Born September 15, 1977
Singer-songwriter Robin Thicke, to some gays (including myself), is well-known because his dad was Growing Pains actor Alan Thicke. Gotta give Dad his due, y’all! But son has made a name for himself, topping the charts this week!
He started his career in the late 1990s as a songwriter, writing melodies for Brandy, Jordan Knight, Christina Aguilera and Mya. He released his debut single in 2002 which didn’t make much of a splash in the United States but reached as high as #3 in Europe. His American breakthrough came in 2007 with the release of his album The Evolution of Robin Thicke and the single “Lost Without U,” which peaked at #5 and #14 on the album and pop charts, respectively. His most successful release thus far is the song “Blurred Lines,” featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams, which is his first #1 hit. He received a lot of publicity for the “unrated” version of his music video, which was pulled from YouTube for being too sexy!
Pharrell Williams
Born April 5, 1973
A singer, songwriter, rapper and music producer, Pharrell Williams wears many hats. In 1994, he became part of the duo The Neptunes with childhood friend Chad Hugo, and they went on to produce singles for Blackstreet, Mase, Kelis, and perhaps most famously Britney Spears (their sound can be heard on her classic “I’m a Slave 4 U”). Nelly’s 2002 single “Hot in Herre” was The Neptunes’ biggest breakthrough as producers. Williams went solo starting in 2005.
Pharrell Williams has been credited as “featured artist” on seven Top 10 singles, with two reaching #1 (he appears twice on the Top 10 this week, once with Robin Thicke and once with Daft Punk). Last year he also helped produce 19 singles for other artists, including Mika, Adam Lambert and Jay-Z. That’s just last year alone; his producer credits number well into the triple digits since the 1990s! Chances are if you’ve listened to Top 40 any time in the past decade, you’ve heard quite a bit of Pharrell’s work in some form or another.
Born June 19, 1983
Macklemore (real name Ben Haggerty) broke two Billboard records in the past year. First, with his song “Thrift Shop,” he became the first act in two decades to have a #1 single without being signed to a major record label (which he is still on his own — come on people, snatch him up already!). Second, with the release of his single “Can’t Hold Us,” he and his musical partner, producer Ryan Lewis, became the first duo ever to have their first two singles go to #1 on the charts. Proof positive that it’s still the fans who make the stars and not big business.
Macklemore first gained notice in the LGBT community for his single “Same Love,” which reached #16 on the charts. He wrote the song in reference to Washington’s then-upcoming ballot initiative seeking to make marriage rights equal for everyone (it passed). Also big influences to Macklemore were his uncle and his longtime partner. What a great ally to have on our side!
Justin Timberlake
Born January 31, 1981
Where do we begin with hottie Justin Timberlake, the man who’s brought sexy back so many times we weren’t really aware it left? Let’s start with why he’s on the charts now: the singles from his most recent album, The 20/20 Experience, have been very well-received, bringing him back into the music scene for the first time in six years (in the past six years he took time off to act in four films and to marry longtime girlfriend Jessica Biel).
Of course we remember him fondly for his participation in the boy band *NSYNC, which brought him international superstardom. The 2002 album Justified gave him success that was all his own, and he pulled a Beyonce and eventually bailed from the group. Since 2002 he has racked up a total of thirteen Top 10 singles, four of which topped the charts. Will he be remembered better for his acting or his music? Right now we welcome him back with open arms to music.
