Sugababes - About You Now

Multi-ethnic U.K. trio Sugababes jumped aboard the teen pop bandwagon prior to the new millennium and exuded their own sassy demeanor without the frivolity of most mainstream acts.

Siobhan Donaghy, Keisha Buchanan, and Mutya Buena were barely in their teens when they formed in 1998, sharing a liking of garage, hip-hop, and dance music. Initially, Sugababes were three friends who enjoyed singing along to the radio. Buchanan and Buena had been pals since primary school, and a chance meeting with Donaghy molded a fierce bond. A career in music wasn't intentional, yet a deal with London surfaced in 2000. Studio time with producer Cameron McVey (All Saints, Pete Tong) led to One Touch, which was released during the summer of 2001 and featured a dozen tracks co-written by the girls, including the smash hit "Overload." Sales didn't meet London's expectations. The group was subsequently dropped.

During the fall of 2001, rumors swirled about Donaghy's departure. Buena and Buchanan denied that Donaghy was kicked out of the group, but she was nonetheless gone after a four-year run. Heidi Range, one of the pre-chart members of Atomic Kitten, became her replacement, and Angels with Dirty Faces -- the group's second album -- was released through a new deal with Island by the end of 2002. The Richard X-produced "Freak Like Me," a cover of Adina Howard's 1995 R&B hit that featured a bolstered version of Tubeway Army's "Are Friends Electric" as its backdrop, debuted as a number one hit in the U.K. The Xenomania-produced "Round Round" followed suit with identical success.

Three, released in late 2003, fittingly topped out at number three on the U.K. album chart. It spawned another U.K. number one, "Hole in the Head," which even managed to scrape the Hot 100 in the U.S. and hit the top of the same country's dance chart. Amazingly, the group was never given much of a push stateside. Taller in More Ways, the fourth album, followed roughly two years later and eclipsed the group's already successful run by reaching the top of the U.K. album chart. Shortly after its release, Buena left the group on good terms, citing personal persons. Amelle Berrabah's entry into the group prompted a re-release of Taller that featured her vocals on a handful of cuts; Buena's work was left intact on a few others, and the album eventually gained platinum status. Overloaded: The Singles Collection was out by the end of 2006, and just a year later, the Sugababes released Change, a record which contained the chart-topping single "About You Now."

One Republic ft Timbaland - Apologize

You could say that Ryan Tedder was taught to reach for his goals from a very young age. Knowing his favorite treat was candy corn, his musician father placed a bowl of it on top of the family's grand piano. "He'd use it as bait," Tedder says. "The only way I could get at that candy corn was to practice. Then he'd put it within reach. I was three."

His father's tactics worked. Though he no longer works for candy, Tedder's passion for music was ignited in his childhood and soon blossomed into full-fledged obsession. By age 13, Tedder realized that he needed to express himself through his own songs and become an artist. His supple tenor, crystalline melodies, and emotionally charged lyrics reflect the blood and sweat of a young man who has devoted his life to learning and developing his craft as a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Hence the intensely affecting music he has written for his Los Angeles-based band, OneRepublic.

“The songs touch on things like despair, lack of hope, and frustration,” Tedder says. “They have to do with my own journey; they're about times when I've felt stuck—that I'll never achieve my goals. But ultimately, in the songs, I resolve it by seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and realizing that no matter how bad things get, there's always a way out.”

It's that optimism and cathartic quality that propels such songs as “Stop and Stare.” The lyrics have shades of melancholy, but there is a tangible emotional undercurrent running through them. “To me, that is the most important thing,” Tedder says. “If you can't tap into emotion, then you're just selling catchy tunes.”

The enormous wellspring of emotion this 25-year-old Midwesterner taps into when he writes is partly due to his background. Tedder was raised in a devoutly religious extended family of missionaries and pastors in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “My mom didn't know anything about non-secular music,” Tedder says. “To this day, if I told her I was working with Prince, she'd think I was referring to my old dog.” The only non-Christian music he was exposed to as a kid was the Beach Boys. “I loved that they weren't gospel,” he says. “And their melodies and harmonies were just so tight.”

Having learned to play piano at age 3 through the Suzuki method, in which very young children play by ear rather than reading notes, Tedder taught himself to sing at age 12 by listening to his favorite records and trying to imitate John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Peter Gabriel, U2's Bono, and Sting until he could sing every note. “I sang for two hours a day every day of my life until I was 18,” Tedder says. Along the way, he picked up guitar, drums, bass, and clarinet.

Encouraged by his father, a pianist and songwriter who had received publishing offers but chose not to go the musical route, Tedder took losing his college scholarship his sophomore year (“because I kept skipping classes to write songs”) as a sign that he was meant to pursue his music professionally. He bounced around the Midwest for several years waiting tables to support himself until a brief stint working at a Pottery Barn warehouse became the last straw: “No more non-music-related jobs,” he says. Instead he fast-talked his way into an internship at DreamWorks Records' Nashville office and sold his car to buy recording equipment. “I didn't want to give myself a Plan B,” he says.

Desperate for money, Tedder began to produce demos for songwriters and labels, charging $300 to $400 a track. He hopped from production deal to deal, eventually hooking up with hip-hop producer Timbaland at one point and writing tracks for Southern rapper Bubba Sparxxx. Soon Tedder found himself at a crossroads. “I was offered two publishing deals within two months of being in Nashville,” he says. “I could have just written songs and lived a carefree life, but I knew that I had to be an artist. I wanted to form a rock band and create my own sound.”

Enter OneRepublic, which he formed in Colorado in 2004 with bassist Tim Meyers, guitarist Zach Filkins, guitarist Drew Brown, and drummer Eddie Fischer. The band are currently in the studio working on OneRepublic's debut album, which will be released by Columbia Records in 2006.

Tedder describes the music they are working on as being heavily influenced by the Beatles for the songwriting craft and melodic inventiveness, and U2 for the uplifting vocal delivery and emotional undercurrents. Throughout songs like “Apologize,” “All We Are,” and “Mercy,” Tedder aspires to move his listeners the way Bono does onstage. “You go to a U2 concert and it's like church,” he says. “I want to make people feel like that. I don't want someone to say, ‘Oh, he has a nice voice.' I want that person to walk away and feel like he or she has had a religious experience.”

Linkin Park - Shadow Of The Day

Linkin Park are:

Chester Bennington – Vocals
Mike Shinoda – Vocals / Emcee
Rob Bourdon – Drums
Brad Delson – Guitar / Bass
Phoenix Farrell – Bass
Joseph Hahn – DJ / Samples

Sophomore albums are famously tricky affairs. Musicians have their entire lives to pen their debut album, the theory goes, and a relatively short time to follow it up. But what if the debut in question is the biggest selling album in recent memory? And what if the music industry has Hollywood-like expectations for another instant blockbuster? That was the scenario Linkin Park faced when they entered the studio to record Meteora, the follow-up to their multi-platinum debut Hybrid Theory.

That album, which Rolling Stone called "twelve songs of compact fire indivisibly blending alternative metal, hip-hop, and turntable art", has shipped 14 million units worldwide to date. It was the Number One selling album of 2001. It launched three chart-topping singles including "In The End." And in 2002 it received a Grammy® for Best Hard Rock Performance for "Crawling," as well as nominations for Best Rock Album and Best New Artist. After diligently pursuing their craft since the band's humble origins in Southern California circa the mid-'90s, Linkin Park now had the world's ear.

To those outside the band, the pressure to follow up that success might have seemed insurmountable. But within Linkin Park, vocalists Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda, guitarist Brad Delson, turntablist Joseph Hahn, drummer Rob Bourdon, and bassist Phoenix weren't sweating it in ways you might expect. Instead of dwelling on outside expectations, they set to work, meticulously crafting each moment of each song to their own exacting standards. The bigger picture developed accordingly.

"We don't ever want to have the mindset where we need to sell 10 million albums each time out. That's ridiculous," says Bennington. "It's a blessing to sell that many albums; it doesn't happen very often in this business--even once in your career is an achievement. Our obligation is to our fans. We're not going to get too comfortable and say it's a given that people will run out and buy our albums." "And if you know us, you know the biggest pressure came from within the band," says Shinoda.

"We just wanted to make another great album that we're proud of," says Bourdon. "We focused on that, and worked hard to create songs we love. We're our own harshest critics." If you doubt that, consider this: Shinoda and Bennington wrote 40 unique choruses for Meteora's poignant first single, "Somewhere I Belong," before arriving at the best possible version.

"We knew we needed to fix a couple things on that song," says Shinoda with a shrug. "So we'd write a new chorus, record it, mix it. Then we'd listen to it the next day, and Chester and I would look at each other and say, 'I don't know... I think it could be better.' And then we'd start again from scratch. It was a lot of work. We probably wrote and scrapped our sophomore jinx album somewhere in the mix. But we took our time, remained critical, and wrote songs we knew were good. Some people might have expected us to write a weaker version of Hybrid Theory -water it down, stagnate. But that's not what we're about."

The winning results of that painstaking approach are instantly apparent on Meteora. The twelve lean tracks display immense growth from the road-honed band, while still showcasing the rare chemistry that's been in place since Bennington completed the line-up in 1999. Working once again with Hybrid Theory co-producer Don Gilmore, the album came to life in a variety of studios, including the band's beloved tour-bus facility and each member's respective home set-up. This time Linkin Park had the opportunity to experiment with a wider palette sound, and an even more diverse array of styles.

They married wildly distressed samples to heavy guitars on songs such as "Somewhere I Belong." They arranged live strings and piano for "Breaking The Habit" and "Faint." They experimented with complex beats on songs such as "Easier To Run." They even added a Japanese flute called a shakuhachi to the hip-hop-driven "Nobody's Listening." Throughout, the rich textures and dynamic arrangements serve to enhance the moods created by Bennington's and Shinoda's powerful vocals - and vice versa. The synergy invites repeat listens.

