00's Most Popular

'N Sync's 'No Strings' Decade's Most Popular Album
[Yahoo.com - 12/11/09]
The top album of the decade came from an act that's not even around anymore - 'N Sync.

Billboard magazine says the boy band led by Justin Timberlake had the decade's best-selling album with "No Strings Attached," which sold more than 10 million copies.

The most popular song of the decade was Mariah Carey's ballad "We Belong Together."

Eminem was named the top artist of the decade, while Nickelback was named top group.

For 2009, Taylor Swift had the best-selling album with "Fearless," while the Black Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow" was top song.

Billboard released those chart-toppers plus others for the decade and 2009 on its Web site on Friday. END

Best of the 2000s: The Decade in Charts and More
____________________________________________

PHOTOS OF THE YEAR
Eminem gives Lady Gaga the old sideways glance as the cloaked pop star accepts her Best New Artist VMA on Sept. 13 in New York.

Kanye West doesn't let Taylor Swift finish her acceptance speech for Best Female Video at the Sept. 13 MTV VMAs in New York.

Janet Jackson, LaToya Jackson and Jackie Jackson comfort their brother Michael's children -- Paris, Prince Michael II and Prince Michael I -- at Jackson's memorial service July 7 in Los Angeles.

Just hours before Chris Brown assaulted his then-girlfriend Rihanna, the two stars looked the part of a happy couple at Clive Davis Grammy party Feb. 7 in Beverly Hills.

Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor performs at his band's "Wave Goodbye" farewell tour stop Sept. 2 at the Hollywood Palladium in California.

Adam Lambert sparks controversy with his performance of "For Your Entertainment" at the American Music Awards Nov. 22.

Justin Timberlake takes his surprise Emmy win in stride, clutching his award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for "SNL" at the Sept. 20 ceremony in L.A.

DJ AM mans the wheels at Dusk nightclub in Atlantic City Aug. 25, his last appearance before being found dead in his New York apartment three days later.

Beleagured British singer Amy Winehouse arrives in court for the second day of her assault trial July 24 in London.

Ray Charles

Georgia on My Mind
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnaUP2n9swk

Ring of Fire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhGZdSkX6IM

America The Beautiful
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOHoN-8ibsY

Till There Was You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7FB7yKmW0Q

A Song For You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXGc0OoZEsM

Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004), known by his stage name Ray Charles, was an American pianist and singer who shaped the sound of rhythm and blues. He brought a soulful sound to country music, pop standards, and a rendition of "America the Beautiful" that Ed Bradley of 60 Minutes called the "definitive version of the song, an American anthem — a classic, just as the man who sung it."

Frank Sinatra called him "the only true genius in the business" and in 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Charles #10 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

(Wikipedia)

Country

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country_music

Country music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. It has roots in traditional folk music, Celtic music, blues, gospel music, hokum, and old-time music and evolved rapidly in the 1920s. The term country music began to be used in the 1940s when the earlier term hillbilly music was deemed to be degrading, and the term was widely embraced in the 1970s, while country and western has declined in use since that time, except in the United Kingdom and Ireland, where it is still commonly used.

Immigrants to the Southern Appalachian Mountains of North America brought the music and instruments of the Old World along with them for nearly 300 years. The Irish fiddle, the German derived dulcimer, the Italian mandolin, the Spanish guitar, and the African banjo were the most common musical instruments. The interactions among musicians from different ethnic groups produced music unique to this region of North America. Appalachian string bands of the early twentieth century primarliy consisted of the fiddle, guitar, and banjo. This early country music along with early recorded country music is often referred to as Old-time music.

Throughout the nineteenth century, several immigrant groups from Europe, most notably from Ireland, The United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, and Italy moved to Texas. These groups interacted with the Spanish, Mexican, Native American, and U.S. communities that were already established in Texas. As a result of this cohabitation and extended contact, Texas has developed unique cultural traits that are rooted in the culture of all of its founding communities. The settlers from the areas now known as Germany and the Czech Republic established large dance halls in Texas where farmers and townspeople from neighboring communities could gather, dance, and spend a night enjoying each other’s company. The music at these halls, brought from Europe, included the waltz and the polka, played on an accordion, an instrument invented in Italy, which was loud enough to fill the entire dance hall.

While album sales of most musical genres have declined, country music experienced one of its best years in 2006, when, during the first six months of the year, U.S. sales of country albums increased by 17.7 percent to 36 million. Moreover, country music listening nationwide has remained steady for almost a decade, reaching 77.3 million adults every week according to the radio-ratings agency Arbitron Inc.
The term "country music" is used to describe many styles, genres, or subgenres.

(Wikipedia)