Once there was a British rock band in the 1960s, who chose to call themselves The Animals. They are best known for their number one hit single ”The House of the Rising Sun” and other hit songs which included “We’ve Gotta Get Out of This Place”, “It’s My Life” and “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”. The band was simply fantastic and I’m sure there are many of you who have heard their number one hit single played many times as it became incredibly popular and is still played on the radio today.

Welcome back to another segment of The Valley's Finest. Today we have the best Updates from the 559. Dispensaries are opening up every which way, putting the poor dealers out of business and giving more power to Donald Trump and causing more frustration for the Latin American Community, but I honestly forgot why they are mad to be honest. In other news, we just found out that tomatoes are not fruits and are indeed vegetables. The weatherman says we will have three days left of warm eighty degree weather, and then chilly days ahead. Unfortunately the weatherman also told us that the days left of warmth are scattered throughout the week.

Released in 1986, Leather Jackets is considered by Elton John himself to be his worst album — "about as close to an unmitigated disaster as anything I've ever released" according to his autobiography . Producer Gus Dudgeon said it was a mad hassle to produce, Elton was in the thick of his cocaine addiction at the time and it was the first Elton John album since Tumbleweed Connection not to yield a top 40 hit charted the worst and probably an album everyone involved in making it would rather forget.

Funny story: I originally wasn't even going to write about this until it crossed my mind just the other day. I don't know why, but I randomly wondered about what happened to Kidz Bop since, like, 2007, which is the last time I can recall ever seeing a commercial about the songs they covered.

The past 12 months have been all about work for YELLA D. The versatile producer, vocalist, rapper and all-round artist is undeniably talented (just watch back his performances from the recent AOMG: Sign Here audition program), yet is still in search of that one huge break into the mainstream.

Before you start thinking I've cracked by saying that #TaylorSwift has had a tough year, hear me out.

I first heard Shakira in 1995 while accompanying my mother as she ran some errands. Sitting in the backseat of the car, I took interest in a song which began to play on the radio. The musical style of the song was familiar; similar to the songstress aesthetic of the 90's crafted by artists such as Joan Osborne, Alanis Morissette, and Jewel. However, the voice was not familiar whatsoever. What was more surprising is that she was singing in Spanish.

2019 was another year for music. There is been so much good and bad projects overall. Even though the year isn’t technically over, 2019 has had some great albums. Different artists this year I think tried to expand more than fans what were used to hearing and tried experimenting. It worked for some artists and didn’t work for others as well. On the other hand, many artists created projects that I personally enjoyed. Some can agree that these were albums to highlight the year.

On the 26th of July I released my track "Take It Back." It hit several big Spotify Editorial Playlists and racked up 100,000 streams in the first two weeks.

I love BandLab and, as far as I know, BandLab most certainly loves me.

To the Beat is back with a new roundup curated from all your October stories. This month’s playlist is chock-full of hits, including everything from spooky soundtracks to emotional ballads that take us back a few decades. We had creators sharing their passion for so many different styles of music and diverse artists, and we couldn’t be more grateful for that. We’ve already added some of these tracks to our personal favorites, and we’re sure you’ll find something new that you’ll love too!

Hip-Hop has been around for many years and has told the story of how different people are struggling and can relate to each other. Hip-Hop is about sharing your struggles and realizing everyone who listens have that one thing in common and you can turn it into art. I have been listening to hip-hop for years now. I grew up on rap greats like Nas, Jay-Z, Lil’ Kim, 50-Cent, Eminem, Kanye West, Lil Wayne and many more. Ever since then, I have started paying real close attention to what these musical geniuses say. Now in this generation, only a few people are actually continuing to do what hip-hop has been for the last years and making it into the right way. I pay attention to the lyrics, which help people relate and listen. Also, I listen to authenticity as rappers talk about real-life situations and not fake things, and trying to be someone they are not. I recommend some new listeners take this into perspective of these new artists. I believe after listening for a long time, these 10 rappers of the new school are finishing the path “old school” rappers started.

