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Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:27 Adele
British soul-pop chanteuse Adele (nee Adele Laurie Blue Adkins) is a stunning young talent with a huge voice. After she recorded a few songs, a friend set up a MySpace page for her in early 2005; record execs discovered her there in their hunt for the "next Lily Allen." After signing to XL, she suffered from a terribly ill-timed case of writer's block -- that is until she fell in and out of love. A breakup opened the floodgates of emotion and creativity, resulting in her debut album 19. Inspired by great soul dames like Etta James and Billie Holiday and other singers such as Bjork, Jeff Buckley, Dusty Springfield and Jill Scott, Adele's sense of staggering, heartbreaking honesty and artistry are evidence of her superwoman resilience and everywoman experiences. - ABRUNO

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:51 Drake
A biracial, half-Canadian, half-American heartthrob offspring of a multi-generational musical family who first shot to fame in the early '00s playing an injured high school basketballer on TV's Degrassi: The Next Generation, the rapper born Aubrey Drake Graham is an unlikely candidate to serve as hip-hop's latest great hope. But that's what he's been shaking out as, ever since his self-released 2007 mix tape, Comeback Season, brought him to the attention of Lil Wayne, the first of several superstars he has managed to collaborate with before even releasing a debut album. The list now includes Kanye West, Mary J. Blige and others, and it shows no signs of letting up, especially given Drake's starring role in two of 2009's more inescapable summer hip-hop singles: his own "Best I Ever Had" and Young Money Entertainment's "Every Girl." As with the early Kanye, Drake's persona bridges the gap between street smarts and backpacker emo; it's clear, too, that he can sing as nimbly as he raps. Talk about a future multi-threat; he doesn't even need to cross over to acting, because he's already been there. In 2010, Drake certified his superstar status with Thank Me Later, one of the year's biggest sellers. - CEDDY

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:22 Rihanna
Talent and a dose of good luck got Barbados-born Rihanna signed to Def Jam when she was 16 years old. She was discovered by producer Evan Rogers during his island visit in 2003, and went on to impress Def Jam CEO Jay-Z so much that he grabbed her for a multi-album contract. The singer's first single, "Pon de Replay," was released in June 2005, with the full album Music of the Sun dropping a month later. But her big break came in 2006 with the release of the single "S.O.S." and the subsequent album A Girl Like Me. The single, which sampled Soft Cell's "Tainted Love," was one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially popular songs of that year. Though Rihanna had basically moved away from dancehall, she was moving toward a new aesthetic that married R&B, synth-pop and hip-hop. She continued in this direction with 2007's Good Girl Gone Bad, which featured the infectious singles "Umbrella" and "Shut Up and Drive." In early 2009, she was assaulted by then-boyfriend Chris Brown en route to a pre-Grammys party; that November, she released Rated R, a highly personal album with an unmistakable darkness. The next year, she issued her fifth album, Loud. - SCHENNAULT

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:27 Lil Wayne
One of Southern rap's most enduring and talented emcees, New Orleans' Lil Wayne began rapping at the tender age of 11. By the time he was 15, he'd linked up with Juvenile, Turk and B.G. and formed the immensely popular Hot Boys group on Cash Money Records. Though the emcees showed promise, many listeners focused on the post-Bounce production of Mannie Fresh, and regarded Wayne as a fresh-faced vehicle for the producer. But Wayne went solo in 1999 with Tha Block Is Hot. His raps focus on youthful rebellion, New Orleans style -- crack, girls and turf supremacy are paramount. Lights Out, released in 2000, and 2002's 500 Degreez established Wayne as a true force in a shifting hip-hop landscape. With 2004's Tha Carter and its 2005 follow-up, Tha Carter II, he made a case for himself as the South's preeminent rapper, with a supple flow, witty lyrics and ample charisma. He wrapped up the trilogy with 2008's Tha Carter III, featuring the inescapable hit "Lollipop," and continued to expand his horizons across mixtapes, the rock-leaning single "Prom Queen" and even a performance alongside Kid Rock at the Country Music Awards. Now a full-fledged pop star, he dabbled in rock music for 2010's Rebirth, while nurturing his Young Money Entertainment clique and rising stars like Drake, Nicki Minaj and Tyga. - SCHENNAULT

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:20 Glee Cast
Have you ever been listening to Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" and thought, "You know what would sound really freaking awesome? This song, performed in multi-part choreography by a high school glee club"? Well, friend, 2009 was your lucky year, then. Fox premiered Glee, its musical-comedy about a high school glee club full of underdogs and misfits with fabulous voices and their plucky Spanish teacher leader (played by musical theater actor Matthew Morrison). Then, the network quickly began an unconventional marketing campaign: they started releasing the cast's "Glee-ful" pop covers as singles -- and it worked. One after another, the slick, show choir versions of "Don't Stop Believin,'" Kanye West's "Gold Digger," Rihanna's "Take a Bow," Heart's "Alone" and Queen's "Somebody to Love" made their way onto the pop charts. While the camptastic aesthetic is certainly part of the appeal, most of the credit goes to the talented cast, which includes musical theater vet Lea Michele as an uber-ambitious social pariah/would-be star with killer pipes, Cory Monteith as the sweet but clueless popular jock/Journey fan and the inimitable Jane Lynch as a Machiavellian cheerleading coach. - RDEVITT

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:27 Beyonce
Beyonce Knowles, the leader of Destiny's Child, always knew she wanted to be a star. She formed the first incarnation of Destiny's Child in 1990 -- when she was 9 years old. By 2001, the group began to dissolve. Knowles nabbed a lead role in Mike Myers' Austin Powers: Goldmember; an appearance in MTV's Carmen: A Hip Hopera cemented her reputation as a formidable entertainer. Her solo debut, Dangerously in Love, came out in 2003. The first single, "Crazy in Love," was a duet with beau Jay-Z that zoomed to the top of the charts. B'Day, her stunning 2006 sophomore turn, featured hits like "Deja Vu" and "Ring the Alarm." Later that year, Beyonce starred as Deena Jones in the Oscar-winning movie musical Dreamgirls. In 2007, Beyonce made a Latin-crossover attempt, dueting with Shakira on "Beautiful Liar" and releasing a deluxe edition of B'Day, featuring "Amor Gitano" with Mexican crooner Alejandro Fernandez and a Spanish version of the anthem "Irreplaceable." For her third studio album, I Am ... Sasha Fierce, Beyonce split herself into two personae -- the tender, traditional Beyonce and the club diva Sasha Fierce. - LRYAN

