As you know there are many singers the world over. Many of these artists are able to capture our souls in their fantastic music. One such singer is that of Beyoncé. This wonderful artist is considered to be one of the most influential and powerful celebrities the world has seen. You have seen Beyoncé as she preformed powerful ballads with Destiny’s Child – an all female group – and in various movies and plays where she displayed her considerable acting abilities and musical talents.

The range of songs which comprise Beyoncé’s musical genius are a mix of hip hop, soul, R&B and pop music. While these are the roots of her music you will be able to hear the soulful quality that Beyoncé adds to her songs when she performs. As many of us are quite lucky to hear great music like “Halo”, “If I Were a Boy”, “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”, “Sexy Lil Thug” and others you can attest to the sheer power that comes through with these songs.

Of course you need to understand that Beyoncé has in addition to her music been showing her talents in movies like The Pink Panther, Dreamgirls, Cramen:A Hip Hopera and others. These are in addition to the various live concerts which fans enjoy attending. At present Beyoncé has performed about 5 live tours where her numouers fans were able to appreciate her considerable singing talents. Before Beyoncé went on a solo career she was part of the all women’s group Destiny’s Child.

With the singing experience that she garned with this group Beyoncé allowed her natural talents propel her into a career which leaves fans wanting more. The next time you hear some songs which have been composed and sung by Beyoncé you will understand how such an artists as Beyoncé has made an impact on the world around her.

We all love hearing music which sets our feet to dancing. Of the various musicians who are capable of this feat, you will find that Shaggy is a master of this style of music. Originally this Jamaican born singer was given the name of Orville Richard Burrell by his parents. His name was changed to Shaggy by his friends during his teen years (a reflection of the hairstyle he had back in those formative years!).

It was during his time of service in the US Marine Corps that Shaggy created his famous musical signature voice. The running and marching which is part of Marine life was the inspiration of the tones which are now part and parcel of Shaggy’s music. In fact the song Bombastic got its beginnings from this time in Shaggy’s life. Today you will find that Shaggy is involved in Rap, Dancehall, Reggae fusion and Reggae musical genres.

The first hit song of Shaggy aired in 1993. It was called “Oh Carolina”. This song was a Dancehall re-make of a Ska hit. “Bombastic” aired in 1995. In the year 2001 two songs of Shaggy become number one world wide hit singles. These were “Angel” and “It wasn’t me”. Of course these singles are not the only music that Shaggy is famous for. During the ICC Cricket World Cup of 2007 Shaggy performed the official song “The Game of Love and Unity” with the Barbadian performer Rupee and Trinidadian performer Fay-Ann Lyons at the Greenfield Stadium, in Trelawny, Jamaica.

For the people who love to hear his style of music Shaggy has released about 9 albums. These include Best of Shaggy: The Bombastic Collection, Midnite Lover, Lucky Day, and Pure Pleasure. The next time you are looking for music which can set your heart pounding and send your feet looking for an open space to dance, just remember Shaggy and you are sure to find a song which will fulfill these desires.

Some of the best songs to have come our way in the last few decades have undoubtedly come from the R&B music genre. Originally known as Rhythm and Blues, as of recent times it has been shortened to the more widely known and recognized R&B.

Rhythm and Blues music entered the music mainstream in 1940’s and the 1950’s although it became more popular in the 1960’s. R&B music is a great mixture of Jazz, and Blues, with some Gospel thrown in along with a smattering of pop.

There are many R&B artists around these days, and you will be hard pressed to find a radio station that isn’t playing at least one mainstream R&B song during the day (with of course the exception of dedicated radio stations such as the all-classical stations, the all-country stations etc.)

Some of the younger generation of R&B artists include,

• Usher
• R. Kelly
• Babyface
• Aaliyah
• Craig David
• Maria Carey
• Jennifer Lopez
• and Beyonce to name but a very few.

Spanning the decades as it were, you will also find that many an ‘old’ R&B recording artist is still a firm favorite these days as well. These include but are not limited to

• Prince
• Whitney Houston
• Aretha Franklin
• Lionel Richie
• Luther Vandross
• Stevie Wonder
• and Marvin Gaye to name a few older generation artists.

If you recognized any or all of those names, chances are great that you are an R&B fan even if you didn’t know it.

R&B has defined the music tastes of more than one generation of children, and it still continues to do so today. Many of us grew up on the sounds of these artists, and whenever we hear these songs playing, we automatically feel like rocking to the beat of these oldies but goodies. So don’t be afraid to rock to the music of Rhythm and Blues – you grew up on it, I grew up on it, and now another generation of young music aficionados will grow up on it. Long live R&B!

Music. It can tame the soul and soothe the savage beast within you. It can move you to tears, or it can make you want to get up and dance the night away. It’s there with you through the good times…and through the bad. It floated you up onto cloud number nine when you had your first kiss, and it helped you back down to earth when your heart was broken. It’s a language without barriers – and the one thing in this world that everyone understands. Music helps to make your world a better one.

Whether you find yourself singing along at the top of your lungs completely oblivious to the fact that you are in fact quite, quite off-key; or whether you find yourself singing in the shower as you lather up, using the shower-head as an impromptu mike, you will find that music is a large part of your life.

Personally speaking, I find that music helps me to do many things, from slaving away on my computer, to cooking a virtuoso meal (a PB&J sandwich!), to taking a lazy drive down the highway with the sound of the 80’s filling my soul.

I’m not an ardent fan of any one particular genre or type of music. I find my likes and dislikes spread over a wide variety of genres, and what I listen to depends on my mood at the moment. Right now I’m listening to the quirky yet eminently listenable “Rotterdam (or Anywhere)” by The Beautiful South.

So what type of music are you into?

• Soft Rock
• Hard Rock
• Rhythm and Blues (R&B)
• Jazz
• Classical
• Country
• House
• Hip-Hop
• Rap

The list as you can see is endless, but if you regularly tune in to my Music Sack blog, you will find yourself entertained and enlightened by the different aspects of music I take a look at, including what makes some of these genres so popular.

Music. It’s all around you. What makes you rock?