Singers From New Jersey

Amongst the best-selling recording artists of all time and an inspiration to millions of budding artists, Whitney Houston achieved stardom with her eponymous debut album. The success of her later albums consolidated her position and earned her a spot in the Guinness World Records as the most awarded female artist of all time. She struggled with drug abuse and troubled marriage and died of drowning in her hotel's bathtub. 

Amongst the most popular singers of the 20th century and one of the bestselling artists of all time, Frank Sinatra began his musical career singing with bands and later established his successful solo career with albums like The Voice of Frank Sinatra. Also an award winning actor, he featured in movies like From Here to Eternity and The Manchurian Candidate.

Considered one of the greatest rock stars, Bruce Springsteen’s catalogue of songs over many decades is unparalleled. His fame skyrocketed in 1975 after the release of his third album, Born to Run, and it reached dizzying heights with his seventh album, Born in the USA, in 1984. He was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999.

Queen Latifah is an American musician and actress whose song U.N.I.T.Y. played a major role in raising awareness about women's rights worldwide. Dubbed Queen of Jazz-Rap, Latifah has influenced several soul, R&B, and hip-hop artists like Remy Ma, Lil' Kim, Ivy Queen, Missy Elliott, Lauryn Hill, and Eve among other artists. As an actress, Latifah has won several prestigious awards.

Known as the iconic founder of the popular rock band Bon Jovi, Jon Bon Jovi is a record producer and singer-songwriter. In 2012, he was named in Billboard magazine's The Most Powerful and Influential People In The Music Business list. Also a well-known philanthropist, he founded the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation in an attempt to eradicate poverty and homelessness.

Famous rapper and singer, Lauryn Hill, is widely regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time and a pioneer in the Neo soul genre. The artist whose album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill won five Grammy Awards, is an inspiration for numerous singers and rappers. Earlier, she gained recognition as member of Fugees, an award-winning hip hop group.

Rapper, singer, songwriter, musician, and actor, Ice-T is known for his fusion music that combines elements of rock and hip hop. Beginning his career as an underground rapper in the 1980s, he went on to release many albums that were commercially and critically successful. He is also an actor and voice actor.

Dionne Warwick is an American singer, TV host, actress, and former FAO Goodwill Ambassador. Warwick was one of the most successful singers between 1955 and 1999, ranking among the 40 biggest hitmakers according to the Billboard Hot 100. 80 of her singles have been featured on Billboard's music charts, making Warwick one of the most-charted female singers in history. 

Halsey is an American singer and songwriter. She serves as an inspiration to several aspiring singers as she became a professional singer after posting self-released music on the internet. In 2020, she was named in Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world list. Also an activist, Halsey has been involved in racial justice protests and suicide prevention programs.

One half of the popular musical duo Simon & Garfunkel, Paul Simon is a singer-songwriter, musician, and actor. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest guitarists and songwriters of all time. His career, which has spanned more than 60 years, has been so influential that Time named him among the 100 People Who Shaped the World in 2006.

Ashley Tisdale is an American actress and singer. Regarded as a sex symbol, Tisdale frequently appears on lists, such as Maxim's Hot 100. Also an influential social media personality, Tisdale was named by The Huffington Post as one of the most influential women on Twitter. Ashley Tisdale uses her popularity to raise funds for charitable organizations.

Musician, singer, and songwriter Kevin Jonas rose to fame as a member of the pop-rock band, the Jonas Brothers, with his younger brothers, Joe and Nick. Also an actor, he has appeared in many Disney Channel productions. He is involved in business ventures as well and is the founder of a construction company, JonasWerner.

Elizabeth Gillies is a popular American actress and singer who started her acting career at the age of 15 when she was cast to play the character of Lucy in the Broadway musical 13. She then went on to establish herself as an actress in the American film and TV industry, thanks to her hard work and skills.

