Category: Music

Mannheim Steamroller is best known for their multi-platinum selling Christmas and Holiday albums, which proved to the music industry that holiday music wasn’t the "last gasp" genre for dying artists.

However, prior to the 1984 release of Mannheim Steamroller Christmas, the group had already made a name for themselves amongst audiophiles with their Fresh Aire album series. This top/best of list draws from all 8 of the Fresh Aire albums.

Here are my top 5 countdown of Mannheim Steamroller Songs from their Fresh Aire (FA) album series:

5. Chakra #4 (Fresh Aire 7)

The best song from the album that won the 1991 Grammy Award for Best New Age album. The song is both haunting and relaxing, and since Chakra #4 is the Heart Chakra, this song evokes emotions that come from the heart. Favorite moment — 4:12. The whole song is good, but this is my favorite bit.

4. Going To Another Place (FA II)

This song just reminds me of the excitement that surrounds departing on a long-anticipated journey. Recapitulating a theme that Mannheim Steamroller introduced in the Fantasia section earlier in the album, it is a perfect blend of the Mannheim Steamroller's signature medieval rock-n-roll, and a fitting conclusion to the musical journey that the album provides. Favorite moment — 2:00. Great transition into the final verse and outro.

3. Mere Image (FA III)

There are so many favorites of mine that come from this album, however Mere Image is the one that makes the all-time 3rd best. It was originally written for the Omaha Ballet, and is a musical journey from youth to old age. Favorite moment — 0:31. The harpsichord entrance here is grand and seems to herald the vigor of youth.

2. Lumen/Escape From The Atmosphere (FA V)

This whole album is based on a dream Johann Kepler had of travelling to the moon. The opening track, Lumen, features the renowned Cambridge Singers, and Escape From The Atmosphere is really nothing like any previous Mannheim Steamroller song up until this point. It evokes images of leaving the earth's gravitational pull, floating weightless in space, and entering moon orbit.

Favorite moment — 5:33. This part of the breakdown is really nice, especially the use of what sounds like a Koto as the instrument that carries the melody through this section.

1. Come Home To The Sea (FA VI)

This is really the best Mannheim Steamroller song ever. Originally written for Fresh Aire VI, it was also included on Yellowstone: The Music of Nature, and Saving The Wildlife.

Considering the state of electronic synthesis at the time, the dolphin (or whale) sounds at the beginning are really rather good. But that's not what makes it such a great track. A fantastic orchestration, brilliant piano and harpsichord juxtaposition throughout, and an overall build-up of energy and emotion throughout the song catapult this one to the top. Favorite moments — 2:34 and 2:48. I am a sucker for huge build-ups, and this song has plenty, but the build-ups at these two points in the song are absolutely incredible.

In the history of music there has probably not been one musical style that has influenced “Popular Music” more than Blues. Blues also is unique in that it is truly an “American” musical art form. As we will discover, the roots of the musical styles of Jazz, Rock, Gospel and musical artists from BB King, Elvis Presley, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones to Led Zeppelin, all were heavily influenced by the Blues.

It is important to note that the term “Popular Music” as I have used it above is a bit misleading. Too often we mention Classical Music and Popular Music as too completely different musical expressions. I am not inferring that they are not very different from each other. What I am saying is that the word “Popular” actually only relates to the time period one lives in.

Let me explain. If we were living in Europe in 1786 when Mozart was 30 years old and in the height of his career (he died at age 36) his music would have been considered Popular, would it not? If there had been recording studios, radio stations, Mp3’s and iPods in 1786 would it be too naive and simplistic to conclude that one of his symphonies or piano concertos would have been a “Top-Ten Release?” And if so, would it not be considered “Popular Music?” I think you will admit that this is certainly an unconventional but truthful perspective.

Since Blues has been such a powerful influence, it is important to understand why. Following is a brief history.

