Evolution of Music

2000-2014

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60s

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70s

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80s

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90s

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Rock and Roll

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Stevie Wonder

A child prodigy, he has become one of the most creative and loved musical performers of the late 20th century. He has recorded more than 30 U.S. top ten hits and received 22 Grammy Awards, the most ever awarded to a male solo artist, and has sold over 100 million albums and singles, making him one of the top 60 best-selling music artists. In 2009, Wonder was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace. In 2008, Billboard magazine released a list of the Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists to celebrate the US singles chart's 50th anniversary, with Wonder at number five.

Adele

Adele is the first female in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 to have three singles in the top 10 at the same time as a lead artist, and the first female artist to have two albums in the top five of the Billboard 200 and two singles in the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously. 21 is the longest running number one album by a female solo artist on the UK and US Albums Chart. In 2011 and 2012, Billboard named Adele Artist of the Year. In 2012, Adele was listed at number five on VH1's 100 Greatest Women in Music, and the American magazine Time named Adele one of the most influential people in the world. In 2013, she received an Academy Award as well as a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for her song "Skyfall", written for the James Bond film of the same name.

Pre- Rock / Pop

As I said before 3 Different styles dominated the 50's and this included Pop music.

Bill Haley and his comets

Earliest group to bring Rock and Roll to the attention. From late 1954 to late 1956 the group placed 9 singles in the Top 20, one of those a Nº 1 and 3 more in the Top 10.

The Jackson 5

Formed in 1964 under the name The Jackson Brothers, the founding members were Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael. After participating in talent shows they entered the professional music scene in 1967 signing with Steeltown Records, releasing two singles, before signing with Motown in 1969. they made history in 1970 as the first recording act whose first four singles reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, with the songs: "I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There". Scoring 17 top forty singles on the Hot 100

Aretha Louise Franklin

Franklin has won a total of 18 Grammy Awards and is one of the best-selling female artists of all time, having sold over 75 million records worldwide. Franklin has been honored throughout her career including a 1987 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in which she became the first female performer to be inducted. She was inducted to the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. In August 2012, Franklin was inducted into the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Franklin is listed in at least two all-time lists on Rolling Stonemagazine, including the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, in which she placed number 9, and the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time in which she placed number 1.

Bob Dylan

He has been an influential figure in popular music and culture for more than five decades. Dylan has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time; he has received numerous awards including Grammy, Golden Globe, and Academy Award; he has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Minnesota Music Hall of Fame, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and Songwriters Hall of Fame.

B.B. King

He is Nº 6 on Rolling Stones list of the 100 greatest guitarrists of all time. The most influential blues musicians of all time, earning the nick name the King of Blues

Fats domino

He is a pianist and singer-songwritter. He released 5 Gold Records ( million copy selling) before 1955. He also had 35 Top 40 American hits.

Frank Sinatra

Is one of the best-selling artists of all time sold more than 150 million records worldwide. He also won 11 Grammy Awards.

The Temptations

Known for their choreography, distinct harmonies, and flashy wardrobe, the group was highly influential to the evolution R&B and soul music. Over the course of their career, the Temptations have released 4 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles and fourteen R&B number-one singles, and their material has earned them 3 Grammy Awards. The Temptations were the 1º Motown recording act TO WIN A Grammy Award - for "Cloud Nine" in 1969[5] - and in 2013 received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. The Temptations were also ranked at #68 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of all time.

Intro

Music has evolved a lot since early 50's until now. Well I'm going to talk about this evolution, some artists from the decades and also about the styles that were a success.

Tony Bennett

Singer and painter. He has won 17 grammy awards and 2 emmy awards He has sold over 50 million records worldwide.

R&B

Some of the R&B hits included Fats Domino

50's

The early 50's were dominated by remnants of the big band era. Some styles such R&B, Pop, Jazz dominated the beggining bu them a man called Alan Freed from Ohio Radio Disco Jockey started a cross-current of styles - eletric blues, jazz, gospel, R&B vocal groups, and country - and named it "Rock and Roll". We are going to take a look on 3 Styles that dominated basically the 50's.

