Byrne released his debut single - a song called ‘Take Me To Church’ - which he had mostly recorded in the attic of his parent’s house in Wicklow (his father a blues musician, his mother an artist), little did he know about the hurricane-strength surge in public interest that the song would spark, carrying him to international stardom. 10 years and billions of streams later, Hozier still calls Wicklow home. While his music takes him all over the world, it is Ireland, its people and places, the weather and landscape that calls him back to where he feels he naturally belongs. The much anticipated follow up to Hozier’s debut album, ‘Wasteland, Baby!’ was released to massive critical acclaim in 2019, entering the Billboard Top 200 Chart at #1. 2023 was a big year for Hozier, as his debut single Take Me To Church was the 30th song ever to reach 1 billion streams. He released his third album ‘Unreal Unearth’, which charted #1 in the UK, Ireland, and Top 5 in the US, Netherlands, Germany & New Zealand. The last decade has brought both public and critical acclaim. Multi-platinum album sales, number one records, multiple awards including a Grammy-nomination, film and video game soundtracks and countless sold-out live shows all over the world. But as Hozier prepares for 2024, his passion for his art is undimmed, and his curiosity about our world - and all that is good and bad about it - remains undiminished.

Jess Glynne

Jess Glynne

Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Jess Glynne made her early-2010s breakthrough in the UK as the voice of chart-topping tracks "My Love" with Route 94 and "Rather Be" with Clean Bandit. Born and raised in North London, Glynne first signed to Atlantic Records in 2013. From there, she contributed vocals to a number of key tracks including Route 94&#39;s "My Love" which topped the charts in the UK before finding the ears of Clean Bandit, who recruited Glynne for 2014&#39;s "Rather Be" which became a global smash and took home a Grammy for Best Dance Recording. Following further hits "Right Here" (with Gorgon City), "Real Love" (with Clean Bandit) and "Not Letting Go"(with Tinie Tempah), Jess&#39; debut album I Cry When I Laugh followed in August 2015. Buoyed by her success on the singles charts, I Cry When I Laugh debuted at number one on the UK albums chart. The album led to an extensive touring schedule, which wrapped up in late 2016, only for Glynne to dive back into the studio at the start of 2017. After weeks spent writing in LA, she retreated to the countryside for additional recording sessions alongside a team of her closest collaborators. She wrote the majority of the record during that time, including the singles "These Days" with Rudimental, Macklemore & Dan Caplen and "I&#39;ll Be There" which became her seventh number one. The album, Always in Between arrived in October 2018 and topped the UK charts. She then paired with Jax Jones for the single "One Touch" in May of 2019.

Daniel Seavey

Daniel Seavey

"the older you get" out now 🤍

Gigi Perez

Gigi Perez

sims 2 emo lesbian love story but in the medium of music

Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse was one of the U.K.'s flagship vocalists during the 2000s. While the British press and tabloids seemed to focus on her rowdy behavior and tragic end, fans and critics alike embraced her rugged charm, brash sense of humor, and distinctively soulful and jazzy vocals. Her platinum-selling, Mercury Prize-nominated album Frank (2003) elicited comparisons ranging from <a href="spotify:artist:1YzCsTRb22dQkh9lghPIrp">Billie Holiday</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:1bgyxtWjZwA5PQlDsvs9b8">Sarah Vaughan</a> to <a href="spotify:artist:4ylR3zwA0zaapAu94fktwa">Macy Gray</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2Mu5NfyYm8n5iTomuKAEHl">Lauryn Hill</a>, introducing her unmistakable voice and deeply personal songwriting to the masses. However, it wasn't until 2006 that Winehouse truly landed on the global stage with her sophomore full-length, Back to Black. Teamed with producer <a href="spotify:artist:3hv9jJF3adDNsBSIQDqcjp">Mark Ronson</a>, she crafted a nostalgic, throwback sound heard on hit singles "Rehab" and "You Know I'm No Good." One of the best-selling albums in U.K. history, the set earned Winehouse a record-making five Grammy Awards in 2008. The album would be her last; she passed away in London on July 23, 2011, at the age of 27. Born to a taxi-driving father and a pharmacist mother, Winehouse grew up in the Southgate area of northern London. Her upbringing was filled with jazz. Many of the uncles on her mother's side were professional jazz musicians, and her paternal grandmother was romantically involved with British jazz legend <a href="spotify:artist:2vsL5bsgAVKdkb0wHeSy0x">Ronnie Scott</a> at one time. At home, she listened to and absorbed her parents' selection of greats: <a href="spotify:artist:32LHRiof0sa4taYew9i3Fa">Dinah Washington</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5V0MlUE1Bft0mbLlND7FJz">Ella Fitzgerald</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:1Mxqyy3pSjf8kZZL4QVxS0">Frank Sinatra</a>, among others. However, in her teens, she was drawn to the rebellious spirit of <a href="spotify:artist:0TImkz4nPqjegtVSMZnMRq">TLC</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7wqtxqI3eo7Gn1P7SpP6cQ">Salt-N-Pepa</a>, and other American R&B and hip-hop acts of the time. At the age of 16, after she had been expelled from London's Sylvia Young Theatre School, she caught her first break when pop singer <a href="spotify:artist:5OfPn2V9E04qhNiYHNvMJe">Tyler James</a>, a schoolmate and close friend, passed on her demo tape to his A&R representative, who was searching for a jazz vocalist. That opportunity led to her recording contract with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Island+Records%22">Island Records</a>. By the end of 2003, when she was 20 years old, <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Island%22">Island</a> had released her debut album, Frank. With contributions from hip-hop producer/keyboardist <a href="spotify:artist:0rlS0SzVFk8BoiAW0fGBbN">Salaam Remi</a>, Winehouse's amalgam of jazz, pop, soul, and hip-hop received rave reviews. The album was nominated for the 2004 Mercury Music Prize as well as two Brit Awards, and its lead single, "Stronger Than Me," won an Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song. Following Winehouse's debut, the accolades and inquiring interviews appeared concurrently in the press with her tempestuous public life. Several times she showed up to her club or TV performances too drunk to sing an entire set. In 2006, her management company finally suggested that she enter rehab for alcohol abuse, but instead, she dumped the company and transcribed the ordeal into the U.K. Top Ten hit "Rehab," the lead single for her second, critically acclaimed album, Back to Black. With evocative productions from <a href="spotify:artist:0rlS0SzVFk8BoiAW0fGBbN">Salaam Remi</a> and British DJ/multi-instrumentalist <a href="spotify:artist:3hv9jJF3adDNsBSIQDqcjp">Mark Ronson</a>, the album somewhat abandoned jazz, delving into the sounds of '50s/'60s-era girl group harmonies, rock & roll, and soul. The fanfare over the release was so great that it started to spill over onto U.S. shores; several rappers and DJs made their own remixes of various songs, not to mention covers by <a href="spotify:artist:5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j">Prince</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:7Ln80lUS6He07XvHI8qqHH">the Arctic Monkeys</a>. One month after Winehouse won Best Female Artist at the Brit Awards in February 2007, <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Universal%22">Universal</a> released Back to Black in the U.S. The LP charted higher than any other American debut by a British female recording artist before it, and it remained in the Top Ten for several months, selling a million copies by the end of that summer. Just as in the U.K., she became the talk of the town, landing on the covers of Rolling Stone and Spin magazines. Not long afterward, though, Winehouse canceled her North American tour. Early reports revealed that she was entering rehab for addiction, but her new management denied the claims, stating it was due to severe exhaustion. Her erratic behavior kept her and her new husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, in the tabloids constantly, on and off stages on both sides of the Atlantic, but in late 2007, American fans were finally given a chance to hear Winehouse's early work, with a slightly abbreviated (two songs removed and one added) version of Frank. Unfortunately, the next four years were filled with drama, disappointment, and very little music. By 2009, her marriage had ended in divorce, she had repeatedly been arrested on assault charges and/or public order offenses, and her struggles with substance abuse and mental health issues were tragically played out in the press. Public performances turned into incoherent disasters, the worst of them posted to video-sharing sites for all to see. A track on the <a href="spotify:artist:3rxIQc9kWT6Ueg4BhnOwRK">Quincy Jones</a> tribute Q: Soul Bossa Nostra appeared in 2010, while a duet with <a href="spotify:artist:2lolQgalUvZDfp5vvVtTYV">Tony Bennett</a> was announced in early 2011, but a planned follow-up to Back to Black would never make it past the demo stage. Winehouse was found dead in her Camden, London apartment on July 23, 2011. The coroner's report, delivered three months later, revealed that her blood alcohol content had reached a potentially fatal level. Nearly two months after her death, Winehouse's first posthumous appearance was released on <a href="spotify:artist:2lolQgalUvZDfp5vvVtTYV">Tony Bennett</a>'s Duets II, where she sang with him on "Body and Soul." Near the end of 2011, her family's foundation announced the release of Lioness: Hidden Treasures, a posthumous compilation featuring recordings from throughout her career (although a few of the arrangements were recorded after her death). A year after Lioness came At the BBC, a deluxe CD/DVD set -- available both as a four-disc box and a smaller two-disc compilation -- rounding up all of her live performances for the British Broadcasting Company. In the summer of 2015, Amy, a documentary by director Asif Kapadia, told her story through photographs, archival footage (in the studio and out), and music. Much of this material had not been available previously. It also contained interviews with friends, family, musical collaborators, and the late singer. That October, a soundtrack was issued that alternated previously released and unreleased Winehouse material with pieces from the film's score. In 2021, another posthumous collection was released as a Record Store Day vinyl exclusive. Remixes collected rare cuts from throughout her career, including takes by <a href="spotify:artist:37uLId6Z5ZXCx19vuruvv5">Hot Chip</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:49GY4uPAwdlk5lSGtfKWYl">MJ Cole</a>, as well as guest verses by the likes of <a href="spotify:artist:3nFkdlSjzX9mRTtwJOzDYB">Jay-Z</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6FD0unjzGQhX3b6eMccMJe">Ghostface Killah</a>. ~ Cyril Cordor & Neil Z. Yeung, Rovi

Jack Stauber

Jack Stauber

Jack Stauber

girl in red

girl in red

i’m marie and i’m a one girl band making tunes ;)

Olly Murs

Olly Murs

Going on tour... 2025

Laufey

Paramore

Paramore

When Paramore revealed they were recording together in January 2022 the response from music fans around the world was immediate and celebratory. In the time since the Grammy-winning, RIAA-certified multi-Platinum band released their last album, After Laughter - and Hayley Williams unveiled two lauded solo albums - Paramore have become more popular than ever. Over the last few years Paramore’s influence and popularity has snowballed, as the age of streaming organically propelled them into a position as one of the world’s biggest, most culturally compelling rock bands. For the band, who formed as teenagers in Tennessee, their 20 year trajectory has seen them grow from youthful outsiders to bonafide pop culture icons, permeating the musical landscape by inspiring a new generation of musical talent.

Damiano David

Damiano David

Damiano David is an acclaimed Italian singer-songwriter, where his journey from the streets of Rome to international stardom and establishing himself as a powerhouse in the global music scene, is nothing short of extraordinary. Praised for his charismatic stage presence and powerful vocals, Damiano received global recognition and critical acclaim as the lead vocalist of Måneskin, the first Italian band to break worldwide.

Sam Smith

Sam Smith

Multi-Platinum,  GRAMMY®, BRIT, Golden Globe  and  Academy Award winning artist Sam Smith is one of the most celebrated musical artists to emerge in recent history. Their most recent album, <a href="spotify:album:3Uq1jNGnD412ZvCb6j2DKV" data-name="Gloria">Gloria</a> is Sam’s 4th studio and 3rd #1 album, building on the success of critically acclaimed 2020 predecessor, <a href="spotify:album:5XCBX16KNYsAe7V5hQV9mC" data-name="Love Goes">Love Goes</a>. Their multi-platinum debut <a href="spotify:album:08jWgM4vSkTose4blKBWov" data-name="In The Lonely Hour">In The Lonely Hour</a> became the biggest selling debut album of the decade, holding the most number of weeks in the top spot during 2010s. Three years later and following the success of their James Bond theme <a href="spotify:album:50bQvrNAFsAaIbqCcfD7FT" data-name="Writing&#39;s On The Wall">Writing&#39;s On The Wall</a>, Sam released their second project <a href="spotify:album:3y4eXWur67Kae82MkTynXp" data-name="The Thrill Of It All">The Thrill Of It All</a>, debuting at #1 on the UK Charts and US Billboard 200, marked a milestone as Sam’s first US #1 album. Most recently Sam gained global virality for the GRAMMY award winning single <a href="spotify:track:3nqQXoyQOWXiESFLlDF1hG" data-name="Unholy (feat. Kim Petras)">Unholy (feat. Kim Petras)</a>, their 8th UK #1 single and 1st Billboard Hot 100 #1, making history with collaborator Kim Petras as the first non-binary and transgender artists to land on the top spot. Furthering the song&#39;s legendary status, Unholy became one of a handful of British singles to achieve a BRIT Billion streaming status. Sam has enjoyed over 47 million album sales, 374 million single sales and 78 billion career streams. They have achieved 5 Grammys, 3 Brits, a Golden Globe, an Oscar, 3 UK #1 Albums, 8 UK #1 Singles, 21 Billboard 100 Hits.

Bruno Mars

Bruno Mars

15x time GRAMMY Award winner Bruno Mars is one of the best-selling artists of all time. DOO-WOPS & HOOLIGANS marked the landmark debut of a remarkable new artist. The album – which peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200 – has gone on to achieve global album equivalent sales of 15.5 million. Now boasting more than 7.8 billion total streams, DOO-WOPS & HOOLIGANS is certified RIAA 6X platinum, the longest-charting debut album on Top 200 and #4 longest-running of all time. His most recent album, the critically acclaimed, 3x platinum-certified 24K MAGIC, made an impressive debut atop Billboard’s “Top Digital Albums” and “Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums” charts upon its 2016 arrival. The album includes the 7x platinum-certified, #1 single, “That’s What I Like” – Mars’ seventh “Hot 100” chart-topper and first-ever #1 on the “Hot R&B Songs” chart, affirming him as one of the few artists to have written and produced each of his #1 hits as well as to have a #1 song on the “Hot 100” from each of his first three studio albums. Among his truly countless accolades, Mars is a 4x Guinness World Record holder, with his milestone 2015 NFL Super Bowl Halftime Show drawing a record-breaking total viewership of over 115.3 million. Mars also holds the world record as the “First Male Artist to Achieve Three 10 Million Selling Singles”, while 2016’s 2x GRAMMY® Award-winning, worldwide #1 collaboration with Mark Ronson, “Uptown Funk,” made history for the “Most Weeks at #1 on the U.S. Digital Song Sales” chart.

Yungblud

Yungblud

Emerging from the gritty north of England, YUNGBLUD brings an explosion of raw energy and thought-provoking lyrics. He has created his own blend of alternative rock: poetry, guitar-hooks and break-beats with a fierce determination to make a dent in pop-culture. Dangerously sexy, startlingly bold yet emotionally grounded YUNGBLUD drops a grenade on his audience members imprinting himself in their minds.

Olivia Rodrigo

Artist

Shawn Mendes

Artist

Teddy Swims

Artist

Adele

Artist

Bad Bunny

Artist

Billie Eilish

Artist

twenty one pilots

twenty one pilots

Chase Atlantic

Chase Atlantic

CHASEATLANTIC.COM

Snow Patrol

Snow Patrol

Northern Irish alt-rock outfit Snow Patrol broke into the mainstream with their 2003 major-label debut Final Straw, followed up with the multi-platinum success of 2006&#39;s Eyes Open, which featured the international hit single "Chasing Cars," and continued with two more multi-platinum records, A Hundred Million Suns (2008) and Fallen Empires (2011). After a six-year hiatus, the band returned with the UK Top Ten album Wildness in 2018. Now comprising the trio of Nathan Connolly, Gary Lightbody, and Johnny McDaid, the band have emerged from the process of writing and recording their extraordinary new album, The Forest is the Path (September 13th 2024), perhaps a little battered, but maybe, just maybe, a little wiser and certainly more humble from the experience.

Maroon 5

Maroon 5

Maroon 5--and, specifically, its frontman <a href="spotify:artist:4bYPcJP5jwMhSivRcqie2n">Adam Levine</a>--became the face of blue-eyed soul in the 21st Century, managing to navigate shifting trends in music and fashion to be one of the biggest pop bands of their generation. The band took the long way to the top, evolving from the straight-ahead 1990s rock band <a href="spotify:artist:75qhTKV9Lo4yobMuQgSFse">Kara's Flowers</a> into the sleek, soulful Maroon 5 with 2002's Songs About Jane, an album that languished for two years until "This Love" climbed to number five on Billboard's Hot 100 in 2004. From that point forward, the group was a fixture at the top of the charts, their popularity receiving a considerable and enduring boost when <a href="spotify:artist:4bYPcJP5jwMhSivRcqie2n">Levine</a> was cast as a judge on NBC's televised talent competition The Voice in 2011. That year, their <a href="spotify:artist:1l7ZsJRRS8wlW3WfJfPfNS">Christina Aguilera</a> duet "Moves Like Jagger" gave Maroon 5 their second number one--"Makes Me Wonder" went to the top in 2007--and kicked off a string of Top Ten hits highlighted by the number ones "One More Night" and "Girls Like You," a run that helped secure the band a headlining Super Bowl gig in 2019. "Girls Like You" featured an appearance by <a href="spotify:artist:4kYSro6naA4h99UJvo89HB">Cardi B</a>, a sign of how Maroon 5 kept current by embracing modern R&B and hip-hop. The band followed this blueprint by enlisting <a href="spotify:artist:181bsRPaVXVlUKXrxwZfHK">Megan Thee Stallion</a> for "Beautiful Mistakes," a lead single from 2021's Jordi. Prior to Maroon 5, bandmates <a href="spotify:artist:4bYPcJP5jwMhSivRcqie2n">Adam Levine</a> (vocals/guitar), Jesse Carmichael (keyboards), Mickey Madden (bass), and Ryan Dusick (drums) had spent the latter half of the '90s playing in <a href="spotify:artist:75qhTKV9Lo4yobMuQgSFse">Kara's Flowers</a>, even releasing a debut album for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Reprise+Records%22">Reprise Records</a> while still attending high school. The record tanked, however, and <a href="spotify:artist:75qhTKV9Lo4yobMuQgSFse">Kara's Flowers</a> found themselves dropped from <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Reprise%22">Reprise</a>'s roster. After briefly attending college, the bandmates regrouped as Maroon 5, adding former <a href="spotify:artist:3goqO5kpcQyDlzI1yaRlnV">Square</a> guitarist James Valentine to the lineup and embracing a more R&B-influenced sound. Several years later, the quintet had officially risen to the forefront of pop music with Songs About Jane and It Won't Be Soon Before Long, both of which went multi-platinum. Songs About Jane propelled the band into the mainstream, but the album was not an immediate hit. <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Octone+Records%22">Octone Records</a> had signed the newly christened Maroon 5 in 2001, and the debut album Jane received a lukewarm response upon its release in June 2002. "Harder to Breathe" became a radio staple 17 months later and was soon followed by the omnipresent "This Love," whose steamy video (featuring frontman <a href="spotify:artist:4bYPcJP5jwMhSivRcqie2n">Levine</a> and a barely clothed girlfriend) wooed the TV-watching crowds at MTV. Songs About Jane finally entered the Billboard Top Ten in August 2004, more than two years after the album's release, and follow-up singles like "She Will Be Loved" and "Sunday Morning" helped the album move over 2.7 million copies by year's end. Maroon 5 toured exhaustively in support of Jane's slow-burning success, issuing two stopgap recordings -- 2004's 1.22.03.Acoustic and 2005's Live Friday the 13th -- while traveling the world alongside the likes of <a href="spotify:artist:22bE4uQ6baNwSHPVcDxLCe">the Rolling Stones</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:0hEurMDQu99nJRq8pTxO14">John Mayer</a>. Their schedule was especially trying on percussionist Dusick, who sustained wrist and shoulder injuries and was often unable to play. By fall 2006, Dusick had been officially replaced by Matt Flynn (the former drummer for <a href="spotify:artist:5DYAABs8rkY9VhwtENoQCz">Gavin DeGraw</a>), and the revised band released its sophomore effort in May 2007. It Won't Be Soon Before Long proved to be less popular than its predecessor (which had sold more than four million copies in the U.S. alone), but it still enjoyed double-platinum certification while spinning off the chart-topping single "Makes Me Wonder." Maroon 5 had cemented their status as pop/rock heavyweights, and they now had the connections to prove it. Released in late 2008, Call and Response: The Remix Album reinterpreted the band's catalog with remixes by influential producers like <a href="spotify:artist:1XkoF8ryArs86LZvFOkbyr">Mary J. Blige</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3hv9jJF3adDNsBSIQDqcjp">Mark Ronson</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:2RdwBSPQiwcmiDo9kixcl8">Pharrell Williams</a>. Between 2008 and 2010, the band worked with a different producer -- veteran rock/country architect <a href="spotify:artist:52nLyltGxLUNmtyL5cY707">Robert John "Mutt" Lange</a> -- on a third studio album, Hands All Over, which was released in September 2010. Although it was kept from the top of the album charts, it went platinum. Also, the following year, it received a big boost when <a href="spotify:artist:4bYPcJP5jwMhSivRcqie2n">Levine</a> began appearing as a judge on the NBC reality television talent competition The Voice. That same year, Hands All Over was re-released with the single "Moves Like Jagger," featuring <a href="spotify:artist:4bYPcJP5jwMhSivRcqie2n">Levine</a>'s The Voice co-judge <a href="spotify:artist:1l7ZsJRRS8wlW3WfJfPfNS">Christina Aguilera</a>; the single promptly hit the top of the charts. In 2012, Carmichael revealed that he was taking time off from performing with Maroon 5 and would be replaced by touring keyboardist <a href="spotify:artist:2FMOHE79X98yptp4RpPrt7">PJ Morton</a>. In April 2012, the band teased the release of its fourth studio album with "Payphone," a single featuring <a href="spotify:artist:137W8MRPWKqSmrBGDBFSop">Wiz Khalifa</a> that hit number two. The resulting album, Overexposed, also reached number two, featuring production from a bevy of name producers including <a href="spotify:artist:4we5S2VLjgY9KzIzApL1KI">Ryan Tedder</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4e1KgW8FCqVytLFSzEYEKo">Max Martin</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5CiGnKThu5ctn9pBxv7DGa">Benny Blanco</a>, and more. A second single from the album, the reggae-tinged "One More Night," topped the charts not long after its release in June, and stayed at the top long enough to become the band's most successful showing to date. Two further singles also reached the Top Ten, "Daylight" and "Love Somebody." During 2013, <a href="spotify:artist:4bYPcJP5jwMhSivRcqie2n">Levine</a> continued to appear on The Voice, and also made appearances in the television drama American Horror Story, as well as the music-based dramatic film Begin Again. The band also hit the studio to record songs for a fifth studio album, aptly titled V, which saw keyboardist Jesse Carmichael return to the fold after a brief hiatus. Released in September 2014, V debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and produced several Top Ten singles including "Maps," "Animals," and "Sugar." Two more singles followed in 2015 with "This Summer's Gonna Hurt Like a Motherf*****" and "Feelings." Also in 2015, Maroon 5 released their first hits collection, The Singles. The single "Don't Wanna Know," featuring rapper <a href="spotify:artist:2YZyLoL8N0Wb9xBt1NhZWg">Kendrick Lamar</a>, appeared in 2016 and peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was later revealed to be the first single from their forthcoming sixth LP. A second collaborative single, "Cold," featuring <a href="spotify:artist:1RyvyyTE3xzB2ZywiAwp0i">Future</a>, was released in early 2017, with "What Lovers Do" appearing before the November release of Red Pill Blues. In 2018, the band issued a remix of Red Pill Blues' "Girls You Like," featuring an appearance by <a href="spotify:artist:4kYSro6naA4h99UJvo89HB">Cardi B</a>, which wound up being their first single to reach number one on the Billboard charts since 2012's "One More Night." On February 3, 2019, Maroon 5 headlined the Super Bowl LIII halftime show in Atlanta, Georgia, supported by rappers <a href="spotify:artist:2ht3wxeT69CzyKFChNnNAB">Big Boi</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:0Y5tJX1MQlPlqiwlOH1tJY">Travis Scott</a>. A year later, bassist Mickey Madden announced he was retiring from the group following an arrest for domestic violence allegations. The band carried on with the topical single "Nobody's Love," which was partly inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic and racial protests following the murder of George Floyd. In 2021, they teamed up with <a href="spotify:artist:181bsRPaVXVlUKXrxwZfHK">Megan Thee Stallion</a> for the single "Beautiful Mistakes," which appeared just prior to the June release of Jordi, their seventh album. ~ Andrew Leahey, Rovi

