The Moody Blues, the #63 Artist of the Rock Era, Part One

"Timeless, classic music."

"Great, great band.  Quality always endures."

"This band is so talented.  These guys are among the best--way ahead of their contemporaries."

"In terms of innovation, harmonies, songwriting....only The Beatles would rate higher than The Moody Blues."

"The sheer beauty and intricacy of the music is incredible."

"Such melody, harmony and rhythm in gorgeous compositions."

"Perfection...I listen and my soul is soothed."

"The Moody Blues! A higher conscious experience!"

"You know,  instinctively, you are hearing music perfect in all senses!  God bless the Moody Blues."

"The Moody Blues' albums are such masterpieces."

"I adore the music of the Moody Blues!  So many instruments and the vocals are amazing!"

"This was the greatest most beautiful intelligent music to listen to as the soundtrack for our adolescence,"

It was nearly unanimously said about this next group that they were "years ahead of their time".  They were distinct in that they were equally adept at playing Rock & Roll as they were at performing tender ballads.  

They began on May 4, 1964, though they didn't come into prominence until several years later and ironically, two members who went on to become the leaders of the band were not with them originally.  Mike Pinder and Ray Thomas combined in Erdington, Warwickshire, England, a city near Birmingham, to form the Krew Cats.  They recruited guitarist and singer Denny Laine, drummer Graeme Edge (previously the group's manager) and bassist Clint Warwick and changed their name to the Moody Blues.  

They played in the Birmingham area and were the resident band at the Carlton Ballroom in Erdington.  The Moody Blues signed with the management company Ridgepride, who helped them sign a recording contract with Decca Records.  The group's first single, "Steal Your Heart Away", went nowhere.  

"Go Now" launched the band into the Top 10, hitting #1 in the U.K., #2 in Canada and #10 in both the U.S. and the Netherlands. 

The Moody Blues released an extended play of the four songs on both sides of their first two releases, and then released the album The Magnificent Moodies in 1965.  

But three successive single releases failed to continue the momentum.  In 1966, Warwick retired and Laine soon followed him out the door.  The Moodies continued by reforming with John Lodge, who had been in the group El Riot with Pinder and Thomas, and Justin Hayward.    
A few more unsuccessful singles followed, but what would become the trademark sounds of the group began to surface.  The Moodies began to emphasize the flute playing of Thomas and more of Pinder's Mellotron.

Although they hadn't enjoyed a lot of success, still hadn't released a second album and they owed the label several thousand pounds in advances, the group had a believer in Decca's A&R manager Hugh Mendl.  Mendl was behind the establishment of the Decca subsidiary label Deram Records, and was eager for an artist to record an album that would showcase the firm's new Deramic Stereo Sound.  

The idea of performing a symphony written by someone in house didn't work, but the Moody Blues convinced the label to let them work on a similar idea using their original material.  Label executives weren't sure what they had when the album was recorded, but in 1967, the Moodies released Days of Future Passed.  

The LP was one of the first concept albums based on everyman's day.  It highlighted Pinder's Mellotron and was accompanied by a collection of classical musicians from the Decca stable who played together under the fictitious name of the London Festival Orchestra.  Tony Clarke produced the album, and the parties involved were so happy with his work that he produced the group for the next 11 years.  

The Moodies released the single "Nights In White Satin", and the condensed version did not do it justice.  It did not even crack the Top 100 at the time.  

 

Days of Future Passed reached #27 on the British Album chart at the time.  More on it later.  The single "Tuesday Afternoon" stalled at #24 in the U.S. and didn't chart at all in the U.K., making it one of The Top Unknown/Underrated Songs of the Rock Era*.

 

The legendary album is best experienced from beginning to end, but we will highlight the top tracks. "Dawn Is A Feeling" might refer to the beauty of the world and the importance of appreciating what we have.

As Justin Hayward explains, the concept is of an ordinary day in the life of everyman, but it could just as well be interpreted as a lifetime.  This is "Peak Hour".

 

This composition leads into "Nights In White Satin" on the album. "The Sunset"/"Twilight Time".

