Genesis, The #60 Artist of the Rock Era, Part One

 "Great music.  I could listen to them all day."

"Outstanding band."

"One of the best bands ever."

"Great songwriting and musicianship."

"Genesis is a major part of the soundtrack of my life."

"Phenomenal band.  The voice of Collins and the brilliant talents of Rutherford and Banks put Genesis in a league of their own. Genesis left us with a lifetime of great music."

"All their albums are amazing, help you through things, help you grow up and are there with you."

"Just can't get enough of their music."

"I love this band."

"There was something magical about this band."

There are two sides to this amazing British group.  In their beginnings, they were a leading Progressive Rock group led by a wild front man.  They then evolved with superb songwriting into one of the top acts of the 80's led by a different lead singer.  One must understand both sides of the story to fully appreciate them!

In 1967, five students at the Charterhouse School in Godalming, Surrey (keyboardist Tony Banks, bassist/guitarist Mike Rutherford and guitarist Anthony Phillips, lead singer Peter Gabriel and drummer Chris Stewart) formed this great group.  When the members ranged in age from 15 to 17, they signed a recording contract with Decca Records.  

After two singles were unsuccessful, Stewart left the group to focus on his studies, while another classmate, John Silver, took his place.  While they were on summer break from school, the band recorded their debut album, From Genesis to Revelation.  But the album failed to sell when record stores mistakenly placed the LP in the religious section after seeing the title!

After graduating, the members went to different universities, but Banks, Phillips, Rutherford and Gabriel decided to concentrate full-time on music.  They recorded four demos with Silver, which were rejected by every label that heard it. Silver left after this bad news, replaced by John Mayhew.

Genesis began practicing hard to prepare for live performances, and when the group played at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in Soho, members of the group Rare Bird recommended Genesis to their producer, John Anthony of Charisma Records.  Within a few weeks, Genesis signed a recording contract with the label.

 

In 1970, Genesis recorded the album Trespass at Trident Studios in London.  "Knife" often closes Genesis concerts and features a double-tracked guitar solo from Phillips.

After Phillips contracted bronchial pneumonia, he left the group.  Banks, Gabriel and Rutherford felt Phillips would be tough to replace, but after Banks demanded that Genesis find a new drummer, Mayhew was fired.

Genesis took out an advertisement in Melody Maker, which Phil Collins spotted.  Collins auditioned for the spot and was hired in August.  The group briefly hired Mick Barnard on guitar, but soon opened up auditions.  Steve Hackett tried out and joined the group in January of 1971.  The new lineup toured the U.K., opening for Lindisfarne and Van der Graaf Generator and played at the famous Reading Festival in June.  

 

Later in the year, Genesis released their third album Nursery Cryme.  This track is high up on their list of best songs--"The Musical Box".  

 

They toured England, Italy and Belgium and again played at the Reading Festival, a performance that drew raves from critics.  The following year, the group released the album Foxtrot, which contains this masterpiece, created when members were 21 years old--"Supper's Ready".

Genesis toured North America and Europe and, unbeknownst to the other members, Gabriel began wearing a costume on stage, soon expanding his act to include fluorescent face paint and a cape loaded with bat wings.  "Watcher Of The Skies" is highlighted by an amazing bass line from Rutherford, great work behind the kit by Collins, and the extraordinary keyboard work of Banks.

Genesis released the album Selling England by the Pound in 1973, which went to #3 in the U.K.  "Dancing With The Moonlit Knight" is a progressive rock masterpiece.

Despite their success in Europe, the band was £150,000 in debt.  They hired Tony Smith as their new manager, and a successful tour of North America and Europe followed.  "Firth Of Fifth", composed mostly by Banks, is a pun on the estuary of the River Forth in Scotland, known as the Firth of Forth.  With its tasty grand piano opening by Banks leading into the flute melody by Gabriel, it also ranks high in their catalog.

Gabriel wrote all the lyrics for the group's double album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, their first concept album, telling the story of a Puerto Rican hustler named Rael living in New York City.  "The Carpet Crawlers" is the point in the story when Rael goes past people who are kneeled on a red carpet crawling towards a wooden door.  A candlelit feast awaits inside with a spiral staircase that winds out of sight.  

