Halsey (singer)Ashley Nicolette Frangipane (IPAˌfrændʒᵻ'pɑːni ; born September 29, 1994), known professionally as Halsey (ˈhɔːlzi ), is an American singer and songwriter. Halsey was born and raised in New Jersey. Gaining attention from self-released music on social media platforms, she was signed by Astralwerks in 2014 and released her debut EP, Room 93, later that year. She released her debut studio album, Badlands, in 2015. The album was later certified Double Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), as were its tracks "Colors" and "Gasoline".
21 SavageShéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph (born October 22, 1992), known professionally as 21 Savage, is a rapper based in Atlanta, Georgia. Born in London, he moved to Atlanta with his mother at age seven. He became known after releasing two mixtapes in 2015, before attaining international attention with the release of the collaborative EP Savage Mode (2016) with Metro Boomin; its singles "X" (featuring Future) and "No Heart" peaked within the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and 21 Savage's profile also later increased with a guest feature on Drake's 2016 single "Sneakin'".
Travis ScottJacques Bermon Webster II (born April 30, 1991), better known by his stage name Travis Scott (formerly stylized as Travi$ Scott), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. His stage name is the name of a favourite uncle combined with the first name of one of his inspirations, Kid Cudi (whose real name is Scott Mescudi). In 2012, Scott signed his first major-label contract with Epic Records and a publishing deal with Kanye West's GOOD Music. In April 2013, he signed a joint-recording contract with Epic and T.
Consequence (publication)Consequence (previously Consequence of Sound) is an independently owned New York-based online magazine featuring news, editorials, and reviews of music, movies, and television. In addition, the website also features the Festival Outlook micro-site, which serves as an online database for music festival news and rumors. In 2018, Consequence of Sound launched Consequence Podcast Network. The website took its original name from the Regina Spektor song "Consequence of Sounds".
Trap musicTrap is a subgenre of hip hop music that originated in the Southern United States in the 1990s. The genre gets its name from the Atlanta slang term "trap house", a house used exclusively to sell drugs. Trap music uses synthesized drums and is characterized by complex hi-hat patterns, tuned kick drums with a long decay (originally from the Roland TR-808 drum machine), and lyrical content that often focuses on drug use and urban violence. It utilizes very few instruments and focuses almost exclusively on snare drums and double- or triple-timed hi-hats.
BTSBTS (), also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010. The band consists of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, who co-write or co-produce much of their material. Originally a hip hop group, they expanded their musical style to incorporate a wide range of genres, while their lyrics have focused on subjects including mental health, the troubles of school-age youth and coming of age, loss, the journey towards self-love, individualism, and the consequences of fame and recognition.
LordeElla Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor (born 7 November 1996), known professionally as Lorde (lɔrd ), is a New Zealand singer and songwriter. Taking inspiration from aristocracy for her stage name, she is known for her unconventional musical styles and introspective songwriting. Lorde expressed interest in performing at local venues in her early teens. She signed with Universal Music Group (UMG) in 2009 and collaborated with producer Joel Little in 2011 to start recording music.
Justin BieberJustin Drew Bieber (biːbər ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. He is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and global influence in modern-day popular music. Bieber was discovered by American record executive Scooter Braun and signed with RBMG Records in 2008, gaining recognition with the release of his debut seven-track EP My World (2009) and soon establishing himself as a teen idol. Bieber achieved commercial success with his teen pop-driven debut studio album, My World 2.
Hip hop musicHip hop or hip-hop, also known as rap and formerly known as disco rap, is a genre of popular music that was originated in the Bronx borough of New York City in the early 1970s by African Americans, having existed for several years prior to mainstream discovery. Hip hop originated as an anti-drug and anti-violence genre, while consisting of stylized rhythmic music (usually built around drum beats) that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted.
RIAA certificationIn the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards (see music recording certification). Certification is not automatic; for an award to be made, the record label must first request certification. The audit is conducted against net shipments after returns (most often an artist's royalty statement is used), which includes albums sold directly to retailers and one-stops, direct-to-consumer sales (music clubs and mail order) and other outlets.