1.
Universal Music Group
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Universal Music Group is an American-French global music corporation that is a subsidiary of the Paris-based French media conglomerate Vivendi. UMGs global corporate headquarters are in Santa Monica, California and it is considered one of the Big Three record labels, along with Warner Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment. Universal Music was once the music attached to film studio Universal Pictures and its origins go back to the formation of the American branch of Decca Records in September 1934. The Decca Record Co. Ltd. of England spun American Decca off in 1939, MCA Inc. merged with American Decca in 1962. The present organization was formed when its parent company Seagram purchased PolyGram in May 1998, however, the name had first appeared in 1996 when MCA Music Entertainment Group was renamed Universal Music Group. The PolyGram acquisition included Deutsche Grammophon which traces its ancestry to Berliner Gramophone making Deutsche Grammophon UMGs oldest unit, UMGs Canadian unit traces its ancestry to a Berliner Gramophone breakaway firm the Compo Company. With the 2004 acquisition of Universal Studios by General Electric and merging with GEs NBC and this is the second time a music company has done so, the first being the separation of Time Warner and Warner Music Group. On June 25,2007, Vivendi completed its €1.63 billion purchase of BMG Music Publishing, after receiving European Union regulatory approval, doug Morris stepped down from his position as CEO on January 1,2011. Former chairman/CEO of Universal Music International Lucian Grainge was promoted to CEO of the company, Grainge later replaced him as chairman on March 9,2011. Morris became the chairman of Sony Music Entertainment on July 1,2011. With Grainges appointment as CEO at UMG, Max Hole was promoted to COO of UMGI, starting in 2011 UMGs Interscope Geffen A&M Records will be signing contestants from American Idol/Idol series. On January 2011, UMG announced it was donating 200,000 master recordings from the 1920s to 1940s to the Library of Congress for preservation, in March 2011, Barry Weiss became chairman & CEO of The Island Def Jam Music Group & Universal Republic Records. Both companies are restructuring under Weiss, in December 2011, David Foster was named Chairman of Verve Music Group. Among the other companies that had competed for the music business was Warner Music Group which was reported to have made a $2 billion bid. However, IMPALA has said it would fight the merger, coincidentally, UMG sister company StudioCanal has owned the EMI Films library for several years. On September 21,2012, the sale of EMI to UMG was approved in Europe, UMG divested Mute Records, Parlophone, Roxy Recordings, MPS Records, Cooperative Music, Now Thats What I Call Music. Jazzland, Universal Greece, Sanctuary Records, Chrysalis Records, EMI Classics, Virgin Classics, the Beatles recorded music library was allowed to remain with UMG despite being considered part of Parlophone and is now managed by UMGs reorganized Capitol Music Group worldwide. Robbie Williams, who had recorded for Chrysalis, had his transferred to Universals Island Records
2.
Virgin EMI Records
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Virgin EMI Records is a British record label owned by the Universal Music Group that was formed in 2013. Virgin EMI Records was founded in March 2013 through the merger of Mercury Records UK and it operates two distinct A&R and marketing streams—Virgin and EMI Records. Virgin EMI became one of Universal Music UKs front-line labels, alongside Polydor Records, Island Records, Decca Records, furthermore, Mike Oldfield, whose Tubular Bells album launched the original Virgin Records, is also a Virgin EMI artist. Official website Virgin 40 official website Discography Virgin EMI at LabelsBase
3.
Jamaica
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Jamaica is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea, consisting of the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles. The island,10,990 square kilometres in area, lies about 145 kilometres south of Cuba, Jamaica is the fourth-largest island country in the Caribbean, by area. Inhabited by the indigenous Arawak and Taíno peoples, the island came under Spanish rule following the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1494, Many of the indigenous people died of disease, and the Spanish imported African slaves as labourers. Named Santiago, the island remained a possession of Spain until 1655, under British colonial rule Jamaica became a leading sugar exporter, with its plantation economy highly dependent on slaves imported from Africa. The British fully emancipated all slaves in 1838, and many chose to have subsistence farms rather than to work on plantations. Beginning in the 1840s, the British imported Chinese and Indian indentured labour to work on plantations, the island achieved independence from the United Kingdom on 6 August 1962. With 2.8 million people, Jamaica is the third-most populous Anglophone country in the Americas, Kingston is the countrys capital and largest city, with a population of 937,700. Jamaicans predominately have African ancestry, with significant European, Chinese, Hakka, Indian, due to a high rate of emigration for work since the 1960s, Jamaica has a large diaspora around the world, particularly in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Jamaica is a Commonwealth realm, with Queen Elizabeth II as its monarch and her appointed representative in the country is the Governor-General of Jamaica, an office held by Sir Patrick Allen since 2009. Andrew Holness has served as the head of government and Prime Minister of Jamaica from March 2016, the indigenous people, the Taíno, called it Xaymaca in Arawakan, meaning the Land of Wood and Water or the Land of Springs. Colloquially Jamaicans refer to their island as the Rock. Slang names such as Jamrock, Jamdown, or briefly Ja, have derived from this, the Arawak and Taíno indigenous people, originating in South America, settled on the island between 4000 and 1000 BC. When Christopher Columbus arrived in 1494, there were more than 200 villages ruled by caciques, the south coast of Jamaica was the most populated, especially around the area now known as Old Harbour. The Taino still inhabited Jamaica when the English took control of the island in 1655, the Jamaican National Heritage Trust is attempting to locate and document any evidence of the Taino/Arawak. Christopher Columbus claimed Jamaica for Spain after landing there in 1494 and his probable landing point was Dry Harbour, now called Discovery Bay, although there is some debate that it might have been St. Anns Bay. St. Anns Bay was named Saint Gloria by Columbus, as the first sighting of the land, the capital was moved to Spanish Town, then called St. Jago de la Vega, around 1534. Spanish Town has the oldest cathedral of the British colonies in the Caribbean, the Spanish were forcibly evicted by the English at Ocho Rios in St. Ann. In 1655, the English, led by Sir William Penn and General Robert Venables, the English continued to import African slaves as labourers
4.
London
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London /ˈlʌndən/ is the capital and most populous city of England and the United Kingdom. Standing on the River Thames in the south east of the island of Great Britain and it was founded by the Romans, who named it Londinium. Londons ancient core, the City of London, largely retains its 1. 12-square-mile medieval boundaries. London is a global city in the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and development, tourism. It is crowned as the worlds largest financial centre and has the fifth- or sixth-largest metropolitan area GDP in the world, London is a world cultural capital. It is the worlds most-visited city as measured by international arrivals and has the worlds largest city airport system measured by passenger traffic, London is the worlds leading investment destination, hosting more international retailers and ultra high-net-worth individuals than any other city. Londons universities form the largest concentration of education institutes in Europe. In 2012, London became the first city to have hosted the modern Summer Olympic Games three times, London has a diverse range of people and cultures, and more than 300 languages are spoken in the region. Its estimated mid-2015 municipal population was 8,673,713, the largest of any city in the European Union, Londons urban area is the second most populous in the EU, after Paris, with 9,787,426 inhabitants at the 2011 census. The citys metropolitan area is the most populous in the EU with 13,879,757 inhabitants, the city-region therefore has a similar land area and population to that of the New York metropolitan area. London was the worlds most populous city from around 1831 to 1925, Other famous landmarks include Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Piccadilly Circus, St Pauls Cathedral, Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square, and The Shard. The London Underground is the oldest underground railway network in the world, the etymology of London is uncertain. It is an ancient name, found in sources from the 2nd century and it is recorded c.121 as Londinium, which points to Romano-British origin, and hand-written Roman tablets recovered in the city originating from AD 65/70-80 include the word Londinio. The earliest attempted explanation, now disregarded, is attributed to Geoffrey of Monmouth in Historia Regum Britanniae and this had it that the name originated from a supposed King Lud, who had allegedly taken over the city and named it Kaerlud. From 1898, it was accepted that the name was of Celtic origin and meant place belonging to a man called *Londinos. The ultimate difficulty lies in reconciling the Latin form Londinium with the modern Welsh Llundain, which should demand a form *lōndinion, from earlier *loundiniom. The possibility cannot be ruled out that the Welsh name was borrowed back in from English at a later date, and thus cannot be used as a basis from which to reconstruct the original name. Until 1889, the name London officially applied only to the City of London, two recent discoveries indicate probable very early settlements near the Thames in the London area
5.
United Kingdom
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The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country in western Europe. Lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland, the United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain, Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom that shares a land border with another sovereign state—the Republic of Ireland. The Irish Sea lies between Great Britain and Ireland, with an area of 242,500 square kilometres, the United Kingdom is the 78th-largest sovereign state in the world and the 11th-largest in Europe. It is also the 21st-most populous country, with an estimated 65.1 million inhabitants, together, this makes it the fourth-most densely populated country in the European Union. The United Kingdom is a monarchy with a parliamentary system of governance. The monarch is Queen Elizabeth II, who has reigned since 6 February 1952, other major urban areas in the United Kingdom include the regions of Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, Liverpool and Manchester. The United Kingdom consists of four countries—England, Scotland, Wales, the last three have devolved administrations, each with varying powers, based in their capitals, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, respectively. The relationships among the countries of the UK have changed over time, Wales was annexed by the Kingdom of England under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. A treaty between England and Scotland resulted in 1707 in a unified Kingdom of Great Britain, which merged in 1801 with the Kingdom of Ireland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the UK in 1922, leaving the present formulation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, there are fourteen British Overseas Territories. These are the remnants of the British Empire which, at its height in the 1920s, British influence can be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former colonies. The United Kingdom is a country and has the worlds fifth-largest economy by nominal GDP. The UK is considered to have an economy and is categorised as very high in the Human Development Index. It was the worlds first industrialised country and the worlds foremost power during the 19th, the UK remains a great power with considerable economic, cultural, military, scientific and political influence internationally. It is a nuclear weapons state and its military expenditure ranks fourth or fifth in the world. The UK has been a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council since its first session in 1946 and it has been a leading member state of the EU and its predecessor, the European Economic Community, since 1973. However, on 23 June 2016, a referendum on the UKs membership of the EU resulted in a decision to leave. The Acts of Union 1800 united the Kingdom of Great Britain, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have devolved self-government
6.
