Top 10 List | Top Ten Lists

Led Zeppelin is an influential rock band that has made history in both 1960s and the 1970s. They influenced a number of artists today with their vocals, music usages and techniques. Some songs did not hit well and were terrible. Here are the 10 songs, I feel, did not take home the bacon.

1. “Stairway to Heaven”
This is by far the worst song by Led Zeppelin. The group came out with this song in 1970 in the album Led Zeppelin III. It was a complete let down. The wording of the lyrics was obscure and open to vague interpretation. No specific meaning could be applied.

2. “Four Sticks”
Great album: Led Zeppelin IV. It was one of my most favourite to have been released by the rock group. This song absolutely reeked. The vocals were off.

3. “Your Time is Gonna Come”

This song was released in 1969 in the debut album. The song is about a lady who is unfaithful and who pays the price for her betrayal. The song was only once performed in concert in Tokyo in 1971. It is generally a good song with an overload and a distorted bass. The distorted bass can distract you from enjoying the music.

4. “The Lemon Song”

The song was featured in the 1969 album Led Zeppelin II. The song was recorded live in the studio with no electric devises. Some of the lyrics, “squeeze my lemon till the juice runs down my leg,” can be attributed to Robert Johnson and his hit “Travelling Riverside Blues.” The song was an adaptation to Howlin’ Wolf’s “Killing Floor”. The group was sued over copyright infringement. Additionally, many critics believe that the song was overdubbed when in concert.

5. “For Your Life”

This was way to Blues for a band that is a Rock Band. It tends to repeat itself and gets a bit boring. The theme is good though, given that Robert Plant discusses a drug-addicted friend. The tune was excellent as well.

Here is a list of artists who managed to make an unexpected comeback at a later age. Some artists made it to no.1 lists well into their 70s.

1. Dame Vera Lynn (2009):

Age: 92

Single: “We’ll Meet Again”

Record: Oldest to make it Number 1 on UK charts.

2. Tony Bennett (2011):

Age: 85

Single: “Body & Soul”

Record: Oldest to hit Billboard’s Hot 100

3. Louis Armstrong (1968):

Age: 66

Single: “What a Wonderful World”

Album: What a Wonderful World

Record: No.1 hit on Top 100 Pop Hits

4. Cher (1999):

Age: 52

Single: “Believe”

Album: Believe

Record: No.1 hit on Top 100 Pop Hits

5. Morris Mabley:

Age: 75

Single: “Abraham, Mabley and John”

Record: Oldest artist to hit top 40

The most luxurious paintings are not automatically the best. The auction prices presented by some private art galleries are usually ludicrous however some of the most marvelous paintings are normally showcased in museums and public art galleries. No matter how much money you may have, you cannot buy the painting as they are not for sale.

For example, Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci who to date is still regarded as the best painter in the world, is the most famous and magnificent painting in the universe and hangs in a Museum in France. Whereas, the painting is tagged at a $1 billion dollars plus, it can never go for an auction. In determining the most successful painters in the world is not an easy decision as it entails establishing the durability of the painting, impact of the artist amongst his peers, present public opinion and what museums have to say about the painting.

Listed herein are the world’s top ten successful painters to have ever lived.

1. Michelangelo Buonarroti

The greatest painter to have ever lived is Michelangelo Buonarroti who lived between 1475 and 1564. He was not only a painter but also a draughtsman and sculpture. Together with Leonardo DA Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarroti revolutionized the world of painting in Italy. He was described by the famous historian Anthony Blunt as possessing a “superhuman qualities” in addition to “a sense of ominous, of solemn disquiet… they are no longer merely symbols of eternal beauty; they also reflect the tragedy of human destiny.” Such were the words that described this greatest painter. Some of his work includes: Genesis and Last Judgment amongst others.

2. Rembrandt Van Rijn

The second most successful painter is none other than Rembrandt Van Rijn who lived between 1606 and 1669. He has been referred to as one of the most successful painters since the Renaissance. A Dutch, Rembrandt managed to create some of the most magnificent pieces of arts ever to be seen. His work mainly revolved around genre paintings, self portraits and history paintings. His paintings are distinct as Rembrandt applied a technique referred to as chiaroscuro. Some of the master pieces to be done by Rembrandt are Jacob Blessing the Children of Joseph and The Night Watch.

3. Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso lived between 1881 and 1873 and is the third greatest painters to have ever lived. He is well famed for the Blue and Rose Periods. Other than being a gifted painter, Pablo Picasso was also talented and skilled in sculpting, designing and printmaking. His work was mainly inspired by prehistoric events, classical and Renaissance. His work functioned in creating the modern art movement that ranges from Orphism to Purism.

Some of the famous work to be done by the artist includes The Weeping Woman, The Guernica and Garcon a la pipe.

4. Leonardo Da Vinci

Even though Leonardo Da Vinci may not be as famous as Michelangelo, his works are well known world over. His work on Mona Lisa is what propelled him to fame and still remains as the most expensive and beautiful painting in the world. He mainly applied oil painting to do his works. Some of the most famous works done by Leonardo Da Vinci are Mona Lisa, Lady with ermine and The Last Supper. The painter is believed to have lived between 1452 and 1519.

5. JMW Turner

JMW Turner is by far the best landscape painter to have lived. His most famous painting, The Fighting Terneraire hangs in the London Museum. He was talented in both oil and water color painting. He was highly regarded by most of his peers at the time and he too looked upon at some of the greatest painters before him. He is best remembered for painting The Burning of the House of Lords and Commons, The Fighting Terneraire as well as Snow Storm.

As much as the year 2010 brought sadness around with the earthquake in Haiti, it brought pride, culture and paradigm into the world of music. Artists from around the world came together to raise funds for Haiti by producing a concert. It really showed how much passion each artist has for what they sing and sometimes write. One cannot help but hear the beat of each artist’s music wherever they are and wherever they go. The effect is infinite and the world would not be the same without the following top 10 musical artists of 2010.

1. Black Eyed Peas

From I Gotta Feeling to Meet me Halfway to the Time, Black Eyed Peas defined 2010 on the top 10 charts. Black Eyed Peas revolutionized fan favourite songs such as “The Time of My Life” from Dirty Dancing. One cannot help but picture and imagine Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey dancing in the movie, while listening to the new version of the song by Black Eyed Peas. This song was a great tribute to Patrick Swayze and an excellent way to give rebirth to 1980s and those who loved that era, while still attracting newer fans.

2. Justin Timberlake

One cannot forget the tear jerking performance Timberlake performed at the Hope for Haiti charity concert. The sound of Timberlake playing the piano resonated in viewers’ ears. As you were hearing “Hallelujah” you could not help but feel the pain for Haiti and wanted to help. His message was clear and you could see the passion in Timberlake’s face as he was singing the song and playing the tune. He continued to put his best music forward with “Carryout” alongside Timberland, which hit Top 10 charts as well. Timberlake is an excellent role-model for all new musical artists beginning their careers.

3. Lady Gaga:

Without a doubt, Lady Gaga overturned the world of music. She altered public opinion as well as worldview on different issues. She publicly addressed various rumours people had with regard to her and her sexuality. She’s partnered with various pop sensations such as Elton John and Beyonce Knowles to make her message resonate. From Poker Face to Bad Romance to Alejandro, Lady Gaga has topped the charts continuously in 2010.

4. Justin Bieber:

Who has not heard of this top teen sensation? He has captured the hearts of almost every teenage girl around the world. Die Hard fans line up on the streets trying to get tickets to see Bieber, the person who they look up to and adore. His personality and charm has constantly caused his songs to hit the Top 10 around the world. Furthermore, his ability to pair up with artists such as Ludacris made him who he is today.

5. Usher:

One cannot help but associate Usher with the song “OMG”. The term uses a vulgar term almost every person in the anglophone world uses to describe the feeling many men have when it comes to a woman. His songs continuously connect with everyday individuals, making him more popular and easy to relate to; especially with “There goes my Baby” and “OMG”.

The world as we know it today has been shaped by artists over the centuries. The buildings we live in, the cars we drive, the food we eat, our furniture and the movies we go to and all the songs we listen to are created by artists. Artists are in tune with the world and God. They create because they have to, they have no choice, it is their nature. This is how the world progresses. It can be an author, a musician, a painter or an architect. The world as we know it today has been invented by artistic geniuses. Our every move and word spoken has been shaped by artists who came and went away down the centuries. Let us have a look at the important artists who created in the past so that we could live in a cultured present.

