artists!

Lorde

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David Bowie

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Hannah Grae

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Blur

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Oasis

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The Cure

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Mazzy Star

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Tate McRae

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Chappell Roan

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Mitski

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Adrianne Lenker

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Audrey Hobert

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Kendrick Lamar

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Lana Del Rey

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Olivia Rodrigo

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Gracie Abrams

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Since making her debut in 2019, Gracie Abrams has emerged as one of the most compelling songwriters of her generation. A consummate songwriter who names Joni Mitchell as her most formative influence, she penned her first song at age 8, then went on to amass a devoted following on the strength of her emotionally intimate lyrics. Her debut project minor was released in summer 2020 and features her beloved singles “21”, “I miss you, I’m sorry” and “Long Sleeves”. In 2021, Abrams returned with This Is What It Feels Like, a 12-track project exploring such complex emotions as self-betrayal, insecurity, and failed attempts at connection. Her long-awaited debut album Good Riddance, produced by Aaron Dessner of The National, found Abrams opening up about a recent period of intense transformation, bringing even more honesty and depth to her lyrical storytelling. Praising Good Riddance as “one of 2023’s best debuts”, Rolling Stone hailed Abrams as “one of pop’s buzziest young artists”. Now the 2024 sophomore album, The Secret of Us, embodies all the breathless urgency of spilling your heart out to your closest friend at the end of a whirlwind night. Created soon after Abrams took the stage at stadiums across the country as support for Taylor Swift’s blockbuster Eras Tour, The Secret of Us marks her first time taking a hands-on role in the production process. Co-produced by Abrams and Dessner, The Secret of Us ultimately brings a bold new effervescence to her songwriting.