New York City
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The City of New York, often called New York City or simply New York, is the most populous city in the United States. With an estimated 2015 population of 8,550,405 distributed over an area of about 302.6 square miles. Located at the tip of the state of New York. Home to the headquarters of the United Nations, New York is an important center for international diplomacy and has described as the cultural and financial capital of the world. Situated on one of the worlds largest natural harbors, New York City consists of five boroughs, the five boroughs – Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, The Bronx, and Staten Island – were consolidated into a single city in 1898. In 2013, the MSA produced a gross metropolitan product of nearly US$1.39 trillion, in 2012, the CSA generated a GMP of over US$1.55 trillion. NYCs MSA and CSA GDP are higher than all but 11 and 12 countries, New York City traces its origin to its 1624 founding in Lower Manhattan as a trading post by colonists of the Dutch Republic and was named New Amsterdam in 1626. The city and its surroundings came under English control in 1664 and were renamed New York after King Charles II of England granted the lands to his brother, New York served as the capital of the United States from 1785 until 1790. It has been the countrys largest city since 1790, the Statue of Liberty greeted millions of immigrants as they came to the Americas by ship in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is a symbol of the United States and its democracy. In the 21st century, New York has emerged as a node of creativity and entrepreneurship, social tolerance. Several sources have ranked New York the most photographed city in the world, the names of many of the citys bridges, tapered skyscrapers, and parks are known around the world. Manhattans real estate market is among the most expensive in the world, Manhattans Chinatown incorporates the highest concentration of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere, with multiple signature Chinatowns developing across the city. Providing continuous 24/7 service, the New York City Subway is one of the most extensive metro systems worldwide, with 472 stations in operation. Over 120 colleges and universities are located in New York City, including Columbia University, New York University, and Rockefeller University, during the Wisconsinan glaciation, the New York City region was situated at the edge of a large ice sheet over 1,000 feet in depth. The ice sheet scraped away large amounts of soil, leaving the bedrock that serves as the foundation for much of New York City today. Later on, movement of the ice sheet would contribute to the separation of what are now Long Island and Staten Island. The first documented visit by a European was in 1524 by Giovanni da Verrazzano, a Florentine explorer in the service of the French crown and he claimed the area for France and named it Nouvelle Angoulême. Heavy ice kept him from further exploration, and he returned to Spain in August and he proceeded to sail up what the Dutch would name the North River, named first by Hudson as the Mauritius after Maurice, Prince of Orange
7.
Santa Monica, California
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Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, United States. The Census Bureau population for Santa Monica in 2010 was 89,736, due in part to an agreeable climate, Santa Monica became a famed resort town by the early 20th century. The city has experienced a boom since the late 1980s through the revitalization of its core, significant job growth. The Santa Monica Pier remains a popular and iconic destination, Santa Monica was long inhabited by the Tongva people. Santa Monica was called Kecheek in the Tongva language, the first non-indigenous group to set foot in the area was the party of explorer Gaspar de Portolà, who camped near the present-day intersection of Barrington and Ohio Avenues on August 3,1769. Named after the Christian saint Monica, there are two different accounts of how the name came to be. One says it was named in honor of the feast day of Saint Monica, another version says it was named by Juan Crespí on account of a pair of springs, the Kuruvungna Springs, that were reminiscent of the tears Saint Monica shed over her sons early impiety. In Los Angeles, several battles were fought by the Californios, following the Mexican–American War, Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which gave Mexicans and Californios living in state certain unalienable rights. US government sovereignty in California began on February 2,1848, in the 1870s the Los Angeles and Independence Railroad, connected Santa Monica with Los Angeles, and a wharf out into the bay. The first town hall was a modest 1873 brick building, later a beer hall and it is Santa Monicas oldest extant structure. By 1885, the towns first hotel was the Santa Monica Hotel, around the start of the 20th century, a growing population of Asian Americans lived in and around Santa Monica and Venice. A Japanese fishing village was near the Long Wharf while small numbers of Chinese lived or worked in Santa Monica, the two ethnic minorities were often viewed differently by White Americans who were often well-disposed towards the Japanese but condescending towards the Chinese. The Japanese village fishermen were an economic part of the Santa Monica Bay community. Donald Wills Douglas, Sr. built a plant in 1922 at Clover Field for the Douglas Aircraft Company, in 1924, four Douglas-built planes took off from Clover Field to attempt the first aerial circumnavigation of the world. Two planes returned after covering 27,553 miles in 175 days, the Douglas Company kept facilities in the city until the 1960s. The Great Depression hit Santa Monica deeply, one report gives citywide employment in 1933 of just 1,000. Hotels and office building owners went bankrupt, in the 1930s, corruption infected Santa Monica. The federal Works Project Administration helped build several buildings, most notably City Hall, the main Post Office and Barnum Hall were also among other WPA projects
8.
United States
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Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America, bordered by Canada to the east, the state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean. The U. S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean, the geography, climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse. At 3.8 million square miles and with over 324 million people, the United States is the worlds third- or fourth-largest country by area, third-largest by land area. It is one of the worlds most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago. European colonization began in the 16th century, the United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast. Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the following the Seven Years War led to the American Revolution. On July 4,1776, during the course of the American Revolutionary War, the war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain, representing the first successful war of independence against a European power. The current constitution was adopted in 1788, after the Articles of Confederation, the first ten amendments, collectively named the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties. During the second half of the 19th century, the American Civil War led to the end of slavery in the country. By the end of century, the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean. The Spanish–American War and World War I confirmed the status as a global military power. The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the sole superpower. The U. S. is a member of the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization of American States. The United States is a developed country, with the worlds largest economy by nominal GDP. It ranks highly in several measures of performance, including average wage, human development, per capita GDP. While the U. S. economy is considered post-industrial, characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy, the United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally, and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations. In 1507, the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller produced a map on which he named the lands of the Western Hemisphere America after the Italian explorer and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci
9.
PolyGram
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PolyGram was a Dutch entertainment company, a division of Seagram. It started as a record label recording company founded by Philips. The name was chosen to reflect the Siemens interest Polydor Records, the company traced its origins through Deutsche Grammophon back to the inventor of the flat disk gramophone, Emil Berliner. Later on, PolyGram expanded into the largest global entertainment company, creating film, in May 1998, it was sold to Seagram which owned MCA Inc. PolyGram Music Group was merged into Universal Music Group, and PolyGram Filmed Entertainment was merged into Universal Pictures. When the new company faced difficulties, its parent Seagram was sold in large part to Vivendi. Vivendi is the current owner of UMG, in February 2017, Polygram Entertainment was re-launched as the film & television division of Universal Music Group. In 1929, Decca Records licensed record shop owner H. W. Van Zoelen as a distributor in the Netherlands, by 1931, his company Hollandsche Decca Distributie had become exclusive Decca distributor for all of the Netherlands and its colonies. Over the course of the 1930s, HDD put together its own facilities for A&R, recording, HDD was commercially successful during World War II because of the absence of American and British competition. Van Zoelen wanted to sell to Philips so that HDD would have sufficient financial backing when their major competitors returned after the war and this led Philips to purchase HDD in 1942. Philips labs were developing magnetic tape and LPs, and they could support eventual new formats, after the war, Philips built a large factory in Doetinchem to produce 78 rpm records. During the late 1940s, Philips combined its various businesses into Philips Phonografische Industrie. PPIs early growth was based on alliances, a merger was first proposed with Decca of London in late 1945, but was rejected by Edward Lewis, Deccas owner. In the early 1950s, Philips set itself the goal of making PPI the largest record company in Europe, PPIs second attempt at a merger was with Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. DGG, owned by Siemens AG, and well known for its repertoire, had been the German licensee for Decca from 1935. PPI and DGG finally merged in 1962, the alliance with DGG still left PPI without repertoire in Britain or the United States. But in 1951, after Columbia had failed to renew its international distribution agreement with EMI, Columbia became PPIs distributor within the US. This agreement ran until 1961 when Columbia set up its own European network, PPI signed a worldwide distribution deal with Mercury Records in 1961
10.
A&M Records
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A&M Records was an American record label founded as an independent label by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss in 1962. Due to the success of the discography A&M released, the label garnered interest and was acquired by PolyGram in 1989. Today, A&Ms catalog releases are managed by Verve Records, Universal Music Enterprises, A&M Records was formed in 1962 by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss. Their first choice for a name was Carnival Records, under which they released two singles before discovering another label had already taken the Carnival name, the company was subsequently renamed A&M, after Alperts and Mosss initials. From 1966 to 1999, the headquarters were on the grounds of the historic Charlie Chaplin Studios at 1416 North La Brea Avenue. Marc Benno, Liza Minnelli, Rita Coolidge, Wes Montgomery, Paul Desmond, Bobby Tench, Hummingbird, Toni Basil, folk artists Joan Baez, Phil Ochs and Gene Clark also recorded for the label during the 1970s. Billy Preston joined the label in 1971, followed by Andre Popp, in the 1970s, under its manufacturing and distribution agreement with Ode Records, A&M released albums by Carole King and the comedy duo Cheech & Chong. On March 10,1977, A&M signed the Sex Pistols after the band had dropped by EMI. However, A&M dropped the band within a week, within a decade of its inception, A&M became the worlds largest independent record company. A&M releases were issued in the United Kingdom by EMIs Stateside Records label. From 1969, A&M set up their own UK base appointing John Deacon as General Manager - a post he held until 1979, A&M releases were also issued in Australia through Festival Records until 1989. A&M Records Ltd. was established in 1970, with distribution handled by other labels with a presence in Europe, A&M Records of Canada Ltd. was also formed in 1970, and A&M Records of Europe in 1977. In 1979, A&M entered an agreement with RCA Records in the USA. A&M was bought by PolyGram in 1989, Alpert and Moss continued to manage the label until 1993. In 1998, Alpert and Moss sued PolyGram for breach of the integrity clause, in 1991, A&M launched Perspective Records as a joint venture with producing team Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Jam and Lewis stepped down as CEOs of the imprint in 1997, in 1999, the label was absorbed into A&M. In the mid-1990s, A&M began distributing its PolyGram sister label Polydor Records in the USA, ceCe Peniston, Intelligent Hoodlum, Dred Scott, Ridel High and the Gin Blossoms. The company released the soundtracks Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, The Three Musketeers, Sabrina, The Living Sea, Demolition Man, and Lethal Weapon 3
11.
