For anyone who has a penchant for music, Rihanna needs no introduction. Born as Robyn Rihanna Fenty, Rihanna is one of the most influential names in the music and fashion industry. Her effortless singing, catchy tunes and inimitable dance moves have won her eight Grammy Awards, eight American Music Awards, twelve Billboard Music Awards and two BRIT Awards.
Canadian singer and songwriter Justin Bieber was discovered via YouTube and subsequently went on to become a teen pop sensation. By age 25 he became the youngest solo artist to achieve seven number-one albums in the US. Bieber has received many accolades, including a Grammy Award. He’s also had his share of controversies and run-in with the law.
Johnny Cash, the American singer, songwriter and actor, was known for sorrow, moral suffering and redemption themes in his music. His genre was country, rock and roll, blues, folk and gospel sounds and he is one of the best-selling artists of all time. Cash had issues with drinking and drug abuse. Later he was diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease.
Gaining fame as a member of the rock band Nirvana, singer-songwriter and musician Kurt Cobain was often heralded as a spokesman of Generation X. He is considered to be one of the most influential musicians in the history of alternative rock. He enjoyed tremendous professional success, but his personal life was troubled. He died of suicide at just 27.
Three-time Grammy-winning Maroon 5 singer and guitarist Adam Levine had started his career with the band Kara's Flowers, which went defunct later. He has also judged the reality show The Voice. Adam owns a production company and a music label. He also has his own fragrance line and clothing collection.
Queen Latifah is an American musician and actress whose song U.N.I.T.Y. played a major role in raising awareness about women's rights worldwide. Dubbed Queen of Jazz-Rap, Latifah has influenced several soul, R&B, and hip-hop artists like Remy Ma, Lil' Kim, Ivy Queen, Missy Elliott, Lauryn Hill, and Eve among other artists. As an actress, Latifah has won several prestigious awards.
Known as the iconic founder of the popular rock band Bon Jovi, Jon Bon Jovi is a record producer and singer-songwriter. In 2012, he was named in Billboard magazine's The Most Powerful and Influential People In The Music Business list. Also a well-known philanthropist, he founded the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation in an attempt to eradicate poverty and homelessness.
One half of the popular musical duo The Carpenters, Karen Carpenter was an American drummer and singer. Her death at age 32 and life-long struggles with eating disorders led to increased awareness of conditions like anorexia and body dysmorphia, which were little-known at the time. In 2010, Carpenter was named on Rolling Stone's 100 greatest singers of all time list.
Seal is a British singer and songwriter. He has received several prestigious awards over the course of his career. Also known for his charity work, Seal has performed at several charity events in an attempt to help non-profit organizations, such as the Make It Right Foundation.
Method Man is part of the hip-hop duo Method Man & Redman and Wu-Tang Clan. His collaborative single with Mary J. Blige, I'll Be There for You, won a Grammy. He has also appeared on the show Method & Red, in HBO series such as Oz, and in several films.
Cuban-American singer and songwriter, Camila Cabello, first gained fame as a member of the girl group Fifth Harmony. She is also a solo artist and released her debut solo album in 2018. She is the recipient of Billboard Women in Music award for Breakthrough Artist. She is also an upcoming actress who has appeared in a few TV shows.
Widely regarded as the queen of neo-soul, Erykah Badu is an American singer-songwriter whose debut studio album Baduizm helped popularize neo-soul in the late-1990s. Thanks to her popularity, Erykah Badu serves as a subject for street art in several places, including Greater London, England. Also an actress, Badu has appeared in popular films, such as The Cider House Rules.
Carrie Underwood is an American singer-songwriter and one of the best female country music singers of all time. Dubbed Country Music's reigning Queen, Underwood has influenced several other singers, such as Kelsea Ballerini, Lucy Hale, Lauren Alaina, Mollie King, and Danielle Bradbery. In 2014, she was named on Time magazine's list of 100 most influential people in the world.
Chris Martin is the lead singer of the rock band, Coldplay, which he has co-founded. The band gained fame after they released the song Yellow in 2000. They have sold over 100 million records worldwide, making them one of the world's best-selling music artists. Martin has also worked in solo collaborations with other artists and written songs for various projects.
Singer, pianist, and composer Neil Sedaka initially co-founded the group The Tokens. Most of his collaborations have been with lyricists Phil Cody and Howard Greenfield. He has delivered hits such as Breaking Up Is Hard to Do and Bad Blood. He also launched free online mini-concerts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kesha is an American singer-songwriter. Having sold more than 134 million records, Kesha is one of the best-selling singers of her generation. As a songwriter, she has contributed to the success of songs recorded by artists like Britney Spears, Miranda Cosgrove, Miley Cyrus, and Ariana Grande. As an openly bisexual musician, she serves as an inspiration to the LGBT community.
Country singer Townes Van Zandt is remembered for his melancholy and lyrical tracks. His hits such as Pancho and Lefty and To Live Is to Fly have influenced many artists of subsequent generations. He struggled with depression and spent a considerable part of his life in cheap shacks and motels.
The daughter of popular actress and singer Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli followed in her mother's footsteps to become an award-winning actress and singer. Known for her powerful contralto singing voice and energetic stage presence, Liza Minnelli is the recipient of an Academy Award and Tony Award. Also a known philanthropist, Minnelli spends much of her time with various nonprofit organizations.