 

The next year, the Moodies returned with the album In Search of the Lost Chord.  Another of many underrated songs by the group is "Ride My See-Saw", a peak of #61 from a company which refuses to see the importance of albums in its Single rankings.

 

One of the great tracks is "Legend Of A Mind", written in tribute to Timothy Leary, which features the flute work of Thomas.

 

The genius of Hayward and Lodge is that they could write and the Moodies could perform great rock & roll while also writing some of the great love songs of their generation.  This is "The Actor".

 

The group released another outstanding album in 1969, On the Threshold of a Dream.  One of the prime cuts on the album is "Lovely To See You".

 

Later in the year, the Moody Blues launched their own record label, Threshold and released the album To Our Children's Children's Children, another concept album inspired by the first U.S. moon landing.  "Gypsy (Of A Strange And Distant Time)" is an Top Track*.

 

We also want to feature another fan favorite, "Eternity Road".

 

Here is the haunting "Watching And Waiting".

 

Both parts of "Eyes Of A Child" are other highlights on the album.

 

By now, the Moodies had become known for their progressive rock, on full display on their 1970 album A Question of Balance.  The album went to #1 in the U.K. and #3 in the United States.  But with a peak of #21, the group was once again way ahead of their time with a song that ranks high among The Top Unknown/Underrated Songs of the Rock Era*.

"Dawning Is The Day" urges us to escape the trappings of the modern world.

 

The group was a huge hit at the Isle of Wight Festival.  The Moodies continued their hot streak with the album Every Good Boy Deserves Favour in 1971.  "The Story In Your Eyes" peaked at #23, another of The Top Unknown/Underrated Songs of the Rock Era*.

 

"You Can Never Go Home" is a song Hayward wrote about the death of his father.  It is inspired by the book You Can't Go Home by Thomas Wolfe.

 

The band released the album Seventh Sojourn in 1971, a #1 album in the United States, also characterized by the orchestral sound they had begun with Days of Future Passed.  "Isn't Life Strange" reached #9 in Canada.

 

The great song "I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band)" is yet another example of chart methodology unable to correctly ascertain the huge popularity of the group.  It stalled at #12, although it did reach #4 in Canada.

 

"For My Lady" is another of the group's solid ballads.

 

We also want to feature this tasty number, "You And Me".

Days of Future Passed received new life in 1972 and this time, it generated tremendous interest, reaching #3 on the U.S. Album chart.  "Nights In White Satin", largely ignored when originally released because of the decision to cut the length so it could be a single, became the biggest career hit by the Moody Blues, and ranks as one of The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era*.

After an extensive world tour, the group took a hiatus from recording and performing, although they did oversee the completion of their compilation album This Is The Moody Blues, which went Gold.  During this time, Hayward and Lodge recorded an album together, Hayward released the first of several solo albums while Lodge also released a solo project, Pinder recorded a solo album and Edge produced two albums.

 

The group reunited for another studio album, although the Moodies had to work through internal tensions between the members.  Finally, the group completed the album Octave, released in 1978, but Pinder did not tour with the group.  Keyboardist Patrick Moraz, formerly with Yes, joined the Moody Blues on tour.  "The Day We Meet Again" is one of the best songs on the album.

The group toured the United States and Europe before working on their next album.  Moraz joined the group in the studio, but Pinder, who thought he was still in the Moodies for studio recordings, sued to stop the album.  He lost the lawsuit and never joined the group again.

 

In 1981, the Moody Blues made a big comeback with the album Long Distance Voyager, their first #1 album since Seventh Sojourn nine years before. The single "Gemini Dream" rose to #1 in Canada but only #12 in the United States, yet another underrated song.

 

"The Voice" is another of those underrated songs, peaking at #16.

 

The band scored a #9 hit, #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart, with "Your Wildest Dreams".

"Your Wildest Dreams" won a Billboard Award for Video of the Year.  

In 1983, the group released the album The Present, which yielded the #3 Mainstream Rock hit "Sitting At The Wheel".

 

In 1988, the group signed with Polydor Records and returned with the album Sur La Mer.  "I Know You're Out There Somewhere" hit #2 on the Mainstream Rock chart and #9 on the AC chart.