Gabriel left the group when he was asked to write a screenplay, but returned when that project was scrapped.  Genesis released the album in 1974, which peaked at #10 in the U.K.  The title song features more keyboard wizardry from Banks.

 

The band had an extensive tour of North America and Europe with a set that included even more wild costumes worn by Gabriel.  During a show in Cleveland, Ohio, Gabriel told the group he was leaving at the end of the tour.  Gabriel's vocals, Banks' otherworldly keyboard solos, Rutherford's bass, Collins' drumming...all combine for this fantastic track--"In The Cage".

Genesis began recording a new album in October, 1975, but since a new lead singer had not been hired, only the backing track was recorded.  The band took out an ad in Melody Maker, which received close to 400 replies.  But none of those met approval of the group, so Collins recorded vocals for one of the songs on the album.  The other members liked it so much that they decided Phil would be the new lead singer.  After the period in which Gabriel was the lead singer, the group was £400,000 in debt.

Genesis released the album early in 1976, and A Trick of the Tail reached #3 in the U.K.  

Bill Bruford was brought on board to play drums on tour while Collins sang, and Genesis performed before enthusiastic crowds.  The group released the album Wind & Wuthering in 1976, a #6 album in the U.K.

Genesis employed Chester Thompson on drums for an accompanying tour of North America, Europe and Brazil.  They played three nights at Earls Court, then the biggest arena in Great Britain, and also played Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Up to this point, Genesis had failed to generate any enthusiasm outside of England on 12 consecutive singles, and none of their British hits reached the Top 10.  That was about to change.

Hackett left the group to focus on a solo career, leaving Genesis as a three-piece.  Banks, Rutherford and Collins wasted no time in releasing the album ...And Then There Were Three, which gave Genesis their first worldwide hit., "Follow You, Follow Me".  It reached #5 in Switzerland, #7 in the U.K., #8 in West Germany and an underrated #22 in the U.S.

Genesis hired guitarist Daryl Stuermer for a tour of North America, Europe and Japan, and they headlined the Knebworth Festival.  But when Collins' marriage began falling apart, he made a concerted attempt to save it.  He was unsuccessful, and the three members of Genesis used this time to release solo albums.


 

In 1980, Genesis released the album Duke, their first #1 album in the U.K.  The single "Turn It On Again" soared to #2 in Australia and #8 in the U.K., but only reached #55 in the United States.  It is one of The Top Unknown/Underrated Songs of the Rock Era*.

"Misunderstanding", surprisingly, was a bigger hit, #1 in Canada and #14 in the U.S.

Tune in for Part Two below!

Rihanna, The #61 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Three

 

(Continued from Part Two)

 Rihanna released the album Talk That Talk in 2011, which debuted at #3 in the United States.  "We Found Love" (with Calvin Harris) became lodged at #1 for 10 weeks in the United States and reached #1 in 26 other countries, giving Rihanna a #1 song on six consecutive albums.  "We Found Love" reached #1 in every major country in the world except Australia, where it peaked at #2.  The single has certified sales of nine million and is approaching Diamond status.

Talk That Talk also reached the Top 5 in every major country, including stays at #1 in the U.K., New Zealand and Switzerland.  It is nearing six million in worldwide sales.  "We Found Love" won a Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video and an MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year.

 

The single "You Da (sic) One" stopped at #14 but still sold over two million copies.  "Talk That Talk" with Jay-Z and "Birthday Cake" with Chris Brown also went Platinum.

In 2012, Rihanna collaborated with Coldplay on "Princess Of China" and with Drake on the song "Take Care".  She also starred in the movie Battleship.

Rihanna had the distinction of being nominated three times for her work with other artists in the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the Grammy Awards.  She won the Grammy for her work with West on "All Of the Lights" and was also nominated for "Talk That Talk" with Jay-Z and "What's My Name?" with Drake.  

Rihanna earned an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Album and she was nominated for Artist of the Year, Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist.  She also won a Billboard Music Award for Top Streaming Artist and was nominated for Top Artist, Top Female Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Pop Artist, Top Radio Song (for "We Found Love"), Top R&B Artist, Top R&B Album, Top Dance Artist, Top Social Artist, Top Digital Songs Artist, Top Radio Songs Artist and Top Digital Media Artist.

