Dragon Ash is a Japanese rap rock group founded in 1996 by Kenji "KJ" Furuya and Makoto Sakurai. They were one of the first groups to popularize hip hop in Japan. Dragon Ash is a member of Mob Squad, which is an affiliation with the bands Source and Endive. Dragon Ash uses the French fleur-de-lis as their band logo/symbol.
Mariah Carey is the debut studio album by American R&B singer Mariah Carey, released on June 12, 1990, by Columbia Records. Its music incorporates a range of contemporary genres with a mix of slow ballads and up-tempo tracks. Originally, Carey wrote four songs with Ben Margulies, which solely constituted her demo tape. After Carey was signed to Columbia, all four songs, after being altered and partially re-recorded, made the final cut for the album. Aside from Margulies, Carey worked with a range of professional writers and producers, all of whom were hired by Columbia CEO, Tommy Mottola. Mariah Carey featured production and writing from Rhett Lawrence, Ric Wake and Narada Michael Walden, all of whom were top record producers at the time. Together with Carey, they conceived the album and reconstructed her original demo tape.
American singer Alicia Keys has released nine studio albums, eight live albums, one remix album, six reissue albums, three extended plays, seven box sets, 47 singles as lead artist, and six promotional singles. Throughout her career, Keys has sold over 65 million records worldwide. According to Recording Industry Association of America, Keys is the top certified female R&B artist of the millennium, with 20 million certified albums and 38 million certified digital singles in the United States. Billboard ranked her as the second top female artist of the 2000s decade, fourth top R&B/hip-Hop female artist of the 2010s decade and the 60th Greatest Artist of all time.
American singer Jessica Simpson has released seven studio albums, four compilation albums, three video albums, nineteen singles, and fifteen music videos. Her debut album, Sweet Kisses (1999), was released through Columbia Records, reached number 25 on the US Billboard 200 albums chart, and was certified double-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album sold 1.9 million copies in the US and produced three singles. Simpson's debut single, "I Wanna Love You Forever", reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified platinum by the RIAA. In 2001, Simpson released her second studio effort, titled Irresistible, which failed to match the success of Sweet Kisses. Irresistible peaked at number 6 in the United States and has sold 755,000 copies. Her third studio album, In This Skin, was released in August 2003. Guided by the publicity of her reality TV show, Newlyweds, that album became the best-selling effort of her career, achieving a peak position of number 2 and triple platinum certification in the US. By 2009, In This Skin had sold 2.9 million copies in the US and produced four singles. In 2004, Simpson released her fourth studio and her first Christmas album, Rejoyce: The Christmas Album. It reached number 14 in the US and was certified gold by the RIAA. As of February 2009, Rejoyce has sold 669,000 copies in the US.
Marco Roberto Borsato is a Dutch singer. Born in Alkmaar, North Holland, he started performing in Italian before switching to Dutch in 1994. He has consistently been one of the most successful and biggest-grossing artists in the Netherlands and Belgium for the past thirty years.
OneRepublic is an American pop rock band formed in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 2002. The lineup currently consists of Ryan Tedder, Zach Filkins, Drew Brown, Brent Kutzle, Eddie Fisher (drums), and Brian Willett.
Nina Live! is a live album and the third album by Filipina singer Nina, released in the Philippines on February 23, 2005, by Warner Music Philippines. The original release date for the album was scheduled on February 22, 2005, but it was moved a day later due to preparation. Nina has released two successful studio albums that are both influenced by pop-R&B, but behind all the commercial activities, she regularly performs on different bars and gigs. The label wanted to show this side of the singer the best way by releasing a live album. The live album was a commercial success debuting straight to number one on the Philippine Top 10 Albums chart. The album consists of love songs from the 1970s to the 1990s, all of which she has covered live. The live session was recorded on January 30, 2005, at PHI Resto & Bar in Metro Manila.
The American hip hop group Black Eyed Peas has released nine studio albums, two compilation albums, one extended play, forty singles, eight promotional singles, thirty-eight music videos, and two video albums. Interscope Records released the band's debut album, Behind the Front, in the United States in June 1998. Although the album received a four-star review from AllMusic, it charted low on the Billboard 200 in the United States and on the French Albums Chart, at numbers 129 and 149 respectively. The band's second album, Bridging the Gap, was released in 2000 and peaked at number 67 in the US and reached its highest position in New Zealand, at number 18.
Perfect Day is the second studio album released by German Eurodance act Cascada. The entire album was produced by the act's two DJs, Yanou and DJ Manian with vocals by Natalie Horler. Like its predecessor, the album is comprised heavily of uptempo Eurodance tracks, many of which are cover songs. This album, however, features covers of songs from the early to mid 2000s of the rock and country genres, with the exception of Because the Night which was released in 1978. Two edited tracks, "Endless Summer" and "I Will Believe It" that were previously recorded under the Siria name are also featured. Musically, the album is composed of Eurodance tracks with euphoric trance synths, drum programmings with a tempo over 140 beats per minute, and Europop lyrics. Lyrically, the songs are composed of love, partying and romance.
Love at the End of the World is the third full-length album from Canadian rock musician Sam Roberts. The album was first released in Canada on May 20, 2008, in the Netherlands on September 19, in the UK on October 13, and in the US on February 3, 2009. Love at the End of the World debuted at #1 on the Canadian Albums Chart, selling 9,000 copies in its first week. The album was certified Gold in Canada in November 2008. It won the 2009 Juno Award for Rock Album of the Year.