The guiding vision for the 18-month recording process was evoked by the album's title, Meteora. During a European tour in 2002, the band stumbled upon a travel magazine featuring destinations in Greece. On the cover, the word "Meteora " and the accompanying photo caught their eye, and subsequently fired their imaginations.

Meteora is a group of six monasteries perched atop rock pinnacles rising 1500 feet above the plains of central Greece. As Bennington puts it, "they don't seem of this planet." And it's true. (To see for yourself, rent the Bond flick For Your Eyes Only, in which Roger Moore kicks ass at one of the mountain fortresses.) The Greek word literally translates as "hovering in the air." It's a fitting term for the otherworldly region, as well as for the album Linkin Park created with the image in mind. "We wanted to write songs that lived up to the energy that name exudes," says Bennington.

"It's really epic and beautiful. It totally embodies the sense of timelessness and expansiveness we wanted the album to have," says Shinoda. "We've since met people who've visited Meteora," adds Hahn. "People go there for solitude now - to find themselves. And that's what the album is about - finding yourself. Each song is about looking within and letting out emotions."

This time out, Bennington and Shinoda expanded the emotional range heard on Hybrid Theory. That album dealt with frustration, anger, fear and confusion from a younger person's perspective, according to Shinoda. The goal: catharsis. By contrast, Meteora reflects the accelerated lives the band members have led since recording their debut. "We toured the world for two years. That alone makes you step back and take a look at the bigger picture," says Shinoda. "We've always been interested in universal feelings, and that's what we focused on with this album. But Meteora is different in the sense that we're dealing with more facets of the human condition." "It's still a very dark album, but there's definitely more optimism," says Bennington. "We're still the same people, but now there's a light at the end of the tunnel."

On "Somewhere I Belong," for example, the verses describe fear and confusion, but the chorus takes that crucial first step toward arriving at a solution. Bennington sings, "I want to heal. I want to feel like I'm close to something real. I want to find something I've wanted all along, somewhere I belong."

And on "Breaking The Habit," he sings, "I don't know what's worth fighting for. Or why I have to scream. I don't know why I instigate and say what I don't mean. I don't know how I got this way. I know it's not alright. So I'm breaking the habit tonight."

Once again, the vocalists worked closely together to deliver a broad spectrum of emotions as a unified front. Now, however, Bennington and Shinoda draw upon a longer shared history. Their voices and sentiments are practically indivisible. "Mike is a computer whiz, and a formally trained musician," says Hahn, distinguishing the difference between the two vocalists. "Chester brings the rawness - the emotion that needs to come out. They complement each other that way. It's a true yin-yang thing."

The entire band, in fact, sounds more fully realized on Meteora. It's a rare achievement: A full integration of six members that still retains the unique qualities of each individual. The end result is the thumbprint style known as Linkin Park. "We don't really analyze the chemistry," says Bourdon. "We're just lucky and grateful that we found each other and that we work so well together."

"The collaborations are more seamless now," agrees Bennington. "Mike, for instance, knows more about me as a person, and I know more about him, so it's easier to write lyrics together. It's not possible to have secrecy in our relationship. You have to open up, because you want the other person to be on the same page. We're all that way with each other."

And with collaborators like these, who needs a therapist?

"Exactly," says Bennington with a laugh. "That's why I joined a band in the first place."

Mika - Happy Ending

"I grew up listening to every thing from Joan Baez and Dylan, to Serge Gainsbourg and Flamenco," says Mika, a 23-year-old singer, songwriter and producer whose sparkling debut album, Life in Cartoon Motion, has just been released. "My musical tastes have become more eclectic as I've got older, but I'm always going back to great artist songwriters, people who make great records to their own vision. Prince, Harry Nillson, Elton John, even Michael Jackson. These people make amazing pop records that couldn't be performed by anybody else, and that's what I always wanted to do."

Fun, smart, musically adventurous and thematically provocative, the thirteen songs on Life, all of them written and produced by Mika, combine euphoric rushes of melody with darker unexpected elements. They range from bright daytime melodramas to night-time tales of love, loss, abandonment, hope and happiness. Each is a splendid blend of fresh imagination and deft pop craftsmanship. They are songs, Mika says, "about transitions," about people in the process of becoming whoever they want to be. Sort of like Mika himself.

"Transitions are important, because that's when everything gets destabilized, and that makes you question and re-evaluate everything," he explains. "For songwriting, that's an endless source of inspiration, because it makes you look at things. You can't take anything for granted."

A self-taught piano virtuoso, gymnastic vocalist and born entertainer, Mika has music in his bones. His four-octave voice, which he knows when to restrain and when to unleash, needs to be heard to be believed, and he uses it to powerful effect on Life. Whether praising the delights of the larger-framed woman on the funk-rocking "Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)," describing the journey of a married man who discovers that he's attracted to men on the burlesque "Billy Brown," or simply celebrating the joys of being alive on "Love Today," he is unafraid to revel in the pleasure he takes in making music. "I wrote 'Love Today' when I was happy, really happy," he recalls. "When you're on a buzz, you assume that everyone in the world feels the way you do. So I put it in a song." Motorola has licensed "Love Today" for online and mobile-phone spots in its RED campaign

The moods on Life in Cartoon Motion swing wildly - as do the rush of musical surprises that continually tumble forward. That sense of delirious unpredictability accounts, in part, for the album's title. "Inevitably when you put certain subjects into a pop song, a cartoon-like quality arises," Mika says. "It's like how Homer Simpson can talk about anything from politics to Michael Jackson's weirdness to homosexuality and get away with it because it's a cartoon. That's where the title comes from."

Mika's background, however, wasn't always so playful. He was born in Beirut in the mid Eighties, and his family moved to Paris at the height of Lebanon's brutal civil war. His father was subsequently taken hostage and held at the American embassy in Kuwait, and the family eventually settled in London. Mika found himself lost in the chasm of these wrenching and frightening events.

"It was the combination of moving as well as a horrible time I had at school in the first few years of living in London that led me to forget how to read and write, and stop talking for a little while," he says. "I was pulled out of school for over six months; in order to sort myself out. This is when music really became important. It got me back on my feet."

By the time he was nine, Mika knew that songwriting was what he wanted to do. "After I started singing, I started to get jobs everywhere," he says. "I did everything from recordings with the Royal Opera House to a chewing gum jingle. One reason I got so much work was that I was insanely cheap. My mother and I had no idea what I was supposed to get paid. Looking back on it, 45 quid for an Orbit chewing gum jingle could have been a little too cheap!"

When he was eleven, Mika catapulted onto the stage of a Richard Strauss opera, and the glamour of that environment instantly seduced him. "It was a magical world that you could live in," he says. "A parallel universe for people that is illusory and enchanting." When it came time for college, he enrolled at The Royal College of Music. An obsessive songwriter, he would crash parties, hijack the piano and start performing his tunes. One such occasion led to a development deal, which, unfortunately, only ended up crushing his spirit. "The executives would try and twist me into a direction that went totally against my nature," he recalls. "Basically, they wanted me to follow whatever was popular."

To fend off depression, Mika wrote "Grace Kelly," a hilariously bold operatic spoof set to a technicolor pop backdrop. "It was a fuck-off song to the people I was working with," he explains. "That's where the line 'Shall I bend over/Shall I look older,/Just to be put on your shelf' comes from. I was so angry.

That company had every resource except a soul." The infectious pomp and catchy chorus of "Grace Kelly" became a benchmark for the kind of music he wanted to make. "You can't be afraid to stand out," he says. "If no one was going to take a punt on it, then so be it. I would do it myself." He found himself in Miami, recording demos with anyone who was interested, in any studio he could get for free. Eventually the right deal came along, and the result is this startlingly appealing album.

These songs all reflect Mika's distinctive touch - they are simultaneously theatrical and intimate, accessible and gleefully subversive. "'Why not?' is one of my mottoes," Mika says, laughing. "I always knew that the first album I ever made would have to be a completely 'No apologies' album. There's a kind of youth to that as well. This is the kind of record that I knew I would only be able to make once in my life. It's my coming-out-of school, leaving-university album - that whole transition period from childhood to adulthood. That energy keeps it alive."

And it is just the beginning of what Mika is capable of delivering musically. "Playing live is where it all comes together for me," he says. "I often get stressed when recording - it's so full of decision making. You're constantly deciding what should stay on the song forever. I love undoing all that in my live sets, and going places where I wouldn't necessarily go on the record."

Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love

A striking young woman with a strong vocal resemblance to the young Whitney Houston and pop music's largest mop of blonde corkscrew curls since Twisted Sister's Dee Snider circa "We're Not Gonna Take It," Leona Lewis won the third series of the British reality talent show The X Factor in a landslide. (For non-Brits: The X Factor is the revamped follow-up to the original U.K. talent search, Pop Idol, of which American Idol is the massively successful U.S. version; AI's Simon Cowell is the show's lead judge and executive producer.)

Born and raised in the Islington section of north London, Lewis won a talent show at the age of 13 and devoted herself to music thereafter, eventually graduating from the prestigious BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology.

While working as a receptionist and pizza waitress and writing and demoing her own material, Lewis auditioned for The X Factor in the summer of 2006 and won the third series competition in December of that year.

Lewis' debut single, a soulful cover of Kelly Clarkson's "A Moment Like This" (Clarkson's own debut American Idol showcase single), was the number one single in the U.K. at the turn of the year, including the coveted "Christmas Number One."

Along with her TV-driven U.K. success, Leona Lewis signed an American recording deal with Clive Davis' J Records in February 2007, with plans to make her U.S. television debut on the 2007 season of American Idol.

