Mega Music Talent

Archive for December, 2008

A recent marriage, an album and now a movie on the way for Beyonce, is there anything she can’t do? The pop star’s cover of Etta James’ iconic “At Last” will be the lead song for the upcoming soundtrack for Cadillac Records which will debut Dec. 2 via Columbia. The film chronicles the rise and fall of famed label Chess Records and Beyonce stars as James. Beyonce told Billboard about the experience, saying: “I realized that Etta James was so unapologetic, bold and strong that playing her was a big risk for me. It gave me the confidence and the push to challenge myself a little more with my music.”

The soundtrack also includes tracks from Mos Def (portraying Chuck Berry), Columbus Short (as Little Walter), Jeffrey Wright (as Muddy Waters) and Eamonn Walker (as Howlin’ Wolf). The album, which will be available in both single- and double-disc versions, also boasts songs from Mary Mary, Nas, Buddy Guy, Elvis Presley, Raphael Saadiq and Beyonce’s sister Solange. Cadillac Records makes its big screen debut Dec. 5 and Sony BMG Music Entertainment chairman Andrew Lack, who produced the film with Sony BMG films executive VP Sophia Sondervan says it will show a different side of the pop diva. “People will be most surprised that the glamorous Beyonce allowed herself to be seen in the desperate straits that Etta went through, including her heroin addiction. That’s a Beyonce I don’t think anyone’s seen yet.”

The public was first introduced to Beyonce when she was part of Destiny’s Child, the group formerly known as Girl Tyme that she formed with her cousin Kelly Rowland and school friends LaTavia Roberson and LeToya Luckett in her native Houston. The quartet burst into the R&B/pop mainstream with “No, No, NO,” off their eponymous debut album is 1997 and their breakthrough came two years later with The Writings on the Wall. The album spawned radio mainstays “Jumpin’ Jumpin’,” “Bills Bills Bills,” “Bug a Boo” and “Say My Name,” which earned Destiny’s Child two Grammy awards. Despite the girl group’s fast-paced ascent to stardom, Luckett and Roberson left the group and were replaced by Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin (who would leave the group within a year).

In 2000 the trio released the girl-powered single “Independent Women Pt. 1″ on the Charlie’s Angels soundtrack and their subsequent album, 2001′s Survivor, went straight to the top of the charts thanks to “Bootylicious” (yes, the term is actually in the dictionary thanks to Beyonce). Long-since the leading lady of Destiny’s Child, Beyonce dipped into the acting pool with a starring role in the MTV “hip-hopera” Carmen and a spot alongside Mike Myers in the Austin Powers sequel, for which she recorded her first solo song, “Work It Out,” that was included on the soundtrack. “03 Bonnie & Clyde,” another solo single featuring then-rumored beau and now-husband Jay-Z was followed by Beyonce’s solo album debut, 2003′s Dangerously in Love. The album won five Grammys thanks to popular singles like “Baby Boy” and “Crazy in Love” and then Destiny’s Child reunited for their last album. The aptly titled Destiny Fulfilled spawned hits “Soldier” and “Lose My Breath” and all three girls went on to pursue solo work, with Beyonce starring in 2006′s Dreamgirls and releasing her sophomore solo record, B’Day, in 2006. Beyonce is set to release her third solo album in November and singles “If I Were a Boy” and “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” are already creating buzz. So hurry up and get your Beyonce tickets soon because this talented diva is sure to pack arenas when she hits the road.

Author Bio: This article is sponsored by StubHub.com and was written by Kirby Brooks. StubHub is a leader in the business of selling Beyonce tickets, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and special events tickets.

Since appearing on MTV as a teen-friendly pop singer in her video for “Genie in a Bottle,” Christina Aguilera has gone through a lot of changes. She’s gone from innocent to trampy, dabbled with a classic glamour queen look, and, with a new record due out in 2009, surely will come up with a surprising role to take on for that. But what’s surprising many of her fans is the recent revelation that Aguilera is experimenting with electronica. According to Billboard, she’s looking to work with artists as diverse as Sia, Goldfrapp and Ladytron-all colorful chanteuses from the world of electronic indie-pop. Aguilera apparently is a big fan of each, and will feature them on her new album.