 

She pulled another hit off her album as "Where Have You Been" rose to #2 in France, #4 in New Zealand, #5 in the U.S. and Canada, , #6 in the United Kingdom and Australia and #8 in Ireland.  It has gone over four million in sales and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance.

 Rihanna released the album Unapologetic later in the year, which debuted at #1.  It was her third straight #1 album in the U.K. and her fifth straight in Switzerland.  "Diamonds" sparkled at the top in over 20 countries and has sold over 5 in the United States and over seven million worldwide.  

With her 12th #1 song, Rihanna tied Madonna and the Supremes for the fourth-most #1 songs, and she reached the feat in six years and seven months, faster than Mariah Carey's female record of seven years, one month and two weeks.  Rihanna once again toured the world in support of the album.

 Unapologetic has gone over four million units sold and peaked in the Top 10 in every major country's Album chart.  "Stay", with Mikky Ekko, went Top 5 in every major country and has sold over six million copies, including #1 in Canada, #2 in Germany, France, Ireland and Switzerland, #3 in the United States and #4 in the U.K. and Australia.  "Stay" earned a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

The video for "We Found Love" was nominated for Best Pop Video at the MTV VMA's and joined "Stay" as a nominee for Best Female Video.

Rihanna won the Icon Award and Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist at the American Music Awards, and she was nominated for Artist of the Year, Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Album.  She also won Billboard Music Awards for Top R&B Artist, Top Radio Songs Artist, Top R&B Album and Top R&B Song ("Diamonds") and was nominated for Top Artist, Top Female Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Dance Song ("Where Have You Been"), Top Social Artist and Top Streaming Artist.

Rihanna captured a Grammy Award for Best Urban Contemporary Album.  "Pour It Up" sold over two million copies, "Loveeeeeee (sic) Song" with Future went over one million, while "Right Now" with David Guetta and "What Now" were certified Gold.  

Time magazine named Rihanna as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2012.

 

She appeared in the movie This Is the End in 2013 before working with Eminem again for the single "The Monster".  The song rose to #1 for four weeks in the U.S. and topped charts in 12 countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, new Zealand and Switzerland.  When the song hit #1 in the U.K., Rihanna joined the Beatles and Elvis Presley as the only acts to reach #1 in seven straight years in the history of that chart.  Rihanna and Eminem won a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.  

The single has sold over three million copies.  With "The Monster", Rihanna tied Michael Jackson for the fourth-most #1's in the United States with 13.  Rihanna became the fastest solo artist to score 13 #1 songs, breaking the record set by Mariah Carey, with only the Beatles reaching 13 chart-toppers faster (in a little over three years).

Rihanna was nominated for five Billboard Music Awards:  Top Female Artist, Top R&B Artist, Top Touring Artist, Top Social Artist and Top Rap Song (for "The Monster") and she was nominated for World's Best Female Artist, World's Best Live Act and World's Best Entertainer of the Year at the World Music Awards.

In 2014, Rihanna received the Fashion Icon lifetime achievement award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

 

In 2015, Rihanna went over the 100 million mark in sales in the United States.  She released the non-album single "FourFive Seconds", which featured Paul McCartney and Kanye West.  #1 in Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, #2 in France, #3 in the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada and Switzerland and #4 in the U.S.  The single has sold over four million copies.

Rihanna won the Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist honor at the American Music Awards for the fourth time in her career, and "FourFiveSeconds" was nominated for Collaboration of the Year.

Rihanna released an album based on the animated movie Home, which she starred in.  In July, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announced that Rihanna became the first artist in history to top 100 million in single sales in the United States.  Rihanna became an adviser on the television show The Voice.

Rihanna signed a $25 million contract with Samsung, which promoted her 2016 album Anti.  The single "Work" with Drake was a huge hit, holding on to #1 for nine weeks in the United States.  It also vaulted to #1 in Canada and France and reached #2 in the U.K., Ireland and New Zealand and #5 in Germany and Australia.