The Beatles

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Radiohead

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Ringo Starr

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Ringo Starr anchored <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">the Beatles</a> with a smile and a thundering backbeat, qualities he'd never lose during the group's heyday and held onto throughout his long solo career. As a drummer, his unconventional parts were a defining compositional feature of the band's sound and his laid-back charisma endeared him to fans, especially during their early days. While <a href="spotify:artist:4x1nvY2FN8jxqAFA0DA02H">John Lennon</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4STHEaNw4mPZ2tzheohgXB">Paul McCartney</a>, and to a lesser extent, <a href="spotify:artist:7FIoB5PHdrMZVC3q2HE5MS">George Harrison</a>, served as the band's frontmen, Starr enjoyed his share of the spotlight. A natural acting ability helped him steal scenes in their feature films A Hard Day's Night and Help!, and he sang lead on mid-'60s <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">Beatles</a> classics like "Yellow Submarine" and "With a Little Help from My Friends." It wasn't until their final years that he began writing his own material, penning "Don't Pass Me By" for The Beatles and "Octopus's Garden" for Abbey Road. Following the band's breakup in 1970, he notched a bevy of solo hits like "It Don't Come Easy," "Back Off Boogaloo," and "Photograph," the latter of which, co-written by <a href="spotify:artist:7FIoB5PHdrMZVC3q2HE5MS">Harrison</a>, became one of his signature solo songs. His albums were often characterized by a collaborative approach made up of covers, originals, and songs given to him by a wide circle of friends, colleagues, and admirers. He would come to rely on this group in the third act of his career, when he formed Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band in 1989. Over the years, the All-Starr Band would include a who's-who of well-known members (<a href="spotify:artist:5bDxAyJiTYBat1YnFJhvEK">Joe Walsh</a>, Todd Rundgren, <a href="spotify:artist:5mxB08ktCukEhGMg2YZeEv">Colin Hay</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:1PWHsS9haruM3AEebZuGs9">Levon Helm</a> among many others), but the group remained a constant for Starr, allowing him to tour the world on a regular basis with a coterie of talented and trusted friends. Ringo revived his solo career with 1992's Time Takes Time, an album that performed a similar function in the studio as the All-Starr Band did on-stage: it opened the door to steady work as a performer. Amid occasional fan-serving collaborations with <a href="spotify:artist:4STHEaNw4mPZ2tzheohgXB">McCartney</a>, Starr moved into the 21st century touring with different iterations of his band while releasing a steady flow of live releases and solo albums like 2010's Y Not and 2015's Postcards from Paradise. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice, once as a <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">Beatle</a> and later as a solo artist. In the early 2020s, he issued a prolific run of EPs including 2024's Crooked Boy. Born Richard Starkey on July 7, 1940, in the Liverpool neighborhood of Dingle, Ringo suffered from various ailments during his youth. At age six he underwent an appendectomy and contracted peritonitis, causing him to briefly fall into a coma. Beginning in 1953, he spent two years in a sanatorium convalescing from tuberculosis. His participation in the hospital band sparked his first interest in drumming, a passion he would later develop during Britain's late-'50s skiffle craze as a member of Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. In the summer of 1960, the Hurricanes were the senior, more established Liverpool band. They were so busy that when they declined an offer from German promoter Bruno Koschmider to play a residency at his Kaiserkeller club in Hamburg, the upstart <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">Beatles</a> were sent instead. The Hurricanes eventually made it to Hamburg a few months later and took over the headliner spot, but the connection made between Ringo and the younger band would have lasting repercussions. In August 1962, he was asked to join <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">the Beatles</a>, replacing their first drummer, <a href="spotify:artist:41ZUI3a7yx5P3nfzkUZlDr">Pete Best</a>, and forever cementing his legacy in popular music. From the onset of Beatlemania in early 1963 until their dissolution in 1970, Ringo occupied a unique, though sometimes difficult role within <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">the Beatles</a>. His drumming style favored feel over technicality and his energetic backbeat and unconventional fills became a signature element of their sound. Despite initial resistance from hardcore fans who briefly insisted "Pete forever, Ringo never!," he quickly became a fan favorite, singing lead on at least one song per album and playing standout roles in the band's first two movies, A Hard Day's Night and Help!. "Yellow Submarine," from 1966's Revolver, reached number one and was the only Ringo-sung <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">Beatles</a> song to do so, though others like "With a Little Help from My Friends" and "What Goes On" became well-known catalog staples. In the latter half of the '60s, as the band shifted into their studio phase, Starr found himself feeling increasingly isolated as his bandmates moved beyond their rock & roll beginnings into more experimental territory that didn't always require his accompaniment. As the odd man out, he often found himself killing endless hours in the studio, playing cards with road managers Mal Evans and Neil Aspinall. During their final years, he began writing songs of his own like "Don't Pass Me By" and "Octopus's Garden." Upon <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">the Beatles</a>' split in early 1970, Starr forged his own career with a pair of solo projects. The first, an album called Sentimental Journey, found him covering pre-rock standards, and the second, Beaucoups of Blues, was a country music collection. Starr then scored Top Ten hits with two non-album singles, "It Don't Come Easy" in 1971 and "Back Off Boogaloo" in 1972. During this time, he remained involved with both <a href="spotify:artist:4x1nvY2FN8jxqAFA0DA02H">Lennon</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:7FIoB5PHdrMZVC3q2HE5MS">Harrison</a>, playing on the former's debut, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, and the latter's three-disc set All Things Must Pass, as well as the <a href="spotify:artist:7FIoB5PHdrMZVC3q2HE5MS">Harrison</a>-curated Concert for Bangladesh. In 1973 he paired with producer Richard Perry and, with assistance from the three other ex-<a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">Beatles</a>, made his rock album debut with Ringo, which featured two number one hits, "Photograph" and "You're Sixteen." "Oh My My," a Top Ten hit, was also included, and