Mama of Pop Music Crossword
Test your knowledge of pop music with this fun crossword puzzle!
Taylor Swift
American singer-songwriter
Taylor Alison Swift is an American singer-writer. She is known for narrative songs about her personal life, which have received widespread media coverage. Born in West Reading, Pennsylvania, Swift relocated to Nashville, Tennessee in 2004 to pursue a career in country music. Her eponymous debut album was released in 2006 and spent more weeks than any other album on Billboard 200 in the 2000s. Its third single, “Our Song”, made her the youngest person to single-handedly write and perform a number-one song on the Hot Country Songs chart. Swift’s second album, Fearless, was released in 2008. Buoyed by the pop crossover success of the singles “Love Story” and “You Belong with Me”, Fearless became the best-selling album of 2009 in the United States. The album won four Grammy Awards, with Swift becoming the youngest ever Album of the Year winner.
Swift was the sole writer of her 2010 album, Speak Now. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Its singles “Mine” and “Back to December” reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. 2011’s Red marked a change in Swift’s musical style with pop forestry production replacing her typical country sound. The album received wide critical praise and was a commercial success; it debuted at number one on Billboard 200 and topped selling albums of 2012 by year’s end selling 1.21 million copies within first week through Nielsen SoundScan history making it fourth biggest debut behind Garth Brooks’ Double Live (1998), Britney Spears’ oups!…I Did It Again (2000) & NSYNC’s No Strings Attached (2000).
Red was nominated for Album of the Year at 2013 Grammy Awards equaling Adele’s Skyfall being highest nominated female artist that year but lost to Mumford & Sons Babel which won Grammy that evening.[17] Four more singles were released throughout 2013: “I Knew You Were Trouble”, “22”, “Ronan” and “Sweeter than Fiction”.
Albums: “Fearless”, “Speak Now”, “Red”, “1989”, “Reputation”
Taylor Swift is an American singer-songwriter. She is known for narrative songs about her personal life, which have received widespread media coverage. Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Swift moved to Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 14 to pursue a career in country music. Her self-titled debut album was released in 2006 and spent more weeks than any other album on the Billboard 200 in the 2000s. The album’s third single, “Our Song”, made her the youngest person to single-handedly write and perform a number-one song on the Country Airplay chart. Swift’s second album, Fearless, was released in 2008. Buoyed by the pop crossover success of the singles “Love Story” and “You Belong with Me”, Fearless became the best-selling album of 2009 in the US. The album won four Grammy Awards, with Swift becoming the youngest Album of the Year winner.
Swift was the sole writer of her 2010 album, Speak Now. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Its singles “Mine” and “Back to December” reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The album itself won Best Country Album at the 54th Grammy Awards. Her fourth album, Red, was released in 2012 to commercial success; it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 1.21 million copies and was later certified seven times platinum by the RIAA. Its opening US sales were recorded as being the fourth biggest ever for a female artist; she is therefore placed behind Adele, Britney Spears (twice) and Shania Twain (twice). Both its singles “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and “I Knew You Were Trouble” reached number one on both Hot Digital Songs chart as well as Hot 100 chart; this made Swift become only three acts who have achieved this feat along with Rihanna (2010) and Lady Gaga (2011), who all did it within less than two years after achieving their first Hot 100 number one single as lead artists (“Love Story”, “Only Girl (In The World)”, respectively). Red continued receiving significant commercial success broadcasting on radio stations around America giving Swift another record: she became only female artist who has had two or more songs airplay format peak atop Mainstream Top 40 radio within less than 18 months since her first song (“Love Story”) did so back in February 2009 (“I Knew You Were Trouble”). She became one third act after Maroon 5 and Adele who peaked two or more songs atop Radio Songs airplay format within less than two years apart since Maroon 5 achieved this feat back September 2005 when their debut single airplay peak atop Radio Songs (“Harder To Breathe”) until their second single from It Won’t Be Soon Before Long did so back May 2007 (“Makes Me Wonder”) while Adele followed suit when her debut 21 multiplied its commercial success upon release giving her not only dual but also multiple airplay hits beginning with its lead single (“Rolling In The Deep”) which spent seven non-consecutive weeks atop Radio Songs until follow up singles from 21 (“Someone Like You”, “Set Fire To The Rain”) reside atop for five non-consecutive weeks each marking Adele as one three musical acts who achieved this since January 2010 while also becoming first musical act whose three consecutive airplay hits spent five or more weeks each atop Radio Songs since Usher whose successive Billboard Hot 100 number one singles from Confessions resided atop for twelve non-consecutive weeks beginning February 2004 until August 2005 (“Yeah!” featuring Lil Jon & Ludacris; spending eight consecutive weeks before being usurped by Mario’s eponymous hit single & then returning to reign for additional four non-consecutive weeks while also peaking at number two spot on Radio Songs where it spent total fourteen weeks) while Mariah Carey broke Usher’s