 

The group released the album The Present in 1983, which didn't come close to their previous album.  But the Moodies once again enjoyed success with their 1986 album The Other Side of Life, which reached #9 and sold over one million copies in the U.S.  "Candle Of Life".

The Moodies released the compilation The Story of the Moody Blues - Legend of a Band in 1990, followed by the superb box set Time Traveler in 1994.  Both went Gold.

In 1991, while working on a new album, Moraz was fired and replaced by Bias Boshell and Paul Bliss, who had been added to their live shows.  With that lineup, the Moody Blues released the album Keys of the Kingdom.

The group continued to do well on the road, and their concert at Red Rocks in Colorado was especially memorable, with a recording of the 1992 concert released on DVD.  The album was certified Gold.  

Bliss became a permanent fixture on stage until he was replaced in 2010.  After Edge was injured in 1991, Gordon Marshall was recruited and became a second drummer until 2015.  But none of the new musicians became official full-time members of the band.

The Moody Blues did not release another studio album until 1999 with Strange Times.  In 2000, they released a recording from their show at the Royal Albert Hall in London on both CD and DVD, called Hall of Fame.  This was the last tour for Boshell, with Bliss taking over from there.

In 2002, Thomas retired, and the remaining three members (Hayward, Lodge and Edge) recruited flautist and rhythm guitarist Norda Mullen for a North American tour.  Mullen continues to perform with the group to this day.

In 2003, the Moody Blues released the album December.  In 2007, the Hard Rock Park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina featured a ride called "Nights in White Satin:  The Trip", which included the playing of the group's signature song with new orchestration.  The ride only lasted two years when the company was bought by new owners.

The group continued to tour regularly through 2010, the same year that producer Tony Clarke died.  The Moodies added keyboardist Alan Hewitt for their 2010 world tour.

In 2013, the Moody Blues released the compilation Timeless Flight.  They continued to tour through 2015 and appeared at the Glastonbury Festival in June of that year.

On January 4, 2018, Thomas died at the age of 76, shortly before the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Moody Blues have influenced countless groups such as ELO, Genesis and Yes.

The band had 21 career hits with three reaching the Top 10.  Just as was the case with Joni Mitchell, AC/DC, Jackson Browne and others, hits don't tell the whole story.  They had eight hits on the Mainstream Rock chart, with four reaching the Top 10 and one #1, and that chart has been in existence for a fraction of the time the Moodies have been recording music.  If it had been, those numbers would easily triple or quadruple--sure, the band had its hits, even though many were underrated, but what drew millions of fans to them was their incredible albums.

The Moody Blues have sold over 70 million albums worldwide.  They are a member of the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.

The Everly Brothers, The #64 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Two

 (Continued from Part One...)

The Everly Brothers signed with Warner Brothers Records in 1960, believed to be one of the most lucrative recording contracts to that time.   The Brothers released the album It's Everly Time in 1960.  It was their first Top 10 album.

 

The Everlys released a single from their album A Date with the Everly Brothers, and rocketed to #1 for five weeks.  "Cathy's Clown" sold over one million units.

 

A popular album track is the original version of "Love Hurts".

 

The duo went back to The Fabulous Style of the Everly Brothers for another single, "When Will I Be Loved", which peaked at #3 in Australia, #4 in the U.K. and #8 in the United States.

 

The Everly Brothers released the album It's Everlys Time in 1960, which yielded the #7 hit "So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad").

 

The duo released the compilation The Golden Hits of the Everly Brothers, which contained "Walk Right Back", a #7 hit.

 

The flip side, "Ebony Eyes", peaked at #8.

In 1961, the brothers upset Rose when they recorded the Bing Crosby song "Temptation", which Rose did not publish.  Rose attempted to block the release of the single but was unsuccessful.  As a result, Rose denied the brothers access to all of the Acuff-Rose songwriters, including the Bryants.

From 1961-64, the Everly Brothers recorded songs by other artists. They also launched their own label, Calliope Records.  Don recorded several solo songs under the name Adrian Kimberly, while Phil started the Keestone Family Singers, which included Carole King and Glen Campbell.

 

The brothers enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve in 1961.  "Crying In The Rain" was released as a single after they enlisted, and it made it to #6.

