MTV's historic aspects

Rock Around the Clock, which is being made by Bill Haley & His Comets, is the first tune in the rock music scene to top the pop charts, not just on both sides of the Atlantic, but around the world.

Crazy Man, Crazy, also by Bill Haley & His Comets, was also the first rock song to make the national American pop charts.

Blackboard Jungle features Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley & His Comets, not just in its opening sequence, but four additional times.

For Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley & His Comets, its inclusion in Blackboard Jungle marked the first instance of a major Hollywood film featuring rock music.

Plus, having been used 5 times in Blackboard Jungle, notably in its opening sequence, Rock Around the Clock topped the pop charts around the world, introducing rock music to the mainstream.

Rock Around the Clock is also the name of a film, whose title track is used in its opening sequence.

Unlike Blackboard Jungle, which is a social commentary, Rock Around the Clock is a musical, the first musical film entirely dedicated to rock music.

For the film Rock Around the Clock, it capitalizes on Bill Haley's fame and the song's global success.

Meanwhile, Crazy Man, Crazy made the pop charts, marking the initial national breakthrough for Bill Haley & His Comets and proving that rock music could exist on the mainstream pop charts.

However, Rock Around the Clock was the true catalyst for rock music's global dominance.

Prior to Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley & His Comets, pop music had a conservative feel.

Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley & His Comets, however, opened the floodgates for rock music's dominance on a global, mainstream pop music level.

Glenn Ford suggested his younger son Peter (who was interested in both the rhythm & blues and rock music genres) to choose Rock Around the Clock as the theme tune for Blackboard Jungle.

Former Disney musician Charles Wolcott adapted the music for Blackboard Jungle, which introduced rhythm & blues-rooted rock music to mainstream pop music.

Elvis Presley's 1954 version of the 1949 Arthur Crudup tune That's All Right is his debut single, which introduced his unique sound (blues/country fusion) to a wide audience, released by Sun Records.

Recorded at Sun Studios, Elvis Presley's iteration of That's All Right is a regional success.

Besides Elvis Presley on acoustic rhythm guitar, his session musicians in his That's All Right iteration include Scotty Moore on electric lead guitar and Bill Black on string bass.

With his lead guitarist Scotty Moore being his first manager, Memphis radio personality Bob Neal was Elvis Presley's second.

In addition, Baby Let's Play House is Elvis Presley's first tune to appear on a national chart, whereas I Forgot to Remember to Forget is his first to top the music charts on a national level.

Colonel Tom Parker, a Dutch-born American music executive, who managed other singers, like Eddie Arnold, Hank Snow and Tommy Sands, masterminded Elvis Presley's rise as a global icon.

RCA Victor, the label for both Eddie Arnold and Hank Snow, took Elvis Presley's Sun contract.

Having been signed to RCA Victor in a deal arranged by Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley achieved national and international recognition with Heartbreak Hotel, which topped the US pop charts.

Across the pond, Heartbreak Hotel reached number 2 on the UK pop charts.

Back in the United States, Heartbreak Hotel reached number 3 on the rhythm & blues charts, but also topped the Country & Western charts.

For Heartbreak Hotel, it is Elvis Presley's first million-seller and his first single for RCA.

In addition, Heartbreak Hotel also achieved feats unheard of by reaching the top 5 position in the pop, country and rhythm & blues charts simultaneously.

Elvis Presley's self-titled debut album is historic: by becoming the first album in rock music to top the album charts, but also the first in this genre to sell a million copies.

Carl Perkins' Blue Suede Shoes also reached the top 5 position in the pop, country and rhythm & blues music charts simultaneously, before Elvis Presley's Heartbreak Hotel

Yet, Carl Perkins' Blue Suede Shoes did not top the pop and rhythm & blues charts, just country.

Elvis Presley's Heartbreak Hotel topped the pop and country charts, but not rhythm & blues.

The Elvis Presley version of the Carl Perkins tune Blue Suede Shoes was not released as a single until after its original version had peaked.

Elvis Presley's Blue Suede Shoes peacked at number 20 on the US pop charts, less successful than Carl Perkins', yet still remains one of the most iconic performances for Elvis Presley.

In contrast to Bill Haley & His Comets, who, as rock music pioneers, endured a clean-cut image, Elvis Presley, as the King, cultivated a youth-friendly, sexual, provocative and rebellious persona.

While Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley & His Comets initially ignited mainstream interest in rock music, Elvis Presley's charisma and sexual, rebellious, youth-oriented style sexed up this genre.

Elvis Presley, with his charisma, his hip-shaking moves and his raw and soulful singing voice, shocked post-WWII America in its traditional and conservative form.

Chuck Berry and Little Richard are also rock music pioneers, like Bill Haley & His Comets and Elvis Presley.

For Chuck Berry, he established the electric guitar as the main instrument for rock music, with his duck walk, stage moves and innovative riffs.

Little Richard infused gospel into rhythm & blues, creating a dynamic sound that broke boundaries and foreshadowed rock's future.

Plus, Little Richard had a flamboyant style, explosive energy and rebellious spirit.

Maybellene, Johnny B. Goode, Roll Over Beethoven, School Days come from Chuck Berry.

Tutti Frutti, Long Tail Sally, Good Golly Miss Molly, Lucille and The Girl Can't Help It are from Little Richard.

Chuck Berry's guitar playing inspired Little Richard's drummer Charles Connor to create drum riffs.

Bo Diddley and Fats Domino are likewise rock music pioneers, like Bill Haley & His Comets, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Little Richard.

For Bo Diddley, his title song is innovative in blending African percussion, rock music and guitar.

On the other hand, Fats Domino, a New Orleans native, endured innovations as well.

The Fat Man by Fats Domino is one of the first rock music songs, but also became the first in the rock genre to sell a million copies, bridging the gap between rhythm & blues and rock.

I Got a Woman, performed by Ray Charles, is the secular version of the sacred gospel tune It Must Be Jesus by the Southern Tones, which he heard on a car radio in summer 1954.

Fusing gospel music with secular lyrics and a jazz-inspired rhythm, Ray Charles' I Got a Woman song catapulted him to stardom, but also became a prototype for soul music.

The bridge for Ray Charles' I Got a Woman is inspired by Living on Easy Street by Big Bill Broonzy.

Elvis Presley covered Ray Charles' I Got a Woman, the first song that he recorded for the RCA Victor label, with his first release being Heartbreak Hotel.

What'd I Say by Ray Charles is the song that, after his run of hits in the rhythm & blues genre, finally brought him to mainstream pop music and sparked soul.

Putting together the elements he created since I Got a Woman, What'd I Say by Ray Charles is built on rhumba and gospel, mixed with the sexual innuendo.

Poor Little Fool, performed by Ricky Nelson, is the first tune to top the new Billboard Hot 100.

The Rock and Roll Waltz, performed by Kay Starr, is the first tune having the specific phrase Rock and Roll in the title to top the national pop charts.

Plus, The Rock and Roll Waltz by Kay Starr was the first number one hit by a female in the rock era.

For The Rock and Roll Waltz by Kay Starr, it is a novelty tune in waltz signature, a departure from her usual jazz/pop approach, containing a boogie-woogie bass riff to give it a rock feel.

As for the lyrics of The Rock and Roll Waltz by Kay Starr, they humorously depict a teenage girl, who comes home to find parents trying to find a waltz to teen-oriented rock music.

Having achieved success in the mainstream pop charts, The Rock and Roll Waltz by Kay Starr was the first number one hit tune for RCA, which housed iconic artists, including Elvis Presley.

To Know Him is to Love Him, performed by The Teddy Bears, topped the Billboard Hot 100.

Phil Spector, an influential figure in pop music, co-founded and co-led The Teddy Bears.

Carol Connors is a female member of The Teddy Bears; she does lead vocals for their hit tune To Know Him is to Love Him, the first instance of a pop song with female lead vocals to top the Hot 100.

Tall Paul, performed by Annette Funicello, peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

For Annette Funicello, her Tall Paul tune is the first in the rock music scene by a female solo vocalist to score a top ten hit during the Hot 100 era.

Plus, Tall Paul by Annette Funicello bridged the gap between Disney and rock music.

Due to the soft-spoken voice of Annette Funicello, her producer Tutti Camarata used a double-tracking technique to create the fuller rock sound.

Annette Funicello is one of the Mouseketters in the original Mickey Mouse Club version.

