• Date of birth: December 13, 1989 (age 29 years old)

• Genre of music they are associated with: Pop and Country music

• Most popular songs: Shake It Off, I Knew You Were Trouble, and Look What You Made Me Do,

• Essencial album: 1989

Biography: Swift was born in Reading, Pennsylvania. Her grandmother was a professional opera singer which inspired Swift to follow in her footsteps. Around the age of 10, she was already preforming at local events. She began writing her own songs and learning the guitar around the age of 12. The true jump start to her career was when she preformed at The Bluebird Cafe, in Nashville, where she got a record deal. She signed with Big Machine Records. In 2006, she released her first single, "Tim Mcgraw" which reached top 10 on the charts and it was smooth sailing from there. She received multiple awards and has released more albums with number one hits since then.

Key influence: Britney Spears

"She then added a bit about her obsession with the pop star: "This way, I see it more often and it more proudly displays my unwavering devotion to Britney Spears.""- Vena, Jocelyn (January 26, 2009). "Taylor Swift Blogs About 'Life-Changing' Cameo On 'CSI,' Britney Spears Poster". MTV. Archived from the original on April 4, 2015. Retrieved April 11, 2015.

Analysis: Though thier songs dont sound very similar, when it comes to music videos and costumes, they look quite alike. For example, the music video for Btriney's "Toxic" and Taylor's, "Bad Blood", some scenes are extreemly alike. Like thier red heaor and cat eye makeup and the “walking through a futuristic-looking tunnel while wearing a black bodysuit” moment in “Toxic”:

• Date of birth: December 2, 1981

• Genre of music: Pop and Dance pop music

• Most popular songs: "Baby One More Time", "Toxic", "Womanizer", "Oops..,. I Did It Again" and "Every time"

• Essential albums: …Baby One More Time

Biography: Based on this site, https://www.biography.com/people/britney-spears-9542229 , "Britney Spears was born on December 2, 1981, in McComb, Mississippi. She starred in The All-New Mickey Mouse Club at age 11, and began a highly successful career as a pop singer and performer with the release of the single "...Baby One More Time" in 1998." When the show ended, she was focused on her own career and landed a record deal with Jive Records. When she released " Baby one more time", her success followed from there.

Influence: Madonna

"I have been a huge fan of Madonna since I was a little girl. She's the person that I've really looked up to. I would really, really like to be a legend like Madonna."

From: the 2002 book Madonnastyle by Carol Clerk

Influences Analysis: Though their lyrics aren't extreemly simliar, thier melodies and how thye sing are simliar. if you listen to the chorus of Btiney's "Ooh La La" and Madonna's "Superstar" they sound very alike and repeat the line "Ooh La La"

• Date of birth: August 16, 1958

• Genre of music: Pop, Rock, and electronic dance music

• Most popular songs: "Like a Virgin", "Vogue", "Crazy for You", "Take a Bow", "Like A Prayer", and "Express Yourself"

• Essential album: "Like a Prayer" (1989)

Biography: Madonna was born and raised in Michigan and moved to New York City in 1978. She went on to try to pursue a career in modern dance. "After performing as a drummer, guitarist, and vocalist in the rock bands Madonna signed with Sire Records in 1982 and released her debut album the next year. American singer-songwriter, actress and businesswoman Madonna is referred to as the "Queen of Pop" since the 1980s." Around the world, Madonna is known for pushing the boundaries of songwriting in mainstream popular music. Also for the imagery she uses onstage and in music videos.

Influences: Karen Carpenter

Quote: "My musical influences -- wow. They ranged from Karen Carpenter to the Supremes to Led Zeppelin. Those were my musical influences" and "Karen Carpenter had the clearest, purest voice. I'm completely influenced by her harmonic sensibility."

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/Music/9901/19/madonna.lkl/

Anaylasis: Madonna's admiration ran deep for Karen Carpenter and we can see this through her tribute to Karen Carpenter by singing rain. Also, behind Madonna's song "This Used To Be My Playground", Karen was her muse.