1. Michelangelo

Michelangelo was born on 6th March, 1475 in Italy. His full name was Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni. He died in 1564. His life is full of beautiful creations by him. He was a sculptor, painter, architect and poet. Two of his statues Pieta and David are so beautiful that viewers are spellbound in their presence. A masterpiece of his painting talent is the Sistine Chapel in Rome with its picture from Genesis called The Last Judgment. He contributed to the building of St Peter’s Basilica.

2. Shakespeare

Shakespeare was born in 1564 and died on 23rd April 1616. His contribution to English literature is enormous. He is famous as the Bard of Avon. He wrote about 38 plays and more than a hundred and fifty sonnets and poems. His famous players are Hamlet, Macbeth, Twelfth Night and Julius Caesar. Shakespeare had his plays performed in London and he became famous during his lifetime. The plays are so important and the lines spoken in them are etched in the memories who love to watch Shakespearean Theatre. Many movies have been made from his plays.

3. Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven was a German music composer and pianist. He wrote many famous symphonies. He was born on 17 December,1770 and died on March 26, 1827. He was born in Bonn. He went to Vienna to study and further his musical career but the death of his mother brought him home to Bonn for five years. He went back to Vienna again in 1792 where he studied under Joseph Haydn. As the years progressed he wrote concertos, symphonies and piano sonatas. His many famous symphonies are the fifth and the ninth. The prolific Beethoven continued writing music even after he turned deaf.

4. Auguste Escoffier

Auguste Escoffier was a French chef. He was born on 28 October in 1846 in Villeneuve-Loubert, France. He died on 12th February 1935 at Monte Carlo, Monaco. Escoffier was known as the king of chefs in France. He is credited with developing modern French cuisine. It was because of Escoffier that Chefs became respected by society. He published the book Le Guide Culinaire, which is a text book for chefs even today. Kaiser Wilhelm II gave him the title of Emperor of Chefs.

5. Antonio Stradivari

Antonio Stradivari and his family members are famous for making the celebrated violins. He was born in 1644 and died in 1737. He was the manufacturer of violins, cellos and guitars. These are priced in millions of dollars today. By 1680 Antonio had a reputation as a violin maker. From 1700 to his death he made darkly varnished and a little longer violins. A cello currently used by Yo-Yo Ma is a Stradivarius. A Stradivarius was owned by the fictional character Sherlock Holmes. The violins are made of a mixture of three trees, that is, spruce, willow and maple.

Folk music is characteristic of each country and normally consists of music which has been brought down through the ages and is connected to the culture and traditions of each country. For the purposes of this list we shall take into consideration artists who are specialists in all types of American Folk Music. You will be surprised as to how many of them achieved a great deal of fame in the popularity charts of music of all types

1. Woody Guthrie:

“This Land is My Land” is considered to be his hallmark song. He wrote for the masses, with simple words and thoughts which seemed to encompass all that the common man was thinking and feeling. He travelled all over the country with migrant workers and encapsulated their experiences and the country’s traditional ballads and lyrics within his songs. He was undoubtedly the most influential folk musician of all times.

2. Bob Dylan:

For over fifty Bob Dylan has been the patriarch of the folk music industry. Songs such as “The times they are a-changing” and “Blowing in the Wind “are all part of his repertoire and even in 2009 he produced a brand new fabulous album “Together through life “. He has performed many types of American folk music including blues, gospel and rock and roll. In 2008, the Pulitzer Prize awarded him a special citation for his “profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power.”

3. Pete Seeger:

“Where all the flowers have gone” and “If I had a hammer” are songs which every folk music aficionado will be familiar with. Pete Seeger, who wrote these songs, has been responsible for the revival of interest in folk music. He has also been a major activist in various fields such as disarmament, environmental issues and civil rights. Many of his songs reflect this activism and have become staples with folk singers worldwide.

4. Joan Baez:

An unusual voice and vocal style which is unique to her, Joan Baez has been very influential in the field of folk music for many years. She has released over 30 albums and even though her music covers all genres of music such as rock and roll and blues, her forte lies in her ability to interpret songs of various songwriters such as Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie and Paul Simon among others.