those three singles helped push the album to platinum certification. Almost as successful was his 1974 follow-up Goodnight Vienna, which featured the hits "Only You" and "No No Song," and guest spots from <a href="spotify:artist:3PhoLpVuITZKcymswpck5b">Elton John</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3RTzAwFprBqiskp550eSJX">Harry Nilsson</a>. That same year he starred alongside <a href="spotify:artist:3RTzAwFprBqiskp550eSJX">Nilsson</a> in Son of Dracula, nurturing an acting career that began with <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">the Beatles</a>' films, then blossomed with roles in The Magic Christian (1968), Blindman (1971), That'll Be the Day (1973), and Caveman (1981). Musically, Starr continued to issue widely released albums like Bad Boy (1978) and Stop and Smell the Roses (1981), though with diminishing success. His 1983 effort Old Wave did not find a U.S. distributor and made little impact on charts in the U.K. or elsewhere. He appeared with his son <a href="spotify:artist:4h4l0uPYNCYJQZF4ZzugIy">Zak Starkey</a> on the 1985 anti-apartheid song "Sun City," and guested on <a href="spotify:artist:7FIoB5PHdrMZVC3q2HE5MS">Harrison</a>'s nostalgic 1987 Beatlemania ode, "When We Was Fab." In early 1988, the excesses of his lifestyle caught up with him and he entered an alcohol detox program in Arizona, emerging successfully into newfound sobriety and a revived creative focus. Following <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">the Beatles</a>' induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame later that year, he put together the first iteration of his ongoing supergroup, Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. Debuting in 1989, the inaugural lineup included <a href="spotify:artist:5bDxAyJiTYBat1YnFJhvEK">Joe Walsh</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:320TrJub4arztwXRm7kqVO">Dr. John</a>, former <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">Beatles</a> collaborator <a href="spotify:artist:0IecGJbdBeYSOVtSPRehh5">Billy Preston</a>, and members of <a href="spotify:artist:4vpDg7Y7fU982Ds30zawDA">the Band</a>. The success of their first tour yielded an eponymous 1990 All-Starr live album and in part spurred Ringo to revive his studio career. Though not a huge commercial success, 1992's Time Takes Time was a critically admired set that felt like something of a creative rejuvenation. Its production team included Don Was, <a href="spotify:artist:63SAbg9DkZabjTQUJBUAw5">Phil Ramone</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:3bTAaMx9nf237AkBnGw3vL">Jeff Lynne</a> and its standout track "Weight of the World" returned Ringo to the U.K. singles chart for the first time since 1974. Meanwhile, a renewed interest in <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">the Beatles</a> swelled with the 1996 Anthology project which saw Starr, <a href="spotify:artist:4STHEaNw4mPZ2tzheohgXB">McCartney</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:7FIoB5PHdrMZVC3q2HE5MS">Harrison</a> collaborating on <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">Beatles</a> material for the first time since their 1970 breakup. After joining <a href="spotify:artist:4STHEaNw4mPZ2tzheohgXB">McCartney</a> on his 1997 set Flaming Pie, Ringo enjoyed his own comeback with 1998's Vertical Man which cracked the charts in Europe and America, making it his most commercially successful record since the '70s. It was quickly followed by a live album culled from his performance on VH1 Storytellers and a 1999 holiday-themed album, I Wanna Be Santa Claus. During the front half of the 2000s, Starr continued to tour successfully with the All-Starr Band, whose revolving lineup included artists like <a href="spotify:artist:1Ov9t7KbQF0oz9B4JsMfV2">Ian Hunter</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6Uw88LgaxdanDItfR0JyJ8">Greg Lake</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5mxB08ktCukEhGMg2YZeEv">Colin Hay</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6loBF9iQdE11WSX29fNKqY">Howard Jones</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:6OQrOpxSIfPai3cFaN4v4P">Sheila E</a>. While the different versions of the touring band issued a string of live albums throughout the decade, Ringo returned to the studio for solo releases like 2003's Ringorama and 2005's Choose Love. Following <a href="spotify:artist:7FIoB5PHdrMZVC3q2HE5MS">Harrison</a>'s death in 2001, he paid tribute to his former bandmate at the 2002 Concert for George, playing "Photograph," their co-written 1973 hit. The song later anchored 2007's greatest-hits compilation, Photograph: The Very Best of Ringo Starr, which hit number 26 on the U.K. albums chart. A year later, he returned to <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">the Beatles</a>' longtime label <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22EMI%22">EMI</a> for his 14th studio album, Liverpool 8. It marked his last collaboration with longtime producer and co-writer <a href="spotify:artist:1JGg2yE4iUoDm6qReghrzj">Mark Hudson</a>. Starr self-produced his next album, 2010's Y Not, which featured guest vocals from <a href="spotify:artist:4STHEaNw4mPZ2tzheohgXB">McCartney</a> on the track "Walk with You." That same year he celebrated his 70th birthday with an elaborate concert at New York's Radio City Music Hall. Among the many guests were <a href="spotify:artist:4STHEaNw4mPZ2tzheohgXB">McCartney</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2s4tjL6W3qrblOe0raIzwJ">Yoko Ono</a>, and his son <a href="spotify:artist:4h4l0uPYNCYJQZF4ZzugIy">Zak</a>. Over the next few years, Ringo continued to produce his own studio albums, which included 2012's Ringo 2012 and 2015's Postcards from Paradise. The latter marked the first album to feature studio collaborations with his touring All-Starr Band, which now included members like Todd Rundgren and <a href="spotify:artist:7vLNQciZsWdkYFCqY2osFM">Steve Lukather</a>. Just prior to the album's release, it was announced that Starr would be inducted as a solo artist into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. After 2017's Give More Love, he returned two years later with What's My Name, an album that featured a cover of <a href="spotify:artist:4x1nvY2FN8jxqAFA0DA02H">John Lennon</a>'s "Grow Old with Me." During the global pandemic that began the next decade, he made a shift into short-form releases with a series of EPs. Zoom In was released in March 2021, followed six months later by Change the World. A third EP, EP3, arrived the following year. Starr's 2023 EP, Rewind Forward, featured contributions from various collaborators like <a href="spotify:artist:7vLNQciZsWdkYFCqY2osFM">Steve Lukather</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:64BpBvN4VY7JdhV9GaEbiV">Benmont Tench</a> as well as a song penned by <a href="spotify:artist:4STHEaNw4mPZ2tzheohgXB">McCartney</a>. It was followed in 2024 by Crooked Boy, a surprisingly energized four-song set written and produced by <a href="spotify:artist:5tfiJ40SRxluWNgA6ruvSo">Linda Perry</a>, who also played many of the instruments. ~ Timothy Monger, Rovi