Everybody's Somebody's Fool, performed by Connie Francis, is the first tune by a female solo singer to score a number one hit on the Hot 100, breaking barriers in a male-dominated era.

The Beatles are the first rock music artists from the United Kingdom to earn massive global success.

Having been the most successful act of the British Invasion, The Beatles opened the floodgates for rock music from the United Kingdom on a global level.

Some of the innovations made by The Beatles are in recording techniques, including Artificial Double Tracking, complex soundscapes, the usage of the Leslie speaker, and multi-track vocals.

The other innovations by The Beatles are non-Western musical instruments, fuzz bass, expanded song structures and elevating albums as art forms.

Plus, The Beatles made short film clips to avoid in-person appearances, a precursor to music videos.

Bohemian Rhapsody

 

Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad are Michael Jackson's Epic albums that achieve critical and commercial successes and earn legendary status, all co-produced by Quincy Jones.

The first of three albums being released for Michael Jackson by CBS' Epic Records label, Off the Wall establishes him as a pop star, also marking a transition from a child icon to a mature solo artist.

Off the Wall also marks a break from Michael Jackson's Motown work and his major breakthrough.

Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough is Michael Jackson's first solo tune where he has full creative control.

For his second album released by Epic Records, Thriller significantly cemented Michael Jackson's pop culture status, largely due to the innovative music videos accompanying this album.

Billie Jean, Beat It and Human Nature, aside from the title track, are some songs for Michael Jackson's Thriller album.

The music video for Michael Jackson's Billie Jean, directed by Steve Barron, is the first ever by a black artist to earn heavy rotation on MTV.

Due to the huge success and popularity of Michael Jackson's Billie Jean music video (plus many others from his Thriller album), MTV's initial focus on white artists was broken down.

At the same time, the music video for Michael Jackson's Beat It, directed by Bob Giraldi and filmed in Los Angeles, established the pop star as an international icon.

Michael Jackson's Thriller music video, directed by famous film director John Landis, sealed MTV's position as a major cultural force and revolutionized music video production.

Known for its innovative production, its stunning choreography and its cinematic approach, Michael Jackson's Thriller music video inspired countless artists and directors to emulate its style.

Taking responsibility for the choreography in Michael Jackson's innovative and groundbreaking music videos Beat It and Thriller was Michael Peters.

Bad, which is Michael Jackson's third Epic album, represents a shift towards a more mature and edgy image, departing from his boyish persona.

Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles is the first music video on MTV when it was launched on August 1, 1981.

Russell Mulcahy directed Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles.

Fittingly, what makes Video Killed the Radio Star the first music video on MTV is that television and music videos both replaced radio as the main driver for pop music success.

Holiday is Madonna's big breakthrough tune.

Borderline is Madonna's first top ten hit in the United States, having entered the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1984 and eventually reaching the top ten in June 1984, just three months later.

Lucky Star is Madonna's first top five single in the United States, having entered the Hot 100 chart at number 49 in August 1984 and eventually reaching number 4.

Riding high on Borderline's chart success in 1984, Lucky Star was released in the United States.

Incidentally, both Borderline and Lucky Star are two successful hit songs instrumental in establishing Madonna's early success on the Billboard Hot 100, also cementing her presence in pop music.

The music video for Madonna's Lucky Star features her style - especially the ribbons, lace gloves and layered accessories - which became imitated by young people, including females.

Also in 1984, Like a Virgin, which is the title track from Madonna's second studio album, topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart in late-December, becoming her first ever number one hit in the US.

Outside the United States, Like a Virgin also topped the pop charts in both Canada and Australia.

For Like a Virgin, it cemented Madonna's status as a global pop superstar.

Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly serve as the co-writers of Madonna's Like a Virgin.

Shot at Ren-Mar Studio in Los Angeles and directed by Mary Lambert, the music video for Madonna's Material Girl tune is inspired by her admiration for pop culture and sex icon Marilyn Monroe.

The music video for Madonna's Material Girl song is based upon Marilyn Monroe's iconic and famous Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend performance in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

After its release, the phrase "Material Girl" became a popular nickname for Madonna.

You Give Good Love is the first top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100 for Whitney Houston.

Whitney Houston's iteration of Saving All My Love for You is her first ever number one hit on the Hot 100 chart, but also her worldwide breakthrough.