Mandy Moore - Cry

Teen dance-pop singer Mandy Moore was born in Nashua, NH, on April 10, 1984, but raised in Orlando, FL; determined to be an entertainer from the age of six onward, she was later known throughout the Orlando area as the "National Anthem Girl" for her regular performances of "The Star Spangled Banner" at local sporting events.

Breaking into the recording industry via voiceovers and commercials, in 1999 Moore became the latest Orlando teen to sign a record contract after landing at Sony; her debut album, So Real, appeared late that year. The album spawned a hit with "Candy," a remix of which also appeared on her 2000 release I Wanna Be with You, which was basically a slightly altered version of her debut. The title cut broke into the Top 40 that year, and a self-titled proper sophomore effort appeared in summer 2001. The following year, she starred in the film version of Nicholas Sparks' popular book A Walk to Remember, playing the love interest to actor Shane West's character.

Moore made the leap to musical maturity with a 2003 covers record, Coverage, which included songs by Carole King, Joe Jackson, Joni Mitchell, and Carly Simon. More successful film roles followed, including 2005's Saved and 2006's American Dreamz, before Moore returned to the music world in May 2007 with Wild Hope. Released via The Firm, it was the first album that Moore insisted on writing her own material, and she did so by collaborating with various musicians like Lori McKenna, Rachael Yamagata, and Chantal Kreviazuk.

Chris Daughtry - Over you

Rock n' roll is seldom a predictable affair. Just ask Chris Daughtry. Better yet, examine the very public arc the enigmatic musician carved against the grain of American Idol, electrifying the show's faithful audience with a gloves-off vocal style that revealed astonishing breadth with every new song. Still, he found himself at the center of the most surprising live rub-out in modern television history. Premature elimination, they called it on the internet, and even though a controversial lack of votes ended Chris' quest for the top rung of American Idol 5 (a spot so widely presumed to be his, even Entertainment Weekly referred to it as 'the surest thing in Idol history') it ignited a groundswell of support from fans vowing he would soon be blazing his own trail.

So much for the audition...

His new album, DAUGHTRY, on 19 Recordings/RCA Records fully delivers on that promise, but what's most striking about the North Carolina native's debut is the skillfulness with which he blends his hard won attributes: The rugged voice tempered by an even sturdier sense of place. The audacious appetite for risk reflected in his hardscrabble on-the-road writing sessions with proven rockers - some of them his own formalidols - like Brent Smith of Shinedown (Chris even covered one of their songs on Idol), Mitch Allan of SR-71, and Hinder producer Brian Howes. Emboldened by riveting collaborations such as "What I Want," "It's Not Over," "There And Back Again," and the probing "All These Lives," it's evident Daughtry possesses a durable songwriting presence of his own.

Helmed by Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, All-American Rejects), the album thoroughly mines Daughtry's instinctive ability to deliver accessible music at every turn, veering from pop gems to tight-fisted rock anthems. Chris particularly rises to the occasion on one of the songs penned solely by him, the stunning ballad "Home." "That song means a lot to me in so many ways," he says. "It's also one that I wrote even before I did the show, though it somehow seems to capture how far I've come along." More proof of Daughtry's uncanny ability - as one LA Times critic recently put it - to 'find the story' in every song he attempts.

Daughtry has also assembled his very own band (aptly called DAUGHTRY), signaling that the charismatic vocalist is more than willing to put it all on the line. He committed to an intense audition process right from the start, determined to achieve that crucial bond between members. Daughtry summoned his keen instincts when meeting and choosing the players who would eventually become his band, tapping into both the interpersonal chemistry and musical compatibility of the guys who would eventually make the cut.

"I began my music career as a songwriter, but I've always believed in the power of a band. The great moments are when you're able to capture that extra special connection between members that you can't really define. That's what I'm striving for. We've found the right guys and I'm really excited about the prospects of what we can do. We didn't have time to feature them on the album but I can't wait to hit the road with them." For Chris, who drew consistently rave reviews on the summer-long Idol 5 jaunt, mixing it up with his own players will give his live show an even greater dimension. "There's nothing like the camaraderie of a band. That feeling that you're surrounded by a group of people who feel closer to you than just about anybody. It makes such a difference in the music."

And as for the music - poring over songs in some hotel room 'at 3:00AM with guys who only a year ago I was dreaming about meeting one day - well - it still blows my mind sometimes,' he says. The combustible process produced a hefty batch of 21 songs for Daughtry to draw from. "I never wanted to dictate a set path when we started working with the writers," he says. "They are all so different, so awesome in their own way. One of them would fly in and we'd have a go-around and something would start from that." He wrote 3 songs with Brian Howes, citing the resulting "What I Want," as the kind of 'out-of-the gate, upbeat rocker people will expect from me. I remember we liked it so much we listened to it in the car after the session. Brian is great, so full of ideas; he's like a one-man library of music." The song also piqued the interest of acclaimed rock guitarist Slash, who dropped by the studio to thread his legendary guitar work into the blistering mix.

Another song Daughtry fans should immediately relate to is the first single and blazing rocker "It's Not Over." "It's one of my favorites. I did it with Greg Wattenberg (produced Five For Fighting, and does A&R for Wind-Up Records). It's about relationships that you ultimately screw up but swear you're going to get right the second time. That feeling when you keep doing the same thing thinking you're going to get a different result, still, you keep trying." Daughtry was also eager to write with Brent Smith, frontman for Jackson, Florida band, Shinedown. "He was great to work with, not to mention that I've stolen a few moves from him on stage as well." The two are both huge Chris Cornell fans, and penned what Daughtry refers to as one of the 'heavier' songs on the album, "There And Back Again."

The range of material suits the disciplined vocalist. "I've never believed a song has to have a rock edge, or be part of one genre or anything like that to be viable. I've been writing songs since I was 16, and my goal has always been to approach the process with an open mind. Songwriters I really admire are people like Robert Plant or an Elton John, who aren't setting out to write a rock song everytime - but a great song that stands on its own no matter what. I also believe it's what you do with the song that matters, as well."

Chris recalls a moment from his Idol experience where he realized he was winning over rock fans purely on the power of his edgy interpretations. "I'll never forget I was invited to this hard rock radio station weenie roast, and I thought 'should I go, they'll probably sneer at the whole Idol experience.' I went anyway, and was thoroughly embraced by everyone there it was such a great feeling. Rob Zombie came up to me and told me he watched the show and loved what I did. Now that was really an honor."

The singer also cherished the experience of consulting with BMG U.S. Chairman Clive Davis, also known for his legendary commitment to good songwriting. Davis has even been known to choose some of the songs for the final Idol rounds. "He was a great guy. Very good at seeing the entire picture," says Chris. "I brought in my guitar and played "Home" for him. I couldn't believe it was Clive Davis sitting 2 feet from me as I sang. He said some very encouraging words to me."

Such encounters have made Chris aware of how he might be able to help struggling musicians who have yet to be discovered. "I'll never forget what it was like. To go from playing in front of 50 people to an audience of thousands. I'm always trying to hook up bands I've played with, encouraging whoever I can. It's why I work so hard to make these songs unique. I owe to those who've supported me and to those still trying to climb up that ladder."

It's that same passion, that sense of communal all-for-one-ness Daughtry so empathetically telegraphs to his fans that he poured into the making of the album. "Yes we were in crunch time, making it," says Daughtry. "But I never got the feeling I was going somewhere creatively that I didn't belong." Pure Daughtry. You get the feeling he's still 'an event unfolding' wrote one critic, about his ability to extend his reach with every performance. A sensibility he's magically been able to capture on the new record.

Michael Buble - Everything

Ask Michael Bublé how he felt going in to record his third studio album, Call Me Irresponsible, and this artist with 11 million albums sold and two Grammy nominations under his belt can sum it up in one word.

“Terrified,” he says simply. Terrified?

“Completely, because I knew that it had to be better than the first two — that it had to show growth without alienating anyone, and that’s a tough line. So I sat there from the very beginning and came up with the songs, put together the skeleton, and thought about what arrangers I would hire. I even ended up at the mastering session, which artists rarely attend. I wanted to be involved in every aspect because I wanted it to be conceptually beautiful.”

Bublé has certainly achieved success on that front. As with his previous two 143/Reprise bestsellers, 2003’s self-titled debut and 2005’s multi-platinum follow-up It’s Time, Call Me Irresponsible boasts more of Bublé’s buoyant, modern interpretations of standards from a variety of eras, including songs by such greats as Leonard Cohen, Eric Clapton, Cy Coleman, Gamble and Huff, and others, as well as two self-penned originals, including the first single, the uplifting love song called “Everything.”

But it’s hardly business as usual for this Vancouver native. It never is for Bublé, whose irrepressible spirit, engaging humor, and confident charisma once led the New York Times to call him “an entertainer who is completely at home on the stage.” His new CD, which he calls “my remark on the state of love,” contains a depth of feeling that will surprise and delight long-term fans and impress those new to his music. “To me, what’s different about this CD is that it has a certain raw emotion because I recorded many of these songs live in the studio.” Bublé introduces the electrifying, impeccably orchestrated set to follow with the opening track, Cy Coleman’s “The Best Is Yet To Come,” (made famous by Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and others). Then there’s the exhilarating, salsa-flavored “It Had Better Be Tonight,” written by Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini, which Bublé attacks with a hot-blooded vengeance—“another very sexy song…and edgy.” From there, he takes on “Me and Mrs. Jones,” the 1972 Gamble and Huff classic popularized by soul singer Billy Paul. “David (Foster) brought it to me, I’d never actually heard it before,” Bublé says. “We wanted it to be authentic and tell the story.” Next up is Leonard Cohen’s “I’m Your Man” from the Canadian singer/songwriter’s 1988 album of the same name. “I always thought it was a wonderful song — desperate, sexy, and dark,” Bublé says. “I actually called Leonard and told him I was afraid of performing it live. When he asked me why, I said because he’d written too sexy of a song and I was afraid men were going to throw their underpants at me. He just laughed and said, ‘I wouldn’t worry too much about that.’”