Released in 1986, Leather Jackets is considered by Elton John himself to be his worst album — "about as close to an unmitigated disaster as anything I've ever released" according to his autobiography . Producer Gus Dudgeon said it was a mad hassle to produce, Elton was in the thick of his cocaine addiction at the time and it was the first Elton John album since Tumbleweed Connection not to yield a top 40 hit charted the worst and probably an album everyone involved in making it would rather forget.

Michael Kiwanuka started his career as a session musician providing the rhythm for acts such as; Chipmunk and Bashy. After this he pursued a solo career spawning four EPs: Tell Me A Tale EP (2011), iTunes Festival: London 2011 (2011), I'm Getting Ready EP (2011) and You've Got Nothing To Lose (2014) as well as three studio albums: Home Again (2012), Love & Hate (2016) and Kiwanuka (2019).

I first stumbled across Umi a few months ago, starting with the tracks "Happy Again" (2017) and "River" (2018). She very quickly became one of my favorite artists, so as you'd expect I got very excited when I saw she released "Love Language" this year. I was even more impressed with the fact that it is a visual album. First-time listeners, please watch the music videos as you listen to the album. It makes all the difference.

Music keeps a vital role in our daily life. If you begin to count how many hours you have listened to music in a year, it is sure that you will be surprised. Music benefits our lives. Maybe we think that music gives us delight. But, music actually helps more than we think.

I am ICT-Makavenna, a young Hispanic female rapper doing experimental and inspirational music, and I host my music on SoundCloud at the moment. Interesting tidbit about me: I am part Salvadorian, part Mexican, and part German. I began really making music last summer when I was 13 years old. The first song I recorded was called "I’m Real." It was about me being real, but surrounded by so many fake people. It was about some issues I dealt with in middle school. After a year, I believe I am growing slowly with my music and my fan base. The type of music that I am working on at the moment I call experimental hip hop, inspiration rap. Of course, I make music that is fun and that I enjoy. But I am moved by so many songs and genres from so many different times in the history of music. I am inspired to make music that relates to society, that motivate my generation, and that give a point of view from a young teen Hispanic female growing up in America, including the struggles, trails and positive changes, achievements and influences.

The Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS), originally called the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America (SPEBSQSA) first began on a rooftop on April 11, 1938. It started with 26 men, and eventually grew to a society of thousands spreading across the globe. Since the start of SPEBSQSA, the Society has been male driven. And not just male driven, but white male driven.

It’s not often a band has staying power for over 40 years. It’s even rarer for them to maintain roots in the area they started. Cheap Trick is one of those unusual groups that remains faithful to its history.

The Earnest Spears is a new wave, punk Indie band, made up of four young and very talented members;

Disclaimer: This list is for entertainment purposes and with it I do not intend to bash on any members' beauty or talent. This list is just my opinion and an opinion is not a fact. Beauty is seen differently according to the country or culture and it is subjective. We each have a different opinion on what we consider beautiful. Hyorin's beauty especially stands out for me; she fit Sistar's concept very well.

Before you start thinking I've cracked by saying that #TaylorSwift has had a tough year, hear me out.

I first heard Shakira in 1995 while accompanying my mother as she ran some errands. Sitting in the backseat of the car, I took interest in a song which began to play on the radio. The musical style of the song was familiar; similar to the songstress aesthetic of the 90's crafted by artists such as Joan Osborne, Alanis Morissette, and Jewel. However, the voice was not familiar whatsoever. What was more surprising is that she was singing in Spanish.