Def Jam Recordings
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Def Jam Recordings is an American record label, focused predominantly on hip hop and urban music, owned by Universal Music Group. In the UK, the takes on the name Def Jam UK and is operated through Virgin EMI, while in Japan. The label distributes various record labels, including Kanye Wests GOOD Music, Ludacris Disturbing Tha Peace, Def Jam was founded by Rick Rubin in his dormitory in Weinstein Hall at New York University and its first release was a single by his punk-rock group Hose. Russell Simmons joined Rubin shortly after they were introduced to other, according to one story. Another cites DJ Jazzy Jay as their connector, Rubin has said he met Simmons on the TV show, Graffiti Rock and recognized him then as the face of hip hop, He was five years older than me, and he was already established in the music business. And I had no experience whatsoever, the first single released with the Def Jam Recordings logo was T La Rock & Jazzy Jays Its Yours. The first releases with Def Jam Recordings catalog numbers were LL Cool Js I Need a Beat, the singles sold well, eventually leading to a distribution deal with CBS Records through Columbia Records the following year. A few years later, Russell Simmons and Lyor Cohen started a label called Rush Associated Labels to handle Def Jam. RAL became the home to Nice & Smooth and EPMD after both acts were acquired due to the folding of their former label Sleeping Bag Records, other acts under the RAL umbrella included Redman, Onyx, Flatlinerz, Domino, Warren G and Jayo Felony. As the decade drew to a close, the label signed Public Enemy, Lyor Cohen became president of Def Jam/RAL in 1988, after winning a power struggle with Rubin, who would shortly thereafter leave the company to form Def American Recordings. Rubin would take Slayer with him to Def American in its initial stages, by 1992, despite recent multi-platinum selling releases from Public Enemy, and EPMD, Def Jam ran into severe financial troubles and was faced with folding. However, in 1994, PolyGram purchased Sonys 50% stake in Def Jam Recordings — subsequently bringing the label into its fold, following PolyGrams purchase, Def Jam distributed the Violator Records-signed artist Warren Gs Regulate. G Funk Era album, which went triple platinum and brought much-needed revenue to Def Jam through its distribution deal with Violator, PolyGram acquired an additional 10% in Def Jam Recordings in 1996, further strengthening its ownership of Def Jam. Shortly thereafter, Rush Associated Labels was renamed Def Jam Music Group, the label remained profitable as its veteran star LL Cool J released his successful album Mr. Smith in 1995. The label later signed Foxy Brown, whose debut album Ill Na Na became a seller in 1997. In 1998, PolyGram was purchased by Seagram and merged with the MCA family of labels and it then purchased the remaining interest of Def Jam Recordings from Russell Simmons for a reported $100 million. UMG merged 14+ record labels including, Def Jam, Island Records, despite the formation of IDJMG, the Def Jam, Mercury, and Island labels continued to operate as separate imprints underneath the bigger umbrella. Lyor Cohen was appointed co-president of IDJMG, and Kevin Liles succeeded him as president of Def Jam, Def Soul also issued recordings by Musiq, Montell Jordan, Case,112, Patti LaBelle, and Christina Milian
12.
The Island Def Jam Music Group
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The Island Def Jam Music Group was an American record label group formed in 1998 by combining the operations of 14+ record labels including Island Records, Def Jam Recordings, and Mercury Records. In 2011, Motown Records was split from The Universal/Motown Records Group, on April 1,2014, Universal Music announced that Island Def Jams operations would be split between three entities, Island Records, Motown Records, and Def Jam Recordings. Despite being a new organization, Island Def Jam quickly made a name for itself in the music industry, the label gained notoriety for its untraditional and innovative approach when it came to breaking new artists, creating joint ventures, acquisitions, internet marketing, etc. IDJ had a great A&R team that oversaw chart-topping talent such as Jay-Z, Bon Jovi, DMX, Elton John and these savvy business moves are the reason IDJ prospered. In 2000, IDJMG announced that they would be launching Def Jam Germany and this move expanded urban music into a global phenomenon. In 2001, Island Def Jam created a label, Lost Highway Records. The label operated as an imprint of IDJs Mercury Records division, in Summer 2001, Island Def Jam acquired a controlling interest in the legendary rock label, Roadrunner Records. In December 2004, Island Def Jam acquired the remaining 50% interest in Roc-A-Fella Records, in 2011, Motown Records became an imprint of The Island Def Jam Music Group. In April 2014, UMG announced that Island Def Jam would cease to exist, IDJs operations were split up/separated between its flagship labels, Island Records, Def Jam Recordings, and Motown Records. Today, The Island Def Jam Music Group continues to one of the most impressive music catalogues in history. Chocolate City Records Artium Recordings Desert Storm Records Disturbing Tha Peace GOOD Music Radio Killa Records The Inc
13.
Hozier (musician)
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Andrew Hozier-Byrne, known professionally by the mononym Hozier, is an Irish musician, singer and songwriter from County Wicklow. He released his debut EP, featuring the hit single Take Me to Church, in 2013 and his second EP, From Eden and his debut studio album, Hozier, was released in Ireland in September 2014 and globally in October 2014. Hozier, the son of a blues musician, was born in Bray. While at Trinity, he involved with the Trinity Orchestra. He was a member of the choral ensemble Anúna from 2009 to 2012 and he toured and sang with the group internationally including performances in Norway and the Netherlands. In 2013, Hozier released the EP Take Me to Church and it reached number one on iTunes on 25 October 2013. Hozier followed up Take Me to Church with the new EP From Eden, Hozier released his self-titled album, Hozier on 19 September 2014. It featured five singles, including Take Me to Church, Work Song, and From Eden, on 5 December 2014, it was announced that Take Me to Church was nominated at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards for Song of the Year in 2015. He performed for the Victorias Secret Fashion Show 2014, Saturday Night Live and he was nominated for a Grammy Award and he performed Take Me to Church with Annie Lennox at the 2015 Grammy Awards. He then performed the single Take Me to Church at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards, the same month, he also played the Glastonbury Festival. On 12 November 2015, he won the VH1 Artist of the Year and he also performed Take Me to Church and The Beatles Blackbird with singer Tori Kelly. In 2016, he released the video for the song Cherry Wine to raise awareness of domestic violence, in June 2016, he announced a new song Better Love, the song as part of The Legend of Tarzan soundtrack, was released with the official video
14.
Demi Lovato
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Demetria Devonne Demi Lovato is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. The success of the film and its soundtrack resulted in a contract with Hollywood Records. Her debut album, Dont Forget, debuted at two on the US Billboard 200. She entered a treatment center in November 2010 to seek help for addictions, an eating disorder, while there, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Work on her studio album, Unbroken, began after she successfully completed treatment. The album addresses several of her difficulties and its lead single, Skyscraper, became Lovatos second top 10 entry in the US, while its second single, Give Your Heart a Break, was certified triple platinum in the country. Lovato was a judge and mentor on the American version of The X Factor in 2012 and 2013 and her third album, Demi, opened with first-week sales of 110,000 copies. The lead single from her eponymous album, Heart Attack, became her third top 10 in the US, while promoting the project, Lovato released a book titled Staying Strong,365 Days a Year. She also returned to acting as a character in Glee. Lovatos fifth album, Confident, reached two on the Billboard 200. Its lead single Cool for the Summer was eventually certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. All five of Lovatos albums have received a certification in the US. Musically, Lovato is considered a pop, pop rock, in 2013, Maxim ranked her 26th on its Hot 100 list and Billboard ranked her second on its Social 50 Artists of the Year list. Outside the entertainment industry, Lovato has been involved with social and environmental causes since the launch of her career. C. She has also become an advocate for the LGBT community, in 2014, she was announced as the Grand Marshal for LA Pride week, and that same year she became the face for Human Rights Campaigns Americans for Marriage Equality Campaign. In April 2016, Lovato was honored with the GLAAD Vanguard Award for making a significant difference in promoting equal rights for LGBT people. Lovato was born on August 20,1992, in Albuquerque, New Mexico to engineer and musician Patrick Martin Lovato and former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Dianna De La Garza. Lovato has a sister, Dallas, a younger maternal half-sister, actress Madison De La Garza
15.
Fall Out Boy
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Fall Out Boy is an American rock band formed in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, lead guitarist Joe Trohman, the band originated from Chicagos hardcore punk scene, with which all members were involved at one point. The group was formed by Wentz and Trohman as a pop side project of the members respective hardcore bands. The group went through a succession of drummers before landing Hurley and recording the debut album. The album became a success and helped the band gain a dedicated fanbase through heavy touring. Take This to Your Grave has commonly cited as an influential blueprint for pop punk music in the 2000s. Fall Out Boy received a Best New Artist nomination at the 2006 Grammy Awards, the bands 2007 follow-up, Infinity on High, landed at number one on the Billboard 200 with 260,000 first week sales. It produced two hit singles, This Aint a Scene, Its an Arms Race and Thnks fr th Mmrs. Folie à Deux, the fourth album, created a mixed response from fans. Following the release of Believers Never Die – Greatest Hits, the took a hiatus from 2009 to 2012 to decompress. The band regrouped and recorded Save Rock and Roll, which gave the band its second number one. 1, making it the bands third No.1 album, Fall Out Boy was formed in 2001 in the Chicago suburb of Wilmette, Illinois by friends Pete Wentz and Joe Trohman. Wentz was growing dissatisfied with the mores of the community. With enthusiasm in Arma Angelus waning, he created a pop side project with Trohman as an easy. Trohman met Patrick Stump, then a drummer for grindcore band Xgrinding processX, while discussing Neurosis with a friend, Stump interrupted the conversation to correct their classification of the band in a conversation that soon shifted to the new band. Stump, viewing it as an opportunity to try out with local hardcore celebrity Wentz, directed Trohman to his MP3. com page, which contained sung-through acoustic recordings. Stump intended to try out as a drummer, but Trohman urged him to bring out his acoustic guitar, while Wentz wanted Racetraitor bandmate Andy Hurley in the group as drummer, Hurley appeared uninterested and too busy. The bands first public performance came in a cafeteria at DePaul University alongside Stilwell, Wentz and Stump argued over band names, the former favored verbose, tongue-in-cheek names while the latter desired to reference Tom Waits in name
16.