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:43 Lady Gaga
Raised on a musical diet of Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles, Lady Gaga brings a sense of theatrical fashion and attitude to her dance-inspired, electro-rock performances. Named after Queen's "Radio Gaga," the pop fashionista took the fast lane to success, starting at age four when she learned to play piano by ear. At 14, she began performing at open-mic nights in and around New York City's Lower East Side. After graduating from Convent of the Sacred Heart school (the elite private institution Paris Hilton attended), Gaga earned a coveted spot at the famed Tisch School of the Arts. Soon after, she started writing songs for the Pussycat Dolls, and at age 20, she was signed to Interscope Records. In 2009, she became one of pop culture's most ubiquitous figures, with the songs "Just Dance" and "Pokerface" dominating the pop charts and her public antics (Kermit dresses! A possible penis?) dominating discussions from TMZ to the blogosphere. Though Gaga's 2009 tour with Kanye West was cancelled, the fact that she was the one to call it off only confirmed her status as one of pop's reigning divas. - JSANCHEZ

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:48 LMFAO
LMFAO's M.O. is encoded in the Los Angeles duo's very name, and its music is made to match: loud, brash and cheerfully irreverent. Dirty South-derived hip-hop forms the core of their sound, with its booming 808 bass drums and ravey synth stabs, but if these guys are O.G., it's more like Original Goofball, gleefully tweaking convention with a cartoonish fusion of crunk and nu-electro. Members Sky Blu and Redfoo (Sky's uncle) got their start DJing a mixture of commercial hip-hop and club music, and soon were producing their own beats to play out. After soaking up the sun at the South Beach dance-music festival Winter Music Conference, they returned to L.A. and banged out "I'm in Miami Bitch," a tongue-in-cheek ode to the good life that racked up 19 million MySpace plays (and counting). In 2009, Interscope released their debut album, the self-explanatory Party Rock. - PSHERBURNE

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:21 Maroon 5
The key to Maroon 5's chart domination is an unvarying torrent of broadly palatable blue-eyed soul, but the band's story is ultimately one of chameleonic transformations. Members of the group first met at a private junior high in the L.A. 'burbs in the early '90s, where they formed a group called Kara's Flowers to emulate the grungy pop that then ruled the airwaves. Although they landed a major deal while most of the group was still in high school, by the late '90s the band was dropped. Two years later, singer Adam Levine and company surfaced on the other side of an immense musical awakening, ditching the barn-big guitars and chugging riffs for a style of RnB-infused pop marked by Levine's sassy falsetto. They got some snappy duds, adopted the Maroon 5 moniker, added guitar ringer James Valentine and hit pay dirt. Their 2002 debut, Songs About Jane, started slow, but eventually infected the Top 40 with one hit after the next, making the group a staple of the FM airwaves. Jane was followed by a pair of live recordings, but a proper sophomore release didn't come until 2007's blockbusting It Won't Be Soon Before Long. - NCAVALIERI

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:22 Katy Perry
Katy Perry may or may not actually be gay, but she's certainly made her young career with coy, playful references to sexuality -- her own and her paramours'. The young Californian singer-songwriter first generated a heaping helping of online buzz in 2007 with "Ur So Gay," in which she accuses a disappointing boyfriend who "doesn't even like boys" of being, well, take a guess. Then, in 2008, she shot up the charts with the Sapphic sweet-talker "I Kissed a Girl." Kind of a surprising turn of events for the daughter of two pastors who wasn't allowed to listen to secular music as a kid and got her start in Christian music, releasing a 2001 album under then name Katy Hudson. Or maybe not -- if you believe the old saw about preacher's daughters and once you learn that Perry says her life changed when she discovered Queen as a teenager. By 2004, she'd worked with Glen Ballard (Alanis Morissette) and the Matrix (Avril Lavigne), been signed to Columbia and been hailed by the likes of Blender as the Next Big Thing! But nothing really clicked until she released her debut, One of the Boys, on Capitol in 2008, followed by 2010's Teenage Dream. - RDEVITT

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:26 Bruno Mars
When you begin life impersonating musical royalty, becoming king of the charts one day yourself is only logical. OK, so most Elvis and Michael Jackson impersonators don't rise to the heights that Bruno Mars has. Then again, most of them probably don't have this singer/songwriter/producer's well-rounded talent or tenacity. Born Peter Hernandez in Waikiki, Hawaii, to a musical family (dad's a bandleader, mom's a singer), Mars moved to L.A. after high school to try his luck at a recording career. A fruitless tenure at Motown almost sent him packing back to Hawaii before songwriter Philip Lawrence talked him into writing and producing for others. As the Smeezingtons, the duo (along with Ari Levine) created massive hits like Flo Rida's "Right Round," Brandy's "Long Distance," Travie McCoy's "Billionaire" and B.o.B.'s "Nothin' on You" -- the final two of which featured Mars on guest vocals and finally began to garner some attention for his singing chops. Atlantic snapped up the pop whiz kid, releasing his hit single "Just the Way You Are" in July 2010, followed by Mars' debut full-length. - RDEVITT