Baez has performed publicly for over 50 years and has released over 30 albums. Fluent in Spanish as well as in English, she has also recorded songs in at least six other languages. She is regarded as a folk singer, although her music has diversified since she first came into fame, encompassing everything from folk rock and pop to country and gospel music.

5. Peter, Paul & Mary:

America’s most popular folk music group, Peter Paul & Mary began singing together in 1961, broke up to pursue individual careers in 1970 and rejoined in 1978. They have sung songs by all the top folk music lyricists and managed to have most of them on top of the box office lists. Their simple vocal styles and their harmony together have been responsible for their immense success.

While many people enter and leave this world with little notice, there are those among us whose death—especially if untimely—captures headlines and our hearts. Hollywood deaths are not only top news but can, in some cases, create an industry of itself dedicated to keeping alive the memory of those we deem worthy of our affections. So who are these people? How has there death changed our worldview and the way we see things? Why are their deaths so tragic?: Let’s find out in this exclusive top 10 list of untimely Hollywood tragedies.

1. Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe was not born with this name. Her real name was Norma Jean. She had a very difficult childhood not knowing her father, and her mother developing psychiatric problems and eventually being placed in a mental institution. Norma Jean was placed in foster care and an orphanage home. A family friend and her husband took care of Norma Jean for a few years, but could not afford to continue to take care of her when they moved to the East Coast for a job opportunity.

To avoid living in foster care, Norma Jean married her boyfriend, Jimmy Dougherty. While Dougherty was working as marine in the South Pacific, Norma Jean worked in a factory where she was discovered by a photographer. That was how she became a model, and her next dream was to become an actress.

In 1946, Norma Jean signed her first movie contact and divorced her husband as she was concentrating more on her career rather than her marriage. That was when she changed her name to Marilyn Monroe and dyed her hair blonde, being a natural brunette. However, the success did not come until the 1950s. Monroe was typecast as “the dumb blonde”. She was tired of the stereotype, and moved to New York to study acting. She returned to star in a movie in 1956, in the dramatic comedy “Bus Stop”.

The 1950s seemed to be golden for Marilyn Monroe, but the 1960s went downhill for her. Monroe was dismissed from the filming of “Something’s Got To Give” because of too many missed work days. Monroe claimed it was because of an illness. Her last two completed films were box office disappointments, and she had several failed relationships and marriages. One affair to recall is with John F. Kennedy, and her marriage with John DiMaggio, which lasted only nine months.

Marilyn Monroe was found dead on August 5, 1962, at the mere age of 36. She was found dead in her room, where an empty bottle of sleeping pills were found by her bed. It was also speculated that Monroe was murdered, but her death was ruled as drug overdose.

2. Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger was born in Perth, Australia. Perth, according to Ledger, is the most “isolated city in the world”. Ledger never liked what other boys enjoyed doing, such as sports. Instead, Ledger had great interests in Chess and acting. Having acted in several school plays, Ledger developed a dream of being a professional role. First, he had stints in the Australian soap opera, “Home and Away.” Then came a role of playing a gay character. Next was a starring role in “Roar”, where he met his girlfriend, Liza Zang, who was 18 years his senior.

Ledger and Zang moved to the U.S together to find acting jobs. Ledger got his first major American Film role in “10 Things I Hate About You”, a teen comedy where he plays the boy who always gets the girl. The movie was a success, and Ledger found himself typecast for these sorts of roles. Ledger did not want to be in a teen movie anymore and waited for an opportunity to play Mel Gibson’s son in “The Patriot.” Ledger then was offered the part of Spider Man, but he declined to play a small part in “Monster’s Ball”.

Ledger’s next big role was “Brokeback Mountain” playing a homosexual cowboy. His girlfriend at the time, Naomi Watts, encouraged him to accept the role, saying it was “an opportunity of a lifetime”. It was there that he met Michelle Williams. They began a relationship and had a daughter together, Matilda, born in 2005.