The Beach Boys

The group had over 80 songs chart worldwide, 36 of them United States Top 40 hits (the most by an American rock band), four reaching number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The Beach Boys have sold in excess of 100 million records worldwide, making them one of the world's best-selling bands of all timeand are listed at number 12 on Rolling Stone magazine's 2004 list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.

The Platters

Were one of the most successful vocal groups of the early rock and roll era. The group had 40 Charting singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart between 1955 and 1967, including 4 Nº 1 Hits.

System of a Down

also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is an American four-piece rock band from Southern California, formed in 1994. The band achieved commercial success with the release of five studio albums, of which three debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. System of a Down has been nominated for four Grammy Awards, and their song "B.Y.O.B." won the Best Hard Rock Performance of 2006. The group went on hiatus in August 2006 and reunited in November 2010, embarking on a tour for the following three years. System of a Down have sold over 40 million records worldwide.

Doris Day

appeared in 39 films, released 31 albums her songs has spent a total of 460 weeks in the Top 40 Charts. In 2011 she released her 29th studio album which debuted at Nº 9 on the UK Top 40.

Queen

are a British rock band formed in London in 1970, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, piano), Brian May (guitar, vocals), John Deacon (bass guitar), and Roger Taylor (drums, vocals). The band have released a total of 18 number one albums, 18 number one singles, and 10 number one DVDs. Estimates of their record sales generally range from 150 million to 300 million records, making them one of the world's best-selling music artists. They received the Outstanding Contribution to British Music Award from the British Phonographic Industry in 1990, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

Scorpions

are a German rock band formed in 1965. They are known for their 1980s rock anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and many singles, such as "No One Like You", "Send Me an Angel", "Still Loving You", and "Wind of Change". The band was ranked No. 46 on VH1's Greatest Artists of Hard Rock program. "Rock You Like a Hurricane" is also No. 18 on VH1's list of the 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs. The band is one of the world's best-selling bands of all time, with claims of sales over 100 million records worldwide.

The Black Eyed Peas

are an American hip hop group, consisting of rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo, and singer Fergie. The Black Eyed Peas were ranked 12th on Billboard's Decade-End Chart Artist of the Decade, and 7th in the Hot 100 Artists of the Decade. At the 52nd Grammy Awards ceremony, held in January 2010, they won three awards out of six nominations. In November 2010, they released the album The Beginning. In February 2011, the group performed at the Super Bowl XLV halftime show. The album's first two singles, "The Time (Dirty Bit)" and "Just Can't Get Enough", became international hits and topped the charts in many countries. The single "Don't Stop the Party" became an international hit too.

The Backstreet Boys

are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The Backstreet Boys have sold over 130 million records worldwide, making them the best-selling boy band in history, and one of the world's best-selling music artists. They are the first group since Sade to have their first nine albums reach the top 10 on the Billboard 200, and the only boy band to do so. They also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 22, 2013.

AC/DC

are an Australian hard rock band, formed in November 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young, who remained constant members until Malcolm's departure in 2014. AC/DC had sold more than 200 million records worldwide, including 71.5 million albums in the United States alone, making them the tenth-best-selling band in the United States and one of the world's best-selling bands of all time. Back in Black has sold an estimated 50 million units worldwide, making it the fifth-highest-selling album by any artist - and the third-highest-selling album by any band. The album has sold 22 million units in the US alone, where it is the sixth-highest-selling album of all time.AC/DC ranked fourth on VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock".AC/DC ranked fourth on VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock" and were named the seventh "Greatest Heavy Metal Band of All Time" by MTV. In 2004, AC/DC ranked No. 72 on the Rolling Stone list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".

