Patrick

Aerosmith is the kind of band you can divide into phases. The gritty seventies with riffs that smell of gasoline. The stadium-filling eighties with glitter, big hair, and even bigger choruses. And then the nineties, when they suddenly became the…

Frank Sinatra is without a doubt the greatest interpreter of the Great American Songbook. His career spanned more than half a century, during which he evolved from a teen idol with a bow tie to the Chairman of the Board:…

Crowded House is the proof that perfect pop music exists. The band, centered around New Zealander Neil Finn, creates songs that sound like a warm embrace but often carry a melancholic undertone. Their melodies are brilliant, the harmonies are crystal…

Stromae is the maestro of the modern chanson. The Belgian artist combines danceable beats, hip hop, and electronica with lyrics that are as heavy as lead. He sings about cancer, absent fathers, depression, and social inequality, but does so to…

The Kaiser Chiefs are the ultimate festival band: energetic, loud, and armed with choruses you can shout along to instantly. They broke through during the British indie wave of the 2000s, combining the punky energy of the late 70s with…

Sia Furler is an enigma. For years, she was a respected indie singer and songwriter for stars like Beyoncé and Rihanna, until she became a superstar herself (almost against her will). She is well-known for her oversized wigs that hide…

Bastille, led by Dan Smith, creates cinematic indie-pop that sounds grand and compelling. Their music is full of references to mythology, history, and films (hence the cinematic quality), wrapped in stadium-filling choruses. Smith’s voice, with its unique British pronunciation and…

The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye) redefined modern pop music by blending dark R&B with the gloss of the 80s. His image is mysterious and cinematic, ranging from a depressed partygoer in Toronto to a superstar in a red suit. His voice…