sittings atop both charts when all four consecutive Billboard Hot 100 & Radio SongsNumber One Singles from Daydream spent combined nineteen consecutive weeks atop these charts beginning December 1995 until April 1996 where these were led off by Carey’s signature hit song Christmas classic ballad All I Want For Christmas Is You which peaked at top spot on both charts for last week of December 1995 before being usurped by Whitney Houston’s Exhale (Shoop Shoop) from Waiting To Exhale: More Music From The Motion Picture soundtrack which held down top spot for eleven consecutive weeks before Carey reclaimed both chart peaks back for additional six consecutive nonChristmas themed ballad always be my baby which made Carey only musical act whose all first four singles from respective studio albums she released topped both Billboard Hot 100 & Radio Songs within less than twelve months span while also making Daydream become highest Selling Female Artist Album Of All Time
Her fifth studio album 1989 was released in 2014, marking a departure from her earlier country pop styles It debuted atop Billboard 200 with 1.287 million copies sold In its first week This made Swift become only artist who has had three different studio albums selling over 1 million copies within its release week becoming one hundred thirty eighth musical act overall as well owner triple Platinum status by Recording Industry Association Of America denoting shipments over 3 million units Within subsequent months After receiving Platinum certification units shipments exceeding 4 million mark denoted sextuple Platinum status First time any album achieve sextuple Platinum certification Breaking previous Diamond certification record previously held Michael Jackson Thriller Which achieve quintuple Platinumstatus 8× multi Platinum 1984
Accordingly As Its Third Single Blank Space Peaked At Number One On Both Mainstream Top 40 & Adult Contemporary Making Her Become Only Artist That Achieved Three Different Number One Peaked Hits On Each Charts& Also Making 1989 Self Titled Lead Single Shake It Off Also Spent Five Non Consecutive Weeks Atop Adult Contemporary thus giving Swift Sixth Overall Singer With Most Cumulative Weeks Atop This Charts Tying With Barbra Streisand With Seven Different ChartTopping Hits
Beyonce
American singer, songwriter, and actress
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter (/biːˈjɒnseɪ/ bee-YON-say) (born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Beyoncé performed in various singing and dancing competitions as a child. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of Destiny’s Child, one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. Their hiatus saw Beyoncé’s theatrical film debut in Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) and the release of her first solo album, Dangerously in Love (2003). The album established her as a solo artist worldwide, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart and earning five Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist and Best R&B Album. Following the disbandment of Destiny’s Child in 2006, she released her second solo album, B’Day (2006), which contained hits “Déjà Vu”, “Irreplaceable”, and “Beautiful Liar”. Beyoncé also continued her acting career with starring roles in The Pink Panther (2006), Dreamgirls (2006), and Obsessed (2009). Her marriage to rapper Jay-Z and portrayal of Etta James in Cadillac Records (2008) influenced her third album, I Am… Sasha Fierce (2008), which saw the establishment of her persona as a sex symbol and earned a record-setting six Grammy Awards with the singles “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” and “If I Were a Boy”.
During this time, she collaborated with Amy Winehouse on the single “Back to Black” (2007), which earned them five Grammy Awards. Beyoncé took a hiatus from music after giving birth to Blue Ivy Carter in 2012. Her eponymous fifth studio album was released three years later to critical praise; it sold over 800 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the world’s best-selling albums of all time while spawning successful singles “Formation”, “Sorry”, and “Hold Up”. After giving birth to twins Rumi and Sir Carter in 2017 via emergency cesarean section due to preeclampsia complications, she adopted strict veganism after suffering from toxemia during pregnancy. Collection two of her fashion line Ivy Park was released on October 29.
In 2020 she debuted Black is King on Disney+, a visual album that accompanied The Lion King: The Gift soundtrack album for Disney’s live action remake film The Lion King directed by Jon Favreau. She is considered one of the most influential contemporary recording artists. Her work has earned her numerous awards throughout her career including 24 Grammy Awards—the most by any female artist—and is classified as one of pop music’s best-selling music artists with an estimated 160 million records sold worldwide. She has broken several Billboard chart records; she became the first artist ever to have seven songs simultaneously charting on Billboard’s Hot 100 list; she was also named Billboard Woman Of The Year in 2010[1], among numerous other awards.[2][3] Additionally she entered nine Guinness World Records lists with Lemonade (2016), including becoming the fastest female artist ever to gain one billion streams on Spotify.[4]
Albums: “Dangerously in Love”, “B’Day”, “I Am… Sasha Fierce”, “4”, “Lemonade”
Dangerously in Love is the debut studio album by American singer Beyoncé. It was released on June 23, 2003, by Columbia Records and Music World Entertainment. Following the disbandment of Destiny’s Child in June 2005, she began working on her first solo album. The album features some of the group’s greatest hits such as “Crazy in Love”, which topped multiple music charts worldwide, as well as the billboard hot 100.
