1.
Toronto
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Toronto is the most populous city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. With a population of 2,731,571, it is the fourth most populous city in North America after Mexico City, New York City, and Los Angeles. A global city, Toronto is a centre of business, finance, arts, and culture. Aboriginal peoples have inhabited the area now known as Toronto for thousands of years, the city itself is situated on the southern terminus of an ancient Aboriginal trail leading north to Lake Simcoe, used by the Wyandot, Iroquois, and the Mississauga. Permanent European settlement began in the 1790s, after the broadly disputed Toronto Purchase of 1787, the British established the town of York, and later designated it as the capital of Upper Canada. During the War of 1812, the town was the site of the Battle of York, York was renamed and incorporated as the city of Toronto in 1834, and became the capital of the province of Ontario during the Canadian Confederation in 1867. The city proper has since expanded past its original borders through amalgamation with surrounding municipalities at various times in its history to its current area of 630.2 km2. While the majority of Torontonians speak English as their primary language, Toronto is a prominent centre for music, theatre, motion picture production, and television production, and is home to the headquarters of Canadas major national broadcast networks and media outlets. Toronto is known for its skyscrapers and high-rise buildings, in particular the tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere. The name Toronto is likely derived from the Iroquois word tkaronto and this refers to the northern end of what is now Lake Simcoe, where the Huron had planted tree saplings to corral fish. A portage route from Lake Ontario to Lake Huron running through this point, in the 1660s, the Iroquois established two villages within what is today Toronto, Ganatsekwyagon on the banks of the Rouge River and Teiaiagonon the banks of the Humber River. By 1701, the Mississauga had displaced the Iroquois, who abandoned the Toronto area at the end of the Beaver Wars, French traders founded Fort Rouillé on the current Exhibition grounds in 1750, but abandoned it in 1759. During the American Revolutionary War, the region saw an influx of British settlers as United Empire Loyalists fled for the British-controlled lands north of Lake Ontario, the new province of Upper Canada was in the process of creation and needed a capital. Dorchester intended the location to be named Toronto, in 1793, Governor John Graves Simcoe established the town of York on the Toronto Purchase lands, instead naming it after Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany. Simcoe decided to move the Upper Canada capital from Newark to York, the York garrison was constructed at the entrance of the towns natural harbour, sheltered by a long sandbar peninsula. The towns settlement formed at the end of the harbour behind the peninsula, near the present-day intersection of Parliament Street. In 1813, as part of the War of 1812, the Battle of York ended in the towns capture, the surrender of the town was negotiated by John Strachan. US soldiers destroyed much of the garrison and set fire to the parliament buildings during their five-day occupation, the sacking of York was a primary motivation for the Burning of Washington by British troops later in the war
2.
Canada
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Canada is a country in the northern half of North America. Canadas border with the United States is the worlds longest binational land border, the majority of the country has a cold or severely cold winter climate, but southerly areas are warm in summer. Canada is sparsely populated, the majority of its territory being dominated by forest and tundra. It is highly urbanized with 82 per cent of the 35.15 million people concentrated in large and medium-sized cities, One third of the population lives in the three largest cities, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. Its capital is Ottawa, and other urban areas include Calgary, Edmonton, Quebec City, Winnipeg. Various aboriginal peoples had inhabited what is now Canada for thousands of years prior to European colonization. Pursuant to the British North America Act, on July 1,1867, the colonies of Canada, New Brunswick and this began an accretion of provinces and territories to the mostly self-governing Dominion to the present ten provinces and three territories forming modern Canada. With the Constitution Act 1982, Canada took over authority, removing the last remaining ties of legal dependence on the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Canada is a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II being the head of state. The country is officially bilingual at the federal level and it is one of the worlds most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many other countries. Its advanced economy is the eleventh largest in the world, relying chiefly upon its abundant natural resources, Canadas long and complex relationship with the United States has had a significant impact on its economy and culture. Canada is a country and has the tenth highest nominal per capita income globally as well as the ninth highest ranking in the Human Development Index. It ranks among the highest in international measurements of government transparency, civil liberties, quality of life, economic freedom, Canada is an influential nation in the world, primarily due to its inclusive values, years of prosperity and stability, stable economy, and efficient military. While a variety of theories have been postulated for the origins of Canada. In 1535, indigenous inhabitants of the present-day Quebec City region used the word to direct French explorer Jacques Cartier to the village of Stadacona, from the 16th to the early 18th century Canada referred to the part of New France that lay along the St. Lawrence River. In 1791, the area became two British colonies called Upper Canada and Lower Canada collectively named The Canadas, until their union as the British Province of Canada in 1841. Upon Confederation in 1867, Canada was adopted as the name for the new country at the London Conference. The transition away from the use of Dominion was formally reflected in 1982 with the passage of the Canada Act, later that year, the name of national holiday was changed from Dominion Day to Canada Day
3.