The Killers
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The Killers are an American rock band formed in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2001 by members Brandon Flowers and Dave Keuning. Mark Stoermer and Ronnie Vannucci Jr. would complete the current line-up of the band in 2002, the bands name is derived from a logo on the bass drum of a fictitious band, portrayed in the music video for the New Order song Crystal. The band has released four chart topping studio albums, Hot Fuss, Sams Town, Day & Age and they have also achieved worldwide success as a live band, performing in over 50 countries and on six continents, headlining venues such as Madison Square Garden and Wembley Stadium. In 2001, Brandon Flowers was fired by his first band, after attending an Oasis concert at the Hard Rock Hotel during The Tour of Brotherly Love, Flowers realized his calling was to be in a rock band and began searching for like-minded musicians. He eventually came across an ad posted in a Las Vegas newspaper by Dave Keuning, when the pair met they bonded over similar musical influences and immediately began writing songs together in Keunings apartment. Bassist Dell Neal later left the band due to personal reasons, Ronnie Vannucci Jr. joined The Killers shortly before Neals departure. Vannucci was well-known on the Las Vegas music scene, having played in bands since a young age. It was while he was drumming for other bands including Daphne Major, ronnies first show with the band was on August 30,2002, at a club called The Junkyard. Playing bass for The Killers that night was Mark Stoermer, who was at point the lead guitarist for local progressive rock band The Negative Ponies. The band were keen on Stoermer joining them on a permanent basis with full commitment and they had initially approached him to be the second guitarist when they were considering turning the band into a five-piece, possibly more like the Strokes, with a keyboard. Stoermer mentioned later on that he could play bass. The band had continued as a three-piece trying out other bassists until November 2002, according to Ryan Pardey who booked many of the bands early shows They became a great band when Ronnie and Mark joined. That’s when they became a cohesive unit. What Ronnie did — he was the discipline — and Mark was just a solid musician, the four of them would get together in Vannuccis garage to work on song ideas. They would also sneak into the room at the University of Nevada. It was during this period that the band much of their debut album Hot Fuss including hit singles Somebody Told Me. The band continued playing at venues around their hometown, often playing Sunday nights at a transvestite bar named Sashas. It wasnt long before they caught the attention of Braden Merrick, an A&R rep for Warner Bros
17.
Leona Lewis
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Leona Louise Lewis is a British singer, songwriter and animal welfare campaigner. She was born and raised in the London Borough of Islington, London, Lewis achieved national recognition when she won the third series of The X Factor in 2006, winning a £1 million recording contract with Simon Cowells record label, Syco Music. In February 2007, Lewis signed a contract in the United States with Clive Daviss record label. Lewiss success continued with the release of her album, Spirit, in 2007, it went 10x platinum in the United Kingdom. The lead single, Bleeding Love, spent seven weeks at number one and she achieved international recognition with the album in 2008 when it topped charts around the world. Spirit has sold more than eight million copies worldwide, and Bleeding Love peaked at one in over 30 countries. As a result, she was proclaimed Top New Artist by Billboard in 2008, in 2011, Lewis released the non-album single Collide, a collaboration with Swedish DJ Avicii, and her first extended play, Hurt, The EP. Her third album, Glassheart, was released in 2012 and it marked a new creative direction for Lewis, drawing inspiration from dubstep and electronic music. However, it failed to match the performance of her two previous albums, peaking at number three on the UK Albums Chart and becoming her first to not be certified platinum. Lewis began to record material for her first Christmas album during her Glassheart Tour, Christmas, with Love was released later that year. Its lead single, One More Sleep, peaked at three in the UK. With this chart entry, Lewis became the first British female solo artist to achieve eight top 5 singles, with a career starting in 2006, Lewis is the second best-selling act to have emerged from The X Factor franchise, having sold 20 million records worldwide. Lewis has won two MOBO Awards, an MTV Europe Music Award, an MTV Video Music Award and two World Music Awards and she is also a six time Brit Awards and three time Grammy Award nominee. Lewis is known for her four octave vocal range, power, technical control and, in particular. In 2014, Lewis made her debut in the supporting role of Elena in the romantic comedy musical. In 2016, Lewis made her Broadway debut as Grizabella in the revival of Andrew Lloyd Webbers musical Cats, Leona Louise Lewis was born on 3 April 1985 in Islington, London, England, to a Welsh mother and a father of Guyanese descent. She has an older half-brother named Bradley and a brother named Kyle. Lewis wrote her first song at the age of 12, she trained in opera, before moving into jazz and blues
18.
U2
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U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin formed in 1976. The group consists of Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton, initially rooted in post-punk, U2s sound grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music, yet has maintained an anthemic sound. Their lyrics, often embellished with spiritual imagery, focus on personal themes, popular for their live performances, the group has staged several ambitious and elaborate tours over their career. The band formed at Mount Temple Comprehensive School in 1976 when the members were teenagers with limited musical proficiency, within four years, they signed with Island Records and released their debut album Boy. Subsequent work such as their first UK number-one album War, by the mid-1980s, they had become renowned globally for their live act, highlighted by their performance at Live Aid in 1985. The groups fifth album, The Joshua Tree, made them international superstars and was their greatest critical and commercial success. Topping music charts around the world, it produced their only number-one singles in the US, With or Without You, facing a backlash and creative stagnation, U2 reinvented themselves in the 1990s through a new musical direction and public image. This experimentation continued through their album, Pop, and the PopMart Tour. U2 regained critical and commercial favour with the records All That You Cant Leave Behind and How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb and their U2 360° Tour of 2009–2011 is the highest-attended and highest-grossing concert tour in history. The groups thirteenth album, Songs of Innocence, was released at no cost through the iTunes Store, U2 have released 13 studio albums and are one of the worlds best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 170 million records worldwide. They have won 22 Grammy Awards, more than any other band, Rolling Stone ranked U2 at number 22 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. The band formed in Dublin on 25 September 1976, Larry Mullen Jr. then a 14-year-old student at Mount Temple Comprehensive School, posted a note on the schools notice board in search of musicians for a new band—six people responded. Mullen later described it as The Larry Mullen Band for about ten minutes, then Bono walked in and blew any chance I had of being in charge. Martin, who had brought his guitar and amplifier to the first practice but could not play, did not remain with the group, the group settled on the name Feedback because it was one of the few technical terms they knew. Most of their material consisted of cover songs, which the band admitted was not their forte. Some of the earliest influences on the band were emerging punk rock acts, such as the Jam, the Clash, Buzzcocks, the popularity of punk rock convinced the group that musical proficiency was not a prerequisite to being successful. In April 1977, Feedback played their first gig for an audience at St. Fintans High School. Shortly after, the changed their name to The Hype
19.
Mumford & Sons
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Mumford & Sons are an English rock band from London, formed in 2007. The band consists of Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall, Mumford & Sons have released three studio albums, Sigh No More, Babel and Wilder Mind. The band has issued two live albums, Live at Shepherds Bush Empire and The Road to Red Rocks. The band have won a number of awards throughout their career, with Sigh No More earning the band the Brit Award for Best British Album in 2011. The live performance at the 2011 Grammy ceremony with Bob Dylan, the band received eight total Grammy nominations for Babel and won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. The band also won the Brit Award for Best British Group in 2013, Mumford & Sons were formed in December 2007 by multi-instrumentalists Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall and Ted Dwane. Band members play acoustic guitar, drums, keyboard instruments, bass guitar, the band name originates from the fact that Marcus Mumford was the most visible member, organizing the band and their performances. Lovett indicated that the name was meant to invoke the sense of a family business name. A handful of bands were increasing their visibility in West London around the same time. Mumford downplays that characterisation as an exaggeration—Mumford & Sons and a few other folk acts just happened to be operating in the general area at the time. In an interview with the Herald Sun, Marcus Mumford said, well, some of it is, and its certainly not a scene. Someone got over-excited about a few bands who live in a hundred-mile radius and its a community, not a scene. In early 2008 the band working with manager Adam Tudhope. It was through Tudhopes connection that Mumford & Sons were exposed to their future A&R at Island, Louis Bloom, who began monitoring the band. Bloom told HitQuarters that they were still at a state and not yet ready for a label deal, There was no one there for it, just a few friends. Over the next six months I kept going to see them, in February 2008, the band completed an extensive UK tour with support from Alessis Ark, Sons of Noel and Adrian, Peggy Sue and others. June 2008 marked the bands first appearance at the Glastonbury Festival and they also toured Australia with Laura Marling, whose disinclination to interact with audiences encouraged Mumford into the spotlight. The experience helped inform his attitude towards Mumford & Sons audiences, Mumford & Sons first project was an EP entitled Love Your Ground which took a year to complete and was released in November 2008 on Chess Club Records
20.
Amy Winehouse
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Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer and songwriter. She was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of genres, including soul, rhythm and blues. Winehouses debut album, Frank, was a success in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize. She also won the 2007 Brit Award for Best British Female Artist, having nominated for Best British Album. Winehouse died of poisoning on 23 July 2011, aged 27. Her album Back to Black posthumously became, for a time, Amy Winehouse was born in Chase Farm Hospital in north London, to Jewish parents. Her father, Mitchell Mitch Winehouse, was a window panel installer then a driver, her mother, Janis Winehouse. Winehouses ancestors were Russian and Polish Jewish immigrants to London, Amy had an older brother, Alex, and the family lived in Londons Southgate area, where she attended Osidge Primary School. Many of Winehouses maternal uncles were professional jazz musicians, Amys paternal grandmother, Cynthia, was a singer and dated the English jazz saxophonist Ronnie Scott. She and Amys parents influenced Amys interest in jazz and her father Mitch often sang Frank Sinatra songs to her, and whenever she got chastised at school she would sing Fly Me to the Moon before going up to the headmistress to be told off. Winehouses parents separated when she was nine, and she lived with her mother and stayed with her father and his girlfriend in Hatfield Heath, Essex on weekends. In 1992 her grandmother Cynthia suggested she attend the Susi Earnshaw Theatre School, Winehouse was allegedly expelled at 14 for not applying herself and also for piercing her nose. Sylvia Young has denied this—She changed schools at 15—Ive heard it said she was expelled, id never have expelled Amy—as has Mitch Winehouse. After toying around with her brother Alexs guitar, Winehouse bought her own when she was 14 and began writing music a year later. Soon after, she working for a living, including, at one time, as an entertainment journalist for the World Entertainment News Network. Amys best friend, soul singer Tyler James, sent her demo tape to an A&R person, Winehouse signed to Simon Fullers 19 Management in 2002 and was paid £250 a week against future earnings. While being developed by the management company, she was kept as an industry secret although she was a regular jazz standards singer at the Cobden Club. When he asked who the singer was, the manager told him he was not allowed to say, having decided that he wanted to sign her, it took several months of asking around for Beese to eventually discover who the singer was
21.