But then Ledger was offered the part of the Joker in “The Dark Knight”. That’s when all the troubles began. Ledger’s part was so intense, and he was always a perfectionist. To get into character, Ledger stayed in a hotel room for six weeks in complete solitude. Ledger became stressed and couldn’t sleep. On January 22, 2008, Heath Ledger died of accidental drug overdose. He took 6 different sets of pills at once that were not dangerous, but if taken at the same time, they are lethal. A year later, Ledger won an Oscar for his supporting role as the Joker. His parents and sister accepted the award on his behalf proudly.

3. Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson might as well be the most successful artists of our generation. He started out as a member of the band, Jackson 5, which included his brothers. He also has a sister, Janet, who is also a successful artist. Both Michael and Janet were open throughout their careers they were very close. They even collaborated on the song “Scream” together.

When Jackson 5 faded, Michael had an even more successful solo career with songs such as “Thriller”, “Beat it”, “Bad”, and “Black or White”. In 1984, Jackson won a record of eight Grammys. That same year, Jackson was invited to the White House by then president Ronald Reagan to award him for his charity work. This helped fans overcome the drug and alcohol abuse that overshadowed Jackson after an incident during filming of a Pepsi commercial when his head went on fire that same year. In 1988, Jackson wrote his first Autobiography, Moonwalker. He touched on subjects like his appearance and the abuse he suffered from his father during his childhood. In 1988, Elizabeth Taylor declared Michael Jackson to be “The King of Pop.”

In the mid-80s, Jackson’s skin started to change. Tabloids stated that it was due to plastic surgeries, but Jackson stated that it was due to a disease that he had called Vitiligo. By the 1990s, Jackson was completely white. In 1993, Michael Jackson was interviewed by Oprah on one of the most anticipated episodes of her show. This was his second interview since 1979. While being interviewed, Jackson talked about his surgeries, his abuse, and loneliness. The interview had an audience of 90 million in the U.S alone.

In the summer of 1993, Jackson was accused of sexually abusing a child, Jordan Chandler. Chandler described Jackson’s body parts in great detail. However, no charges were filed, and Jackson paid $22 million in settlement. Michael Jackson never truly recovered of that part of his life. At the time, Jackson was with Lisa Marie Presley. She stood by him and was a support system for him. The two got married in May 1994. The couple divorced in 1996, though they spent four more years of on and off dating. In 1995, Jackson married his second wife, Debbie Rowe. Together they had two children together, Prince and Paris. The couple divorced in 1999, and Jackson got full custody of the children. Jackson had a third child in 2002 named Blanket through a surrogate mother.

In 2001, Michael Jackson released the album, “Invincible”, and his first in six years. It did not do as well as his other albums, but still managed to get $3 million in sales revenue. Later that year, Jackson performed at a concert dedicated to him for the 30th anniversary of his career. The concert also included performances by artists such as Whitney Huston and Britney Spears. It aired on September 10, 2001

In 2003, Jackson was accused of sexual child abuse for a second time after the documentary, “Living with Michael Jackson” aired. In one scene, Jackson was seen holding hands with a young boy, and discussing sleeping arrangements. Jackson was arrested in November 2003, and was charged with seven counts of child molestation and two other counts in relation to the 13 year old boy shown in the film. The trial began in 2005 and went on for 5 months. In June, Jackson was acquitted of all counts.

In 2009 Jackson was planning a comeback tour, which would be his last. It was named “This Is It.” However, before he could even start performing, Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009. He was 50 years old.

4. Elvis Presley

Elvis was the most popular American icon of the 20th century, known as “The King of Rock N Roll” or simply as “The King”. He began his singing career in 1954, working with Sun Records owner Sam Phillips. Elvis got his contract deal with RCA victor by Colonel Tom Parker, who managed Elvis for two decades. Elvis’s first sing, “Heartbreak Hotel” was released in 1956, and it became a number 1 hit. Another hit of Elvis was “Hound Dog”. In the 50s Elvis would always be filmed from the waist up due to his “sexy” moves, which were inappropriate at the time. He also made numerous television appearances to perform his songs. His performances made Elvis a star. Elvis also made his film acting debut in “Love Me Tender”.