The Blues were born in the North Mississippi Delta following the Civil War. Its heartfelt and passionate performances are deeply rooted in slavery and the African American culture. Early compositions were Field Hollers, Ballads, Church Spirituals and Rhythmic Dance tunes called Jump-Ups that showcased a singer who would engage in a call-and-response with his guitar. He would sing a line, and the guitar would answer. For many years, due to the lack of music education, multitudes of songs were recorded and passed on only by memory. Because of this fact, it is very possible that many a great song was “lost in translation.”

The Blues became the essence and hope of the African American laborer, whose spirit is wed to these songs, reflecting his inner soul to all who will listen. Rhythm and Blues is the cornerstone of all forms of African American music. The Blues, with it’s 12-bar, dissonant 7th chord progression and its bent-note melodies were the early anthems of an oppressed race, bonding themselves together through their soulful cries for freedom and equality. From its origins at the crossroads of Highways 61 and 49, and the platform of the Clarksdale Railway Station, the blues eventually began to expand and headed north to Beale Street in Memphis.

The term “The Blues” refers to the “The Blue Devils”, meaning melancholy and sadness. An early use of the term in this sense is found in George Colman’s one-act farce Blue Devils (1798). Though the use of the phrase in African American music may be older, it has been attested to since 1912, when Hart Wand’s “Dallas Blues” became the first copyrighted blues composition.

The Blues form was first mainstreamed about 1911-14 by the black composer W.C. Handy (1873-1958). However, the poetic and musical form of the blues first crystallized around 1910 and gained popularity through the publication of Handy’s “Memphis Blues” (1912) and “St. Louis Blues” (1914). Instrumental blues had been recorded as early as 1913. During the twenties, the blues became a national craze.

Mamie Smith recorded the first vocal blues song, ‘Crazy Blues’ in 1920. The Blues influence on jazz brought it into the mainstream and made possible the records of blues singers like Bessie Smith and later, in the thirties, Billie Holiday.

In northern cities like Chicago and Detroit, during the later forties and early fifties, Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker, Howlin’ Wolf, and Elmore James among others, played what was basically Mississippi Delta blues, backed by bass, drums, piano and occasionally harmonica, and began scoring national hits with blues songs. At about the same time, T-Bone Walker in Houston and B.B. King in Memphis were pioneering a style of guitar playing that combined jazz technique with the blues tonality and repertoire. It is also important to mention that the roots of Jazz began with the Blues. So, if there were no Blues, there would be no Jazz!

In the early nineteen-sixties, the urban bluesmen were “discovered” by young white American and European musicians. Many of these blues-based bands like the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, the Rolling Stones, the Yardbirds, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, Cream, Led Zeppelin, Canned Heat, and Fleetwood Mac, brought the blues to young white audiences, something the black blues artists had been unable to do in America except through the purloined white cross-over covers of black rhythm and blues songs. Since the sixties, rock has undergone several blues revivals. Some rock guitarists, such as Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, and Eddie Van Halen have used the blues as a foundation for offshoot styles. While the originators like John Lee Hooker, Albert Collins and B.B. King–and their heirs Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, and later Eric Clapton and the late Roy Buchanan, among many others, continued to make fantastic music in the blues tradition. The latest generation of blues players would be Robert Cray and the late Stevie Ray.

Today there are many different shades of the blues. Forms include:

Traditional county blues – A general term that describes the rural blues of the Mississippi Delta, the Piedmont and other rural locales.

Jump blues – A danceable amalgam of swing and blues and a precursor to R&B. Jump blues was pioneered by Louis Jordan.

Boogie-Woogie – A piano-based blues popularized by Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons and Pete Johnson, and derived from barrelhouse and ragtime.

Chicago blues – Delta blues electrified.

Cool blues – A sophisticated piano-based form that owes much to jazz.

West Coast blues – Popularized mainly by Texas musicians who moved to California. West Coast blues is heavily influenced by the swing beat. âEUR¨

The public’s affection for the Blues only seems to be increasing. In Dana Point California, the city next to mine, Doheny Beach now has a yearly Blues Festival that keeps getting bigger and bigger. Others can be found in Portland, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and the list goes on.

