| Music of the United States |
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The music inNevada is often associated with theRat Pack andlounge singers likeWayne Newton playing inLas Vegas,Reno, andCarson City. However, Nevada has launched many other notable artists and bands from a variety of genres.
The Killers formed in Las Vegas in 2001. They are seen as one of the biggest rock bands of the 21st century,[1] and the most successful rock act to ever emerge from the state of Nevada, having sold an estimated 28 million albums worldwide.[2] They had a #1 album in 2019, and their 2006 albumSam's Town was #2 on the Billboard 200.[citation needed] They have achieved worldwide success as a live band, performing in over fifty countries and on six continents, headlining venues such asMadison Square Garden andWembley Stadium. The Killers' lead vocalistBrandon Flowers, born inHenderson, Nevada, has additionally released two solo albums (likeFlamingo), both of which reached #1 on the UK Albums charts.[3]
Imagine Dragons is a Grammy Award-winning band based in Las Vegas. They have enjoyed immense international success and acclaim.[4] Imagine Dragons is the only artist or group with two songs in the Top Ten Most Downloaded Songs in Rock History "Radioactive" (No. 1) and "Demons" (No. 8).[5] They have had a #1 album on the Billboard 200 with the alternativeSmoke + Mirrors in 2015, and 2 #2 albums on the Billboard 200. Lead singerDan Reynolds attended theUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Big Talk is a rock band from Las Vegas formed byRonnie Vannucci Jr, best known as the drummer ofThe Killers. The band released a debut, self-titled album in 2011 and a second album titledStraight In No Kissin' in 2015. Big Talk made their live television debut onJimmy Kimmel Live! on July 25, 2011.[6]
Panic! at the Disco is a rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada formed in 2004 and currently featuring the lineup of vocalist and multi-instrumentalistBrendon Urie. They have had 2 #1 albums on the Billboard 200 with the pop rockDeath of a Bachelor in 2016, andPray for the Wicked in 2018.
The Cab is a pop rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada. They've been called "The Band You Need to Know 2008" byAlternative Press and were featured in the "100 Bands You Need to Know in 2010" by the magazine.[7][8][9]
Bassist Branden Campbell ofNeon Trees grew up in Las Vegas.
Several alt country bands includingThe Clydesdale and The Yeller Bellies, both of whom have released multiple albums each, are a part of the Las Vegas music scene.[10][11]
NBC'sAmerica's Got Talent winnerMichael Grimm is a Las Vegas resident who regularly performs in the valley.
The city ofElko, Nevada is an important center for cowboy music and poetry. In 1985,Hal Cannon, director of theWestern Folklife Center, founded the firstCowboyPoetry Gathering, which has since spread across the country; Elko is also home to theCowboy Music Gathering. Las Vegas' music scene includes a number of country and cowboy-themed hotel shows, many of them featuring big stars likeReba McEntire,Willie Nelson andDolly Parton.[12]
Dino graduated ofUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas before releasing two top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100.
Multiple members of the Grammy-nominated groupThe Jets relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada where they still perform.
David Hopkins, a singer-songwriter from Ireland, relocated to Las Vegas where he released a 2010 album featuringDamien Rice andLaura Jansen.[13] His recordings have landed on theIrish singles top 40 chart andLas Vegas Weekly dubbed him "an Ace singer-songwriter".
Jenny Lewis (ofRilo Kiley) grew up in Las Vegas and featured on the debut solo album ofBrandon Flowers.
Jill & Julia are a local folk duo signed to Nashville indie label, Lamon Records.
Several garage acts have gained notoriety in Las Vegas. The Mad Caps mix blues and rockabilly with garage rock, while Rob Bell (of The Yeller Bellies) mixes country with garage rock in his project known as The Psyatics[14]
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducteeGladys Knight lives in Las Vegas and leads theSaints Unified Voices gospel music choir. Together with the choir, Knight earned a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album.
Post-hardcore groupEscape the Fate have charted on the Billboard 200 three times. Two singles have charted on the Hot Rock Songs chart.
Post-hardcore groupFalling in Reverse have charted on the Billboard 200 three times.
Adelitas Way have twice charted on the Billboard 200. Four singles have charted on the Hot Rock Songs chart.
Otherwise have charted on the Billboard 200 twice, and blend hard rock and alternative rock. They charted on the Hot Rock Songs chart with "Soldiers".