 "That's Old Fashioned (That's The Way Love Should Be)" became the group's final Top 10 song in 1962.  

After active duty, the Everly Brothers resumed recording but with little success.  Only three of 27 singles afterwards made the Hot 100.  However, this gem from 1967 hit #1 in Canada and is a fan favorite. 

In 1964, they patched up differences with Rose and began working with the Bryants, but no further hits ensued.  

In 1970, they served as summer replacement hosts for Johnny Cash's television show and signed a recording contract with RCA Victor Records.  

The Everly Brothers began a tour in 1972, with the final performance slated for July 14, 1973 at Knott's Berry Farm in California.  However, Don told a reporter beforehand that he was "tired of being an Everly Brother", and during the show, Phil smashed his guitar and walked off stage.  The brothers did not talk to one another for years.

Don and Phil recorded solo from 1973 to 1983 with little fanfare.  They finally smoothed their differences and reunited for a concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London on September 23, 1983.  

 

The Everly Brothers recorded the album EB '84 in 1984.  "On The Wings Of A Nightingale", written for them by Paul McCartney, became a #9 Adult Contemporary hit.

In 1986, the Everly Brothers were inducted into the initial class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  That same year, they also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard.

In 1997, the Everly Brothers received a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement.  In 1998, the duo recorded "Cold" for the play Whistle Down the Wind, their final studio recording.

In an historic set of appearances that featured two of the all-time top recording duos, the Everly Brothers joined Simon & Garfunkel for their Old Friends reunion tour in 2003 and 2004.  The concerts featured all four performing the Everly Brothers' first hit "Bye Bye Love", which Simon & Garfunkel had recorded in 1970 for the album Bridge Over Troubled Water.

The Everlys were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004.

Phil Everly died on January 3, 2014 of lung disease in Burbank, California.

Many superstars have credited the Everly Brothers as a major influence, including the Beatles, the Bee Gees, the Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel and the Hollies.

The Everly Brothers hold the all-time record for most Hot 100 singles by a duo.  They scored 36 career hits, with 15 of those reaching the Top 10 and three #1 songs.

The Everly Brothers have sold an estimated 90 million records.  "All I Have To Do Is Dream" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2003, while "Bye Bye Love" was inducted in 2006.

The Everly Brothers, the #64 Artist of the Rock Era, Part One

"The Everly Brothers, the dynamic duo in perfect harmony."

"No duo or group will ever have the harmony these two Kentucky brothers had. Smooth and amazing singers. Some of my favorites song forever."

"Pure harmony."

"The two brothers were the greatest."

"Some of the greatest harmonies of all-time. The incredible Everly Brothers."

"Timeless songs--magic!"

"The Everly Brothers were incomparable."

"Beautiful and timeless."

"Phils' tenor with Dons' voice is music made in Heaven."

"This was music, real music."

"The Everly brothers are two of the greatest romantic singers in the world of love music."

"Sublime. Incomparable."

"They are immortals."

This pair of brothers set the standard for pop duos and their vocal harmonies have influenced hundreds of artists in the 60 years since.

Don Everly was born in Brownie, Kentucky in 1937 while Phil was born in Chicago, Illinois.  The brothers grew up in Shenadoah, Iowa and performed on their father Ike's radio show on KMA and KFNF in Shenandoah in the mid-1940's.  

In 1953, the family moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, with Don graduating from West High School.  While there, the brothers attracted the attention of family friend Chet Atkins, who was then manager of RCA Victor's studio in Nashville.  The brothers moved to Nashville in 1955, with Phil graduating from Peabody Demonstration School.  

Atkins arranged for the Everly Brothers to earn a recording contract with Columbia Records in 1956.  But a single, "Keep-a-Lovin' Me" flopped, and they were dropped from the label.

                            Phil Everly, Wesley Rose, Boudleaux Bryant and Don Everly

Atkins then introduced the brothers to Wesley Rose, co-owner of Acuff-Rose music publishers.  Rose told the duo he would get them a recording deal if they signed with his company as songwriters.  Don and Phil signed with Rose in 1956 and shortly thereafter, Rose introduced the Everly Brothers to Archie Bleyer of Cadence Records.  Felice and Boudleaux Bryant of Acuff-Rose wrote many of their early hits.   