We officially have our sights set on the world's last chance of sanity, through the form of R&B and Soul music. The ladies of soul are in the kitchen and they're cooking up something magical. From our last story titled Yes Ma'am: Paula De'Anda & Nivea Dream Team we bring you the better and more revised version of the story, so let's just forget we ever did that one, okay? Since the day Paula came into the game, us fans have been begging to hear her soulful voice harmonize with the Goddess-like voice of Nivea. The two have been linked once in a now deleted collage story on the old gossip blog Treva—yes, which was removed by Yahoo.com in 2012. The blogger had posted their opinion of why the two beautiful women would break chart records and even snag themselves a Soul Train Award for the Ladies of Soul category. The keys point the blogger made were that both women bring back the roots in R&B and Soul music, and that no matter how much they modernize, they won't shy away from who they are. So let's take a dive into the magic of what's to come.

She had bought the tickets four months ago. Every day after, Quinn Davis spent time refining the plans in her head: how much for a beverage and merchandise budget, who she would take with her, and of course, her outfit. She had been listening to the headlining rock band, Ripped Stitches, since she was a teenager and couldn't wait to hear the songs that had captivated her during those stormy and uncertain years. Her love of hard rock in high school was also the inspiration for her career choice as a music therapist. As excited as Quinn was to see her favorite band, she was also super stoked to see the opening local band, Puddle of Blood; their music was explosive and she loved listening to it on her way to work, but she also had a secret crush on their large lead singer, Robbie Kane.

It was a little over a year ago when "Why is the World Sleeping On Goody Grace" was written, from three years of following his music since we first featured him on a vlog (Episode 10), and still not seeing him a household name. He has talent to spare as a songwriter, musician, and singer, and frankly an epic smile, which today is refreshing since the world adopted a "nobody cares, resting bitch face" mentality. You just simply want to see the Canadian born, LA native realize his dreams.

If you want to see some of the most talented musicians in the world. If you want to laugh, dance, smile, cry. If you want to witness a magical night, surrounded by music lovers. There is one thing you need to do, and that is to go and see John Mayer in concert.

INTRO:

Jay-Z and Beyoncé (THE CARTERS) handled their number two slot on the Billboard 200 chart last year with their release, EverythingisLove (2018) with grace. Nicki Minaj launched into a temper tantrum when her fourth studio album Queen (2018) failed to make the number one spot, and so did DJ Khaled. Arguably the most annoying voice in hip hop, the DJ and producer recorded a video expressing his distaste for “mysterious sh–t.” By coming in the top ten, one would think that a recording artist would be satisfied with their own efforts. Regardless of whether the listening individuals actually stream or buy the physical copies of Khaled’s work, he should be proud that he organized so many voices to make a solid album.

Since today most of the work is done using a computer, music is a good way to diversify routine work. But the question remains the same: can music affect our productivity?

Funny story: I originally wasn't even going to write about this until it crossed my mind just the other day. I don't know why, but I randomly wondered about what happened to Kidz Bop since, like, 2007, which is the last time I can recall ever seeing a commercial about the songs they covered.

Rising talent Trevor Knight gives hope that real men with manners still exist. In his new single "Not That Kind of Guy", he highlights his personality and how he has respect for anyone he dates by taking it at a good pace and not rushing into anything. It is refreshing to hear a song from a male perspective that is so authentic. As a listener, it makes you want to know this artist story and personality even more.

Ever heard of technologically advanced music?

Let’s admit it, nearly all of us have interest in the day of spooks, ghouls and ghosts. Whether it’s heading to a scare-fest to try and not wet our pants or heading to a club night or house party, to dress up and get a little more than tipsy. But, what’s one unsung hero that pieces these events together? Music!

Music. What a strange concept, hey? Who knew that this thing humans can only truly hear could affect us in so many beautiful ways. There are so many questions about music, but I want to ask you a specific one. Do you know where the music you listen to comes from?

As with any new thing, musicians and the music they play has often been met with ridicule and adversity in their wake. Many, many famous people took a stand to the form of art that was their own, against all the naysayers, and made not just a career, but a lifestyle with the inspiration and drive of their own imagination.