This is a pretty notable change in musical direction for her. Aguilera rose to fame in the late ’90s, fast on the heels of Britney Spears but proving, in the long run, to be far more mentally stable. Her professional career began in her teens when she appeared on Star Search and, later on, The Mickey Mouse Club. The Disney Channel show was also a spawning ground for other musical pop acts, including Spears and two of *NSYNC’s members. After recording a song for the Disney film Mulan, Aguilera inked a recording contract and put out her first record. The debut’s hit single, “Genie in a Bottle,” was a number one for numerous weeks. “What a Girl Wants,” another smash single, made her even an even bigger star.

Because of her Ecuadorian heritage (on her father’s side), she was lumped into the “Latin” pop movement of the late ’90s along with acts like Ricky Martin, Shakira and Enrique Iglesias. Listeners would have never guessed that she didn’t actually speak Spanish. She did record a Spanish-language record, Mi Reflejo.

In 2002, something seemed to shift in the young pop star’s world. She did a nude photo-spread for Rolling Stone, and her public image became one saturated with sex. She released Stripped that year as well, with the single “Dirrty” emphasizing the hyper-sexual message she was broadcasting. This was not the same artist who at one time appeared to be a more family-friendly version of Britney Spears. It probably alienated quite a few former fans, but it also attracted others. Regardless, the record was widely panned.

Aguilera did another about-face in 2006, turning from the image she’d created for Stripped to a Marilyn Monroe lookalike on the aptly titled Back to Basics. She seemed to have rediscovered herself after exploring hypersexual territory. Her music was respectable adult contemporary pop, and highlighted her voice. It proved a successful recipe, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 and becoming a huge seller.

With her new album due out in 2009, no one is entirely sure what Aguilera will surprise the public with. Surely everyone holding Christina Aguilera tickets will enjoy her always entertaining live shows, but the music itself will probably be a departure. Get down with Christina with tickets from http://www.stubhub.com/christina-aguilera-tickets/.

Author Bio: This article was written by Andrew Good and sponsored by StubHub. StubHub sells Christina Aguilera tickets as well as sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and more to just about any event in the world.

Rihanna was scheduled to perform in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia for a crowd of 6,000 on Nov. 14 but had to cancel the tour over security concerns. A spokesperson for the event organizer Show Master Live, Dive Purnomo, said the 20-year-old singer was scheduled to perform for a sold-out crowd but changed her mind while in Australia. The nation was among several that issued a travel advisory to citizens in Indonesia after the executions of three Islamic militants convicted in the 2002 Bali bombings. The warning issued while Rihanna was down under came after the men called on followers to carry out revenge attacks if they did in fact receive the deaths by firing squad sentenced to them. Purnomo said she hoped Rihanna will come back to Jakarta to perform for her many fans in January.

Before “Umbrella” propelled Rihanna into the realm of major stardom, the singer was born Robyn Rihanna Fenty in 1988 in Saint Michael, Barbados and despite winning various beauty and talent contests at a young age she assumed that fame was well beyond her reach. Pop producer Evan Rogers, who has produced for stars like Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson and others, was vacationing on the island when he met Rihanna and sent her to the studio with his partner Carl Sturken to make some demo tapes. Newly appointed Def Jam president Shawn Carter (aka Jay-Z) heard Rihanna’s demos and was instant enthralled, signing her on the spot and Def Jam released the single “Pon de Replay” off the album Music of the Sun in 2005. The song peaked at number tow on the Billboard Hot 100 and spawned another popular single, “If It’s Lovin’ That You Want.”