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:22 Kelly Clarkson
The first-ever American Idol, Kelly Clarkson won over America with her soulful voice, bubbly personality and "small-town girl makes it big" story. Before Idol, the native Texan had made a dismal run at Hollywood, and after she hightailed it back to Burleson, her friends convinced her to audition for the competition. The show launched Clarkson, and her debut album proved that America had voted correctly. "A Moment Like This" was a colossal hit, and the album went multiplatinum, winning Clarkson her first Grammy (for "Miss Independent"). On second album Breakaway, Clarkson distanced herself from Idol's ickier aspects (From Justin to Kelly, anyone?) and went off in a new direction: adult contemporary-approved rocker chick. She then released My December in 2007. Co-written by Clarkson, the album is a more honest reflection of the A.I. heroine. In fact, RCA tycoon Clive Davis deemed it too negative and offered her $10 million to scratch some of the songs. Clarkson refused the offer and held her ground. Her next album, 2009's All I Ever Wanted, lightened My December's darkness with the pop touch that made fans fall in love with her in the first place. - RDEVITT

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:37 Michael Jackson
It doesn't really matter if Michael Jackson bullied the world's media into calling him the King of Pop in the early 1990s or if they just started using that sobriquet on their own. Either way, he earned it. Whether singing "I Want You Back" as the 11-year-old frontman of the Jackson 5, breaking the MTV color line with the explosive "Billie Jean" or defending the world's downtrodden and misunderstood (himself, that is), Jackson set the standard for pop singing, songwriting, dancing and, let's face it, weirdness for the better part of a quarter century. He came of age in the Jackson 5, then moonwalked out of the family's clutches and into his own universe with three groundbreaking albums made with producer Quincy Jones. Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad blended soul, funk and rock influences into a taut dance-pop that transformed the sound of radio for the rest of the century. Singers and producers from Madonna to Timbaland are still trying to catch up. Prosecutors and paparazzi have been playing catch-up, too, with some of Jackson's questionable life choices, and since the late 1990s, he has seemingly spent more time in the tabloids than on the pop charts. On June 25th, 2009, Michael Jackson passed away at the age of 50. - MKARAS

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:29 Chris Brown
With his handsome looks and slick, Michael Jackson-inspired dance moves, Chris Brown became one of the biggest R&B stars of the 2000s. He seemed very close to achieving pop mega-stardom -- until an ill-timed domestic abuse scandal nearly destroyed his career. Born in Virginia, Brown honed his rapping and singing skills as an adolescent. After his family moved to New York, a label bidding war ensued. Released on Jive Records in 2005, "Run It!" became the 16-year-old Brown's first No. 1 hit. His subsequent self-titled debut included two more Top 10 hits. He solidified his stardom with 2007's platinum Exclusive, which featured "Kiss Kiss," "With You" and "Forever." That same year, Brown got to show off his excellent krumping skills on Stomp the Yard, and he landed a role in This Christmas. But his high-profile romance with fellow "pop&B" star Rihanna ended in disaster when he assaulted her on the evening before the 2009 Grammy Awards. Lingering negative public opinion ensured that his third album, 2009's Graffiti, would be a flop. In 2010, Brown made an impressive comeback with "Deuces," and defying all odds, 2011's F.A.M.E. became his first No. 1 album. - MREEVES

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:50 Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj captivated the music world before she even released an official album, landing magazine covers as well as collaborations with Usher, Mariah Carey, Ludacris and others. Such is the life of a protege of Lil Wayne, one of the biggest artists in popular music. But Minaj isn't a New Orleans rapper; she actually hails from Jamaica, Queens, and got her start on the Rotten Apple mixtape circuit. Lil Wayne discovered her and brought her into his ever-growing Young Money collective. She quickly stood out with a hypersexual, bi-curious persona, fantastic rhyme schemes and outlandish costumes that toyed with a "Barbie world" image. The 2009 group album We Are Young Money (and its accompanying hits like "BedRock") as well as spotlight-stealing guest verses for Ludacris ("My Chick Bad") and Usher ("Lil Freak") brought her national exposure. As the hype and controversy (including a "beef" with prototypical gangster mistress Lil' Kim) reached a fever pitch, Minaj released her first hit single, "Your Love." At the end of 2010 she released her debut album, Pink Friday. It quickly went platinum and launched hits including "Right Thru Me" and "Moment 4 Life." - MREEVES

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:21 Pitbull
Repping for the oft-neglected city of Miami, Cuban-American rapper Pitbull hit the scene in the summer of 2004, finding big success with his Lil Jon collabo single "Culo." With a potent mix of crunked-out production, sex-fiend lyrics and Hispanic pride, his debut LP M.I.A.M.I. (Money Is A Major Issue) catapulted the young emcee into rap stardom, especially in the South and among Latinos. With releases like El Mariel and The Boatlift, he has continued making songs with insightful social commentary while proving his ability to move the masses with his club anthems. - BWINNING

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:53 Michael Buble
Michael Buble, the Canadian retro crooner, grew up listening to such influences as Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin and Ella Fitzgerald. Egged on by his grandfather, Buble became a showbiz kid who loved performing and at age 17 he won the top prize in the Canadian Youth Talent Search. After releasing a number of independent albums, Buble went stateside and joined the touring company of the much-praised Broadway show Swing. After being featured as a nightclub singer in the movie Totally Blonde (2001), Buble signed to Reprise Records -- the label started by Sinatra - and released his self-titled disc in 2003. Touring and TV appearances spotlighted Buble's stage presence and his "I don't need studio trickery" talent and resulted in the album hitting the charts a number of different times. Buble's skills as a live performer were highlighted on the strong seller Come Fly With Me, which was followed by It's Time (2005), which shot to No. 1 in Canada and topped the U.S. jazz charts. - NDEDINA

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 03:41 Usher
By the time he entered puberty, Usher had a record deal and a gold album. By the time he graduated high school, he was one of the most visible artists in R&B. Between 1994 and 2004, he released six albums, appeared in several films and earned multiple platinum records. However, 2004 was the year he reached the upper echelons of superstardom, thanks to the chart-topping, Lil Jon-produced "Yeah!" His subsequent album, Confessions, netted him three Grammys and sold 11 million copies. In the four years that followed Confessions' release, Usher found himself embroiled in a series of widely publicized controversies surrounding his mother, who was also his manager until Usher "resigned her." In 2008, he got back in the spotlight for musical reasons with the ubiquitous summer jam "Love in This Club" from Here I Stand. After that album, Usher again found his personal life making headlines thanks to his drama-ridden divorce from Tameka Foster. This time around, he channeled his struggles into his craft, namely the edgier, introspective 2010 album Raymond vs. Raymond. - RDEVITT