Slaughter have charted on the Billboard 200 three times, but more recent albums courtesy of an independent label have failed to chart.
Heavy metal groupHemlock have never charted on the Billboard 200.
In 2011,Five Finger Death Punch relocated to Las Vegas. They have had 3 #2 albums on the Billboard 200, like in 2013.
As a result of the downtown Las Vegas restoration that began in 2006, mainly that of theFremont East district, which spurred the opening of several new bars and clubs, a new music scene began sprouting up in Las Vegas. With the support of local press,independent musical artists such as the bandsBlack Camaro,The Big Friendly Corporation,Halloween Town, and A Crowd of Small Adventures grew large fan bases quickly in Las Vegas.[15][16][17]
The Las Vegas indie music community would soon form its own music festival to parallel that of theSXSW festival inAustin, Texas. Founded by Thirry Harlin, James Woodbridge, and Jason Aragon, the music festival, known asNeon Reverb, which consisted of both national and local indie acts, experimented with genres such as Hip-Hop and punk rock as well as other culture related segments such as film and visual art that complement the music portion of the festival.[18][19] The festival has grown to include a radio segment of the same name, founded by Donald Hickey andThe Killers bassist,Mark Stoermer that broadcasts from 91.5KUNV in Las Vegas.[20][21]
As a result of the continuing revitalization of downtown Las Vegas, a second wave of indie acts have grown prominent in the local music scene. In December 2011, songwriterZach Ryan premiered his new band Zach Ryan and the Rouge, which has since been renamed Zach Ryan and the Renegades. Other second wave Las Vegas Indie acts include Restless Suns, and Alaska, who both arrived in 2012.[22][23] In October 2012, Las Vegas based band Bear With Me finished tracking an EP atChrome Werewolf, a Las Vegas studio opened in 2011 by Black Camaro'sBrian Garth. The EP marks Bear With Me's second release and features the songI Am a Fiesta.[24]
Leah Dizon released an album that reached the top ten albums in Japan in 2007 and included two top ten singles on the Oricon Singles Chart.
In December 2012Trevor and The Joneses self-releasedThere Was Lightning, their firstLP. The band formed in early 2012, has performed over 150 shows, and has shared the stage with acts such asThe Warlocks.[25][26][27] The band was the last to record inBrian Garth's now defunct studioChrome Werewolf in downtown Las Vegas.[28]
Las Vegas is home to notable punk and hardcore bands such asCaravels andStolas.
Punksinvegas.com is a website founded by Emily Matview in 2011.[29] The website publishes news, concert photographs and album reviews relating to punk rock, hardcore punk, ska, emo and indie rock with a specific emphasis on bands from or playing in the Las Vegas and Henderson area. The website began as a simple database of punk shows coming to the Las Vegas area and quickly expanded to include original content, most notably a series of acoustic videos called The Stripped Down Sessions.[30] The Stripped Down Session have featured such notable acts asLess Than Jake,The Bouncing Souls andDead to Me playing acoustic versions of their songs, often debuting songs for the first time through the Sessions.[31] In late 2011 the website released their first music compilation, featuring new, acoustic holiday-themed songs from Forever Came Calling, Last Call and The Sheds.[32] More recently, Punksinvegas.com has begun re-releasing out of print punk and hardcore albums digitally under the Vegas Archive banner.[33]
Dizzy Wright's second album reached No. 47 on the Billboard 200.
Ne-Yo is the only solo act from Las Vegas to have topped the Billboard 200, which he did twice, including withIn My Own Words in 2006. He has released five studio albums that topped the R&B Albums Chart and three singles that topped the R&B Singles Chart.
702 is an American girl group from Las Vegas, named after the area code for Las Vegas. They released a platinum selling album by the same name and had two top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100.
Gladys Knight ofGladys Knight & the Pips also resides in Las Vegas. She and the Pips have released six studio albums that topped the R&B Albums Chart and eleven singles that topped the R&B Singles Chart.
In 2012,Smith Center for the Performing Arts, a $470 million facility opened. The center is free of slots and gambling. Instead, it features fine arts productions including symphonies, Broadway performances, and international talents.[35] It is also the home of theLas Vegas Philharmonic Orchestra and Nevada Ballet Theatre.[36]