Ben Howard
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Benjamin John Ben Howard is an English singer-songwriter. He self-released his debut EP Games in the Dark followed by two more EPs, These Waters and Old Pine and he is currently signed to Island and Communion. His major debut album came in 2011 titled Every Kingdom followed by two more EP releases, Ben Howard Live and The Burgh Island E. P. At the 2013 Brit Awards he received the Brit Award for British Male Solo Artist and he performed at 2013 Glastonbury festival on the Pyramid Stage on Saturday 29 June. He released his studio album, I Forget Where We Were. He was born in Richmond, London, in 1987 and moved near Totnes, Howard began writing songs when he was eleven. In an interview with American Songwriter, he stated that when he was a kid he started playing guitar because he liked to put words together, I was quite an imaginative little kid I guess. So your standard little love songs turned into your standard adolescent love songs, I think you start getting your own take on things when youre a late teen. Besides playing the guitar, Howard also played instruments as a kid. He easily picked up the drums and contrabass, but after time he decided to focus on the guitar. After attending King Edward VI Community College and Torquay Boys Grammar School he began studying Journalism at University College Falmouth, six months prior to completion of his course, Howard decided to focus on making music full-time, making melodic rootsy folk music, with progressively darker lyrics. His reputation grew around Cornwall and Devon, and soon spread to areas of the UK. After a month of dates across Europe and the UK Howard was eventually asked to sign for Island Records. Due to his association with the town, Howard was chosen in 2014 to appear on the 10 Totnes pound note, before signing to a record label, Howard had already released some material. In 2008 he self-released his debut EP Games in the Dark and his first major release was These Waters, an EP featuring six tracks, including The Wolves. In 2010, Ben Howard released the Old Pine EP, followed by a number of singles, such as The Fear, Howard now had enough material to release an album, Every Kingdom, which would feature a number of his previous singles. Howard signed to Island Records in 2011, due to the history of UK folk singers, including Nick Drake. After singles Old Pine and The Wolves were released in 2011, Howard recorded his album entitled Every Kingdom
22.
Florence and the Machine
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Florence and the Machine is the stage name of musician, singer and songwriter, Florence Welch. The bands music received praise across the media, especially from the BBC, which played a part in their rise to prominence by promoting Florence. At the 2009 Brit Awards they received the Brit Awards Critics Choice award, the bands music is renowned for its dramatic and eccentric production and also Welchs powerful vocal performances. The bands debut album, Lungs, was released on 6 July 2009. On 17 January 2010, the reached the top position. As of October 2010, the album had been in the top forty in the United Kingdom for sixty-five consecutive weeks, the groups second studio album, Ceremonials, released in October 2011, entered the charts at number one in the UK and number six in the US. The bands third album, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, was released on 2 June 2015 and it topped the UK charts, and debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, their first to do so. The album reached number one in a total of eight countries, also in 2015, the band was the headlining act at Glastonbury Festival, making Florence Welch the first British female headliner this century. Florence and the Machines sound has been described as a combination of genres, including rock. Lungs won the Brit Award for Best British Album in 2010, Florence and the Machine has been nominated for eight Grammy Awards including Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal Album. Additionally, the performed at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. The name of Florence and the Machine is attributed to Florence Welchs teenage collaboration with Isabella Machine Summers, Welch and Summers performed together for a time under the name Florence Robot/Isa Machine. According to Welch, The name Florence and the Machine started off as a joke that got out of hand. I made music with my friend, who we called Isabella Machine to which I was Florence Robot. When I was about an hour away from my first gig, I still didnt have a name, so I thought Okay, Ill be Florence Robot/Isa Machine, before realising that name was so long itd drive me mad. In addition to Summers, the current band members include musicians Robert Ackroyd, Chris Hayden, Mark Saunders, in 2007, Welch recorded with a band named Ashok, who released an album titled Plans on the Filthy Lucre/About Records label. This album included the earliest version of her later hit Kiss with a Fist, Florence and the Machine released their first album Lungs in the United Kingdom on 6 July 2009. The album was produced by James Ford, Paul Epworth, Steve Mackey, the album was officially launched with a set at the Rivoli Ballroom in Brockley, South East London
23.
John Newman (singer)
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John William Peter Newman is an English singer, songwriter and record producer. In 2014, he featured in the Calvin Harris single Blame which topped the UK charts, at the 2014 Brit Awards, Newman was nominated for three Brit Awards, including for British Male Solo Artist. As of February 2014, Newman has sold over 1.3 million records in the UK alone, John William Peter Newman was born in Settle in the Yorkshire Dales and attended Settle College. When Newman was six, his left the family, leaving his mother Jackie, his older brother James. In his youth Newman was influenced by Motown and Stax that he heard via his mother and he was also influenced by the Northern soul sound, which also influenced his dance style. Many over 30s from Settle would leave on a weekend to go to Northern soul nights all over Yorkshire. He started playing guitar and writing his own songs at the age of 14 and soon learned how to record and produce himself, even making his own house tracks and DJing. At the age of sixteen, Newman moved to Leeds and it was here that he developed his voice and it was whilst he was in Leeds that two of his best friends died in a car crash. Newman said, In that first year of moving to Leeds, instead of being sat with books all over the desk and studying music. Because of what I was going through, and I was getting smashed every night and enjoying the student life but then sitting with a guitar, at the age of twenty, Newman moved to London, started a band, played live and was signed to Island Records. While working at The Silver Bullet bar, he made friends with Piers Agget and he released Cheating as a download song and plays an acoustic version of the track at gigs. In May 2012 John Newman featured on Rudimentals single Feel the Love, the single peaked to number one on the UK Singles Chart in early June 2012, the song was also a top 5 hit in Australia, Belgium, Netherlands and New Zealand. The song has since been certified 2x Platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association, the song was also featured in the 2012 video game Need for Speed, Most Wanted and is used in 2013 promotional advertising for Foxtel Australia. The song used the promo of MTV Latin Americas The Pauly D Project. In November 2012 he featured on Rudimentals follow-up single, Not Giving In, which peaked at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart and it came in at number 16 in the 2012 Triple J Hottest 100, announced on Australia Day 2013. It was featured in the first episode of season three of Teen Wolf, in June 2013 John Newman released his debut single Love Me Again as the lead single from his debut studio album. In an interview with Digital Spy, Newman was asked if he sensed that the song had something special about it in the studio, the guy I wrote it with, we turned around and had massive grins on our faces thinking, Theres something good here. But you just never know how good it is, you know, Newman was also asked if it was hard to write the lyrics about love and break-up, he responded, No, its the only place where I really open up to somebody, through my music
24.
Catfish and the Bottlemen
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Catfish and the Bottlemen are a British rock band, formed in Llandudno, Wales in 2007. Their debut album, The Balcony, reached number 10 in the UK Albums Chart and they won their first Brit Award for British Breakthrough act on 24 February 2016. On 27 May 2016, they released their album, The Ride. Vans parents also ran a bed and breakfast in town and Van was friends with Billys younger brother, Van and Billy were joined by Benjamin Blakeway on bass as the third founding member of the band. Schoolmate Jon Barr followed shortly thereafter on drums, Billy Bibby, who had been playing guitar since age 10, taught both Van McCann and Benji Blakeway how to play. They promoted themselves by playing in car parks after other artists gigs, steve Lamacq first played an early demo on BBC Radio 6 Music in March 2009. During 2009, Catfish came runners up in the North Wales Battle of the Bands having been beaten to the post by local band The Fides who later closed the Conwy River Festival. Original drummer Jon Barr was replaced by Robert Bob Hall in 2010, Bob Hall was introduced to the band by a North Wales-based producer who was working with the band at the time. The band derives its name from McCanns first childhood musical memory and he was called Catfish because of an unusually styled spiky beard he had when he first began playing in 2000. McCann was reunited with Catfish the Bottleman in January 2015 at the studios of Triple J radio in Sydney, the band signed to Communion Records in 2013, and released their first three singles Homesick, Rango and Pacifier the same year. In 2014 the band signed to Island Records and on 17 March released the single Kathleen, all the singles were premiered by Zane Lowe and added to the playlist on Radio 1. Kathleen ranked at one on MTVs hottest tracks in April 2014. They also played at New Yorks Governors Ball, on 19 June 2014, the band announced the release of their debut studio album The Balcony. Founding lead guitarist Billy Bibby suddenly and unexpectedly ceased performing with the band in the summer of 2014. and was replaced by Johnny Bondy Bond, on 25 July 2014 the band cancelled three festival appearances due to unforeseen personal circumstances. On 13 August 2014 the band posted on Facebook, Some of you will have noticed that we have been playing with a different guitarist over the past weekend, unfortunately, due to some personal circumstances, Billy wont be touring with the band for the foreseeable future. When asked about leaving the band, Billy Bibby comments, Well to be honest after Catfish I had no plans, I didn’t know what I was going to do. I just started writing songs and it took off from there, and I’m proud of what I did in Catfish and what I achieved and everything that came with it, but I’m just looking into the future now with my band and that’s all I’m focused on. In autumn of 2015, Billy Bibby founded a new band, the Balcony was released on 15 September 2014
25.