 

The duo signed with Cadence and released "Bye Bye Love".  It reached #2 for four weeks to become one of The Top #2 Songs of the Rock Era*, and also hit #1 Country and #5 on the R&B chart in the U.S., #2 in Canada and #6 in the U.K.

 

The follow-up "Wake Up Little Susie" became a smash--#1 for four weeks in the United States and Canada, #2 in the U.K. and #3 in Australia.  Like it's predecessor, it sold over one million copies.

The Everly Brothers toured with Buddy Holly in 1957 and 1958.  They released their self-titled album in 1958.  "All I Have To Do Is Dream" vaulted to #1, where it stayed for five weeks in the United States, also #1 in the U.K. and Canada and #3 in Australia.  It also sold over one million singles.

"Wake Up Little Susie" and "All I Have To Do Is Dream" are two of the biggest back-to-back releases for any artist of the Rock Era. "Bird Dog" topped charts in the United States, Canada and Australia and reached #2 in the U.K.  It became the duo's fourth single to be certified Gold.

 

The Everlys reached #10 with "Devoted To You, the flip side of "Bird Dog".

"Problems" stopped just shy of #1 at #2.

 

The duo released the album The Fabulous Style of the Everly Brothers, and their second single from the album, "('Till) I Kissed You", went to #4.  The Crickets, Buddy Holly's group, backed up the Everlys on this one.

 

The duo pulled another hit off the album with "Let It Be Me", #7 in the U.S. and #8 in Canada.

Join us for Part Two Tomorrow!

Taylor Swift, The #65 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Three

 (Continued from Part Two above)

 

In 2017, Swift and Zayn Malik released the single "I Don't Wanna' Live Forever" for the "Fifty Shades Darker" Soundtrack, which reached #2 in the United States, Canada, Germany and Switzerland, was a Top 5 hit in every other major country and won Best Collaboration at the MTV Video Music Video Awards.

 

Swift released the single "Look What You Made Me Do" in 2017 as the opening single from the album Reputation, a #1 song in the U.S., U.K., Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland.

 

Taylor was honored as the Time magazine Person of the Year in 2017.   "...Ready For It" followed up with a #3 ranking in Australia and #4 in the United States.

Reputation debuted at #1 in the U.S. and Taylor again achieved a #1 album in the U.K., Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland.  Reputation also sold over one million copies in its first week, making Swift the first artist in history to have four albums reach that sales level in the opening week, and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album.

Taylor sang on Sugarland's "Babe" in 2018 and toured the world in a tour that sold over two million tickets and grossed over $345 million.  Her U.S. segment grossed over $266 million, breaking Swift's own record for the highest-grossing U.S. tour by a female artist and set a new mark for the most successful North American tour in history.

 

The album has now sold over 4.5 million copies worldwide.  "Delicate" is another of The Top Unknown/Underrated Songs of the Rock Era*.

 

Swift won American Music Awards for Artist of the Year, Favorite Pop or Rock Female Artist, Tour of the Year, and Favorite Pop or Rock Album to break Whitney Houston's record for the most American Music Awards won with 23.  "New Year's Day" is another great track from Taylor.

Swift also won Billboard Music Awards for Top Female Artist and Top-Selling Album and was nominated for Top Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist and Top Billboard 200 Album.

In 2018, Taylor signed a multi-album contract with Universal Music Group and released the concert film for her tour on Netflix.  Swift released the album Lover in 2019.  All 18 songs on the album charted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, which is a notable achievement but more reflective of the bad competition that has existed in the music business since the late 1980's. 

 

When "Me!" rocketed from #100 to #2 in its second week, it set a new record for the biggest jump in chart history and also reached #2 in Canada and Australia and #3 in the U.K. and New Zealand.  "Me" captured an MTV Video Music Award for Best Visual Effects. 

   

Lover was the top-selling album of the year with 3 million copies sold.  "You Need To Calm Down" was a strong follow-up, peaking at #2 in the U.S., #3 in Australia and #4 in Canada.  The video captured an American Music Award for Favorite Music Video and MTV Video Music Awards for Video of the Year and Video for Good. The song was also nominated for Best Pop Solo Performance at the Grammy Awards.

