“Livin’ la Vida Loca” or “Living the Crazy Life” for English is a song by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin. It was released in 1999 from Martin’s self-titled debut English album. The song was composed by Desmond Child and Ricky Martin which topped the charts in 1999 this week. It received various Grammy nominations and helped Ricky Martin obtain enormous success inside the United States and worldwide.

The single was Ricky Martin’s first and only number-one hit to date, it stayed at number one in the U.S. for five weeks and peaked at number 10 on the year-end charts of 1999. The video received six nominations at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards and two extra awards for Viewers Choice internationally.

Martin was honored as the 2006 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year by The Latin Recording Academy on November 1, 2006. He was chosen for his accomplishments as a world renowned entertainer, consummate performer and passionate humanitarian. A portion of the proceeds from the evening’s tribute dinner was used benefit Ricky Martin’s charitable efforts.

“Papa Don’t Preach” is the second single by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her 3rd studio album True Blue and was released on June 11 (UK) & 23 June (US) back in 1986. The song peaked the charts this week in 1986 and was an international #1 hit and caused huge controversy with its music video depicting a pregnant young teenage mother.

The song also earned Madonna her first praise from former critics from across the political spectrum. Tipper Gore, who just a year earlier had denounced Madonna and her single “Dress You Up” as “vulgar” and had led a campaign against vulgar music, commended Madonna for speaking candidly about such a relevant and important social issue.

The single was one of the first video singles ever to be released on the CD Video format. The song won Best Female Video honors at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards. Madonna also performed “Papa Don’t Preach” on her 2004 Re-Invention Tour, and danced around in a long Scottish kilt that made her look like a schoolgirl.

“One Day in Your Life” is a song recorded by Michael Jackson for his 1975 album, Forever, Michael, and re-released in 1981 due to the strong buzz that generated from the sales of Jackson’s hit album, 1979’s Off the Wall. Though not an official solo release, was issued as a “lost” solo album from Michael Jackson upon its release by Motown Records in 1981.

Others call it a compilation of Jackson’s mid-1970s recordings when he was between the ages of 15 and 17. The title track became a worldwide hit, especially in the United Kingdom. While a modest U.S. hit, it was a bigger hit in the UK, where it became Jackson’s first solo recording to hit #1 on the UK Singles Chart.

The Real Thing emerged in 1976 with ‘You To Me Are Everything‘, which reached number 1 in the UK. The song was a minor hit in the USA where it peaked at #64 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and #28 on the Billboard Black Music chart.

Their next release, ‘Can’t Get By Without You’ continued their brand of commercial sweet-soul, but later singles were less successful until a more forthright performance in 1979 with the Star Wars-influenced ‘Can You Feel The Force’, took the group back into the Top 5, establishing their popularity with the British disco audience.

The same song would be re-released as ‘The Decade Remix’ in 1986 and achieve an even higher UK chart position of #3, being remixed by Froggy, Simon Harris and KC. The group, with three of the founder members still on board, continue to perform and record to this day

“Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)” peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming one of Soul II Soul’s most successful singles in the U.S. (and the only one to enter in the top 10). In the UK it performed even better, reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart for four weeks this day in June 1989.

Soul II Soul is a 2-time Grammy winning act that emerged at the end of the 1980s from London. Founded by Jazzie B and featuring a changing roster of other musicians - notably Nellee Hooper and Caron Wheeler - Soul II Soul’s experiments in music-making of their own resulted in the dub plate “Fairplay,” which secured them a deal with Virgin Records

“Back to Life” was one of two songs on the album featuring British R&B singer Caron Wheeler and gained success in both the UK and in the USA. It appeared on their debut album Club Classics Vol. I, (Keep On Movin’ in the USA) and was released as its second single.

“Together Forever” is a song recorded by English singer, songwriter, musician, and internet phenomenon Rick Astley, which ascended to number one atop the Billboard Hot 100 this week in June 1988. The single was already a hit in the UK following the success of his first solo hit single.

His first single was the little-known “When You Gonna,” released as a collaboration with Lisa Carter but his first solo offering was “Never Gonna Give You Up,” released in 1987 (UK) / 1988 (US) which became an immediate success. His second U.S. single “Together Forever” was Astley’s final US chart-topper.

Based on various music charts in the UK, US and Canada, Astley has charted a grand total of 14 (different) hit singles and 6 (different) hit albums, as of March 2006. In April of 2008, the album “The Ultimate Collection: Rick Astley” was released by Sony BMG and by early May it had reached #17 on the UK Top 40 Albums Chart.

In 1991 the RIAA certified that two million copies of Whenever You Need Somebody had been sold. Total world sales of Astley’s records (including singles, albums and compilation inclusions) have since reached 39.9 million. Check out this great megamix video with the great sound of the 80s.

“I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” is written in 1975 by Alan Merrill and Jake Hooker of The Arrows, which went on to be a hit for Joan Jett in 1981. She first recorded it in 1979 with two of the Sex Pistols: Steve Jones and Paul Cook. This first version was not a hit.

In 1982, Jett re-recorded the song, this time with her band, the Blackhearts, and this recording became a U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number-one single for seven weeks, effectively launching Jett’s solo career. Its success propelled Jett’s I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll album to number two in the U.S and numer 8 on the UK charts.

“I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll“’s gritty, black-and-white music video received heavy play from the then-young MTV network. In it Jett and the Blackhearts travel to a small, dingy bar and proceed to excite the drunken crowd by performing the song and yelling out its famous chorus.

“MMMBop” is a song written and performed by the American pop rock band Hanson from their 1997 debut album Middle of Nowhere. The single was one of the biggest debut singles of all time; it reached number one in 27 countries, including the United States, the UK, Germany and Australia.

In the UK, the song sold 710,000 copies and stayed at number one for 3 weeks and was nominated for two Grammys at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards in February 1998. Despite commercial success of Middle of Nowhere, the band departed Island Def Jam Music Group after conflict with the label. The band now records under its own label, 3CG Records.

“All That She Wants” was a hit single of Swedish pop group Ace of Base. The song was produced by Denniz Pop. In late 1992 and early 1993, the song reached the top of the charts in many countries, including Denmark, the United Kingdom and Australia.

The single was certified Platinum in the United States, where it peaked at #2. It is one of the highest-selling #2 songs of all time in the States: it stayed in the top three songs on Billboard’s Hot 100 list for three months, but never actually reached the #1 position.

They released their debut album in 1993 and went on to achieve major chart success throughout the 1990s. The departure of former lead singer Linn Berggren was revealed in 2007 after years of declining participation in the group. The three remaining members are currently on a world tour and plan to release a new studio album later in 2008.

Deniece Williams made it to the Billboard number 1 today in 1984 with “Let’s hear it from the boy“, which reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number two on the UK singles chart. The song was featured on the soundtrack to the motion picture, Footloose.

Two songs from the movie, “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins and “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” by Deniece Williams both hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received 1985 Academy Award nominations for Best Music (Original Song). The song “Footloose” also received a 1985 Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Original Song – Motion Picture.

The movie’s soundtrack was released in compact cassette, gramophone record, and compact disc format. The soundtrack was also re-released on compact disc for the 15th anniversary of the film. The film, despite mixed critical reviews, nonetheless grossed approximately $80 million in domestic box office.