The Cranberries

The Cranberries

Combining the melodic jangle of post-<a href="spotify:artist:3yY2gUcIsjMr8hjo51PoJ8">Smiths</a> indie guitar pop with the lilting, trance-inducing sonic textures of late-'80s dream pop and adding a slight Celtic tint, the Cranberries became one of the more successful groups to emerge from the pre-Brit-pop indie scene of the early '90s. Led by vocalist <a href="spotify:artist:55s643XPig11NyYM8do64C">Dolores O'Riordan</a>, whose keening, powerful voice was the most distinctive element of the group's sound, they initially had little impact in the United Kingdom. It wasn't until the lush ballad "Linger" became a worldwide hit in 1993 that the band achieved mass success. Following "Linger," the Cranberries quickly became international stars, as both their 1993 debut album, Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?, and its 1994 follow-up, No Need to Argue, sold millions of copies and produced a string of hit singles. By the time of their third album, 1996's To the Faithful Departed, they had added distorted guitars to their sonic palette and began crafting more socially conscious music. They continued down this path into the 21st century before taking an extended hiatus in 2003 to pursue solo efforts. After nearly a decade, the quartet returned with 2012's Roses and 2017's Something Else. However, in early 2018, <a href="spotify:artist:55s643XPig11NyYM8do64C">O'Riordan</a> died from an accidental drowning in London. Her last vocal recordings were used to construct the Cranberries' final work, 2019's Grammy-nominated In the End, a goodbye to <a href="spotify:artist:55s643XPig11NyYM8do64C">O'Riordan</a>, fans, and the band itself. Originally, the Cranberries were a band called the Cranberry Saw Us. Brothers Noel and <a href="spotify:artist:467JmWxc2Gap3uh2d7qTgx">Mike Hogan</a> (guitar and bass, respectively) formed the band in Limerick, Ireland, with drummer Fergal Lawler in 1990. Following the departure of the group's original singer, Niall Quinn, the trio placed an advertisement for a female singer. <a href="spotify:artist:55s643XPig11NyYM8do64C">Dolores O'Riordan</a> responded to the advertisement and auditioned by writing lyrics and melodies to some of the band's existing demos. When she returned with a rough version of "Linger," the group hired her on the spot. Shortly after she joined, the band recorded a demo tape and sold it in record stores throughout Ireland. After the original run of 300 copies sold out, the group truncated its name to the Cranberries and sent another demo tape, which featured early versions of both "Linger" and "Dreams," to record companies throughout the U.K. The tape was made at Xeric Studios, which was run by Pearse Gilmore, who would later become their manager. At the time the tape was made, all of the members were still in their late teens. The demo tape earned the attention of both the U.K. press and record industry, and there was soon a bidding war between major British record labels. Eventually, the group signed with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Island%22">Island</a>. The Cranberries headed into the studio with Gilmore as their producer to record their first single, "Uncertain." The title proved to be prophetic, as the band did indeed sound ill at ease on the single, leading to poor reviews in the press in addition to tensions between the group and Gilmore. Before they were scheduled to record their debut in 1992, the Cranberries discovered that Gilmore had signed a secret deal with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Island%22">Island</a> to improve his studios. The tensions within the band became so great they nearly broke up. Instead, the Cranberries severed all relations with Gilmore, hired Geoff Travis of <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Rough+Trade%22">Rough Trade</a> as their new manager, and hired Stephen Street, who had previously worked with <a href="spotify:artist:3yY2gUcIsjMr8hjo51PoJ8">the Smiths</a>, as their new producer. The band's debut album, Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?, was released in the spring of 1993, followed by a single of "Dreams." Neither the album nor the single gained much attention, nor did the second single, "Linger." In the summer and fall of 1993, the band toured the United States, opening for <a href="spotify:artist:7cKtqv9cYVlOwnuCFH95ce">The The</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6PHIK3kjWggLtVygsOtpqS">Suede</a>, respectively; frequently, the Cranberries were given a friendlier reception than either of the headliners. Their strong live shows led MTV to put "Linger" into heavy rotation. By the end of the year, the single was on its way to becoming a crossover hit. Eventually, the single reached number eight on the U.S. charts, while the album went double platinum. Everybody Else and "Linger" began to take off in Britain in early 1994; the album eventually peaked at number one during the summer. <a href="spotify:artist:55s643XPig11NyYM8do64C">O'Riordan</a> married the band's tour manager, Don Burton, in a much-publicized ceremony in July 1994. The marriage, as well as the group's videos, emphasized the singer as the focal point of the band. <a href="spotify:artist:55s643XPig11NyYM8do64C">O'Riordan</a>'s position in the group continued to rise with the fall release of the group's second album, No Need to Argue. Boasting a slightly harder, more streamlined sound, yet still produced by Stephen Street, the record debuted at number six on the U.S. charts and eventually outsold its predecessor; within a year it went triple platinum, spawning the enduring modern rock hit "Zombie" and "Ode to My Family." During the tour for No Need to Argue, rumors began to circulate that <a href="spotify:artist:55s643XPig11NyYM8do64C">O'Riordan</a> was going to leave the band to pursue a solo career, all of which the band vehemently denied. Nevertheless, the rumors persisted until the Cranberries began recording their next album with producer Bruce Fairbairn, who had previously worked with <a href="spotify:artist:7Ey4PD4MYsKc5I2dolUwbH">Aerosmith</a>. The resulting effort, To the Faithful Departed, was a tougher, more rock-oriented affair that centered upon loss and the pitfalls of fame. Released in April 1996, it rose to number 4 in the U.S., a chart peak, and shot to number one in Australasia. Lead single "Salvation" became their second U.S. Alternative chart-topper, with "Free to Decide" and "When You're Gone" charting across the globe. During the fall of 1996, the group canceled its Australian and European tours, sparking another round of rumors about <a href="spotify:artist:55s643XPig11NyYM8do64C">O'Riordan</a> launching a solo career. Yet, in 1999, the group released Bury the Hatchet, their last album to top multiple charts. The platinum-certified set featured more pop-oriented fare than its predecessor, spawning modest hits "Promises," "Animal Instinct," and the MTV favorite "Just My Imagination." The band quickly followed with 2001's Wake Up and Smell the Coffee, home to "Analyse" and "Time Is Ticking Out." Shortly after the release of a greatest-hits compilation in 2003, Stars: The Best of 1992-2002, the Cranberries officially declared that they were taking a break. This finally gave <a href="spotify:artist:55s643XPig11NyYM8do64C">O'Riordan</a> the time she needed to work on her long-teased solo album, Are You Listening?, which hit shelves in 2007. In 2009, <a href="spotify:artist:55s643XPig11NyYM8do64C">O'Riordan</a> released her second solo album, No Baggage. Around the same time, the Cranberries reunited for a North American tour that continued throughout Europe in 2010. Several live sets also appeared at the turn of the decade, including Bualadh Bos - The Cranberries Live, which charted in Europe and North America. In 2011, the band began work on a new album in Toronto with longtime producer Street. Released nearly a decade after the start of their extended hiatus, the resulting album, Roses, arrived in March 2012. A supporting tour followed, recorded for posterity on London 2012: Live at The Hammersmith Apollo. At the end of 2013, <a href="spotify:artist:55s643XPig11NyYM8do64C">O'Riordan</a> performed a New Year's Eve concert in Limerick with a string quartet from <a href="spotify:artist:5BEsC9s9MiyK1GKlef4TMN">the Irish Chamber Orchestra</a>. Inspired by the classical interpretation of the Cranberries sound, she approached the band with an idea to celebrate their silver anniversary. The result was a full album comprising string quartet renditions of the band's biggest hits. Something Else arrived in the spring of 2017, featuring their ten most successful singles culled from their first four albums, as well as three new songs. The band kicked off a tour in support of the album, but it was cut short due to <a href="spotify:artist:55s643XPig11NyYM8do64C">O'Riordan</a>'s ongoing back problems. On January 15, 2018, <a href="spotify:artist:55s643XPig11NyYM8do64C">O'Riordan</a> died of an accidental drowning at the age of 46 in London. At the time of her death, the Cranberries were in the middle of recording a new effort. After taking some time to process the tragedy, the remaining bandmembers decided to finish the project. Along with Stephen Street, they completed the LP using <a href="spotify:artist:55s643XPig11NyYM8do64C">O'Riordan</a>'s demo vocals. Released in April 2019, In the End featured the single "All Over Now" and served as the Cranberries' final album. Peaking in the Top Ten across Europe and in the U.S. side charts, the farewell set was later nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Album. In the years that followed her passing, the band continued efforts to honor <a href="spotify:artist:55s643XPig11NyYM8do64C">O'Riordan</a>, issuing Remembering Dolores, a 2021 compilation of favorites that was released on what would have been her 50th birthday, and a 2023 deluxe reissue of To the Faithful Departed, which included the original album-era B-sides, outtakes, and demos recorded in Paris, as well as live recordings from 1996 shows at Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto and Pine Knob in Clarkston, Michigan. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine & Neil Z. Yeung, Rovi

The Last Dinner Party

The Last Dinner Party

You are cordially invited 🏹 https://www.thelastdinnerparty.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/thelastdinnerparty/ https://www.tiktok.com/@thelastdinnerparty

Little Mix

Little Mix

Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall have established themselves as the world’s biggest girl band - they have sold over 50 million records worldwide, collected over 17 million Spotify listeners, received over 3 billion Youtube views, and collated 12 billion streams worldwide. 2019 witnessed Little Mix win their second Brit Award – this time for Best British Video for ‘Woman Like Me’, and perform the same song live at the Brits. They also won two Global Awards for Best Group and Best Song, followed by their 4th EMA Award for Best UK & Ireland Act. This year Little Mix launch a brand new TV series for BBC One, Little Mix The Search. The series, made by ModestTV, will see the band creating bands and becoming mentors to a new wave of talent. The singers who make it into new bands will live together and gain access to Little Mix’s inner circle who have contributed to their phenomenal success, including vocal coaches, song writers, producers and stylists.

The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys

For nearly six decades, The Beach Boys’ music has been an indelible part of American history. Their brilliant harmonies conveyed simple truths through sophisticated, pioneering musical arrangements. They transcended their music & have come to represent Californian culture. They provided fans around the world with a passport to experience love, youthful exuberance and surf culture. Founded in Hawthorne, California, The Beach Boys were originally comprised of brothers: <a href="spotify:artist:4Q82S0VzF8qlCb4PnSDurj" data-name="Brian Wilson">Brian Wilson</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:04zDwTMN8SPPydYIfSeFYf" data-name="Carl Wilson">Carl Wilson</a> & <a href="spotify:artist:5gl6pfPwJ1coivVUMZPiS9" data-name="Dennis Wilson">Dennis Wilson</a>, their cousin <a href="spotify:artist:7lIlJTlWaSIBTMJxpIvd8f" data-name="Mike Love">Mike Love</a> and friend <a href="spotify:artist:1kqh7mzo24yFoDNBgDP3j5" data-name="Al Jardine">Al Jardine</a>. The Beach Boys signed with Capitol Records in 1962 & released their first album that same year. The Beach Boys are one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful bands of all time, with over 100 million records sold worldwide. They have had over 80 songs chart, 36 of them in the US Top 40 (the most by a US rock band), and 4 topping the Billboard Hot 100. Their influence on other artists spans musical genres & movements. Countless artists have cited as their inspiration for creating their own musical masterpieces. Rolling Stone ranked Pet Sounds No. 2 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time,” and the Beach Boys No. 12 on its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time." Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and recipients of The Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement GRAMMY Award®, The Beach Boys are a beloved American institution that remains iconic around the world.

Wasia Project

Wasia Project

the arguments are melting like the sand

Of Monsters and Men

Of Monsters and Men

Of Monsters and Men went from the talk of Iceland to the top of the global conversation on their 2011 debut, My Head Is An Animal. Not only did the record go platinum, but it also produced an international smash in the form of “Little Talks.” The breakthrough single earned a quintuple-platinum certification from the RIAA, made history as “the first song by an Icelandic band to cross 1 billion streams on Spotify,” and landed the band a performance on Saturday Night Live. The group appeared on official soundtracks for franchises such as The Hunger Games, The Walking Dead, and Beat Bugs, to name a few. In addition to performing at festivals such asCoachella, Lollapalooza, Firefly, and beyond, they supported Florence + the Machine on a high-profile arena tour. In the midst of this rapid rise, 2015’s Beneath The Skin bowed in the Top 3 of the Billboard Top 200 and the band cameoed in an episode of HBO’s Game of Thrones in the same year. Now, Of Monsters and Men are back with the release of their brand new album FEVER DREAM, featuring “Alligator,” "Wild Roses" and "Wars."

DAUGHTER

DAUGHTER

Incorporating moody folk and hushed electronics in ways that recall Cat Power as well as The xx, Daughter began as the solo project of singer/guitarist Elena Tonra. Tonra was performing on her own when she met guitarist Igor Haefeli, who joined Daughter along with drummer Remi Aguilella to complete the band&#39;s lineup. The trio self-released a demo as well as their 2011 debut EP, His Young Heart, which led to Mumford & Sons&#39; label Communion releasing their second EP, the more polished and eclectic The Wild Youth, later that year. Early in 2012, Daughter signed with 4AD, which released the single ‘Smother’ that October. The band&#39;s debut album, If You Leave, arrived in April 2013. After an extensive tour in support of the debut, Daughter re-entered the studio to begin recording their second album, Not to Disappear. The record was primarily self-recorded, after which they took it to Nicolas Vernhes (Deerhunter, War on Drugs, Animal Collective), who produced the final mixes at his Rare Book Room studio in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. It was released in early 2016. For their next project, Daughter composed a score to the video game Life Is Strange: Before the Storm. The track ‘Burn It Down’ was issued as the soundtrack&#39;s first single in August 2017. A year later, Tonra released an eponymous album under the solo moniker Ex:Re. In January 2023, Daughter returned with single ‘Be On Your Way’ from the upcoming album Stereo Mind Game, released 7 April. - Heather Phares, Rovi

Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac

While most bands undergo a number of changes over the course of their careers, few of them experienced a more radical stylistic evolution than Fleetwood Mac. Initially conceived as a hard-edged British blues combo in the late '60s, the band gradually evolved into an incredibly popular and influential pop/rock act over the course of a decade. Originally, guitarists <a href="spotify:artist:3y1DgnVXqckGJrbwOKchdU">Peter Green</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3GrqVz7V3Hd8gvfvUcR9wk">Jeremy Spencer</a> provided the group with their gutsy psychedelic blues-rock sound, then the band moved toward pop/rock with the addition of keyboardist/songwriter <a href="spotify:artist:6RCsx4p5smZHYz2P5HLcL2">Christine McVie</a>. By the mid-'70s, Fleetwood Mac relocated to California, where they added the duo of <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Lindsey Buckingham</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:7crPfGd2k81ekOoSqQKWWz">Stevie Nicks</a> to their lineup; the latter pair's writing and vocals helped the band become one of the most popular groups of the late '70s. Combining melodic soft rock with the confessional introspection of singer/songwriters, 1977's Rumours become one of the biggest-selling albums of all time. The band retained their popularity through the early '80s, when <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Buckingham</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7crPfGd2k81ekOoSqQKWWz">Nicks</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:3IuIXQGupZ89qG162Y5sZ6">McVie</a> all began pursuing solo careers. The group reunited for 1987's Tango in the Night, but after more lineup changes and instability, they split after 1995's Time. The band quickly reunited, though, assembling for The Dance, a 1997 live album, then stabilizing without <a href="spotify:artist:6RCsx4p5smZHYz2P5HLcL2">Christine McVie</a> for their 2000s incarnation, a lineup that produced 2003's Say You Will. <a href="spotify:artist:3IuIXQGupZ89qG162Y5sZ6">McVie</a> returned to the fold for a series of successful tours starting in 2014, but the group harmony was short-lived. <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Buckingham</a> was ousted prior to an anniversary tour in 2018, his departure proof that the one constant in Fleetwood Mac through the years was change. The roots of Fleetwood Mac lie in <a href="spotify:artist:5s4z3mRAE7nxE3jjft8J3h">John Mayall</a>'s legendary British blues outfit, <a href="spotify:artist:5s4z3mRAE7nxE3jjft8J3h">the Bluesbreakers</a>. Bassist <a href="spotify:artist:3IuIXQGupZ89qG162Y5sZ6">John McVie</a> was one of the charter members of <a href="spotify:artist:5s4z3mRAE7nxE3jjft8J3h">the Bluesbreakers</a>, joining the group in 1963. In 1966 <a href="spotify:artist:3y1DgnVXqckGJrbwOKchdU">Peter Green</a> replaced <a href="spotify:artist:6PAt558ZEZl0DmdXlnjMgD">Eric Clapton</a>, and a year later drummer <a href="spotify:artist:7bRRWmUqERkyOVSSU6MPFu">Mick Fleetwood</a> joined. Inspired by the success of <a href="spotify:artist:74oJ4qxwOZvX6oSsu1DGnw">Cream</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2lxX1ivRYp26soIavdG9bX">the Yardbirds</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:776Uo845nYHJpNaStv1Ds4">Jimi Hendrix</a>, the trio decided to break away from <a href="spotify:artist:5s4z3mRAE7nxE3jjft8J3h">Mayall</a> in 1967. At their debut at the British Jazz and Blues Festival in August, Bob Brunning was playing bass in the group, since <a href="spotify:artist:3IuIXQGupZ89qG162Y5sZ6">McVie</a> was still under contract to <a href="spotify:artist:5s4z3mRAE7nxE3jjft8J3h">Mayall</a>. He joined the band a few weeks after their debut; by that time, slide guitarist <a href="spotify:artist:3GrqVz7V3Hd8gvfvUcR9wk">Jeremy Spencer</a> had joined the band. Fleetwood Mac soon signed with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Blue+Horizon%22">Blue Horizon</a>, releasing their eponymous debut the following year. Fleetwood Mac was an enormous hit in the U.K., spending over a year in the Top Ten. Despite its British success, the album was virtually ignored in America. During 1968, the band added guitarist Danny Kirwan. The following year, they recorded Fleetwood Mac in Chicago with a variety of bluesmen, including <a href="spotify:artist:5v8WPpMk60cqZbuZLdXjKY">Willie Dixon</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:0xeI9Z0Uhs8bYGBRpqq88X">Otis Spann</a>. The set was released later that year, after the band had left <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Blue+Horizon%22">Blue Horizon</a> for a one-album deal with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Immediate+Records%22">Immediate Records</a>; in the U.S., they signed with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Reprise%2FWarner+Bros.%22">Reprise/Warner Bros.</a>, and by 1970, <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Warner%22">Warner</a> began releasing the band's British records as well. Fleetwood Mac released English Rose and Then Play On during 1969, which both indicated that the band was expanding its music, moving away from its blues purist roots. That year, <a href="spotify:artist:3y1DgnVXqckGJrbwOKchdU">Peter Green</a>'s "Man of the World" and "Oh Well" were number two hits. Though his music was providing the backbone of the group, <a href="spotify:artist:3y1DgnVXqckGJrbwOKchdU">Green</a> was growing increasingly disturbed due to his large ingestion of hallucinogenic drugs. After announcing that he was planning to give all of his earnings away, <a href="spotify:artist:3y1DgnVXqckGJrbwOKchdU">Green</a> suddenly left the band in the spring of 1970; he released two solo albums over the course of the '70s, but he rarely performed after leaving Fleetwood Mac. The band replaced him with <a href="spotify:artist:1YTLOHyyXnaj7W1g1oSS56">Christine Perfect</a>, a vocalist/pianist who had earned a small but loyal following in the U.K. by singing with <a href="spotify:artist:0XoAXg2HRKXMpm5MS1BBRW">Spencer Davis</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:7aUVQRiWaOqZU0JwOlGfWi">the Chicken Shack</a>. She had already performed uncredited on Then Play On. Contractual difficulties prevented her from becoming a full-fledged member of Fleetwood Mac until 1971; by that time she had married <a href="spotify:artist:3IuIXQGupZ89qG162Y5sZ6">John McVie</a>. <a href="spotify:artist:6RCsx4p5smZHYz2P5HLcL2">Christine McVie</a> didn't appear on 1970's Kiln House, the first album the band recorded without <a href="spotify:artist:3y1DgnVXqckGJrbwOKchdU">Peter Green</a>. For that album, <a href="spotify:artist:3GrqVz7V3Hd8gvfvUcR9wk">Jeremy Spencer</a> dominated the band's musical direction, but he had also been undergoing mental problems due to heavy drug use. During the band's American tour in early 1971, <a href="spotify:artist:3GrqVz7V3Hd8gvfvUcR9wk">Spencer</a> disappeared; it was later discovered that he left the band to join the religious cult the Children of God. Fleetwood Mac had already been trying to determine the direction of their music, but <a href="spotify:artist:3GrqVz7V3Hd8gvfvUcR9wk">Spencer</a>'s departure sent the band into disarray. <a href="spotify:artist:6RCsx4p5smZHYz2P5HLcL2">Christine McVie</a> and Danny Kirwan began to move the band toward mainstream rock on 1971's Future Games, but new guitarist <a href="spotify:artist:0reZZVbAPxgX1Rqj6XbWj3">Bob Welch</a> exerted a heavy influence on 1972's Bare Trees. Kirwan was fired after Bare Trees and was replaced by guitarists Bob Weston and <a href="spotify:artist:739a9VeGbv0lMBRIkRInJT">Dave Walker</a>, who appeared on 1973's Penguin. <a href="spotify:artist:739a9VeGbv0lMBRIkRInJT">Walker</a> left after that album, and Weston departed after making its follow-up, Mystery to Me (1973). In 1974, the group's manager, Clifford Davis, formed a bogus Fleetwood Mac and had the band tour the U.S. The real Fleetwood Mac filed and won a lawsuit against the imposters who, after losing, began performing under the name <a href="spotify:artist:61oNrjLV0SUliHTOXUgCXg">Stretch</a> -- but the lawsuit kept the band off the road for most of the year. In the interim, they released Heroes Are Hard to Find. Late in 1974, Fleetwood Mac moved to California, with hopes of restarting their career. <a href="spotify:artist:0reZZVbAPxgX1Rqj6XbWj3">Welch</a> left the band shortly after the move to form <a href="spotify:artist:5OgPxDOpkLH64knclKGTlU">Paris</a>. Early in 1975, <a href="spotify:artist:7bRRWmUqERkyOVSSU6MPFu">Fleetwood</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3IuIXQGupZ89qG162Y5sZ6">McVie</a> were auditioning engineers for the band's new album when they heard Buckingham-Nicks, an album recorded by the soft rock duo <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Lindsey Buckingham</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:7crPfGd2k81ekOoSqQKWWz">Stevie Nicks</a>. The pair were asked to join the group and their addition revived the band's musical and commercial fortunes. Not only did <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Buckingham</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:7crPfGd2k81ekOoSqQKWWz">Nicks</a> write songs, but they brought distinctive talents the band had been lacking. <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Buckingham</a> was a skilled pop craftsman, capable of arranging a commercial song while keeping it musically adventurous. <a href="spotify:artist:7crPfGd2k81ekOoSqQKWWz">Nicks</a> had a husky voice and a sexy, hippie gypsy stage persona that gave the band a charismatic frontwoman. The new lineup of Fleetwood Mac released their eponymous debut in 1975 and it slowly became a huge hit, reaching number one in 1976 on the strength of the singles "Over My Head," "Rhiannon," and "Say You Love Me." The album would eventually sell over five million copies in the U.S. alone. While Fleetwood Mac had finally attained their long-desired commercial success, the band was fraying behind the scenes. The McVies divorced in 1976, and <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Buckingham</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:7crPfGd2k81ekOoSqQKWWz">Nicks</a>' romance ended shortly afterward. The internal tensions formed the basis for the songs on their next album, Rumours. Released in the spring of 1977, Rumours became a blockbuster success, topping the American and British charts and generating the Top Ten singles "Go Your Own Way," "Dreams," "Don't Stop," and "You Make Loving Fun." It would eventually sell over 17 million copies in the U.S. alone, making it the second biggest-selling album of all time. Fleetwood Mac supported the album with an exhaustive, lucrative tour and then retired to the studio to record their follow-up to Rumours. A wildly experimental double album conceived largely by <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Buckingham</a>, 1979's Tusk didn't duplicate the enormous success of Rumours, yet it did go multi-platinum and featured the Top Ten singles "Sara" and "Tusk." In 1980, they released the double album Live. Following the Tusk tour, <a href="spotify:artist:7bRRWmUqERkyOVSSU6MPFu">Fleetwood</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Buckingham</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:7crPfGd2k81ekOoSqQKWWz">Nicks</a> all recorded solo albums. Of the solo projects, <a href="spotify:artist:7crPfGd2k81ekOoSqQKWWz">Stevie Nicks</a>' Bella Donna (1981) was the most successful, peaking at number one and featuring the hit singles "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around," "Leather and Lace," and "Edge of Seventeen." <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Buckingham</a>'s Law and Order (1981) was a moderate success, spawning the Top Ten "Trouble." <a href="spotify:artist:7bRRWmUqERkyOVSSU6MPFu">Fleetwood</a>, for his part, made a world music album called The Visitor. Fleetwood Mac reconvened in 1982 for Mirage. More conventional and accessible than Tusk, Mirage reached number one and featured the hit singles "Hold Me" and "Gypsy." After Mirage, <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Buckingham</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7crPfGd2k81ekOoSqQKWWz">Nicks</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:6RCsx4p5smZHYz2P5HLcL2">Christine McVie</a> all worked on solo albums. The hiatus was due to a variety of reasons. Each member had his or her own manager, <a href="spotify:artist:7crPfGd2k81ekOoSqQKWWz">Nicks</a> was becoming the group's breakaway star, <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Buckingham</a> was obsessive in the studio, and each member was suffering from various substance addictions. <a href="spotify:artist:7crPfGd2k81ekOoSqQKWWz">Nicks</a> was able to maintain her popularity, with The Wild Heart (1983) and Rock a Little (1985) both reaching the Top 15. <a href="spotify:artist:6RCsx4p5smZHYz2P5HLcL2">Christine McVie</a> also had a Top Ten hit with "Got a Hold on Me" in 1984. <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Buckingham</a> received the strongest reviews of all, but his 1984 album Go Insane failed to generate a hit. Fleetwood Mac reunited to record a new album in 1985. <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Buckingham</a>, who had grown increasingly frustrated with the musical limitations of the band, decided to make it his last Fleetwood Mac project. When the resulting album, Tango in the Night, was finally released in 1987, it was greeted with mixed reviews but strong sales, reaching the Top Ten and generating the Top 20 hits "Little Lies," "Seven Wonders," and "Everywhere." <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Buckingham</a> decided to leave Fleetwood Mac after completing Tango in the Night, and the group replaced him with guitarists <a href="spotify:artist:596pF0tYoKyJCgI4WLTLs4">Billy Burnette</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:0yC7EvUceCEZm3ZeawauQA">Rick Vito</a>. The new lineup of the band recorded their first album, Behind the Mask, in 1990. It became the band's first album since 1975 to not go gold. Following its supporting tour, <a href="spotify:artist:7crPfGd2k81ekOoSqQKWWz">Nicks</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6RCsx4p5smZHYz2P5HLcL2">Christine McVie</a> announced they would continue to record with the group, but not tour. <a href="spotify:artist:0yC7EvUceCEZm3ZeawauQA">Vito</a> left the band in 1991, and the group released the box set 25 Years -- The Chain the following year. The classic Fleetwood Mac lineup of <a href="spotify:artist:7bRRWmUqERkyOVSSU6MPFu">Fleetwood</a>, the McVies, <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Buckingham</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:7crPfGd2k81ekOoSqQKWWz">Nicks</a> reunited to play President <a href="spotify:artist:4qTVFolSrwkoy428bmP7u8">Bill Clinton</a>'s inauguration in early 1993, but the concert did not lead to a full-fledged reunion. Later that year, <a href="spotify:artist:7crPfGd2k81ekOoSqQKWWz">Nicks</a> left the band and was replaced by <a href="spotify:artist:49vXMn0pGqgPk6DYnOmohd">Bekka Bramlett</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2DWQX92uew7DlsgN0yD775">Dave Mason</a>; <a href="spotify:artist:6RCsx4p5smZHYz2P5HLcL2">Christine McVie</a> left the group shortly afterward. The new lineup of Fleetwood Mac began touring in 1994, releasing Time the following year to little attention. While the new version of Fleetwood Mac wasn't commercially successful, neither were the solo careers of <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Buckingham</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7crPfGd2k81ekOoSqQKWWz">Nicks</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:3IuIXQGupZ89qG162Y5sZ6">McVie</a>, prompting speculation of a full-fledged reunion in 1997. Soon these whispers proved to be true, as the classic Rumours quintet reunited for a live performance that became the 1997 album The Dance. The album performed well, debuting at number one on Billboard and generating an adult contemporary hit in the new version of "Landslide." Fleetwood Mac supported The Dance with a tour that lasted throughout the year and, early in 1998, the band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Not long afterward, <a href="spotify:artist:6RCsx4p5smZHYz2P5HLcL2">Christine McVie</a> announced she was leaving the band. Her departure may have slowed the speed of Fleetwood Mac's reunion, but the remaining quartet set to work writing and recording a new album. The resulting Say You Will appeared in April of 2003; it was their first studio album in eight years and the first in 16 to feature <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Buckingham</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:7crPfGd2k81ekOoSqQKWWz">Nicks</a>. Say You Will performed well -- it went gold in the U.S., U.K., and Canada, with the singles "Peacekeeper" and "Say You Will" reaching the U.S. Adult Contemporary Top 20 -- and the accompanying international tour was a success. After a few quiet years when <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Buckingham</a> resumed his solo career and the group unsuccessfully courted <a href="spotify:artist:4TKTii6gnOnUXQHyuo9JaD">Sheryl Crow</a> as a replacement for <a href="spotify:artist:6RCsx4p5smZHYz2P5HLcL2">Christine McVie</a>, they reconvened for a tour in 2009. Four years later, the group celebrated the 35th anniversary of Rumours with a new deluxe box reissue accompanied by a tour. As the tour got underway in April, the band unexpectedly released a four-track Extended Play of new material; it received good notices and entered the U.S. charts at 48. During a three-night stint at London's O2 in September 2013, <a href="spotify:artist:6RCsx4p5smZHYz2P5HLcL2">Christine McVie</a> appeared with Fleetwood Mac for the first time in 15 years. In January 2014, the band announced that <a href="spotify:artist:6RCsx4p5smZHYz2P5HLcL2">Christine</a> was rejoining the group and they started recording a new album. The progress on the album was slow and steady, partially due to individual solo projects, partially due to interruptions caused by the band's ongoing world tour; they played international dates in both 2014 and 2015. As the group continued to chip away at their new record, they released a Super Deluxe reissue of Tusk in time for the holidays of 2015, which was followed the subsequent fall by a Deluxe reissue of Mirage. Further catalog reissues followed in the next few years -- Tango in the Night received a Super Deluxe treatment in 2017, while their eponymous 1975 album got an upgrade in early 2018 -- but the bigger news in Fleetwood Mac circles was <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Buckingham</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3IuIXQGupZ89qG162Y5sZ6">McVie</a> recording a duet album together in 2017. Initially planned as a new Fleetwood Mac album, the 2017 set -- entitled Buckingham McVie, echoing 1973's Buckingham Nicks -- turned into a <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Lindsey</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6RCsx4p5smZHYz2P5HLcL2">Christine</a> project once <a href="spotify:artist:7crPfGd2k81ekOoSqQKWWz">Stevie Nicks</a> decided to concentrate on her solo career. Retaining <a href="spotify:artist:7bRRWmUqERkyOVSSU6MPFu">Mick Fleetwood</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3IuIXQGupZ89qG162Y5sZ6">John McVie</a> as their main rhythm section, <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Buckingham</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3IuIXQGupZ89qG162Y5sZ6">McVie</a> finished the album with the assistance of producers <a href="spotify:artist:6nEsI2S68MX6T0dVdLtido">Mitchell Froom</a> and Mark Needham, releasing the record in June 2017. Early in 2018, Fleetwood Mac reunited to play a gig celebrating their award as MusiCares Person of the Year. This turned out to be the last concert <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Buckingham</a> would play with Fleetwood Mac. In April, <a href="spotify:artist:3Dzj993UEz8Z5ovxuirzFO">Buckingham</a> was fired from the band; he would later file a lawsuit against the group regarding his dismissal. Fleetwood Mac hired <a href="spotify:artist:183DuT2WcaEO2tclTJW1tU">Neil Finn</a> and Mike Campbell to replace him and launched an international tour in September 2018, releasing a compilation album titled 50 Years: Don't Stop as a companion to the tour. The record debuted at 12 on the U.K. charts and 65 on Billboard's Top 200. The concert album Before the Beginning: Rare Live & Demo Sessions 1968-1970 arrived in November 2019 and featured previously unreleased live performances captured during <a href="spotify:artist:3y1DgnVXqckGJrbwOKchdU">Peter Green</a>'s time with the band. This reminder of <a href="spotify:artist:3y1DgnVXqckGJrbwOKchdU">Green</a>'s glory days came only months before he died in his sleep on July 25, 2020, at the age of 73. Two months after <a href="spotify:artist:3y1DgnVXqckGJrbwOKchdU">Green</a>'s passing, the box set Fleetwood Mac: 1969-1974 appeared; it had expanded and remastered versions of all the albums the group released during those six years. <a href="spotify:artist:6RCsx4p5smZHYz2P5HLcL2">Christine McVie</a> died on November 30, 2022, after a brief illness; she was 79 years of age. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

