"Gangsta's Paradise" is a single by American rapper Coolio, released on August 1, 1995 by Tommy Boy, Warner Bros. and MCA. Interpolating Stevie Wonder's song "Pastime Paradise" (1976), "Gangsta's Paradise" features vocals from American singer L.V. who served as a co-composer and co-lyricist with Coolio and Doug Rasheed, with Wonder also being credited for the composition and lyrics. Certified Platinum in October, the song was included on Coolio's second album, Gangsta's Paradise, in November 1995. Its music video was directed by Antoine Fuqua and featured Michelle Pfeiffer. The song is taken from Pfeiffer's movie Dangerous Minds, and the music video is also themed around the movie.
"Earth Song" is a song by the American singer Michael Jackson. It was written by Jackson and produced by Jackson, David Foster and Bill Bottrell. It was released by Epic Records on November 7, 1995, as the third single from Jackson's ninth studio album, HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995).
"I Wanna Be the Only One" is a song by British R&B girl group Eternal and American R&B/gospel singer BeBe Winans, released in May 1997 by EMI and 1st Avenue as the third single from the group's third album, Before the Rain (1997). Topping the UK Singles Chart, the release also became the group's third collaboration with Winans, who had written and produced their 1994 single "Crazy" and the song "It Will Never End". The single became the group's 11th non-consecutive top-10 entry on the UK Singles Chart.
Beautiful World is the fourth studio album by the English pop group Take That. Released on 27 November 2006, it was the band's first studio album in 11 years; it was also the band's first album to be released as a four-piece instead of the original five-piece, without Robbie Williams, who had quit the group in 1995 and was not to rejoin them until 2010. Five singles were released from the album: "Patience", "Shine", "I'd Wait for Life", the European-only single "Reach Out", and "Rule the World", which appeared on the deluxe tour edition. The album features what Take That describe as "a throwback to the 90s, but with a modern twist". Beautiful World is their first album in which every member of the band sings lead vocals on at least one song.
"Patience" is a song by English boy band Take That. It was released on 13 November 2006 as the first single from their comeback album, Beautiful World. The single peaked at the top of the UK Singles Chart, and also topped the charts in Germany, Spain and Switzerland, as well as peaking in the top ten of the charts in Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Austria and Sweden.
"Shine" is the second single taken from English pop group Take That's comeback album, Beautiful World (2006). It became Take That's sixth consecutive number one single and their tenth number-one overall, making them one of only seven acts in the history of the UK charts to have more than nine number one hits. The song is about former Take That member Robbie Williams' battle with depression.
"7 Days" is a song by English singer Craig David. It was released on 24 July 2000 as the second single from his debut studio album, Born to Do It (2000). "7 Days" topped the UK Singles Chart and peaked within the top 10 of the charts in several countries, including Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United States.
"About You Now" is a song by British girl group Sugababes from their fifth studio album, Change (2007). Written and produced by Dr. Luke along with Cathy Dennis and Steven Wolf, it was released on 24 September 2007 by Island Records as the lead single from the album, the first to feature Amelle Berrabah on all tracks. An uptempo pop track that combines heavy elements of pop rock and dance-pop, it infuses light electronic sounds. Lyrically, "About You Now" finds the protagonist thinking deeply over her relationship with her love interest from whom she parted.
"Mercy" is a song performed by the Welsh soul singer Duffy, released as the second single from her debut studio album, Rockferry (2008). Co-written by Duffy and Steve Booker and produced by Booker, it was released worldwide in 2008 to critical acclaim and unprecedented chart success. As Duffy's first international release, the song is credited with firmly establishing her career and is now considered her signature song. "Mercy" received comparisons to Duffy's previous single, "Rockferry". Critical reviewers of "Mercy" noted similarities between the song to releases by Aretha Franklin, Dusty Springfield and the Supremes, as well as contemporaries such as fellow British singer Amy Winehouse.
This is a summary of the year 2008 in British music in terms of the charts. 21 singles occupied the number one position during the year, with 11 being new.
Aimée Anne Duffy, known mononymously as Duffy, is a Welsh singer, songwriter and actress. Her music style has been described as a mixture of soul, blue-eyed soul, pop rock, neo soul and pop music.
"Now You're Gone" is a song performed by Swedish dance musician Basshunter in cooperation with DJ Mental Theo's Bazzheadz. The single uses the same music as "Boten Anna", Basshunter's major European hit in 2006, but its lyrics, performed in English by Sebastian Westwood, are completely different.