Music industry
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The modern Western music industry emerged between the 1930s and 1950s, when records replaced sheet music as the most important product in the music business. In the commercial world, the recording industry–a reference to recording performances of songs and pieces, labels outside of these three major labels are referred to as independent labels. The largest portion of the music market for concerts and tours is controlled by Live Nation. Live Nation is a subsidiary of iHeartMedia Inc, which is the largest owner of radio stations in the United States. In the first decades of the 2000s, the industry underwent drastic changes with the advent of widespread digital distribution of music via the Internet. A conspicuous indicator of changes is total music sales, since 2000. In 2011, the largest recorded music retailer in the world was now a digital, Internet-based platform operated by a computer company, printed music in Europe, Music publishing using machine-printed sheet music developed during the Renaissance music era in the mid-15th century. The development of music followed the evolution of printing technologies that were first developed for printing regular books. After the mid-15th century, mechanical techniques for printing music were first developed. The earliest example, a set of chants, dates from about 1465. Prior to this time, music had to be copied out by hand, to copy music notation by hand was a very costly, labor-intensive and time-consuming process, so it was usually undertaken only by monks and priests seeking to preserve sacred music for the church. The few collections of music that are extant were commissioned and owned by wealthy aristocrats. Examples include the Squarcialupi Codex of Italian Trecento music and the Chantilly Codex of French Ars subtilior music, the use of printing enabled sheet music to reproduced much more quickly and at a much lower cost than hand-copying music notation. This helped musical styles to spread to cities and countries more quickly. With music printing, though, a composers music could be printed, as sheet music of major composers pieces and songs began to be printed and distributed in a wider area, this enabled composers and listeners to hear new styles and forms of music. A German composer could buy songs written by an Italian or English composer, and this led to more blending of musical styles from different countries and regions. The pioneer of music printing was Ottaviano Petrucci, a printer and publisher who was able to secure a twenty-year monopoly on printed music in Venice during the 16th century. Venice was one of the business and music centers during this period
4.
Telus
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The company is based in the Vancouver, British Columbia area, it was originally based in Edmonton, Alberta, before its merger with BCTel in 1999. Teluss wireless division, Telus Mobility, offers HSPA+, and LTE-based mobile phone networks, Telus is the incumbent local exchange carrier in British Columbia and Alberta. Teluss primary competitors are Shaw Communications in the Western provinces, and Bell Canada, Telus is a member of the British Columbia Technology Industry Association. In 1995, it acquired Edmonton Telephones Corporation from the City of Edmonton making Telus the sole provider of service in Alberta. In 1996, Telus was introduced to the public as the consumer brand, in 1998, Telus and BCTel announced a proposed merger. The merger was completed in 1999, with the name slightly modified to Telus Corporation. While the merged company chose to retain the Telus name, it moved its headquarters from Edmonton to Vancouver, the merger created Canadas second largest telcom, with 22% of market share compared to Bell Canadas 42%. In 1966, the Anglo-Canadian Telephone Company, a subsidiary of General Telephone and Electronics of Stamford, Connecticut, Anglo-Canadian also owned BCTel, and GTE also owned services in Barbados, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. In 1997, Groupe QuébecTel was established to own Québec Téléphone, following the merger of BCTel with Telus of Alberta, GTE sold its interests in Québec Téléphone to Telus in August 2000, which renamed it Telus Québec on April 2,2001. In late 2004, American telecom Verizon Communications sold its 20. 5% stake in Telus and this was so that Verizon could focus more on its own services. After the Telus-BCTel merger, unionized employees voted to certify the Telecommunications Workers Union as the bargaining agent for the expanded companys workforce. The TWU had previously been the union representing BCTel employees - it replaced the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in Alberta, a labour dispute between Telus and the TWU began after the previous contract, negotiated with BCTel before the Telus merger, expired at the end of 2000. The next day the union went on strike, although the union referred to the dispute as a lockout. On July 25,2005, Telus blocked its Internet subscribers from accessing a website supporting striking union members, the company expressed concerns over content on the site, saying it identified employees crossing picket lines and encouraged disruptive behaviour, while the union alleged it amounted to censorship. An Alberta court injunction ordered the website, Voices For Change, to remove postings of Telus employee photos. The site owner agreed to comply and Telus unblocked the website, Telus and the TWU ratified a tentative agreement on November 18,2005, ending the dispute. The company again closed to new business in June 2012, in February 2013, Telus exchanged all non-voting shares into common shares on a one-for-one basis. In October 2013, Telus acquired minor mobile phone provider Public Mobile, in October 2008, Telus was named one of British Columbias Top Employers by Mediacorp Canada Inc. which was announced by The Vancouver Sun, The Province and the Victoria Times-Colonist
5.
