Formed in 2001 after the break up of singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala and keyboardist Marcel Rodríguez-López’s former band At the Drive In, The Mars Volta rode into town on a wave of progressive sonic experimentation. Their music was too left field to make them marketable, but even if they were too niche for radio, their willingness…
Every Pixies fan knows there’s no such thing as a bad Pixies album – great for them, maybe, but it makes ranking their albums something of a challenge. Everyone has their favorite, everyone has an opinion, and everyone knows that even on a bad day, the Pixies are more compelling than most bands can even…
Considering that winning “American Idol” is no guarantee of success, someone who only manages to make it to seventh place has next to no hope of a lasting career outside the show. Unless they’re Jennifer Hudson, that is. Since her inglorious exit from Idol in season 3, Hudson has sold millions of albums, won Grammys,…
It is hard not to love Thomas Rhett’s songs. Known professionally as Thomas Rhett, Thomas Rhett Akins Jr. is a Grammy-nominated pop country music songwriter and singer. His catalog includes songs that show off his fine side as well as the romance that is fast becoming his trademark sound. If you are looking to kick…
Collin Raye’s first taste of fame came as a member of The Wrays in the ’80s, at a time when he was recording under the name Bubba Wray. In 1991, he changed his name, went solo, and hit the big time with his debut solo album, All I Can Be. Since then, he’s scored four…
Jack Harlow is a 23-year-old rapper from Kentucky who’s been taking the world by storm as of late with releases like Deja Vu and Loose. He has a knack for writing incredible, relatable lyrics that everyone can relate to. This year, his two projects have been excellent at showing off his wide range of talents….
As the co-founder of A&M Records and Tijuana Brass, Herb Alpert is nothing short of a music legend. The one man who could make an album that would sell millions without ever having to tour or do interviews (he gave up doing interviews in 1967). He didn’t need MTV to make him famous because he…
She may have been a critics darling right out of the gate, but it took ten albums and almost 20 years before Bonnie Raitt made her commercial breakthrough. Since then, her whisky-soaked vocals and irresistible cocktail of blues, rock, and R&B have sold millions of albums, picked up numerous awards, and cemented her status as…
In 1967, Steve Miller formed the Steve Miller Band in San Francisco. After making their name with mind-expanding jams and spacey blues in the late ’60s and early ’70s, they hit pay dirt in 1973 with the feel-good pop of The Joker. Since then, they’ve flirted back and forth between blues, space rock, and radio-friendly…