The Pretenders – Middle Of The Road
The Pretenders’ Middle of the Road (1983, Learning to Crawl): Hynde after the losses, harmonica rocker, Chris Thomas.
Michael Jackson – The dancer who rewrote the charts
In 1979 Quincy Jones opened the doors of Allen Zentz and Westlake studios in Los Angeles and asked Michael Jackson to leave the Motown boy-band voice behind.
Soul II Soul – Keep On Movin’
In March 1989 Soul II Soul released Keep On Movin’ featuring Caron Wheeler: written by Jazzie B, produced with Nellee Hooper at Britannia Row, a UK No. 5 from Club Classics Vol. One that topped three US Billboard charts.
Hunky Dory – Piano songs before Ziggy took over
In 1971 RCA released Hunky Dory, the album where David Bowie stacked piano-led songs, Mick Ronson's arrangements, and a clear run at British pop before Ziggy.
Depeche Mode – Master and Servant
A whip crack opens the stereo field before the sequencer settles. Dave Gahan sings about domination as if it were a factory shift, while Martin Gore's lyric folds bedroom game into office hierarchy. Master and Servant.
Hole – Courtney Love’s band that punched through grunge
Hole formed in Los Angeles in 1989 around Courtney Love and Eric Erlandson: Pretty on the Inside grit, then Live Through This and Celebrity Skin as US alternative went mainstream.
Liam Gallagher & John Squire – Oasis voice, Stone Roses guitar, week-one No. 1
On 1 March 2024, Liam Gallagher and John Squire released their self-titled debut on Warner, produced by Greg Kurstin with Joey Waronker on drums, and went straight to UK No. 1.
Which famous artist or band holds the record for the highest number of plagiarism cases?
Many acts catch the odd lawsuit. A few collect enough claims to break a grim record. Who sits at the top?
Sting – Fields Of Gold
Sting wrote Fields of Gold from the barley around Lake House, and Kathryn Tickell's Northumbrian smallpipes answer the vocal at the end of the first and third verses.