Rockferry is the debut studio album by Welsh singer Duffy, released on 3 March 2008 in the United Kingdom by A&M Records. It was released in the United States by Mercury Records. Taking four years to record the album, Duffy worked with several producers and writers including Bernard Butler, Steve Booker, Jimmy Hogarth, and Eg White. Primarily a soul recording musically, Rockferry is composed of ballads, torch songs, and up tempo songs in the style of 1960s pop music. It was well received by music critics, who praised the record's musical and lyrical depth and occasional darkness, Duffy's vocal performance, and the record's contemporary instrumentation and production which created a warm sound. Music critics favourably compared Duffy's work on Rockferry to the music of Dusty Springfield and Duffy's contemporary Amy Winehouse.
"Rockferry" is the debut single by Welsh singer Duffy, written by Duffy and Bernard Butler. It is the first track on the album of the same name. The music video for Rockferry was filmed in Porthmadog.
"American Boy” is a song by British singer and rapper Estelle featuring American rapper Kanye West from the former's second studio album Shine (2008). The song was written by the artists, alongside Ethan Hendrickson, will.i.am, John Legend, Josh Lopez, Caleb Speir, and Keith Harris. It was produced by will.i.am, and uses the instrumental from "Impatient" from his own third studio album Songs About Girls (2007). "American Boy" is a breezy R&B and disco-funk song that lyrically describes a romance with an American suitor. The song's conception came after Legend, Estelle's mentor, suggested she write a song about meeting a man from the United States.
Welsh singer and songwriter Duffy has released two studio albums, six extended plays and one extended play, seven singles and seven music videos. Her discography began with the release of one Welsh language extended play using her birth name, Aimée Duffy, and she has appeared on two soundtrack albums, as well as on a studio album by Mint Royale in 2004. Duffy's range of musical genres incorporates styles such as blue-eyed soul, pop and pop rock. Aimée Duffy, her debut extended play (EP), was released in 2004 by Welsh music label Recordiau Awen Records, following her success on the Welsh talent show WawFfactor in 2003. Following this release, a performance of Richard J. Parfitt's "Oh Boy" brought her to the attention of Duffy's former manager, Jeanette Lee of Rough Trade Records.
"Stepping Stone" is the fourth single by Welsh singer Duffy from her debut studio album, Rockferry. The single was officially released as both a digital download and CD single on 1 September 2008 in the United Kingdom. Although it followed the massive success of previous singles "Mercy" and "Warwick Avenue", it did not perform well in worldwide music charts. However, the single received widespread acclaim.
"Rain on Your Parade" is a song by Welsh singer Duffy from the deluxe version of her debut studio album Rockferry (2008). It was released as the lead and only single from the deluxe album worldwide on 9 November 2008. The song was written by Duffy and Rockferry collaborator Steve Booker and produced by Booker. It is an up-tempo pop song in which Duffy uses an idiom for ruining her lover and their intentions. The song marked a departure from the down-tempo soul and balladry of the original version of Rockferry, incorporating elements of R&B and soul. It received positive reviews from critics, with many complimenting Duffy's vocals. Musically, the song bears a striking resemblance to James Bond songs, making notable use of strings. It was called a "big, retro-sounding pop-soul number".
Endlessly is the second studio album by Welsh singer Duffy. It was released in the United Kingdom on 26 November 2010 by A&M Records and in the United States on 7 December 2010 by Mercury Records. Duffy worked almost exclusively with Albert Hammond Snr. on the album, with all but one of the album's songs being written by Hammond and Duffy. Four of the songs received additional or co-production by Stuart Price. Music is also provided by The Roots and Questlove. Musically, the album follows the soul stylings of her first album Rockferry (2008), although Duffy drew inspiration from a variety of other genres, including disco and soft rock, and was compared to pop singers such as Kylie Minogue. It has been said that Duffy wrote the album in three weeks, although recording sessions lasted between 2009 and 2010.
"R.I.P." is a song by English singer Rita Ora featuring British rapper Tinie Tempah from her debut studio album, Ora (2012). The song was written by Aubrey Graham (Drake), F. Samadzada, Mikkel Eriksen, Nneka Egbuna, Renee Wisdom, Saul Milton, Tinie Tempah, Tor Erik Hermansen and William Kennard, and produced by Chase & Status and Stargate. It was released as the second single from the album for digital download and streaming by Columbia and Roc Nation in various countries on 6 May 2012. Sampling Chase & Status' remix of Nneka's "Heartbeat" (2008), it is a dubstep and pop song, incorporating R&B, rave and rock elements. Its lyrics are an ode to a lost love and the process to overcome that situation.