After a successful debut album, Rihanna continued her trajectory to the top with an even more successful sophomore album, A Girl Like Me, which spawned popular singles “S.O.S.,” “Break It Off” and “Unfaithful.” For her third effort, Rihanna chopped her signature long locks and dropped the good-girl image promoted by stereotypical Caribbean lingo and sugar-coated ballads. The aptly-titled Good Girl Gone Bad was a dance/pop album led by the number one single “Umbrella.” Good Girl Gone Bad also featured collaborations with Timbaland, StarGate and Jay-Z and boasted hit singles “Disturbia” and “Take a Bow.” Rihanna recently made another notch on the Billboard charts when she was featured on T.I.’s smash single “Live Your Life.” The career of Caribbean sensation Rihanna is still young (and so is she, at just twenty-years-old!) but with the backing of Jay-Z and a unique vocal style that blends her heritage with urban pop, she is sure to be around for a long time. Rihanna hit the rod this last year as to open for rapper Kanye West on his Glow In the Dark tour and will most likely be touring again so be sure to get your Rihanna tickets soon!

Author Bio: This article is sponsored by StubHub and was written by Kirby Brooks. StubHub.com is a leader in the business of selling Rihanna tickets, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and special events tickets.

Leave it up to two music critics to create a band that knows how to rock and be smart about it, too. Over several decades, Blue Oyster Cult has earned its fans by challenging them. Their cryptic lyrics have kept listeners guessing as to what their true meaning is, all the while entrancing them with the quality of the writing.

The band formed in 1967 in Long Island, where several students with a common interest in prog-rock and heavy metal decided to start jamming together. The band would go through numerous incarnations over the years, with a constantly rotating lineup and several name changes. Sandy Pearlman and Richard Meltzer were the two founding members, however, and they were also a constant presence in the band. Pearlman managed the band while Meltzer wrote lyrics; both would go on to be well-known and respected music critics.

They changed the band’s name several times before finally settling on Blue Oyster Cult (previous names included Soft White Underbelly and Oaxaca, and their first single was issued as the Stalk-Forrest Group. The band’s first two records didn’t attract much attention, but once they signed to Elektra as BOC, they began to attract some notice among more high-minded rock listeners. Their lyrics were captivating, and fit the trippy images on their album covers perfectly.

“With Satan’s hog no pig at all, and the weather getting dry/We’ll head south from Altamont in a cold-blooded travelled trance/So clear the road my bully boys and let some thunder pass/We’re pain, we’re steel, a plot of knives/We’re Transmaniacon MC,” go the lyrics to the opening song on their self-titled debut.

Though only a few people noticed their first two records, it was their third, 1974′s Secret Treaties, that established a wide-reaching fan base. It would eventually turn gold, and set the stage for their successful live album the following year. 1976′s Agents of Fortune was their breakthrough, with the classic song “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” receiving an enormous amount of airplay.

“Romeo and Juliet/Are together in eternity (Romeo and Juliet)/40,000 men and women everyday (Like Romeo and Juliet)/40,000 men and women everyday (Redefine happiness)/Another 40,000 coming everyday (We can be like they are)/Come on baby (Don’t fear the reaper),” the song goes. Its haunting lyrics still entrance listeners today. It would help that album turn platinum in time, and make BOC one of the biggest arena-rock acts of the late-’70s.

The band would continue to earn major hits as they released some of their most successful record, including 1977′s Spectres and 1978′s Enchanted Evening. Past that point, record sales started to dive, though their tours continued to sell out. As the ’80s wore on, punk and New Wave replaced arena rock completely, and BOC was found out of step with the public taste. The band’s output slowed to a trickle.

But these days, there’s plenty of fans dying to get their hands on Blue Oyster Cult tickets from http://www.stubhub.com/blue-oyster-cult-tickets/. If you’re one of them, you’re in luck-they group is still on tour.

Author Bio: This article was written by Andrew Good and sponsored by StubHub. StubHub sells Blue Oyster Cult tickets as well as sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and more to just about any event in the world.