Then there’s a swinging, hep-cat version of Mel Tormé’s 1962 pop hit “Comin’ Home Baby,” featuring vocals from Philly soul faves Boys II Men; and a sentimental, self-penned ballad “Lost,” co-written with Chang and Canadian singer-songwriter Jann Arden. “It’s an anthem for star-crossed lovers,” Bublé says. “Sometimes relationships don’t work out because love isn’t enough, but that doesn’t mean you have to discard the person. There is a way to end a relationship and still be there when they need you. That’s basically what it’s about.”

A languid, emotional rendition of Eric Clapton’s ballad “Wonderful Tonight,” on which Bublé duets with Brazilian singer-songwriter Ivan Lins, whose work has been covered by everyone from Sarah Vaughn to Ella Fitzgerald follows. “I’ve always been very sentimental about that song,” Bublé says. “What is interesting about that track is here I am, a 31-year-old guy from Canada who’s singing a song that means so much to me with a 61-year-old man from Brazil, who’s singing in his own language but it means the exact same thing to both of us.”

Other highlight’s include two of Bublé’s original songs, including the acoustic-guitar driven “Everything,” co-written with Amy Foster-Gillies and Alan Chang (who also co-wrote Bublé’s touching hit ballad “Home” off It’s Time) and produced by fellow Canadian Bob Rock (Bon Jovi, Metallica, Mötley Crüe, Bryan Adams). “I wrote that song about the great happiness of real love, but at the same time I was making a statement about the world,” Bublé says. “We’re living in really crazy times, and I wanted to say that no matter what’s happening, this person in my life is what really makes it worthwhile.”

Rounding out Call Me Irresponsible is Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life,” which, in Bublé’s hands, becomes a powerhouse complete with a full choir. “I brought the song to a wonderful guy named Mervyn Warren, from the acappella group Take 6 and said, ‘I want to take this to church; I want to make it a huge gospel tune.’ So he brought in a choir and I love it. It’s one of my favorite things about the record."

To help him capture the intensity in the songs’ meanings, Bublé turned to his long-standing team of producers, which include 14-time Grammy winner David Foster (Barbra Streisand, Céline Dion, Josh Groban) and producer/engineer Humberto Gatica (Elton John, Destiny’s Child, Michael Jackson). “We definitely have a great working relationship where I think I interfere just enough,” Bublé says with a laugh. “I mean, David is the greatest producer in the world. They’re both so amazing, I couldn’t do it without them.”

Foster first discovered Bublé seven years ago when he caught the aspiring star performing at the wedding of former Canadian Prime Minster’s daughter. The son of a British Columbia-based salmon and herring fisherman, Bublé spent the months his parents were away with his music-loving Italian grandfather, who introduced him to the singers who would become Bublé’s idols: Bobby Darin, Dean Martin, Sinatra, Ray Charles, and Elvis Presley. “These guys were triple threats,” he says. “They could sing, they could dance, they could act. They were entertainers, and I believe that’s a lost art now.”

Bublé honed his skills as a showman through years of performing in hotel lounges and smoky bars — gigs his grandfather, a plumber, helped the underage singer secure by trading his plumbing services. By the time Foster met him 2000, Bublé already knew exactly what he brought to the table — a warm, engaging voice and unassailable taste in music. His debut album was an international smash, going Top Ten in the U.K. and Canada, and earning him his first Juno award for Best New Talent in 2004. The follow-up, It’s Time, sold more than 5.5 million copies, and has remained on the Billboard Traditional Jazz charts for a staggering two years, and in the Number 1 slot for more than 80 weeks, an all-time record.

But along with his passion for creating great music in the studio, performing on stage is pure paradise for Michael Bublé. “I just love getting in front of people,” he says. “It’s so important to be in touch with your audience. They’ve paid their money. I want them to be entertained. If they want to cry or laugh or dance or sing or yell, they can do whatever they want. My responsibility is just to take them away.”

Lifehouse - First Time

With Who We Are, their fourth Geffen album in seven years, Lifehouse, all still in their mid-20s, are really starting to enjoy the fruits of their success and have some fun. Their multi-platinum 2000 debut, No Name Face, produced “Hanging by a Moment,” a #1 alternative hit which crossed over to become Top 40’s Most Played Song, while 2005’s self-titled platinum effort yielded “You and Me,” a giant hit ballad that set a record by spending more than 60 weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, Lifehouse are not just the sum of their considerable accomplishments.

On Who We Are, singer-songwriter Jason Wade—along with drummer Rick Woolstenhulme and bassist Bryce Soderberg—gets back to the basics of what made him first form the band while still a teenager in suburban California.

Says Jason: “We just love making music and feel really lucky to be able to continue doing it.”

Producing themselves for the first time with Jude Cole, who also co-wrote several of the new songs, that joy comes across unfettered on the rocking twang of the lead single, “First Time,” already climbing the Hot A/C and Top 40 charts, a fond look back at the butterflies and excitement of the initial rush of romance.

“It just felt urgent, like a first kiss, a first love,” says Jason. “Like the first time you realize there’s more to that relationship than you thought. I had to dig a little for that one, but I find myself at a place where I can write stuff that’s a little deeper than your average love song in terms of emotion.”

The approach was also pretty fresh. The band didn’t record demos before entering the recording studio. Wade brought in a skeleton of a song and the group worked on it as a unit. “Nobody really knew what they would be playing,” explains Woolstenhulme, the musical purist of the group. “We just cut it, listened to it and realized it was pretty electric…the kind of song where you just turn up the radio.”

Known for his brooding lyrics of teenage angst resulting from his parents’ divorce and his own poor relationship with his father, Wade explores more diverse songwriting topics this time around, putting himself into other characters in songs like “The Joke,” with its syncopated world beat, inspired by a newspaper article detailing the story of a British boy who hung himself after being bullied by schoolmates. Jason puts himself into the subject’s shoes, with lyrics that could be right out of a suicide note: “When you find me in the morning/Hanging on a warning.”

The wrenching ballad “Broken,” with a chorus that recalls the Police’s “Every Breath You Take,” came out of a trip Wade took to Nashville to visit a dear friend waiting on a kidney transplant, as once again he identifies in first person: “I’m falling apart/I’m barely breathing/With a broken heart/That’s still beating/In my pain/There is healing/In your name/I find meaning/So I’m holding on/Barely holding on to you.”

Lifehouse’s love of British rock comes across in the avant-Europop of “Make Me Over” with its ethereal opening and falsetto vocals (Wade: “Sometimes you’ll do anything to be in love, even becoming someone else”), while the stark, Plastic Ono Band strains of “Learn You Inside Out” is one of the rare songs Wade penned on piano.

“I wrote it really quick,” he recalls. “We decided just to freestyle. It was one of those moments when we really grew as a band, being able to reach each other and know where we’re going.”

“This record came very naturally,” agrees Bryce, the newest member of Lifehouse, who cut his teeth on tour before entering the studio with his bandmates. “On the road, we’d throw a song out during sound check and it just flowed together. There was a great deal of spontaneity involved. We were into similar influences. It felt like we were on the same page musically.”

“We’re closer as a band than ever,” nods Rick.

The raw energy of “Disarray” deals with Wade growing up in a strictly religious family, where questioning wasn’t allowed. “Angels, demons,” he says. “We all fight them both, and anyone who pretends they don’t is not someone I want to hang out with.”

In fact, the group was liberated by being left alone to create without outside interference or pressure.

“This time around it was about not having any preconceived notions,” confesses Jason. “It was about letting the tape machine roll and getting the music down spontaneously. I’m at a place where it doesn’t matter to me what other people think. I’m comfortable being myself. I’m writing from an honest place, not thinking about who’s going to hear it, what they’re going to think or how they’re going to interpret it. The lyrics can’t be contrived. They have to hit you right in the heart.”

One song that does just that is the album finale, “Storm,” which Wade wrote at 16 “when I was going through hard times,” and was included on the band’s first indie record, 1,000 copies of which were pressed back when they were called Bliss. The original version has been circulated over the Internet by the group’s fans and was even licensed by the television show So You Think You Can Dance. Wade decided to re-record the song when he realized how much it meant to people.

“That was fun to record because of its starkness,” says Jason. “We love the idea of the title, surrounded by negative space, like the a cappella beginning. Because when you’re lost in confusion, no matter how much is going on around you, you’re still alone.”

With all their radio airplay, multi-platinum sales and awards, Lifehouse are still intent on raising the bar, which makes Who We Are a revelation both musically and lyrically.

“It’s stripped down, very raw, the way we are live,” says Bryce. “We discovered along the way that less is more.”

“Since Bryce joined, this really has grown into a unit with its own personality and style,” concludes Jason. “We established camaraderie on the road and gelled as a unit. This record defines ‘Who We Are,’ which is why that’s the title. The sound fits where we’re at right now.”

With Who We Are, Lifehouse are free to be exactly who they are…a rock band with a gift for melodies and lyrics that touch people.

James Blunt - 1973

A former British Army officer, singer/songwriter James Blunt is a thoughtful performer with a knack for crafting melodic contemporary soft rock tunes.

Born in Tidworth, Wiltshire, England in 1974 to a family with a long military history, Blunt entered the army after graduating from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Ultimately achieving the rank of captain, Blunt served with the NATO peacekeeping force in Kosovo and finished out his time in the military as a member of the Life Guard Regiment in the British Household Cavalry.

