Fergie was born Stacy Ann Ferguson on March 27, 1975 in Hacienda Heights, California. Through dance school, her mom found young Fergie an agent. The agent landed her voice over work on the popular cartoon Peanuts. Than from 1984 to 1989, she spent summers performing on the television show Kids Incorporated. Until she released her solo career she was a member of The Black Eyed Peas. In 2006, Fergie released her debut album, The Dutchess. The album produced 5 top five singles in the U.S including three number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100. These singles were London Bridge, Big Girls Don’t Cry and Glamorous. All five of the singles off of the album sold over two million digital downloads each in the U.S. This is an all time record for the digital sale of music to date. The album has currently sold over six million copies worldwide. In 2007 Fergie starred in Robert Rodriguez’ movie Planet Terror. In 2009 she starred in the movie entitled Nine. Fergie has one numerous awards including MTV Australian Video Music Awards for Sexiest Video and the American Music Awards award for Best Pop Female Artist. She was also nominated for a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for the song "Big Girls Don’t Cry".
|
Snoop Dogg is the stage name of Cordozar Calvin Broadus, Jr. He was born in Long Beach, California on October 20, 1971. His mother nicknamed him "Snoopy" as a child because of the way he dressed and because of his love of the cartoon Peanuts. He would later change it to Snoop Doggy Dog and adopt it as his professional name. Snoop Dogg attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School, then changed to Lindberg High School. He was later convicted for cocaine trafficking and served six months at the Wayside County Jail. Snoop Dogg came to attention of the music industry in 1992, through his vocal contributions on Dre’s The Chronic. He released his debut album on November 23, 1993. It was entitled Doggy Style and was released under the label Death Row Records. "Who Am I (What’s My Name)?" was the first single released from the album. It peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100. Doggy Style has sold over five million copies in the United States and over seven million worldwide. Since 1993 Snoop Dogg has released nine other albums including Tha Doggfather, Tha Blue Carpet Treatment, Ego Trippin’ and Malice In Wonderland. He has also starred in a number of feature films such as Training Day, Malibu’s Most Wanted and Hood of Horror.
|
John Mayer was born on October 16, 1977 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He grew up in nearby Fairfield, the second of three children born to Richard and Margaret Mayer. After watching the Marty McFly character’s guitar performance in Back to the Future, he became fascinated with the instrument. Mayer became consumed with playing the guitar, and after two years of practice, he started playing at blues bars and other venues in the area, while in high school. Mayer’s reputation began to build, and a March 2000 appearance at South by Southwest,brought him to the attention of label, Aware Records. In 2001, he released "Room for Squares", which reached number nine on the American Billboard 200 albums chart. By the end of 2002, Room for Squares had spawned several radio hits, including "No Such Thing," "Your Body Is a Wonderland," and "Why Georgia". He has since released two more albums, Heavier Things in 2003 and Continuum in 2006. At the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in 2007 Mayer won Best Pop Vocal Album for Continuum and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Waiting on the World to Change". He has since extended his professional pursuits to include stand-up comedy, design, and writing.
|
Lady Gaga is the stage name of American singer Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. She was born on March 28, 1986 to Joseph and Cynthia Germanotta in Yonkers, New York. By the time she was eleven, Gaga was set to join Juilliard School in Manhattan but instead attended the private Catholic school Convent of the Sacred Heart. At age 20, she began working for Interscope Records as a songwriter, penning songs for pop acts such as the Pussycat Dolls. Lady Gaga got her stage name from the 1984 Queen single "Radio Ga-Ga". In 2008, She had originally focused on avant-garde, electronic dance music, but Lady Gaga really found her musical niche when she began to incorporate pop melodies and the vintage glam-rock of David Bowie and Queen into her music. Lady Gaga released her debut album through Interscope Records in late 2008. The album reached number four on the Billboard 200, as well as reaching number one on Billboard’s Top Electronic Albums and in several other countries. It has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales in excess of one million copies in the United States. The first two singles from the album, "Just Dance", and "Poker Face", were both international hits.
|
Ginuwine is the stage name of Elgin Baylor Lumpkin. He was born on October 15, 1975 in Washington D.C. Ginuwine’s first single, 1996’s "Pony" from Ginuwine…The Bachelor, showcased his smooth vocals and Timbaland’s innovative production style, and the two became a hit-making duo. The song "Pony" was used in a "karaoke" scene from the film Wild Hogs in 2007 and again used in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV in 2008. Mike Patton and Rahzel together perform a cover of "Pony" during their concerts. Ginuwine and Aaliyah covered Prince’s "When Doves Cry" single from the movie soundtrack to Purple Rain. Ginuwine’s version was released but Aaliyah’s version was not. After his second album, 1999’s 100% Ginuwine, Ginuwine and Timbaland grew apart, and producers such as R. Kelly have crafted hits for him since then. In 2001, Ginuwine had a number-four hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with the single "Differences", which also peaked at number-one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. Within a year, Ginuwine lost both of his parents. He later wrote a song which is featured on his album The Life entitled "Two Reasons I Cry".