Rogers Communications
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Rogers Communications Inc. is a Canadian communications and media company. It operates particularly in the field of communications, cable television, telephone. The present enterprise dates to 1960, when Rogers son, Ted Rogers and that company acquired CHFI that year, as well as Aldred-Rogers Broadcasting, a partnership with Joel Aldred which helped launch CFTO in 1961. Rogers later bought out Aldred and started the current cable and wireless operations, however, the company also competes nationally with Telus for wireless services, and primarily indirectly with Shaw Communications for television service. This was a breakthrough in the technology and became a key factor in popularizing radio reception, after this invention radios became far more commonplace in the world. No power transformers were needed in these radios In 1931, Rogers Sr. was awarded an experimental television licence in Canada and he was working on radar when, on May 6,1939 he died suddenly due to complications of a hemorrhage. He left a widow, Velma, and a five-year-old son, while his business interests were sold, his son later determined to carry on his fathers business. While Ted Rogers was a student with Tory, Tory, DesLauriers & Binnington, he started Rogers Radio Broadcasting Limited. In 1962, he pioneered stereo broadcasting in FM with CHFI, by making available FM radios to boost FM penetration, which was only at 3% at the time, Ted Rogers was able to make more Canadians aware of FM transmitters. CHFI-FM quickly became one of Canadas most listened to FM radio stations and one of the most popular, Rogerss interests in radio led him to cable television in the mid-1960s. He entered the business in 1967, and was awarded television licences for areas in and around Toronto. In 1974, Rogers Cable Communications expanded past 12 channels, including several multicultural channels, through a reverse-takeover in 1979, Ted Rogerss company, Rogers Cable TV Limited, acquired control of Canadian Cablesystems Limited. In 1980, the company purchased Premier Communications Limited, which almost doubled the number of cable subscribers, as a founding shareholder of Rogers Cantel Inc. which commenced service in 1985, the company entered the mobile phone market. The company operated a national telephone network in Canada in competition with the established telephone companies. Rogers Cantel Mobile Communications Inc. which is now called Rogers Wireless, is now a public company 51% of which is owned by Rogers Communications, between 1979 and 1982, Rogers Communications acquired and built a number of cable television systems in the United States. In March 1989, the completed the sale of its US cable television interests for CDN $1.581 billion. In 1986, Rogers Cablesystems changes its name to present-day Rogers Communications Inc and this led to Rogers Communications Inc. acquiring 40% of Unitel Communications, formerly CNCP Telecommunications, in September 1989. Unitel was granted permission by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission in June 1992 to compete with the Canadian telephone monopolies in the long-distance market, in January 1993, 20% of Unitel Communications was sold to AT&T Corporation
6.