Having long been interested in music, Blunt wasted no time in pursuing a pop career after leaving the army. A subsequent performance at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, TX, brought Blunt to the attention of 4 Non Blondes singer/producer Linda Perry, who signed Blunt to her Custard Records label.

Released in 2005, Blunt's debut album, Back to Bedlam, was hugely successful and featured the hit single "You're Beautiful." Blunt toured for much of 2005 and 2006 and released the two-disc "odds and sods" live/documentary album Chasing Time: The Bedlam Sessions in 2006. His sophomore effort is scheduled to drop in 2007.

Natasha Bedingfield - Soulmate

With a number 1 single in America, a number 1 UK debut album, and over 6.5 million units shifted worldwide, Natasha Bedingfield is the UK's biggest female pop star bar none - a bold, beautiful home grown answer to US Uber-Divas Christina Aguilera and Pink.

Natasha took the US by storm last year with the first British chart topping hit by a female in almost twenty years. Vanity Fair singled her out as the spearhead of a new Britpop invasion; she became one of the faces of Gap (alongside Mia Farrow and Common); she was invited by her hero Prince to jam with him at a private party; Bono enlisted her for his (RED) campaign; and her song Unwritten proved to be the most played song on mainstream American radio in 2006.

To everyone else she is "The 'Single' Girl" who blasted her way up the British charts in 2004 with her typically outspoken take on the lifestyles of independent young women. So her return to action this year may come as something of a surprise...

"I want to make music that matches who I am. My first album was about independence and opportunism. I'm still very independent and I find it hard to let go of that freedom, but I'm in a different place now. I've been dating, searching for a partner, looking for Mr Right..."

Natasha Bedingfield's sophomore album N.B. is very much reflective of this 'different place' that she is in now, proving that affairs of the heart, although difficult, make for excellent song-writing material. Each track on the album explores a varying stage of the 'relationship' story, and the issues, experiences, and processes that come with these stages: from the lonely place of never feeling like you will fit with anyone (Soulmate), through the flirting, dancing stage where you feel you might (How Do You Do?), to the moment at which the game playing ends and open honesty prevails (Say It Again). Never one to mouth empty platitudes or re-hash well-worn clichés, Natasha's gift for creating pop music that does not sacrifice intelligence on the altar of universal appeal prevails throughout.

Recorded in Los Angeles, Natasha Bedingfield has co-written and co-produced N.B., working with a stellar team of talent including Mike Elizondo of Eminem/Dre/50 Cent fame, Adam Levine (Maroon 5), Greg Kurstin (Beck, Lily Allen), previous collaborators Steve Kipner, Andrew Frampton, Wayne Wilkins, Danielle Brisebois and Wayne Rodrigues and long time Madonna collaborator Pat Leonard.

The first cut to be taken from N.B. is forthcoming single I Wanna Have Your Babies, due to be accompanied by a colourful and entertaining video from Dave Meyers (Pink, Missy Elliot, Outkast). Lyrically I Wanna have Your Babies touches on a female's fight to reign in their natural disposition to 'rush into things' in an effort to find that elusive 'one', that potential father to their children. Musically it is distinctly 'Natasha Bedingfield' - the voice to melt radios, the beats that drop either side of the Atlantic, the arrangements that are undeniably quirky, but still, somehow, work.

Gwen Stefani - 4 In The Morning

Before she discovered she could write songs, Gwen Stefani was looking forward to a life of marriage, children, and white picket fences. When her brother introduced her to ska and new wave music, it set off a chain of events that would eventually lead to millions of albums sold and a Madonna-sized public image that extended past music and into the worlds of film, fashion, and technology.

Born and raised in Fullerton, CA, Stefani had a musical epiphany at the age of 17. She had fallen in love with the Madness and Selecter records her brother, Eric Stefani, was playing constantly. Seeing Fishbone, the Untouchables, and other bands involved in Los Angeles' ska revival scene only reinforced her interest in music, so she was more than ready when her brother asked her to join a ska band he was forming with a friend named John Spence. Gwen originally shared lead vocals with Spence but in December of 1987 he committed suicide, leaving the band -- now called No Doubt -- with an uncertain future. According to numerous interviews with the bandmembers after their breakthrough, Gwen was the glue that held No Doubt together during these hard times, pushing the group to keep trying. She was also romantically involved with the band's bass player, Tony Kanal, by this time.

After playing numerous gigs and parties, No Doubt were signed to Interscope in 1991. The label considered their 1992 debut album a flop and refused to financially support a tour or further recordings, but the band refused to give up. The self-financed Beacon Street Collection appeared in 1994 and did well enough to make things nice with Interscope, but the band was once again going through a traumatic period behind the scenes. Eric Stefani left to become an animator for The Simpsons and Gwen and Tony's relationship had ended. Gwen wrote a collection of songs focused on heartbreak and rebirth that would become No Doubt's third album, Tragic Kingdom, and the rest, as they say, is history.

With the smash singles "Just a Girl," "Spiderwebs," and "Don't Speak," the album reached the number one spot in Billboard and garnered two Grammy nominations. The press began to focus on Stefani's role in the band. Voted one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People," video and photo shoots focused on her and rumors spread that the other three members of the band were unhappy with the lack of attention they received. This topic of discussion continued as the band released Return of Saturn in 2000 and Rock Steady a year later, but it was overshadowed during this time by new gossip -- Stefani's romantic relationship with Bush's frontman, Gavin Rossdale. She also started doing some work outside the band, lending her vocals to the remix of electronica artist Moby's "Southside" and rapper Eve's "Let Me Blow Your Mind." In 2002, she arrived 45 minutes late for her wedding with Rossdale in London.

After Rock Steady, No Doubt took a break. Stefani approached Kanal about producing an off-the-cuff solo project that would be influenced by her non-ska favorites. Prince, the Time, Club Nouveau, and Madonna were the names thrown around and the idea was to make the project "fast and easy." Over time, the "fast and easy" record morphed into something much bigger. Old friend, former labelmate, and hit songwriter Linda Perry became involved and the project became much more polished, slick, and dance-oriented. A pile of high-profile collaborators -- Dr. Dre, the Neptunes, Dallas Austin, Andre 3000, Nellee Hooper, Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis -- became involved. In September of 2004, the infectious and hyper dance single "What You Waiting For?" appeared with its accompanying video dominating MTV.

The album, Love.Angel.Music.Baby., hit the shelves in November with surreal artwork that introduced Stefani's four-woman "posse," the Harajuku Girls. The all-Asian Harajuku Girls were inspired by Stefani's fascination with the Harajuku girls of Japan, young club kids who have a flippant and fun attitude toward fashion. Appearing with Stefani live, in videos, and in photos, the Girls quickly drew criticism from the Asian community, angry about the rumor that they had to sign a contract to never speak English even though they could, and that Stefani's Girls looked nothing like the "real" Harajuku girls. Based on a dancehall cover of Fiddler on the Roof's "If I Were a Rich Man," "Rich Girl" became the next smash single with the anthem "Hollaback Girl" becoming success number three. While the singles were dominating pop and dance radio, Stefani appeared as Jean Harlow in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator. With music and movies checked off, Stefani moved into the world of fashion and introduced her clothing line L.A.M.B. Taking her influence to the world of tech, she designed the Harajuku Lovers' 4.1 MP Digital Camera for Hewlett-Packard. The camera was released in a limited edition with a Stefani-designed case and biographical DVD.

Late in 2005, Stefani discovered she was pregnant, but her schedule remained busy in 2006: along with working on L.A.M.B., she released a line of limited-edition Gwen Stefani fashion dolls complete with outfits from her videos and tours, and worked on her second solo album with producers including Akon, Swizz Beatz, and Nellee Hooper, as well as the Neptunes and Tony Kanal. That spring, Stefani gave birth to a boy, Kingston James McGregor Rossdale. The Neptunes-produced "Wind It Up" arrived that fall and heralded the full-length The Sweet Escape, which was released on the same day as the live DVD Harajuku Lovers Live.

Fergie - Big Girls Don't Cry

Stacy Ann Ferguson began her career in 1983 as the voice of Sally Brown in the children's cartoon series Charlie Brown. Shortly afterwards, at the age of eight, she made her first appearance on the variety television program Kids Incorporated. During the following five years, Ferguson appeared on over 100 episodes of Kids Incorporated, some of which alongside Renee Sands, with whom she would later reunite in the band Wild Orchid.

In 1993, Ferguson graduated from Glen A. Wilson High School in Hacienda Heights, California.

In 1990 Ferguson became a member of the all-female band Wild Orchid. The group released two albums, but after completing their third album the record label declined to release it. During Wild Orchid, she was a Bongo model, and Guess model and had her own show called "The Great Pretenders", on Fox Family. She left the group shortly thereafter and, according to interviews, sought therapy. She told a Glasgow newspaper: "I started doing Ecstasy. Then I got addicted to crystal methamphetamine. My weight dropped to 90 lb (41 kg). I lied to my friends and said I was bulimic. Finally I started going crazy."

Ferguson was a dance floor regular and backup singer at various Los Angeles venues. She met will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas at one of those venues. Ferguson and will.i.am had a number of meetings after shows and before long, she was invited to join the band in the recording studio. Ferguson replaced background singer Kim Hill, who left the group in 2000. Ferguson recorded five songs with the group before she was invited to join them permanently. She took the stage name "Fergie" and is featured prominently in the group's songs "Shut Up" and "My Humps".

Ferguson is embarking on a solo career, but she has said she considers it only a side project and will still continue to record and tour with the band.

On September 19, 2006 Ferguson's solo CD called the Dutchess will hit stores. On August 30, 2006 at the MTV VMA's she performed London Bridge which will be on her solo CD.