Thaddis Laphonia "Kuk" Harrell is an American songwriter, vocal producer, arranger and engineer. He was a member of a songwriting–production team composed of himself, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart and Terius "The-Dream" Nash. In 2011, Kuk Harrell and partner Tricky Stewart joined the ranks of Fox's American Idol along with music mogul Jimmy Iovine, producing many of the songs performed on television by the contestants and released via iTunes. 2011 marked the highly anticipated return of Jennifer Lopez and her album LOVE? in which Kuk served as Album Vocal Producer. Earning his fourth Grammy for the vocal production of Rihanna's No. 1 Billboard Single "Only Girl ", Harrell is also the vocal producer and co-writer of Rihanna's Grammy-winning single "Umbrella". A composer and engineer on Beyoncé's chart topping "Single Ladies " from the album I Am... Sasha Fierce, he is also vocal producer and engineer of the Diane Warren-penned "I Was Here" from Beyoncé's 2011 album 4. He also produced the majority of the vocals on Mary J. Blige's Platinum album Growing Pains, which won the 2008 Grammy for Best Contemporary R&B Album. The first single from Growing Pains, "Just Fine", earned a Grammy nomination for best R&B vocal performance in 2007.
Funhouse is the fifth studio album by American singer and songwriter Pink, released by LaFace Records in Europe on October 24, 2008, and on October 28 in the United States. A pop and pop rock record, Funhouse was inspired by Pink's separation from her husband, Carey Hart. To record the album, she enlisted her previous collaborators, such as Billy Mann, Butch Walker, Max Martin and MuchoPsycho, while also involving new music producers and songwriters, such as Danja, Jimmy Harry, Tony Kanal and Eg White.
Dance Love Pop is the third studio album by Swedish singer Agnes, released originally on 29 October 2008 in Sweden. This was Agnes' first studio album since 2006 and her comeback to the music stage. The album is written and produced by Swedish songwriter Anders Hansson and geared towards the dance and club genre. When released the first single "On and On" it immediately showed a clear change of artistic direction for her music. This was clearly observed by the critics who all homaged her new musical style. In Sweden, a deluxe edition of the album titled Dance Love Pop: The Love Love Love Edition was released, featuring the original 10 tracks plus new song "Love Love Love", of which Agnes competed with in the Swedish drafts for Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow. The deluxe edition also included remixes and music videos of the album's singles and re-entered the official Swedish Top 60 Album Chart peaking at number 12. A re-release of the album was also made in France, where the "Edition Collector" was released on 18 January 2010 and peaked at forty-seven.
"Ego" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé for the deluxe edition of her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008). The song was composed by Elvis Williams, Harold Lilly, and Beyoncé. "Ego" was officially remixed with additional vocals from hip hop artist, Kanye West. Initially planned to be released in January 2009 as the second urban single in the US along with the fourth US and third international single "Halo", the release of "Ego" was canceled and replaced by "Diva". "Ego" was later issued as the third urban single, and fifth overall single in the US on May 19, 2009, alongside the sixth US and fourth international single "Sweet Dreams".
American singer Lenny Kravitz has released 12 studio albums, one greatest hits compilation album, four box set compilation albums, two extended plays, 62 singles, and eight video albums, including three live albums. His debut album, Let Love Rule (1989), peaked at number 61 in the US, and while receiving generally positive reviews, it became a huge success in Europe but took a long time to reach success in the US. Its followers, Mama Said (1991) and Are You Gonna Go My Way (1993), sold better overall than his debut, achieving platinum and multi-platinum status respectively, establishing Kravitz in the music industry and expanding his success in Europe and South America. However, despite only two years between albums, personal issues such as substance abuse problems, the aftermath of divorce, and his mother Roxie Roker's illness led to a decline in commercial sales with Circus (1995).
The Lady Killer is the third studio album by American singer CeeLo Green. It was released November 9, 2010, by Elektra Records. Production for the album was handled by Salaam Remi, Element, The Smeezingtons, Fraser T. Smith, Paul Epworth, and Jack Splash.
"Don't You Wanna Stay" is a duet recorded by American singers Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson. It was written by Andy Gibson, Paul Jenkins, and Jason Sellers. It was released as the second single from Aldean's fourth studio album My Kinda Party, following Aldean's and Clarkson's performance on the 44th annual Country Music Association Awards on November 10, 2010, due to strong demands of radio stations, and was also included on the deluxe edition of Clarkson's fifth studio album Stronger (2011). The song contains elements of country and pop, and its lyrics speak of the difficulties of finding and maintaining love.
"Breathing" is a song recorded by American recording artist Jason Derulo for his second studio album, Future History (2011). It was written by Lauren Christy, Julian Bunetta, Krassimir Tsvetanov Kurkchiyski, Shope Trad and Folksong Thrace, while production of the song was helmed by DJ Frank E. "Breathing" was initially released as one of four promotional singles for the album in September 2011. It was later released to contemporary hit radio in Australia on October 24, 2011, and elsewhere from January 31, 2012, as the third single from Future History. Musically, "Breathing" is a Eurodance song that displays influences of electro and house, and features "tribal vocal chorales" in the background. It samples the song "Pilentze Pee", which is sung by the Bulgarian State Television Female Vocal Choir. Lyrical inspiration for the song came from the death of Derulo's cousin, who died in 2011.
Dawid Henryk Podsiadło is a Polish singer-songwriter who won the second series of X Factor in 2012. He received PLN 100,000 and a recording contract with Sony Music. On the show, he was mentored by Tatiana Okupnik.
Marta Markiewicz, better known as Sarsa or Sarsa Markiewicz, is a Polish singer, songwriter, and record producer. She first achieved mainstream attention due to her 2015 single "Naucz mnie", which occupied the number-one position on the Polish singles chart for six consecutive weeks, and was certified diamond by the Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry (ZPAV). Her debut studio album Zapomnij mi was released on 28 August 2015.
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