Guns N’ Roses

Guns N’ Roses

Guns N' Roses are the bridge separating 1980s and 1990s hard rock, the band responsible for ushering in an era of grim, gritty rock & roll. Where such peers as <a href="spotify:artist:0cc6vw3VN8YlIcvr1v7tBL">Mötley Crüe</a> reveled in the decadence of Sunset Strip sleaze, Guns N' Roses focused on the grimy underbelly of the urban jungle, with guitarists <a href="spotify:artist:4Cqia9vrAbm7ANXbJGXsTE">Slash</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6EZFa5zhajrKobEc3uePtM">Izzy Stradlin</a> cranking out mean riffs that matched the dark fantasies of <a href="spotify:artist:6lig3yUbu7r6VhnB8YGSlF">Axl Rose</a>, the vocalist who led GNR with a serpentine charm. <a href="spotify:artist:6lig3yUbu7r6VhnB8YGSlF">Rose</a> countered his nasty tendencies with a romantic side, one that flourished on "Sweet Child O' Mine," the soaring ballad that went to number one in 1988, turning the band into superstars in the process. Over the next few years, GNR's 1987 debut album, Appetite for Destruction, sold in monstrous numbers, with "Welcome to the Jungle" and "Paradise City" both reaching Billboard's Top Ten and "Patience," from the 1989 EP GNR Lies, also reaching that exalted position. During this peak, Guns N' Roses were lightning rods for controversy, so they avoided trouble by whiling away in the studio crafting their sequel to Appetite for Destruction, the sprawling twin albums Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II. Released simultaneously in September 1991, the Illusions still were rooted in hard rock, but <a href="spotify:artist:6lig3yUbu7r6VhnB8YGSlF">Rose</a> also pursued majestic, melodramatic balladry, a trait that reached its apotheosis in "November Rain," a ballad that became their last Top Ten hit in 1992. By that point, Guns N' Roses were no longer the paragons of grubby hard rock, not after <a href="spotify:artist:6olE6TJLqED3rqDCT0FyPh">Nirvana</a> ushered in the grunge revolution of the early '90s. The rise of alternative rock coincided with the erosion of the original GNR lineup, a slow attrition that left <a href="spotify:artist:6lig3yUbu7r6VhnB8YGSlF">Axl Rose</a> as the lone remaining founding member by the end of the '90s. He spent much of the 2000s working on his magnum opus Chinese Democracy, which he delivered in 2008, by which point the group were so out of the mainstream that they weren't even considered retro-hip. The situation would eventually change. By 2015, <a href="spotify:artist:4Cqia9vrAbm7ANXbJGXsTE">Slash</a> and bassist <a href="spotify:artist:3KEe5d2p5jKihMMvuXVhr1">Duff McKagan</a> rejoined Guns N Roses, providing the band with a core of original members that would help this be a stable lineup into the 2020s, when the group showed signs of returning to active recording status via the 2022 EP Hard Skool. Guns N' Roses released their first EP in 1986, which led to a contract with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Geffen%22">Geffen</a>; the following year, the band released their debut album, Appetite for Destruction. They started to build a following with their numerous live shows, but the album didn't start selling until almost a year later, when MTV began playing "Sweet Child O' Mine." Soon, both the album and single shot to number one, and Guns N' Roses became one of the biggest bands in the world. Their debut single, "Welcome to the Jungle," was re-released and shot into the Top Ten, and "Paradise City" followed in its footsteps. By the end of 1988, they released G N' R Lies, which paired four new, acoustic-based songs (including the Top Five hit "Patience") with their first EP. G N' R Lies' inflammatory closer, "One in a Million," sparked intense controversy, as <a href="spotify:artist:6lig3yUbu7r6VhnB8YGSlF">Rose</a> slipped into misogyny, bigotry, and pure violence; essentially, he somehow managed to distill every form of prejudice and hatred into one five-minute tune. Guns N' Roses began work on the long-awaited follow-up to Appetite for Destruction at the end of 1990. In October of that year, the band fired <a href="spotify:artist:1bqTpELuDurfcMOGKvJXzl">Adler</a>, claiming that his drug dependency caused him to play poorly; he was replaced by <a href="spotify:artist:1icjlI6iYtR1JjXTJLf4gG">Matt Sorum</a> from <a href="spotify:artist:49DW3KvkyjHO35mK1JnSyS">the Cult</a>. During recording, the band added Dizzy Reed on keyboards. By the time the sessions were finished, the new album had become two new albums. After being delayed for nearly a year, the albums Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II were released in September 1991. Messy but fascinating, the records showcased a more ambitious band; while there were still a fair number of full-throttle guitar rockers, there were stabs at <a href="spotify:artist:3PhoLpVuITZKcymswpck5b">Elton John</a>-style balladry, acoustic blues, horn sections, female backup singers, ten-minute art rock epics with several different sections, and a good number of introspective, soul-searching lyrics. In short, Guns N' Roses were now making art; amazingly, they were successful at it. The albums sold very well initially, but while they had seemed destined to set the pace for the decade to come, that turned out not to be the case at all. <a href="spotify:artist:6olE6TJLqED3rqDCT0FyPh">Nirvana</a>'s Nevermind hit number one in early 1992, suddenly making Guns N' Roses -- with all of their pretensions, impressionistic videos, models, and rock star excesses -- seem very uncool. <a href="spotify:artist:6lig3yUbu7r6VhnB8YGSlF">Rose</a> handled the change by becoming a dictator, or at least a petty tyrant; his in-concert temper tantrums became legendary, even going so far as to incite a riot in Montreal. <a href="spotify:artist:6EZFa5zhajrKobEc3uePtM">Stradlin</a> left by the end of 1991, and with his departure the band lost their best songwriter; he was replaced by ex-<a href="spotify:artist:2kKd8kwqemHlbIWZ3eTgf5">Kills for Thrills</a> guitarist <a href="spotify:artist:6Ya7kAthUWvVuSQBX0oIMx">Gilby Clarke</a>. GNR didn't fully grasp the shift in hard rock until 1993, when they released an album of punk covers, The Spaghetti Incident?; it received some good reviews, but the band failed to capture the reckless spirit of not only the original versions but their own Appetite for Destruction. By the middle of 1994, there were rumors flying that GNR were about to break up, since <a href="spotify:artist:6lig3yUbu7r6VhnB8YGSlF">Rose</a> wanted to pursue a new, more industrial direction and <a href="spotify:artist:4Cqia9vrAbm7ANXbJGXsTE">Slash</a> wanted to stick with their blues-inflected hard rock. The band remained in limbo for several more years, and <a href="spotify:artist:4Cqia9vrAbm7ANXbJGXsTE">Slash</a> resurfaced in 1995 with the side project <a href="spotify:artist:4Ros83hWMCi68biw25Xyxg">Slash's Snakepit</a> and an LP, It's Five O'Clock Somewhere. <a href="spotify:artist:6lig3yUbu7r6VhnB8YGSlF">Rose</a> remained out of the spotlight, becoming a virtual recluse and doing nothing but tinkering in the studio; he also recruited various musicians -- including <a href="spotify:artist:3JTMBiL0Bmrxv41WJ8V8cu">Dave Navarro</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0o1eC2L6gOIyKwkAtxVAWH">Tommy Stinson</a>, and ex-<a href="spotify:artist:0X380XXQSNBYuleKzav5UO">Nine Inch Nails</a> guitarist Robin Finck -- for informal jam sessions. Remaining members were infuriated by <a href="spotify:artist:6lig3yUbu7r6VhnB8YGSlF">Rose</a>'s inclusion of childhood friend Paul Huge in the new sessions when both <a href="spotify:artist:6EZFa5zhajrKobEc3uePtM">Stradlin</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6Ya7kAthUWvVuSQBX0oIMx">Clarke</a> were excluded from rejoining the band. And a remake of <a href="spotify:artist:22bE4uQ6baNwSHPVcDxLCe">the Rolling Stones</a>' "Sympathy for the Devil" was essentially the straw that broke the camel's back, as <a href="spotify:artist:6lig3yUbu7r6VhnB8YGSlF">Rose</a> cut out some of the other members' contributions and pasted Huge over the song without consulting anyone else. By 1996, <a href="spotify:artist:4Cqia9vrAbm7ANXbJGXsTE">Slash</a> was officially out of Guns N' Roses, leaving <a href="spotify:artist:6lig3yUbu7r6VhnB8YGSlF">Rose</a> the lone remaining survivor from the group's heyday; rumors continued to swirl, and still no new material was forthcoming, though <a href="spotify:artist:6lig3yUbu7r6VhnB8YGSlF">Rose</a> did re-record Appetite for Destruction with a new lineup for rehearsal purposes. The first new original GNR song in eight years, the industrial metal track "Oh My God" finally appeared on the soundtrack to the 1999 Arnold Schwarzenegger film End of Days. Soon after, <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Geffen%22">Geffen</a> issued the two-disc Live Era: '87-'93. The year 2000 brought the addition of guitarists Robin Finck (of <a href="spotify:artist:0X380XXQSNBYuleKzav5UO">Nine Inch Nails</a>) and <a href="spotify:artist:0fDF0jjmdouCIeWhNnblwV">Buckethead</a>, and 2001 was greeted with Guns N' Roses' first live dates in nearly seven years, as the band (which consisted of <a href="spotify:artist:6lig3yUbu7r6VhnB8YGSlF">Rose</a> plus guitarists Finck and <a href="spotify:artist:0fDF0jjmdouCIeWhNnblwV">Buckethead</a>, bassist <a href="spotify:artist:0o1eC2L6gOIyKwkAtxVAWH">Stinson</a>, former <a href="spotify:artist:64mPnRMMeudAet0E62ypkx">Primus</a> drummer Brian "Brain" Mantia, childhood friend and guitarist Paul Huge, and longtime GNR keyboardist Dizzy Reed) played a show on New Year's Eve 2000 in Las Vegas; they also performed at the mammoth Rock in Rio festival the following month. On New Year's Eve 2001, the band played almost the exact same set as the year before. An appearance at MTV's 2002 Video Music Awards helped garner interest in the new lineup, but a rusty performance from <a href="spotify:artist:6lig3yUbu7r6VhnB8YGSlF">Rose</a> and an interview where he said his new album wasn't coming out anytime soon didn't do much to further their cause. That summer, GNR started on their first tour in almost eight years, and they managed to fulfill all of their commitments in Europe and Asia. Sadly, they caused a violent and destructive riot in Vancouver when <a href="spotify:artist:6lig3yUbu7r6VhnB8YGSlF">Rose</a> failed to show up for the first date of their North American tour. While he was up to his old shenanigans with the retooled lineup, former <a href="spotify:artist:2UazAtjfzqBF0Nho2awK4z">Stone Temple Pilots</a> vocalist <a href="spotify:artist:0RMOWaq3zw0fdgvaGRMcdA">Scott Weiland</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4Cqia9vrAbm7ANXbJGXsTE">Slash</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1icjlI6iYtR1JjXTJLf4gG">Sorum</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:3KEe5d2p5jKihMMvuXVhr1">McKagan</a> formed the successful <a href="spotify:artist:7CHilrn81OdYjkh4uSVnYM">Velvet Revolver</a> in spring 2002. And so years passed and still no new GNR album, to the point where it became one joke too many. The album was long billed as Chinese Democracy, and occasionally session recordings would leak and make their way onto Internet file-sharing networks. A fascinating article written by Jeff Leeds for The New York Times, published in March 2005, revealed how tangled and costly the making of the album had become. According to the article, titled "The Most Expensive Album Never Released," <a href="spotify:artist:6lig3yUbu7r6VhnB8YGSlF">Rose</a> began work on the album in 1994 and racked up production costs of at least 13 million dollars. Producers involved with the album at one time or another included <a href="spotify:artist:71qdlkRTIt3NCSzshqqL4W">Mike Clink</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1zf3mY5ZJ69hlt5W24EvYq">Youth</a>, Sean Beavan, and even <a href="spotify:artist:5UnZl2Izl86NC6yfVwG0CT">Roy Thomas Baker</a>. (Curiously, <a href="spotify:artist:3OsRAKCvk37zwYcnzRf5XF">Moby</a> claimed to have been offered the job as well.) <a href="spotify:artist:7yAPsqNhqqsTGsuOSZJg0i">Marco Beltrami</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3SwPvWceyvNGebkPe2yPKD">Paul Buckmaster</a> were allegedly brought in for orchestral arrangements, and there was a revolving door of guitarists; <a href="spotify:artist:0fDF0jjmdouCIeWhNnblwV">Buckethead</a> left the band in 2004, and <a href="spotify:artist:1pfObbpsH1DmojbIUv2qfs">Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal</a> eventually took his place. In 2006, the record seemed closer to release, as <a href="spotify:artist:6lig3yUbu7r6VhnB8YGSlF">Rose</a> began surfacing in public and even took his band on the road for some shows. The music industry's biggest boondoggle finally bore fruit in 2008, when <a href="spotify:artist:6lig3yUbu7r6VhnB8YGSlF">Axl</a> unveiled an album that was well over a decade in the making. While Chinese Democracy received many rave reviews, and the critical response was positive overall, the record underperformed (its almost impossible) expectations, debuting at number three on the Billboard 200 when it came out in November. A worldwide tour followed. Guitarist <a href="spotify:artist:0eJ47F21cSoOL7T8yieuHh">DJ Ashba</a> of <a href="spotify:artist:3886aFez2HDLkio5tUzmP6">Sixx:A.M.</a> joined Guns N' Roses in 2009, and the band continued working on new material and playing shows, with some of the group's former members occasionally dropping in for guest appearances. In 2012, GNR's classic lineup was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and <a href="spotify:artist:4Cqia9vrAbm7ANXbJGXsTE">Slash</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3KEe5d2p5jKihMMvuXVhr1">McKagan</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6Ya7kAthUWvVuSQBX0oIMx">Clarke</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1bqTpELuDurfcMOGKvJXzl">Adler</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:1icjlI6iYtR1JjXTJLf4gG">Sorum</a> reunited and performed a few Appetite-era songs with vocalist <a href="spotify:artist:2YZOQlBE1v44RxPEAVSdVR">Myles Kennedy</a> replacing <a href="spotify:artist:6lig3yUbu7r6VhnB8YGSlF">Rose</a>, who had declined to participate. <a href="spotify:artist:1KGFAcP7ovMYuoQuloDhOj">Bumblefoot</a> left the group in 2014, and in July 2015, <a href="spotify:artist:0eJ47F21cSoOL7T8yieuHh">Ashba</a> announced that he had departed from the band as well. In 2016, GNR embarked on the Not in This Lifetime... Tour, which featured <a href="spotify:artist:6lig3yUbu7r6VhnB8YGSlF">Rose</a> alongside a reunited lineup with guitarist <a href="spotify:artist:4Cqia9vrAbm7ANXbJGXsTE">Slash</a>, bassist <a href="spotify:artist:3KEe5d2p5jKihMMvuXVhr1">Duff McKagan</a>, and several longtime touring members. The tour, whose title was a reference to a quote <a href="spotify:artist:6lig3yUbu7r6VhnB8YGSlF">Rose</a> gave in 2012, also found original drummer <a href="spotify:artist:1bqTpELuDurfcMOGKvJXzl">Steven Adler</a> joining the band for several stops. A remastered version of Appetite for Destruction arrived in 2018 and included a previously unreleased single, "Shadow of Your Love," recorded by the original lineup. The group continued to tour throughout 2020 and 2021, debuting several songs, including "Absurd" and "Hard Skool," the latter of which worked as the title track to the 2022 EP Hard Skool. Another GNR single, "Perhaps," appeared a year later in August 2023. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones