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:21 Flo Rida
Flo Rida (born Tramar Dillard) is the quintessential singles artist. Tracks such as "Low," "Elevator" and "Right Round" have been ubiquitous in the clubs and on the radio and have topped digital sales. Still, his debut album, 2007's Mail on Sunday, was by most measures a commercial flop. Listeners see him as essentially utilitarian. They expect him to deliver the bigger-than-God club bangers, and they'll gladly fork over for a dollar for the single, but most don't want to make any long-term commitments. It's as if Flo Rida is the hip-hop equivalent of a one-night stand. For 2009's R.O.O.T.S., the Carol City emcee attempted to break out of that pattern. The result is an album that is better rounded and exhibits a greater artistic debt. - SCHENNAULT

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:55 Britney Spears
Britney. Over the past decade the name has dominated pop charts and tabloids. Uttered with a mix of adoration and repulsion, the first name of Britney Spears exists as shorthand for the magnificent mess of contemporary pop culture. It's been quite a ride for the former Mouseketeer, who first appeared in pearly smile and short skirt on the cover of 1999's ...Baby One More Time, with a glut of sugary singles. By 2000's Oops! I Did It Again, she was a household name and a pop-music icon, and not yet 20 years old. Two more LPs -- Britney and In the Zone -- were increasingly inflected with RnB and hip-hop, though flagging chart performances and record sales soon made her as much media sensation as music maker. Fueled by a messy breakup with Justin Timberlake, two sensational marriages (one commenced in Vegas and ended only 55 hours later; the other was to former backup dancer Kevin Federline) and rumors of drug and alcohol abuse, Britney's public image was in nonstop tailspin through much of the mid '00s. By 2007, the 'tween audience that squealed about her debut was engorged by tales of panty-less partying, drug-treatment programs and a custody battle over her two children with Federline. But Britney's a pro: she pulled life and career together, and by 2011, had released three massively popular albums (including two, 2007's Blackout and 2011's Femme Fatale, that many critics considered the best of her career). - NCAVALIERI

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:48 The Black Eyed Peas
Hailing from Los Angeles, the Black Eyed Peas date back to the early 1990s, when group founders Will.I.Am and Apl de Ap parlayed their breakdancing skills into a band called Atban Klann. Eazy-E eventually signed them to Ruthless Records, although the label didn't really know how to market their non-violent sound, and their album was shelved. After Eazy passed away, they picked up a third member, Taboo, and began performing around L.A. as Black Eyed Peas. Known for their positive lyrics and lively show, complete with singers and dancers, they developed a strong buzz, which led to a deal with Interscope and their 1998 debut, Behind the Front. They returned with Bridging the Gap two years later, bulking up their sound through collaborations with Premier, Mos Def and De La Soul, among others. For their third LP, 2003's Elephunk, the group added Fergie to the mix and scored enormous hits with the singles "Let's Get It Started" (originally called "Let's Get Retarded") and "Where Is the Love?" which launched them into the stratosphere and paved the way for extensive touring, advertising work, and a Grammy Award. In 2005, they released their fourth album Monkey Business, which included the single "Don't Phunk With My Heart, plus collaborations with James Brown, Justin Timberlake, and Sting, among others. As with Outkast, BEP's creative production style and anti-gangsta/good times vibes have endeared them to listeners who generally shy away from rap music, while simultaneously lighting up the airwaves and moving millions of units. - BWINNING

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:54 David Guetta
You could be forgiven for thinking that David Guetta is famous simply for being famous: that's the message, however ironic, of "F*** Me I'm Famous," the name of both his long-running Ibiza residency and his first mix CD. But the French DJ and producer has earned his acclaim, repurposing soulful deep house with a shiny French touch and adding radio-ready vocals for a package that's pure pop panache.

Guetta's career as a producer began in 1992, when he released "Up and Away" with the Chicago vocalist Robert Owens, but it wasn't until seven years later that he returned with "Just a Little More Love," a catchy tribal-house cut. The following year, his debut album proved that its title cut was no fluke: full of hooks and vocals, the record augmented charging house beats with touches of gospel and electro and even a jubilant remix of David Bowie's "Heroes." In 2004 Guetta returned with Guetta Blaster, featuring club hits like Depeche Mode-flavored "The World Is Mine" and "Love Don't Let Me Go Walking Away," his smash collaboration with U.K. festival favorites the Egg; it also includes a rare downtempo remix from Paul Oakenfold. In 2009 he set his eyes firmly on the pop charts with One Love, featuring guest vocals from Ne-Yo, Kid Cudi and Will.I.Am.

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:29 Pink
If cultivating an iconoclast status is a career, then Pink is one serious go-getter. Since her 2000 debut, the husky-voiced singer has overhauled her sound several times, changed her hair color even more, married motocross star Carey Hart and taken George Bush to task. Then there's "Stupid Girls," the 2006 single in which Pink skewered tabloid perennials like Jessica Simpson and Paris Hilton. Born Alecia Moore, she started dancing and singing backup at club nights in Philadelphia at age 13 and eventually went solo with Can't Take Me Home. Pink recruited Linda Perry to co-write her second album, 2001's M!ssundaztood, a collection of soulful pop-rock that spawned the hit "Get the Party Started." She then collaborated with Rancid's Tim Armstrong on 2003's Try This. The album didn't do well, and Pink took some time off to regroup and get married, getting back to the business of spitfire sass with 2006's I'm Not Dead. She has produced many of her own albums, built side careers in both songwriting and horror-film acting, and won a pair of Grammy Awards -- experiences that all informed the outspoken Funhouse in 2008. - RDEVITT