The Smiths

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The Smiths were the definitive British indie rock band of the '80s, marking the end of synth-driven new wave and the beginning of the guitar rock that dominated English rock into the '90s. Sonically, the group was indebted to the British Invasion, crafting ringing, melodic three-minute pop singles, even for their album tracks. But their scope was far broader than that of a revivalist band. The group's core members, vocalist Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr, were obsessive rock fans inspired by the D.I.Y. ethics of punk, but they also had a fondness for girl groups, pop, and rockabilly. Morrissey and Marr also represented one of the strangest teams of collaborators in rock history. Marr was the rock traditionalist, looking like an elegant version of Keith Richards during the Smiths' heyday and meticulously layering his guitar tracks in the studio. Morrissey, on the other hand, broke from rock tradition by singing in a keening, self-absorbed croon, embracing the forlorn, romantic poetry of Oscar Wilde, publicly declaring his celibacy, and making no secret of his disgust for most of his peers. While it eventually led to the Smiths' early demise, the friction between Morrissey and Marr resulted in a flurry of singles and albums over the course of three years that provided the blueprint for British guitar rock in the following decade. Before forming the Smiths in 1982, Johnny Marr (born John Maher, October 31, 1963; guitar) had played in a variety of Manchester-based rock & roll bands, including Sister Ray, Freaky Part, White Dice, and Paris Valentinos. On occasion, Marr had come close to a record contract -- one of his bands won a competition Stiff Records held to have Nick Lowe "produce your band" -- but he never quite made the leap. Though Morrissey (born Steven Patrick Morrissey, May 22, 1959; vocals) had sung for a few weeks with the Nosebleeds and auditioned for Slaughter & the Dogs, he had primarily contented himself to being a passionate, vocal fan of both music and film. During his teens, he wrote the Melody Maker frequently, often getting his letters published. He had written the biography/tribute James Dean Isn't Dead, which was published by the local Manchester publishing house Babylon Books in the late '70s, as well as another book on the New York Dolls; he was also the president of the English New York Dolls fan club. Morrissey met Marr, who was then looking for a lyricist, through mutual friends in the spring of 1982. The pair began writing songs, eventually recording some demos with the Fall's drummer, Simon Wolstencroft. By the fall, the duo had settled on the name the Smiths and recruited Marr's schoolmate Andy Rourke as their bassist and Mike Joyce as their drummer. The Smiths made their live debut late in 1982, and by the spring of 1983, the group had earned a small but loyal following in their hometown of Manchester and had begun to make inroads in London. Rejecting a record deal with the Mancunian Factory Records, the band signed with Rough Trade for a one-off single, "Hand in Glove." With its veiled references to homosexuality and its ringing riffs, "Hand in Glove" became an underground sensation in the U.K., topping the independent charts and earning the praise of the U.K. music weeklies. Soon, Morrissey's performances became notorious as he appeared on-stage wearing a hearing aid and with gladioli stuffed in his back pockets. His interviews were becoming famous for his forthright, often contrary opinions, which helped the band become a media sensation. By the time of the group's second single, "This Charming Man," in late 1983, the Smiths had already been the subject of controversy over "Reel Around the Fountain," a song that had been aired on a BBC radio session and was alleged to condone child abuse. It was the first time that Morrissey's detached, literary, and ironic lyrics were misinterpreted and it wouldn't be the last. "This Charming Man" reached number 25 on the British charts in December of 1983, setting the stage for "What Difference Does It Make"'s peak of number 12 in February. The Smiths' rise to the upper reaches of the British charts was swift, and the passion of their fans, as well as the U.K. music press, indicated that the group had put an end to the synth-powered new wave that dominated Britain in the early '80s. After rejecting their initial stab at a first album, they released their debut, The Smiths, in the spring of 1984 to strong reviews and sales -- it peaked at number two. A few months later, the group backed '60s pop vocalist Sandie Shaw -- who Morrissey had publicly praised in an article -- on a version of "Hand in Glove" that was released and reached the Top 40. "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" reached number ten, becoming their highest-charting single amid a storm of controversy about its B-side, "Suffer Little Children," which was about the notorious Moors Murders. More controversy appeared when Morrissey denounced the hunger-relief efforts of Band Aid, but the group's popularity was not affected. Though the Smiths had become the most popular new rock & roll group in Britain, the group failed to make it outside of underground and college radio in the U.S., partially because they never launched a full-scale tour. At the end of the year, "William It Was Really Nothing" became a Top 20 hit and Hatful of Hollow, a collection of B-sides, BBC sessions, and non-LP singles, went to the Top Ten, followed shortly by "How Soon Is Now," which peaked at number 24. Meat Is Murder, the band's second proper studio album, entered the British charts at number one in February of 1985, despite some criticism that it was weaker than The Smiths. Around the time of the release of Meat Is Murder, Morrissey's interviews were becoming increasingly political as he trashed the Thatcher administration and campaigned for vegetarianism; he even claimed that the Smiths were all vegetarians, and he forbade the remaining members to be photographed eating meat, even though they were still carnivores. Marr, for his part, was delving deeply into the rock & roll lifestyle and looked increasingly like a cross between Keith Richards and Brian Jones. By the time the non-LP "Shakespeare's Sister" reached number 26 in the spring of 1985, the Smiths had spawned a rash of soundalike bands, including James, who opened for the group on their spring 1985 tour, most of whom Morrissey supported. However, all of the media attention on the Smiths launched a mild backlash later in 1985, when "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" was pulled from Meat Is Murder and failed to reach the Top 40. "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" revived the band's fortunes in the fall of 1985, and their third album, The Queen Is Dead, confirmed their popularity upon its release in the spring of 1986. Greeted with enthusiastic reviews and peaking at number two on the U.K. charts, The Queen Is Dead also expanded their cult following in the U.S., cracking the Top 100. Shortly before the album was completed, former Aztec Camera guitarist Craig Gannon became the band's rhythm guitarist, and he played with the band throughout their 1986 international tour, including a botched American tour. The non-LP "Panic," which was criticized as racist by some observers for its repeated refrain of "Burn down the disco...hang the DJ," reached number 11 late in the summer. A few months after its release, Marr was seriously injured in a car crash. During his recuperation, Gannon was fired from the band, as was Rourke, who was suffering from heroin addiction. Though Rourke was later reinstated, Gannon was never replaced. The Smiths may have been at the height of their popularity in early 1987, with the non-LP singles "Shoplifters of the World" and "Sheila Take a Bow" reaching number 11 and ten respectively, and the singles and B-sides compilation The World Won't Listen (revamped for U.S. release as Louder Than Bombs later in 1987) debuting at number two, but Marr was growing increasingly disenchanted with the band and the music industry. Over the course of the year, Morrissey and Marr became increasingly irritated with each other. The singer wished that Marr would stop playing with other artists like Bryan Ferry and Billy Bragg, while the guitarist was frustrated with Morrissey's devotion to '60s pop and his hesitancy to explore new musical directions. A few weeks before the fall release of Strangeways, Here We Come, Marr announced that he was leaving the Smiths. Morrissey disbanded the group shortly afterward and began a solo career, signing with Parlophone in the U.K. and staying with the Smiths' U.S. label, Reprise. Marr played as a sideman with a variety of artists, eventually forming Electronic with New Order frontman Bernard Sumner. Rourke retired from recording and Joyce became a member of the reunited Buzzcocks in 1991. Rank, a live album recorded on the Queen Is Dead tour, was released in the fall of 1988. It debuted at number two in the U.K. A widely criticized, two-part The Best of the Smiths compilation was released in 1992; the praised Singles compilation was released in 1995. Joyce and Rourke sued Morrissey and Marr in 1991, claiming they received only ten percent of the group's earnings while the songwriters received 40 percent. Rourke eventually settled out of court, but Joyce won his case in late 1996. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Taylor Swift