Disclosure (band)
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Disclosure are an English electronic music duo consisting of brothers Howard and Guy Lawrence. The siblings grew up in Reigate, Surrey and their debut studio album, Settle, released on 3 June 2013, by PMR Records, was nominated for Best Dance/Electronica Album at the 2014 Grammy Awards. They released a studio album, Caracal, on 25 September 2015 which was also nominated for Best Dance/Electronica Album at the 2016 Grammy Awards. In January 2017, they announced they would be going on hiatus, Guy started playing the drums at the age of three, and Howard started playing the bass at the age of eight. Both also learned to play the guitar and the piano and Howard to sing and they both attended the Reigate College. During this period, the boys studied music and music technology, whilst Guy was attending at the Reigate College, he enjoyed studying classical music, especially the likes of Bach and Claude Debussy. The duos first single Offline Dexterity was released on 29 August 2010 and they signed to the new PMR record label on its formation in January 2011, and released their second single Carnival/I Love. That You Know on 13 June 2011. This got them a management deal with Sam Evitt and Jack Streets Method Management who they are managed by. Disclosure picked up their first significant national radio support upon the release of the Tenderly / Flow single in January 2012, the single led to significant interest in the subsequent June 2012 EP The Face, released on Greco-Roman. The group maintained their momentum into 2013 – they were voted into the BBC Radio 1xtra Hot Ten For 2013 and these three singles were collected on an EP, The Singles.1 score on Pitchfork. They performed twice at Glastonbury Festival 2013 and appeared on Later, the album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Dance Album. The same year, they established the record label Method Records, its roster includes Friend Within, Karen Harding, Lxury, a sub label was introduced in February 2015, called Method White, releasing more underground tracks through it. The first release was Wolfsbane by Jonas Rathsman, since then M. J. Cole and Eats Everything have released tracks through the label. The week of its release, Caracal earned the group their second number one album in the UK Albums Chart. The music videos for singles from the album published on YouTube are interconnected and follow a story line. The videos follow a woman in a sci-fi, dystopian world who is, for some unknown reason. Three singles were released prior to the album, Omen, Holding On, two promotional singles were also released, Willing and Able and Hourglass. The album was released on 25 September 2015, by PMR Records, the album was also nominated for Best Dance/Electronica Album at the 2016 Grammy Awards
26.
AlunaGeorge
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AlunaGeorge are an English electronic music duo from London, consisting of vocalist and songwriter Aluna Francis and producer and instrumentalist George Reid. The duo first met in June 2009, when Reid remixed Francis band My Toys Like Mes track Sweetheart, AlunaGeorge released the single You Know You Like It as a digital download on 20 April 2012, followed by a vinyl release on 11 June 2012. The duos first commercial single, Your Drums, Your Love, was released on 10 September 2012, on 4 June 2013, the duo unveiled the cover art and track listing for Body Music, and confirmed the album would be released on 29 July 2013. It was announced in December 2012 that AlunaGeorge had been shortlisted for the 2013 BRIT Award of Critics Choice, then, later in December, the BBC announced that the duo had also been nominated for the Sound of 2013 poll, in which they finished in second place. In February 2013, AlunaGeorge scored their first top-40 entry, a collaboration with Disclosure on White Noise, the single reached number two on the UK Singles Chart. Huw Stephens also premiered a track from the group on his BBC Radio 1 show titled Attracting Flies, the duo performed at the Evolution Festival in Newcastle upon Tyne on 27 May 2013. A collection of released and brand new remixes, Body Music Remixed, was released on 16 June 2014. On 3 October 2014 AlunaGeorge released a single called Supernatural, on 14 July 2015, it was announced that AlunaGeorge had signed with the American record label Interscope Records. The duo released the single Im in Control, featuring Jamaican artist Popcaan, as of September 2016, they are an opening act with Miguel for the North American Arena tour of Australian star Sia. The Nostalgic for the Present Tour will run through November 2016, alunas vocals have been described as almost child-like as well as being called sugar sweet and emotionally soulful and heartwarming too. Georges production combines sounds from bass, garage and dubstep, the band use techniques of R&B and use futuristic pop. The musical style has been described as advanced minimalistic polyrhythmic beats as well as bashment, experimental hip-hop, 90s R&B, Francis first venture into the music industry came when she sang in a group called My Toys Like Me. Reid was previously a guitarist in rock band Colour. He has cited minimal American hip hop by The Neptunes, as well as Lil Wayne, so that’s my excuse for having nothing in there
27.
Keane (band)
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Keane are an English pop rock band from Battle, East Sussex, formed in 1995. The band currently comprises Tom Chaplin, Tim Rice-Oxley, Richard Hughes and their original line-up included founder and guitarist Dominic Scott, who left in 2001. Keane achieved mainstream, international success with the release of their album, Hopes and Fears. Topping the UK charts, the won the 2005 Brit Award for Best British Album and was the second best-selling British album of 2004. Their second album, Under the Iron Sea, released in 2006, topped the UK album charts and their third album, Perfect Symmetry, was released in October 2008. In 2009, Hopes and Fears was listed as the ninth best-selling album of the 2000s decade in the UK and their EP, Night Train, was released in May 2010. Their fourth studio album, Strangeland, was released in May 2012, Keane are known for using a piano as the lead instrument instead of guitars, differentiating them from most other rock bands. The inclusion of a piano effect in 2006 and various synthesisers were a common feature in their music which developed on the second. Keane have sold over 10 million records worldwide, Tom Chaplin and Tim Rice-Oxley became friends when very young. Chaplins father David was the headmaster of Vinehall School in Robertsbridge, East Sussex, for 25 years and they later attended Tonbridge School in Kent, where Rice-Oxley met Dominic Scott, both of them discovered rapidly their liking for music. Richard Hughes, Keanes future drummer, also attended Tonbridge, Chaplin had also learned to play the flute but none of them considered music as a proper career at the time. In 1993, while studying at University College London for a degree in classics, Rice-Oxley formed a band with Scott. The band, named Lotus Eaters, started as a band, playing songs by the members favourite bands, including U2, Oasis, and The Beatles. After listening to Rice-Oxleys piano playing during a weekend at Virginia Water, Surrey in 1997, however, Rice-Oxley declined because he did not want to leave The Lotus Eaters, stating, I was seriously interested, but Keane were already operational and Coldplays keyboard player idea was dropped. Chaplins recruitment also marked a change of name from The Lotus Eaters to Cherry Keane, after a friend of Chaplins mother and she took care of them and would tell them to go for their dreams. At her death from cancer, she had money for Chaplins family. Chaplin commented, I used some of the money to see me through the times with the music. The name was shortened to Keane soon afterward, Chaplin departed for South Africa in the summer of 1997 to work as a volunteer during his gap year
28.
Annie Lennox
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Ann Annie Lennox, OBE is a Scottish singer, songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. With a total of eight Brit Awards, including Best British Female Artist six times and she has also been named the Brits Champion of Champions. Lennox embarked on a career in 1992 with her debut album, Diva. To date, she has released six studio albums and a compilation album. Aside from her eight Brit Awards, she has collected four Grammy Awards. In 2002, Lennox received a Billboard Century Award, the highest accolade from Billboard Magazine. In 2004, she won both the Golden Globe and the Academy Award for Best Original Song for Into the West, written for the soundtrack to the feature film The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King. In addition to her career as a musician, Lennox is also a political and social activist, notable for raising money and awareness for HIV/ AIDS as it affects women and children in Africa. In 2011, Lennox was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II for her tireless charity campaigns, on 4 June 2012 she performed at the Queens Diamond Jubilee Concert in front of Buckingham Palace. Lennox performed the song Little Bird during the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony in London on 12 August 2012, Lennox has been named The Greatest White Soul Singer Alive by VH1 and one of The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time by Rolling Stone. In 2012, she was rated No.22 on VH1s 100 Greatest Women in Music and she has earned the distinction of most successful female British artist in UK music history due to her commercial success since the early 1980s. As of June 2008, including her work within Eurythmics, Lennox had sold over 80 million records worldwide, Annie Lennox was born on Christmas Day 1954 in Summerfield Maternity hospital, Aberdeen, the daughter of Dorothy and Thomas Allison Lennox. In the 1970s, Lennox won a place at the Royal Academy of Music in London and she lived on a student grant and worked at part-time jobs for extra money. Lennox was unhappy during her time at the Royal Academy and spent her time wondering what direction she could take. Lennoxs flute teachers final report stated, Ann has not always sure of where to direct her efforts. She is very, very able, however, two years later, Lennox reported to the Academy, I have had to work as a waitress, barmaid, and shop assistant to keep me when not in musical work. She also played and sang with a few bands, such as Windsong, during the period of her course, in 2006, the academy made her an honorary Fellow. Lennox also was made a Fellow of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music, in 1976, Lennox was flautist with a band called Dragons Playground, leaving before they appeared on TVs New Faces
29.
PJ Harvey
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Polly Jean Harvey, MBE, known as PJ Harvey, is an English musician, singer-songwriter, writer, poet, and composer. Primarily known as a vocalist and guitarist, she is proficient with a wide range of instruments. Harvey began her career in 1988 when she joined local band Automatic Dlamini as a vocalist, guitarist, the bands frontman, John Parish, would become her long-term collaborator. In 1991, she formed a trio and subsequently began her professional career. The trio released two albums, Dry and Rid of Me before disbanding, after which Harvey continued as a solo artist. In 2011, she was awarded for Outstanding Contribution To Music at the NME Awards, in June 2013, she was awarded an MBE for services to music. Harvey was born on 9 October 1969 in Bridport, Dorset, as the child of Ray and Eva Harvey, who owned a stone quarrying business. As a teenager, Harvey began learning saxophone and joined an instrumental group Bologne. She was also a guitarist with folk duo the Polekats, with whom she wrote some of her earliest material, after finishing school, Harvey attended Yeovil College and attended a visual arts foundation course. In July 1988, Harvey became a member of Automatic Dlamini, formed by John Parish in 1983, the band consisted of a rotating line-up that at various times included Rob Ellis and Ian Oliver. Harvey had met Parish in 1987 through mutual friend Jeremy Hogg, a second European tour took place throughout June and July 1989. Following the tour, the band recorded Here Catch, Shouted His Father, their studio album. This is the only Automatic Dlamini material to feature Harvey, but remains unreleased, Parish would subsequently contribute to, and sometimes co-produce, Harveys solo studio albums and has toured with her a number of times. As a duo, Parish and Harvey have recorded two albums where Parish composed the music and Harvey penned the lyrics. Additionally, Parishs girlfriend in the late 1980s was photographer Maria Mochnacz and she and Harvey became close friends and Mochnacz went on to shoot and design most of Harveys album artwork and music videos, contributing significantly to her public image. Harvey has said of her time with Automatic Dlamini, I ended up not singing very much, I wrote a lot during the time I was with them but my first songs were crap. I was listening to a lot of Irish folk music at the time, so the songs were folky and full of penny whistles and it was ages before I felt ready to perform my own songs in front of other people. In January 1991, following her departure from Automatic Dlamini, Harvey formed her own band with former bandmates Rob Ellis and Ian Oliver
30.