Bringing a bubbly exuberance and mainstream pop sensibility to the country scene made the Dixie Chicks one of the hottest country acts of the ’90s-and certainly one of the biggest in mainstream country history. Over the ensuing decades they’ve risen as the quintessential pop band for cowpokes of all brands, despite working through controversy stemming from their outspoken political beliefs.

The band’s history traces all the way back to 1989, when they were in fact a quartet. They were formed from fiddler Martie Seidel, banjoist Emily Erwin, bassist Laura Lynch and guitarist Robin Lynn Macy. The foursome started out the old fashioned way-busking on street corners. They named themselves after the Little Feat song “Dixie Chickens,” and dressed themselves to match their old-school country sound. They scored a record deal and released their debut, Thank Heaven for Dale Evans, in 1990. It didn’t attract much notice, but it was a start.

In 1992, they released a follow-up, Little Ol’ Cowgirl, and creative differences led to Macy leaving the band. They soldiered on as a trio, releasing 1993′s Shouldn’t A Told You That, which still saw them making little traction on the charts or in the minds of reviewers. Lynch left not long after that, and interviews with her suggest that, in her view, her band mates were looking to maintain a “younger” look in the band. The fact that she was replaced by 21-year-old Natalie Maines gives some credence to this theory.

There was a long break for the young trio, but in 1998 they returned in a big way, releasing their smash success Wide Open Spaces. No one-not even the band-expected the album to be the achievement it was. Several of its singles became number ones, and in less than a year the record went platinum four times. It wasn’t just a commercial success, either. Country critics loved the friendly pop sound, and the record won a Grammy for Best Country Album.

A year later, they put out Fly, which simply served to cement their status as country pop superstars. They earned some critical marks for songs such as “Goodbye Earl,” a dark tale about a young woman who marries young only to find her husband abuses her regularly. The conclusion is grim, with the woman poisoning him and disposing his body in a lake. This was not the typical face of country, and it shocked some listeners, while others were greatly impressed with the range of material the Dixie Chicks were capable of.

Several successful live tours followed, but controversy was waiting in the wings. In 2003, the band began to openly criticize the war in Iraq and President George Bush-and received plenty of criticism in return. It led to much consternation amongst fans when they finally released 2006′s Taking the Long Way, which still sold well despite fans still being irked about their anti-Bush views.

Though they’ve surely lost some fans during their career, there are many who find their music too good to keep away. Those are the people you still see waiting in line with Dixie Chicks tickets in hand from http://www.stubhub.com/dixie-chicks-tickets/.

Author Bio: This article was written by Andrew Good and sponsored by StubHub. StubHub sells Dixie Chicks tickets as well as sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and more to just about any event in the world.

Pat Benatar is still rocking the battlefield of music even after all these years, and it is all the more evident that she still holds enormous weight within the music industry, as she was just inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame. The event took place last month, and Benatar was included among a list of other musical greats like LL Cool J, Marvin Hamlisch, Blue Oyster Cult, The Ramones and The Tokens. Benatar reportedly said in her acceptance letter that evening that she will “never forget that a small town girl from Lindenhurst LI actually got the chance to live her dreams. Long Island girls ROCK!” Indeed they do, and Pat Benatar is living proof.

Benatar is often considered one of the leading female rock vocalists of the 1980s, and it is amazing that she still has the gift of singing. She is most recognized for several of her favorite songs that include “Love is a Battlefield” and “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.” Benatar also has several Grammy Awards under her belt and has sold millions of records worldwide. Keep tabs on where Benatar and her husband will be playing so that you can be sure to get a pair of Pat Benatar tickets and enjoy the show.