As for me personally, Blues has always been a regular part of my life. When I play guitar and sing with other musicians, it is the easiest and most enjoyable form of popular music to “jamb” with. When I was growing up and my parents owned a music store and rock club called The Four Muses in San Clemente California from 1965 to 1975, we always had Blues groups performing. Most notable was the famous Blues Duo of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee.

My only personal problem with listening to a lot of Blues is that it can become very repetitious and not “fresh” sounding due to the consistent use of the standard 12 bar Blues Chord Progression. That said, I highly recommend that everyone make an attempt to listen to some live Blues this summer. The music and the crowd it attracts normally guarantee an enjoyable experience.

Thank you for reading!

Jonathan Morgan Jenkins

Jerry Butler was born in Sunflower, Mississippi in 1939. His family moved to Chicago in 1944. His interest in singing began by singing in church groups and with the Northern Jubilee Gospel Singers. Curtis Mayfield was also a member of that group.

Butler and Mayfield joined an R&B group, The Quails. But, in 1957, he and Mayfield would join another vocal group, The Roosters, with Sam Gooden and brothers, Arthur and Richard Brooks. In 1957, they changed their name to The Impressions and he would have only one major hit with them. Butler left the group in 1958 for a solo career. Mayfield would continue with The Impressions and have a string of hits.

He was dubbed “The Iceman” by Philadelphia disc jockey, Georgie Woods, who saw Butler perform there.

Butler also wrote many songs, including co-writing “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” with Otis Redding

Jerry Butler would have a successful solo career, scoring thirty-nine hits on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. On Billboard’s R&B charts, he would have three number one hits.

Here’s a look at Jerry Butler’s ten biggest pop hits according to the Billboard Top Pop Singles Charts.

1. Only The Strong Survive – 1969 – Written by Butler and Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, his biggest pop song would go to number one on the R&B charts. Elvis Presley and Billy Paul would do cover versions of this song.

2. Let it Be Me – 1964 – Here, Jerry teams up with soul singer Betty Everett. Previously released by the Everly Brothers in 1960, this song was first recorded as a French song in 1955 as “Je t’appartiens.”

3. He Will Break Your Heart – 1960 – Written by Butler and Curtis Mayfield, Tony Orlando and Dawn took this song to number one in 1975 and changed the title to “He Don’t Love You (Like I Do).”

4. Moon River – 1961 – Although Butler’s version made it to number eleven on the pop charts, this Henry Mancini/Johnny Mercer tune won the Academy Award for Best Original Song as sung by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 movie “Breakfast At Tiffany’s.” Andy Williams, never released this song as a single, used it as his signature song.

5. For Your Precious Love – 1958 – Butler’s only hit with The Impressions was ranked #335 in Rolling Stone’s Top 500 songs of all times in 2010. He would re-record this song in 1966, but it barely cracked the weekly Top 100 charts.

6. Hey, West Union Man – 1968 – This was Butler’s second number one single on the Billboard’s R&B charts. It reached #16 on the pop charts.

7. Never Give You Up – 1968 – From his “The Iceman Cometh” album, it was covered in 2010 by The Black Keys as “Never Gonna Give You Up.”

8. Make It Easy On Yourself – 1962 – Written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, it was originally recorded by Dionne Warwick, but her label didn’t want to release it. Butler hearing the track, used the same arrangement as Warwick’s and Butler had his first solo hit. In 1965, The Walker Brothers also had a top 20 hit with it.

9. What’s The Use Of Breaking Up – 1969 – From his “Ice On Ice” album, the flip side of this top twenty hit was “Brand New Me” which never cracked the Top 100 charts, but was a huge hit for Dusty Springfield.

10. Ain’t Understanding Mellow – 1971 – Jerry teamed up with artist Brenda Lee Eager for this soulful tune. Eager was the lead vocalist with Butler’s backup singers and recorded several songs together that charted, but none as successful as this one.

