At the age of 15, Nat King Cole dropped out of school to pursue a music career. A risky move perhaps, but one that more than paid off. By the time he passed away in…

Dream Theater was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Metal Performance category this year. Although this band isn’t as famous as some of its contemporaries, it should be counted among the best. Dream Theater…

Phil Ochs is an American singer and songwriter who became popular in the 1960s and 1970s for his witty approach to political activism. He released a total of eight albums throughout his career, writing hundreds…

In 2006, five teenagers from Sheffield in the UK got together and made a lot of noise. The result was Count Your Blessings, Bring Me the Horizon’s debut album. As debuts go, it wasn’t the…

At various points throughout her life, Etta James dealt with heroin addiction, painkiller addiction, physical abuse, and incarceration. Rather than being cowed by her experiences, James used them to inform her music, resulting in a…

In 1986, Poison released their debut album, Look What the Cat Dragged In. With their big hooks and even bigger hair, they immediately carved out a place for themselves as the top party band in…

The lovely and talented Ciara has been in the spotlight for years. She’s been singing, performing, and living her life publicly for well over a decade, and her relationships, pregnancies, and her music continue to…

Marvin Gaye was a legendary American singer and songwriter who also moved into record producing during his short-lived career. Gaye released 25 albums instrumental in the Motown movement that began in music during the 1960s…