The Rolling Stones

are an English rock band formed in Dartford, Kent in 1962. The Rolling Stones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2004.Rolling Stone magazine ranked them fourth on the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" list, and their estimated album sales are above 250 million. They have released twenty-nine studio albums, eighteen live albums and numerous compilations. Let It Bleed (1969) was their first of five consecutive number one studio and Live albums in the UK. Sticky Fingers (1971) was the first of eight consecutive number one studio albums in the US. In 2008 the band ranked 10th on the "Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists" chart. In 2012, the band celebrated their 50th anniversary.

Rihanna

is a Barbadian singer, actress, and fashion designer. She has sold over 50 million albums and 190 million singles worldwide, making her one of the best-selling artists of all time.She has achieved thirteen number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the youngest and fastest solo artist to achieve the feat. Billboard named her the Digital Songs Artist of the 2000s decade and the top Hot 100 artist of the 2010s decade.Her work has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including seven Grammy Awards, eight American Music Awards, 22 Billboard Music Awards, and two BRIT Awards. In 2012, Forbes ranked her the fourth most powerful celebrity of the year, with earnings of $53 million between May 2011 and May 2012. The same year, TIME named Rihanna one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. At the American Music Awards of 2013, she received the first ever Icon Award. On June 2, 2014, Rihanna received the Fashion Icon lifetime achievement award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).

Olivia Newton-John

is a British-born Australian singer, songwriter, and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles (including two platinum) and 14 of her albums (including two platinum and four double platinum) have been certified gold by the RIAA. Her music has been successful in multiple genres including pop, country, and adult contemporary, and has sold an estimated 100 million records, making her one of the world's best-selling artists of all time. She co-starred with John Travolta in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Grease, which featured one of the most successful soundtracks in Hollywood history.

Avril Ramona Lavigne

is a Canadian and French singer-songwriter. Let Go made Lavigne the youngest female soloist to reach number 1 in the UK. As of 2013, it has sold nearly 7 million copies in the United States and over 17 million copies worldwide.

Shania Twain

is a Canadian country music singer-songwriter. Referred to as "The Queen of Country Pop," she is one of the most commercially successful artists of all time, having sold over 85 million albums. Twain's 1995 album, The Woman in Me, brought her fame and sold 20 million copies worldwide, and her 1997 album, Come On Over, became the best-selling studio album of all time by a female act in any genre and the best-selling country album of all time, selling around 40 million copies worldwide. Twain has received 5 Grammy Awards, 27 BMI Songwriter awards, stars on Canada's Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and an induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. She is the first (and currently only) female artist in history to have 3 consecutive albums certified Diamond by the RIAA. With over 40 million copies sold worldwide, Come On Over is the best-selling album by a female artist and the top-selling country album of all time. Altogether, Twain is ranked as the 10th best-selling artist of the Nielsen SoundScan era.

Bryan Guy Adams,

is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, producer, actor, social activist, and photographer. Adams has been one of the most successful figures of the world of rock music during last three decades. He's known for his strong husky vocals and energetic live performances, and he has sold more than 100 million records, making him one of the world's best-selling music artists and the best-selling Canadian rock artist of all time.For his contributions to music, Adams has garnered many awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations, 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television in 1992. He has also won MTV, ASCAP, American Music awards, two Ivor Novello Awards for song composition and has been nominated five times for Golden Globe Awards and three times for Academy Awards for his songwriting for films. Adams was awarded the Order of Canada and the Order of British Columbia for contributions to popular music and philanthropic work via his own foundation, which helps improve education for people around the world.

Céline Marie Claudette Dion

is a Canadian singer. Born into a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, she is renowned for her technically skilled and powerful vocals. Dion has won five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year for Falling Into You and Record of the Year for "My Heart Will Go On (Love Theme from Titanic)". She is the second best-selling female artist in the US during the Nielsen SoundScan era, with her albums Falling Into You and Let's Talk About Love both certified Diamond in the US,and is the only female artist to have two singles sell more than a million copies in the UK. In 2004, after surpassing 175 million in album sales worldwide, she was presented with the Chopard Diamond Award at the World Music Awards for becoming the best-selling female artist of all time. Dion remains the best-selling Canadian artist in history and one of the best-selling artists of all time with album sales of more than 220 million copies worldwide.

