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Pop Goes The Olympics

GRAMMY winners Gloria Estefan, Giorgio Moroder and Muse are some of the artists who have composed music for the Olympics

GRAMMYs/Dec 3, 2014 - 05:06 am

Music and the Olympics have gone hand in hand for decades, dating back to the birth of the modern Olympics in 1896 in Athens, Greece. Since then, organizing committees have commissioned classical figures to compose themes for the summer games, including Richard Strauss, who composed "Olympische Hymne" for the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, and John Williams' "The Olympic Spirit," which the 21-time GRAMMY winner composed for the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. More recently, organizers have turned to contemporary artists to create music for the summer games, including GRAMMY winners Muse, who were chosen as one of five artists to compose a song for the 2012 Summer Olympics as part of London's Rock the Games initiative.

Expressing their excitement over being chosen to compose a song for this year's Olympics, Muse explains they composed "Survival" with the competitions in mind. "It's about total conviction and pure determination to win," the band states on their website. "Survival," which will be played throughout the Olympics, including when athletes enter the stadium, leading up to the medal ceremony and throughout international television coverage, joins a growing inventory of official Olympics themes through the years, including songs by GRAMMY-winning artists such as Bryan Adams, Björk, Christopher Cross, Sarah McLachlan, Giorgio Moroder, and the late Freddie Mercury of GRAMMY-nominated rock band Queen.

Though it's most widely accepted that the Olympics were first established in ancient Greece in approximately 776 B.C., the games as they are known today were launched in 1894 when Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee. Judging from statements he made during the committee's launch, it's clear that he viewed music as an essential part of the games. "Fashions have undergone many changes over two thousand years," he wrote, "but music has remained the factor which best conveys the emotion in a crowd and which best accompanies the amplitude of a great spectacle."

When then-Major League Baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth was hired to orchestrate the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, he worked diligently to modernize the games and commissioned disco pioneer Moroder to compose the official theme, "Reach Out," while Cross contributed "A Chance For Heaven (Swimming Theme)." Four years later, a then-newcomer named Whitney Houston performed Albert Hammond's and John Bettis' soaring ballad "One Moment In Time" for the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. "Barcelona," Mercury's duet with soprano Montserrat Caballé, was featured in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Spain. GRAMMY- and Latin GRAMMY-winning pop songstress Gloria Estefan wrote and recorded "Reach," the official theme for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

As one of the first modern pop composers chosen to create music for the Olympics, Moroder has composed three official themes, including "Reach Out," "Hand In Hand" (1988, Seoul) and "Forever Friends" (2008, Beijing). A longtime fan of the Olympics, Moroder says his Olympic experiences rank among the highlights of his career. "It is quite big," Moroder says. "Just the thought that there may be 1 or 2 billion people looking and listening to your music — and maybe more listening throughout the games — [is] something you can only get with the Olympics. There's no other way to have an audience that large."

But just how are composers selected? According to Olympic Order recipient Williams K. Guegold, author of 100 Years Of Olympic Music: Music And Musicians Of The Modern Olympic Games 1896–1996, Olympic theme composers are often selected by a host country committee sanctioned by the IOC, such as the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Guegold says that while the IOC and its authorized committees do not place creative constraints on artists, the organizations reserve the right to approve or reject whatever music is submitted.

"The [International Olympic Committee] doesn't say that it has to be classical, contemporary, rock, indigenous to a certain country, or anything like that," says Guegold. "[But] the [IOC] would like to see something that reflects the indigenous, historic or cultural background of a particular country."

Moroder says writing an Olympic theme places unique creative demands on a composer. "There's no formula to it," he says. "It has to be a little bit of a solemn feel, so it's a little different than doing a song. But it's quite interesting. While you are composing, you sit down at a piano or synthesizer with a drum loop and watch some of the prior Olympics footage and start to write."

Moroder adds that composing for the Olympics can sometimes inspire a creative tug-of-war. "The Olympic committee wants something solid, something big, and the record company wants something commercial," he says. "The record company can have a lot of say in who is going to compose the song, who is going to sing it, and how it is going to be marketed. But the final decision, of course, comes from the Olympic committee."

For the 2012 Summer Olympics, no less than five artists were commissioned to craft official songs, including Muse, Elton John Vs Pnau, Delphic, the Chemical Brothers, and Dizzee Rascal, and each song will be rolled out individually throughout the Olympics. It appears that the traditions of symphonic themes are giving way to the crush of rock guitars, burbling synthesizers and the rasp of pop vocals.