Bell Canada
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Bell Canada is a Canadian telecommunications and media company headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. Its subsidiary Bell Mobility is one of Canadas big three mobile telecommunications providers, while Bell TV provides direct-to-home satellite TV service, Bell Canadas principal competitors are Rogers Communications Canada in Ontario and Vidéotron General Partnership and Telus in Quebec. The company serves over 13 million phone lines and is headquartered at the Campus Bell complex in Montreal, Bell Canada is one of the main assets of the conglomerate BCE Inc. formerly known as Bell Canada Enterprises, Inc. BCE ranked number 262 on the 2011 edition of the Forbes Global 2000 list, Bell Canada operated as the Canadian subsidiary of the Bell System from 1880 to 1975. However, unlike the other regional Bell operating companies, Bell Canada had its own research, in March 1876 he successfully patented his invention in the United States under the title of Improvement In Telegraphy. His device later adopted the now used worldwide, the telephone. In exchange for 1,000 telephones to be provided to the Canadian market, the first supplier of telephones to Bell was a company established by Thomas C. Cowherd and his son James H. Cowherd, in a brick building in Brantford, Ontario. With a government-granted monopoly on Canadian long-distance telephone service, The Bell Telephone Company of Canada was serving 237,000 subscribers by 1914, since its early years The Bell Telephone Company of Canada, Ltd. had been known colloquially as The Bell or Bell Telephone. On March 7,1968, Canadian federal legislation renamed The Bell Telephone Company of Canada, Bell Canada extended lines from Nova Scotia to the foot of the Rocky Mountains in what is now Alberta. However, most of the given to meeting demand for service focused on major cities in Ontario, Quebec. Newfoundland and Labrador joined Canada with several companies, and a government operation that was transferred to the control of Canadian National Railways. Bell acquired interests in all Atlantic companies during the early 1960s, Bell acquired controlling interest in Maritime Telephone and Telegraph Company, later known as MT&T, which also owned PEI-based Island Telephone, and in Bruncorp, the parent company of NBTel in 1966. The purchase of MT&T was made despite efforts of the Nova Scotia legislature on September 10,1966, bell-owned MT&T absorbed some 120 independent companies, most serving fewer than 50 customers each. Bell-owned NewTel purchased the CNR-owned Terra Nova Tel in 1988, newtel, Bruncorp, MT&T and Island Tel later merged into Aliant in the late 1990s, in which Bell Canada now owns. On January 1,2011, Bell purchased the technology services company xwave. Independent companies appeared in areas of Ontario, Quebec and the Maritime provinces without adequate Bell Canada service. Alongside the acquisition of Charon Systems, Nexxlink now operates today as Bell Business Solutions—a division of Bell Canada, Quebec, however, still has large swaths of relatively rural areas served by Telus Québec and Télébec and by some 20 small independent companies
7.
Bell Internet
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Bell Internet, originally and frequently still called Sympatico, is the residential Internet service provider division of BCE Inc. As of May 3,2012, Bell Internet has over 3 million subscribers in Ontario and Quebec, Bell Fibe Internet is offered at the following speeds, 15/10 Mbit/s, 25/10 Mbit/s, 50/10 Mbit/s, 150/50 Mbit/s, 300/100 Mbit/s, and 1 Gbit/s/100 Mbit/s. Sympatico was launched on November 29,1995, starting in Summer 2003, Sympatico tried to differentiate its service from its competitors by adding value-added services. This meant the launch of Radial Points suite of antivirus, firewall, although a fee was originally required, this is no longer the case, as Bell now provides the service at no extra charge for DSL customers. In 2004, Sympatico added a wireless modem-router hardware upgrade and Microsofts MSN Premium software to its portfolio, in Summer 2007, Sympatico packaged its Security suite and wireless home networking modem together with its high speed offering as Sympatico Total Internet. Bell Sympatico changed its name to Bell Internet on August 8,2008, on January 3,2012, customer advocacy blog Stop The Cap. In May 2012, Bell launched new fiber-to-the-home plans and simplified its slower DSL plans, FTTH regions can now download and upload at symmetric speeds of up to 175 Mbit/s. The previous changes for lower bandwidth caps were reverted for the new Fibe 15/1, the Fibe 5/1 plan replaced the older Essential, Essential Plus, Fibe 6 and Fibe 7 plans. The bandwidth cap for Fibe 5/1, however, was lowered from 25 GB to 15 GB, the Fibe 50/50 FTTH plan was removed from Bells website by February 2013. In its place, a Fibe 50/10 FTTN plan was available for the first time. During that same month, usage caps for the 15/10, 25/10 and 50/10 plans were lowered by 15,25 and 75 GB respectively, February also saw the addition of an unlimited Internet usage add-on for Bell Internet. It costs $30/month and can be added to any residential plan and those who subscribe to telephony and residential television from Bell can obtain a $20/month discount on the unlimited Internet usage add-on. When Bell started its DSL Internet service, then known as Sympatico, it offered one DSL modem. Later, it added more models with routing and wireless LAN capabilities built-in, customers previously had to pay extra for such capabilities. Today, both of these features are standard in both all-in-one devices Bell lends to its customers, standard DSL customers must rent Bells 2Wire 2701HG-G device, which can create 802. 11g wireless access point. VDSL customers consist of any service with more than 1 Mbit/s of upload speed, and they must rent the Cellpipe router 802. 11n-capable device instead, which also bundles a superior DSL modem. The SpeedStream 5200 is a basic, legacy device, distributed during the early 2000s, the SpeedStream 6520 is a wireless-capable, legacy device, distributed during the mid-2000s, The back of the SpeedStream 6520. Four RJ45 ports, one USB port and 802. 11g wireless LAN antenna for connectivity can be seen, the 2Wire 2701HG-G is Bells current device for standard DSL customers, distributed since 2009
8.