Best known as the co-founder of the rock band, My Chemical Romance, Gerard Way is a popular singer and songwriter. Also a famous comic book writer, Gerard Way co-founded DC's Young Animal imprint and wrote the Eisner Award-winning book series ,The Umbrella Academy. After struggling with prescription drug addiction and alcoholism, he has been maintaining sobriety for many years now.

The oldest daughter of Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra established herself as a popular singer and actress during the 1960s and 1970s. At the age of 54, she posed for Playboy magazine, becoming one of the oldest women to do so. In 2006, she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Ricky Nelson was an American pop pioneer, rock & roll star, and singer-songwriter. After establishing himself as a top teen idol during the 1950s, Ricky Nelson went on to release several chartbusting songs. He achieved great popularity and was ranked 91st on Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time list.

Frankie Valli is an American singer who became famous as the lead singer of the band The Four Seasons, thanks to his powerful falsetto voice. Also known for his humanitarian efforts, Frankie Valli was honored with the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in May 2012.

Christina Grimmie was an American singer-songwriter, actress, and YouTuber. She was fatally shot in 2016 when she was signing autographs after performing at The Plaza Live in Florida. Following her murder, celebrities demanded better security measures at concert venues and Billboard published an open letter demanding background checks for gun purchases. Several venues observed safety precautions like adding metal detectors.  

Actor John Travolta’s career has seen significant ups and down. Starting with minor roles, he shot to international fame with Saturday Night Fever and Grease. For the cultural icon of the 1970s, the 80s and early 90s were disappointing, but an impressive comeback with Tarantino's Pulp Fiction resurrected his career.

The son of popular actor and singer Frank Sinatra, Frank Sinatra Jr. followed in the footsteps of his father to become a singer-songwriter and conductor. He was kidnapped at age 19 and released two days later. The kidnapping was rumored to be a publicity stunt to promote his singing career, which he established around the same time.

Celia Cruz was a Cuban-American singer who achieved popularity in Cuba as a singer of guarachas during the 1950s. Widely regarded as one of the 20th century's most famous Latin artists, Cruz was nicknamed the Queen of Salsa. She is also revered for popularizing Latin music in the USA. Celia Cruz also won numerous awards, including two Grammy Awards. 

Patti Scialfa is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter. The wife of popular musician Bruce Springsteen, Scialfa has been an important member of Springsteen's primary backing band, E Street Band, since 1984. As a member of the band, Patti Scialfa became an inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.

Singer and actor, Paul Robeson, was as much known for his music and films as he was for his political activism. As a black man who had to endure great difficulties to establish himself, he was actively involved in the Civil Rights Movement and other social justice campaigns. As a performer, he was a major figure in the Harlem Renaissance.

Pop singer and former actress, Connie Francis, was one of the top female vocalists of the late 1950s and early 1960s. She started performing in small festivities as a child and decided to pursue a career in entertainment. She struggled for a few years as a young woman before she could establish herself as a successful singer and actress. 

Dead or Alive lead vocalist Pete Burns was a legendary musician of the 1980s. The son of a Holocaust survivor mother, he had a troubled childhood and quit school. He made his androgynous looks and his bisexuality his signature style. Plagued with surgery-related health issues, he died of a cardiac arrest at 57.

Justina Valentine is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and model. Renowned for her eclectic music style that often incorporates elements of various genres including hip hop, Justina Valentine has had major radio airplay and charting singles. She is also known for competing in the popular reality competition show, The Challenge.

Clint Black is an American record producer, multi-instrumentalist, musician, country music singer, songwriter, and actor. He is credited with founding a record label named Equity Music Group in 2003. Over the years, he has won many awards, including five Academy of Country Music awards and two Country Music Association awards.

Debby Boone is an American singer, actress, and author. Her 1977 cover of You Light Up My Life peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and stayed there for ten weeks. The song also earned her a Grammy Award the following year. Apart from recording songs and appearing in musical theater productions, Boone also co-authors children's books.