Dave Matthews Band

Dave Matthews Band emerged as a defining force in the 1990s jam-band scene, characterized by their vibrant, emotionally resonant sound. Rooted in the progressive, multicultural influences of the ’80s, they melded bar-band college rock with jazz grooves and worldbeat rhythms, fueled by Matthews’ impassioned vocals and introspective lyrics. Initially gaining traction through the circulation of live performance tapes, the band achieved mainstream success with 1994’s “Under the Table and Dreaming.” Despite lineup changes and evolving musical directions, they maintained their status as relentless touring artists, with albums like 2009’s “Big Whiskey & the GrooGrux King” solidifying their presence. Their commitment to the road and occasional studio releases, such as 2023’s “Walk Around the Moon,” reaffirmed their enduring status as an American musical institution.

Mary J. Blige

When Mary J. Blige released her debut album, “What’s the 411?” in July 1992, both critics and fans were captivated by its potent blend of contemporary soul and gritty hip-hop production, reflecting the raw realities of her New York upbringing. Blige swiftly emerged as a formidable figure in R&B, leveraging her powerful voice over a career spanning three decades. Through her music, she confronts her inner struggles, evolving her style while retaining her title as the “Queen of Hip-Hop Soul.”

Cher

After Cherilyn Sarkasian transformed into one half of the ’60s pop sensation Sonny & Cher, few could have foreseen that it was merely the beginning of a lifelong journey of artistic reinvention. Following the monumental success of Sonny & Cher’s music and television ventures, Cher embarked on a solo career, delivering pop hits like “Half Breed” and “Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves” in the ’70s, before venturing into disco territory with “Take Me Home.” Transitioning seamlessly into acting in the ’80s, she garnered critical acclaim for her roles in iconic films such as Mask and Moonstruck, the latter earning her an Academy Award. Remarkably, she then returned to the music scene in the late ’80s with hits like “If I Could Turn Back Time” and, a decade later, reinvented herself as a dance-pop sensation akin to Madonna with the chart-topping anthem “Believe.”

Peter Frampton

In 1976, Peter Frampton soared to stardom with “Frampton Comes Alive!”, a double LP that transformed tracks from his first four albums into iconic hits of the era. Live renditions of “Show Me the Way,” “Baby, I Love Your Way,” and “Do You Feel Like We Do” skyrocketed to the Top 40, capturing the electrifying essence of arena rock before the rise of punk. The monumental success of “Frampton Comes Alive!” eclipsed Frampton’s earlier career as a skilled guitarist with bands like the Herd and Humble Pie, shaping perceptions of his subsequent musical endeavors. Throughout the following decades, Frampton demonstrated his resilience, maintaining a steady presence as both a solo artist and a collaborator, notably contributing to David Bowie’s 1987 album “Never Let Me Down.” By the early 2000s, he settled into a routine of touring and recording, retaining a devoted fan base and reclaiming acclaim for his guitar mastery; his 2006 release “Fingerprints” even earned him a Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Album. Despite announcing a farewell tour in 2019 due to a diagnosis of inclusion body myositis, Frampton’s health stabilized, allowing him to surprise fans with “Frampton Forgets the Words” in 2021 and make a triumphant return to the stage in a 2022 concert at Royal Albert Hall, released to the delight of his audience in 2023.

Foreigner

Built around the songwriting skills and fiery guitar riffing of Mick Jones and the arena-filling vocals of Lou Gramm, Foreigner’s hooky style of AOR caught on in a big way in the late ’70s. Their first two albums — 1977’s Foreigner and 1978’s Double Vision — were a double shot of exceedingly catchy songs and slick production that topped the charts and spawned a number of huge singles. As musical trends changed, so did the band: they added new wave elements to their sound, worked with Mutt Lange on 1981’s 4, and moved into an adult style on ballads like “Waiting for a Girl Like You” and their biggest hit, 1984’s “I Want to Know What Love Is.” Though the band’s recording career stalled when Gramm left the band in the late ’80s, different incarnations of the band continued touring and their presence can still be heard daily on rock radio, while their blend of hard rock and soft ballads proved influential to bands ranging from Soul Asylum to One Direction.