"Early on, we might have heard more of what is considered 'Western art music' at the games, because most of the events were held in countries that fall under that definition," says Guegold. "Now we consider a lot of our pop or rock music to be more mainstream than we would have 30 [or] 40 years ago, so we're seeing a lot more popular crossover artists involved in these ceremonies."

(Bruce Britt is an award-winning journalist and essayist whose work has appeared in The Washington Post, USA Today, San Francisco Chronicle, Billboard and other publications. He lives in Los Angeles.)

10 Must-See Moments From The 2024 GRAMMYs: Taylor Swift Makes History, Billy Joel & Tracy Chapman Return, Boygenius Manifest Childhood Dreams
(L-R) boygenius, Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff at the 2024 GRAMMYs.

Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

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10 Must-See Moments From The 2024 GRAMMYs: Taylor Swift Makes History, Billy Joel & Tracy Chapman Return, Boygenius Manifest Childhood Dreams

The 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards wrote another monumental chapter in music history with returns from legends like Celine Dion and wins by a promising new generation of artists like Victoria Monét.

GRAMMYs/Feb 5, 2024 - 08:35 pm

Just like that, another GRAMMYs has come and gone — but the 2024 telecast brought many moments that will be immortalized in pop culture history.

It was the evening of legends, as Billy Joel and Tracy Chapman returned to the stage for the first time in decades and Joni Mitchell made her debut with a performance of her 1966 classic, "Both Sides, Now." Stevie Wonder and Celine Dion honored greats, both those we've lost and those who are dominating today. And Meryl Streep had two memorable moments at the show, making a fashionably late entrance and getting a hilarious GRAMMY lesson from Mark Ronson.

But it was the younger generation of artists who ultimately dominated the show. Boygenius — the supergroup of Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker — won numerous awards in the Rock, Metal & Alternative Music Field. Billie Eilish and SZA scooped up a couple more golden gramophones, respectively, and Best New Artist winner Victoria Monét celebrated three wins in total, also winning Best R&B Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.

Taylor Swift built on the momentum of her colossal year with more GRAMMY records and an unexpected announcement of her next studio album.

Check out the full list of winners here, and take a look at our top 10 highlights from another show-stopping installment of the GRAMMYs below.

Boygenius Run To Accept Their First GRAMMY Award

Boygenius won the first trophy of their careers during the Premiere Ceremony, and they were so ecstatic they sprinted through the crowds to get to the stage.

"Oh my God, I want to throw up," Lucy Dacus said as the group accepted their Best Rock Performance trophy for "Not Strong Enough."

Even though the trio was over the moon, they weren't entirely shocked by their win: "We were delusional enough as kids to think this would happen to us one day," she continued. Phoebe Bridgers would sing at a local Guitar Center "in hopes of getting discovered," while Julien Baker dreamed of performing in stadiums as she played in multiple bands, and Dacus has been perfecting her acceptance speech for years.

Their hard work was manifested three times over, as the trio also won Best Rock Song for "Not Strong Enough" and Best Alternative Music Album for the record.

Killer Mike Makes A Clean Sweep

Killer Mike had the largest GRAMMY night of his career, winning all three of the Rap Categories for which he was nominated: Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song for "SCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS," and Best Rap Album for MICHAEL.

"I'm from the Southeast, like DJ Paul, and I'm a Black man in America. As a kid, I had a dream to become a part of music, and that 9-year-old is very excited right now," he cheered. "I want to thank everyone who dares to believe art can change the world."

Minutes after his sweep, the LAPD detained the Run the Jewels rapper. However, he was released and still able to celebrate his achievements, Killer Mike's lawyer told Variety.

Miley Cyrus Finally Receives Her "Flowers"

Miley Cyrus entered the GRAMMYs with six nominations for her eighth studio album, Endless Summer Vacation. After she won Best Pop Solo Performance for "Flowers," she delivered a jubilant performance in celebration. "Started to cry, but then remembered, I just won my first GRAMMY!" she exclaimed at the song's bridge, throwing her hands in the air and joyfully jumping around the stage.

Cyrus' excitement brought a tangible energy to the performance, making for one of the night's most dynamic — and apparently one of Oprah Winfrey's favorites, as the camera caught the mogul dancing and singing along.

"Flowers" earned Cyrus a second GRAMMY later in the night, when the No. 1 hit was awarded Record Of The Year. 