"Work", which  has sold over eight million copies, won an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Song and was nominated for Video of the Year and Collaboration of the Year.  Rihanna earned the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the MTV Video Music Awards, and "Work" was nominated for Best Female Video and Best Collaboration.

Incredibly, Rihanna set a Rock Era record with a #1 song on seven consecutive albums.  Her first album, Music of the Sun, is the only one which hasn't yielded a #1. 

 Anti became Rihanna's second #1 album in the United States.  "Needed Me" also hit the Top 10 and sold over six million.

Rihanna also collaborated with Drake and Calvin Harris for singles.  "This Is What You Came For", with Harris, sold over two million copies and rose to #1 in Canada, Australia and Ireland, #2 in the U.K. and New Zealand, #3 in the U.S., #4 in Switzerland and #5 in Germany and France.  Rihanna received the MTV Video Vanguard Award at the MTV Video Music Awards.

 

"Too Good", Rihanna's collaboration with Drake, stalled at #14 in the United States but was a Top 10 hit in several countries, including a peak of #3 in the U.K. and Australia.

 

She scored another Top 10 hit on the album with "Love On The Brain", a four-million seller.

Rihanna won American Music Awards for Favorite Female Soul/R&B Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Album and was nominated for Artist of the Year and Favorite Female Pop/Rock Artist.  She also won a special Billboard Chart Achievement Award at the Billboard Music Awards and was nominated for Top Female Artist, Top R&B Artist and Top R&B Album.

Rihanna starred with seven other female actresses, including Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett and Anne Hathaway, in the movie Ocean's Eight.

Rihanna received eight Grammy nominations for the 2017 show.  She was nominated for Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Work", Best Urban Contemporary Album, Best Recording Package, Best R&B Performance on "Needed Me", Best R&B Song for "Kiss It Better" and Best Rap/Sung Performance (for "Famous" with Kanye West).

Rihanna teamed with producer DJ Khaled for "Wild Thoughts" in 2017, a #1 smash in the U.K. that also reached #2 in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and France, #3 in Ireland and Switzerland and #4 in Germany.  "Wild Thoughts" has topped five million in sales.

Despite rumors of a new album as far back as 2017, Rihanna has not released a project since Anti.  She signed a new publishing deal with Sony/ATV in 2019.

Rihanna has 14 #1 songs to her credit, fourth-most in the Rock Era.   Rihanna is the only artist in the Rock Era to generate #1 songs from seven consecutive albums.  It has to be pointed out, however, that not all #1 songs from different eras are the same--she has accumulated those in one of the weakest periods in the last 60 years.  All of this has to be balanced out to rank artists across different decades.  She has accumulated 43 career hits with 23 of those reaching the Top 10.

Rihanna has won eight Grammy Awards out of 32 nominations, 12 American Music Awards from 24 nominations, 12 Billboard Music Awards from 52 nominations, four MTV Video Music Awards out of 15 nominations, seven People's Choice Awards from 14 nominations and two BMI Pop Awards.  

She has sold over 200 million records worldwide.  

Rihanna, The #61 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Two

 

(Continued from Part One above)

 Rihanna also collaborated with Maroon 5 and J-Status, and "Live Your Life", with T.I., was another of the big hits of 2008, jumping from 80 to 1, breaking T.I.'s mark of 71-1 set the year before with "Whatever You Like", for the biggest jump to #1 in the Rock Era.  The mark was short-lived, as Britney Spears rose from 96-1 the following week with "Womanizer".  

"Live Your Life" had three separate runs at the top spot, becoming just the fourth song of the Rock Era to do so, after Chic's "Le Freak" in 1978 and 1979 and Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love" and T.I.'s "Whatever You Like" earlier in 2008.  "Live Your Life" also peaked at #2 in the U.K. and New Zealand, #3 in Australia and Ireland and #4 in Canada.  The single has sold over three million copies. 

Rihanna and Maroon 5 were nominated for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "If I Never See Your Face Again" at the Grammy Awards and Rihanna was named Diva of the Year by the magazine Entertainment Weekly.  Rihanna once again was nominated for World's Best-Selling R&B Female Artist at the World Music Awards.