Internet
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The Internet is the global system of interconnected computer networks that use the Internet protocol suite to link devices worldwide. The origins of the Internet date back to research commissioned by the United States federal government in the 1960s to build robust, the primary precursor network, the ARPANET, initially served as a backbone for interconnection of regional academic and military networks in the 1980s. Although the Internet was widely used by academia since the 1980s, Internet use grew rapidly in the West from the mid-1990s and from the late 1990s in the developing world. In the two decades since then, Internet use has grown 100-times, measured for the period of one year, newspaper, book, and other print publishing are adapting to website technology, or are reshaped into blogging, web feeds and online news aggregators. The entertainment industry was initially the fastest growing segment on the Internet, the Internet has enabled and accelerated new forms of personal interactions through instant messaging, Internet forums, and social networking. Business-to-business and financial services on the Internet affect supply chains across entire industries, the Internet has no centralized governance in either technological implementation or policies for access and usage, each constituent network sets its own policies. The term Internet, when used to refer to the global system of interconnected Internet Protocol networks, is a proper noun. In common use and the media, it is not capitalized. Some guides specify that the word should be capitalized when used as a noun, the Internet is also often referred to as the Net, as a short form of network. Historically, as early as 1849, the word internetted was used uncapitalized as an adjective, the designers of early computer networks used internet both as a noun and as a verb in shorthand form of internetwork or internetworking, meaning interconnecting computer networks. The terms Internet and World Wide Web are often used interchangeably in everyday speech, however, the World Wide Web or the Web is only one of a large number of Internet services. The Web is a collection of interconnected documents and other web resources, linked by hyperlinks, the term Interweb is a portmanteau of Internet and World Wide Web typically used sarcastically to parody a technically unsavvy user. The ARPANET project led to the development of protocols for internetworking, the third site was the Culler-Fried Interactive Mathematics Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara, followed by the University of Utah Graphics Department. In an early sign of growth, fifteen sites were connected to the young ARPANET by the end of 1971. These early years were documented in the 1972 film Computer Networks, early international collaborations on the ARPANET were rare. European developers were concerned with developing the X.25 networks, in December 1974, RFC675, by Vinton Cerf, Yogen Dalal, and Carl Sunshine, used the term internet as a shorthand for internetworking and later RFCs repeated this use. Access to the ARPANET was expanded in 1981 when the National Science Foundation funded the Computer Science Network, in 1982, the Internet Protocol Suite was standardized, which permitted worldwide proliferation of interconnected networks.5 Mbit/s and 45 Mbit/s. Commercial Internet service providers emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the ARPANET was decommissioned in 1990
9.