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:21 Seal
In this age when marketers prefer to direct music at narrow audiences, Seal combines pop, R&B, hip-hop and moody rock with a down-tempo dance vibe. The wide appeal and wide range of his sound is, in many ways, a product of the British singer's multifaceted background. Born Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Ongowe' Bongota Adelo Samuel to a Nigerian father and Brazilian mother, Seal earned a degree in architecture and worked as a leather clothing designer before joining the English funk band Push in the 1980s and, later, a blues band in Thailand. His most fortuitous collaboration was with house and techno producer Adamski, with whom Seal created 1990's "Killer." The No. 1 hit earned him a solo record contract. His eponymous 1991 debut produced the smash hit "Crazy," as well as a fruitful partnership between Seal and famed producer Trevor Horn. Over the next 16 years, Seal released four more albums, including his (also eponymous) 1994 sophomore effort (which featured Batman Forever hit "Kiss from a Rose") and 2007's System (which featured a duet with wife Heidi Klum). Like Sade, his fellow uni-named Brit, Seal takes long breaks between recordings, letting his hits build over time. - RDEVITT

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 03:37 Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse's brief career followed a tragic, almost perfect circle. After achieving critical acclaim in her native Britain as a jazz and soul vocalist, her global pop star rose in 2006, thanks primarily to the booze-soaked, adamantly unhealthy smash "Rehab." And in 2011, after several professionally unproductive, personally difficult years of scandal, very public relationship problems and even more public addiction problems, the talented and troubled young singer was found dead of alcohol overdose. The Londoner rose to prominence on the back of gritty, often bleak autobiographical work: songs that revolved around doomed relationships ("Stronger than Me"), drink ("Rehab") and drugs ("Addicted"). But that aside, it's Winehouse's voice -- which saw her welcomed with open arms by Britain's two premier performance schools -- that formed the foundation of her appeal. By turns as knowing and vulnerable as Billie Holiday's and as streetwise as Ms Dynamite's, it reflected her fluctuating musical fixations (jazz, hip-hop and, later, Motown) and was a perfect tool to deliver her wry and affecting observations on the pratfalls and pain inherent in the pursuit of love. As Winehouse herself put it: "I told you I was trouble/ You know that I'm no good." - JDOLLING

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:28 Selena Gomez
Disney starlet turned (almost) all-grown-up pop artiste, the young Ms. Gomez is a double threat with serious pop chops. - RDEVITT

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:51 OneRepublic
Although One Republic's chart-blazing Timbaland remix launched the band to MySpace stardom, lead singer and Tulsa, Oklahoma, native Ryan Tedder had been playing in the majors for years, first singing on demos while interning at DreamWorks SKG in Nashville. Tedder's big break came when he won a televised songwriting contest hosted by 'NSYNC singer Lance Bass, and subsequently cultivated a relationship with hot-handed producer Timbaland. Tedder wrote and produced hits for pop stars including Natasha Bedingfield, Ashley Tisdale and Hilary Duff through the early '00s, and eventually formed his own rock project, One Republic, with high school buddy Zach Filkins in 2003. Capitalizing fully on the potential of social networking sites and his deep connections in the music biz, the group dominated MySpace charts, appeared (remixed) on Timbaland's 2007 album Shock Value, got signed and dropped by Columbia, and became the first rock band to ink a deal with Timbaland's Interscope imprint, Mosley -- all before issuing a proper debut. That debut, Dreaming Out Loud, finally appeared in November of 2007. - NCAVALIERI

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:43 Mariah Carey
Say what you may about her fashion sense or "diva-tude," but there is no doubt that Mariah Carey defined 1990s urban pop music. Carey ruled the charts during the Clinton decade -- her 1990 self-titled debut album alone spawned four No. 1 hit singles, and she would have 11 more before the new millennium. Over the years, artists from Christina Aguilera to Ciara would name her as an influence. Her albums are always expertly crafted and performed, making her MTV Unplugged EP a surprisingly warm change of pace. Her dominance of the charts in the 1990s earned her the title of Billboard's Artist of the Decade. Despite heavily publicized personal trials in the early part of the new century, Carey returned to the forefront of modern music with The Emancipation of Mimi, which spawned her 16th and 17th No. 1 hits. In 2008, Mariah returned with the hit single "Touch My Body" and the subsequent album, E=MC2. The single pushed her past Elvis into second place (behind the Beatles) for the most No. 1 singles for an artist in the modern era. - RLANDY

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:23 Madonna
One of the few megastars only needing a single name, Madonna's brand of dance pop began as the purest of bubblegum but has become increasingly sophisticated during the course of a career now in its third decade. Her influence has lessened a bit since the multimedia dynasty she lorded over in the 1980s and early '90s, partly because she's been busy raising children and partly because the focus of dance-oriented music has radically shifted in the years between Bedtime Stories (1994) and Confessions On A Dance Floor (2005). However her clubbing antennae remain finely tuned, and each subsequent release serves less as an indication of her musical development and more her ability to latch onto producer/writers of the moment. This, and her constant image-massaging to remain relevant to the dance community, allows a mother in her early forties to get away with acting like a club kitten without too much dissent, even less so with her triumphant 2005 return to form. A ruthless careerist and tougher than most of us, she does tend to show weakness with her lyrics, which at their best are simple ditties and at their worst just plain embarrassing. A catchy tune is usually there to save the day, however, and perhaps this is why she has failed to make it in the acting world -- she needs the music to shield her inability to deliver a really good line. And what music -- hit after hit, some still working a dancefloor just as effectively 20 years after initial release. Few other artists in the dance pop and electronica world show such staying power, and few receive such goodwill from their fan base, no matter which upheavals she drags them through as she hops and skips from fad to fad, laughing all the way to the bank. - NBAKER