 Rihanna joined Jay-Z and Kanye West for the single "Run This Town" from his album The Blueprint 3.  It won Grammy Awards for Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration and sold over two million copies.

 

In 2009, she released the album Rated R.  "Russian Roulette" landed in the Top 10 in every major country, including #1 in Switzerland, #2 in the U.K. and Germany.  It also sold over two million copies.

 

The single "Hard" continued Rihanna's unprecedented streak of Gold singles from her studio albums, selling over two million units for the 13th straight to go over one million.  The song peaked at #8 in the United States.  Rihanna's streak was ended with "Wait Your Turn" failed to go Gold.

 

"Rude Boy" topped the U.S. chart for five weeks and hit the Top 10 in 22 other countries, including a #1 peak in Australia.  The single has topped five million in sales and received recognition as an Award-Winning Song at the 2012 BMI Pop Awards. 

 Rated R rose to #1 in Switzerland and has topped one million units sold in the United States and three million worldwide.  "Rock Star" with Slash also went Platinum.

The single "Te Amo" hit #9 in Switzerland and also sold over one million copies.

Rihanna won Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist at the American Music Awards for a third time.

 Rihanna helped Eminem on his album Recovery with the release of the single "Love The Way You Lie", a #1 song in over 20 countries.  With seven #1 songs, Rihanna was now fifth among female artists in the Rock Era.  The single has gone over 11 million in sales, making it one of the top-selling singles in history.

The pair were nominated for Record of the Year, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration and Best Short Form Music Video at the Grammy Awards.

 Rihanna released the album Loud in 2010.  "Only Girl (In The World)" raced to #1 in 15 countries and won a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording.  Rihanna earned the distinction of posting a #1 hit from five consecutive albums, as "Only Girl" registered over six million in sales.

"What's My Name" with Drake outpaced the first single and reached the top spot before "Only Girl (In The World)", marking the first time that an album's lead single reached #1 after the second.  When "What's My Name?" went to #1 in the U.K., Rihanna became the first female solo artist to score #1 songs in the U.K. in five straight years and the first woman in history to score four #1 songs in a calendar year. "What's My Name" matched "Only Girl" with certified sales of over six million. 

Rihanna helped out David Guetta on "Who's That Chick?", a Top 10 song in every country in the world except the United States, where it stalled at #51.  

Rihanna also collaborated with West for "All Of The Lights" on his album that sold over two million singles.  She soon switched management to Jay-Z's Roc Nation Management. 

Loud peaked in the Top 5 in every major country in the world.  Sales now top eight million worldwide.  "S&M", later remixed with Britney Spears, also hit #1 in the United States, Canada and Australia.  Less than five years after she began her career, Rihanna accumulated 10 #1 songs quicker than any other solo artist in the Rock Era.  She tied Janet Jackson for fourth among female performers.  "S&M" has gone over four million in single sales.

 Loud was nominated for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album at the Grammy Awards.  "California King Bed" reached #4 in Australia and New Zealand and despite a peak of #37 in the United States, sold two million copies.

Rihanna also won an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Album and was nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist.  "Man Down" rose to #1 in France and also sold over two million copies in the United States. 

Rihanna was nominated for 18 Billboard Music Awards in 2011, winning for Top Female Artist, Top Radio Songs Artist and Top Rap Song (for "Love The Way You Lie").  She was also nominated for Top Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Hot 100 Song, Top Radio Song, Top Digital Song, Top Streaming Audio Song and Top Streaming Video Song (all for "Love The way You Lie"), Top R&B Album, Top R&B Song (for "What's My Name?", Top R&B Artist, Top Dance Artist, Top Social Artist, Top Digital Songs Artist and Top Digital Media Artist.  
Rihanna was also nominated for World's Best Pop/Rock Artist at the World Music Awards.  The single "Cheers (Drink To That)" reached #5 in New Zealand, #6 in Australia and Canada and #7 in the U.S. and sold over two million copies.

Rihanna enjoyed great success on a worldwide tour, which was ranked as the seventh-highest-grossing tour of 2011.  She sold out 10 dates at the O₂ Arena in London.  The last three shows are featured in the video album Loud Tour Live at the O₂, released in 2012.