Tracy Chapman Makes A Rare Appearance

Luke Combs breathed a second life into Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car" when he released a cover of the track in April 2023. He quickly climbed to the top of the Billboard charts and received a nomination for Best Country Solo Performance at this year's show. Of course, it called for a special celebration — one that was meaningful for both Combs and GRAMMYs viewers.

Chapman joined the country star on stage for her first televised performance since 2015, trading off verses with Combs as he adoringly mouthed the words. The duet also marked Chapman's first appearance on the GRAMMY stage in 20 years, as she last performed "Give Me One Reason" at the 2004 GRAMMYs. (It also marked her second time singing "Fast Car" on the GRAMMYs stage; she performed it in 1989, the same year the song won Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female and Chapman took home three awards total, including Best New Artist.)

Naturally, Chapman's return earned a standing ovation from the crowd. As Combs fittingly put it in an Instagram post thanking the Recording Academy for the opportunity, it was a "truly remarkable moment."

Read More: 2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Winners & Nominees List

Joni Mitchell Takes The GRAMMY Stage For The First Time At 80

In one of the most emotional parts of the night, Joni Mitchell performed on the GRAMMYs stage for the first time in her nearly 60-year career.

Accompanied by Brandi Carlile — who referred to Mitchell as "the matriarch of imagination" before the performance — Lucius, SistaStrings, Allison Russell, Blake Mills, and Jacob Collier, Mitchell sang a touching rendition of "Both Sides Now."

"Joni is one of the most influential and emotionally generous creators in human history," Carlile  added in her introduction. "Joni just turned 80, my friends, but we all know she's timeless!"

Mitchell also won her 10th golden gramophone at the 2024 GRAMMYs, as her live album Joni Mitchell at Newport was awarded Best Folk Album at the Premiere Ceremony.

Stevie Wonder Salutes The Late Tony Bennett, Duetted By His Hologram

Another heartfelt moment came during this year's In Memoriam segment, when Stevie Wonder memorialized his friend, Tony Bennett, who passed away from Alzheimer's disease in 2023.

"Tony, I'm going to miss you forever. I love you always, and God bless that He allowed us to have you in this time and space in our lives," Wonder proclaimed. Thanks to a hologram of Bennett, the two singers could duet "For Once in My Life" one last time.

This year's tribute also saw Annie Lennox covering Sinéad O'Connor's "Nothing Compares 2 U," Jon Batiste's medley of Bill Withers' hits, and Fantasia's reimagining of Tina Turner's "Proud Mary."

Meryl Streep Gets Educated On Album Vs. Record And Single

Meryl Streep joined Mark Ronson — who happens to be her son-in-law — to announce the Record Of The Year winner, which sparked a funny interaction between the two when Streep thought she was announcing Album Of The Year.

"A record is an album!" Streep confidently declared, only for Ronson to give a quick 101 on the difference between Record, Song, and Album Of The Year.

"It's a really important award, and it's an award that recognizes everything that goes into making a great record — the producers, the recording engineer, and the artist, and all their contributions," Ronson explained of Record Of The Year.

"It's the Everything Award! It's the best," Streep smiled.

Celine Dion Surprises The World With A Special Cameo

Before the GRAMMYs commenced, producer Ben Winston told viewers they would be in for a treat because of a surprise presenter for the final award of the night, Album Of The Year. "They are an absolute global icon. I think jaws will drop to the floor. People will be on their feet," he shared.

It was none other than Celine Dion, who has largely been out of the limelight after her stiff person syndrome diagnosis.

"When I say that I'm happy to be here, I really mean it with my heart," Dion said. "It gives me great joy to present a GRAMMY award that two legends, Diana Ross and Sting, presented to me 27 years ago."

Dion is referring to her Album Of The Year win at the 39th GRAMMY Awards in 1997, when her smash LP Falling Into You won the honor. 

Taylor Swift Breaks The Record For Most AOTY Wins

It was a historic night for Taylor Swift in more ways than one.

She began the evening by winning her 13th GRAMMY for Best Pop Vocal Album for Midnights. To commemorate the milestone (13 is her lucky number), Swift announced her 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, arriving on April 19.

She ended the evening with a coveted fourth Album Of The Year win, which made Swift the artist with the most AOTY nods in GRAMMY history.

"I would love to tell you this is the best moment of my life, but I feel this happy when I finish a song or crack the code to a bridge that I love or when I'm shot listing a music video or when I'm rehearsing with my dancers or my band or getting ready to go to Tokyo to play a show," she said. "The award is the work. All I want to do is keep being able to do this."