By the time the Rolling Stones began calling themselves the World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band in the late '60s, they had already staked out an impressive claim on the title. As the self-consciously dangerous alternative to the bouncy Merseybeat of <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">the Beatles</a> in the British Invasion, the Stones had pioneered the gritty, hard-driving blues-based rock & roll that came to define hard rock. With his preening machismo and latent maliciousness, <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Mick Jagger</a> became the prototypical rock frontman, tempering his macho showmanship with a detached, campy irony while <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Keith Richards</a> and Brian Jones wrote the blueprint for sinewy, interlocking rhythm guitars. Backed by the strong yet subtly swinging rhythm section of bassist <a href="spotify:artist:5TKEKLhk0wTKM5m61BtKQC">Bill Wyman</a> and drummer <a href="spotify:artist:5e50biMeBYtqgeMAAMPi9k">Charlie Watts</a>, the Stones became the breakout band of the British blues scene, eclipsing such contemporaries as <a href="spotify:artist:3ICflSq6ZgYAIrm2CTkfVP">the Animals</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:5BaHqGtf6UAZnHfqdPaTDA">Them</a>. Over the course of their career, the Stones never really abandoned blues, but as soon as they gained popularity in the U.K., they began experimenting musically, incorporating the British pop of contemporaries like <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">the Beatles</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1SQRv42e4PjEYfPhS0Tk9E">the Kinks</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:67ea9eGLXYMsO2eYQRui3w">the Who</a> into their sound. After a brief dalliance with psychedelia, the Stones re-emerged in the late '60s as a jaded, blues-soaked hard rock quintet. They had always flirted with the seedy side of rock & roll, but as the hippie dream began to break apart, they exposed and reveled in the new rock culture. It wasn't without difficulty, of course. Shortly after he was fired from the group, Jones was found dead in a swimming pool, while at a 1969 free concert at Altamont, a concertgoer was brutally killed during a Stones show. But the Stones never stopped going. For the next 50-plus years, they continued to record and perform, and while their albums weren't always blockbusters, they were never less than the most visible band of their era; certainly, none of their British peers continued to be as popular or productive as the Stones. No band since has proven to have such a broad fan base or such far-reaching popularity, and it is impossible to hear any of the groups that followed them without detecting some sort of influence, whether it was musical or aesthetic. Throughout their career, <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Mick Jagger</a> (vocals) and <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Keith Richards</a> (guitar, vocals) remained at the core of the Rolling Stones. The pair initially met as children at Dartford Maypole County Primary School. They drifted apart over the next ten years, eventually making each other's acquaintance again in 1960, when they met through a mutual friend, Dick Taylor, who was attending Sidcup Art School with <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Richards</a>. At the time, <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Jagger</a> was studying at the London School of Economics and playing with Taylor in the blues band Little Boy Blue & the Blue Boys. Shortly afterward, <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Richards</a> joined the band. Within a year, they had met Brian Jones (guitar, vocals), a Cheltenham native who had dropped out of school to play saxophone and clarinet. By the time he became a fixture on the British blues scene, Jones already had a wild life. He ran away to Scandinavia when he was 16 and had already fathered two children. He returned to Cheltenham after a few months, where he began playing with <a href="spotify:artist:2QjZJgbOdNOYLnMLhuQsg2">the Ramrods</a>. Shortly afterward, he moved to London, where he played in <a href="spotify:artist:385tW2q0gMaQTkswc9lMSe">Alexis Korner</a>'s group, Blues Inc. Jones quickly decided he wanted to form his own group and advertised for members; among those he recruited was blues pianist <a href="spotify:artist:0VqVMPh99YLcMyJSNuhMZ9">Ian Stewart</a>. As he played with his group, Jones also moonlighted under the name Elmo Jones at the Ealing Blues Club. At the pub, he became reacquainted with Blues, Inc., which now featured drummer <a href="spotify:artist:5e50biMeBYtqgeMAAMPi9k">Charlie Watts</a>, and, on occasion, cameos by <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Jagger</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Richards</a>. Jones became friends with <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Jagger</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Richards</a>, and they soon began playing together with Taylor and <a href="spotify:artist:0VqVMPh99YLcMyJSNuhMZ9">Stewart</a>; during this time, <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Jagger</a> was elevated to the status of Blues, Inc.'s lead singer. With the assistance of drummer <a href="spotify:artist:5AnIOBsnbRrmFIfaovZHMd">Tony Chapman</a>, the fledgling band recorded a demo tape. After it was rejected by <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22EMI%22">EMI</a>, Taylor left the band to attend the Royal College of Art; he would later form <a href="spotify:artist:5U16QlMnlSAhkQxBZpLyLO">the Pretty Things</a>. Before Taylor's departure, the group named itself the Rolling Stones, borrowing the moniker from a <a href="spotify:artist:4y6J8jwRAwO4dssiSmN91R">Muddy Waters</a> song. The Rolling Stones gave their first performance at the Marquee Club in London on July 12, 1962. At the time, the group consisted of <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Jagger</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Richards</a>, Jones, pianist <a href="spotify:artist:0VqVMPh99YLcMyJSNuhMZ9">Ian Stewart</a>, drummer <a href="spotify:artist:15wnTd7xDnWW5YLlY4YjEc">Mick Avory</a>, and Dick Taylor, who had briefly returned to the fold. Weeks after the concert, Taylor left again and was replaced by <a href="spotify:artist:5TKEKLhk0wTKM5m61BtKQC">Bill Wyman</a>, formerly of the Cliftons. <a href="spotify:artist:15wnTd7xDnWW5YLlY4YjEc">Avory</a> also left the group -- he would later join <a href="spotify:artist:1SQRv42e4PjEYfPhS0Tk9E">the Kinks</a> -- and the Stones hired <a href="spotify:artist:5AnIOBsnbRrmFIfaovZHMd">Tony Chapman</a>, who proved to be unsatisfactory. After a few months of persuasion, the band recruited <a href="spotify:artist:5e50biMeBYtqgeMAAMPi9k">Charlie Watts</a>, who had quit Blues, Inc. to work at an advertising agency once that group's schedule became too hectic. By 1963, the band's lineup was set, and the Stones began an eight-month residency at the Crawdaddy Club, which proved to substantially increase their fan base. It also attracted the attention of <a href="spotify:artist:7osQlIEugmCDo8AXAyzlqq">Andrew Loog Oldham</a>, who became the Stones' manager, signing them from underneath the Crawdaddy Club's Giorgio Gomelsky. Although <a href="spotify:artist:7osQlIEugmCDo8AXAyzlqq">Oldham</a> didn't know much about music, he was gifted at promotion, and he latched upon the idea of fashioning the Stones as the bad-boy opposition to the clean-cut <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">Beatles</a>. At his insistence, the heavyset yet meek <a href="spotify:artist:0VqVMPh99YLcMyJSNuhMZ9">Stewart</a> was forced out of the group, since his appearance contrasted with the rest of the bandmembers'. <a href="spotify:artist:0VqVMPh99YLcMyJSNuhMZ9">Stewart</a> didn't disappear from the Stones, though; he became one of their key roadies and played on their albums and tours until his death in 1985. With <a href="spotify:artist:7osQlIEugmCDo8AXAyzlqq">Oldham</a>'s help, the Rolling Stones signed with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Decca+Records%22">Decca Records</a>, and that June released their debut single, a cover of <a href="spotify:artist:293zczrfYafIItmnmM3coR">Chuck Berry</a>'s "Come On." The single became a minor hit, reaching number 21, and the group supported it with appearances on festivals and package tours. At the end of the year, they released a version of <a href="spotify:artist:4x1nvY2FN8jxqAFA0DA02H">Lennon</a>-McCartney's "I Wanna Be Your Man" that soared into the Top 15. Early in 1964, they released a cover of <a href="spotify:artist:3wYyutjgII8LJVVOLrGI0D">Buddy Holly</a>'s "Not Fade Away," which shot to number three. "Not Fade Away" became their first American hit, reaching number 48 that spring. By that time, the Stones were notorious in their homeland. Considerably rougher and sexier than <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">the Beatles</a>, the Stones were the subject of numerous sensationalized articles in the British press, culminating in a story about them urinating in public. All of these stories cemented the group as a dangerous, rebellious band in the minds of the public, and had the effect of beginning a manufactured rivalry between them and <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">the Beatles</a>, which helped the group rocket to popularity in the U.S. In the spring of 1964, the Stones released their eponymous debut album, which was followed by "It's All Over Now," their first U.K. number one. That summer, they toured America to riotous crowds, recording the Five by Five EP at <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Chess+Records%22">Chess Records</a> in Chicago in the midst of the tour. By the time it was over, they had another number one U.K. single with <a href="spotify:artist:0Wxy5Qka8BN9crcFkiAxSR">Howlin' Wolf</a>'s "Little Red Rooster." Although the Stones had achieved massive popularity, <a href="spotify:artist:7osQlIEugmCDo8AXAyzlqq">Oldham</a> decided to push <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Jagger</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Richards</a> into composing their own songs, since they -- and his publishing company -- would receive more money that away. In June of 1964, the group released their first original single, "Tell Me (You're Coming Back)," which became their first American Top 40 hit. Shortly afterward, a version of <a href="spotify:artist:01Z8Z9K54zewyP04ZfGLSv">Irma Thomas</a>' "Time Is on My Side" became their first U.S. Top Ten. It was followed by "The Last Time" in early 1965, a number one U.K. and Top Ten U.S. hit that began a virtually uninterrupted string of <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Jagger</a>-<a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Richards</a> hit singles. Still, it wasn't until the group released "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" in the summer of 1965 that they were elevated to superstars. Driven by a fuzz-guitar riff designed to replicate the sound of a horn section, "Satisfaction" signaled that <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Jagger</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Richards</a> had come into their own as songwriters, breaking away from their blues roots and developing a signature style of big, bluesy riffs and wry, sardonic lyrics. It stayed at number one for four weeks and began a string of Top Ten singles that ran for the next two years, including such classics as "Get Off My Cloud," "19th Nervous Breakdown," "As Tears Go By," and "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?" By 1966, the Stones had decided to respond to <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">the Beatles</a>' increasingly complex albums with their first album of all-original material, Aftermath. Due to Brian Jones' increasingly exotic musical tastes, the record boasted a wide range of influences, from the sitar-drenched "Paint It, Black" to the Eastern drones of "I'm Going Home." These eclectic influences continued to blossom on Between the Buttons (1967), the most pop-oriented album the group ever made. Ironically, the album's release was bookended by two of the most notorious incidents in the band's history. Before the record was released, the Stones performed the suggestive "Let's Spend the Night Together," the B-side to the medieval ballad "Ruby Tuesday," on The Ed Sullivan Show, which forced <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Jagger</a> to alter the song's title to an incomprehensible mumble, or else face being banned. In February of 1967, <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Jagger</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Richards</a> were arrested for drug possession, and within three months, Jones was arrested on the same charge. All three were given suspended jail sentences, and the group backed away from the spotlight as the summer of love kicked into gear in 1967. <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Jagger</a>, along with his then-girlfriend <a href="spotify:artist:7mlge4peaoNgzTsY6M32RB">Marianne Faithfull</a>, went with <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">the Beatles</a> to meet the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi; they were also prominent in the international broadcast of <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">the Beatles</a>' "All You Need Is Love." Appropriately, the Stones' next single, "Dandelion"/"We Love You," was a psychedelic pop effort, and it was followed by their response to Sgt. Pepper's, Their Satanic Majesties Request, which was greeted with lukewarm reviews. The Stones' infatuation with psychedelia was brief. By early 1968, they had fired <a href="spotify:artist:7osQlIEugmCDo8AXAyzlqq">Andrew Loog Oldham</a> and hired Allen Klein as their manager. The move coincided with their return to driving rock & roll, which happened to coincide with <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Richards</a>' discovery of open tunings, a move that gave the Stones their distinctively fat, powerful sound. The revitalized Stones were showcased on the malevolent single "Jumpin' Jack Flash," which climbed to number three in May 1968. Their next album, Beggar's Banquet, was finally released in the fall, after being delayed for five months due its controversial cover art of a dirty, graffiti-laden restroom. An edgy record filled with detours into straight blues and campy country, Beggar's Banquet was hailed as a masterpiece among the fledgling rock press. Although it was seen as a return to form, few realized that while it opened a new chapter of the Stones' history, it was also the end of their time with Brian Jones. Throughout the recording of Beggar's Banquet, Jones was on the sidelines due to his deepening drug addiction and his resentment of the dominance of <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Jagger</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Richards</a>. Jones left the band on June 9, 1969, claiming to be suffering from artistic differences between himself and his bandmembers. On July 3, 1969 -- less than a month after his departure -- Jones was found dead in his swimming pool. The coroner ruled that it was "death by misadventure," yet his passing was the subject of countless rumors over the next two years. By the time of his death, the Stones had already replaced Jones with <a href="spotify:artist:4tkgLX1wdWoOu2lyeQNYAi">Mick Taylor</a>, a former guitarist for <a href="spotify:artist:2ScuQMRWThcifBRIvNDFDC">John Mayall's Bluesbreakers</a>. He wasn't featured on "Honky Tonk Women," a number one single released days after Jones' funeral, and he contributed only a handful of leads on their next album, Let It Bleed. Released in the fall of 1969, Let It Bleed comprised sessions with Jones and Taylor, yet it continued the direction of Beggar's Banquet, signaling that a new era in the Stones' career had begun, one marked by ragged music and an increasingly wasted sensibility. Following <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Jagger</a>'s filming of Ned Kelly in Australia during the first part of 1969, the group launched its first American tour in three years. Throughout the tour -- the first where they were billed as the World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band -- the group broke attendance records, but it was given a sour note when they staged a free concert at Altamont Speedway. On the advice of <a href="spotify:artist:4TMHGUX5WI7OOm53PqSDAT">the Grateful Dead</a>, the Stones hired Hell's Angels as security, but that plan backfired tragically. The entire show was unorganized and in shambles, and it turned tragic when the Angels killed a young Black man, <a href="spotify:artist:4bE2H74WOY1CAAzliJUBys">Meredith Hunter</a>, during the Stones' performance. In the wake of the public outcry, the Stones again retreated from the spotlight and dropped "Sympathy for the Devil," which some critics ignorantly claimed incited the violence, from their set. As the group entered a hiatus, they released the live Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! in the fall of 1970. It was their last album for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Decca%2FLondon%22">Decca/London</a>, and they formed <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Rolling+Stones+Records%22">Rolling Stones Records</a>, which became a subsidiary of <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Atlantic%22">Atlantic</a>. During 1970, <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Jagger</a> starred in Nicolas Roeg's cult film Performance and married Nicaragua model Bianca Perez Morena de Macias; the couple quickly entered high society. As <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Jagger</a> was jet-setting, <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Richards</a> was slumming, hanging out with country-rock pioneer <a href="spotify:artist:1KA3WXYMPLxomNuoE22LYd">Gram Parsons</a>. <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Keith</a> wound up having more musical influence on 1971's Sticky Fingers, the first album the Stones released through their new label. Following its release, the band retreated to France in tax exile, where they shared a house and recorded a double album, Exile on Main St. Upon its May 1972 release, Exile on Main St. was widely panned, but over time it came to be considered one of the group's defining moments. Following Exile, the Stones began to splinter in two, as <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Jagger</a> concentrated on being a celebrity and <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Richards</a> sank into drug addiction. The band remained popular throughout the '70s, but their critical support waned. Goats Head Soup, released in 1973, reached number one, as did 1974's It's Only Rock 'n' Roll, but neither record was particularly well-received. Taylor left the band after It's Only Rock 'n' Roll, and the group recorded their next album as they auditioned new lead guitarists, including <a href="spotify:artist:0AD4odMWVQ2wUSlgxOB5Rl">Jeff Beck</a>. They finally settled on <a href="spotify:artist:5HFtQOrPHOFptM1WF9xPuK">Ron Wood</a>, former lead guitarist for <a href="spotify:artist:3v4feUQnU3VEUqFrjmtekL">the Faces</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2y8Jo9CKhJvtfeKOsYzRdT">Rod Stewart</a>, in 1976, the same year they released Black n' Blue, which only featured <a href="spotify:artist:5HFtQOrPHOFptM1WF9xPuK">Wood</a> on a handful of cuts. During the mid- and late '70s, all the Stones pursued side projects, with both <a href="spotify:artist:5TKEKLhk0wTKM5m61BtKQC">Wyman</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:5HFtQOrPHOFptM1WF9xPuK">Wood</a> releasing solo albums with regularity. <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Richards</a> was arrested in Canada in 1977 with his common-law wife Anita Pallenberg for heroin possession. After his arrest, he cleaned up and was given a suspended sentence the following year. The band reconvened in 1978 to record Some Girls, an energetic response to punk, new wave, and disco. The record and its first single, the thumping disco-rocker "Miss You," both reached number one, and the album restored the group's image. However, the band squandered that goodwill with the follow-up, Emotional Rescue, a number one record that nevertheless received lukewarm reviews upon its 1980 release. Tattoo You, released the following year, fared better both critically and commercially, as the singles "Start Me Up" and "Waiting on a Friend" helped the album spend nine weeks at number one. The Stones supported Tattoo You with an extensive stadium tour captured in Hal Ashby's movie Let's Spend the Night Together and the 1982 live album Still Life. Tattoo You proved to be the last time the Stones completely dominated the charts and the stadiums. Although they continued to sell out concerts in the '80s and '90s, their records didn't sell as well as previous efforts, partially because the albums suffered due to <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Jagger</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Richards</a>' notorious mid-'80s feud. Starting with 1983's Undercover, the duo were conflicted about which way the band should go, with <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Jagger</a> wanting the Stones to follow contemporary trends and <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Richards</a> wanting them to stay true to their rock roots. As a result, Undercover was a mean-spirited, unfocused record that had relatively weak sales and mixed reviews. Released in 1986, Dirty Work suffered a worse fate, since <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Jagger</a> was preoccupied with his fledgling solo career. Once <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Jagger</a> decided that the Stones would not support Dirty Work with a tour, <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Richards</a> decided to make his own solo record with 1988's Talk Is Cheap. Appearing a year after <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Jagger</a>'s failed second solo album, Talk Is Cheap received good reviews and went gold, prompting <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Jagger</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Richards</a> to reunite late in 1988. The following year, the Stones released Steel Wheels, which was received with good reviews, but the record was overshadowed by its supporting tour, which grossed over 140 million dollars and broke many box office records. In 1991, the live album Flashpoint, which was culled from the Steel Wheels shows, was released. Following the release, <a href="spotify:artist:5TKEKLhk0wTKM5m61BtKQC">Bill Wyman</a> left the band; he published a memoir, Stone Alone, within a few years of leaving. The Stones didn't immediately replace <a href="spotify:artist:5TKEKLhk0wTKM5m61BtKQC">Wyman</a>, since they were all working on solo projects; this time, there was none of the animosity surrounding their mid-'80s projects. The group reconvened in 1994 with bassist Darryl Jones, who had previously played with <a href="spotify:artist:0kbYTNQb4Pb1rPbbaF0pT4">Miles Davis</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:0Ty63ceoRnnJKVEYP0VQpk">Sting</a>, to record and release the Don Was-produced Voodoo Lounge. The album received the band's strongest reviews in years, and its accompanying tour was even more successful than the Steel Wheels tour. On top of being more successful than its predecessor, Voodoo Lounge also won the Stones their first Grammy for Best Rock Album. Upon the completion of the Voodoo Lounge tour, the Stones released the live "unplugged" album Stripped in the fall of 1995. Similarly, after wrapping up their tour in support of 1997's Bridges to Babylon, the group issued yet another live set, No Security, the following year. A high-profile greatest-hits tour in 2002 was launched despite the lack of a studio album to support, and its album document, Live Licks, appeared in 2004. A year later, the group issued A Bigger Bang, their third effort with producer Don Was. In 2006, Martin Scorsese filmed two of the group's performances at New York City's Beacon Theatre. The resulting Shine a Light, which included guest appearances from <a href="spotify:artist:2gCsNOpiBaMNh20jQ5prf0">Buddy Guy</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4FZ3j1oH43e7cukCALsCwf">Jack White</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:1l7ZsJRRS8wlW3WfJfPfNS">Christina Aguilera</a>, was released in theaters in 2008. The accompanying soundtrack reached the number two spot on the U.K. charts. Following Shine a Light, the Stones turned their attention toward their legacy. For <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Keith Richards</a>, this meant delving into writing his autobiography, Life -- the memoir was published to acclaim in the fall of 2010 and generated some controversy due to comments <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Keith</a> made about <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Mick</a> -- but the Stones in general spent time mining their archives, something they'd previously avoided. In 2010, they released a super-deluxe edition of Exile on Main St. that contained a bonus disc of rarities and outtakes, including a few newly finished songs like "Plundered My Soul." This was followed in 2011 by a super-deluxe edition of Some Girls that also contained unheard songs and outtakes. That same year, the Stones opened up their Rolling Stones Archive, which offered official digital releases of classic live bootlegs like 1973's The Brussels Affair. All this was a prelude to their 50th anniversary in 2012, which the group celebrated with a hardcover book, a documentary called Crossfire Hurricane, and a new compilation called GRRR! The Stones also played a handful of star-studded concerts at the end of the year and in the first half of 2013, several of which featured guest spots from the long-departed <a href="spotify:artist:4tkgLX1wdWoOu2lyeQNYAi">Mick Taylor</a>. These live shows culminated with a headlining spot at Glastonbury and two July 2013 concerts at Hyde Park; highlights from the Hyde Park shows were released that July and, later in the year, there was a home video/CD release of the concert called Sweet Summer Sun: Live in Hyde Park. Over the next few years, the Stones played concerts regularly -- a highlight was a March 2016 concert in Havana, Cuba -- and slowly worked on an album that was teased in September 2016, the same week their <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Decca%2FLondon%22">Decca/London</a> works were released as the box set The Rolling Stones in Mono. On December 2, 2016, the Stones released Blue & Lonesome, a collection of Chicago blues covers that was their first studio album in 11 years. The band had two major archival projects released in the last quarter of 2017: a 50th anniversary edition of Their Satanic Majesties Request and On Air, the first official release of their '60s BBC recordings. The band's 2018 No Filter tour of Europe spilled over into 2019 when they announced it would include a massive stadium tour of the U.S. The tour was delayed due to <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Jagger</a>'s need for emergency heart surgery -- he recovered successfully, and the band returned to the road -- but the release of the new compilation Honk was undisturbed. Concentrating on music made since 1971, Honk appeared in April 2019. Later that year came the arrival of the live LP/concert film Bridges to Bremen, which captured the group performing in the German city on September 2, 1998, in support of the Bridges to Babylon album. A 50th anniversary edition of Let It Bleed also appeared in 2019. In April 2020, the Stones released the single "Living in a Ghost Town." It was their first new material since 2012, taken from sessions for a studio album that the band had been working toward since 2015. Later that year, they released a deluxe reissue of Goats Head Soup. On August 5, 2021, the Rolling Stones announced that <a href="spotify:artist:5e50biMeBYtqgeMAAMPi9k">Watts</a> would be unable to appear with the band on an upcoming United States tour (already postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic) due to health concerns, and that <a href="spotify:artist:53XJ4BIv6iblv2Osdpp5ls">Steve Jordan</a> (who had worked with <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Keith Richards</a> on a number of projects) would be taking his place. Less than three weeks later, <a href="spotify:artist:5e50biMeBYtqgeMAAMPi9k">Charlie Watts</a> died in a London hospital on August 24, 2021; he was 80 years old. The Rolling Stones resumed their No Filter tour in September 2021, staying on the road through the end of the year. <a href="spotify:artist:53XJ4BIv6iblv2Osdpp5ls">Jordan</a> remained in the drummer's seat for the celebratory Sixty Tour in 2022. During that year, the Stones also dug into their archive for Live at the El Mocambo, presenting the first official release of a heavily bootlegged pair of small club dates from 1977. After many years of work, <a href="spotify:artist:3d2pb1dHTm8b61zAGVUVvO">Mick Jagger</a> pushed the band to complete the recordings for their first album of original material since 2005 and they finally finished work in early 2023. Largely produced by <a href="spotify:artist:4olE3I5QU0dvSR7LIpqTXc">Andrew Watt</a>, the resulting Hackney Diamonds was released in October and contained two songs from <a href="spotify:artist:5e50biMeBYtqgeMAAMPi9k">Charlie Watts</a>' last sessions with the band, as well as cameos by <a href="spotify:artist:4STHEaNw4mPZ2tzheohgXB">Paul McCartney</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3PhoLpVuITZKcymswpck5b">Elton John</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1HY2Jd0NmPuamShAr6KMms">Lady Gaga</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7guDJrEfX3qb6FEbdPA5qi">Stevie Wonder</a>, and, in his first contribution to a Stones album since 1989, the band's original bassist, <a href="spotify:artist:5TKEKLhk0wTKM5m61BtKQC">Bill Wyman</a>. Along with reaching number three on the Billboard 200 and number one in the U.K., Hackney Diamonds took home the award for Best Rock Album at the 2025 Grammy Awards ceremony. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

One Direction

One Direction

One Direction skillfully blended hooky songs, slick production, and winning personalities together in a way that made them one of the most popular boy bands ever, regardless of era or region. Made up of five distinct vocalists, the group was formed on the U.K. talent show X-Factor and over the course of six years topped the charts with million-selling singles and albums while filling arenas around the world. Their initial songs, like 2011's "What Makes You Beautiful," were bubblegummy and sweet, but the band soon delved into other avenues including indie folk ("Story of My Life") and '80s rock. Despite their popularity never dipping, the band began to splinter in the mid-2000s, then went on hiatus in 2006. The group was formed by <a href="spotify:artist:1Hsdzj7Dlq2I7tHP7501T4">Niall Horan</a> from Mullingar, Ireland; <a href="spotify:artist:5ZsFI1h6hIdQRw2ti0hz81">Zayn Malik</a> from Bradford; <a href="spotify:artist:6KImCVD70vtIoJWnq6nGn3">Harry Styles</a> from Cheshire; <a href="spotify:artist:57WHJIHrjOE3iAxpihhMnp">Louis Tomlinson</a> from Doncaster, and <a href="spotify:artist:5pUo3fmmHT8bhCyHE52hA6">Liam Payne</a> from Wolverhampton (the latter had previously reached the judge's house stages of The X-Factor as a 14-year-old back in 2008). Each originally entered 2010's seventh series of The X Factor as individuals, but following a suggestion from guest judge <a href="spotify:artist:40xbWSB4JPdOkRyuTDy1oP">Nicole Scherzinger</a>, they were grouped together to become One Direction. Mentored by Simon Cowell, they soon became one of the favorites to win the show, thanks to renditions of <a href="spotify:artist:3BmGtnKgCSGYIUhmivXKWX">Kelly Clarkson</a>'s "My Life Would Suck Without You," <a href="spotify:artist:3PhoLpVuITZKcymswpck5b">Elton John</a>'s "Something About the Way You Look Tonight," and <a href="spotify:artist:0SD4eZCN4Kr0wQk56hCdh2">Bonnie Tyler</a>'s "Total Eclipse of the Heart." However, despite receiving a standing ovation for their duet with <a href="spotify:artist:2HcwFjNelS49kFbfvMxQYw">Robbie Williams</a> ("She's the One") in the live final, they eventually finished third behind <a href="spotify:artist:0CrCKxXekxMpkYfMEf8mca">Rebecca Ferguson</a> and winner <a href="spotify:artist:3906URNmNa1VCXEeiJ3DSH">Matt Cardle</a>. Spotting the potential of five <a href="spotify:artist:1uNFoZAHBGtllmzznpCI3s">Justin Bieber</a>-esque teen pin-ups, Cowell signed them to his <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Syco%22">Syco</a> label in a two-million dollar deal, and after performing on the X-Factor tour, the quintet began work on its debut album with Savan Kotecha (<a href="spotify:artist:26dSoYclwsYLMAKD3tpOr4">Britney Spears</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7qG3b048QCHVRO5Pv1T5lw">Enrique Iglesias</a>). Following a sponsorship deal with Nintendo DS and a book, Forever Young, named after their cover of the <a href="spotify:artist:0xliTEbFfy5HQHvsTknTkX">Alphaville</a> classic that was intended to be their winner's song, they released their first single, "What Makes You Beautiful," in late 2011. The full-length album Up All Night followed soon after. In 2012, One Direction became the first British band to debut on top of the Billboard 200 list when Up All Night sold over 176,000 copies during its first week of release in America. In late 2012, One Direction released their sophomore album, Take Me Home. Highlighting more of the band's melodic pop, Take Me Home featured songs and production from Sweden's Carl Falk, Rami Yacoub, and Savan Kotecha, who worked on Up All Night, as well as contributions from singer/songwriter <a href="spotify:artist:6eUKZXaKkcviH0Ku9w2n3V">Ed Sheeran</a>. The album proved to be another smash and topped charts around the world, earning multi-platinum certification in half-a-dozen countries. The singles "Live While We're Young" and "Little Things" also hit number one across the globe, and "Kiss You" reached the Top Ten in the U.S. One Direction then embarked on a globe-spanning tour in which the band played over 100 shows, including six sold-out nights at London's massive O2 Arena. At the same time, they were being filmed by director Morgan Spurlock for This Is Us, a mix of documentary and concert footage that proved to be successful at the box office when it was released in August of 2013. While they were touring, One Direction also began work on their third album, Midnight Memories. Released just in time for the 2013 holidays, the record featured songwriting input from all the members, a new production team, and some new folk and '80s hair metal influences. It nearly outdid Take Me Home and Up All Night, peaking at number one in seven countries and spawning the singles "Best Song Ever" and "Story of My Life." The group toured the world for most of 2014, but still found time to record a fourth album, which was released in late 2014. Produced by the same team who handled Midnight Memories, Four similarly looked back to the '80s for inspiration and featured a new song from old friend <a href="spotify:artist:6eUKZXaKkcviH0Ku9w2n3V">Ed Sheeran</a>. A pair of platinum singles, "Steal My Girl" and "Night Changes," helped the album hit number one in nearly 20 countries. The band returned to the road and a busy promotional schedule in 2015, during which <a href="spotify:artist:5ZsFI1h6hIdQRw2ti0hz81">Malik</a> was often absent. He left the tour due to stress in early March, then officially quit the band a few days later. (He went on to become the first to pursue a solo career.) The four remaining members continued touring, and in July released "Drag Me Down," the first single from their fifth album, Made in the A.M. Following the September announcement of the album, the bandmembers also revealed that, after the promotional efforts for the album were over, they'd be going on hiatus during 2016. Made in the A.M. was released in November of 2015, and featured the singles "Infinity," "Perfect," "What a Feeling," and "History." It performed very well commercially, peaking at number one in the U.K. and number two in the U.S. In 2016, the group went on hiatus, and the individual members all pursued solo careers to varying degrees of success. Hopes for a possible full band reunion were dashed when <a href="spotify:artist:5pUo3fmmHT8bhCyHE52hA6">Liam Payne</a> died on October 16, 2024, in Buenos Aires. Following his passing, all five of One Direction's studio albums returned to the charts as fans mourned around the globe. ~ Jon O'Brien, Rovi

The Black Eyed Peas

The Black Eyed Peas

Over 25 years, Los Angeles trio Black Eyed Peas —will.i.am, Apl.de.Ap, and Taboo—have earned six GRAMMY® Awards and achieved sales of 35 million albums & 120 million singles. One of the era’s biggest acts, they emerged as “the second best-selling artist/group of all-time for downloaded tracks,” (Nielsen), landing on Billboard’s “Hot 100 Artists of the Decade.” Their 8th studio album, 2020’s TRANSLATION achieved staggering success, featuring collaborations with J Balvin, Ozuna, Maluma, Shakira, Nicky Jam, & Tyga. The album scored 8 nominations at the Billboard Latin Music Awards, including ‘Crossover Artist of the Year” & “Hot Latin Song of the Year” for “RITMO” and a nomination at the 2021 Latin Music Awards for ‘“Favorite Artists - Crossover”. Singles “RITMO (Bad Boys For Life)” [feat. J Balvin] & “MAMACITA” [feat. Ozuna and J.Rey Soul] achieved #1 status on three Billboard Charts, numerous award nominations, & gold, platinum, & diamond certifications globally. “GIRL LIKE ME” [feat. Shakira] continued this streak, scooping “Best Latin” award at the MTV VMAs; ‘HIT IT’ with Saweetie & Lele Pons racked up 5.8M global audio streams, 1.1M US audio streams & almost 10M YouTube views in its first week alone. In 2022 the band reunited with Shakira & David Guetta for DON’T YOU WORRY, the first single from 9th studio album ELEVATION, swiftly followed by Anitta & El Alfa collab SIMPLY THE BEST, opening up yet another brilliant chapter in the continuing story of the Black Eyed Peas.