How Will I Know is Whitney Houston's first upbeat tune.

The music video for How Will I Know serves as Whitney Houston's first to receive heavy rotation on MTV, which gave her exposure to teenagers and made her the first black woman to do so.

I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) is a shift for Whitney Houston by reaching a wider audience with a more pop-oriented music sound after hits with ballads on her debut album.

George Merrill, Shannon Rubicam and Narada Michael Walden are the masterminds behind Whitney Houston's upbeat tunes: How Will I Know and I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me).

The soulful rendition of the Dolly Parton song I Will Always Love You serves as Whitney Houston's signature tune, but also a cultural phenomenon.

Control is Janet Jackson's commercial and artistic breakthrough.

What Have You Done For Me Lately, Nasty, When I Think of You, Control's title track and Let's Wait Awhile are five Janet Jackson tunes reaching the top five on the Billboard Hot 100

For Janet Jackson, she is the first female artist to earn five of the top five hits in one album.

Paula Abdul was the choreographer for the music videos accompanying some upbeat tunes from Janet Jackson's breakthrough album Control.

Blending rhythm & blues with hip-hop undertones and dance-pop, Janet Jackson's Control album is a precursor to the new jack swing genre and the pop sound of the late-1980's and the 1990's.

In addition to earning independence from her own brother Michael Jackson's influence, Janet Jackson's Control album established her as a preeminent female pop music artist, rivalling Madonna.

So successful was Janet Jackson's Control that Paula Abdul decided to launch her own career.

Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 is the fourth studio album, scoring worldwide hits like Miss You Much, Rhythm Nation, Escapade, Black Cat and Love Will Never Do (Without You).

Vision of Love is Mariah Carey's debut single, but also popularized riffs, runs, melisma and the whistle register in mainstream pop music.

Mariah Carey's Vision of Love tune is also the blueprint for future female singers using her techniques.

During the climax of her own Vision of Love song, Mariah Carey uses her whistle register, which she popularized; the inspiration for Mariah Carey's whistle register is Minnie Riperton.

Someday is Mariah Carey's first upbeat tune.

Emotions is Mariah Carey's second studio album, which, besides its title track, features others, such as Can't Let Go, Make It Happen, etc.

For the title track of her second album, Emotions features Mariah Carey's upper range and her whistle register.

Unconfined to Mariah Carey's whistle register, Emotions also has disco, rhythm & blues and gospel.

What's the 411? is Mary J. Blige's first album, innovative in that it fuses rhythm & blues and hip-hop to create hip-hop soul.

The remix of What's the 411? is also innovative, as it is the first album to feature a rapper in each tune.

Incidentally, the remix of What's the 411? popularized rap as a featured act in mainstream music.

Music Box features such songs as Dreamlover, Hero, Without You and Anytime You Need a Friend.

Dreamlover is Mariah Carey's first attempt to incorporate hip-hop into her songs, influenced by Dave Hall's work with fellow New Yorker Mary J. Blige.

Blind Alley by The Emotions samples Mariah Carey's Dreamlover tune.

Hero is deemed by many to be Mariah Carey's signature song, known for its message of finding inner strength and self-empowerment.

Without You is Mariah Carey's soulful cover version of the 1972 tune of the same name.

The music video for Anytime You Need a Friend marks Mariah Carey's first image change.

All I Want for Christmas is You is a modern Christmas anthem for Mariah Carey, which blends various music genres, like pop, rhythm & blues, soul and gospel.

Furthermore, Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas is You also mixes 1960's rock and Phil Spector's Wall of Sound, especially in its structure and instrumentation.

With Dreamlover being Mariah Carey's first attempt to have the hip-hop genre, Fantasy solidified this direction; its remix, featuring ODB, is produced by Puff Diddy, who worked with Mary J. Blige.

Puff Diddy's remix of Mariah Carey's Fantasy popularizes the trend of rap verses in pop tunes.

Genius of Love by Tom Tom Club samples Mariah Carey's Fantasy.

Honey's music video marks a step up for Mariah Carey to embrace a more liberated and overtly sexual image, in contrast to the traditional and demure persona she has cultivated.

Mariah Carey's cover version of the late-1980's Brenda K. Starr tune I Still Believe, for whose original version she sings backup, is a moderate worldwide success.