While being on military duties in 1958, Elvis took a hiatus from music, but returned to the scene two years later. During that time, his mother passed away. Much of the 1960s was devoted to film making and several soundtrack albums. But in 1968, after seven years away from music, Elvis made his comeback performance that led to several extended tours. The first concert was broadcast by Elvis in 1973 via satellite. Also in 1968, Elvis welcomed his daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, with wife, Priscilla Presley. Lisa Marie was born exactly 9 months after the couple made it official.

Priscilla and Elvis became very distant during the 1970s. In 1979, Elvis had an affair with Joyce Bova, which resulted in a pregnancy and an abortion. Priscilla and Elvis separated in September 1972. Five months later, Elvis began a relationship with Linda Thompson.

Elvis and Priscilla divorce took a toll on Elvis. He started being unwell, and started using drugs. He overdosed on drugs twice. Keyboardist Tony Brown remembers the singer’s arrival at a University of Maryland concert: “He fell out of the limousine, to his knees. People jumped to help, and he pushed them away like, ‘Don’t help me.’ He walked on stage and held onto the mike for the first thirty minutes like it was a post. Everybody’s looking at each other like, is the tour gonna happen?” Guitarist John Wilkinson recalled, “He was all gut. He was slurring. It was obvious he was drugged. It was obvious there was something terribly wrong with his body. It was so bad the words to the songs were barely intelligible. … I remember crying. He could barely get through the introductions”. Wilkinson recounted that a few nights later in Detroit, “I watched him in his dressing room, just draped over a chair, unable to move. So often I thought, ‘Boss, why don’t you just cancel this tour and take a year off…?’ I mentioned something once in a guarded moment. He patted me on the back and said, ‘It’ll be all right. Don’t you worry about it.’

Between 1973 and 1976, Elvis recorded material that was enough to put on six albums. But his health declined more and more that it was surprising to everyone he survived that long. Journalist Tony Scherman writes that by early 1977, “Elvis Presley had become a grotesque caricature of his sleek, energetic former self. Hugely overweight, his mind dulled by the pharmacopoeia he daily ingested, he was barely able to pull himself through his abbreviated concerts.”

Sadly, Elvis Presley died on August 16, 1977. He was found in the bathroom, and died of drug overdose. His daughter was 9 years old at the time. He was 44.

5. Kurt Cobain

Kurt Cobain was the lead singer of the well known band, Nirvana. He formed the band alongside Krist Novoselic. When he was only 7 years old, Cobain’s parents divorced, and it affected him greatly only for the worst. In a 1993, interview Cobain said, “I remember feeling ashamed, for some reason. I was ashamed of my parents. I couldn’t face some of my friends at school anymore, because I desperately wanted to have the classic, you know, typical family. Mother, father. I wanted that security, so I resented my parents for quite a few years because of that.”

Kurt’s father promised not to get married after the divorce, however, much to Kurt’s dismay, he remarried when he met Jenny Westeby. Kurt moved to a new household with his sister, his father, stepmother, and step siblings. Kurt liked Jenny because she gave him the motherly attention he desired until she and Kurt’s father had a baby boy. Kurt’s mother began dating a man who was abusive and Cobain was a witness to one incident, which resulted in a hospitalization.

Kurt began bullying a boy at school, which forced him to go to a therapist. In 1979, Kurt’s mother granted full custody to Kurt’s father. Cobain’s teenage years proved difficult for his father, and Kurt lived with relatives and friends.

Cobain always had an interest in art, and when he was assigned work in art class, Cobain drew a posing of Michael Jackson. Cobain also found peace in music and began to attend rock concerts regularly. In 1986, Cobain moved out of his house, and formed a relationship with Tracy Marander. The couple lived a very on and off life. Their relationship was strained due to Cobain’s touring and Tracey having to support the couple by working in a cafeteria. An argument that they once had inspired Cobain to write the song, “About a Girl”.

Cobain formed the group “Nirvana” along with Krist Novoselic, and Chad Channing would later join them. Channing was featured in Nirvana’s 1989 album “Bleach”, but after not liking Channing’s sound, Cobain replaced Channing with Dave Grohl. In 1991, Nirvana released their album,” Nevermind”, which sold over 25 million albums.

While Nirvana was at the top of the charts, Cobain found love in 1990 with Courtney Love. The couple married in 1992 when they discovered they were going to have a baby together. Their daughter, Frances Bean Cobain was born on August 18, 1992.