Arctic Monkeys

Arctic Monkeys

With their nervy and literate indie rock sound, Arctic Monkeys are a respected, adventurous, and successful group that could easily be called Britain's biggest band of the early 21st century. The band arrived with a blast in 2005, assisted by rave reviews and online word of mouth (they were one of the first bands to benefit from social media). They quickly became a sensation in the United Kingdom, where they were seen as the heir apparent to the throne left vacant by <a href="spotify:artist:2DaxqgrOhkeH0fpeiQq2f4">Oasis</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:4fSPtBgFPZzygkY6MehwQ7">the Libertines</a>. Buoyed by the single "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor," their 2006 debut Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not briefly grabbed the title of fastest-selling album in British history. It landed on top of both the U.K. and U.S. rock album charts and took home the Mercury Prize. What set the group apart was <a href="spotify:artist:1ctkBmvz80MGyi72Ix055S">Alex Turner</a>, a singer/songwriter with a biting wit and grasp of English vernacular (not dissimilar to <a href="spotify:artist:7Lf3LOZp3U3u2f6cWMd3AH">Paul Weller</a>, the godfather of modern British rock). However, driven by their maverick creative spirit, Arctic Monkeys have proven highly unpredictable, reworking classic rock traditions on 2007's Favourite Worst Nightmare and beefing up their guitars with the assistance of <a href="spotify:artist:4pejUc4iciQfgdX6OKulQn">Queens of the Stone Age</a>'s <a href="spotify:artist:03xb2BUdIFzuRQ6o88yfCB">Josh Homme</a> on 2009's Humbug. Eventually, they also laced in some of the louche lounge aspects of <a href="spotify:artist:1ctkBmvz80MGyi72Ix055S">Turner</a>'s swinging side project <a href="spotify:artist:2Z7UcsdweVlRbAk5wH5fsf">the Last Shadow Puppets</a>, an evolution that began on 2018's arty Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino and deepened on its 2022 follow-up The Car. By that point, the band was a staple throughout the world. <a href="spotify:artist:1ctkBmvz80MGyi72Ix055S">Alex Turner</a> and guitarist Jamie Cook began their music careers in 2001, when the friends both received guitars for Christmas. Two years later, they began performing shows around their native Sheffield with drummer Matt Helders and bassist Andy Nicholson, two fellow students at Stocksbridge High School. A series of demo recordings followed, and Arctic Monkeys' audience swelled as fans circulated those recordings via the Internet. The musicians soon found themselves at the center of a growing media circus, with such outlets as BBC Radio examining the band's music and mounting hype. By distributing their homemade material on the Internet, Arctic Monkeys were able to build a sizable fan base without the help of a record label, effectively circumventing the usual road to superstardom. They continued to buck tradition by signing with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Domino+Records%22">Domino Records</a> in 2005, eschewing a major-label's budget for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Domino%22">Domino</a>'s D.I.Y. cred and hip roster (which also included <a href="spotify:artist:0XNa1vTidXlvJ2gHSsRi4A">Franz Ferdinand</a>, a touchstone for the band's sound). The smart moves paid off as Arctic Monkeys' first two singles -- "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" and "When the Sun Goes Down" -- both topped the U.K. charts. Critical reception was similarly favorable, but few could have predicted the whirlwind success of the band's debut album, which ousted <a href="spotify:artist:2DaxqgrOhkeH0fpeiQq2f4">Oasis</a>' Definitely Maybe as the fastest-selling debut in British history (a record that was broken one year later by <a href="spotify:artist:5lKZWd6HiSCLfnDGrq9RAm">Leona Lewis</a>' Spirit). Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not sold 363,735 copies during its first week alone, transforming Arctic Monkeys from underground stars into mainstream figures. Arctic Monkeys' debut sold approximately 300,000 total copies in America -- enough to warrant more media coverage. Their success continued as they released a spring EP, Who the F**k Are Arctic Monkeys, and prepared for a stateside tour. Temporary bassist Nick O'Malley was brought aboard for the band's American shows, while a fatigued Nicholson stayed at home. Nicholson then announced his official departure when the band returned home in June 2006, and O'Malley remained with Arctic Monkeys as a permanent member. That fall, the guys received the 2006 Mercury Prize and donated the accompanying money to an undisclosed charity. Additional accolades included Best British Breakthrough Act at the BRIT Awards and Best New Band at the NME Awards. NME also made a bold assertion by deeming the group's debut one of the Top Five British albums ever released. Released in April 2007, Favourite Worst Nightmare updated Arctic Monkeys' sound with louder instruments and faster tempos. The bandmates had recorded the sophomore album quickly, wishing to return to the road as soon as possible, and the speedy turnaround between records helped maintain the group's popularity at home. Favourite Worst Nightmare sold 85,000 copies during its first day of release, and all 12 tracks entered the Top 200 of the U.K. singles charts. As <a href="spotify:artist:1ctkBmvz80MGyi72Ix055S">Alex Turner</a> briefly turned his attention to a side project, <a href="spotify:artist:2Z7UcsdweVlRbAk5wH5fsf">the Last Shadow Puppets</a>, Arctic Monkeys received another Mercury Prize nomination and took home two titles at the 2008 BRIT Awards. Recording sessions for a third album commenced in early 2008 and lasted throughout the year, with producers James Ford (who previously worked with <a href="spotify:artist:1ctkBmvz80MGyi72Ix055S">Turner</a> on <a href="spotify:artist:2Z7UcsdweVlRbAk5wH5fsf">the Last Shadow Puppets</a>' album) and <a href="spotify:artist:03xb2BUdIFzuRQ6o88yfCB">Josh Homme</a> (frontman of <a href="spotify:artist:4pejUc4iciQfgdX6OKulQn">Queens of the Stone Age</a>) adding some newfound heft to the band's sound. Meanwhile, Arctic Monkeys released a concert album entitled At the Apollo -- with accompanying video footage captured on 35mm film -- before unveiling Humbug in August 2009. Humbug went platinum in the U.K. with the singles "Crying Lightning" peaking at number 12 and "Cornerstone" topping out at 94. The band hit the road that February, kicking off a multi-leg tour that ran through the rest of the year. After playing another handful of shows in early 2010, the guys took a short hiatus before reconvening with James Ford for their fourth album. Sessions began that fall, and the resulting Suck It and See arrived in spring 2011, topping the U.K. album chart and landing at number 14 on the Billboard 200. Meanwhile, <a href="spotify:artist:1ctkBmvz80MGyi72Ix055S">Turner</a> also wrote music for a Richard Ayoade film, Submarine, whose soundtrack doubled as the frontman's first solo release. In February 2012, Arctic Monkeys released a song entitled "R U Mine?" on their YouTube channel, which indicated that an album was on the way. A few months later, the band played at the London Summer Olympics opening ceremony, performing "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" and <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">the Beatles</a>' "Come Together," but it wasn't until the summer of 2013 that the group's fifth album was to be revealed. Entitled AM, the record was released in September, a few months after a triumphant headlining performance at Glastonbury 2013, which was opened with the new song "Do I Wanna Know?" Both a critical and commercial success, AM topped the British charts and reached number six on the Billboard 200. It also earned the group a Mercury Prize nomination and won British Album of the Year at the BRIT Awards. Following the end of their tour in 2014, the band entered an extended hiatus, during which time the individual members pursued solo projects. In 2016, <a href="spotify:artist:1ctkBmvz80MGyi72Ix055S">Turner</a> released his second album with <a href="spotify:artist:2Z7UcsdweVlRbAk5wH5fsf">the Last Shadow Puppets</a> and toured. Arctic Monkeys resurfaced in April 2018 with the loungey Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, a softer affair than their previous albums. Along with topping the U.K. album chart and Billboard Top Rock Albums chart, the LP became the group's fourth to earn a Mercury Prize nomination. Later that year, the band issued the TBH&C B-side "Anyways" as a single. A concert album, Live at the Royal Albert Hall, recorded during the Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino tour arrived in November 2020, with all proceeds going to benefit the War Child U.K. charity organization. Arctic Monkeys began their seventh album cycle by releasing the single "There’d Better Be a Mirrorball" in August 2022, delivering the full-length The Car in October. Continuing the slow, stylish vibe of Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino, the album was cut in a monastery on the coast of Suffolk. It hit number six on the Billboard 200, number two in the U.K., and picked up three Grammy nominations, including for Best Alternative Music Album. ~ Andrew Leahey & Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

Radiohead

Radiohead

Radiohead are a touchstone for all that is fearless and adventurous in rock, evolving from self-loathing anthems to moody prog rock suites to weathered, if shimmering ballads. Inheritors of a throne previously occupied by <a href="spotify:artist:0oSGxfWSnnOXhD2fKuz2Gy">David Bowie</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0k17h0D3J5VfsdmQ1iZtE9">Pink Floyd</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:2x9SpqnPi8rlE9pjHBwmSC">Talking Heads</a> (from whom they took their name), the British band spliced <a href="spotify:artist:0k17h0D3J5VfsdmQ1iZtE9">Floyd</a>'s spaciness with <a href="spotify:artist:51Blml2LZPmy7TTiAg47vQ">U2</a>'s messianic arena rock heft and bridged the gap with guitar skronk borrowed from the '80s American underground. The jagged interjections on "Creep," the band's Top Ten U.K., Top 40 U.S. breakthrough from their debut album Pablo Honey (1993), recalled <a href="spotify:artist:6zvul52xwTWzilBZl6BUbT">Pixies</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6olE6TJLqED3rqDCT0FyPh">Nirvana</a>, but in the throes of the alternative rock explosion, Radiohead were the odd band out, seen as dour art-rock students at home and as one-hit wonders in the States. During the peak of Brit-pop, Radiohead released The Bends (1995), a leap forward that gained them some traction, but it was OK Computer (1997), a bold set fueled by film music, Krautrock, and electronica, that broke down doors for the band upon its entry at the top of the U.K. and U.S. charts. Soon, whenever rock bands dabbled in electronics, it was derived not from tightly sequenced rhythms, but rather, from glassy textures and introspection, a sensibility pioneered by the quintet. Radiohead doubled down on this aesthetic with Kid A (2000) and Amnesiac (2001), favoring minimal arrangements and elements of avant-garde jazz over concise hooks. From that point on, Radiohead have occasionally worked with conventional song structures but have been drawn toward unusual paths heard on Hail to the Thief (2003) and In Rainbows (a surprise, pay-what-you-want 2007 release), followed the next decade by The King of Limbs (2011) and A Moon Shaped Pool (2016). Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2019, Radiohead have focused primarily on catalog releases, side projects, and solo pursuits during the 2020s. Every member of Radiohead was a pupil at Oxfordshire's Abingdon School. <a href="spotify:artist:3E7aH1Yv84NoaP9JWcrMpE">Ed O'Brien</a> (guitar) and <a href="spotify:artist:2A59wav3PGiJij2rK7HQYH">Phil Selway</a> (drums) were the eldest, followed by a year by <a href="spotify:artist:4CvTDPKA6W06DRfBnZKrau">Thom Yorke</a> (vocals, guitar, piano) and <a href="spotify:artist:6bdotkIeFswBydfQqzHnKS">Colin Greenwood</a> (bass). These four musicians began playing in 1985, dubbing themselves On a Friday, and before long they added <a href="spotify:artist:6bdotkIeFswBydfQqzHnKS">Colin</a>'s younger brother <a href="spotify:artist:0z9s3P5vCzKcUBSxgBDyLU">Jonny</a>, who'd previously played in Illiterate Hands with <a href="spotify:artist:4CvTDPKA6W06DRfBnZKrau">Yorke</a>'s brother <a href="spotify:artist:6CbjCavKWLrR6J3FzUwwJI">Andy</a> and Nigel Powell. <a href="spotify:artist:0z9s3P5vCzKcUBSxgBDyLU">Jonny</a> started on keyboards but moved to guitar, yet this incarnation proved short-lived. By 1987, everyone but <a href="spotify:artist:0z9s3P5vCzKcUBSxgBDyLU">Jonny</a> left for university, where many members pursued music, but it wasn't until 1991 that the quintet regrouped and started gigging regularly in Oxford. Eventually, they came to the attention of Chris Hufford -- then best-known as the producer of shoegaze stars <a href="spotify:artist:72X6FHxaShda0XeQw3vbeF">Slowdive</a> -- who offered the group the chance to record a demo along with his partner Bryce Edge; the two soon became the band's managers. <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22EMI%22">EMI</a> bit at the group's demo, signing them in 1991 and suggesting they change their name. On a Friday became Radiohead and they recorded their debut EP, Drill, with Hufford and Edge, releasing the record in May 1992. Next, the group entered the studio with producers Paul Kolderie and <a href="spotify:artist:1pYe8ZSmmg4LJDdLDlVh9b">Sean Slade</a> to record their full-length debut. The first fruit from these sessions was "Creep," a single released in the U.K. in September of 1992. "Creep" didn't go anywhere at first. The British music weeklies slagged it, radio didn't play it, and it limped to number 78 on the charts. Pablo Honey, the band's full-length debut, appeared in February 1993, supported by the single "Anyone Can Play Guitar," but neither release gained much traction in their native U.K. and that May's non-LP single, "Pop Is Dead," didn't help matters much, either. By that point, however, "Creep" started to gain attention in other territories. First, the song became a hit in Israel, but the bigger waves came from the United States, which was in the throes of the alternative rock revolution. Influential San Francisco radio station KITS added "Creep" to their playlist and it spread along the west coast and onto MTV as it became a genuine hit, nearly topping Billboard's Modern Rock chart and reaching 34 on the Hot 100, a big achievement for a British guitar band. A re-released "Creep" turned into a British Top Ten hit, peaking at number seven in the autumn of 1993. The band who'd had no success suddenly had more than it could handle. Radiohead kept touring Pablo Honey into 1994, but no subsequent hits were forthcoming, raising the specter of the band as a possible one-hit wonder -- a criticism that weighed heavily on the group, who were anxious to record their new songs. They received the opportunity early in 1994, entering the studio to work with producer John Leckie -- then best-known for his work with <a href="spotify:artist:1lYT0A0LV5DUfxr6doRP3d">the Stone Roses</a> -- with My Iron Lung, an EP released in late 1994, being the first music released from the sessions. Muscular and ambitious, the EP provided a good indication of what would come on 1995's The Bends. Released in March 1995, The Bends not only found Radiohead growing musically -- it was dense and expansive, without skimping on songs -- but also in reputation, as critics in the U.K. embraced the band with the audience eventually following: none of the first three singles ("High and Dry," "Fake Plastic Trees," "Just") rose above 17 on the U.K. charts but the final single, "Street Spirit (Fade Out)," wound up reaching five in early 1996. Radiohead's rise may have been assisted by the mania cultivated by Brit-pop, a term that didn't quite suit the band -- they were far artier and rock-oriented -- but nevertheless stoked interest in indie guitar bands, which the quintet certainly was. Over in the U.S., The Bends stalled out at 88 on the Billboard charts but the record gained a cult following among listeners and the band never stopped touring, taking North American opening slots for <a href="spotify:artist:4KWTAlx2RvbpseOGMEmROg">R.E.M.</a> in 1995 and <a href="spotify:artist:6ogn9necmbUdCppmNnGOdi">Alanis Morissette</a> in 1996. During 1995 and 1996, the group recorded new material with <a href="spotify:artist:0g7gHEXKEHU4snTwOZSxNO">Nigel Godrich</a> -- an engineer on The Bends sessions who was now the band's producer -- with songs slowly creeping out during the course of the year. "Lucky" showed up on War Child's 1995 charity LP The Help Album, "Talk Show Host" appeared on a B-side, and "Exit Music (For a Film)" showed up on the soundtrack to <a href="spotify:artist:7HhTERkBV4Ot14KphgBfSh">Baz Luhrmann</a>'s Romeo & Juliet. The latter showed up on OK Computer, the June 1997 album that proved pivotal in Radiohead's career. "Paranoid Android," a twitchy suite released as a single in May of that year, suggested the ambition of OK Computer -- and by reaching number three, it was the band's biggest hit to date in the U.K., placing them on the cusp of a breakthrough. A breakthrough is precisely what OK Computer turned out to be, a record that proved pivotal not just for Radiohead but for the direction of '90s rock. Greeted with enthusiastic reviews and corresponding strong sales, OK Computer closed the doors on the hedonism of Brit-pop and the dour after-effects of grunge while opening a new path to sober, adventurous art-rock where electronics co-existed with guitars. Over the next few years, the band's influence would become readily apparent, but the album made a sizable impact upon its release, too, debuting at number one in the U.K. and earning a Grammy for Best Alternative Album. Radiohead supported it with an international tour, documented in Meeting People Is Easy. By the time Meeting People Is Easy showed up in theaters, the group began work on their fourth album, once again reuniting with producer <a href="spotify:artist:0g7gHEXKEHU4snTwOZSxNO">Godrich</a>. The resulting Kid A doubled down on the experimentalism of OK Computer, embracing electronics and threading in jazz. Appearing in October in 2000, Kid A was one of the first major albums to be pirated through file-sharing services, but this bootlegging had no apparent effect on the sales of the record: it debuted at number one in the U.K. and the U.S., becoming their first American chart-topper. Once again, the album took home the prize for Best Alternative Album at the Grammys and although it didn't produce any hit singles -- indeed, no singles were released from the record -- it was certified platinum in several territories. Amnesiac, a collection of new material initiated during the Kid A sessions, appeared in June of 2001, topping the U.K. charts and reaching two in the U.S. Two singles were pulled from the album -- "Pyramid Song" and "Knives Out" -- a signal that the album was more commercially accessible than its predecessor. At the end of the year, the band issued I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings, and by the summer of 2002, they turned their attention to recording a new album with <a href="spotify:artist:0g7gHEXKEHU4snTwOZSxNO">Godrich</a>. The resulting Hail to the Thief appeared in June of 2003, once again debuting in the upper reaches of the international charts -- number one in the U.K. and number three in the U.S. -- and the group supported the album with live dates culminating in a headlining appearance at the 2004 Coachella Festival that coincided with the release of the B-sides and remix collection COM LAG, a record that helped close out their contract with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22EMI%22">EMI</a>. Over the next couple of years, Radiohead entered a hiatus as individual members pursued solo projects. <a href="spotify:artist:4CvTDPKA6W06DRfBnZKrau">Yorke</a> released the heavily electronic solo collection The Eraser in 2006, and <a href="spotify:artist:0z9s3P5vCzKcUBSxgBDyLU">Jonny Greenwood</a> embarked on a side career as a composer, beginning with 2004's Bodysong and then striking a fruitful collaboration with Paul Thomas Anderson for 2007's There Will Be Blood; <a href="spotify:artist:0z9s3P5vCzKcUBSxgBDyLU">Greenwood</a> would also work on Anderson's subsequent films The Master and Inherent Vice. During all this, the group tentatively chipped away at their first post-<a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22EMI%22">EMI</a> album. Some unsuccessful sessions with Spike Stent led the band back to <a href="spotify:artist:0g7gHEXKEHU4snTwOZSxNO">Godrich</a> by the end of 2006, and the group completed recording in June of 2007. Still without a record label, they decided to release the album digitally through their official website, letting users pay whatever they wanted for a download of the album. This novel strategy acted as the album's own promotion -- most of the articles about the release claimed it was revolutionary -- and In Rainbows allegedly moved over a million downloads on the first day of its release in October 2007. In December, the album received a physical release in the U.K., followed by a January 2008 physical release in the U.S.; the record sold well, debuting at number one in the U.K., and it earned Grammys for Best Alternative Music Album and Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package. Radiohead toured in support of In Rainbows into 2009, during which time <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22EMI%22">EMI</a> released Radiohead: The Best Of in June of 2008. The band took time off in 2010, which allowed <a href="spotify:artist:4CvTDPKA6W06DRfBnZKrau">Yorke</a> to form a band called <a href="spotify:artist:7tA9Eeeb68kkiG9Nrvuzmi">Atoms for Peace</a> with producer <a href="spotify:artist:0g7gHEXKEHU4snTwOZSxNO">Godrich</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:0Xl5J6iOgiQHFqgri7TF8j">Flea</a> from the <a href="spotify:artist:0L8ExT028jH3ddEcZwqJJ5">Red Hot Chili Peppers</a>. During this time, drummer <a href="spotify:artist:2A59wav3PGiJij2rK7HQYH">Phil Selway</a> released his debut solo album, Familial. By early 2011, the group finished a new album and, like In Rainbows before it, Radiohead initially released The King of Limbs digitally through their website. The downloads appeared in February, with the physical copies appearing in March; the album reportedly shifted upwards of 400,000 digital copies upon its release. That autumn brought the release of the remix album TKOL RMX 1234567, and the band continued to tour The King of Limbs material into 2012. Once the tour wrapped up, the group took some quiet time as a new round of solo projects appeared. <a href="spotify:artist:7tA9Eeeb68kkiG9Nrvuzmi">Atoms for Peace</a> released Amok in February 2013 and <a href="spotify:artist:4CvTDPKA6W06DRfBnZKrau">Yorke</a> put out Tomorrow's Modern Boxes in September 2014, just a month before <a href="spotify:artist:2A59wav3PGiJij2rK7HQYH">Selway</a> issued his second album, Weatherhouse. In the autumn of 2014, the band began work on a new album and continued to record throughout 2015, releasing only "Spectre" -- a proposed James Bond theme rejected by the filmmakers -- that year. The ninth Radiohead album, A Moon Shaped Pool, appeared on May 8, 2016, preceded earlier in the week by the singles "Burn the Witch" and "Daydreaming." Radiohead supported A Moon Shaped Pool with an international tour, and in June 2017 they celebrated the 20th anniversary of OK Computer with a double-disc reissue dubbed OK Computer: OKNOTOK 1997 2017. Featuring a host of bonus cuts and previously unreleased material, its number two showing on the U.K. chart was bolstered by a major televised live performance at Glastonbury. Over the next year, <a href="spotify:artist:2A59wav3PGiJij2rK7HQYH">Selway</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4CvTDPKA6W06DRfBnZKrau">Yorke</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:0z9s3P5vCzKcUBSxgBDyLU">Greenwood</a> each issued film soundtracks with the latter earning an Oscar nomination for his score to Phantom Thread. Radiohead were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2019, honored with a speech from <a href="spotify:artist:2x9SpqnPi8rlE9pjHBwmSC">Talking Heads</a>' <a href="spotify:artist:20vuBdFblWUo2FCOvUzusB">David Byrne</a>. <a href="spotify:artist:4CvTDPKA6W06DRfBnZKrau">Yorke</a> released his third solo album, Anima, that June. Two years later, Radiohead issued Kid A Mnesia, a collection of previously unreleased material from the Kid A and Amnesiac sessions. It was promoted with the singles "If You Say the Word" and "Follow Me Around." All bandmembers were active during the first half the 2020s. <a href="spotify:artist:3E7aH1Yv84NoaP9JWcrMpE">Ed O'Brien</a> released Earth under the alias <a href="spotify:artist:4CX6yOoTFQeiwL5yxuFuIG">EOB</a> in 2020. <a href="spotify:artist:4CvTDPKA6W06DRfBnZKrau">Yorke</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:0z9s3P5vCzKcUBSxgBDyLU">Jonny Greenwood</a> performed and recorded (with drummer <a href="spotify:artist:6U9Bsog9PLNE5hrw45ecDm">Tom Skinner</a>) as <a href="spotify:artist:6styCzc1Ej4NxISL0LiigM">the Smile</a> and continued separate soundtrack work. <a href="spotify:artist:6bdotkIeFswBydfQqzHnKS">Colin Greenwood</a> toured with <a href="spotify:artist:1RM5gp0RFfjpJhCYFPB30p">Nick Cave</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:0A8tch4LePxVn1Cn60wGXu">Warren Ellis</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:2A59wav3PGiJij2rK7HQYH">Phil Selway</a> released Strange Dance, his third solo album. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