Carole King

is a Grammy Award-winning American singer and songwriter. After experiencing commercial disappointment with her debut album Writer, King scored her breakthrough with the album Tapestry which topped the U.S. album chart for 15 weeks in 1971 and remained on the charts for more than six years. In 2000, Joel Whitburn, a Billboard pop music researcher, named her the most successful female songwriter of 1955-99 because she wrote or co-wrote 118 pop hits on the Billboard Hot 100. She has written 61 hits on the UK charts. In 2005 music historian Stuart Devoy found her the most successful female songwriter on the UK singles charts 1952-2005. She has won four Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for her songwriting. She is the recipient of the 2013 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, the first woman to be so honored.

Ricky Martin

is a Puerto Rican pop musician, actor and author. Martin began his career at age twelve with the all-boy pop group Menudo. He has sold over 70 million albums (the most updated figure is 85 million), and has had 95 platinum records, six #1 Billboard albums, 11 Number 1 hit songs, two American Music Awards, six Grammy Awards, eight World Music Awards, ten Billboard Music Awards, eight MTV Music Video Awards, with concerts in more than 60 countries across the globe.

Alicia Keys

is an American R&B singer-songwriter, pianist, musician, record producer, and actress. Throughout her career, Keys has won numerous awards and sold over 35 million albums and 30 million singles worldwide. Billboard magazine named her the top R&B songs artist of the 2000s decade. In 2010, VH1 included Keys on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Billboard magazine placed her number ten on their list of Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years.

Lady Antebellum

is an American country music group formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 2006. Lady Antebellum was awarded Top New Duo or Group by the Academy of Country Music and New Artist of the Year by the Country Music Association in 2008. They were nominated for two Grammys at the 51st Grammy Awards and two more at the 52nd Grammy Awards. Of these nominations, they took home the award for Best Country Performance by Duo or Group with Vocals for "I Run to You". They were awarded Top Vocal Group, Song of the Year ("Need You Now"), and Single of the Year ("Need You Now") at the 44th ACM Awards on April 18, 2010. They won five awards at the 53rd Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year for "Need You Now". Lady Antebellum also scored "Best Country Album" at the 54th Grammy Awards. By August 2013, the group had sold more than 12.5 million digital singles and 10 million albums in the United States.

Guns N' Roses

is an American hard rock band formed in Los Angeles, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums to date, accumulating sales of more than 100 million records worldwide, including shipments of 45 million in the United States, making them one of the world's best-selling bands of all time. A year after its release, Guns N' Roses' debut album Appetite for Destruction (1987) reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, on the strength of the hit "Sweet Child o' Mine", their only single to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Metallica

is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California. Metallica has released nine studio albums, four live albums, five extended plays, 26 music videos, and 37 singles. The band has won nine Grammy Awards and five of its albums have consecutively debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. The band's eponymous 1991 album has sold over 16 million copies in the United States, making it the best-selling album of the SoundScan Era. Metallica ranks as one of the most commercially successful bands of all time, having sold over 120 million records worldwide. Metallica has been listed as one of the greatest artists of all time by many magazines, including Rolling Stone, which ranked them 61st on its list of The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. As of December 2012, Metallica is the third best-selling music artist since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991, selling a total of 54.26 million albums in the United States alone.

Maroon 5

is an American pop rock band that originated in Los Angeles, California. Since its debut in 2002, the band has sold more than 10 million albums in the United States and over 30.8 million digital singles and 27 million albums worldwide. In 2013, Maroon 5 became the third most-played artist on Top 40 Mainstream radio, based on Clear Channel owned Mediabase, becoming one of the most successful acts of Interscope Records.

Van Halen

is an American rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. From 1974 until 1985, the band comprised guitarist Eddie Van Halen, vocalist David Lee Roth, drummer Alex Van Halen and bassist Michael Anthony. According to the RIAA, Van Halen is the 19th-best-selling band/artist in United States history, selling 56 million albums in the U.S. They were also revealed at number 4 on the Billboard's top money makers list in 2013. Van Halen is one of only five rock bands that have had two studio albums sell more than 10 million copies in the U.S. Additionally, Van Halen charted the most number-one hits in the history of Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart and they are one of the world's best-selling bands of all time, having sold more than 80 million records.

