Genre: R&B/Soul/Urban
Decades Active: 80s, 90s, 00s
Few celebrity siblings can emerge from the shadows of their already famous relations to become superstars in their own right and with their own distinct personalities. That's exactly what Janet Jackson did in becoming one of the biggest female pop and R&B stars of the '80s and '90s. Since her breakthrough in 1986 with the album Control,... [+] Read More
Genre: Rock/Pop
Decades Active: 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s
After a star reaches a certain point, it's easy to forget what they became famous for and concentrate solely on their persona. Madonna is such a star. Madonna rocketed to stardom so quickly in 1984 that it obscured most of her musical virtues. Appreciating her music became even more difficult as the decade wore on, as discussing her lifestyle... [+] Read More
Genre: Rock/Pop
Decades Active: 80s, 90s
Nia Peeples has had better luck as an actress and television host than as a performer. She appeared for three seasons on the television show Fame, and later hosted the American version of Top of the Pops for CBS and a short-lived late-night show called The Party Machine for Arsenio Hall Productions. She recorded an album for Mercury in 1988, but... [+] Read More
Genre: Rock/Pop
Decades Active: 80s, 90s
In the wake of Madonna's success, many dance-pop divas filled the charts, but out of them all, Paula Abdul was the only one who sustained a career. The former L.A. Lakers cheerleader and choreographer began to make inroads in pop music when she was hired as an assistant dance director on the Jacksons' Victory tour, which led to a job... [+] Read More
Genre: Rock/Pop
Decades Active: 80s, 90s
In the wake of Madonna's success, many dance-pop divas filled the charts, but out of them all, Paula Abdul was the only one who sustained a career. The former L.A. Lakers cheerleader and choreographer began to make inroads in pop music when she was hired as an assistant dance director on the Jacksons' Victory tour, which led to a job... [+] Read More
Genre: R&B/Soul/Urban
Decades Active: 80s, 90s
Although dance-pop singer Pebbles scored several hit singles on her own during the '80s, she has become best-known as the manager (and creator) of one of the genre's biggest hit machines the following decade. Born Perri McKissack in Oakland, CA, on November 6, 1966, the singer (who is the cousin of R&B singer Cherelle) got her start in the early... [+] Read More
Genre: Rock/Pop
Decades Active: 80s, 90s, 00s
Dance-pop diva Taylor Dayne (born Leslie Wonderman) had a remarkably quick ascent to stardom in the late '80s, sailing into the Top Ten with her first single, "Tell It to My Heart." Dayne began singing professionally after graduating from high school, performing with the rock group Felony and a new wave outfit called Next; neither band had any... [+] Read More
Genre: R&B/Soul/Urban
Decades Active: 80s
Just as Vanity 6 and Apollonia 6 wouldn't have existed without Prince, the Mary Jane Girls were created by Rick James and were very much a product of the funkster's imagination. The group's name was coined in the late '70s, when James hired them as background singers for his Stone City Band. The Mary Jane Girls (whose name underscored James'... [+] Read More
Genre: R&B/Soul/Urban
Decades Active: 80s, 90s
From their origins as Prince's first pet project to their self-produced funk-rock oeuvre, the Time has been a fascinating and outrageous congregation. Vocalist Morris Day infused his cocky, swaggering personality into dance hits that would make Rufus Thomas envious, and, unlike most of the competition, the band managed to do something unique... [+] Read More
Genre: R&B/Soul/Urban
Decades Active: 80s, 90s
Tyka Nelson's main claim to fame thus far has been that she is the sister of Prince. She recorded one LP for Cooltempo in 1988. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide
Genre: R&B/Soul/Urban
Decades Active: 80s
Known for its trashy, pornographic image and its sexually exploitive lyrics, Vanity 6 was a short-lived female vocal trio that came out of Prince's funk-rock empire in 1982. Vanity 6 was formed in Prince's hometown of Minneapolis, where singer/actress Vanity (whose real name is Denise Matthews) got together with fellow singers Brenda (a native... [+] Read More