Today, Jerry Butler continues to perform while serving as a Cook County Board Commissioner. He won re-election in 2014. He currently lives in Chicago with his wife, Annette, who is one of his backup singers. He has been host on PBS TV music specials featuring many Doo Wop and R&B groups.

In 1991, Jerry Butler was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Everyone loves music. Music is everywhere, it pervades our world. Everyone knows music has power and importance. But have you ever stopped to consider why? What it is about music that gives it so much power and importance?

Here are seven top reasons:

1. Music is a universal language. It inspires common human feelings and bridges gaps between cultures that spoken languages cannot. It brings people together and creates universal community.
2. Music inspires and evokes emotion in a healthy way. It touches our emotional being and evokes moods and feelings that are sometimes difficult to express. It can change a difficult mood and make it happy or excited; it can change a light mood and take it deeper and more profound.
3. Music enhances learning and makes it more enjoyable. It is scientifically proven that music enhances brain functioning. Playing music uses many brain functions simultaneously: motor control, imagination, hearing, sight, memory, etc.
4. Music creates ambiance. You can use music in any environment to enhance and augment what is already there. Consider the difference between a party with music and one without, or a sporting event, or a movie, or a romantic restaurant, or driving in your car…
5. Music is spiritual. Music is of the spirit and inspirational to the spirit. All religions use music to help express spiritual values, and all religions use music to uplift the spirit.
6. Music sparks the imagination. It invokes mental imagery and inner scenery that opens the mind to amazing insight and spans the distance between the stars.
7. Music is a simple pleasure. All it takes is your ears and your imagination.

I believe that at the center of the phenomenon of the magic that music creates is the spiritual aspect. Music is a gift from God, a sacred expression of the Universal Life Force Energy that creates us all.

This book review of “The Chitlin’ Circuit and the Road to Rock ‘N’ Roll” is provided for fans of music and history. It is a recommended read for anyone who appreciates the intersections of music and history.

The book helps any music fan to share with others how today’s popular music evolved. It can also help self-declared fans of any of the following music forms: rock, jazz, blues, soul, and r&b gain a greater appreciation of both current and past artists of those music genres.

I do not know any more about the book’s author Preston Lauterbach than what is on the inside cover of the book and or on his website at prestonlauterbach.com. But what I do know is that Mr. Lauterbach has a great ability to present how Rock ‘N’ Roll evolved.

Mr. Lauterbach’s writing educated me about how historical economic changes, political changes, and social / cultural changes in the U.S. contributed to the music’s evolution. This included an incredible presentation of how non-musical forces drove the development of the “chitlin’ circuit”, and then in turn how the chitlin’ circuit facilitated the development of an American music art form along with an entirely new economic sector itself: the combination of live music production, the recording industry, and on-air music broadcasting via radio and television.

One of the surprises for me: Prior to reading the book, I thought that the chitlin’ circuit was a reference to a network of clubs and or music halls located in the concentrated region of the southeastern states of the U.S. Instead, what I learned was that the chitlin’ circuit was a complex network located in a larger and sometimes shifting group ( dependent upon changing economic circumstances ) of clubs, bars, cafes / restaurants, music halls, and sometimes makeshift venues ( barns ). This network was located in the southeastern states of the U.S. as well as Houston, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Chicago, Detroit, and cities on the eastern seaboard.

I also learned that the chitlin’ circuit was really both informal and formal. Mr. Lauterbach’s book shows the reader how savvy club owners and booking agents/talent agencies networked with each other to develop an successful music performance market which later gave rise to a profitable market for recorded music.

I also found an intriguing presentation by “The Chitlin’ Circuit and the Road to Rock ‘N’ Roll” of how the tour booking agents developed and controlled the circuit in the early days which led to the development of successful clubs and other venues for the live music. Mr. Lauterbach tells us how the tour business and related live music performances spawned successful artists. The successful artists then produced creative new music that then produced changes in how live music was presented to audiences throughout the circuit. And those changes in turn begat innovations for the recording industry -which then eventually supplanted the touring industry as the top driving economic force for music in the U.S.