Evanescence

is an American rock band founded in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1995 by singer/pianist Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody. After recording independent albums, the band released their first full-length album, Fallen, on Wind-up Records in 2003. Fallen sold more than 17 million copies worldwide and helped the band win two Grammy Awards and seven nominations, as well as scoring No. 6 in CBS's "Top Bestselling Albums of the Last 10 Years" (2008). A year later, Evanescence released their first live album, Anywhere but Home, which sold more than one million copies worldwide. In 2006, the band released their second studio album, The Open Door, which sold more than five million copies. Billboard ranked Evanescence No. 71 on the Best Artists of the Decade chart.

Bon Jovi

is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora, David Bryan, and drummer Tico Torres. They are one of the world's best-selling bands of all time, having sold more than 100 million records worldwide and performed more than 2,700 concerts in over 50 countries for more than 34 million fans. Bon Jovi was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006. The band was also honored with the Award of Merit at the American Music Awards in 2004, and as songwriters and collaborators, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora were inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2009.

Aerosmith

is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "the Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band." Aerosmith is the best-selling American rock band of all time, having sold more than 150 million albums worldwide, including over 70 million albums in the United States alone. With 25 gold albums, 18 platinum albums, and 12 multi-platinum albums, they hold the record for the most gold albums by an American group, the most total certifications by an American group, and are tied for the most multi-platinum albums by an American group. The band has scored 21 Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, nine number-one Mainstream Rock hits, four Grammy Awards, six American Music Awards, and ten MTV Video Music Awards. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, and were included among both Rolling Stone's and VH1's lists of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

Beyoncé

is an American singer and actress. Throughout a career spanning 16 years, she has won 17 Grammy Awards and sold over 75 million records as a solo artist, and a further 60 million with Destiny's Child, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. The Recording Industry Association of America recognized Beyoncé as the Top Certified Artist in America during the 2000s decade.She was included in Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2013 and 2014.

Kelly Brianne Clarkson

is an American singer and songwriter. In 2002, she rose to fame after winning the first season of American Idol, and has since been established as "The Original American Idol." Her debut single, "A Moment Like This", topped the US Billboard Hot 100 and broke the record for the biggest jump to number one in the chart's history; it became the best-selling single of the year in the country. Clarkson's debut studio album, Thankful (2003), has been certified 2× platinum and sold over 4.5 million copies internationally. Its lead single, "Miss Independent," became an international hit, earning Clarkson her first Grammy nomination. In a career spanning over a decade, Clarkson has accumulated ninety-one number ones on the Billboard charts and eleven international number one singles, and has sold over 20 million albums worldwide.

Madonna Louise Ciccone

is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. Often referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she is cited as an influence among other artists around the world. Madonna has sold more than 300 million records worldwide and is recognized as the best-selling female recording artist of all time by Guinness World Records. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), she is the best-selling female rock artist of the 20th century and the second best-selling female artist in the United States, with 64.5 million certified albums. Billboard ranked her at number two, behind only The Beatles, on the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists, making her the most successful solo artist in the history of American singles chart. The magazine also declared her as the top-touring female artist of all time. She became one of the five founding members of the UK Music Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility.

Pink

is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She has sold over 16 million albums in the United States, while accumulating record sales of over 40 million albums and 65 million singles worldwide. Her career accolades include three Grammy Awards, a Brit Award, and six MTV Video Music Awards. In 2009, Billboard recognized Pink as the Pop Songs Artist of the Decade. Pink was also the second most-played female solo artist in the United Kingdom during the 2000s decade, behind Madonna. VH1 ranked ranked her at number 10 on their list of the 100 Greatest Women in Music, while Billboard awarded her the Woman of the Year 2013.