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:37 Prince
In this age of musical genre ghetto-ization, Prince stands alone. The Artist can get funky, he can rock up a storm, he can croon a soulful ballad, he can spin out webs of jazz piano, he can hip and he can hop. He can do it all, often brilliantly. Prince takes chances and often fails -- especially on the (hopefully abandoned) film front -- but every one of his albums is chock full of gems. Prince hasn't sustained the massive popularity he earned in the Purple Rain-crazed '80s, but that seems due more to bad publicity surrounding his tabloid lifestyle than his musical output. He can't hide the fact that he is an odd, fuzzy little man, but genius doesn't come in perfect packages. While legions of Prince's contemporaries crash and burn, he sits in his Minneapolis tower and continues to expand the boundaries of popular music. - NDEDINA

Mon, 9 Jan 2012 03:45: Jason Mraz
Raised in Mechanicsville, Va., Jason Mraz grew up under the sway of local jam-circuit heroes Agents of Good Roots and regional favorites like the Dave Matthews Band, but it wasn't until he moved west that his own career began to take off. Following in Jewel's footsteps, Mraz secured a weekly slot at San Diego's Java Joe's, and by 2002 he signed with Elektra and brought on the Agents of Good Roots as his own backing band to release his debut, Waiting for My Rocket to Come. After extensive touring and a handful of live recordings, Mraz released his second studio album, Mr. A-Z, in 2005, and he continued to refine his fusion of soft rock and coffee-shop spunk with 2008's We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things. - PSHERBURNE

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:26 Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys seemingly came out of nowhere in the summer of 2001, storming up the charts with her braids and heaping servings of soul. But Keys is no pre-fab diva; she's been studying music since age five and began writing songs at age 14. She wrote (or co-wrote) and produced most of the songs on her debut, Songs in a Minor, and subsequent singles have proven she's no one-hit wonder. She took home five Grammy Awards in 2002 (including Best New Artist and Song of the Year), and returned triumphantly with The Diary of Alicia Keys the following year, racking up more hit singles ("You Don't Know My Name," "If I Ain't Got You"), and winning four more Grammys. 2007's As I Am spawned the unstoppable "No One" and the Prince-infused "Like You'll Never See Me Again." One of the most talented and likeable R&B superstars in the game today, Keys shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 03:36 Justin Bieber
Tender-aged YouTube pop sensation Justin Bieber is an inspiration to 15-year-olds the world over as his first single, "One Time," has gotten his face all over MTV and his music on the airwaves of the U.S. and his native country of Canada. Bieber instigated a bidding war between Justin Timberlake and Usher when YouTube clips of him performing Ne-Yo, Stevie Wonder, Timberlake and Usher covers made the rounds in 2006; Bieber was just 12. He eventually signed with Usher's label, Island Records, and moved from Ontario to Atlanta, Ga., where Usher acts as a consultant on the teenager's music. His debut album, My World, is slated for release in November 2009.

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:43 Dion
Singer-songwriter Dion first hit it big while singing lead for Bronx doo-woppers the Belmonts, a group credited as being one of the best and most innovative Doo-Wop groups of the era. Being white surely helped the Belmonts rise above many of their African-American peers; nevertheless, Dion masterfully combined suave Vocal Pop with more energetic R&B, giving the group a lively, passionate sound that still wasn't too abrasive for parents. Their biggest hit (and Oldies standard) "Teenager In Love" showcases the peak of Dion and the Belmonts' skills, and stands today as one of the greatest Doo-Wop songs ever. - MMURRMANN

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:28 Ke$ha
Don't judge Ke$ha by her first single. Sure, the hip-pop hit "Tik Tok" positively wallows in the concept of guilty pleasure: Ke$ha extols the virtues of partying 'til the "po-po shut us down" and brushing her teeth with a bottle of Jack and winds up sounding like something born of a one-night stand between Lady Gaga, Paris Hilton and the Black Eyed Peas. But the brash singer-songwriter is more than just a ton of fun or a one-trick party girl. Raised in Nashville by her semi-famous but often struggling songwriter mother, Kesha Rose Sebert grew up alternating between living on food stamps and hanging out in recording studios. She fell in love with country music and was determined from an early age to be a rock star. By her senior year of high school, she had been accepted to study psychology at Columbia, but instead dropped out to move to L.A. and pursue music. Her gamble paid off: By early 2009, she'd co-written a hit for the Veronicas, sung back up for Britney Spears and met famed producer Dr. Luke. Dr. Luke set up her breakthrough gig singing the hook on Flo Rida's hit "Right Round" and began working with Ke$ha on her debut, released by RCA in early 2010. - RDEVITT

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 04:05 Christina Perri
Christina Perri's story is the stuff of the American Dream -- or, at least, the 21st century pop star version of the American Dream. The Philadelphia-bred singer-songwriter took off for Los Angeles with just her guitar and a suitcase. One day she was a waitress, slinging hash to the (would-be) rich and famous, and the next, the unsigned 23-year-old's song "Jar of Hearts" had made its way onto So You Think You Can Dance. Of course, there's more to the story than that, including a stint playing gofer for her brother's band, a year at Philadelphia's prestigious University of the Arts, a failed marriage and a gig as an executive producer at her own production company (founded with her then-husband). Bygones! Nowadays, Perri has left all that in the dust to become a James Blunt opener and Atlantic Records-signed up-and-comer who's in the process of recording her debut album (following 2010's well-received Ocean Way Sessions EP). - RDEVITT

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:33 Christina Aguilera
A former star of The New Mickey Mouse Club who hit it big with an innuendo-laden single, then traded in her implicitly not-so-good-girl image for an explicitly not-so-good-girl image. Where have we heard this one before? The child of an Ecuadorian-American father and a Caucasian mother, Christina Aguilera started her career as a professional performer at age ten with a 1990 appearance on Star Search. Her subsequent Mickey Mouse Club stint led to Disney using her "Reflection" on the 1998 Mulan soundtrack, and RCA released her self-titled debut in 1999. Dance-pop smashes like "Genie in a Bottle" and "What a Girl Wants" showcased her big voice, which, along with her Spanish-language version of the album (Mi Reflejo), set her apart from the late-'90s crowd of pop-star ingenues.