American singer and songwriter Jhené Aiko's musical style is associated with PBR&B, a new wave of music viewed as an alternative to contemporary R&B. Her personal life, which includes an early pregnancy at the age of 20, the death of her brother Miyagi, a major car accident, and troubled relationships, has not affected her impressive music career.
Singer, songwriter, and actress Rebecca Marie Gomez first gained prominence when she started posting her covers of popular songs online. Some of these uploads went viral and gained her mainstream attention. She has since released many songs and albums and has worked in collaboration with musical stars like Cody Simpson and Cher Lloyd.
Five-time Grammy Award-winning folk singer James Taylor is best known for his hits You've Got a Friend and Fire and Rain. One of Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, he has sold over 100 million records worldwide and has also won the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Lil Dicky is an American comedian and rapper. Apart from releasing internationally renowned songs like Ex-Boyfriend and Freaky Friday, Lil Dicky has also released charity singles, such as Earth, which featured celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Wiz Khalifa, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Ed Sheeran, Ariana Grande, and Kevin Hart. He is also credited with co-creating a television comedy series titled Dave.
Josh Groban is an American actor, singer-songwriter, and record producer. Groban had a major impact on the music industry right after making his debut. He has sold over 20 million albums inside a decade, with his first four solo albums receiving multi-platinum certifications. Also a well-known philanthropist, Groban has performed for several charity events.
Luke Combs is an American singer-songwriter. The two studio albums, which he has released so far, have produced nine number-one songs on Billboard's Country Airplay chart. In his relatively short country music career so far, Luke Combs has had a major impact by winning prestigious awards, such as Country Music Association Awards and Academy of Country Music Awards.
American singer Madison Beer broke into the top 50 list of many music charts in the US when she featured in a new single in February 2015 by DJ Mako titled I Won't Let You Walk Away. Some of her other notable songs are Dead, Say It to My Face, Home with You, Good in Goodbye, Selfish, Stained Glass and Baby.
Christina Grimmie was an American singer-songwriter, actress, and YouTuber. She was fatally shot in 2016 when she was signing autographs after performing at The Plaza Live in Florida. Following her murder, celebrities demanded better security measures at concert venues and Billboard published an open letter demanding background checks for gun purchases. Several venues observed safety precautions like adding metal detectors.
Bernadette Peters is an American actress, children's book author, and singer. She is known for contributing immensely to all three major acting mediums in an illustrious career spanning more than 60 years. Credited with co-founding an annual animal adopt-a-thon named Broadway Barks, Bernadette Peters was honored with the 2019 Prince Rainier III Award for her philanthropic activities.
Michael Bolton is an American singer-songwriter who has sold over 75 million records so far. Apart from recording several top 10 albums on the Billboard charts, Bolton also has several prestigious awards under his belt, such as Grammy Awards. Also known for his charity work, Bolton set up the Michael Bolton Foundation in order to aid children and women.
Yung Gravy is an American singer, rapper, and songwriter. He is known for his songs 1 Thot 2 Thot Red Thot Blue Thot and Mr. Clean, which have been certified platinum by the RIAA. He often blends trap music with elements of soul and oldies from the 1950s and 1960s and his style has been described as groovy and humorous.
Roger Daltrey is an English actor, film producer, singer, and songwriter. He is credited with co-founding the popular rock band The Who. Renowned for his soulful voice, Daltrey was named in Rolling Stone magazine's 100 greatest singers of all-time list in 2010. Also known for his charity work, Daltrey has been a patron of the Children's Respite Trust since 2011.
The son of late actor, Alan Thicke, and actress, Gloria Loring, Robin Thicke followed in the footsteps of his parents to become a popular singer-songwriter, actor, dancer, record producer, and musician. Over the years, Robin Thicke has played a significant role in contributing to the success of artists like Christina Aguilera, Nicki Minaj, Usher, Jennifer Hudson, and Mary J. Blige.
Singer, songwriter, and musician Chester Bennington rose to prominence as the lead vocalist for the band, Linkin Park. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest rock vocalists of his generation. He possessed a three-octave tenor vocal range that showed tremendous durability for the entirety of his career. He died of suicide in 2017.
James Arthur is an English singer-songwriter who achieved popularity after winning the popular British reality TV music competition The X Factor in 2012. Apart from debuting at the top position on the UK Singles Chart, his debut single also went on to sell more than 2.5 million copies, making it the most successful single in the history of the show.
Gaining fame as the lead guitarist of the rock band, the Beatles, English musician, George Harrison, helped broaden the scope of popular music in the Western world. He was also successful as a solo performer and released many best-selling albums. He was named in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time
Singer-songwriter and musician Bret Michaels first gained fame as the frontman of the rock band Poison. He also performs as a solo artist and has released many albums. He is an occasional actor as well and has appeared in numerous films and TV shows.
Stromae is a Belgian musician, singer, songwriter, and rapper. He achieved popularity with the release of his song Alors on danse in 2009, which topped several music charts in many European countries. He has won several prestigious awards, such as the World Music Awards. Stromae is often promoted as the face of the New Beat generation.