Mariah Carey

is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. after releasing her self-titled debut studio album Mariah Carey in 1990; it went multiplatinum and spawned four consecutive number one singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. Throughout her career, Carey has sold more than 200 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. In 1998, she was honored as the world's best-selling recording artist of the 1990s at the World Music Awards. Carey was also named the best-selling female artist of the millennium in 2000. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, she is the third-best-selling female artist in the United States, with 63.5 million certified albums. Carey has won five Grammy Awards, 19 World Music Awards, 11 American Music Awards, and 31 Billboard Music Awards. Referred to as the "songbird supreme" by the Guinness World Records, she is famed for her five-octave vocal range, power, melismatic style and signature use of the whistle register.

Christina María Aguilera

is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. her self-titled debut album (1999) debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200, and spawned the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles "Genie in a Bottle", "What a Girl Wants", and "Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)". Aguilera is an established pop icon; her work has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including four Grammy Awards, one Latin Grammy Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. To date, Aguilera has sold 17.9 million albums in the United States and 50 million records worldwide. Rolling Stone ranked her at number 58 on their list of 100 Greatest Singers of All Time, becoming the youngest singer to appear on the list, while Billboard recognized Aguilera as the twentieth most successful artist of the 2000s. Besides her work in the entertainment industry, Aguilera is involved in charitable activities through human rights, world issues, and her work as a UN ambassador for the World Food Programme.

Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr.

is an American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer and actor. Beginning in 1968, he was a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records. Richie made his solo debut in 1982 with the album Lionel Richie and number-one hit "Truly". He has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time

Justin Randall Timberlake

is an American singer-songwriter and actor. Timberlake's work has earned him nine Grammy Awards and four Emmy Awards. His other ventures include record label Tennman Records, fashion label William Rast, and the restaurants Destino and Southern Hospitality.

James Vernon Taylor

is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Taylor achieved his breakthrough in 1970 with the No. 3 single "Fire and Rain" and had his first No. 1 hit the following year with "You've Got a Friend", a recording of Carole King's classic song. His 1976 Greatest Hits album was certified Diamond and has sold 12 million US copies. Following his 1977 album,JT, he has retained a large audience over the decades. His commercial achievements declined slightly until a resurgence during the late 1990s and 2000s, when he recorded some of his best-selling and most-awarded work (including Hourglass, October Road and Covers).

Sara Beth Bareilles

is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She achieved mainstream success in 2007 with the hit single "Love Song", which reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Bareilles has sold over one million records and over four million singles in the United States alone and has been nominated for a Grammy Award five times.

"Cyndi" Lauper

is an American singer-songwriter, actress, and LGBT activist with a career spanning over 30 years. Her debut solo album She's So Unusual (1983) was the first debut female album to chart four top-five hits on the Billboard Hot 100—"Girls Just Want to Have Fun", "Time After Time", "She Bop", and "All Through the Night" earned Lauper the Best New Artist award at the 27th Grammy Awards in 1985. Her success continued with the soundtrack for the motion picture The Goonies and her second record True Colors (1986). This album included the number one hit of the same name and "Change of Heart" which peaked at number 3. Lauper has established herself as a pop icon winning awards at the Grammy, Emmy, Tony, New York's Outer Critics Circle, MTV VMA, Billboard, and AMA awards.

Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers

is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, entrepreneur and author, and member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. Though he has been most successful with country audiences, he has charted more than 120 hit singles across various music genres, topped the country and pop album charts for more than 200 individual weeks in the United States alone and has sold over 165 million records worldwide,making him one of the highest-selling artists of all time.

Jessie J,

is an English singer and songwriter. Citing various influences, Jessie J is recognised for an unconventional musical and performance style that mixes soul vocals with contemporary R&B, pop, electropop, and hip-hop beats. Jessie J has garnered various awards and nominations for contributions to the music industry, including the 2011 Critics' Choice BRIT Award and the BBC's Sound of 2011. As of April 2012, Jessie J had sold over 11 million singles and 2.5 million albums, worldwide.