Billy Joel Serves Double GRAMMY Duty

After Swift's momentous win, Billy Joel ended the ceremony with a feel-good performance of his 1980 single, "You May Be Right." Along with being a rousing show closer, it was also his second performance of the night; Joel performed his newest offering, "Turn the Lights Back On," before Album Of The Year was announced.

Joel's performances included three firsts: It was the debut live rendition of "Turn the Lights Back On," his first release since 2007, and the performances marked his first time playing on the GRAMMYs stage in more than two decades. It was a fitting finale for a history-making show, one that beautifully celebrated icons of the past, present and future.

A Timeline Of Taylor Swift's GRAMMYs History, From Skipping Senior Prom To Setting A Record With 'Midnights'

10 Fascinating Facts About Bryan Adams: From Writing For KISS To His Serious Side Hustle
Bryan Adams

Photo: Todd Owyoung / NBC via Getty Images

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10 Fascinating Facts About Bryan Adams: From Writing For KISS To His Serious Side Hustle

The GRAMMY-winning singer and guitarist has sold over 75 million albums and is about to share his songs on the world stage. Ahead of his So Happy It Hurts tour, read on for 10 lesser-known facts about the raspy-voiced rocker.

GRAMMYs/Jan 19, 2024 - 02:54 pm

One of Canada's biggest rock stars, Bryan Adams has had a massively successful and sonically diverse career that spans 45 years. With one win and 16 GRAMMY nominations under his belt, Adams' prolific output includes numerous chart-topping albums and big-name collaborations.

Yet, for a man who has sold over 75 million albums and wants his music to appeal to as wide an audience as possible, Bryan Adams doesn't seem to seek the limelight. 

He’s not tabloid fodder, doesn’t date celebrities, and does not court controversy. While he certainly will promote his latest album or tour — and will begin his international tour on Jan. 20 in Montana —  but Adams is an intensely private individual who is selective with the interviews that he gives and in what he speaks about. He is also not a flamboyantly dressed performer, preferring the jeans and t-shirt that he has carried over from his very beginnings. Appropriately enough, he often calls his band the Dudes Of Leisure.

Adams’ most recent studio album is called So Happy It Hurts and recently released a 3-CD box set of live recordings of three classic albums performed at London’s Royal Albert Hall: Cuts Like A Knife, Into The Fire, and Waking Up The Neighbors.

Ahead of his So Happy It Hurts Tour — which will certainly see Adams perform hits "Summer Of ‘69," "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You," "Can’t Stop This Thing We Started" — read on for 10 lesser-known facts about the raspy-voiced rocker.

who has befriended and collaborated with an impressive range of artists across numerous media.

He Signed His First Contract For $1

Back in 1978, when was just 18 years old, Adams signed a recording contract with A&M Records who decided to take a chance on the fledgling rocker with a "wait and see" attitude. 

They signed him for the paltry sum of $1 which Adams insisted on receiving so he could frame it. 

While his first two albums, Bryan Adams (1980) and You Want It You Got It (1981) didn’t exactly set the world on fire, his third release Cuts Like A Knife (1983) went platinum in America and triple platinum in his native Canada, selling at least 1.5 million copies worldwide. Seems like A&M got a great return on their investment.

His Breakthrough Hit Was Written For Someone Else

In January 1983, producer Bruce Fairbairn asked Adams and songwriting partner Jim Vallance  to come up with a song for Blue Öyster Cult. Their original version of "Run To You" did not impress the band (or Adams) and they passed — so did .38 Special and other groups. 

When Adams needed one more song for 1984’s Reckless, he pulled out "Run" and taught it to his band. This time, everyone including album producer Bob Clearmountain was impressed. It became the album's lead single and Adams' biggest hit, peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. 

Although the previous Cuts Like A Knife had three hits singles and went platinum, Reckless spawned six hits ("Heaven" went No. 1) and turned Adams into a superstar, selling 5 million copies in America and reportedly 7 million more globally.

He’s Penned Dozens Of Songs For Others

Adams has co-written songs for numerous other artists, many of them hard rockers. In 1982, he and Vallance co-wrote "Rock and Roll Hell" and "War Machine" with Gene Simmons for the KISS album Creatures Of The Night; and he worked with Paul Stanley and Mikel Japp on "Down On Your Knees" for KISS Killers

That led to credits on albums by Ted Nugent, Motley Crue and Krokus (who used a leftover from Reckless). But the recipients of Adams’ songs span a wide range of artists including Neil Diamond, Tina Turner, Bonnie Raitt, Loverboy, .38 Special, and Anne Murray.

