In 1987, Tracy Chapman signed a record deal with Elektra Records. A year later, she released her self-titled debut album. Landing as it did during a time when hair metal and arena rock ruled, her…

They may have fizzled out rather than burnt away, but before tensions and brotherly arguments got the better of them, Oasis were the biggest band of their generation. After arriving on the scene with their…

Hoodie Allen, similar to artists like Sammy Adams and T. Mills, featured a combined sound of rap and pop, causing the artists to stand out in their own genre and individually as artists. When it…

Shakira is one of the most notable singer-songwriters of modern times. She has earned a reputation for being very versatile when it comes to her music. Something that is perhaps unsurprising considering that Shakira has…

The San Francisco Chronicle once described the Avett Brothers’ sound as having the “heavy sadness of Townes Van Zandt, the light pop concision of Buddy Holly, the tuneful jangle of the Beatles, the raw energy…

In 2000, Nelly burst onto the scene with Country Grammer. Boosted by the success of its title track and the single Ride Wit Me in the charts, the album was an instant hit, debuting at…

Ritchie Valens was just 17 years old when he died alongside Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper when their private plane crashed during their tour of the Midwest. At the time of his death, Valens…

Shania Twain is one of the most notable artists to emerge in the 1990s. After all, she has sold more than 100 million records over the course of her career, which is enough to make…