Incidentally, singing backup for Brenda K. Starr is Mariah Carey's first professional music work.

For Mariah Carey, she delivers her own cover version of the Brenda K. Starr tune I Still Believe as a tribute (and a way to say thanks) to her former collaborator.

During her career, Mariah Carey has had a connection to Old Hollywood, especially Marilyn Monroe, with whom she shares brown-turned-blonde hair.

The music video for Mariah Carey's own cover version of I Still Believe is based upon the 1954 visit to South Korea for a USO tour by her idol Marilyn Monroe.

Plus, the music video for Mariah Carey's Butterfly takes inspiration from the 1950's film Baby Doll, in which Marilyn Monroe's friends Elia Kazan and Carroll Baker were involved.

Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston have their pop rendition of the Stephen Schwartz song When You Believe from The Prince of Egypt.

Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds made When You Believe a success for both Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston.

What fits When You Believe as a collaboration between both Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey is a smooth blend of their soulful voices and their backgrounds in faith and gospel music.

Plus, for both Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, When You Believe dispelled rivalry rumours.

At the curtain call of the musical version of the 1950's comedy film Some Like It Hot, starring her idol Marilyn Monroe, Mariah Carey has a surprise appearance and narrates the instructions.

What motivated Mariah Carey to be a co-producer for this musical iteration of Some Like It Hot is her passion for the leading star of the original film version named Marilyn Monroe.

...Baby One More Time serves as a breakthrough success for Britney Spears as a solo artist, but also a revival of the teen pop genre.

Many of the lyrics for Britney Spears' ...Baby One More Time song reflect her emotional aches after a breakup and her longing to return to her ex-boyfriend.

In contrast to the lyrics that reflect emotional aches, the lyric "Hit me baby one more time" for Britney Spears' ...Baby One More Time tune is not violence, but rather a plea for a phone call.

The music video for ...Baby One More Time features Britney Spears donning a school uniform (with a midriff-baring navel).

Nigel Dick directed the music video for Britney Spears' ...Baby One More Time tune, and Venice High School (used in the 1978 film Grease) is the shooting location for this video.

For the iconic music video for Britney Spears' ...Baby One More Time tune, it mixes innocence (school uniform) with sexuality (exposed midriff), making her a sexy and provocative fashion icon.

Plus, this iconic and controversial music video for Britney Spears' breakthrough tune ...Baby One More Time sparks debates about young pop stars being sexualized.

Sometimes is Britney Spears' second single.

(You Drive Me) Crazy is Britney Spears' third single, noting similarities to ...Baby One More Time.

Oops!... I DId It Again also notes similarities to ...Baby One More Time.

Lucky is a Britney Spears song, which tells the story of an eponymous Hollywood actress, who, despite having beauty, wealth and celebrity, is lonely in the inside, being a tragic showgirl.

Dave Meyers directed the Lucky music video for Britney Spears.

For this Lucky music video, Britney Spears plays a dual role: the narrator who observes the eponymous actress, and Lucky herself, contrasting between public fame and private loneliness.

The inspiration for Britney Spears' Lucky portrayal comes from her idol Marilyn Monroe.

Stronger is an innovative song for Britney Spears in both music and lyrics, but also the best song in the Oops!... I Did It Again album.

What the lyrics for Britney Spears' Stronger mean is that they reflect on resilience after a breakup.

The chorus for Britney Spears' Stronger tune recalls a lyric from her breakout ...Baby One More Time song: "My loneliness ain't killing me no more," symbolizing independence and strength.

Joseph Kahn directed the Stronger music video for Britney Spears.

Plus, the music video for Britney Spears' Stronger song is a departure from her previous ones in that it features a darker tone, but also results in her mature image.

For the Stronger music video, it has bridged the gap between Britney Spears' teen pop persona and the more mature diva persona that she would later embrace.

I'm a Slave 4 U is the tune that turned Britney Spears from a teen pop symbol into a more mature and sexualized one.

Britney Spears' I'm a Slave 4 U tune also marks a change in sound from teen pop to rhythm & blues.

The music video for I'm a Slave 4 U features Britney Spears in an exotic and sweaty Asian bathhouse, filled with global travellers, establishing a sexier image than in the past.

