Music Highlights Of 2006

As the new year started, Mariah Carey, seen here performing at the Grammy awards, dominated the music scene. Her comeback album "Emancipation of Mimi" put her back on the charts and earned her eight Grammy nominations, including album, song and record of the year. Some observers were calling it the most sucessful pop music comeback ever

Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones, in the middle of what Billboard calls the biggest tour of 2006, performed in the half-time show at the Super Bowl. Despite delays caused by Keith Richard's head injury and Mick Jagger's laryngitis, the band's Bigger Bang tour, which began in August 2005 and ended in November, brought in total ticket sales of about $437 million.

U2

On Grammy night, U2 was the big winner, taking home five awards including song of the year. The frontrunner Mariah Carey won three. But stealing the spotlight was pyschedelic funk pioneer Sly Stone who performed onstage for the first time in 13 years during an all-star tribute to him and his music.

Kelly Clarkson

A 2002 "American Idol" winner, Kelly Clarkson beat frontrunner Mariah Carey for Grammy's best female pop vocal performance for "Since U Been Gone" and also won the Grammy for best pop album for her multi-platinum album "Breakaway."

Madonna

Madonna's sold-out "Confessions" tour, which began in May in Los Angeles, was the top-grossing tour ever by a female artist, accoridng to Billboard. Second only to the Stones in 2006, her tour grossed just under $195 million. True to form, the diva incited critics with the concert's religious imagery, which included a giant cross.

Brooks & Dunn

Brooks & Dunn, the most honored artists in the history of the Academy of Country Music's awards show, picked up a record 20th trophy at the 2006 awards in May. Six months later, the duo cleaned up at the 40th Annual Country Music Association Awards, earning single of the year, song of the year, and music video of the year for "Believe." They also won vocal duo of the year.

Keith Urban

The country star, named country music's sexiest man in Australia this spring, has had a year of highs and lows. In June, he wed actress Nicole Kidman in a lavish ceremony in Australia. In October, he checked himself into rehab for alcohol abuse, with his new wife at his side. Rehab kept him from the Country Music Association Awards, where he won the male vocalist of the year award.

Barbra Streisand

Diva Barbra Streisand returned to the concert stage after a 12-year absence, offering fans a repertoire of her four decades of hits. An outspoken liberal, Streisand endured a few jeers and even had a drink thrown at her during her 20-city tour across the nation.

Carrie Underwood

The 2005 "American Idol" winner, singer Carrie Underwood, topped the country charts for weeks with her songs "Jesus Take The Wheel" and "Before He Cheats." She won five Billboard Awards and favorite new breakthrough artist at the American Music Awards, plus two awards each at the Country Music Association Awards, the Country Music Television Awards and the Academy of Country Music Awards.

Justin Timberlake

With the release of his second solo album, "FutureSex/LoveSounds," the two-time Grammy winner has been busy. He hosted the MTV Europe Awards, performed at the Victoria Secret fashion show and was signed on to perform at the Grammys in February.

Tony Bennett

Before The Billboard Music Awards — AP Photo

The year 2006 marked a major milsetone for Tony Bennett: he turned 80 on Aug. 3 and the celebration seemed to go on for the entire year. His latest album, "Duets: An American Classic," was released in September, went platinum and was nominated for three Grammys. He was also the subject of a TV special, directed by Rob Marshall, in November.

Beyonce

Never out of favor with fans, Beyonce reached new heights with her second solo album, "B'day," released appropriately on her 25th birthday in September. It broke the record for highest first-week sales for a female artist in 2006, went platinum and garnered five Grammy nods. As the year ended, the former Destiny's Child member was being hailed for her acting performance in "Dreamgirls."

The Dixie Chicks

Despite a cool reception from country radio, the Dixie Chicks returned to No. 1 on the charts with, "Taking the Long Way," their first album since publicly criticizing the president three years ago. And the documentary "Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing" premiered at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival in September. It followed the group over the three years since the Bush remarks.

Bob Dylan

Although Bob Dylan has been a major figure in music for five decades, his recent album, "Modern Times," released on Aug. 29, entered the U.S. album charts at #1, making him the oldest living person to top the charts at the age of 65. In November, 22 artists, many of them celebrated in their own right, paid tribute to Dylan's music at New York's Avery Fisher Hall.

Taylor Hicks

An independent artist with a "Soul Patrol" of ardent fans, Taylor Hicks won the fifth season of "American Idol" and was signed to Arista Records. His self-titled album debuted Dec. 12.

Paul McCartney

The former Beatle made headlines in June when he celebrated his 64th birthday, something he sang about in "When I'm 64." Later that summer, he made headlines when he separated from his wife, Heather Mills McCartney, in what was to become a bitter divorce. His latest album, a classical work titled "Ecce Cor Meum," premiered in London and New York in November.

Michael Jackson

In May, Michael Jackson made his first public appearance since his 2005 acquittal on child molestation charges. He accepted a Legend award at MTV Japan's VMA Awards in Tokyo. In November, a boxed set of his greatest hits was released and he received the Diamond Award, for selling over 100 million albums, at the World Music Awards. News coverage of his appearance and brief performance were scathing.

Ricky Martin

Ricky Martin performed at the 2006 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony, on a world tour, at the World Cup Fan Party and at Lebanon's Beiteddine Festival, his first concert in the Arab world resulting from a 2005 promise to Jordan's Queen Noor. On Nov. 1, Martin, a UNICEF ambassador, was honored as the 2006 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year for accomplishments as an entertainer and a humanitarian.

Jay-Z

Rapper Jay-Z, president and CEO of Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella Records, came out of retirement in November, with the album "Kingdom Come" which sold 680,000 copies in its first week. Beyonce's boyfriend also used his world tour to raise awareness of global water shortage. In partnership with the U.N. and MTV, he produced a documentary entitled "Diary of Jay-Z: Water for Life," which debuted at the U.N. in November.

Mary J. Blige

As the year ended, Mary J. Blige dominated music headlines with her latest album "The Breakthrough." In early December, she picked up a total of nine awards at the 2006 Billboard Music Awards, at which she also performed a medley of tunes. Days later, she topped the list of Grammy nominees with a leading eight nominations. She is seen as the frontrunner heading into the Grammys on Feb. 11.