Catch Part Three of Rihanna tomorrow!

Rihanna, The #61 Artist of the Rock Era, Part One

 "Rihanna is the Queen!"

"She is so talented."

"She's an amazing singer."

"Rihanna is extremely versatile."

"I love her voice."

"Her singing is so relaxing.  She's my favorite singer."

"She has recorded some of the best music of the last decade."

"Rihanna is so cool."

"Wow!  I love her music!"

'Superb sexy voice."

"Iconic."

Robin Fenty was born February 20, 1988 in Saint Michael, Barbados.  She experienced severe headaches as a child and was deeply affected by her father's addictions to crack cocaine and alcohol.  Rihanna began singing around the time she was seven.  

In 2003, Rihanna and two classmates formed a trio, and she was discovered soon after by producer Evan Rogers.  During breaks in school, Rihanna recorded demo tapes over the next year.  In 2004, Rihanna won a high school talent show as well as the Miss Combermere school beauty pageant.  

Rihanna signed a contract with the production company, Syndicated Rhythm Productions, owned by Rogers and Carl Sturken and the company distributed her tape to record labels.  

Jay-Z, then president of Def Jam Recordings, heard the tape and invited Rihanna to audition for he and Antonio "L.A." Reid. lkjfsf?  Both were impressed, and Rihanna signed a recording contract with the company.  Rihanna moved to the United States to live with Rogers and his wife. 

 Rihanna recorded music for her debut album, and "Pon De Replay" was released as a single, which reached the Top 5 in 15 countries, including #1 in New Zealand and #2 in the United States, the U.K. and Ireland.  It has sold over two million copies.

Rihanna released the album Music of the Sun in 2005, which debuted at #10.  It attained Gold status in the U.S. and sold over two million copies worldwide.  "If It's Lovin' That You Want" reached #9 in Australia; though it peaked at #36 in the United States, it still sold over one million copies.

 Rihanna released the album A Girl Like Me in 2006, which reached the Top 10 in 13 countries, including #1 in Canada.  The single "SOS" reached the Top 5 in 11 countries, including #1 in the United States and Australia.  It has sold over two million copies and earned MTV Video Music Awards for Viewer's Choice and Best New Artist in a Video. 

 

The album sold one million units in the U.S. alone and has gone over four million worldwide.  "Unfaithful" went to #1 in Canada and Switzerland and the Top 10 in every major country in the world, including #6 in the United States.  The single has sold over three million copies. 

 Rihanna headlined a tour for the first time in promotion of Music of the Sun.   "Break It Off", with Sean Paul,  reached the Top 10 and earned a BMI Pop Award for one of its Award-Winning Songs.

Rihanna won an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist and Billboard Music Awards for Female Artist of the Year, Female Hot 100 Artist of the Year and Pop 100 Artist of the Year.  She was also nominated for World's Best-Selling R&B Artist at the World Music Awards.

 

In 2007, she released the album Good Girl Gone Bad, which featured uptempo dance songs.  Rihanna combined with Jay-Z for the lead single "Umbrella", which topped the U.K. chart for 10 weeks, the longest-running #1 since 1994.  It reached #1 in every major country except France, where it stalled at #6.  

"Umbrella" sold over six million copies around the world and gave Rihanna and Jay-Z a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration and a nomination for the prestigious Record of the Year.  The two also won an MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year and Monster Single of the Year and Rihanna was nominated for Female Artist of the Year.  

Rihanna added the U.K., Ireland and Switzerland to Canada in her list of countries that ranked her album #1.  Good Girl Gone Bad is approaching six million in sales in the United States and eight million worldwide.

"Shut Up And Drive" made it an incredible eight consecutive Gold singles and it has now sold over two million copies in the U.S.  It peaked at #3 in France, #4 in Australia, #5 in the U.K. and Ireland, #6 in Germany and Canada but only #15 in the United States.  Billboard appeared to have methodology problems again, ranking a two-million seller at #15.