Benatar was born in Brooklyn, New York, and she initially studied voice and opera in school, following in the footsteps of her mother. It was only later that she really began taking singing seriously, and she started performing at many different clubs and bars throughout New York City. Her first single, “Heartbreaker,” was released in late 1979, and immediately it was a hit, reaching the number 23 mark on the U.S. charts. Following that success, her debut LP, In the Heat of the Night, generated even more attention from both the critics and the fans. In 1981, she was awarded the Grammy for “Best Female Rock Vocal Performance,” and people really started catching on to her wild and crazy tunes that were quickly becoming favorites around the world. Of course this was just start of her well-known career. Benatar went on to record many other successful and well-received albums including Crimes of Passion, Precious Time, Get Nervous and Live From Earth. She’s hardly ever received bad reviews, and she continues to record music even well into the 2000s. Many people today are intent on purchasing plenty of Pat Benatar tickets so that they can see her many shows.

She has been considered the most successful female rock vocalist of all time and has won many awards throughout her lifetime for her amazing music. And of course it’s a sure bet that all of us at one point ended up in a karaoke bar pretending to sing “Love is a Battlefield” in a night that probably ended in embarrassment. She will sing every song and will most likely give it “her best shot.” Gather up your friends and make plans to sing along to some of Benatar’s most popular hits.

Author Bio: This article was written by Alexa Evans and is sponsored by StubHub. StubHub sells Pat Benatar tickets, as well as many other kinds of sports tickets, concert tickets, special events tickets and theater tickets.

What can be more tasking and at the same time enjoyable thing to do with your Zune digital player than to do some Zune music download. In doing such, you are able to create a play list of your choice, compiled in a manner that appeals to your own taste of music. If it is your first time to experience doing some Zune music download, here are some things you can do to prep and tune up your Zune digital player.

If you have some CDs that you want to listen to or perhaps you just fancy a few on the list of songs, you can select these songs from your CD and place them on your Zune digital player. This is actually one of the basic and simplest ways to fill up your Zune player with something to listen to. Put in the CD of your choice to your PC’s CD drive then open your Zune music software. Here you will be able to find the list of songs in the CD. Select the ones you like to copy to your Zune player.

You already have some music files stored in your computer and you want to place these to your Zune digital player.. is that possible? The answer is a YES. In a click of the “Rip” button, Zune is able to store music files in formats like .wma, .wmv, .mp3, .m4v and so much more. This is one reason that Zune has become one of the sought after digital music player available in the market today.

Another way to import your music files to your Zune digital player is by connecting it by means of a USB connector. After which, music files of your choice can be automatically imported to your player. If you want to do this on the regular, you can lessen the hassle by setting the “Sync” option to “Default” so that all music files stored will be connected to your player every time you plug it in.

Don’t go all hopeless if you don’t have music files on your PC, or CDs that can be transferred to your digital player. Zune music download is possible online. You can purchase tracks of your choice at websites that houses Zune compatible music files. Some of which offer a subscription fee that allows you to go on an unlimited downloading frenzy, and there are some that charge you per track of your choice. Most of these “tracks for a price” starts somewhere around 99 cents per track.

None of these items stated above will be possible if you don’t have the basics like the Zune digital player itself. Where in the world will you be placing the music files if you don’t have it, right? Another thing is that you should have the software that houses Zune application for downloading or transferring your music files from PC to player and vise versa. Lastly, it will be all worth it if you are a member of a Zune market place as you can benefit from it; not only getting the chance to get music files but also other downloads like movies.

The author Zarqoo Zaimoo writes for http://www.ezydownload.net

What a nightmare beginner piano lesson books can potentially be! It’s hard enough following the instructions of a second rate teacher that is attempting to communicate on a one to one basis with you. Now imagine a second rate manual or e-book, recently downloaded for piano assistance. Imagine the following instructions within the confusing purchase:

“Play legato while remembering your accentuation within this simple triple time.”

“Make sure that the sixteenth note syncopation is accented in the animato section.”

“Assume the triplets with a non-legato touch, while providing a sustained, rich sound in the allegro ma non troppo section of the final movement.”

What? Legato, simple triple, non troppo and syncopation are hard terms for a beginner pianist to grasp. If you know nothing about music, then the terms just mentioned are a recipe for a fairly substantial migraine, possibly accompanied with abdominal aches and pains.