Yet Aguilera was still coming in second to Britney. Her appearance on the sexy 2001 remake of "Lady Marmalade" suggested a way into the spotlight. She radically altered her image for 2002's Stripped and became Xtina, widely mocked for her look even as her voice proved soulful and mature. But in 2006 she released the acclaimed Back to Basics, a tribute to the jazz and soul she says inspires her, and cemented her status as a grown-up diva. - RDEVITT

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:49 Shakira
Latin pop diva Shakira has achieved phenomenal success and become a genuine pop icon. Born to humble beginnings in Barranquilla on Colombia's Caribbean coast, she left for the capital city of Bogota as an aspiring model at age 13. Ironically it was her music that garnered attention. Singing and writing lyrics since she was 8, her first album for Sony was released when she was 14. Although sales were meager, the album helped launch her career as a soap opera actress. Then came Pies Descalzados (1995), an album which showcased her bold, flexible voice and yielded a string of huge hits. Her mixture of rock ballads and Dance Pop (with an occasional tropical touch) is filtered through her image as a talented, beautiful and headstrong young woman. Departing from the traditional image of Latin American women, Shakira's music and persona aroused controversy when her multiplatinum records put her in the spotlight. Following in the footsteps of Selena, she represents a bold new Latina who will be neither obsequious nor silent. As Shakira has matured, so has her music, as demonstrated in songs such as the Arabic-inflected "Ojos Asi" as well as in her live performances. - RLEAVER

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:28 Colbie Caillat
Colbie Caillat owes her early success to MySpace, which brought the soulful folk singer and songwriter to the attention of millions of fans before she'd released a proper debut. The daughter of an audio engineer (Dad worked on Fleetwood Mac's Rumours), the Malibu girl grew up surrounded by music, taking a few piano lessons and starting to sing in earnest while she was still a pre-teen. At 19, she hooked up with producer Mikal Blue, who recorded Caillat's first song and would become her long-time collaborator. A little ditty called "Bubbly" drew the MySpace users to her page by the thousands. Make that hundreds of thousands. When her debut, Coco, came in July 2007, the online buzz helped her become an instant success, and she quickly earned top spots on digital music services and the Billboard charts. By the time its follow-up, Breakthrough, dropped in 2009, Caillat was a bona fide pop star with collaborations with Jason Mraz and Taylor Swift under her belt. - RDEVITT

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:21 Sting
In his post-Police years, Sting's songwriting ambitions have grown both artistically and commercially. He consistently delivers platinum-selling albums to his all-grown-up audience, always making sure to surround himself with exceptional musicians. Along with Peter Gabriel, he's made Adult Contemporary a slightly jazzier, more worldbeat-friendly spot on the radio dial. - JTERRY

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:22 Avril Lavigne
Avril Lavigne first appeared as a spunky teenager crafting surprisingly sharp alternative pop-rock that sounded great on the radio and fit very well in your CaseLogic (right between that Alanis Morissette stuff you'd gotten a little sick of and the Fiona Apple album you held so dear). She was one of many tender-aged smart-popsters who came up in the early 2000s, a group that included Michelle Branch, Norah Jones and Vanessa Carlton. She first hit with the acousti-groove of "Complicated," but it was the charging alt-rock of second single "Sk8er Boi" that showcased the range of Lavigne's impressive talents. She released her second album, Under My Skin, in 2004, expanding upon her catalogue of sharp, smart radio tunes and leaving the teenager thing behind. She married Sum 41's Deryck Whibley in 2006 in a storybook wedding wherein Lavigne shocked Hot Topic shoppers and sk8er kids everywhere by rocking the big, white dress, then split up with him four years later. Both events had a major impact on her sound: 2007's The Best Damn Thing collected more mature ballads and some of her poppiest material yet, while 2011's Goodbye Lullaby found Avril both processing her divorce with brokenhearted confessionals and reviving the brat-pop of her single-girl days. - MMCGUIRK

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 03:42 Enrique Iglesias
As the son of Julio Iglesias -- perhaps the most famous singer in the Spanish-speaking world -- Enrique was born to stardom. He recorded his demo tape under a false name, not wanting to be seen as the son of Julio, but the relationship was ultimately a factor in the blockbuster success of his first record in 1995. Possessing a strong natural voice that is well suited to both romantic and dance material, he sings confidently in Spanish and English. His first monster hit, the power ballad "Experiencia Religiosa," topped the charts in every Spanish-speaking country. Teaming up with top writers and producers, he continued with eleven No. 1 hits in a row on the Billboard Latin charts. His song "Bailamos" began his crossover career, and soon after he was performing at the Superbowl. The ultimate marker of success is that three Spanish soap operas are named after his songs. Although his father is still revered, Enrique's popularity has now eclipsed his father's, as any Latina teenager can testify. - RLEAVER

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:22 Jessie J
She clawed her way to the top doing behind-the-scenes work, but Britain's Jessie J has "spotlight" written all over her. Fierce, funny, blessed with serious vocal chops and an even more serious diva presence, the young lady born Jessica Cornish paid her dues early on by, first, inking a record deal to a label (Gut Records) that went belly up and, later, penning songs for the likes of Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Chris Brown and Miley Cyrus. Along the way, she also had suffered a stroke at the age of 18 -- an experience that, along with other health problems, not only fueled her desire to become a pop star, but also inspired her songwriting. Finally, she signed a deal with Universal, which put out her first single. "Do It Like a Dude" helped establish Jessie's style: a genre-jumping mix of club-ready hip-pop (with a pinch of dancehall) and rock attitude, paired with clever, cutting lyrics. The song rose to No. 2 on the U.K. charts and, along with her B.O.B.-featuring second single "Price Tag," started earning Jessie buzz in the U.S. Her full-length debut dropped in 2011. - RDEVITT