• Date of birth: March 2, 1950

• Genre of music: Adult Contemporary, Pop Rock, Soft Rock

• Most popular songs: "(They Long To Be) Close to You", "Superstar", "We've Only Just Begun", "Top of the World"

• Essential album: Karen Carpenter

Biography: Karens love for music really sprouted when she and her family moved to Downey, California. Her older brother, Richard carpenter, had formed an instrumental trio with him on the piano, Karen on the drums and a close friend on the tuba/bass. Then, after winning a battle of the bands in Hollywood, they landed a record deal with RCA records. However, it was short-lived and soon the siblings formed a new band, Spectrum, with four other college friends . Yet once again, after a few gigs, it was disbanded.

In 1969, Richard and Karen had made multiple demos and eventually landed a record deal with A&M records. This is when they're careers really hit off. They were known o be one of the most successful groups in the 1970s. Karen was on drums and lead vocals while her brother was on piano and backup vocals. Together, they went on a world tour, landed their own tv show (Make Your Own Kind of Music) and won three Grammys.

Influencers: In a book written about her life, "Little Girl Blue", it says that one of her major influences was Les Paul. To add on, when Richard was asked about their major influences on their music style, he had said, "Les Paul and Mary Ford – Ford’s 4-part 'close' harmonies and Les’s development of overdubbing."

http://www.richardandkarencarpenter.com/fans_ask_Archive-All.htm

Anaylasis: In songs like "Close To You" after the second verse, you begin hear the four part harmonies that Richard is talking about that have always been in Mary and Les' songs. One obvious is in Les and Mary's "How High The Moon".

• Date of birth: Les Paul: June 9, 1915 Mary Ford: July 7, 1924

• Genre of music: Jazz, Blues, Gospel Pop and Country music

• Most popular songs: "How High the Moon (Les Paul and Mary Ford)", "Blue Skies", "Vaya Con Dios (Les Paul and Mary Ford)", "Guitar Boogie", "Lover" and "I’m Sitting on Top of the World (Les Paul and Mary Ford)"

• Essential album: "Les and Mary"

Biography: In search of a lead singer, Les paul had run into an olf friend, Gene Auty, who had told Les to step inside the studio to see the Sunshine Girls trio. “Watch the one in the middle”, he told Les. It was Colleen Summers (Mary Ford) and Les was impressed. He had called the next day to see if she would audition for him and she agreed immediately. It went well and a few years later, Les’ father George and brother Ralph were planning the grand opening of their bar, The Club 400 in Waukesha, Wisconsin. After agreeing to play for the opening, Les convinced Mary, who was an excellent guitar player, to play with him in front of the hometown crowd. That was the first time Les and Mary played their guitars together in public.

Early in their relationship, Les decided Colleen needed a name that flowed better with his. Both liked “Mary” that she had been using for their radio show. And through a phone call, they agreed on "Mary Ford". In the 1950s, the dou became extreemly popular and had signiture hits like "Vaya Con Dios” and “How High the Moon.” Admist all the recording and performances, they got married on December 29, 1949 in the Milwaukee (Wisconsin) County Court House.

Influencers: Based on the book, "The Music of Django Reinhardt," by Benjamin Givan", Paul's guitar style was strongly influenced by the music of Django Reinhardt whom he greatly admired. Paul once said " I considered him the greatest guitar player around." Though they only encountered eachother a couple of times, they were close and when Django Reinhardt had died, Les Paul had paid for his funeral.

Source:https://gypsyjazzuk.wordpress.com/django-in-the-usa-canada-1946/django-and-les-paul/

Anaylasis: According to https://jazztimes.com/departments/farewells/les-paul-2/ "A few years later, in 1952, Les went to France to see Django and arranged for the Gypsy-jazz great to tour with Les Paul and Mary Ford, as Les felt Django never got his due respect in America.Unfortunately, in 1953 Django passed away at the early age of 43. Les, knowing Django had next to nothing, collected the publishing royalties owed to the Reinhardt family, paid for his funeral and gave the rest of the money to the Reinhardt family. In 2000, I had the honor of being the musical director for the first annual Django Reinhardt Festival in New York." This shows that he had a close connection with Reinhardt that was not only on a musical level but on a personal level too. he said, "Django was spectacular. He had this incredible, naturl fire and a heart of gold. He had this technique, but he played with soul too. I believe Django represented the biggest change in our times in terms of guitar playing.”