John Martyn
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John Martyn, OBE, born as Iain David McGeachy, was a British singer-songwriter and guitarist. Over a 40-year career, he released 21 studio albums, Martyn began his career at age 17 as a key member of the British folk music scene, drawing inspiration from American blues and English traditional music, and signed with Island Records. By the 1970s he had begun incorporating jazz and rock into his sound on albums such as Solid Air and One World, as well as experimenting with guitar effects and tape delay machines such as Echoplex. He struggled with substance abuse and domestic problems throughout the 1970s and 1980s and he remained active until his death in 2009. He was described by The Times as an electrifying guitarist and singer whose music blurred the boundaries between folk, jazz, rock and blues, Martyn was born in Beechcroft Avenue, New Malden, London, England to an English mother and a Scottish father. His parents, both singers, divorced when he was five and he spent his childhood alternating between Scotland and England. Much of this was spent in the care of his grandmother and he attended Shawlands Academy in Glasgow. At school, he was a rugby player. On leaving school he attended Art College in Glasgow, but left to pursue his musical aspirations and he signed to Chris Blackwells Island Records in 1967 and released his first album, London Conversation, the following year. This first album was followed by The Tumbler, which was moving towards jazz. By 1970 Martyn had developed an original and idiosyncratic sound, acoustic guitar run through a fuzzbox, phase shifter. This sound was first apparent on Stormbringer. in 1970, which was written and performed by Martyn and his then-wife Beverley and her second album with Martyn was The Road to Ruin, also released in 1970. In 2009, a double CD Deluxe edition of Solid Air was released featuring unreleased songs and out-takes and he developed a new, slurred vocal style, the timbre of which resembled a tenor saxophone. Following the commercial success of Solid Air, Martyn quickly recorded and released the experimental Inside Out, in 1975, he followed this with Sundays Child, a more song-based collection My Baby Girl, Spencer the Rover, with several references to his young family. Martyn subsequently described this period as very happy, in September 1975 he released a live album, Live at Leeds — Martyn had been unable to convince Island to release the record, and resorted to selling individually signed copies by mail from home. Live at Leeds features Danny Thompson and drummer John Stevens, in 2010 a 2CD Deluxe version of Live at Leeds was released, and it was discovered that not all of the songs on the original album were from the Leeds concert. After releasing Live at Leeds, Martyn took a sabbatical, including a visit to Jamaica, in 1977, he released One World, which led some commentators to describe Martyn as the Father of Trip-Hop. It included tracks such as Small Hours and Big Muff, a collaboration with Lee Scratch Perry, Small Hours was recorded outside, the microphones picked up ambient sounds, such as geese from a nearby lake
31.
Nick Jonas
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Nicholas Jerry Nick Jonas is an American singer, songwriter, producer, and actor. Jonas began acting in theater at the age of seven, and he released his eponymous debut album in 2004 to little success, though it did catch the attention of Columbia Records. Jonas opted to form a band with his brothers, Joe and Kevin. The group released their studio album Its About Time through Columbia Records. The record failed to achieve success, thus the group parted ways with their label. Their self-titled second studio album was released through Hollywood Records in 2007, the band became prominent figures on the Disney Channel during this time, gaining a large following through the network. The band starred in the successful film Camp Rock. The release of the third studio album, A Little Bit Longer, helped the band achieve further success. The release of their studio album saw a decline in sales for the band. Jonas and his brothers starred in the Disney Channel series JONAS in 2009 and 2010 and it was later confirmed that the Jonas Brothers would be taking a hiatus, with Nick forming a new band known as Nick Jonas & the Administration. The band released one album in 2010, though it failed to achieve much commercial success. Following the release, Jonas opted to focus on work in theater, the Jonas Brothers briefly reunited in 2013, though officially parted ways due to creative differences. Jonas decided to return to his music career following the bands disbandment. He signed with Island Records, releasing Nick Jonas through the label, the album entered the top ten of the Billboard 200, while both of the albums singles entered the top twenty of the Billboard Hot 100. The project was re-released as Nick Jonas X2 in 2015, the release helped provide Jonas with a new public image, earning him the title of a sex symbol. Jonas later co-founded Safehouse Records, a label in conjunction with Island Records. Jonas released his studio album, Last Year Was Complicated. The project became his highest peaking entry as a solo artist on the Billboard 200, Jonas was born in Dallas, Texas, the son of Denise and Paul Kevin Jonas
32.
Robyn
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Robin Miriam Carlsson, known as Robyn, is a Swedish singer, songwriter and record producer. Robyn first came to the scene with her 1995 debut album Robyn Is Here which spawned two Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit singles, Do You Know and Show Me Love. Her second and third studio albums My Truth and Dont Stop the Music were only released in her native country, Robyn returned to international success with her fourth album Robyn which earned her critical acclaim and a Grammy Award nomination. The album spawned the hit singles, Be Mine. and the UK number one With Every Heartbeat, in 2010 she released a trilogy consisting of three mini albums of the Body Talk series. The albums received critical acclaim, three Grammy Award nominations and produced three top 10 hits, Dancing On My Own, Hang with Me and Indestructible. Robyn followed up with the release of two collab EPs, Do It Again and Love Is Free, Robyn voiced the character of Miranda in the 1989 Swedish–Norwegian animated film The Journey to Melonia. The film, directed by Per Åhlin, is loosely based on William Shakespeares The Tempest. She also did the Swedish voice of Anne-Marie in All Dogs Go to Heaven, in 1991, at the age of 12, Robyn recorded the theme song for the Swedish television show Lilla Sportspegeln, named Du kan alltid bli nummer ett. She performed her first self-written song at this age on another television show, Robyn was rediscovered by Swedish pop singer Meja in the early 1990s. Meja and her band Legacy of Sound visited Robyns school and were involved with a musical workshop, Robyns performances impressed Meja so much so that she contacted her management and a meeting was arranged with Robyn and her parents. At age 14, following the completion of her school education in 1993. She collaborated with producers Max Martin and Denniz Pop, who provided the singer with a gritty yet popular sound. Ulf Lindstrom and Johan Ekhé assisted with writing duties, helped to produce the album, Robyn started her career in the pop music industry at the age of 16. She signed a deal with RCA Records in 1994 to release her debut single. Later that same year, her Swedish breakthrough came with the single Do You Really Want Me and these singles became part of the album Robyn Is Here, released in October 1995. Robyn contributed vocals to Blacknuss 1996 single Roll with Me and she entered Swedens pre-selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 1997, as co-writer and producer of the song Du gör mig hel igen, which was performed by Cajsalisa Ejemyr. In Melodifestivalen 1997 the song ended up in fourth place, Robyns US breakthrough came in late 1997, when the dance-pop singles Show Me Love and Do You Know reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. She performed on the childrens show All That in 1997, singing Show Me Love, the songs also performed well in the UK
33.
Shawn Mendes
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Shawn Peter Raul Mendes is a Canadian singer and songwriter. He attracted a following in 2013, when he began posting covers on the video sharing application Vine. The following year, he caught the attention of artist managers Andrew Gertler and Island Records A&R Ziggy Chareton, which led to him signing a deal with the record label. Mendes went on to release an EP and his studio album Handwritten, whose single Stitches reached the top 10 in the US and Canada. His sophomore album, Illuminate, was preceded by the single Treat You Better, both albums debuted atop the US Billboard 200. Mendes was born in Toronto, Ontario, the son of Karen, an estate agent, and Manuel Mendes. His father is Portuguese, while his mother is English and he has a younger sister named Aaliyah. Mendes was raised in Pickering, Ontario, where he attended Pine Ridge Secondary School, Mendes learned to play guitar by watching YouTube tutorial videos at the age of 13 in 2012. By August 2014, he was the third most-followed musician on Vine, artist manager Andrew Gertler discovered Mendes online in November 2013, bringing him to Island Records in January 2014. He officially signed in May 2014 and released his first single Life of the Party on June 26,2014 and he became the youngest to debut in the top 25 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making it to number 24 for the week ending July 12,2014. Prior to his signing, Mendes toured as a member of the Magcon Tour alongside other young Viners with a following on social media. Mendes was also on a tour with Austin Mahone as an opening act. The EP debuted and peaked at five on Billboard 200. He won a Teen Choice award in 2014 for Webstar in Music, on September 5,2014, Oh Cecilia featuring Mendes was released as the fifth single from The Vamps debut album, Meet the Vamps. On November 6,2014, Something Big was released as the second single, however, it suffered a 89% traditional sales decrease in its second week. The third single from the album, Stitches, peaked at four on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming his first top 10 single in the US. The song later reached number one in the UK, Mendes recorded a song called Believe for Disney Channel Original Movie Descendants. Also in 2015, Mendes opened for Taylor Swift during 1989 World Tour dates for North America, in late 2015 Mendes and Camila Cabello, who was at the time a member of the group Fifth Harmony, released their collaborative single I Know What You Did Last Summer
34.
Jessie J
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Jessica Ellen Cornish, known professionally as Jessie J, is an English singer and songwriter. Born and raised in London, she began her career on stage, aged 11 and she studied at the BRIT School before signing with Gut Records and striking a songwriting deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing where she wrote for artists including Chris Brown and Miley Cyrus. After signing with Universal Republic, Jessie J came to following the release of her debut single Do It Like a Dude. Her next song Price Tag topped the charts in nineteen countries including the UK and was followed by the release of her debut album Who You Are, which charted at number two in the UK. Domino also resulted in further international success, peaking at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100. In 2012 Jessie J performed at the Queens Diamond Jubilee Concert outside Buckingham Palace in June and her second album Alive reached the top 5 in the UK Albums Chart and also included the top-five hit songs Wild and Its My Party. The release of her third album Sweet Talker was preceded by the single Bang Bang which debuted at one in the UK. The album made the top 5 in the UK and reached number 10 on the US Billboard 200, as of January 2015, Jessie J had sold over 20 million singles and 3 million albums worldwide. Citing various influences, Jessie J is recognized for a musical and performance style that mixes soul vocals with contemporary R&B, pop, electropop. Jessie J has garnered awards and nominations for her music, including the 2011 Critics Choice Brit Award. Jessie J has supported charitable causes, and has appeared on the UK charity telethons BBC Children in Need. She has served as coach and mentor on the television shows The Voice UK, Jessica Ellen Cornish was born in London, to Rose and Stephen Cornish. She was educated at Mayfield High School in the London Borough of Redbridge and she attended Colins Performing Arts School and as an 11-year-old she was cast in Andrew Lloyd Webbers West End production of Whistle Down the Wind. She subsequently joined the National Youth Music Theatre and appeared in their 2002 production of The Late Sleepers, Cornish has two sisters, who are five and seven years older than she is, who were both head girls at school. Unlike her academic sisters, Cornish has stated she was never really good at anything. She said, At school they were like oh, youre a Cornish girl and they kind of expected me to be the same as my sisters. Give me something to draw or an outfit to pick for someone, or hair, make-up, acting, write a song, Im fine with it and she also said she never based her intelligence on her exam results. She also said she was good at singing and it was her thing
35.