 

The album went to #1 in nearly every country in the world and was a Top 5 album in the few which didn't have it charted at the top.  The title song landed at #3 in Australia and New Zealand, #7 in Canada, and #10 in the United States.  

The song was nominated for Song of the Year while the album earned a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album.  

 

Swift dominated the American Music Awards, extending her all-time record for career AMA awards when she won six, including Artist of the Decade, Artist of the Year, Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist, Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist and Favorite Pop/Rock Album.  "Cruel Summer" is another great song on the album.

 

Swift also was nominated for Top Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist, Top Female Artist, Top Song Sales Artist and Top Touring Artist at the Billboard Music Awards.  This touching song is another example of Taylor's best work--"Soon You'll Get Better".

 

Taylor was named Woman of the Decade by Billboard and starred in the movie adaptation of Cats in 2019.  Her documentary, Miss Americana, premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.  "The Man" is something of a female anthem.

 "Paper Rings" is another solid track from Swift.  

 

In 2020, Swift released the album Folklore, which sold two million copies in its first week and gave her yet another #1 album in the United States, the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Ireland.  The lead single, "Cardigan", gave Taylor another #1 song in the U.S. and Australia and reached #2 in New Zealand.

 

She released the movie Folklore:  The Long Pond Studio Sessions.  "Exile" with Bon Iver jumped to #3 in Australia and New Zealand and peaked at #6 in the U.S. and Canada.

 

Taylor also earned Songwriter of the Year at the American Music Awards and she was nominated for Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album, Song of the Year (for "Cardigan"), Best Pop Duo/Group Performance (for "Exile") and Best Song Written for Visual Media ("Beautiful Ghosts").  "The 1" made it three Top 10 hits off the album.

 "Willow" gave Swift a fourth Top 10 and another #1 smash in the United States, Canada and Australia.

 

Swift released another #1 album later in 2020 called Evermore.  She is at her best with this track, "The Last Great American Dynasty", in which she depicts the life of Rebekah Harkness, an American artist who previously owned the house Taylor has in Rhode Island.

Taylor has always been in close contact with her fans, interacting with them online, visiting them in hospital, and giving holiday gifts to some by mail and in person.

Swift was nominated for six Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year.

Taylor has always been one of the most responsible musicians of the Rock Era.  In 2009, Swift donated $250,000 to schools around the U.S. to improve education.  She also donated thousands of books to the Reading and Nashville Public libraries and New York City schools.  

In 2010, she donated $75,000 to Hendersonville High School in Nashville to help refurbish the school auditorium.  In 2012, she pledged $4 million to fund the building of a new education center at the Country Music Hall of Fame.  She also teamed with Chegg, a textbook rental company, to donate $60,000 to the music departments of six U.S. colleges.  

In 2013, Taylor donated $100,000 to the Nashville Symphony.  In 2016, she donated $1 million to aid flood relief in Louisiana and $100,000 to the Dolly Parton Fire Fund.  She donated to the Houston Food Bank after Hurricane Harvey in 2017, donated $1 million for tornado relief in Tennessee in 2020, and numerous other causes.  During the COVID pandemic, Taylor donated to the World Health Organization and Feeding America and donated a signed guitar for an auction to raise money for the National Health Service.

Swift has sold over 50 million albums in her relatively short career.  

She has won 10 Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, a record 32 American Music Awards, and 23 Billboard Music Awards, the most ever by a female artist.

Taylor has charted 64 career singles with 27 reaching the Top 10 and 7 #1's.  The only thing keeping her down is the level of competition.  If music improves and Swift continues to score big hits and she continues to sell albums, she will move up.

This incredibly gifted songwriter and artist has been one of the most honored stars in history.  She has won an incredible 33 American Music Awards out of 40 nominations, 23 Billboard Music Awards from 59 nominations, 10 Grammys from 41 nominations, 9 MTV Video Music Awards out of 35 nominations, 13 People's Choice Awards out of 31 nominations, been nominated for eight World Music Awards, and won 29 BMI Pop Awards among hundreds of other awards.