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Taylor Swift is that rarest of pop phenomena: a superstar who managed to completely cross over from country to the mainstream. Others have performed similar moves -- notably, <a href="spotify:artist:32vWCbZh0xZ4o9gkz4PsEU">Dolly Parton</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:5W5bDNCqJ1jbCgTxDD0Cb3">Willie Nelson</a> both became enduring pop culture icons based on their 1970s work -- but Swift shed her country roots like they were a second skin; it was a necessary molting to reveal she was perhaps the sharpest, savviest populist singer/songwriter of her generation, one who could harness the zeitgeist, make it personal and, just as impressively, perform the reverse. These skills were evident on her earliest hits, especially the neo-tribute "Tim McGraw," but her second album, 2008's Fearless, showcased a songwriter discovering who she was and, in the process, finding a mass audience. Fearless wound up having considerable legs not only in the U.S., where it racked up six platinum singles on the strength of the Top Ten hits "Love Story" and "You Belong with Me," but throughout the world, performing particularly well in the U.K., Canada, and Australia. Speak Now, delivered almost two years later, consolidated that success and moved Swift into the stratosphere of superstardom. Her popularity only increased over her next three albums -- Red (2012), 1989 (2014), Reputation (2017) -- and found her moving assuredly into a pop realm where she already belonged. Even when she scaled back her approach with 2020's stripped-down sibling releases folklore and Evermore, she remained atop the pop world, a position she maintained with re-recordings of her back catalog along with Midnights, a moody album released in 2022. This sense of confidence had been apparent in Taylor Swift since the beginning. The daughter of two bankers -- her father, Scott Kingsley Swift, worked at Merrill Lynch; her mother, Andrea, spent time as a mutual fund marketing executive -- Swift was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, and raised in suburban Wyomissing. She began to show interest in music at the age of nine, and <a href="spotify:artist:5e4Dhzv426EvQe3aDb64jL">Shania Twain</a> wound up as her biggest formative influence. Swift started to work regularly at local talent contests, eventually winning a chance to open for <a href="spotify:artist:6UpFUXmXvDV7Qj1SPymamh">Charlie Daniels</a>. Soon, she learned how to play guitar and began writing songs, signing a music management deal with Dan Dymtrow; her family relocated to Nashville with the intent of furthering her music career. She was just 14 years old but on the radar of the music industry, signing a development deal with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22RCA+Records%22">RCA Records</a> in 2004. Swift sharpened her skills with a variety of professional songwriters, forming the strongest connections with <a href="spotify:artist:7pcKyVIatvXoHdZRr4Q3vT">Liz Rose</a>. Taylor's original songs earned her a deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing, but not long after that 2004 deal she parted ways with Dymtrow and <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22RCA%22">RCA</a>, all with the intent of launching her recording career now, not later. Things started moving swiftly once Swift came to the attention of Scott Borchetta, a former <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22DreamWorks+Records%22">DreamWorks Records</a> exec about to launch <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Big+Machine+Records%22">Big Machine Records</a>. Borchetta saw Swift perform at a songwriters showcase at the Bluebird Cafe and he signed her to <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Big+Machine%22">Big Machine</a> in 2005; shortly afterward, she started work on her debut with producer Nathan Chapman, who'd previously helmed demos for Taylor. Boasting original song credits on every one of the record's 11 songs (she penned three on her own), Taylor Swift appeared in October 2006 to strong reviews and Swift made sure to work the album hard, appearing at every radio or television event offered and marshaling a burgeoning fan base through the use of MySpace. "Tim McGraw," the first song from the album, did well, but "Teardrops on My Guitar" and "Our Song" did better on both the pop and country charts, where she racked up five consecutive Top Ten singles. Other successes followed in the wake of the debut -- a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist (she lost to <a href="spotify:artist:6Q192DXotxtaysaqNPy5yR">Amy Winehouse</a>), stopgap EPs of Christmas songs -- but Swift concentrated on delivering her sophomore set, Fearless. Appearing in November 2008, Fearless was certified gold by the RIAA in its first week of release, and the record gained momentum throughout 2009, earning several platinum certifications as "Love Story," "White Horse," "You Belong with Me," "Fifteen," and "Fearless" all scaled the upper reaches of the country charts while "You Belong with Me" nearly topped Billboard's Hot 100. Along with the success came some headlines, first in the form of an infamous appearance at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards where her acceptance speech was interrupted by <a href="spotify:artist:5K4W6rqBFWDnAN6FQUkS6x">Kanye West</a>, who burst on-stage to declare that Swift's rival <a href="spotify:artist:6vWDO969PvNqNYHIOW5v0m">Beyoncé</a> deserved the award more, but her romances also started gaining attention, notably a liaison with Twilight star Taylor Lautner, who appeared with the singer in the 2009 film Valentine's Day. Her flirtation with the silver screen proved brief, as she then poured herself into her third album, Speak Now. Released in October 2010, Speak Now was another massive first-week smash that refused to lose momentum. Hit singles like "Mine" and "Mean," which won two Grammy Awards, played a big factor in its success not just on the country charts but on pop