Kings of Leon

Kings of Leon

Since their debut in 2003, Kings of Leon (Caleb (guitar/vocals), Nathan (drums), Jared (bass) and Matthew Followill (guitar)) has released eight albums (Youth & Young Manhood (2003), Aha Shake Heartbreak (2004), Because of the Times (2007), Only by the Night (2008), Come Around Sundown (2010), Mechanical Bull (2013), WALLS (2016), When You See Yourself (2021) sold over 20 million albums and nearly 40 million singles worldwide. The multi-platinum selling band has had five singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, all seven of their studio albums on Billboard’s Top 200 list and two singles that reached #1 on Modern Rock radio. With the release of WALLS, the band garnered their first-ever number one album debut on the Billboard Top 200. In addition, they have had eight Grammy Nominations, three Grammy Award wins, three NME Awards, two Brit Awards, and one Juno Award. They have toured all over the world, playing at top venues and headlining major festivals such as Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, and Glastonbury. The band will release their highly anticipated ninth full-length studio album, Can We Please Have Fun, on May 10 via Capitol Records.

The Beatles

The Beatles

The Beatles recorded together for a little over seven years. Between October 1962 and May 1970, they released thirteen albums and a number of tracks issued on standalone singles. The catalogue created in that short period has sold more than that of any other group in history and its commercial success continues - the world’s best selling album during the first decade of the 21st century was a collection of The Beatles’ chart-topping singles called 1. But the group’s significance stems not just from huge sales figures. Their music has inspired generation upon generation of musicians, songwriters and producers. As Mark Ronson put it: ‘Everything we take for granted - they absolutely invented it.’ Tom Petty was a teenager during the years The Beatles’ records appeared in quick succession: ‘They were just out in front. There was The Beatles …and then there was everyone else. And everyone else could be great, but The Beatles were leading the way and that’s just irrefutably true.’ The Beatles’ story began in Liverpool in March 1957, when <a href="spotify:artist:4x1nvY2FN8jxqAFA0DA02H">John Lennon</a> (born 9 October 1940) formed a group named The Quarry Men. His life was changed by the excitement of rock ’n’ roll music - heralded by Bill Haley and His Comets, but taken to another level when Elvis Presley stormed the charts during 1956. The next year saw the arrival in the UK of hits by Little Richard, Buddy Holly and The Crickets, the Everly Brothers and, in movie theatres, the exciting rock film The Girl Can’t Help It!, featuring Eddie Cochran singing ‘Twenty Flight Rock’. Introduced to John on 6 July 1957 at a church fete in Woolton, Liverpool, <a href="spotify:artist:4STHEaNw4mPZ2tzheohgXB">Paul McCartney</a> (born 18 June 1942) sang Eddie’s song word perfect. Impressed, John invited the fifteen-year old to join his group. In February 1958, Paul’s younger school pal <a href="spotify:artist:7FIoB5PHdrMZVC3q2HE5MS">George Harrison</a> (born 25 February 1943) won his place in The Quarry Men when he impressed the others with his guitar skills, especially on the current hit instrumental ‘Raunchy’ by Bill Justis. With a constant nucleus of John, Paul and George, the group underwent a series of line-up changes and names. Having gained a dependable drummer - Pete Best - in August 1960, The Beatles made their first visit to West Germany to perform in the clubs of Hamburg. Playing long sets through the night, they spent hundreds of hours onstage during five visits to the city. Back home in Liverpool, their regular stomping ground was The Cavern Club, where they played nearly 300 times. The experience gained in Hamburg and at The Cavern helped to make The Beatles the most proficient and popular group on Merseyside. At this time, a group from Liverpool had the odds stacked against them when trying to gain a foothold in a record business focused on London. In early 1962, they had acquired an ambitious and rather refined manager, record shop boss Brian Epstein. He faced regular rejection from music companies until George Martin signed the group to EMI’s Parlophone label. By fate, The Beatles had found both the ideal manager and perfect producer. The last piece of the picture slotted into place just three weeks before recording their first single on 4 September 1962. <a href="spotify:artist:6DbJi8AcN5ANdtvJcwBSw8">Ringo Starr</a> (born 7 July 1940) was asked to take over as drummer. He had been playing with Rory Storm & The Hurricanes - another Liverpool group who played long stints in the clubs of Hamburg. Ringo’s personality, sense of humour and rock solid, inventive drumming proved to be just right for The Beatles. Their first Parlophone single was released on 5 October 1962. Both sides of the disc were original compositions - a remarkable statement of intent from a group making their first steps in the music business. In fact, George Martin had urged them to record Mitch Murray’s ‘How Do You Do It?’, which he felt was a sure-fire hit. They had reluctantly agreed, but were able to persuade George to shelve the recording in favour of their own songs ‘Love Me Do’ and ‘P.S. I Love You’. Just one example of how The Beatles’ story might have been very different with a less open-minded record producer. George Martin’s faith in The Beatles, and in John and Paul as songwriters, was soon vindicated by the release of ‘Please Please Me’ in January 1963. The single reached the top of all but one of the UK charts. It was followed by the number one ‘From Me To You’ and their first album Please Please Me, which topped the chart for 30 weeks until their next LP replaced it at number one. The debut album featured eight Lennon/McCartney compositions and six cover versions of recent American Rhythm and Blues records. The selection, a result of The Beatles’ constant search for the unusual, showed their impeccable taste. Compared to the sophisticated arrangement of an R&B original like ‘Twist And Shout’, their versions were stripped down reinventions for a four-piece beat group. George Martin has confirmed that ‘it was primarily the American Rhythm and Blues sound that was their inspiration. It’s probably what the so-called Beatles sound was, because all the black music was a tremendous influence on them.’ However, that source was unknown to the majority of their British fans. The super-confident second album With The Beatles was issued in November 1963 when the single ‘She Loves You’ was at number one. Once more, it featured eight original compositions - including ‘All My Loving’ and George Harrison’s first recorded song ‘Don’t Bother Me’ - and six cover versions. A week later, ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ was released and also reached number one. The group had become the biggest musical phenomenon in British show business - ever. Among the key factors that led to this success were the chemistry between the four personalities in the group, their immense charm and a daring image - nobody had worn their hair that long. Their interviews were funny and articulate, they had a charismatic presence when performing, and girls screamed and swooned over them. The term ‘Beatlemania’ was coined by the press to describe the hysteria aroused by the group but, as an appearance on The Royal Variety Show demonstrated, their popularity stretched way beyond the teenage market. What The Beatles did next was extraordinary for a British act. In February 1964, they arrived in the USA to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show. They performed to 73 million viewers, the biggest television audience to date, and with ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ at the top of the charts, America was suddenly held spellbound by The Beatles. As their success spread across the world, almost everything the group did from then on was unprecedented. In addition to unparalleled success on record - they held all top five positions in the American chart in the first week of April - their first movie A Hard Day’s Night was a box office hit and acclaimed for its wit, invention and unbeatable self-composed songs. Premiered in July 1964, it was perfectly timed to capitalise on their international breakthrough. They rounded off the year with Beatles For Sale and the massive hit single ‘I Feel Fine’. In 1965, they starred in the film Help!. Like their first movie, it was directed by Richard Lester and featured a brilliant batch of songs on its accompanying album. Tucked away towards the end of the LP was a performance by Paul McCartney of his composition ‘Yesterday’. Not even released as a single in the UK, it was a number one in America. It quickly became - and remains - the most covered song of all time. ‘Yesterday’ is an example of how The Beatles and their producer did not compromise; whatever best served the song was always pursued. In the case of ‘Yesterday’, the bold choice was a classical arrangement for string quartet. For the next album Rubber Soul, more studio time was made available to try out unusual instrumentation and adventurous recording techniques. The words of the songs were more mature and the vocal blend, heard on tracks such as ‘Nowhere Man’ and ‘Michelle’, is one of the album’s most distinctive qualities. The Beatles’ sound is, of course, distinguished by the character of their voices. Few groups were blessed with two powerful lead singers as versatile as John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Furthermore, George Harrison not only contributed at least one lead vocal to every album, his voice was integral to the intricate harmony vocals on many Beatles tracks. Ringo Starr usually sang a solo on albums, making such Lennon/McCartney songs as ‘Yellow Submarine’ and ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’ unimaginable without his voice. Released on the same day as Rubber Soul, 5 December 1965, ‘We Can Work It Out’/‘Day Tripper’ was the first of The Beatles’ double A-Sides. They ended another frantically busy year with their final British tour. There was a deadline to complete their next album, because concerts had been scheduled for the summer of 1966 all over the world. But this did not affect their approach to recording at all. The Revolver sessions saw the group reach a new peak of creativity in performance, songwriting and innovative studio techniques. In addition to the songwriting mastery displayed by John and Paul, the LP contained the biggest contribution to date from George with three songs. His caustic ‘Taxman’ was given the status of the album’s opening track. ‘Eleanor Rigby’ is now regarded as a fully realised masterpiece, but when released in August 1966 on Revolver and as a single coupled with ‘Yellow Submarine’, its solemn subject matter and stark arrangement were radically different. A year before, in August 1965, their appearance in front of 55,600 fans at Shea Stadium in New York had broken the record for concert attendance and box-office revenue. But live performance had become an unsatisfying charade ...and dangerous too. Who cares how lucrative it was? That had to stop. The Beatles’ final concert for a paying audience took place at Candlestick Park, San Francisco on 29 August 1966. At the end of 1966, The Beatles started work on ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’. Its long evolution showed the musical imagination and technical experimentation heard on Revolver would be continued. To stop the long wait for new material, ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ and ‘Penny Lane’ were released in February 1967. Although songs were always credited to Lennon and McCartney, it soon became clear that whoever sang the lead vocal was usually the main composer. The double A-sided single shows how their different stylistic approaches established a perfect counterbalance. Having set themselves a task of writing about their Liverpool childhoods, John’s song is dreamy and steeped in melancholy, while Paul’s is uplifting and brimming with brilliantly observed vignettes. Many were shocked when the unconventional promotional films for both songs were broadcast. Even their moustaches and John’s spectacles were considered to be evidence of how weird The Beatles had become. The square world worried. Everyone else listened over and over until they ‘got it’. Released on 1 June 1967, the immediate artistic and commercial success of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band vindicated the new approach taken by The Beatles. It was the album that provided the soundtrack to the so-called ‘summer of love’, but its appeal is ageless. The Beatles performed their next single ‘All You Need Is Love’ for the first time on the TV programme Our World - broadcast live to an audience of 350 million around the globe. Their place at the top of contemporary pop music was indisputable. Sadly, soon afterwards, The Beatles were shaken by the sudden death of their manager Brian Epstein in August 1967. They rallied to write and direct Magical Mystery Tour - a film shown on television in the UK at Christmas. Some of the millions who saw it, did not like it. As Paul McCartney remembered: ‘They were looking for the plum-pudding special. That’s what they were expecting, and they very much didn’t get it! We were giving it to the young kids. Why shouldn’t they see something far out?’ The music was as successful as ever. The six new songs in the film and the number one ‘Hello, Goodbye’ completed a momentous year of recording. Three more tracks from 1967 remained unreleased until they were heard in the movie Yellow Submarine premiered in 1968. The film’s imaginative animation evoked the ‘psychedelic’ spirit of Sgt. Pepper to reveal the triumph of Love over Evil. Nowadays, following a year as busy as The Beatles had in 1967, an artist would take an extended break. In fact, the group did allow themselves a little time off. The first music of 1968 came in March on their seventeenth single ‘Lady Madonna’. Soon after it was recorded, The Beatles flew to Rishikesh, India for several weeks of meditation with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. At this remote and peaceful location, they enjoyed a prolific period of songwriting. As George Harrison explained: ‘When we came back, it became apparent that there were more songs than would make up a single album.’ Recorded in five months, the double LP The Beatles was soon known as ‘The White Album’ because of its plain white cover. ‘Hey Jude’ and ‘Revolution’ were the first songs to be heard from the sessions when they were released as a single on 30 August 1968 - the first Beatles record to be pressed with the Apple label. Never interested in repeating themselves, The Beatles took a different approach in the studio in 1968. Ringo Starr remembered: ‘On “The White Album” we ended up being a band again and that’s what I always love. I love being in a band.’ Discussing his songwriting, John Lennon reflected: ‘It was a complete reversal from Sgt. Pepper. My songs on the double album were fairly simple and basic.’ It is still astonishing to hear The Beatles moving through every style of popular music imaginable, including a pastiche of a Hollywood musical number (‘Honey Pie’), an intense blues (‘Yer Blues’) and heavy rock (‘Helter Skelter’). As with Sgt. Pepper, no singles were released from ‘The White Album’ in the UK and USA during the 1960s. But it is full of tracks that could have been huge hits, such as ‘Back In The USSR’, ‘Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da’ and ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’. In January 1969, while ‘The White Album’ was still at number one, The Beatles assembled to write and rehearse brand new songs for a televised live concert. The plan changed so that, in the end, their work was documented in a movie released over a year later. Its final scene showed The Beatles performing on the roof of their Apple office building in Savile Row, London with most of the audience gathered in the street below. ‘Get Back’, a number one single from the sessions at Apple, was swiftly followed by ‘The Ballad Of John And Yoko’ - a chronicle of John’s marriage to Yoko Ono and their honeymoon/‘Bed-In’ for peace in Amsterdam. Recorded mostly during the summer of 1969, the last album The Beatles made together was named after the street where EMI’s studios are located. It was a fitting tribute to the place where the majority of their songs had been recorded. The Beatles’ collaboration with producer George Martin and the engineers at Abbey Road had challenged the way that popular music was created. On many occasions this team re-wrote the rule book and set a new standard to which their contemporaries had to aspire. In contrast to the January recordings at Apple, which were ‘as live’ with no overdubs, their return to Abbey Road studios with George Martin resulted in carefully crafted tracks with ambitious musical arrangements. The album’s varied highlights include ‘Come Together’ and two songs that showed George Harrison’s songwriting had hit a peak - ‘Something’ and ‘Here Comes The Sun’. However, the character of Abbey Road is dominated by the sophisticated medley the group called ‘The Long One’. It brought the album, and The Beatles’ recording career, to an impressive conclusion. What a farewell. Measured in terms of its enormous popularity and musical ingenuity, Abbey Road now challenges the status of Sgt. Pepper Lonely Hearts Club Band as The Beatles’ greatest achievement. When the earlier set of recordings from 1969 was finally released as Let It Be in May 1970, news had already broken that the group had split up. The album’s title track and ‘The Long And Winding Road’ took the total of American number ones by The Beatles to twenty in six years - a feat unequalled by any other artist. When The Beatles began making records, no one anticipated that they would be listened to far into the future. Pop music was regarded as disposable. But the timeless appeal of The Beatles’ catalogue ensured it was built to last and highly valued. In 1979, the distinguished conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein wrote: ‘Three bars of “A Day In The Life” still sustain me, rejuvenate me, inflame my senses and sensibilities.’ There is also another dimension to the seductive power of The Beatles’ music. Filled with the spirit of the era in which it was born, it is joyous and generous. ‘All You Need Is Love’. ‘With our love - we could save the world.’ ‘The love you take is equal to the love you make.’ Tom Petty felt it: ‘We grew up with The Beatles and grew up trusting them. They could have chosen to do anything and they chose to do good, which is a great example for the rest of us.’ Kevin Howlett

The Red Clay Strays

The Red Clay Strays

Hailing from Mobile, AL, The Red Clay Strays are one of music’s fastest-rising bands and poised for a huge breakout this year. The group is currently having a massive moment with their single, “Wondering Why,” which has garnered over 75 million streams to date, spent a week at # 1 on Spotify’s Viral 50 USA Playlist and is currently #1 on the Americana Singles chart for the sixth-consecutive week. The song is also charting on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 as well as Billboard’s Hot Rock Songs chart, AAA chart and Hot Country Songs chart, and continuing to gain support across platforms. “Wondering Why” is from the band’s album, Moment of Truth, which is currently #2 on the Americana Albums Chart and is filled with their eclectic rock-n-roll sound. Of the record, Billboard praises, “Lead singer Coleman’s gruff, impassioned vocal shines here as always, bolstered by the group’s exemplary musicianship.” Known for their electric live shows, the band will continue to tour through this fall with sold-out shows across the country, including their three-night headline debut at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium in September, all three nights of which sold-out within just hours. The Red Clay Strays are Brandon Coleman (lead vocals, guitar), Drew Nix (electric guitar, vocals, harmonica), Zach Rishel (electric guitar), Andrew Bishop (bass) and John Hall (drums).

Luvcat

Luvcat

i came crawling in on all fours...

