Spanning jazz to soul to funk, to more contemporary genres like R&B, rap and pop, African-American musicians are responsible for chart-topping hits like "I Feel Good," "Respect," "Georgia on My Mind," "Let The Good Times Roll," "Good Golly Miss Molly" and "Thriller." Explore our collection of famous black musicians, including Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, B.B. King, Duke Ellington, James Brown, Little Richard, Beyoncé Knowles, and more.
From Whitney Houston's unbelievable vocal range to Michael Jackson's spot-on pitch and unforgettable choreography, these are the famous black singers who, together, have unequivocally defined pop culture for the masses for more than a century. Explore this group to learn more about some of the world's most renowned African-American vocalists, including Josephine Baker, Whitney Houston, Sammy Davis Jr., Aretha Franklin, Beyoncé Knowles, Chuck Berry, Nina Simone, Mary J. Blige, André 3000, Janet Jackson and Gladys Knight.
The rise of digital technology over the past decade, including mobile camera and video capabilities, has not only made web content more readily available to users, it's given users more control of that content—often through sites like YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Flickr. For some celebrities, this technological change has led to negative publicity. In some cases, scandalous photos or videos of stars have been leaked online or to the press. The very worst of those cases have left indelible marks on pop culture, leading to sex-scandal investigations, sales of sex tapes and major resignations, among other results. Explore Biography.com's group of celebrities caught naked, including Prince Harry, Kate Middleton, Brad Pitt, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Zac Efron and Paris Hilton, among several others.
Because they're in the public eye, celebrities are subject to being the butt of many jokes, and on the Internet, it seems the best way to knock 'em dead is to ... well, claim that they're dead. Among the most famous celebrity death hoaxes, favorites include Bill Cosby, Margaret Thatcher, Barack Obama, Britney Spears, Sean Connery, Eddie Murphy and Morgan Freeman, among many others.
Oddly enough, some of the world's most wealthy individuals launched successful careers the moment they kissed their teachers goodbye. You'll be surprised to learn just who's listed in Biography.com's group of Famous Dropouts, including media magnate William Randolph Hearst, casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, musicians Kanye West and Madonna, and billionaires Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs.
The first Grammy Awards ceremony was held in 1959, after Walk of Fame recording executives compiled a list of industry leaders who they realized would never get a star on Hollywood Boulevard, but deserved recognition. The group helped found the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, and named their award the "Grammy" as a nod to Edison's gramophone. Since then, hundreds of music industry members have received Grammys for their notable accomplishments in the field of music and recording. Here are the many winners of this now-prestigious award.
Any press is good press, they say. These celebrities have fame, fortune, and trouble controlling their anger. Some of Hollywood's biggest personalities, they take the drama off-camera into their real lives. Famously feuding with family, staff, and other actors, here are some of the most outrageous Hollywood hotheads.
Meet famous people who were born in June. Russell Brand, Peter Dinklage, Paula Abdul, Johnny Depp, Marilyn Monroe, Alfred Kinsey, Anna Kournikova, Suze Orman, Michael Phelps, Dr. Ruth, and many more folks all share a June birthday.
Browse notable music producers such as Jay-Z, Barry White, and Alison Krauss.
Take a look at famous people named West, such as Kanye West, Dorothy West, and Dottie West.
Since its emergence in the 1980s, rap and hip-hop music has grown from an underexposed form of expression into a way for people of all backgrounds to shed light on their lives through rhythm and poetry. Pioneering rappers, such as Jay-Z, Queen Latifah and the Beastie Boys, helped spark the fire for rap to grow into the hot genre that it is today. Browse through a collection of famous rappers who influenced the hip-hop scene.
Browse notable singers such as Mariah Carey, Johnny Cash, and Linda Ronstadt.
Browse notable songwriters and composers such as Irving Berlin, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Leonard Bernstein.