I also think that Mr. Lauterbach was providing the reader a bittersweet story based on historical fact. The bittersweet story involves the evolution of the past segregated America to a country that today is officially desegregated. The book explains how racial integration changed the U.S. urban economy which in turn ultimately led to the demise of “the Stroll” which was located in all American cities. “The Stroll” was another name for the Black American “cities within the cities” and/or concentrated Black American economic centers within each American community prior to the achievement of desegregation.

The word “bittersweet” is used here because this book presents sad stories caused by the cruel and unjust racism endured by African Americans throughout the U.S., the linkages of those sad stories to the development of beautiful music, and classic rags-to-riches stories of successful black music artists. The book gives us the rest of the story about how Federal Government and Local Government level public policy changes ( such as the federal government Urban Renewal and Interstate highway programs ) then caused the landscape of the chitlin’ circuit to sort of fade away.

But at the end of the day: the book titled “The Chitlin’ Circuit and the Road to Rock ‘N’ Roll” shows us that the great music produced by the chitlin’ circuit remains and is there for any and all music listeners to enjoy.

Many guitarists make use of a capo to change the key they are playing in. This is a quick and easy way to put the guitar into a higher key for a vocal part that is too low. You can also change the key to another one so that it is easy to play along with other instruments. You can however forget what key you are currently playing into. How many times have you transposed a piece of music but can’t quickly work out what key you are actually playing in.

Why transpose a song?

For instance if your chords are in the key of C but you have the capo just below the thirs fret, do you immediately know what key you are now in. Some guitarists can do this in a split second but for people who want to learn to play guitar this can take a few minutes to work out.

How a Capo Transition Chart Works

That is the value of having a Capo Transition Chart. You simply reference the key you are playing in with the fret position of the capo to find the transposed key. Simple. This is quite helpful to people who are learning the guitar and have only learnt a few chords. It means that you can transpose into a key signature where you can play the chords.

I recommend however that you learn at least one new chord a day to get rid of this limitation on your playing as soon as possible. In the meantime here is a small part of a capo transition chart for you to experiment with. The formatting on this page limits how pretty I can make it look but you will get the general idea.

Original Key Chords C E A D

Position 3 New Key Eb G C F

Position 5 New Key F A D G

This just gives you a quick example of the more common key changes you use a capo for. You can get a complete chart that shows all the start keys and the related new keys on a full capo transition chart.

If you are involved in the entertainment business then you’ve probably heard a few tall tales. The following is a list of some of the top myths about the music business.

1. People in the music business will help you out of the kindness of their hearts.

Facts:

The music business is called the music business for a reason. It is a business that just so happens to sell music. Businesses are in business to make money. They are not in business to make ART, however they will sell it. You may find a handful of good Samaritans willing to help for free but generally speaking if helping does not benefit the other party, they won’t help.

“People (not counting loved ones) will help you if they think your art will make them money. They will not help you if they think your art will not make them money.” -David Naggar, Esq. from  The Music Business Explained In Plain English-

2. Since the economic decline people aren’t buying music anymore

Facts:

People are buying music, but they aren’t buying it in the same way they used to. Sales of CDs may be down but the sale of single tracks is up! If you are still an unbeliever just check iTunes sales records. Reportedly, Apple has sold 10 billion and counting!

3. Music superstars have and are making tons of money.

This is one of the biggest myths in the entertainment business. When you see a Sean Kingston or Lady Gaga on television you may think that they are living the good life, but really the amount of money he/she brings home is really dependent on the terms of their contractual obligations as well as their money management skills. Simply put, if you spend more than you make you are bound to go broke sooner or later.