 

"Hate That I Love You" with Ne-Yo, however, reached #7 and was nominated for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the Grammy Awards.  The single ran her string of consecutive Gold singles to nine with sales of over two million.  It should be pointed out that in 1989, the Recording Industry Association of America lowered the standard for a Gold single to sales of over 500,000 units, making comparisons for Gold singles of pre-'89 and post'89 moot.

 Rihanna pulled a fourth big hit off the album with "Don't Stop The Music"--#1 in Germany, Australia, France and Switzerland, #2 in Canada and #3 in New Zealand.  Sales of over four million in the U.S. netted the song only a #3 ranking, but Rihanna had the last laugh when the song was nominated for Best Dance Recording at the Grammy Awards.

 Rihanna performed 80 shows in North America and Europe before embarking on a tour with Kanye West in 2008.  Later in the year, she released the album Good Girl Gone Bad:  Reloaded, which featured three new songs.  "Take A Bow" jumped from 53-1, second only to Maroon 5's "Makes Me Wonder" the year before (64-1) for the biggest leap to the top at that time.  It also hit #1 in the United Kingdom, Canada and Ireland.

"Take A Bow" has sold over four million copies and the video was nominated for Best Female Video at the MTV VMA's.

Rihanna earned Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist honors at the American Music Awards.  She won World Music Awards for World's Best-Selling Pop Female Artist and World's Best Entertainer of the Year and was nominated for World's Best-Selling R&B Female Artist.

 "Disturbia" is another monster hit from the album and has sold over six million copies in the U.S. alone.  It ran to #1 in the United States and New Zealand, #2 in Canada, #3 in the U.K. and France, #4 in Ireland and Switzerland, #6 in Germany and #6 in Australia.  "Disturbia" earned a Grammy nomination for Best Dance Recording.

 "Rehab", another single from the main Good Girl Gone Bad album, reached #4 in Germany but only #16 in the United States, despite two million in sales.

Join us for Part Two tomorrow!

Bon Jovi, The #62 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Two

 

Bon Jovi set the all-time record for Top 10 singles on a Hard Rock album.  A worldwide tour took them to 22 countries and included 232 shows, including a sellout show at Giants Stadium in Rutherford, New Jersey and a performance in the Moscow Music Peace Festival.  Bon Jovi became the first band approved by the Soviet Union government and New Jersey became the first album from the United States to be released legally in the U.S.S.R.  

But the enormous and newfound success had taken its toll--they had recorded two monster albums in a row and kept up a frantic pace on the road with two worldwide tours.  After they finished up the New Jersey tour, the members went their separate ways with barely a word to each other.  Jon released a solo album and recorded "Blaze Of Glory" for the movie Young Guns II, while Sambora also released a solo album during this time.

Then in 1991, Jon fired McGhee and his agents and business advisers and created Bon Jovi Management.  Late in the year, he organized a meeting of band members on the island of St. Thomas to discuss their plans.  It was a good move as Bon Jovi agreed to go back to Vancouver to begin working on their fifth album.

 

In 1992, Bon Jovi released the album Keep the Faith.  The title song was one of a host of songs to be severely underrated by Billboard.  Other song-ranking organizations around the world had more sense--#3 in France and Switzerland, #5 in the U.K. and Canada, #7 in Sweden, #8 in West Germany, #9 in the Netherlands and #10 in Australia.  Yet in the U.S., where Bon Jovi is from, Billboard's methodology had the song peaking at #29.

 

Keep the Faith has sold over two million albums.  The single "Bed Of Roses" went to #2 in Canada, #9 in the Netherlands and Switzerland and #10 in the United States, Australia and West Germany.

 

The group played in 177 shows in 37 countries, playing before 2.5 million fans. "In These Arms".

 

"Dry County" is a Top Track* that did find some fans catching on.  It reached #6 in Finland and #9 in the U.K.

 

In 1994, the group released the compilation album Cross Road.  The single "Always" achieved the rare feat of reaching the Top Five in every major country in the world and sold over two million copies.  Bon Jovi captured the Best-Selling Rock Band honors at the World Music Awards.

 However, Such was fired, replaced on bass by Hugh McDonald.  In 1995, Bon Jovi released the album These Days, which debuted at #1 in the U.K. and stayed at the top for four weeks.  The group once again dazzled audiences on a worldwide tour that included three sold out nights at Wembley Stadium in London. "This Ain't A Love Song" shot to #1 in Finland, #2 in Canada and #3 in the Netherlands.