In a world of online promises, much can be said about the sheer amount of information that one can attain. One of the tricks in buying the right type of beginner’s piano guide is to read carefully through the materials offered for free on the product’s author’s website. It’s a good bet that if you are not following the information on the actual site, then you are not going to enjoy the product being offered.

Websites are a bit like sampling food. The last thing that you’d do in a super-store is buy a sampled food product that has you doubled over in pain in aisle four, two minutes after having taste-tested it.

From an author’s standpoint, putting yourself in the shoes of your potential target customer or client is essential. In writing a manual for a beginner instrumentalist, assume that no knowledge is known about the instrument. All aspects, no matter how preliminary, should be covered. In the case of piano playing, clefs, notes, timing, rhythm, and all other essentials should be clearly demonstrated with both words and charts (possibly videos and mp3s as well).

Authors should also watch their vocabulary, as music is filled with many terms and phrases, in a variety of languages, which cannot be assumed knowledge for your potential client.

Experience comes into play when writing. If, for example, you have had a vast amount of teaching experience, then knowing how you dealt with your most challenging of students plays a key roll in writing effectively as an author. That having been said, potential buyers should weigh the author’s experience into the equation when purchasing a beginner’s guide.

However, experience is most certainly not a substitute for enthusiasm, style of writing, and effective communication of intelligent content. If, as a potential purchaser, you feel a connection with an author’s website, then that is most likely your best bet in calibrating whether or not you will enjoy the product being offered. Experience and references provide, of course, a nice auxiliary in making your final decision.

So what do you do the next time you come across a beginner piano website that has statements such as:

“Assuming the weight of your forearm in calibrating a bright martellato effect, don’t forget a sudden diminuendo to accommodate the string pizzicatos and legato oboe line that provide your accompaniment.”

I’ll tell you what you do. Run! Or better yet, click your mouse and move on. Beginner piano lesson books don’t have to be that complicated.

Come and join the author, Daniel E. Friedman, at http://www.musicmasterstudios.com for assistance in music education and comprehension.

A guitar is a musical instrument, usually with six strings. This six-stringed guitar finds its origin in Spain. It can be played by handpicking or by finger-picks or plectrum. Plastic plectrums find wide usage today. However, the tonal quality is higher when tortoise shell picks are used.

Guitars can broadly be divided into two categories: acoustic and electric.

Acoustic guitars:

Acoustic guitars are generally crafted from wood, be it the low cost laminates or the pure hard wood like spruce, or a combination of both. Acoustic guitars are hollow-bodied and do not need an external amplifier. However, their utility is hampered in bands and orchestras which call for mandatory electric amplification. Amplification can be done through piezo and magnetic pick-ups.

There are many types of acoustic guitars. Among them, classical and steel string guitars are the most popular. The classical guitar is adorned with nylon strings. The strings are plucked with the fingers or finger-nails. Besides pure classical music all kinds of modern music too can be played on it. The music repertoire of the classical guitar is vast and varied. The roots of the classical guitar can be traced back to the lute, the vihuela and the renaissance guitar.

The steel strings of a steel-string acoustic guitar offer a brighter and louder sound. It is essentially larger than the classical guitar to accommodate the tension of the steel strings. A plectrum is a must for playing a steel-string guitar.

Electric guitars:

Unlike the case of an acoustic guitar, pick-ups are a must in electric guitars. Pick-ups convert the mechanical energy to electrical energy. A proper and compatible pick-up is a must for good tonal quality. Pick-ups which have found popularity among most musicians are either electromagnetic or piezoelectric.

The modern day electric guitar is made of solid wood like maple and mahogany. Some plastic material and aluminum alloys are used to give a sleek finish. Jazz, blues and rock-and-roll are the popular versions of music played on an electric guitar.

Lloyd Loar was one of the earliest inventors of the electric guitar but the first commercial guitar was made by Stromberg-Voisinet in 1928. In recent times, the electric guitar has revolutionized the music industry, especially rock music. The American culture is incomplete without the electric guitar.