Need examples:

MC Hammer

Marvin Gaye

Michael Jackson

Willie Nelson

Toni Braxton

Billy Joel

George Clinton

Isaac Hayes

Jerry Lee Lewis

Ron Isley

Need anymore? The list goes on.

The fact of the matter is that all of these artists have seen the highs and lows of the music business. Micheal Jackson, the “King of Pop”, even had his money woes. No “superstar” is exempt. Good money management skills are needed in order to maintain a “superstar” lifestyle.

4. You can become an overnight celebrity in the music business.

This is one of the most common myths about the music business. People believe that you can sign a record deal and then all of sudden you are magically on magazine covers and receiving Grammy awards. All of this talk is nonsense. At the end of the day it takes a decent amount of leg work, dedication, passion, perseverance, and strong networking relationships to achieve “success” in the music business. NO ONE HAS BECOME SUCCESSFUL OVERNIGHT however, some people have achieved their goals faster than others. Artists such as Wiz Khalifa, Kanye West, and Eminem spent years building their reputation and brands to become the people they are today. This is why working smarter and not harder is essential in the music business.

5. Talent Trumps Work Ethic

In today’s music business, talent still counts but work ethic counts for more. An extraordinarily talented person with average work ethic will generally not do as well as someone with extraordinary work ethic and average talent.

A strong work ethic, more often than not, means that you can be consistent which is of the utmost importance in the music business.

Why?

One word. Marketing. Being able to consistently deliver high quality to the consumer is paramount.  This is where work ethic trumps talent. A person that is able to consistently deliver a satisfactory product to the consumer is, in the words of Charlie Sheen, WINNING! Because of our increasingly shortened attention spans, having someone or something consistently in our faces helps in branding the product, service, or person. Ultimately, this results in people getting paid!

The Sumerians lived in what ancient Mesopotamia, where modern Iraq and part of Iran are located, from 5300BC to1940BC. They were the first in many different areas. They had schools, a strong mathematical system, geometry, astronomy, cuneiform writing, calendars, credited with the invention of the wheel, and many other signs of a strong civilization. Not only were they first in these, but also appear to be the first to establish music that would be recognizable to people modernly. Musicians were educated in Mesopotamian schools and they played an important part in ancient sumerian Life. Lyres were very popular and reflected the sumerians love for music.

Music Instruments discovered in burial sites and art include the Lyre, clappers and later even drums and wind instruments. Specifically, reed pipes, vertical flutes, lyres, harps, kitharas, drums, clappers, sistrum made for a wide array of instruments. Songs were often devotionals to the goddess Innanna. They were incorporated into religious and daily life. Another interesting discovery appears to be notation. A numeric system found on many hymnal texts seems to be a form of notation.

Music appears to have its roots in the temples, but soon became part of daily life. Musicians would purify their hands before playing stringed instruments such as the Lyre.

The music centered around the heptatonic-diatonic scale which is currently used in western music today. It had been believed that western music got its origin in later period Greek music, but scholars are now taking a closer look at Sumerian origins as a distinct possibility.

One must keep in mind that what could be attributed as musical Sumerian firsts could have very well been inherited from previous civilizations. We have little to no record of these prior civilizations, therefore, are unable to conclude concretely as to the origins of Sumerian instruments and scales. It is just simply fascinating though, to contemplate music from a civilization so incredibly ancient, yet so reflective of our very own modern civilization.

After the collapse of sumerian civilization around 2000 BC, you might think that all this knowledge had been lost. The Babylonians, however, used the knowledge gained from the Sumerians and continued the musical momentum.

To understand the role of musical theory in modeling the cosmos, one must realize that it involves: “the definition of intervals, the distance between pitches, by ratios of integers or counting numbers.” For the ancient Sumerians music was a tool that helped them describe the cosmos.(McClain, Ernest G.; “Musical Theory and Ancient Cosmology,” The World and I, p. 371,February 1994. Cr. L. Ellenberger)

In April 1962, The Rolling Stones was formed with members Brian Jones, Ian Stewart, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts. This British R&B influenced rock group got their name from a Muddy Waters song.