Sir Elton Hercules John

is an English singer, songwriter, composer, pianist, record producer, and occasional actor. In his five-decade career Elton John has sold more than 300 million records, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world. He has more than fifty Top 40 hits, including seven consecutive No. 1 US albums, fifty-eight Billboard Top 40 singles, twenty-seven Top 10, four No. 2 and nine No. 1. For 31 consecutive years (1970-2000) he had at least one song in the Billboard Hot 100. He has the most No. 1 hits on US Adult Contemporary Chart (16 No. 1's). He has received six Grammy Awards, five Brit Awards - winning two awards for Outstanding Contribution to Music and the first Brits Icon in 2013, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award, a Disney Legend award, and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2004. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him Number 49 on its list of 100 influential musicians of the rock and roll era. Elton John was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, is an inductee into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame, and is a fellow of the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors. Having been named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1996, John received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II for "services to music and charitable services" in 1998.

Buddy Holly

one of the pioneers of rock and roll. Although his success lasted only a year and a half before his death in an airplane crash, Holly is described by critic Bruce Eder as "the single most influential creative force in early rock and roll. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Holly number 13 on its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time.

Elvis Presley

the King of Rock and Roll or just The king the best-selling solo artist in the history of recorded music, estimated album sales of around 600 million units worldwide He was nominated for 14 competitive Grammys and won three, also receiving the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at age 36.

Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley

was a Jamaican reggae singer-songwriter, musician, and guitarist who achieved international fame and acclaim. Starting out in 1963 with the group the Wailers, he forged a distinctive songwriting and vocal style that would later resonate with audiences worldwide. The Wailers would go on to release some of the earliest reggae records with producer Lee Scratch Perry. Marley pursued a solo career which culminated in the release of the album Exodus in 1977 which established his worldwide reputation and produced his status as one of the world's best-selling artists of all time, with sales of more than 75 million albums and singles.

ABBA

was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1972. The band became one of the most commercially successful acts in the history of popular music, topping the charts worldwide from 1975 to 1982. It also won the Eurovision Song Contest 1974, giving Sweden its first victory in the history of the contest and being the most successful group ever to take part in the competition. ABBA has sold over 380 million albums and singles worldwide, which makes it one of the best-selling music artists of all time, and the second best-selling music group of all time. ABBA was the first group to come from a non-English-speaking country that enjoyed consistent success in the charts of English-speaking countries, including the UK, Ireland, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. The group also enjoyed significant success in Latin American markets, and recorded a collection of their hit songs in Spanish.

Johnny" Cash

was a singer-songwriter, actor, and author, widely considered one of the most influential American musicians of the 20th century. Much of Cash's music echoed themes of sorrow, moral tribulation and redemption, especially in the later stages of his career. During the last stage of his career, Cash covered songs by several late 20th-century rock artists, most notably "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails.

Destiny's Child

was an American R&B girl group whose final, and perhaps most recognizable, line-up comprised Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams. Destiny's Child has sold more than 60 million records worldwide to date. Billboard magazine ranks the group as one of the greatest musical trios of all time,the ninth most successful artist/band of the 2000s, and placed the group 68th in its All-Time Hot 100 Artists list in 2008.

Nirvana

was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987. Nirvana has come to be regarded as one of the most influential and important rock bands of the modern era. Since its debut, the band has sold over 25 million records in the United States alone, and over 75 million records worldwide. Nirvana was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in its first year of eligibility, in 2014.

Whitney Elizabeth Houston

was an American singer, actress, producer, and model. In 2009, Guinness World Records cited her as the most awarded female act of all time. Houston was one of the world's best-selling music artists, having sold over 200 million records worldwide. She released six studio albums, one holiday album and three movie soundtrack albums, all of which have diamond, multi-platinum, platinum or gold certification. Houston's crossover appeal on the popular music charts, as well as her prominence on MTV, starting with her video for "How Will I Know",influenced several African American women artists who follow in her footsteps. Houston is the only artist to chart seven consecutive No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits. She is the second artist behind Elton John and the only woman to have two number-one Billboard 200 Album awards (formerly "Top Pop Albums") on the Billboard magazine year-end charts.