In addition, the Dream Within a Dream tour (2001-2002) has its finale with Britney Spears doing her ballad-to-techno ...Baby One More Time remix.

For the Dream Within a Dream tour, Britney Spears did her ...Baby One More Time remix.

Chameleon Productions created the rain screen for Britney Spears' Dream Within a Dream tour.

Directed and choreographed by Wade Robson, Britney Spears' Dream Within a Dream tour marks her transition from a teenage pop idol into a mature artist.

Britney Spears wears a crop top, low-rise jeans and a cowboy hat in the rain for the ...Baby One More Time encore in the the Dream Within a Dream tour.

Starting off as a slow and soulful ballad, this ...Baby One More Time encore in Britney Spears' Dream Within a Dream tour transitions to an upbeat techno version.

Coming out of the rain for Britney Spears during the ...Baby One More Time encore in the the Dream Within a Dream tour makes her charismatic and sexy with wet hair.

Me Against the Music is a duet between Madonna and Britney Spears.

What makes Me Against the Music a fitting duet is that Madonna symbolizes the old generation, while Britney Spears, who often calls Madonna her idol and a major influence, symbolizes the new.

For her Toxic music video, Britney Spears plays four roles.

One of the four major roles being played by Britney Spears in her Toxic music video is a blonde flight attendant donning a sleek blue uniform.

Another role that Britney Spears played in this Toxic music video is a red-haired secret agent, riding a motorcycle and donning a black catsuit in a futuristic city, similar to Jennifer Garner in Alias.

The third role being played by Britney Spears in her Toxic music video is a nude figure, as covered in diamonds, which is intercut throughout the action narrative.

Besides, a black-haired assassin is also played by Britney Spears in her Toxic music video.

Plus, the scene in which a woman's white dress is lifted by the wind when Britney Spears passes on a motorcycle in her Toxic video is based on Marilyn Monroe's dress in The Seven Year Itch.

For the Circus music video, Britney Spears plays a Marilyn Monroe-like ringleader.

Incidentally, both Madonna and Britney Spears are influential and world-famous pop culture and sex figures.

Plus, Marilyn Monroe is a key idol for both Madonna and Britney Spears.

Similarly, both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears have the name structure, with 7 letters in their first names and 6 in their last (13 overall), though the earlier is a stage name and the latter is real.

Both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears are also pop culture icons who won fame and popularity at a young age and became sex icons, captivating both the public and media.

Charisma, charm, beauty and sex appeal are some noted qualities of both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears.

Furthermore, both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears are also blonde girls/women whose natural hair colour is brown,

Marilyn Monroe, Madonna and Britney Spears endure their careers as actresses and singers in varying degrees, the earlier of whose main fame is film, the latter two of whose main fame is music.

Both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears also have casual looks with midriff-baring tops and jeans.

In addition, both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears also have pigtails, but with a difference.

Plus, both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears use flirty poses, like sticking out a tongue, licking/biting lips, doing a sexy and sultry gaze/stare and using a slightly open-mouth pose.

Elizabeth "Betty" Hall is a woman being active in the 17th century, who is a common ancestor for both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears.

Richard Scott is also a common ancestor for both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears.

Furthermore, Britney Spears is a template for a successful celebrity doll.

Like Madonna, whose key inspiration, in turn, is Marilyn Monroe, Britney Spears is deeply loved and admired by younger generations (teens and young adults).

Both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears also have struggles in their lives.

In her music videos, Britney Spears has frequently incorporated references to Marilyn Monroe, who is known as her key idol, as is Madonna.

Genie in a Bottle serves as a breakthrough success for Christina Aguilera as a solo artist.

What A Girl Wants, I Turn to You and Come On Over Baby (All I Want is You) are Christina Aguilera's other early hits.

Dirrty is the tune that turned Christina Aguilera from a bubblegum pop symbol into a more mature and sexualized one.

Madonna kissed Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera at the 20th MTV Video Music Awards.

Annette Funicello is the blueprint for the modern Disney-to-pop star career path, influencing Britney Spears, whose idol is Madonna, in turn, influenced by Marilyn Monroe.

Whenever, Wherever is Shakira's first single in the English language. 