|
Sean Paul is the professional name of Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques, born on January 9, 1973 in Kingston, Jamaica. His parents, Kadapurath Karthiyaani and Frances Alukas, were both talented athletes, and his mother is a well-known painter. In 2000, Sean Paul released his debut album, Stage One with VP Records. The album debuted at #109 with 8,982 copies sold in the first week. The album has shipped only three hundred and fifty thousand copies. On November 26, 2002 Sean Paul released Dutty Rock. It features two U.S. #1 singles, "Get Busy" and "Baby Boy" with Beyonce and charted in the top 6 on the UK Singles Chart. The album itself reached #2 on the UK Albums Chart, and #9 on the U.S. Billboard 200 Albums Chart. He followed up the success of Dutty Rock with the release of his third studio album, The Trinity. Since July 19, 2006, the album has sold over four million copies around the world. It peaked at number six on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and seventeen on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-hop charts. Sean Paul is currently working on his fourth studio album entitled "Imperial Blaze". It’s set to be released in the summer of 2009.
|
TATU is a Russian duo formed in Moscow, Russia in 1999 by Ivan Shapovalov. The group consists of Lena Katina and Yulia Volkova. Ivan Shapovalov and his business partner Alexander Voitinskyi decided to hold auditions for a new group they wanted to form in early 1998. After they cast the two girls thus completing the duo, the producers decided on the name Tatu. It is a shortened version from the Russian "Eta devushka lyubit tu devushku", meaning "This girl loves that girl". In 2001 they released their debut albu ,200 Po Vstrechnoy. Due to the sales of this CD, t.A.T.u. became the first eastern European group to receive a IFPI Platinum Award. They then released their second studio album and their first English language on in December of 2002. It was entitled "200 km/h in the Wrong Lane" and has since gone on to receive a gold certification in the United States. In 2004, the group took a hiatus after they split from their producer. In 2005, they released Dangerous and Moving and Lyudi Invalidy. During 2006, TATU released a compilation album and then ventured on their own after negotiating out of their contract with Universal Music. Tatu has since gone on to release four more studio albums and thirteen singles. On May 31st, 2009 TATU celebrated its 10th anniversary.
|
Gym Class Heroes is an American rapcore band from Geneva, New York. The group formed when Travis "Schleprok" McCoy met drummer Matt McGinley and decided to form a band. They later added guitarist Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo and bassist Eric Roberts. They were then signed to Decaydance Records, on which they released the gold-selling album As Cruel as School Children. Since that release, the band’s single "Cupid’s Chokehold" reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Clothes Off!!" peaked at #5 on the UK Singles Chart. The group released three more CDs from 1999 to 2004, called "Hed Candy," "Greasy Kids Stuff," and "Papercut Chronicles EP". In 2008, Gym Class Heroes released The Quilt. It spawned several singles which include "Guilty as Charged", "Peace Sign/Index Down" and "Cookie Jar". Gym Class Heroes will be releasing their all new album Be The Judge in the late 2009 or early 2010. The album would also be containing 11 all-new tracks. Some to be named are : "Pink Floss","Judge A Cover By It’s Looks","I’ll Definitely Be","Joshking!" and much more. Gym Class Heroes have received numerous awards which include a MTV Video Music Awards for Best New Artist in 2007.
|
Robbie Williams was born on February 13,1974 in Stoke-on-Trent, England. His career started as a dancer and singer of the pop band Take That in 1990, which he left in 1995 to launch his solo career. After leaving Take That, Robbie Williams launched his solo career starting things off in 1996 by covering George Michael’s "Freedom", the single reached number-two in the UK Singles Chart, twenty-six places higher than George Michael’s original. In 1997 Robbie Williams released his debut album, Life thru a Lens. The album peaked at the top of the charts in the U.K. and has since gone platinum eight times over. Robbie Williams has since released six more albums with sales well over fifty-five million units. He has been the recipient of many awards, including ten BRIT and six ECHO awards. In 2004, he was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame, after being voted as the Greatest artist of the 1990s. Robbie Williams entered in The Guinness Book of World Records when he announced his World Tour for 2006, selling 1.6 million tickets in one single day. He appears in the list of the all-time Top 100 biggest selling albums in the United Kingdom six times.
|
Coldplay is an alternative band that was formed in 1998 in London, England. The current lineup consist of singer Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman and drummer Will Champion. The members of the band met at the University College London in September of 1996. Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland were the first members of the band, having met one another during their orientation week. Later, Guy Berryman, a classmate of the two, joined. By 1997, the group, who had renamed themselves to Starfish, performed gigs for local promoters at small clubs. The band’s lineup was complete when Will Champion joined the band to take up percussion duties. They then changed their name to Coldplay and started working on their first album. On 10 July 2000, Coldplay released their debut album, Parachutes in the U.K. Upon release, the album quickly reached number one in the United Kingdom and In the United States, the album peaked at number 51 on the Billboard 200. It also won the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album in 2002. Following up the success of Parachutes, the band released A Rush of Blood to the Head in August of 2002. The album was a commercial success, debuting at number one in the United Kingdom and later placing at number seven of the country’s 20 biggest-selling albums in the 21st century. The album has gone on to sell over 11 million copies worldwide. In June of 2006, Coldplay released their third album, X&Y. It went on to be the best-selling album released in 2005, moving more than 10 million units. Their fourth album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends. The album was released to critical and commercial success. It won Best Rock Album at the 2009 Grammy Awards and debuted at number on in thirty-six countries.
|