Sean Kingston - Beautiful Girls

Sean Kingston, the 17 year-old Miami born, Jamaica bred artist, is not just a new face in popular music; he’s accomplished the rare task of creating a new genre where rap, reggae, pop, doo-wop and remarkable songwriting all combine into something totally refreshing. Add in Sean’s family roots, which cite Jamaican legendary producer Jack Ruby as his grandfather, and you have one of the most exciting debuts this year. And while hip-hop lyrics have sparked the biggest debate in years, Sean finds himself in the center of the controversy - but not where you might think. The teen prefers to show his creativity without using profanity.

It’s no wonder then that Sean is quickly becoming a household name with his first single “Beautiful Girls,” a song cross-pollinating on both urban and pop radio stations coast to coast. The unmistakable hit boasts the instant hook of “Stand by Me” which acts like a muse for the song produced by savant J.R. Rotem. Sean, who is the flagship artist on J.R.’s label Beluga Heights, will release his debut album Sean Kingston on July 31 via Beluga Heights/Epic.

“I heard the track ‘Stand By Me,’ one night in the studio while listening to the radio and asked J.R. if anyone had ever used that sample. He made the beat immediately and I wrote down the lyrics within an hour – it happened very quickly. I loved the way it turned out and I think my sound is a lot different than what else is out there. It all just worked and we knew we had something special with the track. I’m also singing about something people can relate to – I’m singing about being in love with someone who you think is your world but they don’t see it that way and you have to end the relationship.”

Kingston wants to make it clear that he is no cookie cutter artist that has the songs mapped out for him - he comes up with 100 percent of his lyrics. Sean also understands that as a 17 year-old making urban music he has a responsibility to fans, “With this album I thought it was important to not use curse words or negative language that might offend people. I write my own songs so it’s like if I can write a great track without using those words, then that’s the style for me.” Sean continues, “As an artist, my whole goal is to make powerful and classic album. I want everyone to feel my music and understand my heritage and that’s what this album will do. The music is all about the authentic Sean Kingston vibe. J.R. is a talented dude and a dope producer and he heard that I had something different to offer from other artists out there. Together we’re a powerful force and I’m ready to share it with the world.”

Sean talks about J.R. more like a big brother, rather than an Executive Producer of his album. Last spring Sean reached out to J.R. on MySpace. Sean was drawn to J.R. because he was young and hungry like himself and felt like the music he was making was the type of music for him. Rotem emailed him back. J.R. almost had no choice. “Sean would hit me up at least three times a day!” J.R. says.

“He had a real distinct sound,” Rotem remembers. “I worked with some of the best and I don’t see why Sean can’t grow to be one of them. His potential is limitless.” Rotem invited Sean for a meeting in Los Angeles; coincidentally the young performer was already in the process of moving to California. Shortly after their initial meeting, Rotem had his flagship artist for his Epic records joint venture, Beluga Heights. For Sean, it was a prophecy beginning to be fulfilled. Not only is music his love, it is in his blood. Now Kingston says he’s looking forward to making timeless music and living out his dream.

In just a short time, Kingston has already done what few in his age bracket can accomplish - get people excited about music again. His album is shaping up to be filled with a string of hits including the second single “Me Love,” “Got No Shorty,” “There’s Nothin’” featuring Paula DeAnda, “I Can Feel It” and “Take You There.”

Perhaps one of the most eye opening tracks is “Dry Your Eyes” where Sean visits the hardship of watching his mother and sister be sent to prison when he was just 15 years-old. He sings to his mother and tells her not to be saddened that she’s away from the family and to know that they’re always there for her.

“I always had my brother,” he began to explain. “But when my mother and sister went away, it took a lot out of me. My sister went away for four months and my mom has been away for over a year now. When she went away, I thought to myself, this is too much.’ I was only 14. I missed her like crazy but I pulled through and used it as my motivation. “Dry Your Eyes” is a defining song on the album for me because it touches on something that’s very personal to me and the dope melody that’s on there makes me feel even closer to it.”

Sean has a certified hip-hop knocker on his hands with the reggae remix of “Colors” (Reggae Remix) which features the legendary Vybz Kartel and the always profound Kardinal Offishall. The track, which was released this past Spring, was received really well by the industry as a first look from Sean and will appear on his album as a bonus track. “Unity and representation is where Colors came from,” Kingston elaborated. “The song is about representing whatever flag that you’re loyal to – whether it is Jamaica, the States, your block etc. It’s a lifestyle record that can be a street anthem no matter where you’re from and where you at now. The reggae version came up because I wanted to do something special for my roots in Jamaica. The first person I thought of was Vybz Kartel. His verse came out crazy. Then Kardinal, that’s my homie, really attacked the track.”

“In the future I want to have my own label and work on the business side,” he said. “I went to acting school when I was younger, so I want to revisit that one day. I want to get into every aspect of the business and see where it takes me. I’m grateful for the fact that my music is able to bridge genres – I’m ready to do that will any business opportunity that comes my way – it’s always been important to for me not to limit myself.”

Avril Lavigne - When You're Gone

Wild child Avril Lavigne hit big in summer 2002 with her spiky-fun debut song, "Complicated," shifting pop music into a different direction.

Lavigne, who was 17 at the time, didn't seem concerned with the glamour of the TRL-dominated pop world and such confidence allowed her star power to soar. The middle of three children in small-town Napanee, Ontario, Lavigne's rock ambitions were noticeable around age two.

By her early teens, she was already writing songs and playing guitar. The church choir, local festivals, and county fairs also allowed Lavigne to get her voice heard, and luckily, Arista Records main man Antonio "L.A." Reid was listening. He offered her a deal, and at 16, Lavigne's musical dreams became reality. With Reid's assistance and a new Manhattan apartment, Lavigne found herself surrounded by prime songwriters and producers, but it wasn't impressive enough for her to continue.

She had always relied on her own ideas to create a musical spark, and things weren't going as planned. Lavigne wasn't disillusioned, though. She headed for Los Angeles and Nettwerk grabbed her. Producer/songwriter Clif Magness (Celine Dion, Wilson Phillips, Sheena Easton) tweaked Lavigne's melodic, edgy sound and her debut, Let Go, was the polished product.

Singles such as "Complicated" and "Sk8er Boi" hit the Top Ten while "I'm with You" and "Losing Grip" did moderately well at radio. Butch Walker of the Marvelous 3, Our Lady Peace frontman Raine Maida, and Don Gilmore (Linkin Park, Good Charlotte) signed on to produce Lavigne's second album, Under My Skin, which appeared in May 2004. The album topped the Billboard charts and produced the number one hit "My Happy Ending. Other singles like "Nobody's Home" and "Fall to Pieces" did respectably well also.

Settling down a bit from her punk rock wild child persona, Lavigne married her boyfriend of two years, Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley, in July 2006.

The Cars - Drive

Transformers - The Movie

My Favorite Scene
The part where Sam offers Mikaela Banes (played by Megan Fox) a ride home and Bumblebee teases them.

First, he plays the song Drive by The Cars (”Who’s gonna drive you home tonight…”) to convince Sam to offer Mikaela a ride home.

Next he plays the song Sexual Healing By Marvin Gaye

Then Bumblebee plays Baby Come Back by Player (”Baby come back, you can blame it all on me… I was wrong, and I just can’t live without you…”) when Mikaela tries to leave Sam because Bumblebee wouldn’t start.

I want a car like Bumblebee!

The Cars

The Cars were a popular American New Wave band that formed in 1976, after going through several different incarnations. They hailed from Boston, Massachusetts and were signed to Elektra Records in 1977. Lineup: David Robinson (drummer), Benjamin Orr (singer/bassist), Ric Ocasek (singer/rhythm guitarist), Elliot Easton (lead guitarist), Greg Hawkes (keyboardist).

During their career, they released six albums: The Cars (1978), Candy-O (1979), Panorama (1980), Shake It Up (1981), Heartbeat City (1984), and Door to Door (1987). The first five of these albums all were certified platinum by the RIAA, and their self-titled debut was one of the best-selling albums of the 1970s, remaining on the Billboard album charts for over a year. They experienced a second wave of popularity in 1984 with the album Heartbeat City and the popular MTV staples "You Might Think," "Magic," and "Drive," the last of which was their highest-charting single, peaking at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, after that peak, they vanished from the public eye and worked on solo projects, and released one final album before breaking up in early 1988.

Benjamin Orr died of pancreatic cancer in October 2000. Guitarist Elliott Easton played in a surf music group and joined a touring act called Creedence Clearwater Revisted with ex-members of Creedence Clearwater Revival. Lead vocalist Ric Ocasek married supermodel Paulina Porizkova not long after The Cars' breakup and has since become a prolific producer, working on albums by such diverse artists as Bad Brains,Weezer, Guided by Voices and No Doubt. He has also released a number of solo albums, including 2005's Nexterday. Greg Hawkes and Elliot Easton have recently teamed up with Todd Rundgren and his rhythm section as The New Cars; they have released a live album and are currently touring.

Small Mercies - Innocent

There’s energy around Small Mercies that is hard to put your finger on. One thing is certain; the band are on the cusp of something big.

Small Mercies are a classic rock band for the modern era. Their songs bristle with a mood of instant familiarity. Break the band into sonic parts and you’ll hear chiming choruses, shimmering guitars and an explosive bottom end; all of which are fronted by a young voice fit to fill arenas, stadiums and the airwaves.

Hailing from Brisbane, the four-piece are poised to release their debut album, Beautiful Hum. No less a tastemaker than Billboard magazine are touting the band’s hometown as one of the globe’s happening musical hotspots. It’s the city where Savage Garden, The Saints and Powderfinger made their mark before achieving national and international recognition. Small Mercies may well swell those ranks.