Ritchie Valens

was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. A rock and roll pioneer Valens' recording career lasted only eight months. On February 3, 1959, on what has become known as "The Day the Music Died", Valens died in a plane crash in Iowa, a tragedy that also claimed the lives of fellow musicians Buddy Holly and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, as well as pilot Roger Peterson. Valens was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

Michael Joseph Jackson

was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. Called the King of Pop, his contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades. In the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music. The music videos for his songs, including those of "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Thriller", were credited with breaking down racial barriers and with transforming the medium into an art form and promotional tool. Jackson's 1982 album Thriller is the best-selling album of all time. Jackson is one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. He was also inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame and the Dance Hall of Fame as the first and only dancer from pop and rock music. His other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records; 13 Grammy Awards as well as the Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award; 26 American Music Awards, more than any other artist, including the "Artist of the Century" and "Artist of the 1980s"; 13 number-one singles in the United States in his solo career, more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era; and the estimated sale of over 400 million records worldwide.Jackson has won hundreds of awards, making him the most-awarded recording artist in the history of popular music.

Janis Lyn Joplin

was an American singer-songwriter who first rose to fame in the late 1960s as the lead singer of the psychedelic-acid rock band Big Brother and the Holding Company, and later as a solo artist with her own backing groups, The Kozmic Blues Band and The Full Tilt Boogie Band. Joplin was well known for her performing abilities, and her fans referred to her stage presence as "electric". At the height of her career, she was known as "The Queen of Psychedelic Soul", and became known as "Pearl" among her friends. She was also a painter, dancer and music arranger. Rolling Stoneranked Joplin number 46 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time in 2004,[1] and number 28 on its 2008 list of 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.

Bee Gees

were a pop music group that was formed in 1958. The Bee Gees have sold more than 220 million records worldwide, making them one of the world's best-selling music artists of all time. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997; the presenter of the award to "Britain's first family of harmony" was Brian Wilson, historical leader of the Beach Boys, a "family act" also featuring three harmonising brothers. The Bee Gees' Hall of Fame citation says "Only Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Michael Jackson, Garth Brooks and Paul McCartney have outsold the Bee Gees."

Ike and Tina Turner

were an American musical duo composed of the husband-and-wife. The duo was once considered "one of the hottest, most durable, and potentially most explosive of all R&B ensembles". The duo was inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.

Led Zeppelin

were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The band consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist and keyboardistJohn Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. Led Zeppelin are widely considered one of the most successful, innovative and influential rock groups in history. They are one of the best-selling music artists in the history of audio recording; various sources estimate the group's record sales at 200 to 300 million units worldwide. With RIAA-certified sales of 111.5 million units, they are the second-best-selling band in the United States. Each of their nine studio albums placed on the Billboard Top 10 and six reached the number-one spot. Rolling Stone magazine described them as "the heaviest band of all time", "the biggest band of the '70s" and "unquestionably one of the most enduring bands in rock history". They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Famein 1995; the museum's biography of the band states that they were "as influential in that decade [the 1970s] as the Beatleswere in the prior one".

The Beatles

were an English rock band that formed in Liverpool, in 1960. With John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, they became widely regarded as the greatest and most influential act of the rock era. According to the RIAA, the Beatles are the best-selling music artists in the United States, with 177 million certified units. They have had more number-one albums on the British charts and sold more singles in the UK than any other act. In 2008, the group topped Billboard magazine's list of the all-time most successful "Hot 100" artists; as of 2014, they hold the record for most number-one hits on the Hot 100 chart with twenty. They have received ten Grammy Awards, an Academy Award for Best Original Score and fifteen Ivor Novello Awards. Collectively included in Time magazine's compilation of the twentieth century's 100 most influential people, they are the best-selling band in history, with estimated sales of over 600 million records worldwide.