radio as well. Following a 2011 live album called World Tour Live: Speak Now, Swift turned toward following a pop path on her fourth album, hiring such mainstream musicians as <a href="spotify:artist:045EiHd7X7cCjlamF0LV2M">Dan Wilson</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7qKoy46vPnmIxKCN6ewBG4">Butch Walker</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:26dSoYclwsYLMAKD3tpOr4">Britney Spears</a> producer <a href="spotify:artist:4e1KgW8FCqVytLFSzEYEKo">Max Martin</a>. This mainstream pulse was evident on "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," the first single from Red. Upon its October 2012 release, Red shattered expectations by selling over a million copies in its first week, a notable achievement that was doubly impressive in an era of declining sales. Once again, Swift's album had legs: it was certified platinum four times in the U.S. and its international sales outstripped those of Speak Now. She supported Red with an international tour in 2013 and more hits came, including "I Knew You Were Trouble" and "22." As Swift geared up for the release of her fifth album in 2014, she made it clear that 1989 was designed as her first "documented, official" pop album and that there would be no country marketing push for the record. "Shake It Off," an ebullient dance-pop throwback, hit number one upon its August 2014 release. When 1989 appeared in late October 2014, it once again shot to number one and became her third straight album to sell one million copies in its first week (a new record for any artist). Swift gathered many awards during the subsequent year, including Billboard's Woman of the Year, the Award for Excellence at the American Music Awards, and a special 50th Anniversary Milestone Award from the CMAs. Her 1989 World Tour crossed Asia, North America, and Europe during the last half of 2015, and she won three Grammy Awards at the 2016 ceremonies, including Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Music Video for "Bad Blood." At the end of 2016, she released "I Don't Wanna Live Forever," a duet with ZAYN from the soundtrack for Fifty Shades Darker. The single reached the Top Five across the world. Swift returned with her sixth album, Reputation, in November 2017. Preceded by the number one hit single "Look What You Made Me Do," Reputation debuted at number one, and while it didn't replicate the success of 1989, the album did help underscore her popularity while also pushing her toward mature musicality. Reputation was Swift's final record for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Big+Machine%22">Big Machine</a>. In November 2018, she signed with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Universal+Music+Group%22">Universal Music Group</a>, which distributed her new albums under its <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Republic+Records%22">Republic Records</a> banner. The first album in this contract was Lover. Released in August 2019, Lover was preceded by two singles, "Me!" and "You Need to Calm Down," which both reached number two on the Hot 100 and helped push the album to number one. The acclaimed LP and two of its singles received a total of three nominations at the 62nd Grammy Awards. Swift's plans to support Lover with a tour in 2020 were scrapped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With some unexpected time on her hands, she wrote and recorded a new set of songs, many in collaboration with <a href="spotify:artist:2hSyEBc9TBb9j38FOCdkIf">Aaron Dessner</a> of <a href="spotify:artist:2cCUtGK9sDU2EoElnk0GNB">the National</a>; <a href="spotify:artist:4LEiUm1SRbFMgfqnQTwUbQ">Bon Iver</a> and longtime Swift associate <a href="spotify:artist:414TS3VqZf1XPCBixdmX9n">Jack Antonoff</a> also contributed. The resulting album, folklore, was released on July 24, 2020, and went straight to the top of the Billboard 200. Less than five months later, Swift released a companion album to folklore called Evermore. Featuring many of the same collaborators as its predecessor, the Grammy-nominated Evermore debuted at number one upon its December 11, 2020 release. Altogether, the sibling LPs planted Swift atop the U.S. charts for a combined 11 weeks, and folklore became the best-selling album of 2020. In 2021, she began the process of re-recording her back catalog after her <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Big+Machine%22">Big Machine</a> masters were sold off in 2019, starting with 2008's Fearless. The first of these tracks -- "Love Story (Taylor's Version)" -- arrived that February, with Fearless [Taylor's Version] arriving in April. The new version of Fearless contained cameos from <a href="spotify:artist:6aZyMrc4doVtZyKNilOmwu">Colbie Caillat</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0u2FHSq3ln94y5Q57xazwf">Keith Urban</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:6WY7D3jk8zTrHtmkqqo5GI">Maren Morris</a>, along with several previously unheard tunes originally written during the same time period; it debuted at number one on Billboard upon its release. Swift next revisited Red, releasing Red [Taylor's Version] in November 2021. This revamp of the 2012 album featured new duets with <a href="spotify:artist:1r1uxoy19fzMxunt3ONAkG">Phoebe Bridgers</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4YLtscXsxbVgi031ovDDdh">Chris Stapleton</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:6eUKZXaKkcviH0Ku9w2n3V">Ed Sheeran</a>, along with a ten-minute version of the ballad "All Too Well." Another re-recording, "This Love (Taylor's Version)" (originally off 1989), arrived in May 2022 and was included in the soundtrack to the coming-of-age drama The Summer I Turned Pretty. Swift opened up another chapter in her career with the October 2022 release of Midnights, an album co-produced by <a href="spotify:artist:414TS3VqZf1XPCBixdmX9n">Jack Antonoff</a> and featuring a duet with <a href="spotify:artist:00FQb4jTyendYWaN8pK0wa">Lana Del Rey</a> on "Snow on the Beach." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Arctic Monkeys