Former Beatles publicist, Andrew Loog Oldham, signed “The Stones” to a management deal in 1963 and began promoting them as “the bad boys of rock and roll”, compared to the Beatles’ squeaky clean image. Oldham also produced their first albums between 1964 and 1967.

The Rolling Stones’ first UK tour took place in 1964, along with the Ronettes.

Their first American Top 40 hit came in 1964 with “Tell Me (You’re Coming Back)” followed by “It’s All Over Now.” They finally reached the Top Ten with “Time Is On My Side.”

Shortly after leaving the group in 1969, guitarist Brian Jones drowned in his swimming pool in Sussex, England. Mick Taylor replaced Jones as guitarist and Ron Wood replaced Taylor in 1975. Wood had previously played in the bands, The Jeff Beck Group and Faces with Rod Stewart.

The Rolling Stones were never without controversy. That includes the film, “Gimme Shelter,” a documentary of their controversial Altamont concert in 1969, where someone in the audience was murdered by a member of the Hell’s Angels.

Chart wise, The Rolling Stones had forty-one Top 40 hits between 1964 and 1989 and, according to the Billboard’s weekly charts, they went to #1 eight times. Their last Top 40 hit was “Rock And A Hard Place” in 1989.

Lead vocalist, Mick Jagger, tried recording solo and managed to crack the Top 40 four times, with his biggest hit being a cover version of the Martha and the Vandellas “Dancing In The Street.” He teamed up with David Bowie on this tune, which was recorded at the Live-Aid benefit concert in 1985 and it went Top 10. Jagger even made it to #3 in 1984 as a guest vocalist on The Jacksons’ hit “State Of Shock.”

Here are The Rolling Stones twenty biggest hits, according to the Billboard charts.

1. Honky Tonk Women – 1969

2. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction – 1965 – Otis Redding took a cover version of this song Top 40 in 1966.

3. Brown Sugar – 1971

4. Get Off My Cloud – 1965

5. Paint It, Black – 1966

6. Miss You – 1978

7. Angie – 1973

8. Ruby Tuesday – 1967

9. Start Me Up – 1981

10. 19th Nervous Breakdown – 1966

11. Emotional Rescue – 1980

12. Jumpin’ Jack Flash – 1968 – In 1986, Aretha Franklin took a cover version of this hit to #21 on the weekly charts.

13. Harlem Shuffle – 1986

14. Mixed Emotions – 1989

15. Time Is On My Side – 1964

16. As Tears Go By – 1966 – Marianne Faithfull went Top 40 with this hit in 1965.

17. Tumbling Dice – 1972 – Linda Ronstadt went Top 40 with a cover version of this Stones hit in 1978.

18. Beast Of Burden – 1978

19. Mothers Little Helper – 1966 – The “B” side of this single, “Lady Jane” went to #24 on the weekly charts in 1966.

20. Undercover Of The Night – 1983

The Rolling Stones won a Lifetime Achievement Grammy in 1986 and they were inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1989. Still going strong, The Rolling Stones continue to tour and record, 46 years, after cracking the U.S. charts for the first time.

Literally, there is nothing tricky about shopping gifts for music lovers. All you have to do is to put your finger on gadgets that have the best quality music and belong to subtle brands. The best gadgets for music lovers are the ones that have good quality sound, noise cancellation and do not impair the eardrum.

With such a huge variety of music gadgets available in the market, you can easily get the best pick at affordable prices with a list that we have churned.

Let’s know about the best speaker for music lovers of all time:

1. Jawbone Jambox

The stylish jawbone portable Bluetooth speakers have sufficient loud sound to fill up your entire room. The designer outer box is embedded with a strong battery power which can play music for up to 8 hours continuously. The high-quality playback music can keep you grooving and staring all night long. Team up your laptop, mobile phone or any of the Bluetooth enabled gadget to enjoy hardcore music beats right at your home. Also, it comes with an inbuilt speakerphone for astounding conference calls.