He Loves A Good Duet

Bryan Adams' duets often appear on movie soundtracks and tend to do well. His Reckless collaboration with Tina Turner, "It’s Only Love," was a Top 20 hit, peaking at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. But things got bigger from there. 

"All For Love," his song with Sting and Rod Stewart for the Three Musketeers film soundtrack (1993) went No. 1 in at least a dozen countries, selling nearly 2 million copies globally. He’s also duetted with Bonnie Raitt ("Rock Steady"), Barbra Streisand ("I Finally Found Someone" which went Top 10), and Melanie C from Spice Girls ("When You’re Gone"). He’s also recorded with Chicane, Pamela Anderson, Emmanuelle Seigner, Loverush UK, and Michael Bublé.

In recent years, Adams has said that he would like to duet with Beyonce and Lady Gaga. And in case you missed it, Taylor Swift once brought him onstage to perform "Summer Of ‘69."

The Reckless Video Album Is A Story Of Unrequited Love

With its six videos slightly out of order from actual release, the Reckless video compilation (1984) charts a melancholy story. In "This Time" (the final video from Cuts Like A Knife), Adams is seeking out a woman in a desert town who's only shown with glimpses of her legs and heels. At the end, he finds her in the back of his van and they hook up — or is it just a mirage? 

"Summer Of ‘69" intercuts black and white footage of Adams and a young woman during their teen years with color images of their separate lives today. At the end, his old flame drives by with her current boyfriend who sees her eyeing the rocker, gets angry, and violently stops the car. In "Somebody," she escapes the car as he screams at her, and then she and Adams wander in different locations as they recollect one another. 

In "Kids Wanna Rock," Adams jumps onstage for a high energy performance, while in "Heaven," his old flame’s new guy has been pulled over for drunk driving, so she ditches him to see the Bryan Adams show conveniently happening across the street. He is unaware she is there, mesmerized by him. 

After he races off the stage he finds himself locked inside the venue with snow coming down outside. In "Run To You," actually the album’s first single, Adams performs in wind and snow-swept environs and fantasizes about the same woman who finally walks up to him at the end. But they never embrace or kiss.

He’s An Acclaimed Photographer

Adams has been taking photos for most of his life, but it’s no longer a hobby. — he has photographed everyone from rock stars to royalty, and even himself for his own album covers. He got a lot of good pointers about photography and darkroom work when the famed Anton Corbijn shot the cover for 1987’s Into The Fire.

While Adams’ memorable portraits of people like Pink, Mick Jagger, Amy Winehouse, Rammstein, and yes, Queen Elizabeth II, he has also published books of portraits of homeless people, wounded war veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan, images of sand from the Island Of Mustique, and American women dressed in Calvin Klein. He uses proceeds from these books to benefit various charitable causes. He also shot the 2022 calendar for the Pirelli Tire Company to help them celebrate their 150th anniversary. 

These days, Adams told Louder Sound that he is "a photographer moonlighting as a singer."

He’s A Longtime Vegan & Animal Rights Advocate

The singer first became vegetarian at age 28 and later turned vegan, citing animal cruelty in the face of human food consumption. Adams has said that he gets an abundance of energy from his plant-based diet, noting he no longer gets sick. 

Adams has promoted his lifestyle to fans through positive posts, and he joins other famous musicians who are also vegan including Paul McCartney, Billie Eilish, and Stevie Wonder.

He Is Staunchly Committed To Humanitarian & Charitable Causes

Adams has lent his voice and face to a variety of causes. It all started with his appearance at the Live Aid Festival in 1985, which raised many for Ethiopian famine relief. That was followed by the two-week Amnesty International A Conspiracy of Hope tour in 1986, the 1988 Peace Concert in East Berlin, and many others. From earthquake and tsunami relief to climate change to the Mideast peace process, he has been involved in many causes, and he is an LGBTQ ally as well.

In 2006, he co-founded the Bryan Adams Foundation with the goal of improving quality of life around the world via financial grants. Funds "support specific projects that are committed to bettering the lives of other people. The Foundation seeks to protect the most vulnerable or disadvantaged individuals in society." A big goal is "to advance education and learning opportunities for children and young people worldwide."

He Co-Wrote A Broadway Musical

Adams is known for having hit songs from movies including Don Juan DeMarco, The Three Musketeers, The Mirror Has Two Faces, and Robin Hood, Prince Of Thieves. Some people might not know that he and Jim Vallance co-wrote the score to the Broadway adaptation of "Pretty Woman," which ran for 420 performances over a year starting in August 2018. It is currently touring the UK and U.S. 