Artist

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

Billie Eilish

Artist

Hole

Artist

Throughout Hole's career, vocalist/guitarist Courtney Love's notorious public image has overshadowed her band's music. In their original incarnation, Hole was one of the noisiest, most abrasive alternative bands performing in the early '90s. By the time of their second album, 1994's Live Through This, the band had smoothed out many of their rougher edges, also adding more melodies and hooks to their songwriting. Through both versions of Hole, Love's combative, assaultive persona permeated the group's music and lyrics, giving the band a tense, unpredictable edge even at their quietest moments. Love formed Hole in Los Angeles in 1989, recruiting guitarist Eric Erlandson through a newspaper ad. Love had played with numerous bands before Hole, including early versions of both Babes in Toyland and Faith No More. Erlandson and Love eventually drafted bassist Jill Emery and drummer Caroline Rue into the band, recording their first album with producer Kim Gordon, the bassist for Sonic Youth. The violent and uncompromising Pretty on the Inside, Hole's debut record, was released on Caroline Records in 1991 to numerous positive reviews, especially in the British weekly music press. In early 1992, Courtney Love married Kurt Cobain, the lead singer/songwriter of Nirvana. For a couple of months, the couple was the king and queen of the new rock world; soon, that world came crashing in. Cobain became addicted to heroin and the couple fought to keep custody of their baby after a piece in Vanity Fair accused Love of shooting heroin while pregnant, charges which she vehemently denied at the time; she would later admit that she had taken small quantities of the drug. By 1993, their private world had settled down somewhat, with Cobain and Love recording new albums with their respective bands. Halfway through 1993, Love reassembled Hole with Erlandson, adding bassist Kristen M. Pfaff and drummer Patty Schemel. Hole was set to release their first major-label album, the more pop-oriented Live Through This, on DGC Records in April of 1994. Advance word on the album was overwhelmingly positive, with many critics calling it one of the best records of the year. Four days before the album was released, Kurt Cobain's body was discovered in the couple's Seattle home; he had died of a self-inflicted shotgun wound three days before. Two months after Cobain's death, Kristen M. Pfaff was found dead of a heroin overdose in a Seattle apartment, with rumors swirling that Love (understandably distraught over the recent tragedies) was abusing the drug as well. Two months later, Hole began touring again, with bassist Melissa Auf Der Maur taking Pfaff's place. "Doll Parts" was released as a single late in 1994, climbing into the Top 60 by the beginning of 1995. Live Through This topped many critics' polls at the end of the year, including Rolling Stone and the Village Voice. Shortly thereafter, Hole toured with the fifth Lollapalooza tour, staying on the road for the remainder of the year. Despite all the hardships, the album became the group's commercial breakthrough, spawning several MTV/radio hits and being certified platinum early the following year. The band went on an extended hiatus afterwards, during which time many assumed the band had broken up when it appeared that Love was focusing more on her burgeoning acting career (Feeling Minnesota, The People vs. Larry Flynt) than music. To satisfy their fans' demand for new music, two rarities collections were issued -- the 1995 EP Ask for It and the 1997 import My Body, the Hand Grenade. After numerous delays, the band finally regrouped to work on a follow-up to Live Through This, with longtime friend Billy Corgan signed on to be a musical consultant. The album was finally issued in September of 1998 to favorable reviews, but Schemel left the band (for reasons unknown) around the same time. Former drummer for New York City alt-rockers Shift, Samantha Maloney, filled the vacant slot as the group embarked on their first substantial tour in two years. By the tour's completion, Auf Der Maur had left to join the Smashing Pumpkins, while Maloney eventually served as a stand-in drummer for Mötley Crüe. Even though Skin was certified platinum shortly after its release, Love was unhappy with the way the album was handled by her record company and felt stifled by her contract, eventually bringing a lawsuit against the Universal Music Group trying to terminate her contract (she still owes five more albums under her current agreement), so she can release music via the Internet. The future of Hole became even more uncertain in early 2001, when Love announced plans to launch a new outfit, called Bastard. Signing with Epitaph, the band consisted of Love, former Veruca Salt guitarist Louise Post, former Rockit Girl bassist Gina Crosley, and to the delight of longtime Hole fans, Schemel is back on drums. In typical Love style, this lineup eventually dissolved into only her and Schemel and the group essentially broke up before it even began. Despite the lack of any substancial project, Love finally announced the end of Hole in May of 2002. Unlike her often bitter press situations, she claimed that the situation was friendly and she would still remain friends with the previous members of the band. Love released her first solo album, America's Sweetheart, in 2004. The following year she began working on new songs, despite battling an alleged eating disorder and a stay in rehab after violating her probation by using drugs. Working with artists including producer Linda Perry, Billy Corgan and guitarist Micko Larkin, formerly of Larrikin Love, the album Nobody's Daughter began to take shape over 2006 and 2007. In mid-2009, Love announced that Nobody's Daughter would in fact be a Hole album. She began promoting the album in earnest in early 2010, performing shows in Europe and the U.S. -- including gigs at the South by Southwest Festival and on The Late Show with David Letterman -- before its release. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine & Greg Prato, Rovi