B’Day is the second studio album by American singer Beyoncé. It was released on September 4, 2006, by Columbia Records and Music World Entertainment. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2005 at several studios, including Sony Music Studios in New York City and The Hit Factory studio in Miami. Its music incorporates rock, soul, hip hop, and R&B styles with instrumentation from guitars, drums, synthesizers, violins andlive horn players.
I Am… Sasha Fierce is the third studio album by American singer Beyoncé. It was released on November 18th 2008 by Columbia Records and Music World Entertainment. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2007–2008 at several studios including Sony Music Studios and The Hit Factory in New York City; PocketMixx Recording Studio in Gaithersburg; MD; Sound on Sound Studios and Chung King Studios in New York City; and Sydney Australia’s Trackdown Digital Audio Recordings Studio
4 is the fourth studio album by American singer Beyoncé. It was released on June 24th 2011 by Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. 4 features production from Beyoncé Knowles-Carter herself along with a variety of high-profile producers such as The-Dream; Tricky Stewart; shit god Suedeheadz Sean Garrett; Pharrell Williams; Patrick “J Que” Smith: Jerome “Jroc” Harmon among others
Lemonade is the fifth studio album by American singer Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, released on April 23rd 2016, through Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records lemonade was preceded by the release of its lead single “Formation”, which debuted at number one on Billboard Hot 100 chart Lemonade debuted at number one on both Billboard 200 chart
Rihanna
Barbadian singer, songwriter, and actress
Rihanna is a Barbadian singer, songwriter, and actress who has sold over 250 million records and has won numerous awards, including nine Grammy Awards. She is one of the best-selling artists of all time and has been praised for her powerful vocal performances. Rihanna’s music style is a mix of pop, R&B, and dancehall. She released her debut album in 2005 and has since released eight studio albums, including the multi-platinum sellers Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), Loud (2010), Talk That Talk (2011), Unapologetic (2012), and Anti (2016). Her work has earned her multiple awards and nominations, including the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for “Umbrella” in 2008. Rihanna has also been named one of Rolling Stone magazine’s “100 Greatest Artists of All Time” and one of Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World”.
Albums: “Music of the Sun”, “A Girl like Me”, “Good Girl Gone Bad”, “Rated R”, “Anti”
Rihanna is a Barbadian singer, actress, and fashion designer. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, she first entered the music industry by recording demo tapes under the direction of record producer Evan Rogers in 2003. She ultimately signed a contract with Def Jam Recordings after auditioning for its then-president, hip hop producer and rapper Jay Z. In 2005, Rihanna began her career with her debut album Music of the Sun and attained significant commercial success with its follow-up A Girl like Me (2006), which peaked at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart and produced her first US Hot 100 number one single, “SOS”.
Good Girl Gone Bad (2007) was a critical and commercial success; it topped the US Billboard 200 chart, produced four US Hot 100 top ten singles—including two number ones—”Umbrella” and “Don’t Stop the Music”—and won a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration with Jay Z for “Umbrella”. A reissue, titled Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded (2008), produced the top ten singles “Take a Bow” and “Disturbia”. Rated R (2009) produced seven singles, including the top ten single “Rude Boy”, while Anti (2016) featured an unexpectedly minimalist approach to songcraft that would influence much of pop music in its wake.
Rihanna has released eight studio albums, two compilation albums, one remix album, three video albums and four box sets. She has also earned numerous awards throughout her career, including nine Grammy Awards, 12 American Music Awards—the youngest artist to ever win the latter—eight Billboard Music Awards—including the inaugural Digital Song Artist of the Year trophy—and is tied as the most awarded artist at the MTV Video Music Awards Japan with three wins. Outside of her musical career, Rihanna is known for her involvement in humanitarian causes such as HIV/AIDS prevention and education through The Global Partnership for Education and The Global Citizen Project; as well as fashion thanks to her successful fashion brands Fenty Beauty—named after her middle name which she uses as a pseudonym—and Savage x Fenty lingerie line. Considered a style icon thanks to frequent appearances on best-dressed lists by publications such as Vogue magazine and Harper’s Bazaar among others over the years; she has been included on Forbes’ lists of both The World’s Most Powerful Women for several years now prior to being named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in both 2012 and 2018.