None of the movie’s pop songs were used; the score was entirely theirs. And it turns out he and Vallance had to audition their work to producers. Adams told Billboard in 2016 that the duo crafted three songs and presented them to the producers, who responded with a "don’t call us, we’ll call you" approach. Thirty minutes later, Adams got the call.

He Tours Places Other Western Artists Don't Visit

Bryan Adams has performed in places other Western artists don't often visit. He has toured India several times; Adams first played Mumbai in the early ‘90s and was impressed with the loyalty of Indian audiences. He was reportedly the first Western artist to play Karachi, Pakistan after the Sept. 11 attacks, and toured in Syria and Lebanon in December 2010. He said Syria had a great audience and had never hosted a Western artist before. 

Songbook: A Guide To Stephen Sondheim's Essential Works & Classic Tributes

Celine Dion's Biggest Songs: 15 Tracks That Showcase Her Unforgettably Powerful Voice
Celine Dion performs in London's Hyde Park in July 2019.

Photo: Simone Joyner/Getty Images

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Celine Dion's Biggest Songs: 15 Tracks That Showcase Her Unforgettably Powerful Voice

As Celine Dion's breakthrough album 'The Colour of My Love' turns 30, listen to 15 of the Canadian icon's most stunning performances, from "The Power of Love" to "Taking Chances."

GRAMMYs/Nov 9, 2023 - 07:24 pm

When Rolling Stone published their 200 Best Singers of All Time list at the top of the year, one thing became abundantly clear straight away: Celine Dion was robbed.

"Leaving her off ... has to be an honest and regrettable mistake… because doing it intentionally would be criminal," one fan wrote on Twitter. Another called the omission "borderline treasonous"; the decision even led to a small group of fans picketing the magazine's office.

While Rolling Stone had their reasons for the decision, there's no denying that Dion is one of music's all-time greats. Alongside fellow divas Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, she essentially shaped a generation of performers with her octave-spanning technique.

The Queen of Adult Contemporary (21 Top 10 hits and 11 No.1s on Billboard's AC chart) has also won everything from the Eurovision Song Contest to the Album of the Year GRAMMY during her decades-spanning career. Then there's the multiple blockbuster themes (she even recently appeared on the big screen herself), diamond certifications, and record-breaking Vegas residencies. And let's not forget the fact she's enjoyed unprecedented success with material in both English and her native French.

Dion has sadly been absent from the music scene since being diagnosed with the neurological disease known as stiff-person syndrome in 2022. But as her international breakthrough album, The Colour of My Love, turns 30 on Nov. 9, what better time to remind everyone of her remarkable back catalog?

From titanic ballads to Gallic rockers, here's a look at 15 songs that best encapsulate her talents.

"Where Does My Heart Beat Now?" Unison (1990)

Though Dion had enjoyed success in her Canadian homeland from the age of just 13, she had to wait until her early twenties to break stateside. The third single from her English-language debut Unison, "Where Does My Heart Beat Now?" became Dion's first U.S. Top 10 hit in the spring of 1991 and essentially set the template for her international chart career.

The track has all the makings of a Celine classic: Soft rock-tinged production, melodramatic lyrics, and the kind of powerhouse vocals that could shatter an entire mirror showroom. First performed during her victory lap at the Eurovision Song Contest, "Where Does My Heart Beat Now?" served as the perfect introduction to her talents on a global scale.

"The Power of Love," The Colour of My Love (1993)

"The Power of Love" had already charted three times over in the mid-1980s, with covers by Air Supply and Laura Branigan alongside Jennifer Rush's original all enjoying middling Billboard Hot 100 success. It was Dion's faithful 1994 rendition, however, that truly put the karaoke favorite into the American consciousness.

The GRAMMY-nominated single became the first of her four U.S. No. 1s and ultimately powered parent album The Colour of My Love to blockbuster sales of over 20 million copies, firmly establishing Dion as a global power ballad icon.

"Think Twice," The Colour of My Love (1994)

"Think Twice" barely made a ripple in the States (No. 97), but remains one of Dion's signature hits across the other side of the Atlantic. The song reigned for seven weeks on the Top 40 singles chart CHART, becoming one of the U.K.'s biggest-selling solo female songs of all time.

Co-written by Peter Sinfield, the founder of prog rock pioneers King Crimson, The Colour of My Love cut is something of a slow burner. But its lovelorn first third — with ghostly synths, occasional twangy guitars, and unusually restrained vocals — gradually builds up to a steamrolling finale, where Dion essentially battles with a soft rock wall of sound. It's all enjoyably overblown, with her speaker-blasting "NO NO NO NO" a particularly impressive feat in vocal histrionics.