Flo Rida
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Tramar Lacel Dillard, known professionally as Flo Rida, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter from Carol City, Florida. His 2008 breakout single Low was number one for 10 weeks in the United States, Flo Ridas debut studio album, 2008s Mail on Sunday, reached number four in the US. The album was succeeded by R. O. O. T. S and his subsequent albums, 2010s Only One Flo and 2012s Wild Ones, also charted on the US Billboard 200 chart. Flo Rida has sold over 80 million digital downloads, making him one of the music artists. His catalog includes the international singles Right Round, Club Cant Handle Me, Good Feeling, Wild Ones, Whistle, I Cry, G. D. F. R. and My House. Flo Rida was born as Tramar Lacel Dillard in Carol City, Florida and his parents raised him and his seven sisters together, some of whom sang in a local gospel group. His brother-in-law was a man for local rap group 2 Live Crew. The GroundHoggz had been a group, with members who lived in the same apartment complex as Flo Rida. They started recording at underground studios in Carver Ranches, the GroundHoggz, in this four-man incarnation, remained together for eight years. Flo Ridas work with 2 Live Crew member Fresh Kid Ice, attracted the attention of DeVante Swing, however, he was rejected by several of the major labels, so he sought many other jobs outside of music. After graduating from school in 1998, he studied international business management at the University of Nevada. He returned to Florida to continue pursuing his career after receiving a phone call from a representative of the independent label Poe Boy Entertainment. Flo Rida signed with Hot Boyz, in 2000 and with Poe Boy, in 2004 and began affiliating himself for Cash Money with other Southern hip hop artists, such as Rick Ross, Trina, T-Pain, and Trick Daddy. A promotional single entitled Birthday, featuring Rick Ross, was his first significant release. He made his debut guest appearance with the song Bitch Im From Dade County on DJ Khaleds album We the Best, which also features Trick Daddy, Trina, Rick Ross, Brisco, C-Ride, Flo Ridas debut album, Mail on Sunday, was released in March 2008. The first single was Low, featuring T-Pain, which was included in the soundtrack to the movie Step Up 2. Low reached No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Elevator, featuring Timbaland, In the Ayer featuring will. i. am, and Roll featuring Sean Kingston followed, and both charted on the Hot 100 and other charts. In addition to T-Pain, there were featured guests throughout Mail on Sunday
10.
Kesha
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Kesha Rose Sebert is an American singer, songwriter, and rapper. In 2005, at age 18, Kesha was signed to producer Dr. Lukes label Kemosabe Records and her breakthrough came in early 2009 after appearing on American rapper Flo Ridas number-one single Right Round. Her debut album, Animal, and her first extended play, Keshas music and image propelled her to immediate commercial success, with Animal debuting as the number-one album in the United States. She also achieved two number-one singles, Tik Tok and We R Who We R, and a string of singles from the album. At the same time, she continued to write songs for other artists, Warrior, her second studio album, was released in 2012, spawning Keshas eighth top-ten single with Die Young, and her ninth and tenth Top 40 hits with CMon and Crazy Kids. Tik Tok is among the digital singles in history, selling over 14 million units internationally. Influenced by various genres and artists, Kesha primarily draws inspiration from music of the 1980s, Madonna, Queen, after experimenting with country, pop rock, and electronic music, Kesha stuck with the latter. Thematically, her music generally revolves around escapism, partying, individuality, supernatural moments, rebellion, Kesha has been involved with animal rights and LGBT activism. She has received awards and nominations, including her win for MTV Europe Music Award for Best New Act in 2010. As of November 2013, she has sold over 33 million records in the United States and 60 million records worldwide. Her recorded output has been curtailed since 2013 due to a dispute with her former producer Dr. Luke. Kesha alleged physical and emotional abuse and employment discrimination against Dr. Luke, while Dr. Luke claims breach of contract, Kesha was born in Los Angeles, California. Pebe, a mother, struggled financially while supporting herself, Kesha. When Kesha was an infant, Pebe would often have to look after her onstage while performing, Kesha says she has no knowledge of her fathers identity, though she has speculated that he may be Mick Jagger. Her mother is of German and Hungarian descent, one of Keshas great-grandfathers was Polish. Pebe moved the family to Nashville, Tennessee, in 1991 after securing a new publishing deal for her songwriting, Pebe frequently brought Kesha and her brothers along to recording studios and encouraged Kesha to sing when she noticed Keshas vocal talent. Kesha attended Franklin High School and Brentwood High School, but claimed that she did not fit in and she played the trumpet and later the saxophone in the marching band in school, and described herself in an interview with NPR as being a diligent student. After attaining a score on her SATs, she was offered a full scholarship at Barnard College
11.