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:52 B.o.B
Atlanta's B.o.B is a one man band man. He sings, raps, produces and mixes his music. A disciple of musically forward groups like OutKast and Goodie Mob, he quickly built up a reputation for being adventurous in the studio. Others have begun recognizing his many talents: Danity Kane featured him on "Showstopper (Remix)," and his singles "Haterz Everywhere" and "Cloud Nine" have been buzzin'. B.o.B is currently working on his debut album The Adventures of B.o.B. - TKONDO

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:26 Sara Bareilles
Sara Bareilles (pronounced bar-rell-is) is a singer and songwriter from Eureka, Calif., who grew up singing in the high school choir and playing piano. After gigging around Los Angeles' open mic circuit as a student at UCLA, she caught the eye of Epic and signed her first major record contract in April 2005. Bareilles spent the next year working out a set of piano-based rockers that might sound at home filed next to Regina Spektor. These would make their way to Bareilles' 2007 debut Little Voice, produced by Eric Rosse (best known for his long association with Tori Amos). The album enjoyed wide distribution, in part because it was as a song-of-the-day selection for Starbucks, a Seattle-based coffee franchise. - NCAVALIERI

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:50 Paramore
With a handful of full-length albums, songs featured on soundtracks for Twilight and Superman Returns (among others), and multiple high-profile appearances on the Vans Warped Tour, Paramore seem like anything but the work of some kids from Tennessee. Singer Hayley Williams was 13 when she was enlisted by guitarist Josh Farro and his brother, drummer Zac Farro, to form the band. By 2007, Paramore were headlining the Warped Tour and had crashed into record-buyers' consciousnesses courtesy of the Florida-based scene-mongering label Fueled by Ramen. In 2009, they followed a tour opening for No Doubt with the release of Brand New Eyes, which found youthful exuberance turning to a more focused, mature take on modern rock. - MMCGUIRK

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:27 Santana
Carlos Santana has been mixing blues, Afro-Cuban jazz, rock, fusion, and psychedelic guitar elements into his brand of Latin rock since the 1960s. Many of today's musicians hold Santana responsible for picking up where Ritchie Valens left off, bringing Latin sounds to the forefront of popular music. Shortly after Santana's start playing music halls of San Francisco in the liquid light-show heyday (mid-'60s), his eclectic band found itself at the first Woodstock festival, playing one of its most memorable performances. The band has undergone many lineup changes since, but Carlos Santana continues to radiate global soul, playing new material as well as the hits that brought him acclaim back in the day of the longhairs. - ESHEA

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:54 Jennifer Lopez
She's been called a lot of things: J-Lo, Jenny from the Block, Mrs. Anthony. Just don't call La Lopez a diva, although she deserves it -- and not just for her alleged outlandish demands-making, entourage-rocking, fur-wearing behavior. Love her or hate her, you have to respect a woman who went from being a "Fly Girl" on In Living Color to a captain of the movie, music and fashion industries.

Born in the Bronx to Puerto Rican parents, Jennifer Lopez dabbled in musical theater as a child before moving on to small roles in film and television and backup dancing gigs for artists like New Kids on the Block and Janet Jackson. Several small movie roles followed, but it was her portrayal of beloved Tejano singer Selena in the 1997 film of the same name that catapulted Lopez to true stardom. After co-starring with George Clooney in 1998's well-received Out of Sight, Lopez recorded her first album, 1999's On the Six. All of which left people asking: sure, she can dance, act and sing, but can she design a fashion line? Yes, yes, she can. In 2001, Lopez founded Sweetface Fashion Club, home to her J.Lo and Sweetface lines.

Four more studio albums and a series of high-profile relationships (one word: Bennifer) later, Lopez settled down with hubby No. 3, Marc Anthony. The two of them produced and starred in 2007's El Cantante, a biopic about Puerto Rican salsa singer Hector Lavoe. That same year, Lopez put out two albums: Como Ama Mujer and Brave. - RDEVITT

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:53 The Beach Boys
In the early 1960s, the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson fused innovative chord arrangements with elastic-ranged vocal harmonies onto a foundation of Chuck Berry-inspired rock 'n' roll. The resulting music, set against a backdrop of surfing, girls, and cars, was unfortunately panned by the media as America's answer to Beatlemania. By the end of 1964, Wilson had retired from live performances to focus on composing and producing the band's recordings. Desperately trying to get the sounds from his head onto tape, the Beach Boys released the epic Pet Sounds in May of 1966. In the liner notes of this orchestrated pop masterpiece, Wilson admits that his aim was to write a "teenage symphony to God." Generally hailed as the greatest rock 'n' roll album ever, Pet Sounds struggled to attain the commercial success of the band's earlier suburban hymns. Although the Beach Boys (as well as Brian Wilson) went on to make many more successful albums, they never came close to approximating the innovative genius and transcendent, childlike innocence that was Pet Sounds. - ESHEA

Tue, 3 Jan 2012 03:49: The Script
The Script are like one of them all-you-can-eat buffets popular in the Midwest: there's a little something here for everybody. The group's overall sound is a fusion of U2-inspired piano rock and Maroon 5's blue-eyed soul (just without Adam Levine's stubble). There also lurk shades of Sugar Ray, Fall Out Boy, the Fray, Timbaland and the Counting Crows. So yeah, what we have here is Ireland's answer to OneRepublic, more or less. Danny O'Donoghue and Mark Sheehan met in Dublin when they were just restless teenagers. Bonding over a love for American soul and R&B, they put together a short-lived boy-band project called mytown. O'Donoghue and Sheehan, meanwhile, grew into a talented songwriting and production duo, eventually relocating to America to work with hotshot producer Dallas Austin (Pink, Madonna, Gwen Stefani and others). The pair soon returned to Ireland, however, and hooked up with drummer Glen Power. A year after signing to the Phonogenic label, the trio scored its first hit, "We Cry." They followed with the even bigger "The Man Who Can't Be Moved." International success necessitated a move to London, which is the Script's current base of operations. - JFARRAR