Small Mercies’ vocalist Steve Blaik, guitarist Danny Procopis and drummer Marty O’Brien all met at high school. Steve and Danny form the band’s song writing hub while Marty, along with bassist Jeff Reeves, complete the group and provide a rock solid rhythm section.

Produced by Matt Wallace (Faith No More/Maroon 5), Beautiful Hum has ‘international smash’ written all over it.

Wallace discovered the band through MySpace. Impressed by what he heard, the producer set about making contact.

“We sent out some demos when we were looking for a producer,” begins Steve. “Believe it or not, Matt Wallace was at the top of our list. He got back to us via MySpace saying ‘Hey guys, love this stuff … are you still looking for a producer?’ “That was the first thing we heard and it blew our minds. It was like a dream come true … getting a MySpace message from Matt Wallace!”

“I grew up listening to Faith No More and he did most of their stuff, which is amazing. He also did Maroon 5 and Train.”

The band recorded with Wallace in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley for eight weeks at various studios, including The Pass and Sound City Studios. The results are nothing short of stunning. Tim Palmer (Pearl Jam/U2) applied the finishing touches to the album with top-notch mixes.

“Tim mixed Pearl Jam’s Ten, which for us,” exults Danny, “is one of our favourite records. We’d come in at the end of the day and hear what he’d done and be blown away.”

Small Mercies have quite a team behind them. Early demos from the band caught the attention of music industry veteran John Woodruff (Savage Garden/Evermore) who quickly signed the band to his JWM production company. Modern Music label and studio owner David Leonard came on board as co-label and management some time after. After recording a batch of new demos at Modern Music Studios they attracted the likes of Sony BMG and producer Matt Wallace.

The first single from Beautiful Hum is, ‘Innocent’. It’s hard to pick favourites, but titles worth a mention include ‘Sorry’, ‘Stand On The Outside’ and ‘Almost Perfect’. 50/50 Films have shot a clip for ‘Innocent’ that should soon see the band flooding the small screen.

At the end of the day, it’s all about the songs … and Small Mercies have plenty of them. Wallace believes they had fifty tracks he could have chosen for their debut platter.

“It was after I received my second batch of about 20 songs that I realized that this band was well prepared to make a record,” explains Wallace. “They had almost 50 songs to choose from and not a clunker in the bunch. They certainly had enough material for a double album (no joke), which put us in a great position to have many excellent songs to choose from. Suffice to say, this record is actually more like a "Best Of" album due to the strength of their material.”

Ask Steve what his favourite albums are and he’ll rattle off, among others, Counting Crow’s August And Everything After, Live’s Throwing Copper and U2’s The Joshua Tree. The lyricist loves great storytellers.

“I also love bands like Pearl Jam,” he admits, “the way they structure their songs into anthemic uplifting rock songs. So, I guess when people listen to Beautiful Hum, they’ll find their own influences; but they’re key things for us when we write our songs.”

Uplifting anthemic rock songs … it’s quite a brief, but that’s what Small Mercies are all about. With Beautiful Hum, the band has created one of the great Australian debuts.

Pink - Who Knew

Although she was initially viewed as yet another face in the late-'90s crowd of teen pop acts, Pink quickly showed signs of becoming one of the rare artists to transcend and outgrow the label. Born Alecia Moore on September 8, 1979, in Doylestown, PA (near Philadelphia), Pink received her nickname as a child (it had nothing to do with her later shade of hair dye). She grew up in a musical family and by age 13 was a regular on the Philadelphia club scene, first as a dancer, then as a backing vocalist for the local hip-hop group Schools of Thought. At 14, she began writing her own songs; the same year, a local DJ at Club Fever began allowing her on-stage to sing a song every Friday.

Pink was spotted one night by an executive for MCA, who asked her to audition for an R&B group called Basic Instinct; although she got the gig, the group imploded not long after. She was quickly recruited for a female R&B trio called Choice, which signed to L.A. Reid and Babyface's LaFace label on the strength of their demo; however, they too disbanded due to differences over musical direction. During Choice's brief studio time, producer Daryl Simmons asked Pink to write a bridge section for the song "Just to Be Loving You"; impressed with the results, Pink rediscovered her songwriting muse and an equally impressed L.A. Reid soon gave her a solo deal with LaFace.

Pink recorded her solo debut, Can't Take Me Home, with a variety of songwriting partners and dance-pop and R&B producers. Released in 2000, the album was a double-platinum hit; it spun off three Top Ten singles in "There U Go," "Most Girls," and "You Make Me Sick." She toured that summer as the opening act for *N Sync, but soon found herself tired of being pigeonholed as strictly a teen act despite her sassy, forthright persona. As she set about working on her follow-up album, Pink took part in the remake of Patti LaBelle's "Lady Marmalade" featured on the Moulin Rouge soundtrack, which also featured powerhouse divas Christina Aguilera, Mya, and Lil' Kim. The song was a massive hit, topping the charts in both the U.S. and U.K.

Toward the end of the year, Pink released her next single, "Get the Party Started"; it became her biggest, most inescapable hit to date, climbing into the Top Five. Her accompanying sophomore album, M!ssundaztood, quickly went double platinum; it boasted a more personal voice and a more eclectic sound, plus heavy contributions from ex-4 Non Blondes singer Linda Perry, who helped bring some more rock muscle to Pink's sound (as did guest appearances by Steven Tyler and Richie Sambora). M!ssundaztood attracted positive critical notices as well, and its second single, "Don't Let Me Get Me," became another fast-rising Top Ten hit.

Pink next issued Try This in November 2003. The album was a bit more rock-oriented, due in part to the songwriting collaboration of Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong on eight of the album's tracks. Try This' lead single, "Trouble," cracked into the upper regions of Billboard's Top 40, and earned Pink a Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. On the home front, Pink wed motocross racer Carey Hart -- whom she had initially met at 2001's X-Games -- on January 7, 2006, in Costa Rica. Her next album, I'm Not Dead, appeared that April; its first single, "Stupid Girls," quickly became a hit, and the album reached the Top Ten.

Linkin Park - What I've done

Transformers - The Movie

Plot summary,
A long time ago, far away on the planet of Cybertron, a war was being waged between the noble Autobots (led by the wise Optimus Prime) and the devious Decepticons (commanded by the dreaded Megatron) for control over the Allspark, a mystical talisman that would grant unlimited power to whoever possessed it. The Autobots managed to smuggle the Allspark off the planet, but Megatron blasted off in search of it. He eventually tracked it to the planet of Earth (circa 1850), but his reckless desire for power sent him right into the Arctic Ocean, and the sheer cold forced him into a paralyzed state. His body was later found by Captain Archibald Witwicky, and before going into a comatose state Megatron used the last of his energy to engrave a map, showing the location of the Allspark, into the Captain's glasses, and send a transmission to Cybertron. He is then carted away by the Captain's ship. A century later, Sam Witwicky, nicknamed Spike by his friends, buys his first car. To his shock, he discovers it to be Bumblebee, an Autobot in disguise who is to protect Spike, as he bears the Captain's glasses and the map carved on them. But Bumblebee is not the only Transformer to have arrived on Earth - in the desert of Qatar, the Decepticons Blackout and Scorponok attack a U.S. military base, causing the Pentagon to send their special Sector Seven agents to capture all "specimens of this alien race," and Spike and his girlfriend Mikaela find themselves in the middle of a grand battle between the Autobots and the Decepticons, stretching from Hoover Dam all the way to Los Angeles. Meanwhile, within the depths of the Pentagon, the cryogenically stored form of Megatron awakens...

Linkin Park

Old-school hip-hop, traditional classic rock, and spooling electronic vibes were the initial factors behind the building of the alternative metal quintet Linkin Park. The band's Southern Californian musical roots were also an underlying basis, for drummer Rob Bourdon, guitarist Brad Delson, and MC/vocalist Mike Shinoda formed a tight friendship while still in high school. Shortly after graduation, art student and DJ Joseph Hahn hooked up with bassist Dave "Phoenix" Farrell and Shinoda for the band Xero. Hybrid Theory came later, but the band opted on the name Linkin Park when singer Chester Bennington was the last piece added to the band in 1999. Soon the band became a noticeable face at the Whisky as well as favorites in and around Los Angeles. Zomba Music's Jeff Blue was one of the few who didn't turn the band down for a contract at the turn of the millennium -- Linkin Park signed to Warner Bros. after being turned down three times in late 1999 and got to work on their debut album. Taking a piece from their past, they named the album Hybrid Theory. It was released in fall 2000 and it showcased their likes for fellow alternative acts such as the Deftones, the Roots, Aphex Twin, and Nine Inch Nails. The Dust Brothers also collaborated on the record, as well as producer Don Gilmore (Pearl Jam, Eve 6, Tracy Bonham). Singles such as "Crawling" and "One Step Closer" were massive radio hits and video favorites among the TRL crowd on MTV. Joint tours with Family Values and the Project: Revolution Tour with Cypress Hill led the band to play 324 shows in 2001. Linkin Park was in demand. Come January 2002, Hybrid Theory received three Grammy nominations, for Best Rock Album and Best New Artist. A month later, Linkin Park walked away with an award for Best Hard Rock Performance for "Crawling." They spent the remainder of the year holed up in the studio, again working with Gilmore, recording a follow-up to their eight-times-platinum debut Hybrid Theory.

