(Рок, Поп) Bauer Media Group Specials (8 номеров) (John Lennon, Eddie Van Halen, Prince, Bee Gees, ABBA, Johnny Cash, Jon Bon Jovi ...) [2021-2022, PDF, ENG]

Between 1978 and 1982, Prince released five albums that steadily built his reputation from prodigy to superstar. Then came 1984, the year he became a legend. On June 25 that year—a year that experts would later call the greatest in pop music history—Prince released Purple Rain, an album so remarkable and genre bending that some people forget that it was a movie soundtrack, the sonic bookend to the semi-autobiographical film of the same name that packed theaters starting July 27 and put America on notice that forever more, no one would forget the virtuoso from Minneapolis.

On October 6, 2020, Eddie Van Halen died of throat cancer at age 65. As the engine behind the namesake band, Van Halen, Eddie was the guitar world’s biggest hero for almost half a century. He was a spirited innovator who revolutionized the way guitar was played, the way guitars, amps, and effects were designed, and the way rock bands dressed and behaved. From Van Halen’s debut album, Van Halen, to the band’s final studio release, A Different Kind of Truth, Eddie continually reinvented the wheel. He came up with dazzling new playing techniques, innovated gear, and influenced every guitar player to follow. The top acts from Pop, Rock, Metal and even Country were inspired by his forward thinking approach to everything he touched. As a guitarist, songwriter, and producer, Eddie’s music reflected an open mindedness and willingness to take risks. Eddie Van Halen never backed down, and that's what made him a legend.

Fifty years after the release of “American Pie,” one of the most memorable and beloved songs in rock history, Don McLean is still asked about his magnum opus. A twisting, turning, roller coaster of 868 words—some of which could be heard as references to people, places and events—the most common question that McLean is asked to this day is: “What does that song mean?” McLean has never publicly indulged anyone with a verse-by-verse explanation because, to him, there is no literal answer. But McLean is more than happy to talk about the song, his inspirations for it, and how it impacted so many lives, including his own. From sold-out concerts to television appearances to books, Don McLean is proud of the song for which he will always be known. In this special commemorative, the first of its kind with words and pictures from McLean himself, Insights will be revealed. So will McLean's answer to what he feels is the best question: “What is it about ‘American Pie’ that is so powerful and enduring?”

It’s been 80 years since John Lennon was born and 40 since he died — an excellent time to appreciate the life and work of one of the most influential figures in modern history. Since the moment the Beatles first made their mark on popular culture in the early 1960s, John, Paul, George and Ringo have been a fixture in our hearts and ears — never far away and never out of style. John Lennon was probably the most personal Beatle of them all. As the leader of the band and a solo artist, he couldn’t help but share what he was going through in his life. Often it was thrilling. Sometimes, it was raw, painful and flawed. But, good or bad, Lennon never hid who he was — and we loved him for his honesty.

Sometimes up in the stratosphere, and other times down for the count, the Bee Gees wrote and sang songs that almost everyone knows by heart. From their 1967 ode “Massachusetts” to the late 1977 smash hit “Stayin’ Alive,” whatever mood you might be in, there is a Bee Gees song that captures it. That’s the essence of why we adore them. As a trio, brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb have released or written a hit song in every decade since the 1960s. They have won eight Grammys and sold over 200 million records. Their melodies, lyrics, beats, and voices transcended borders, race, age, and genres. A pleasure with no guilt necessary, it’s finally cool to admit that—deep inside—we have always loved the Bee Gees. And always will.

Every occasion is the right occasion for ABBA. From wistful ballads like “The Winner Takes It All” to uplifting anthems like “Dancing Queen,” the twin vocals of Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, and the songwriting craft of Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, have stood the test of time. Now, 40 years after their last public performance together in 1982, the Swedish supergroup has returned with a new album, Voyage, and a new digital show. To celebrate, we look back at their origins, relationships, fashions, hit songs, and pop culture legacy.

Authentic, gifted, and seemingly possessed of a timeless honesty, Johnny Cash transcended all labels and categories to become one of the most influential artists in modern music. He dealt with early tragedies, mused about love, and voiced the frustrations of the forgotten through song, all while maintaining a formidable image as the Man in Black. Cash, who would have turned 90 this year, delivered hit after hit, from “I Walk the Line” to a poignant cover of Trent Reznor’s “Hurt,” in a career that spanned six decades. The Made in America Collection celebrates his incredible life through photos—and in his own words.

From his early years as an ambitious teen singer prowling the clubs of the Jersey Shore, where he jammed with the likes of Bruce Springsteen while still in high school, to his ascent into global rock superstardom, Jon Bon Jovi embodies the spirit of the rock-and-roll American Dream. As he celebrates his 60th birthday, Bon Jovi is a rarity—not only in music, but in any walk of life—a person who has achieved success without letting success corrupt his values or how he engages with the world. His is a small-town-boy-makes-good story that anyone can applaud and admire.