Kurt Cobain had a long history of depression, as well as a undiagnosed disease, chronic stomach condition. His first experience with drugs came at the age of 13, and continued using during adult life. Cobain was also prone to alcoholism and solvent abuse. Cobain’s cousin Beverly, a nurse, claimed Cobain was diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder as a child, and bipolar disorder as an adult. She also brought attention to the history of suicide, mental illness and alcoholism in the Cobain family, noting two of her uncles who had committed suicide with guns. His addiction to drugs worsened, and one point overdosed while performing on stage. Rather than calling for an ambulance, Love injected Cobain with Narcan to bring him out of his unconscious state.

Cobain’s addiction with drugs took a toll when he was found dead on April 8, 1994. It was reported that he was dead for 3 days prior to being found. His death was ruled a suicide, and a note was left by Cobain saying Goodbye to his fans, his wife and young daughter. He was only 27.

There are several notable singers who have made it to the top 10 list of notable singers from time to time. The following are some of the best singers of all times who can rightly be given the title of pop divas.

1. Madonna

She’s the most successful artists of all time who is not only blonde and pretty but also outspoken and freaky. She has sold over 200 million albums worldwide and still produces albums that top the charts. She is famous for her live performances and makes the experience pleasurable for concert-goers.

2. Cher

Cher – the name itself makes the gay community to giggle and cheer. Cher is also a famous and an iconic figure in the last few decades. Her lovestruck performances such as “Believe”,  “Turn Back Time”, and “I Got You Babe” are truly worth a mention as they were great hits. Cher is also noted for the outrageous outfits worn on stage.

3. Celine Dion

Though she has failed to give any hits in the last few years and hardly writes her own lyrics, she is a name to reckon with. Dion’s booming voice and swagger on stage are great qualities to give her the name of a popular “diva”. She also shares Madonna’s success in album sales as she sells more than 200 million albums worldwide.

4. Tina Turner

Tina is another famous artist who sells nearly 200 million albums worldwide. She is known for her power-packed performances and her feisty stage presence. In case you have missed seeing her on stage it is time to think about witnessing her performance as soon as you get the chance to.

5. Mariah Carey

Mariah fan is also one of the best singers of her generation. Mariah has persevered even after being called “irrelevant” to modern times. Her 2008 album E=MC2 created records, and the recent single “Obsessed” is soaring on charts. She has also sold over 200 million albums worldwide, in a shorter span of time than her counterparts!

Many artists have earned great adoration and their works are worth nearly millions of dollars and are exhibited in the most popular art galleries and exhibitions around the world. Some of these paintings have also been sold for exorbitant sums which indicated just how popular art has become. Given below are 10 of the top most expensive paintings that have been purchased.

1. No. 5, 1948

This piece of modern art is very popular with art lovers. This masterpiece by Jackson Pollock masterpiece is at the top of the list. The owner of the painting is said to be David Martinez. The artist is seen to be cashing in on the worldwide popularity of his art work collection.

2. Woman III

Woman III, by Willem De Kooning is another superb piece of art. In November 2006, this painting was purchased by David Geffen. It is a good example of the abstract style of painting. The artist died in 1997 from Alzheimer’s. His works are in great demand from collectors worldwide.

3. Adele Bloch-Bauer I

Bought by Ronald Lauder, a cosmetics magnate, he had the interest to have a collection of Jewish-owned art and place it in an art gallery in New York. This art work is very attractive and makes use of silver, gold and oil shades on canvas. It was undoubtedly the most expensive painting that was sold.

4. Garcon a la Pipe

This is another portrait by Picasso whose buyer’s identity remains a guarded secret. It is the most costly painting ever sold at auction. Picasso painted it when he was just 24 years old in 1905. There are contrasting feminine and masculine images which are the distinct features of this portrait. However many critics were of the view that it is an inferior work by the artist when compared to his other works.

5. Dora Maar au Chat

Being one of the top muses of Picasso, Dora Maar was the inspiration behind this work of art. Created in 1941, the painting is noted for its careful attention to detail and shows the deep respect the artist had for his lover. The painting went for private display in 2006 to a buyer who is unknown.