Kelly Clarkson
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Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American singer and songwriter. She rose to fame in 2002 after winning the first season of American Idol, Clarksons debut single, A Moment Like This, topped the Billboard Hot 100 and became the best-selling single of 2002 in the U. S. It was followed with her studio album, Thankful, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. Trying to reinvent her own image, Clarkson decided to part ways with American Idol management and developed a pop sound for her second album. It sold over 15 million copies worldwide and earned Clarkson two Grammy Awards and she took further creative control for her third album, My December, by becoming the executive producer and co-writing the entire material. However, it caused feud with her label, that was dissatisfied with her darker, less commercial rock music, Clarkson returned to the top of the charts with her more mainstream-oriented fourth album, All I Ever Wanted. Its lead single, My Life Would Suck Without You, holds the record for the biggest jump to one on the Billboard Hot 100. She scored another Hot 100 number-one single with Stronger from her studio album. Clarkson also became the first act to win the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album twice. Her sixth studio album and first Christmas record, Wrapped in Red, ended up as the holiday album of the year. Her seventh and final album under RCA, Piece by Piece, was her album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200. Its title track became her eleventh single on the Hot 100. She signed with Atlantic Records in 2016 and has prepared a soul-influenced album for a 2017 release, Clarkson has sold over 70 million records worldwide and scored a total of 100 number ones on the Billboard charts. Her accolades include three Grammy Awards, three MTV Video Music Awards, twelve Billboard Music Awards, four American Music Awards, and two Academy of Country Music Awards. Often called one of the best vocalists in the industry, Clarkson is known for her powerhouse voice and she became the first artist in history to top each of Billboards pop, adult contemporary, country and dance charts. She was ranked nineteenth on VH1s list of 100 Greatest Women in Music, Clarkson has also ventured into television and film, as well as writing childrens book. Clarkson was born in Fort Worth, Texas, to Jeanne Ann, a first-grade English teacher, and Stephen Michael Clarkson and she is the youngest of three children with a brother named Jason and a sister named Alyssa. Clarkson also has two half brothers from her fathers second marriage
12.
Usher (musician)
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Usher Raymond IV is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. Born in Dallas, Texas but raised and lived in Chattanooga, Tennessee until moving to Atlanta, at the age of 12, his mother put him in local singing competitions, before catching the attention of a music A&R from LaFace Records. In 1994 he released his debut album, Usher. 8701 produced the number-one singles U Remind Me and U Got It Bad and it sold 8 million copies worldwide and won his first two Grammy Awards as Best Male R&B Vocal Performance in 2002 and 2003. Confessions established him as one of the musical artists of the 2000s decade. Bolstered by its four consecutive Billboard Hot 100 number one singles, Burn, Confessions Part II, and My Boo, it has been certified Diamond by the RIAA. Here I Stand and Raymond v. Raymond, debuted atop of the Billboard 200, the EP, Versus, also produced the Hot 100 top-five single DJ Got Us Fallin in Love. Looking 4 Myself, also debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart, Raymond v. Raymond and Looking 4 Myself received Grammy Awards for R&B singles There Goes My Baby and Climax. Hard II Love peaked at five of the Billboard 200 albums chart. Usher has sold 23.8 million albums and 38.2 million digital songs in the United States, to date, his worldwide sales stand at 43 million albums and 75 million records overall, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Usher has won awards and accolades including 18 Billboard Music Awards and 8 Grammy Awards. Billboard also placed him at number 6 on their list of Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years, Usher has attained 9 US Hot 100 number-one singles. Considered an icon and sex symbol, he was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, in 2008, he started his own record label Raymond-Braun Media Group, a joint venture with talent manager Scooter Braun that includes Canadian singer Justin Bieber. Usher was born in Dallas, Texas, the son of Jonetta Patton, from Tennessee, Usher spent the majority of his young life in Chattanooga, his father left the family when Usher was a year old. Usher grew up with his mother, then-stepfather, and half-brother, while in Atlanta, Usher attended North Springs High School. At age 10, Usher joined an R&B local quintet called the NuBeginnings, Usher recorded 10 songs with the group in 1991, and the ensuing album, Nubeginning Featuring Usher Raymond IV, was only made available regionally and by mail order. However, Patton took him out because, according to her, the album was re-released nationally in April 2002 by Hip-O Records. At age 13, Usher would meet A. J, alexander at local talent show in Atlanta