 

The band took another another hiatus before recording the song "Real Life" for the movie EdTV.  In 2000, they released the album Crush.  The single "It's My Life" sold over two million copies in the United States but peaked at #33--some chart organization was asleep at the wheel.  Canada was the only other country in the world that didn't take the song inside the Top 10.  Bon Jovi were nominated for Best Rock Album and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group for "It's My Life".  

Bon Jovi played two more sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium, the last concerts at the historic venue before it was demolished.  The group played before 1.1 million fans across North America, Europe and Japan.

The band wanted to take another vacation before working on their next album, but after the September 11, 2001 murders at the World Trade Centers, Bon Jovi and Sambora filmed Public Service Announcements for the Red Cross, recorded "America The Beautiful" for the National Football League and performed on the live telethon America:  A Tribute to Heroes.  
The next month, Bon Jovi performed at two Monmouth County Alliance of Neighbors concerts in New Jersey to raise funds for families affected by the World Trade Center disaster.  They then performed at the Concert for New York at Madison Square Garden to honor the first responders who worked to save lives during the attack and to raise relief funds for families who needed them.

In 2002, Bon Jovi released the album Bounce.  Another tour followed, in which the group was the last to play Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia before it was torn down.

In 2003, Bon Jovi rewrote and recorded 12 of their biggest hits and released it as This Left Feels Right.  

The next year, to commemorate the sale of 100 million albums as well as the 20th anniversary of Bon Jovi's first album in 1984, the group released the box set 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans can't Be Wrong.  At the end of the year, Bon Jovi received the Award of Merit at the American Music Awards.

 

In 2005, Bon Jovi released their 10th album, Have a Nice Day, which debuted at #2 in both the United States and the U.K. and peaked at #1 in 15 countries.  The title song was a Top 10 hit everywhere in the world except Ireland and the United States.  The latter oversight was the result of a cockeyed methodology by Billboard--it sold over one million copies but Billboard only ranked it #53! 

 

"(You Want To) Make A Memory" wasn't a much better example; it peaked at #27 in the U.S. and also went Gold.  The song reached the Top 10 in every country except the United States and the U.K.

 

A version of "Who Says You Can't Go Home" with Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland rose to #1 on the Country chart, as Bon Jovi became the first Hard Rock band to score a #1 Country hit.  Bon Jovi won Favorite Rock Song at the People's Choice Awards for this #5 smash.

Another wildly successful world tour followed, in which the band played to over two million fans and grossed $191 million, the third highest-grossing tour of the year behind the Rolling Stones and Madonna.

In 2007, Bon Jovi released the album Lost Highway.  They performed at the Live Earth concert at Giants Stadium, and also played dates in the United States, Canada, the U.K. and Japan.  The tour was the top-grossing of the year with ticket sales of $210.6 million.

"Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore", with LeAnn Rimes, won a Country Music Television Award for Collaborative Video of the Year and was nominated for Vocal Event of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards.

In 2009, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora were honored with induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.  Later that year, Bon Jovi released the album The Circle, which debuted at #1 in the United States, Germany, Canada and Japan.  

The group played three sold-out shows at the New Meadowlands Stadium and 12 nights at the O2 Arena in London.  Once again, Bon Jovi finished 2010 with the highest-grossing tour of the year.  

The band released a greatest hits album including four new songs.  In 2012, Bon Jovi released the album Because We Can and toured North America, Europe, Africa, the Far East, Australia and Latin America.

But in April, Sambora left the band, although he has kept open the possibility of returning to Bon Jovi.  Phil X, who had played with the group from time to time, was named a full-time member.

Bon Jovi released the compilation album Burning Bridges in 2015 and the studio album This House Is Not For Sale in 2016.  Last year, the group released the album 2020.

The great New Jersey band scored 26 career hits, with 10 Top 10 songs and 4 #1's.

Bon Jovi has sold over 130 million albums and played over 2,700 concerts in 50 countries before over 34 million fan