Oasis

Oasis

Oasis shot from obscurity to stardom in 1994, becoming one of Britain's most popular and critically acclaimed bands of the decade in the process. Along with <a href="spotify:artist:7MhMgCo0Bl0Kukl93PZbYS">Blur</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6PHIK3kjWggLtVygsOtpqS">Suede</a>, they were responsible for returning British guitar pop to the top of the charts. Led by guitarist/songwriter <a href="spotify:artist:6IRQd80VHepXiTXdmBzk6l">Noel Gallagher</a>, the Manchester quintet adopted the rough, thuggish image of <a href="spotify:artist:22bE4uQ6baNwSHPVcDxLCe">the Stones</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:67ea9eGLXYMsO2eYQRui3w">the Who</a>, crossed it with "<a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">Beatlesque</a>" melodies and hooks, injected distinctly British lyrical themes and song structures like <a href="spotify:artist:66U6cJ3kDBat0jS42Jkp9q">the Jam</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:1SQRv42e4PjEYfPhS0Tk9E">the Kinks</a>, and tied it all together with a massive guitar roar, as well as a defiant sneer that drew equally from <a href="spotify:artist:1u7kkVrr14iBvrpYnZILJR">the Sex Pistols</a>' rebelliousness and <a href="spotify:artist:1lYT0A0LV5DUfxr6doRP3d">the Stone Roses</a>' cocksure arrogance. <a href="spotify:artist:6sN51vEARnAAdBw1IKZ8Q9">Gallagher</a>'s songs frequently reworked previous hits from <a href="spotify:artist:3dBVyJ7JuOMt4GE9607Qin">T. Rex</a> ("Cigarettes and Alcohol" borrows the riff from "Bang a Gong") to <a href="spotify:artist:5lpH0xAS4fVfLkACg9DAuM">Wham!</a> ("Fade Away" takes the melody from "Freedom"), yet the group always put the hooks in different settings, updating past hits for a new era. Originally, the group was formed by schoolmates <a href="spotify:artist:6sN51vEARnAAdBw1IKZ8Q9">Liam Gallagher</a> (vocals), Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs (guitar), Paul McGuigan (bass), and Tony McCaroll (drums). After spending several years as the guitar technician for a <a href="spotify:artist:1lYT0A0LV5DUfxr6doRP3d">Stone Roses</a>-inspired group named <a href="spotify:artist:66GWpx9iLxrvvfhDsG9STP">the Inspiral Carpets</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6IRQd80VHepXiTXdmBzk6l">Noel Gallagher</a> returned to Manchester to find that his brother had formed a band. <a href="spotify:artist:6IRQd80VHepXiTXdmBzk6l">Noel</a> agreed to join if he could have complete control of the group, including contributing all the songs; the rest of the band agreed and adopted a new name, Oasis, before launching a year of intensive rehearsals. After playing a handful of small club gigs, the band cornered Alan McGee, the head of Creation Records, and forced him to listen to their demo. Impressed, he signed the band and helped them ready their debut album. The group released their first single, "Supersonic," in the spring of 1994; it edged its way into the charts on the back of positive reviews. With a melody adapted from "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing," "Shakermaker" became a bigger hit in the early summer. Released a month before their debut album's arrival, the soaring ballad "Live Forever" became a major hit in England and helped make Definitely Maybe the fastest-selling debut in British history. The record entered the charts at number one and eventually sold over seven million copies. Oasis mania continued throughout 1994, as the group began playing larger theaters and watched each new single outperform the last. However, tensions in the group began to build -- <a href="spotify:artist:6sN51vEARnAAdBw1IKZ8Q9">Liam</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6IRQd80VHepXiTXdmBzk6l">Noel</a> refused to do joint interviews because they always fought -- and <a href="spotify:artist:6IRQd80VHepXiTXdmBzk6l">Noel Gallagher</a> briefly left the band at the end of a difficult fall American tour. However, he quickly re-joined and the band headed back to England. As "Supersonic" began to climb the U.S. album rock and modern rock charts, the string-laden "Whatever" (a non-album single) hit number two over the British Christmas season. At the beginning of 1995, the group set their sights on America by promoting the single "Live Forever." The song became a major hit on MTV and modern rock radio stations, peaking at number two, and Definitely Maybe soon climbed to gold status in the U.S. Returning to England after a sold-out American tour, the group recorded a new single, "Some Might Say." Drummer Tony McCaroll parted ways with the band on the eve of the single's May release, with Alan White taking his place. "Some Might Say" entered the charts at number one, and its success led to all of Oasis' previous singles reentering the indie charts. Oasis spent the rest of the summer completing their second album, (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, which was released in October of 1995. Upon its release, the album shot to number one in England, becoming the fastest-selling album in the U.K. since <a href="spotify:artist:3fMbdgg4jU18AjLCKBhRSm">Michael Jackson</a>'s Bad. The band continued to set records during the following years. Over the course of 1996, (What's the Story) Morning Glory? became the second-biggest British album in history. On the strength of the iconic single "Wonderwall," Morning Glory also became a Top Ten success in America, where it reached quintuple platinum status; it also cracked the Top Ten throughout countries in Europe and Asia. During 1996, the <a href="spotify:artist:6IRQd80VHepXiTXdmBzk6l">Gallaghers</a>' combative relationship was frequently detailed in newspapers and gossip columns, particularly when they suddenly pulled out of their late summer U.S. tour. This followed the group's two concerts at Knebworth, which broke records for being the biggest outdoor concert in England. After Oasis abandoned their American tour, they concentrated on recording their third album. While the band's first two LPs were quickly recorded, they took several months to record the third, which finally saw completion during the spring of 1997. The resulting album, Be Here Now, was released in late August, one month after the arrival of the single "D'You Know What I Mean." Greeted with generally enthusiastic reviews and robust sales, Be Here Now shattered sales records in the U.K. and nearly topped the U.S. charts, positioning the quintet as the de facto rulers of rock. However, a backlash set in among both critics and record buyers over the album's perceived excesses, which meant that Be Here Now lacked the shelf life of its predecessors. Not long afterward, typical infighting unraveled the band's tour, and the group disappeared from the spotlight for a time -- although a collection of B-sides, Masterplan, did follow in 1998. As the band was recording their fourth album in the summer of 1999, Bonehead left Oasis, claiming that he wanted to spend more time with his family. Interviewed by NME on August 11, the day after the departure was made public, <a href="spotify:artist:6IRQd80VHepXiTXdmBzk6l">Noel Gallagher</a> seemed unfazed, stating "It's hardly <a href="spotify:artist:4STHEaNw4mPZ2tzheohgXB">Paul McCartney</a> leaving <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">the Beatles</a>." Ex-<a href="spotify:artist:0WPY9nnBy01s5QOt4o4oQX">Ride</a> guitarist <a href="spotify:artist:3FTxQTEzrX6tcJYSlsdUle">Andy Bell</a> and onetime <a href="spotify:artist:3dTQACulfQtyV7ouHBHHTl">Heavy Stereo</a> guitarist Gem Archer signed on after the recording of 2000's Standing on the Shoulder of Giants was completed. In fall 2000, the band celebrated their monumental world tour success with the release of their first-ever live record, Familiar to Millions. The album highlights Oasis' July 2000 gig at Wembley Stadium and was released on six different formats including CD and cassette, DVD, VHS, triple vinyl, and mini-disc. Two years later, Oasis surfaced with Heathen Chemistry. Worldwide dates coincided the release of Oasis' fifth studio album; however, problems loomed ahead. While touring America in late summer, <a href="spotify:artist:6IRQd80VHepXiTXdmBzk6l">Noel Gallagher</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3FTxQTEzrX6tcJYSlsdUle">Andy Bell</a>, and touring keyboardist Jay Darlington were injured in Indianapolis after their taxi collided with another vehicle. The band bounced back soon, returning to the road in two weeks time after canceling shows in Indianapolis, Boston, and Philadelphia. In America, however, the album wasn't faring as well as Oasis' tour sales, and the leadoff single "Hindu Times" barely made a mark on MTV. More trouble arrived in December, when <a href="spotify:artist:6sN51vEARnAAdBw1IKZ8Q9">Liam Gallagher</a> and several members of the Oasis entourage were involved in a street scuffle in Munich; the younger <a href="spotify:artist:6sN51vEARnAAdBw1IKZ8Q9">Gallagher</a> sustained facial injuries and was later arrested while two of the band's security guards sought serious medical attention. Despite such setbacks -- which also included mixed reviews for the album -- Heathen Chemistry nevertheless sold several million copies at home and charted four U.K. singles. Additionally, <a href="spotify:artist:6sN51vEARnAAdBw1IKZ8Q9">Liam</a>'s own composition, "Songbird," marked the first time Oasis had released a single penned by anyone other than <a href="spotify:artist:6IRQd80VHepXiTXdmBzk6l">Noel</a>. The song fared well on U.K. charts and paved the way for a new collaborative approach to songwriting. Oasis' next album suffered delays, as initial sessions with the electronica duo <a href="spotify:artist:5aj3LEYRbuaabjjHkj5oE1">Death in Vegas</a> (who had been recruited to produce the record) were scrapped. Additionally, drummer Alan White made his exit from the band in early 2004, and <a href="spotify:artist:6DbJi8AcN5ANdtvJcwBSw8">Ringo Starr</a>'s son <a href="spotify:artist:4h4l0uPYNCYJQZF4ZzugIy">Zak Starkey</a> climbed aboard to take his place. Don't Believe the Truth eventually saw a worldwide release in May 2005. Featuring songwriting contributions from every bandmember, the record represented a new approach from the previously <a href="spotify:artist:6IRQd80VHepXiTXdmBzk6l">Noel</a>-dominated group. "Lyla," "The Importance of Being Idle," and "Let There Be Love" all contributed to the album's success, and Don't Believe the Truth soon became the band's highest-selling effort since Be Here Now. The band quickly returned to the studio in mid-2007, halting production several months later to allow <a href="spotify:artist:6IRQd80VHepXiTXdmBzk6l">Noel</a> to spend time with his newborn child. Sessions resumed in November and wrapped up in 2008, with Dig Out Your Soul receiving a release date later that year. In 2009, after a typically heated, backstage sibling altercation, <a href="spotify:artist:6IRQd80VHepXiTXdmBzk6l">Noel</a> left the group for good, prompting <a href="spotify:artist:6sN51vEARnAAdBw1IKZ8Q9">Liam</a> (and the rest of the band) to change the name to <a href="spotify:artist:5yBDILLJyNFAjFpECkk7ys">Beady Eye</a>, with plans to release a debut single in 2010. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

Magic

Magic

Drawing heavy influences from artists such as The Police, Stevie Wonder, and Bob Marley, MAGIC! was formed in 2012 by Grammy Award-winning songwriter/producer Nasri (lead vocals), Mark Pelli (guitar), Ben Spivak (bass), and Alex Tanas (drums). MAGIC!’s meteoric rise came shortly after the release of their debut single, “Rude” in 2013. Co-written and produced by Grammy Award-winner Adam Messinger, “Rude” held the #1 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart for six weeks, while dominating charts globally, hitting #1 in 41 countries. Recently, the track surpassed one billion streams on Spotify. MAGIC! has released three studio albums, toured with Maroon 5 and headlined shows worldwide. They have received two JUNO Awards and nominations for American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, Teen Choice Awards and more. Following the release of their third studio album, Expectations in 2018 and five years of continuous touring, the members of MAGIC! decided to take a break and focus on solo projects. Nasri and longtime collaborator Adam Messinger have since written and produced for some of music’s biggest names including Justin Bieber, Shakira, Pitbull, Lana Del Ray, Christina Aguilera, Chris Brown, and more. During a band dinner in 2021, MAGIC! (now Nasri, Spivak and Pelli) came to a realization; that the world was in need of some happy music. Set to release in Fall 2022, MAGIC!’s new music is an anthemic soundtrack to living life in the moment and embracing good vibes.

Sublime

Sublime

Sublime, was founded in 1988 by Eric Wilson, Bud Gaugh and Bradley Nowell. Their first self-produced album, 40oz. to Freedom, was released in 1992 and its success secured Sublime signing to MCA Records in time for the band’s 1994 sophomore album, Robbin’ the Hood, and later their self-titled third album. On May 25, 1996, however, lead vocalist and guitarist Nowell tragically passed away and the band collapsed, but the eponymous SUBLIME was still slated for a July 1996 release. On the strength of the chart-topping alternative radio hit “What I Got,” the album was certified gold by the end of 1996, selling more than 7M copies, and becoming one of the most popular reggae-punk albums in history. Sublime has gone on to sell over 18 million RIAA certified albums in the US, and their genre-defining music and their cultural influence is stronger today than ever before. In late 2023, Bradley Nowell’s son Jakob Nowell joined original Sublime members Bud Gaugh and Eric Wilson on stage for the first time to perform at a benefit concert for Bad Brains’ H.R. With an undeniable musical synergy between Nowell, Gaugh and Wilson, and overwhelming reaction and support from fans across the world, the trio decided to move forward and continue the Sublime legacy, starting a new chapter of the band with Jakob Nowell as front man. "<a href="spotify:album:2aHF9jls0PERuR58H2oaDd" data-name="Garden Grove // Ebin">Garden Grove // Ebin</a>" out now

5 Seconds of Summer

5 Seconds of Summer

Hailing from Sydney, Australia, 5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS) have brought pure rock energy to pop music over the past 10 years and toured the world several times over. While rooted in pop punk DNA, 5SOS have pushed the boundaries of traditional alternative pop music, taking influencers from wide-spanning genres throughout their career which is reflected sonically in the unique music they make. 5SOS continue to bring a new wave of depth and dimension to their industrial and harmony-driven sound and are always evolving their music with every album they release. Their latest album 5SOS5, embarked on a new phase of their career. Written primarily in Joshua Tree, California, much of the record focuses on the magic that happens when just the four band members come together as one.

Insane Clown Posse

Insane Clown Posse

When the Insane Clown Posse (ICP) emerged from the darkness surrounding Detroit’s underground music scene in the early 90s, the world had yet to imagine the impact that the hardcore hip-hop style spawned by these two artists — Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope — would bring to bear on mainstream music. Shunned by mainstream music players like MTV and castigated in the media, banned from radio airwaves and yanked from the shelves of “conventional” retail outlets, ICP was dealt a hand that seemed destined for swift and certain failure. Instead, the duo amassed a following of millions of fans endearingly called “Juggalos” and smashed through the ceiling of music industry expectation.

AC/DC

AC/DC

With a limitless supply of dirty riffs, snarling vocals, and timelessly catchy, anthemic choruses, AC/DC is one of the most important and most lasting forces in hard rock. Founded in the early '70s by Scottish-born brothers <a href="spotify:artist:635QWlHZJK2tyDEadZc6TF">Malcolm</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6pGWDT5CTFv5uhYFPGhjmy">Angus Young</a>, the Aussie band exploded onto the international stage in 1979 with the release of their multi-platinum-selling sixth album, Highway to Hell. The death of charismatic frontman <a href="spotify:artist:62OSqVRTfWPbv9EovmbH4l">Bon Scott</a> in 1980 threatened to derail the group, but AC/DC powered through. They recruited <a href="spotify:artist:0IzJYdxaNLwrC7diSCu0iY">Geordie</a> vocalist <a href="spotify:artist:0TJOVQKoS7sbGVn8RkkvPI">Brian Johnson</a> and unleashed their most successful effort to date, Back in Black, which has become the second best-selling album in history. The band continued to help define the sound of hard rock and metal throughout the '80s, '90s, and beyond, spawning countless imitators and enjoying steady, consistent commercial success. They also became one of the best examples of arena rock, playing to enormous crowds as the years went on, and rocking as hard as ever on studio albums like 1990's pop-glinted The Razor's Edge and 2020's Power Up, both of which reached the upper tiers of multiple charts. AC/DC were formed in 1973 in Australia by guitarist <a href="spotify:artist:635QWlHZJK2tyDEadZc6TF">Malcolm Young</a> after his previous band, the Velvet Underground, collapsed (no relation to the seminal American group). With his younger brother Angus serving as lead guitarist, the band played some gigs around Sydney. Angus was only 18 at the time, and his sister suggested that he wear his school uniform on-stage; the look became the band's visual trademark. While still in Sydney, the original lineup featuring singer Dave Evans cut a single called "Can I Sit Next to You," with ex-<a href="spotify:artist:1pJEZXU2hJApJW3rM7LmMu">Easybeats</a> Harry Vanda and George Young (<a href="spotify:artist:635QWlHZJK2tyDEadZc6TF">Malcolm</a> and Angus' older brother) producing. The band moved to Melbourne the following year, where drummer <a href="spotify:artist:5XcpgxdFA6sz6lvUvzmygg">Phil Rudd</a> (formerly of <a href="spotify:artist:6MtPZrbhMjrrvDqlgPVBPU">the Coloured Balls</a>) and bassist Mark Evans joined the lineup. The band's chauffeur, <a href="spotify:artist:62OSqVRTfWPbv9EovmbH4l">Bon Scott</a>, became the lead vocalist when singer Dave Evans refused to go on-stage. Previously, <a href="spotify:artist:62OSqVRTfWPbv9EovmbH4l">Scott</a> had been vocalist for the Australian prog rock bands <a href="spotify:artist:5ni5xInnnn7IRxv2rjM91W">Fraternity</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6gO9O0Iss2ipZuskVnmA9a">the Valentines</a>. More importantly, he helped cement the group's image as brutes -- he had several convictions for minor criminal offenses and was rejected by the Australian Army for being "socially maladjusted." AC/DC were socially maladjusted. Throughout their career they favored crude double entendres and violent imagery, all spiked with a mischievous sense of fun. The group released two albums -- High Voltage and T.N.T. -- in Australia in 1974 and 1975. Material from the two records comprised the 1976 release High Voltage in the U.S. and U.K.; the group also toured both countries. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap followed at the end of the year. In the fall of 1977, AC/DC released Let There Be Rock, which became their first album to chart in the U.S. Mark Evans left the band soon after, with <a href="spotify:artist:6DdTBSwbXwaEFZxDBXFhoO">Cliff Williams</a> taking his place. Powerage, released in spring of 1978, expanded their audience even further, thanks in no small part to their dynamic live shows (which were captured on 1978's live If You Want Blood You've Got It). What really broke the doors down for the band was the following year's Highway to Hell, which hit number 17 in the U.S. and number eight in the U.K., becoming the group's first million-seller. AC/DC's train was derailed when <a href="spotify:artist:62OSqVRTfWPbv9EovmbH4l">Bon Scott</a> died on February 19, 1980. The official coroner's report stated he had "drunk himself to death." In March, the band replaced <a href="spotify:artist:62OSqVRTfWPbv9EovmbH4l">Scott</a> with <a href="spotify:artist:0TJOVQKoS7sbGVn8RkkvPI">Brian Johnson</a>. The following month, they recorded Back in Black, which would prove to be their biggest album, selling over ten million copies in the U.S. alone. For the next few years, they were one of the largest rock bands in the world, with For Those About to Rock We Salute You topping the charts in the U.S. In 1983, <a href="spotify:artist:5XcpgxdFA6sz6lvUvzmygg">Rudd</a> left after the recording of Flick of the Switch; he was replaced by Simon Wright. With Flick of the Switch, AC/DC's commercial standing began to slip, and they weren't able to reverse their slide until 1990's The Razor's Edge, which spawned the hit "Thunderstruck." While not the commercial powerhouse they were during the late '70s and early '80s, the '90s saw AC/DC maintain their status as a top international concert draw. In the fall of 1995, their 16th album, Ballbreaker, was released. Produced by <a href="spotify:artist:1EpmQFTiJbcxzwbLpuUL8L">Rick Rubin</a>, the album received some of the most positive reviews of AC/DC's career; it also entered the American charts at number four and sold over a million copies in its first six months of release. Stiff Upper Lip followed in early 2000 with similar results. AC/DC signed a multi-album deal with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Sony%22">Sony</a> in 2001 that resulted in a slew of reissues and DVDs, and they returned to the studio in 2008 for Black Ice, an all-new collection of songs that topped charts in numerous countries (including Australia, the U.S., and the U.K.) and was followed by the group's first world tour since 2001. Two years later, the band's music was featured heavily in the action movie Iron Man 2, and a compilation was released in conjunction with the film under the title Iron Man 2. As AC/DC began work on a new album with producer <a href="spotify:artist:0BG5aq4J5LuJV8kQcGJ336">Brendan O'Brien</a> in 2014, they announced that <a href="spotify:artist:635QWlHZJK2tyDEadZc6TF">Malcolm Young</a> was suffering from dementia and had left the band; his nephew <a href="spotify:artist:6IGnhji6bgknxTTpyGzK1v">Stevie Young</a> took his place at recording sessions and the accompanying 40th anniversary tour, and subsequently joined the group full-time. Just prior to the December release of Rock or Bust, drummer <a href="spotify:artist:5XcpgxdFA6sz6lvUvzmygg">Phil Rudd</a> was arrested under charges of attempting to procure a murder, threatening to kill, and possession of cannabis and methamphetamine. Although the arranged murder charges were dropped, the others remained and the drummer's future with the band was uncertain. Nevertheless, AC/DC marched forward with the release of Rock or Bust and plans for a tour in 2015. In 2017, <a href="spotify:artist:635QWlHZJK2tyDEadZc6TF">Malcolm Young</a> died in November at the age of 64. Following a two-year hiatus, the band reunited with producer <a href="spotify:artist:0BG5aq4J5LuJV8kQcGJ336">Brendan O'Brien</a> for their 17th studio album, Power Up, which became their third consecutive number one album in Australia and their third chart-topper in the U.S. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

Stray Kids

Stray Kids

<a href="spotify:artist:2dIgFjalVxs4ThymZ67YCE" data-name="Stray Kids">Stray Kids</a> (스트레이 키즈) Official Spotify

Fifth Harmony

Fifth Harmony

Multi-platinum selling group Fifth Harmony’s third album Fifth Harmony, via Syco/Epic Records, blasted to the top of the charts around the world upon its August 25 release. The album was the #1 pop and second-best overall selling album in the U.S., debuted at #4 on the U.S. Billboard Top 200 chart and peaked at #1 on iTunes in more than 50 countries. In addition to instant fan acclaim, critics have also praised the record, with USA Today hailing it as “the strongest work yet of the group’s career” and Rolling Stone calling it the group’s “most cohesive album yet.” The album’s gold-certified lead single “Down” ft. Gucci Mane marked Fifth Harmony’s best sales debut and was the #1 most added song at both Top 40 and Rhythmic Radio. Fifth Harmony’s 2017 kicked off with a performance at the People’s Choice Awards and has already brought the group major wins, including “Favorite Group” at the People’s Choice Awards, 3 wins at the iHeartRadio Music Awards, 2 wins at the Radio Disney Music Awards, the 2 top honors at the Kids’ Choice Awards, 4 wins at the Teen Choice Awards, and a MTV VMA for Best Pop Video. This follows Fifth Harmony&#39;s record-breaking sophomore album 7/27. “Work from Home,” the album’s 5x platinum certified first single, earned Fifth Harmony their first top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, notching the top spot on both the Rhythmic and Pop Songs charts. In 2015, Fifth Harmony released their debut album, Reflection, which debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200.

Måneskin

Måneskin

With their raw, energetic and distorted sound Måneskin are meeting contemporary tastes and bringing back rock’n’roll at the top of international charts. They started as buskers playing in the streets of Rome in 2015 and, within a few years, made it to be the first Italian artist to spread worldwide. Victoria (bass), Damiano (lead singer), Thomas (guitar) and Ethan (drums), all in their twenties, are rebooting rock ‘n’ roll for a new generation of listeners.

Florence + the Machine

Florence + the Machine

.