"To Love You More," The Colour of My Love (1995)

"To Love You More" could be described as something of a nomad. It first appeared on the Japanese reissue of The Colour of My Love, then the Asian release of Falling Into You, and then finally the Stateside version of Let's Talk About Love.

The Colour of My Love can perhaps lay claim to being its true home — Dion specifically recorded the track for Japanese drama Koibito yo in 1995, while the synths and sweeping strings are provided by Tokyo-based outfit Kryzler and Kompany. But whichever album you hear "To Love You More" on, the soaring power ballad is sure to be a highlight, as it's arguably one of the most impassioned vocal performances of her career.

"Pour que tu m'aimes encore," D'eux (1995)

Dion had become such a sensation by the mid-1990s that even her French-sung material started to make waves in countries typically averse to the true language of love. Penned by one of Paris' most celebrated troubadours, Jean-Jacques Goldman, "Pour que tu m'aimes" remains the crowning glory in her native tongue.

Lifted from the record-breaking D'eux, the 1995 single allows Dion to show her more sensual side with an opening verse that harks back to the chansons of yesteryear. But even when the beats kick in, the star keeps things relatively calm and collected. "Pour que tu m'aimes encore" was given the English treatment on 1996's Falling Into You, but it's undeniably the original that remains the most magnifique.

"Because You Loved Me," Falling Into You (1996)

With two power-ballad titans at the helm — producer David Foster and songwriter Diane Warren — "Because You Loved Me" was perhaps always destined to become Dion's second U.S. chart-topper. Even more so considering it also served as the theme to Up, Close and Personal at a time when an intergenerational romantic drama could make $100 million at the box office.

Like most of Dion's biggest hits, this emotional tour-de-force starts small before reaching the kind of vocal crescendo you could imagine breaking the cinema speakers. Though "Because You Loved Me" didn't win any of the three awards for which it was nominated at the 1997 GRAMMYs, The song was undoubtedly instrumental in parent LP Falling Into You's wins for the Best Pop Album and the coveted Album Of The Year.

"It's All Coming Back To Me Now," Falling Into You (1996)

"Heathcliff digging up Cathy's corpse and dancing with it in the cold moonlight." That's how songwriter Jim Steinman vividly described the Wuthering Heights-inspired mini-rock opera that is "It's All Coming Back To Me Now." And its backstory is almost as dramatic.

Indeed, Steinman had to go to court to prevent the track falling into the hands of Meat Loaf, his regular collaborator who'd wanted it to be the centerpiece of Bat Out of Hell III. And it was offered to Bonnie Tyler, and then recorded by short-lived girl group Pandora's Box, before finally making its way to Dion in time for 1996's Falling Into You. As you'd expect, the Quebecer instantly puts her own stamp on the seven-minute Wagnerian epic Andrew Lloyd Webber hailed as the "greatest love song ever written."

"Tell Him," Let's Talk About Love (1997)

Having previously shared the mic with Billy Newton-Davis, Peabo Bryson, and Clive Griffin, Dion hit the duet jackpot in 1997 when she entered the studio with her musical idol. The French-Canadian had been a last-minute fill-in for the inimitable Barbra Streisand earlier that year at the Academy Awards, and her performance of The Mirror Has Two Faces' "I Finally Found Someone" was so impressive that Babs insisted on a collaboration. Dion certainly doesn't sound fazed, going toe to toe against the Broadway legend on a GRAMMY-nominated piece of romantic advice which, for fans of theatrical pop, is the diva dream.

"My Heart Will Go On," Let's Talk About Love (1997)

"My Heart Will Go On" is arguably just as pivotal to Titanic's monumental success (and endurance) as Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet's tear-jerking performances, the breathtaking special effects, and that age-old question, "Couldn't Jack just fit on the door?"

But like many of Dion's biggest hits, it had a tricky inception. James Cameron initially wanted the theme to be entirely instrumental. Norwegian soprano Sissel had been the first choice to lay the vocals once the director relented. And concerned at the number of soundtracks she'd previously graced, Dion needed some persuading to put herself in the frame.

Luckily, her trust in composer James Horner paid off. "My Heart Will Go On" not only won Best Original Song at the Academy Awards, it picked up both Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Record Of The Year at the GRAMMYs. And with nearly 500 million streams, it's by far her most-played track on Spotify, too.