Paramore

Artist

Lauren Spencer-Smith

Artist

At only 21, Lauren Spencer Smith’s music has resonated with so many — garnering 4 billion streams to date. In Lauren’s own words, “I write songs that I didn’t have when I went through my personal experiences so no one has to ever feel alone.” "Fingers Crossed" & "Flowers" are both RIAA Certified Platinum singles that represent a rare voice in music. On her 2023 debut album Mirror, which was released to praise from Rolling Stone, Billboard, The Guardian, & more, Spencer Smith writes & sings 15 deeply personal songs, resulting in nearly 900M streams on Spotify alone. Her authenticity in her music & recently on her global headlining tour drew fans from all over the world to see the rising star in 42 sold out cities. From remote Vancouver Island, she started gaining a following on social media at age 13, by covering tracks like "Always Remember Us This Way" and "All I Want”, which achieved tens of millions of streams & views in 2019. In 2020, she grew her core fan base with her ability to write a relatable breakup song or complex feelings about family & friends. In 2022, she delivered the monumental "Fingers Crossed," which peaked at #19 on the Billboard Hot 100. By the end of the year, Lauren had performed at the MTV VMAs, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, & the People&#39;s Choice Awards where she was a "Best New Artist" nominee. Now, in 2023, Mirror shows Spencer Smith offering a complete narrative journey of her brilliant here-and-now while signaling all that is to come.

Cat Burns

Artist

Maisie Peters

Artist

Sofia Isella

Artist

SOFIA ISELLA (age 20). a slut for words. Songwriting since age 8. Violinist since 3. Producing, guitar, piano along the way. Website: www.sofiaisella.com Instagram: Sofia_Isella Spotify: Sofia Isella Youtube: Sofia Isella TikTok: sofiamfisella

Nxdia

Artist

helloooo i’m nxdia (any pronouns) - although it’s spelt that way it’s pronounced nadia, i get a bunch of ‘nucks-dia’s’ but it’s dying down now. i figured I’d say something about myself seeing as we’re both here. i was born in cairo, egypt & spent most of my childhood there, there’s nothing like my khalto fatma’s cooking - it’s my favorite thing - the ma7shi kromb/ koshari in particular. i’ve kept diaries all my life, it’s my way of documenting stuff and writing down my feelings to turn them into songs, or just free therapy. i really want to see a moose, i think they&#39;re ridiculously big and i can&#39;t comprehend how&#39;s they&#39;d seem in real life so now it&#39;s become a goal, a walrus too actually i don’t sleep with a pillow, but I have them there anyway. i wanna build a community, i felt really isolated growing up, despite being a gobby bastard- so if ur here and along for this, thanku- i see u and ily, hopefully you feel like you’re part of something here :) <3

Ed Sheeran

Artist

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