• Date of birth: January 23, 1910

• Genre of music: Jazz, Gypsy Jazz Behop, and Romani music

• Most popular songs: "Nuages", "Melodie au Crepuscule", "Swing 42", "Belleville", and "Minor Swing"

• Essential album: The Art of Django

Biography: Learning the guitar at a very early age, Django Reinhardt became famous for his unique musical sound, which blended aspects of American jazz with traditional European and Roma music. He never learned how to read or write music but was largely seft taught. By his early teens, he had been playing at clubs al around paris. He started out by playing popular french music but soon became interested in American Jazz in the mid 1920s. However, his promising career was almost ended after he got into a bad accident.

Caused by a fire in his home, Reinhardt lost the use of two fingers on his right hand and burnt his leg. However, After 18 months of recuperation and determination, Reinhardt had taught himself how to play again. In the 1930s, he had mad group with violinist Stephane Grappelli, to form the Quintet of the Hot Club of France. This group became the first major European jazz band. In addition to this band, he had produced some of his wn original music like "Djangology" and "Bricktop"

influence: " he became interested in American jazz in the mid-1920s. He especially liked the works of Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Joe Venuti."

Source: https://www.biography.com/people/django-reinhardt-9454889

Anaylsis: Though they played different instruments, Louis Armstrong and Reinhardt had similar stlyes and had even covered the same song, "Georgia On My Mind"

Louis ARMSTRONG

• Date of birth: August 4, 1901

• Genre of music: Jazz, Dixieland, Traditional Pop, and Swing music

• Most popular songs: "When the Saints go Marching In", "What a Wonderful World", "Hello Doly" and "You'll Never Walk Alone"

• Essential album: "Ella and Louis"

Biography: Armstrong was born in one of the poorest areas of New Orleans. During his teenage years, he often sang on the streets in a vocal group for pennies. He loved hearing the many brass bands that filled the city and got excited whenever a parade was nearby. He got his first cornet from a Jewish family that he did errands for. Louis worked hard on trying to master the cornet and in 1922, Armstrong's idol, Joe "King" Oliver decided to add a second cornetist to his Creole Jazz Band which was based at the Lincoln Gardens in Chicago and he had chose Louis. By this time, Louis Armstrong had a beautiful tone, a wide range, and an exciting style on the cornet. Armstrong was mostly featured playing harmonies in ensembles, trying hard not to outshine his idol. Then in 1924, he became apart of the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra. There, he began to change the direction of jazz.

According to the site below, "It was largely due to Louis Armstrong powerful playing that jazz changed into a music that put the focus on brilliant and adventurous soloists. During his year with Henderson, Armstrong became a major influence not only on other brass players but on musicians of all instruments." During 1925-28, Louis had recorded with small groups like rthe Hot Five, Hot Seven and his Savoy Ballroom Five. With this he revolutionized jazz, containing some of his most brilliant trumpet playing. He had permanently switched to trumpet in 1926 and those sessions also introduced Armstrong as a singer. He had been the one to create scat singing.

https://www.biography.com/news/louis-armstrong-biography-facts

Influence: One of Armstrongs biggest influence would be Joe "King" Oliver. He said "if it had not been for Joe Oliver, jazz would not be what it is today "

source:https://twentiesjazzmusic.weebly.com/king-oliver.html

Analysis: This can easily be seen for various sources say that Oliver was Armstrong's mentor and teacher. Also they had an ablum together called, "Louis Armstrong and King Oliver" which had songs they had preformed togehter in Oliver's creole band. It had songs like "Just Gone" and "Workingman Blues"