2. JBL Clip 2

Another beautiful gadget for music lover that makes it easier to listen and enjoying music is JBL clip 2. The wireless speakers are easy to carry around. Small in size, the gadget can be used as a part of your purse or waistband. The waterproof gadget has nothing to do with damages occurring because of water Splashes. With a rechargeable battery that has a capacity of 8-hour music player, you get amplified music sound quality with the two inbuilt tiny speakers

3. Big Blue Party Indoor-Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker

One of the best speakers for music lover that gives great sound without being huge in size. Available at a price of $300, the gadget comes with 4 Absolute range speaker drivers which are particularly angled to fill up the entire area with surround sound Technology. The upper handle makes it absolutely easy to carry the device anywhere you want. With waterproof casing, it’s safe in case of sudden rains and random water splash occurring Outdoors. The sleek design of the speakers also makes it a good indoor Decor piece of your home.

4. Chromecast Audio

The Wi-Fi speakers are slightly pricey but have all the functions to give you instant mood uplift. Available at a price of $ 35, Chromecast audio is one of the best speakers for music lover that comes with aux port and Wi-Fi support. You can instantly tune up the device by making it compatible with Google play music, Spotify, Pandora, and Iheartradio. As soon as you set up the device in your Android / iOS phone, the music device is good to mesmerize your ears.

5. Harman Kardon Omni 10 wireless Speakers

With the ability to one-touch follow me, the speaker channelizes the sound to the desired direction in which the user commands. The HD audio streaming Technology gives high quality loud and clear sound. So if you wish to have a gadget that has Hi-Tech music quality, Harman Kardon Omni 10 wireless speaker is the correct choice for it.

6. Tdk Boombox

The auxiliary port of the device lets you get connected through USB and RCA cable. Similar to iPod / iPhone, DDA Boombox is one of the finest music gadgets of 2018. The embedded AM/FM feature let you enjoy the traditional as well as the latest hits at a single source. That touch sensitive buttons immediately induce the sound quality with 10-watt side speakers.

7. Logitech Squeezebox Touch

Available at a price of $300 this music box lets you formulate your own music collection by Linking it up with Amazon and iTunes. With endless choices of music, the device has recently partnered with Rhapsody and Pandora so that you can discover latest and more consolidated music services on its colored touch screen.

8. Amazon Echo

The latest hype amongst the music lovers is the second generation Amazon echo digital gadget. The voice-controlled gadget works through personal assistant named Alexa. The device immediately plays the requested song along with executing several real-time tasks. The smart device is one of the best music gadgets produced by Amazon to date.

9. iPod Nano

The latest digital gadget that has a tiny size and yes magnificent features are the best gift for any music lover. The sleek design and lightweight gadget are available at the price of $149. always carry the tiny multi-touch music device while going out jogging.

10. Sony Headphones

With noise cancellation feature and high-quality wireless audio music, you can experience the adaptive sound control in the wh -1000 M2 wireless Sony headphones. The black colored speakers look so trendy on the cool tees. The gadget automatically adjusts according to the individual listening style and altitude level. So if you are a frequent flyer, Sony headphones are the best gadget for it.

11. Music Vault

If you have an extensive love for music, nothing can be better than purchasing music world USB drive that has a huge capacity to store and find music files. Irrespective of the format, it can store up to 8000 songs. the 8 GB version is available at a price of $50, 32GB at a price of $100 and a 16GB variant is available at a price of$80 respectively.

Why To Buy Speaker For Music Lover?

Undeniably, music gives motivation and peace of mind to the listener. It has a positive effect on ears and Soul. Moreover, a good quality music gadget can induce positive and happy and mindset along with relieving anxiety pangs. Psychologically proven, digital gadgets that play good quality music can alleviate your mood and help you to heal faster. The portable music gadgets can be your best friend for life. They keep your brain occupied and let you enjoy life with a positive Outlook altogether.