The thin neck of an electric guitar allows the musician to comfortably hold and play the strings of the guitar. Being lightweight is another advantage of the electric guitar. Sophisticated equipment complements the electric guitar and a variety of effects can be produced like tapping and effects pedals. Modern electronics has a say in the tremendous sound effects that an electric guitar can produce.

Electric guitars can be of many types: solid body, hollow body and metal body. A solid body electric guitar is carved from hardwood and sports a lacquer finish. Pick-ups are used to reproduce sounds, which then pass through an amplifier and are heard from a speaker. Les Paul was one of the earliest inventors of this form of the guitar.

The hollow body electric guitar has a lighter weight and greater resonance. The pick-ups are lined up on the body of the guitar and it has one or two sound holes.

Metal body guitars were first manufactured in the 1950`s, but did not gain much popularity because of their inherent weight problem. Holes were dug into some of their variants which hampered the sound effects of the electric guitar.

Conclusion:

So, all we can infer is that acoustic guitars are a classical musician`s delight whereas an electric guitar is the soul and life of a band.

You can have access to portuguese articles about guitars from page http://www.polomercantil.com.br/instrumentos-musicais.php Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for http://www.polomercantil.com.br

Since rising to fame in the ’70s, Springsteen’s music has taken on the mantle of being quintessentially American, a fusion of rock and storytelling that brought scenes of life from across the country to his listeners. His music has always celebrated the underdog and the downtrodden-and it’s easy to see why, considering Springsteen’s own background. Enjoy the talent of the underdog when he performs showcasing his legendary stage presence.

Born in Freehold, NJ in 1949, Springsteen grew up in a lower-income home, the son of a bus driver father and a legal secretary mother. He would move to New York in the ’60s, hoping to make it as one of the many folk/protest performers who were part of the thriving music culture of the time. But the genre didn’t really fit Springsteen’s musical inclinations. His debut record, Greetings from Asbury Park, set the mold for what he would become known for: Heartland rock that told stories of people struggling to get by, fall in love and die peacefully. His songs were more like short stories, featuring characters that were amalgamations (and sometimes stand-ins) of real people Springsteen knew. Asbury Park was largely overlooked when it was first issued; a follow-up record, The Wild, The Innocent & The E-Street Shuffle, also was passed over by the public. Critics hailed both, however, and over the years they’ve earned the cachet of being masterpieces. Both have also finally found commercial success, having gone platinum.

It wasn’t until Born to Run was released in 1975 that Springsteen began to develop a significant cult following, which resulted in larger album sales and rapidly growing word-of-mouth promotion. The title song would become one of Springsteen’s best known, and would be his first to break into the Top 10.

With the breakthrough completed, he faced an uphill climb. Legal troubles with a manager tied up any future albums, and by the time Springsteen did issue anything new, it was 1977 and punk had captured the public consciousness. The roots rock that Springsteen had developed was lost in the shuffle.

In 1980, he bounced back. Enough time had passed that there was breathing room in the market for traditional rock. The River would become a hit, laying the groundwork for his growing popularity. But two years later his popularity would explode with Nebraska, largely thought to be one of his best albums ever. Born in the U.S.A., which followed two years after that, would become his best known record ever, a testament to his songwriting ability and a boon to political campaigns in future decades.

It seemed like Springsteen’s career itself went platinum after Born in the U.S.A., and there’s no denying his influence can still be felt in the music of pop and rock artists today. His writing especially, and his deep respect for real American life, has made Bruce Springsteen tickets precious items for fans. Today, Springsteen is considered a legendary figure in the world of rock ‘n’ roll, and his reputation appears to only grow more mythic with each year.

This article was written by Andrew Good and sponsored by http://www.stubhub.com/. StubHub sells http://www.stubhub.com/bruce-springsteen-tickets/ as well as sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and more to just about any event in the world.