"That's The Way It Is," All the Way… A Decade of Song (1999)

What's this? Celine Dion, the queen of uber-dramatic power ballads, taking on a breezy dance-pop anthem produced by the man who guided Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, and *NSYNC to teenybopper dominance? The singer had occasionally flirted with the uptempo: see "Misled," "Treat Her Like A Lady," but "That's The Way It Is" was the first time she appeared to aim for the TRL crowd.

It's to her and producer Max Martin's credit that the lead single from retrospective All the Way is far from the bandwagon-jumping embarrassment you might expect. In fact, Dion sounds so at ease with such carefree, if still resolutely tasteful, material that you wish the pair had worked together more often.

"A New Day Has Come," A New Day Has Come (2002)

After a two-year break to welcome her first child with husband René Angélil, Dion returned in graceful style with a song dedicated to their son ("Where there was weakness I've found my strength/ All in the eyes of a boy"). The fact the star was now singing about maternal, instead of romantic, love is also reflected in how she keeps her usual vocal acrobatics at bay. The title track from 2002's A New Day Has Come isn't quite a lullaby, but its dreamy melodies, shuffling beats, and gentle acoustics provide the kind of calming backdrop that could sing anyone to sleep.

"Ne Bouge Pas," 1 Fille & 4 Types (2003)

Dion surprised everyone in 2003 when she joined forces with four veteran French singer/songwriters — including regular cohort Jean-Jacques Goldman — to form a short-lived supergroup that specialized in good, old-fashioned Gallic rock and roll. Fully committing herself to the project, the diva even rocked a spiky bleached blonde hairdo and sporty T-shirt for their album's front cover.

1 Fille & 4 Types (which translates as 1 girl & 4 guys) is packed with guitar-led ditties worlds away from Dion's usual polished sheen. But it's the stomping saloon sing-along of "Ne Bouge Pas" (which translates as "Don't Change") that best fits the back-to-basics brief.

"Taking Chances," Taking Chances (2007)

Following various French-language efforts, hits collections, and concept albums dedicated to the joys of babies, Dion rediscovered her adult contemporary pop mojo for 2007's Taking Chances. The title track — written by Eurythmics founder Dave Stewart and prolific hitmaker Kara DioGuardi for their meta side project Platinum Weird — is an uplifting soft rocker that eventually found its way to the French-Canadian who tackled it with her signature gusto.

"Taking Chances" the song is, remarkably, the last time Dion graced the Hot 100 (No. 54) on her own (2008's "The Prayer" was a duet with Josh Groban). But it proved she still had relevance nearly three decades into her international career.

"Loved Me Back to Life," Loved Me Back to Life (2013)

Dion proved that she still had one finger on the pop pulse in 2013 when she bagged a song from the era's most potent hitmaker. Arriving around the same time as Rihanna's "Diamonds," Ne-Yo's "Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)," and Beyoncé's "Pretty Hurts," "Loved Me Back to Life" was another example of how Sia's songwriting talents were as striking as her lampshade-styled hair.

While the song — the title track to Dion's 11th English-language studio effort — may have been in her power ballad wheelhouse, its flashes of dubstep and stuttering vocal hooks brought the superstar further to the cutting edge than ever before.

"Imperfections," Courage (2019)

The lead single from Dion's 27th studio effort, Courage, scored the icon her first Top 15 hit on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart in over a decade. But far from the traditional skyscraping ballads of her previous entries, "Imperfections" is a sleek, slickly-produced mid-tempo which showed that the French-Canadian didn't always need to belt things out to be emotionally affecting.

Beyond its chart and critical success, the tale of self-reflection ("I try to give all of myself to you/ But before I can get there/ I've got parts of me I'm trying to lose") was co-written by contemporary pop hitmakers Lauv, Michael Polachek and DallasK — proving that Dion’s voice is truly timeless.

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GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Honors Hip-Hop's Greats While Accepting Best Rap Album GRAMMY For 'To Pimp a Butterfly' In 2016
Kendrick Lamar

Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

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GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Honors Hip-Hop's Greats While Accepting Best Rap Album GRAMMY For 'To Pimp a Butterfly' In 2016

Upon winning the GRAMMY for Best Rap Album for 'To Pimp a Butterfly,' Kendrick Lamar thanked those that helped him get to the stage, and the artists that blazed the trail for him.

GRAMMYs/Oct 13, 2023 - 06:01 pm

Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly. Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

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He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly.

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube. This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. This is for Illmatic, this is for Nas. We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

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