American Life

American Life is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was first released on April 21, 2003, by Maverick Records and distributed by Warner Bros. Records. The album, produced in its entirety by Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzaï, features references to many parts of American culture. The album is a concept album, with recurring themes of the American Dream and materialism. These themes reject the reputation Madonna held in the 1980s, earned by songs such as her worldwide hit "Material Girl" (1985). The album contains rock, folk and electronica music, as well as influences of acoustic music on many tracks.

American Life received mixed reviews from music critics, with responses noting its consistency, but general responses called the record "about Madonna" and found it confusing. The album peaked at number one in fourteen countries. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and British Phonographic Industry (BPI) both certified it platinum in recognition of one million shipments in the United States, and 300,000 shipments in the United Kingdom, respectively. The album became the 32nd-best-selling album of 2003 and has sold five million copies to date. American Life garnered two nominations at the 46th Grammy Awards in 2004.

Ultra Music

Ultra Music is an electronic music record label in North America, comprising Ultra Records, Ultra Music Publishing, and Empire Artist Management. The label was formed in New York City in 1995 by former Polygram and Virgin Records executive Patrick Moxey, who is the owner. As of January 23, 2013, Ultra merged its operations with Sony Music in a deal that brought all of Ultra's artists, music catalogs and licensing rights into the Sony fold in exchange for Sony's investment in Ultra and promoting Moxey (who will retain ownership) to the newly established role as president of Sony's Dance/Electronic Music division under CEO Doug Morris. As of January 2013, the label's physical releases are distributed by RED Distribution in the United States.

Ultra's roster includes, among others, Rosette, Axwell, Steve Aoki, David Guetta, Kaskade, Pitbull, Calvin Harris, The Bloody Beetroots, Wolfgang Gartner, Benny Benassi, Edward Maya, Headhunterz, Congorock, Rebecca & Fiona, TOKiMONSTA, Mt Eden, Adrian Lux, Mysto & Pizzi, Mayra Verónica, Inna, Fedde le Grand, Basshunter, Kerli, Margaret Berger, Alexandra Stan, Brass Knuckles, John de Sohn, Bynon, and Project 46. Ultra has featured releases from the aforementioned artists and many others such as The Crystal Method, Timo Maas, Sasha & John Digweed, 4 Strings, Panjabi MC, Despina Vandi, and Junkie XL. Ultra Music is No. 11 on YouTube for Most Viewed Channels of all time.

Massive Attack

Massive Attack are an English trip hop group formed in 1988 in Bristol, consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja, Grant "Daddy G" Marshall and formerly Andy "Mushroom" Vowles ("Mush"). Their debut album Blue Lines was released in 1991, with the single "Unfinished Sympathy" reaching the charts and later being voted the 63rd greatest song of all time in a poll by NME. 1998's Mezzanine, containing "Teardrop", and 2003's 100th Window charted in the UK at number 1. Both Blue Lines and Mezzanine feature in Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

The group has won numerous music awards throughout their career, including a Brit Award—winning Best British Dance Act, two MTV Europe Music Awards, and two Q Awards. They have released five studio albums that have sold over 11 million copies worldwide.

History

DJs Daddy G and Andrew Vowles and graffiti artist-turned-rapper Robert Del Naja met as members of partying collective The Wild Bunch. One of the first homegrown soundsystems in the UK, The Wild Bunch became dominant on the Bristol club scene in the mid-1980s.

Felix Jaehn

Felix Jaehn (Germanised as Felix Jähn) (born 28 August 1994) is a German music producer and DJ specialising in tropical house. Jaehn was born in Hamburg and raised in Schönberg, near Wismar in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. He took violin lessons at age of 5 and began his DJ career at 16. Jaehn lived in London for a year, where he attended a Point Blank Music College at the age of 17. Afterwards he briefly studied Business Administration at Humboldt-University in Berlin.

Career

2013–present: Breakthrough

In August 2013 he released his debut single "Sommer am Meer". He came to prominence in 2015 through his remix of Jamaican artist OMI's song "Cheerleader". The single was an international hit for him topping the charts in Germany, Austria, Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia), Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. It was also a very popular wedding dance song in the United States. In November 2014 he released the single "Shine". In March 2015 he released the single "Dance with Me". In April 2015, he released a remix of Rufus and Chaka Khan classic "Ain't Nobody" retitled "Ain't Nobody (Loves Me Better)" featuring the vocals of Jasmine Thompson (based on an earlier charting version of the song by Thompson). The remix was an international pan-European hit topping the German Singles Chart. He is now signed to Universal Music. In July 2015 he released the single "Eagle Eyes".

Paul Oakenfold

Paul Mark Oakenfold /ˈoʊkənfoʊld/ (born 30 August 1963) is an English record producer and trance DJ. He was voted the No1 DJ in the World twice in 1998 and 1999 by DJ Magazine.

History

Early career: 1980–84

Paul Oakenfold describes his early life as a "bedroom DJ" in a podcasted interview with Vancouver's 24 Hours, stating he grew up listening to The Beatles. Later 21-year-old Oakenfold and Ian Paul moved to 254 West 54th Street. Studio 54's Steve Rubell ran the place and only allowed popular people inside. Oakenfold and Paul used fake passes to sneak into places in New York where they met Maze, Bobby Womack and Bob Marley, whom they also interviewed, claiming to be NME and Melody Maker journalists.

Oakenfold's musical career began in the late 1970s, when he started playing soul in a Covent Garden wine bar. Here, he met Trevor Fung as well as Rumours in London where he played Earth, Wind and Fire and popular British bands. In 1984, he spent several months in New York City's West Harlem. During this time hip-hop was the most popular sound in the area (see 1984 in music). He began breaking into the mainstream as he was working as an A&R man for Champion Records. At that time, he signed DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, as well as Salt-n-Pepa. Oakenfold appeared on the Blue Peter BBC programme for children with a breakdancing crew. He became a promoter and British agent for the Beastie Boys and Run-D.M.C.. Since then, he appeared at The Project in Streatham playing soul and jazz music.