Linkin Park's sophomore effort, Meteora, was released in March 2003; the first single, "Somewhere I Belong," was an instant hit. The second annual Projekt Revolution tour got underway in spring 2003 with Linkin Park joining Mudvayne, Xzibit, and Blindside; Summer Sanitarium dates with Metallica, Limp Bizkit, Mudvayne, and the Deftones followed in July and August. Results of the latter appeared by the end of the year on Live in Texas. In late 2004, Linkin Park embarked on their most ambitious project yet: Collision Course, a collaboration with king-of-the-mountain rapper Jay-Z, which introduced the commercial world to the concept of mash-ups (remixes that sample heavily from at least two popular songs). Jay-Z also encouraged co-founder Mike Shinoda to explore the possibilities of a solo hip-hop project. He did, dubbed the project Fort Minor, and released the album The Rising Tied in 2005 with Jay-Z as executive producer. The group came back together in 2006 and began work on their next album. With Shinoda and Rick Rubin (Run-D.M.C., Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash) sharing the production credit, Minutes to Midnight arrived in 2007.

My Chemical Romance - Welcome To My Black Parade

Based in New Jersey, My Chemical Romance is an alternative pop/rock and punk-pop band that has been compared to Thursday and, to a lesser degree, Cursive. Their name was inspired by author Irvine Welsh (of Trainspotting fame), and while many of their songs are loud, fast, hyper, and aggressive, My Chemical Romance's work also tends to be melodic and pop-minded. My Chemical Romance got started in the early 2000s, when lead singer Gerard Way and drummer Matt Pelissier decided to try writing some songs together. The first tune that Way and Pelissier -- who had been friends since high school -- came up with was called "Skylines and Turnstiles" (a post-9/11 song written after Way witnessed the Twin Towers fall while working at his animation job in New York City). Way and Pelissier both felt good about the song, and Way asked guitarist Ray Toro if he would be interested in working with them. My Chemical Romance's five-man lineup was complete when Way, Pelissier, and Toro joined forces with bassist Mikey Way (Gerard's little brother) and guitarist Frank Iero. With that lineup in place, the band started playing all around the Northeast Corridor and made plans to begin working on their first album.

In 2002, Eyeball Records (the New York-based indie for which Thursday had recorded) released My Chemical Romance's debut album, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love. The album was often compared to Thursday -- a comparison that, for various reasons, was inevitable and unavoidable. Both bands were from New Jersey, both had recorded for Eyeball, and both combined punk-pop's musical aggression with introspective, confessional lyrics. Plus, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love was produced by Thursday vocalist Geoff Rickly. But Thursday isn't their only influence; reviewers have cited the Smiths, Morrissey, the Cure, and the Misfits as influences, while the older Way has even cited British heavy metal icons Iron Maiden.

Lyrically, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love is as dark as it is introspective and cathartic; Way has been quoted as saying that the band's lyrics were a great way for him to deal with the problems he had been going through (which included severe depression, drug/alcohol abuse, and a serious illness in his family). The 2002 release included Way and Pelissier's first song, "Skylines and Turnstiles," and many of the album's other song titles were equally intriguing, including "Honey, This Mirror Isn't Big Enough for the Two of Us" and "Vampires Will Never Hurt You." In 2003, My Chemical Romance signed with Reprise/Warner Bros. and released the aggressively slick Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge one year later. Proving to be hugely popular, the album boasted several successful singles on commercial radio and MTV, including "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)," "Helena," and "The Ghost of You," as the album climbed the Billboard charts.

Amid their growing popularity, Pelissier departed from the band in mid-2004, and he was soon replaced on drums by Bob Bryar; they'd previously met while touring with the Used, as Bryar was doing sound for the Utah act. Relentless touring continued to increase their fanatical fan following; the band headlined dates with Alkaline Trio, scored an opening slot for Green Day, and shared bills with Story of the Year, Taking Back Sunday, and the Used, among many others. As My Chemical Romance prepared to enter the studio for their third album, they issued Life on the Murder Scene in March 2006. The CD and double-DVD package extensively documented practically everything MCR, including demos, music videos, live footage, interviews, and more; it sufficiently tied fans over until My Chemical Romance (now boasting a sober and bleach-haired Gerard Way) issued the darkly conceptual and highly ambitious The Black Parade that October. Anticipation for the album could barely be contained at the release of its grandiose first single, "Welcome to the Black Parade," whose elaborate accompanying video looked and sounded like the result of Tim Burton directing Queen. The record went platinum by early 2007.

Nina - Someday

Born November 1, 1980, in Pasay City, Marifil Niña Girado, was raised in Quezon City with three other siblings. Growing up, Nina, much like any aspiring singer, admired Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys and Gary V., Ella Mae Saison, and Regine Velasquez on the home front.

Nina stands barely over five feet but her vocal prowess can stand up to a tidal wave. As far as she can remember, Nina has always been in the solemn presence of music. Her dad, Filbert, is a member of the Bayanihan Boy’s Choir and her mom, Maria Daulet, plays the piano. She was five, singing in a corner when her dad gave her special notice. Intensive vocal training was the next chapter -- belting with her body submerged in a drum of water (hence, the tidal wave) and exercising those vocal chords early in the morning.

Indeed, hard work and dedication pay off — eventually. She was a 7-week champion at the most successful singing competition in the country, Tanghalan ng Kampeon—the undisputed springboard for fresh talent. Before casting glorious light on the bleak music scene, pop and R&B find, Nina, found satisfaction soothing tired souls at the local clubs. Songs of love and loss, songs of firsts and lasts all delivered with intense passion and fiery emotion. Whatever the message, the effect is lasting, overwhelming. She can wail with the power of a crashing tidal wave or whine with the softness of a trickling rainfall. Waxing poetic describing vocal range can only mean one thing—when she sings, expect to be moved in ways you never imagined.

Her claim to fame isn’t only her voice but the story behind her discovery. The demo tape she submitted to Warner Music Philippines sampled her rendition of Foolish Heart. It was at that moment when hearing the tape, Warner Music executives immediately realized her potential and signed her without even actually seeing the woman behind the voice. The rest was, as we know it, history.

Darren Hayes - I Miss You

San Francisco-based pop/rock singer/songwriter Darren Hayes (born Darren Stanley Hayes) used to organize performances at home at a very young age supported by his mother, who became his first fan. After getting involved in school plays, the young and promising artist had the opportunity to join Daniel Jones in an outfit originally called Crush. They formed Savage Garden in 1997 in their native Brisbane, Australia.

Darren Hayes ended his marriage and decided to settle in the U.S. while Daniel Jones stayed in Australia before releasing their second and last album called Affirmation. Savage Garden split up in 2001, leaving behind three successful years including the honor of becoming a leading number in the annual Most Broadcast Artists List issued by the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA) for two years.

Darren Hayes debuted as a solo artist with the release of Spin, recorded in San Francisco, CA, and co-produced with Grammy Award-winning Walter Afanasieff. The 12-track record featured the hit single "Insatiable," a chart-topping song in Australia and one of the most added tracks on the American Top 40 radio stations soon after its release.

Nickelback - If Everyone Cared

Canada's Nickelback started life as a cover band in Hanna, 215 kilometers northeast of Calgary. Eventually, they tired of playing other people's songs, and singer/guitarist.

Chad Kroeger put together a collection of original songs, borrowed money from his stepfather, and went to Vancouver to record the band in a friend's studio. Based on the results, Kroeger's guitarist brother, Mike, and pal bassist Ryan Vikedal all relocated to Vancouver in 1996; that same year, they recorded and released the EP Hesher and full-length Curb independently, then embarked on a series of cross-country tours.

In late 1998, the bandmembers started managing themselves, with Chad handling all the radio tracking, brother Mike Kroeger the distribution, and Ryan Vikedal all the bookings. A second LP, The State, was released independently in January 2000 during a period when Canadian content requirements were increased and local rock radio began desperately seeking out homegrown product. What they found was Nickelback's single "Leader of Men." The band toured ceaselessly for The State and 200 shows later, Nickelback had gone from virtual unknowns to playing in front of over a million people alongside the likes of Creed, 3 Doors Down, Fuel, and more. The band's post-grunge commercial appeal wasn't lost on the record industry, and The State was snapped up by Roadrunner in the U.S. and EMI in Canada. It eventually sold an impressive 500,000 copies.

Many of the songs that comprised the third album, Silver Side Up, were written even before The State was released in America and road-tested in front of eager audiences on cross-country treks. The other significant change was Chad Kroeger's conscious decision to write his lyrics in a more direct manner, rather than the metaphorical lyrics of previous releases. "Too Bad" pertained to the father who was never around when Chad and his brother were growing up; "Never Again" was a song inspired by broken homes; and "How You Remind Me," the first single from the album, was written at rehearsals shortly before the band went into the studio.

To record the album, Nickelback worked with producer Rick Parashar (Pearl Jam, Temple of the Dog) at the same studio they used for The State, Vancouver's Green House. The combination of the band's growing popularity and the quality of the songs sent Silver Side Up into the sales charts around the world, spearheaded by the hit single "How You Remind Me." (It was only the second time in history since the Guess Who's "American Woman" that a Canadian band had been number one on both the Canadian and U.S. rock charts at the same time.) After Nickelback's initial mainstream exposure, Kroeger produced Vancouver natives Default and collaborated with Saliva singer Josey Scott for the Spiderman soundtrack.

The more polished The Long Road arrived in 2003. The single "Someday" shot to number seven on the Billboard charts, and the album sold five million copies worldwide and was supported by another successful international tour. In February of 2005 it was announced that Ryan Vikedal had left the band, but Vikedal claimed in an interview he was pushed out for not being "the type of drummer" the band required. A month later it was announced that former 3 Doors Down drummer Daniel Adair was his replacement, and that Nickelback was jamming at Kroeger's studio in Vancouver in preparation for their next album. ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons and the late Dimebag Darrell from Pantera were guests on the chart-topping All the Right Reasons, which saw release in October of 2005.