Melissa Etheridge
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Melissa Lou Etheridge is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and activist. Her self-titled debut album Melissa Etheridge was released in 1988 and became an underground success. The album peaked at No.22 on the Billboard 200, in 1993, Etheridge won her first Grammy award for her single Aint It Heavy from her third album, Never Enough. Later that year, she released what would become her breakthrough album. Its tracks Im the Only One and Come to My Window both reached the top 30 in the United States, and the latter earned Etheridge her second Grammy award. Yes I Am peaked at No.15 on the Billboard 200, in October 2004, Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer, and underwent surgery and chemotherapy. At the 2005 Grammy Awards, she made a return to the stage and, although bald from chemotherapy, Etheridges performance was widely lauded, with India. Arie writing I Am Not My Hair about Etheridge. Later that year, Etheridge released her first compilation album, Greatest Hits, the album was a success, peaking at No.14 on the Billboard 200, and going Gold almost immediately. Her latest studio album is This Is M. E. Etheridge is known for her mixture of confessional lyrics, pop-based folk-rock and she has also been a gay and lesbian activist since her public coming out in January 1993. She has received fifteen Grammy Award nominations throughout her career, winning two, in 1993 and 1995, respectively, in 2007, she won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for I Need to Wake Up from the film An Inconvenient Truth. In September 2011, Etheridge received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Etheridge was born in Leavenworth, Kansas, the younger of two girls of Elizabeth, a computer consultant, and John Etheridge, an American Constitution teacher at Leavenworth High School. She attended David Brewer School, which is located at 17th. She graduated in 1979 from Leavenworth High School at 10th Avenue, Etheridge was a member of the first Power and Life musical/dance group at LHS. Her childhood home was at 1902 Miami Street, Etheridges interest in music began early, she picked up her first guitar at 8. She began to play in all-men country music throughout her teenage years. While at Berklee, Etheridge played the club circuit around Boston, after three semesters, Etheridge decided to drop out of Berklee and head to Los Angeles to attempt a career in music. Etheridge was discovered in a bar called Vermies in Pasadena, CA and she had made some friends on a womens soccer team and those new friends came to see her play. One of the women was Karla Leopold, whose husband, Bill Leopold, was a manager in the music business, Karla convinced Bill to see her perform live
36.
RKO Pictures
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RKO Pictures Inc. also known as RKO Radio Pictures and in its later years RKO Teleradio Pictures, was an American film production and distribution company. It was one of the Big Five studios of Hollywoods Golden Age, RCA chief David Sarnoff engineered the merger to create a market for the companys sound-on-film technology, RCA Photophone. By the mid-1940s, the studio was under the control of investor Floyd Odlum, RKO has long been celebrated for its series of musicals starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the mid-to-late 1930s. Actors Katharine Hepburn and, later, Robert Mitchum had their first major successes at the studio, cary Grant was a mainstay for years. The work of producer Val Lewtons low-budget horror unit and RKOs many ventures into the now known as film noir have been acclaimed, largely after the fact, by film critics. The studio produced two of the most famous films in motion picture history, King Kong and Citizen Kane, RKO Pictures is also a member of Motion Picture Association of America. Maverick industrialist Howard Hughes took over RKO in 1948, after years of turmoil and decline under his control, Hughes sold the troubled studio to General Tire and Rubber Company in 1955. The original RKO Pictures ceased production in 1957 and was dissolved two years later. In 1981, broadcaster RKO General, the heir, revived it as a production subsidiary. In October 1927, Warner Bros. released The Jazz Singer and its success prompted Hollywood to convert from silent to sound film production en masse. The Radio Corporation of America controlled an advanced optical sound-on-film system, RCA Photophone, the industrys two largest major studios, Paramount and Loews/MGM, with two other studios Universal and First National, were poised to contract with ERPI for sound conversion as well. Next on the agenda was securing a string of exhibition venues like those the leading Hollywood production companies owned, Kennedy began investigating the possibility of such a purchase. Around that time, the large Keith-Albee-Orpheum circuit of theaters, built around the medium of live vaudeville, was attempting a transition to the movie business. In mid-1927, the operations of Pathé Exchange and Cecil B. De Milles Producers Distributing Corporation had united under KAOs control, early in 1928, KAO general manager John J. Murdock, who had assumed the presidency of Pathé, turned to Kennedy as an adviser in consolidating the studio with De Milles company, PDC. This was the relationship Sarnoff and Kennedy sought, on October 23,1928, RCA announced the creation of the Radio-Keith-Orpheum holding company, with Sarnoff as chairman of the board. Kennedy, who withdrew from his positions in the merged companies, kept Pathé separate from RKO. RCA owned the governing stock interest in RKO,22 percent, in the early 1930s, the companys production and distribution arm, presided over by former FBO vice-president Joseph I
37.
Harry Belafonte
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Harry Belafonte is an American singer, songwriter, actor, and social activist. One of the most successful CARIBBEAN AMERICAN pop stars in history and his breakthrough album Calypso is the first million-selling LP by a single artist. Belafonte is perhaps best known for singing The Banana Boat Song and he has recorded in many genres, including blues, folk, gospel, show tunes, and American standards. He has also starred in films, most notably in Otto Premingers hit musical Carmen Jones, Island in the Sun. Belafonte was a supporter of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s. Throughout his career, he has been an advocate for political and humanitarian causes, such as the anti-apartheid movement, since 1987, he has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. In recent years, he has been a critic of the policies of both the George W. Bush and Barack Obama presidential administrations. Harry Belafonte now acts as the American Civil Liberties Union celebrity ambassador for juvenile justice issues, Belafonte has won three Grammy Awards, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, an Emmy Award, and a Tony Award. In 1989, he received the Kennedy Center Honors and he was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1994. In 2014, he received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Academys 6th Annual Governors Awards, in March 2014, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music in Boston. His mother was born in Jamaica, the child of a Scottish white mother and his father also was born in Jamaica, the child of a black mother and Dutch Jewish father of Sephardi origins. This is all Harry says about his Jewish grandfather, whom he never met, “a white Dutch Jew who drifted over to the islands after chasing gold and diamonds, from 1932 to 1940, he lived with one of his grandmothers in her native country of Jamaica. When he returned to New York City, he attended George Washington High School after which he joined the Navy and served during World War II. In the 1940s, he was working as a assistant in NYC when a tenant gave him, as a gratuity. He fell in love with the art form and also met Sidney Poitier, the financially struggling pair regularly purchased a single seat to local plays, trading places in between acts, after informing the other about the progression of the play. He subsequently received a Tony Award for his participation in the Broadway revue John Murray Andersons Almanac, Belafonte started his career in music as a club singer in New York to pay for his acting classes. The first time he appeared in front of an audience, he was backed by the Charlie Parker band, with guitarist and friend Millard Thomas, Belafonte soon made his debut at the legendary jazz club The Village Vanguard. In 1952, he received a contract with RCA Victor and his first widely released single, which went on to become his signature song with audience participation in virtually all his live performances, was Matilda, recorded April 27,1953
38.
Millie Small
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Millicent Dolly May Millie Small, CD, is a Jamaican singer-songwriter, best known for her 1964 cover version of My Boy Lollipop. Small was born at Gibralter in Clarendon, Jamaica, the daughter of a plantation overseer. Like many Jamaican singers of the era, her career began by winning the Vere Johns Opportunity Hour talent contest at the age of twelve, wishing to pursue a career as a singer she moved to live with relatives in Love Lane in Kingston. In her teens, she recorded a duet with Owen Gray in 1962 and later recorded with Roy Panton for Coxsone Dodds Studio One record label as Roy and they had a local hit with Well Meet. There she made her recording, an Ernest Ranglin rearrangement of My Boy Lollipop. Released in March 1964, Smalls version was a massive hit and it also topped the chart in Australia. Initially it sold over 600,000 copies in the United Kingdom, including singles sales, album usage and compilation inclusions, the song has since sold more than seven million copies worldwide. My Boy Lollipop re-charted in the UK in 1987 at no.46 and my Boy Lollipop was doubly significant in British pop history. It was the first major hit for Island Records, and Small was the first artist to have a hit that was recorded in the bluebeat style and this was a music genre that had recently emerged from Jamaica, and was a direct ancestor of reggae. She appeared on the 1964 Beatles TV special Around The Beatles, on 6 March 1965, Small appeared on the Australian television programme Bandstand. This was as part of a concert at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Kings Domain, Melbourne and she performed My Boy Lollipop, What Am I Living For and See You Later, Alligator. Small continued to tour and perform up to the early 1970s, on 6 August 2011, the 49th anniversary of Jamaicas independence, the Governor-General created Small a Commander in the Order of Distinction, for her contribution to the Jamaican music industry. The award was accepted on her behalf by former Prime Minister Edward Seaga, in July 2012 she stated that she had been recording again and planned to perform in Jamaica for the first time in over 40 years. Previous interviews in the 1960s were typically short and based on press releases, in the interview she discusses fully her early career and the full impact of My Boy Lollipop. She also insisted, against the denials of Rod Stewart, that it was Stewart who played harmonica on My Boy Lollipop and she claims to remember the sessions well and recalls Stewart being asked to play. She had a relationship with Peter Asher of the 1960s duo Peter & Gordon. However, in her August,2016 interview with U. S. journalist Tom Graves she denied there had been anything other than a platonic relationship and she lived in Singapore from 1971 to 1973 before returning to the United Kingdom, which is now her home