I Wanna Be Bad is a one-hit-wonder for Willa Ford, because her subsequent single was not a success resulting from the 9/11 attacks, which, in turn, caused a standstill in music.

Hanggang Ngayon serves as a breakthrough success for Kyla (Melanie Hernandez Calumpad).

A piano-driven ballad, Hanggang Ngayon features soulful riffs, runs and melisma being delivered by Kyla (Melanie Hernandez Calumpad).

Whereas other singers in the Vietnamese diaspora stick with traditions, both Lynda Trang Dai and Minh Tuyet bridge the gap between traditional Vietnamese music and modern global pop.

Known as the Vietnamese Madonna, Lynda Trang Dai is one of the first singers among the Vietnamese diaspora to embrace a provocative attitude, like crop tops.

Incidentally, Marilyn Monroe is a key idol for Madonna, who, in turn, inspires Lynda Trang Dai.

For Lynda Trang Dai, she uses dance-pop, rock, rap and ballads.

Dance-pop songs, which come from parts of the Western world, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, make up Lynda Trang Dai's song collection.

Whilst less globally recognized than both Marilyn Monroe and Madonna, Lynda Trang Dai is still an influential figure in the Vietnamese dance-pop scene.

The stage name for Lynda Trang Dai is derived from an actress who stars as Wonder Woman.

Earlier in her career, Lynda Trang Dai used her provocative stage presence, her racy costumes and her persona, breaking traditions for Vietnamese women.

Moving to Hong Kong and San Diego in 1978, and finally Orange County, Lynda Trang Dai had first encountered American culture, to which she was exposed.

In addition to her singing work, Lynda Trang Dai is a businesswoman.

Being a businesswoman, Lynda Trang Dai runs a sandwich shop, opened on New Year's Eve 2010.

Britney Spears popularized the Y2K trend in general; Minh Tuyet is one of the first singers among the Vietnamese diaspora to embrace the Y2K trend.

From 1993 to 1997, in Vietnam, Minh Tuyet used a traditional image and music style.

By relocating to the United States in 1997 (and by signing a deal with Thuy Nga in 2002), Minh Tuyet underwent a shift in her image and music approach.

Having been exposed to American and world culture when she came to the United States in 1997, Minh Tuyet worked with Tinh, during which she adopted honey highlights and a modern wardrobe.

When Thuy Nga signed her in 2002, Minh Tuyet became sexier.

The controversy for Minh Tuyet is less about public scandals and more about her shift from domestic Vietnamese music to overseas diaspora, in contrast to Lynda Trang Dai.

Aside from slow ballads, Minh Tuyet also embraces more upbeat and modern music genres, including rhythm & blues, dance-pop, hip-hop and rap.

For her upbeat tunes, Minh Tuyet incorporates the the Y2K trend, like crop tops, into her style and her music, drawing some comparisons to pop icons like Britney Spears.

Plus, for her ballads, Minh Tuyet uses traditional clothes, even with the Y2K trend, like crop tops.

While less globally recognized than Marilyn Monroe, Madonna and Britney Spears, Minh Tuyet is still influenced by Britney Spears in both music and performance.

Since her move to the US, Minh Tuyet has adopted a Barbie doll-like aesthetic.

For Bao Han, her hometown is Vienna, Austria, rather than the United States or France.

Tu Quyen was born in 1977 in Philadelphia, where, fittingly, due to its status and reputation as the first capital of the United States, it was aligned with the nation's presidential inauguration year.

As for Nhu Loan, she is known for her charming looks and her sweet voice.

Like both Lynda Trang Dai and Minh Tuyet, Bao Han, Tu Quyen and Nhu Loan embrace a sexual and provocative attitude, including crop tops.

Annette Funicello is the blueprint for the modern Disney-to-popstar career path (influencing Britney Spears, whose idol is Madonna, in turn, influenced by Marilyn Monroe).

Britney Spears also has ties to Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson, both connected to Paula Abdul, a Gemini girl in Van Nuys, born in June of a Tiger year and in California like Marilyn Monroe.

In turn, both Lynda Trang Dai and Minh Tuyet are influenced by Madonna and Britney Spears.

Randy Petersen, Kevin Quinn and Tim Heintz are Disney songwriters, creating songs for its television series and direct-to-video films.