Kool & The Gang

Originally formed as a jazz ensemble in the mid-’60s, Kool & the Gang emerged as one of the most influential funk groups of the ’70s and one of the leading R&B acts of the ’80s, propelled by their breakout hit “Celebration.” With a groove as potent as James Brown or Parliament and just as frequently sampled, Kool & the Gang leveraged their jazz roots and enduring camaraderie to craft a tightly knit unit that seamlessly blended the improvisation of jazz with the infectious energy of soul, R&B, and funk. Their repertoire of 21 Top 40 hits showcases an unparalleled versatility, spanning from the gritty funk of “Jungle Boogie” to the smooth instrumental soul of “Summer Madness” to the infectious pop of “Joanna.” As prolific album artists, they achieved consistent success, with a dozen LPs reaching the Top Ten of the R&B chart, including the gold-certified “Wild and Peaceful” (1973), the platinum-selling trio of “Ladies’ Night” (1979), “Celebrate!” (1980), and “Something Special” (1981), along with “Emergency” (1984) and “Forever” (1986), both achieving gold status. In recent years, their focus has primarily shifted to touring, punctuated by occasional releases of original material such as “Still Kool” (2007), “Perfect Union” (2021), and “People Just Wanna Have Fun” (2023). Co-founders Robert “Kool” Bell and George “Funky” Brown have remained at the helm of the band’s leadership into the 2020s.

Ozzy Osbourne

Esablishing himself as heavy metal’s Prince of Darkness during his tenure as vocalist for the genre-defining Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne has exhibited unwavering perseverance, maintaining his position as one of metal’s most formidable voices for over five decades while ascending to international multimedia stardom. Following his departure from Sabbath in 1979, Osbourne swiftly embarked on a solo career, navigating the tumultuous ’80s amidst controversy and substance abuse, yet producing landmark albums such as 1980’s “Blizzard of Ozz” and 1981’s “Diary of a Madman.” Ozzy’s commanding stage presence and penchant for collaborating with virtuosic guitarists like Randy Rhoads and Zakk Wylde ensured his continued success on both the charts and in stadiums throughout the ’90s. The Osbourne family’s exploits were immortalized in the MTV series “The Osbournes,” catapulting Ozzy into the reality TV phenomenon of the 2000s. His relentless work ethic manifested in constant studio work, extensive touring, and reunions with Black Sabbath, along with the establishment of his own Ozzfest festival. Still active well into his seventies, Ozzy continues to push boundaries, releasing new solo albums such as 2020’s “Ordinary Man” (featuring collaborations with Post Malone, Travis Scott, and Elton John) and its Grammy-winning 2022 follow-up, “Patient Number 9.”

A Tribe Called Quest

A Tribe Called Quest undeniably stood as one of the most forward-thinking and essential rap groups of the 1990s. Part of the Native Tongues collective, which included the Jungle Brothers, Queen Latifah, De La Soul, Monie Love, and Black Sheep, Tribe effortlessly balanced introspective and carefree lyricism, delving into personal and societal issues while maintaining a sense of joy. As adept producers, they pioneered new directions in hip-hop by ingeniously sampling ’60s and ’70s jazz records and other genres like bossa nova and prog rock, often collaborating with the very musicians they sampled. Their first five albums, highlighted by the platinum-selling trio of “The Low End Theory” (1991), “Midnight Marauders” (1993), and “Beats, Rhymes and Life” (1996), collectively stand as one of the most significant artist discographies of the decade, transcending rap boundaries. Six years after their 1998 hiatus, they reunited onstage and continued occasional touring into the 2010s. “We Got It from Here…Thank You 4 Your Service” (2016), their final album, attained number one status, a poignant tribute following the passing of founding member Phife Dawg.