My second music post was fairly “easy” for me to write; so I thought I should give myself a bit of a challenge and touch on stronger feelings and emotions that are sometimes harder for us to handle – Love, Hatred, and Pain.

Ok, so you have your music on Spotify. But you notice that your numbers aren't quite what they should be. Not many people are following you or you aren't getting much traffic. Well let's start by breaking a few things down:

One of the most frightening things for musicians putting their music out in the world is… well… putting music out into a world full of people, some of whom are of the mind that music should be free for everyone to use without a thought of paying the musicians who create the music.

What kind of musician are you? Are you the person who comes home from doing whatever you do, and you play your guitar as a way to decompress from the day? Or are you the person who wakes up and picks up the guitar, and spends every waking second working to become the best guitar player in their area? Maybe you're a little bit of both—who knows? But one thing that I know for sure is that there is something about your playing you want to improve.

So you want to play piano. But before you can even begin to consider notes and rhythm and squiggly lines that give you migraines, you must first find an instrument to play on.

With advancing technology, more sophisticated musical instruments became possible, and during the 20th century, peaking in the ‘60s and ‘70s, the electric guitar became an institution for musicians and a battlefield of competition among the great guitar players of the era. From Les Paul to Page and Hendrix the explosive possibilities of electric guitar reached their full potential.

A reinvented Styles

2019 was another year for music. There is been so much good and bad projects overall. Even though the year isn’t technically over, 2019 has had some great albums. Different artists this year I think tried to expand more than fans what were used to hearing and tried experimenting. It worked for some artists and didn’t work for others as well. On the other hand, many artists created projects that I personally enjoyed. Some can agree that these were albums to highlight the year.

Hip-Hop has been around for many years and has told the story of how different people are struggling and can relate to each other. Hip-Hop is about sharing your struggles and realizing everyone who listens have that one thing in common and you can turn it into art. I have been listening to hip-hop for years now. I grew up on rap greats like Nas, Jay-Z, Lil’ Kim, 50-Cent, Eminem, Kanye West, Lil Wayne and many more. Ever since then, I have started paying real close attention to what these musical geniuses say. Now in this generation, only a few people are actually continuing to do what hip-hop has been for the last years and making it into the right way. I pay attention to the lyrics, which help people relate and listen. Also, I listen to authenticity as rappers talk about real-life situations and not fake things, and trying to be someone they are not. I recommend some new listeners take this into perspective of these new artists. I believe after listening for a long time, these 10 rappers of the new school are finishing the path “old school” rappers started.

Hi all!

You may not recognize the folks in the above picture, but they were two amazing musical talents who my husband and I not only knew but had the privilege to call our friends.

Hi all!

Disney does a great job giving their villains huge amounts of personality, and awesome songs to go with. Here are the (in my opinion) five most powerful ones.

During the 1960s, THE LLOYD THAXTON SHOW was the favorite TV spot for millions of teens and preteens throughout the United States. From the Monkees to the "Mashed Potato," Lloyd gave the kids an awesome mix of dance, special musical guest stars—and the great Thaxton humor. When the show left the air, he went on to produce Fight Back! with David Horowitz, over 200 segments of the Today Show, gain five Emmys, and cowrite the popular book, STUFF HAPPENS—And Then You Fix It! Just prior to his passing, he was producing a new DVD chronicling his famous teen show. I caught up with Lloyd in May of 2007 and he graciously consented to this interview:

If you ask someone what music they like, they might easily answer “anything but country.”

"No, I can't do it, I can't sing." That is a phrase that irks me every time. Every. Single. Time. In reality, there is a small percentage that actually can't sing, and it's usually due to physical damage. That part of the population I'll exclude from this.

Join Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons on their tours around the world. Their music is an instantaneous hit that meets the ears!

The musical output that John Coltrane produced in his lifetime is staggering, especially, considering that the saxophone player and composer’s life was cut short by liver cancer at the age of forty.