Besides Disney, the Randy Petersen, Kevin Quinn and Tim Heintz trio make songs for Thuy Nga.

While at Thuy Nga, the trio comprising Randy Petersen, Kevin Quinn and Tim Heintz usually provide modern Western-style music arrangements and original compositions for Vietnamese artists.

Noted Thuy Nga artists in collaboration with Randy Petersen, Kevin Quinn and Tim Heintz are Lynda Trang Dai, Minh Tuyet, Bao Han, Tu Quyen, Nhu Loan and others.

For Halloween 2020, Minh Tuyet paid tribute to her idol Britney Spears by using a blue flight attendant uniform being used in the music video for Toxic.

Incidentally, Minh Tuyet's longtime idol Britney Spears was involved with the Disney stable, especially through the 1990's version of the Mickey Mouse Club.

1981 is a year that is associated with the Rooster, which is the Chinese zodiac having the most letters in English, in contrast to the Ox, the one having the fewest, with which 1973 is associated.

Conversely, in the Vietnamese system, 1973 is a year that is associated with the Buffalo, which uses the most letters in English (7), tied with the Rooster, with which 1981 is associated.

If the Water Buffalo is used with a space, it uses 12 letters, the most in any Vietnamese zodiac.

Plus, 1984 is a leap year; each leap year has 366 days, the most in a year.

Like the Rooster zodiac, Rat has the letter R, featuring the letter T.

Since the 1990's, some songs have instrumental intros featuring soulful vocal riffs, runs and melisma before the main melody, inspired by Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Celine Dion.

For the last chorus of some pop songs since the 1990's, the backup singers have harmonized with the primary singer doing soul, inspired by Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Celine Dion.

Between the first chorus and the second verse, soulful riffs, runs and melisma are used as breaks.

Plus, the trend for layered vocals is also used by female singers with soulful voices.

Riffs, runs and melisma, frequently used by female singers with soulful voices, are some vocal styles accompanied sporadically by vocal cracks, vocal fry and aspirate gradual/abrupt offsets.

The aspirate gradual/abrupt offsets are used with a sexy delivery from female artists.

Plus, modern pop tunes use spoken portions with a sexy delivery from artists, like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.

Ad-libs, frequently featured in pop, rhythm & blues, soul and hip-hop, are improvised and spontaneous vocal additions that enhance the emotional delivery and energy of a music performance.

Some of the common ad-libs in the rhythm & blues and soul lyrics are "Yeah," "Oh," "Whoa," "Mmm," "Uh," "Baby," "Oh, baby," "Baby, baby," "Oh, baby, baby" and "Baby, baby, baby." 

The other usual ad-libs are "Come On!," "Listen," "Tell me," "Oww!"/"Ow!," "Hey!" and "Feel good."

Variant ad-libs are "Hey, yeah," "Oh, whoa-oh, baby," "Oh, whoa-oh, hey, yeah," "Yeah, yeah", "Uh, yeah," "Yeah, baby," "Whoa-oouh, yeah" and "Oh, whoa-ooh, hey, yeah."

Plus, in soul music, melismatic styles, specifically vocal riffs and runs, are common ad-libs.

Incidentally, female (and male) singers having rhythm & blues and soul utilize riffs, runs, melisma and aspirate gradual/abrupt offsets with ad-libs, all with a sexy delivery.

The Idol franchise serves as a platform for young and upcoming singers, male and female alike, many doing pop, but also others like rhythm & blues, soul, rock, etc.

American Idol, one of the best and most successful Idol versions, features a vocal school.

Popstars is the precursor of the Idol franchise, both created in the nations of the former British Empire.

Some of the elements from Popstars, including a panel of judges in auditions and audience voting, are being adopted by the Idol franchise.

Mariah Carey's Vision of Love inspires the American Idol vocal school, which features many students being girls/women with soulful rhythm & blues/gospel vocals.

Girls/women have wet hair ether in music videos seen on/made à la MTV or live performances through actual water (rain/splashing, sweat from intense performances or styling gel/products.

Wet hair for girls/women creates sexiness, raw emotion and intense energy.

Beyond Western markets, both Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey are also global symbols/legendary figures whose music/vocals have left a mark on music lovers, especially in Asia.

Fans in the music scene beyond Western markets appreciate the music/vocal influences being made by both Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.