What do the singers behind two of last week’s top ten albums have in common with the singer who led one of the most successful tours of 2017-18? They’re all at least 75 years old.
All are over 75 and still creating hits and performing.
(Sources: Oil Gill, via Flickr.com, Jerzy Bednarski, from Wikimedia Commons, Matthew Straubmuller (imatty35), via Wikimedia Commons.)
Between them, Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, and Paul Simon have created over 35 number one songs and more than 80 top ten songs. All three have had a top ten song or album in the last three years. Each is at least 75 years old and has been creating and performing new hit music for 50 years or more.
Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney is the most well-known of the three. He began in the 1960s with The Beatles, probably the most important pop band of all time. The Beatles had over 20 number one songs, and completely changed pop music around the world.
The Beatles had over 20 number one songs and changed pop music forever.
(Source: VARA (Beeld en Geluidwiki – Gallery: The Beatles), via Wikimedia Commons.)
Since The Beatles, Mr. McCartney has worked with his own band, Wings, on his own, and with other artists. He’s had many more hits. In 2015, Mr. McCartney worked with Rihanna and Kanye West on the hit song FourFiveSeconds.
He has recorded 18 albums since then.
The picture shows Mr. McCartney performing in 2010.
(Source: Oil Gill, via Flickr.com.)
Last Friday, Mr. McCartney put out his 18th album (collection of songs), called Egypt Station. It started at number three on the US iTunes charts. Mr. McCartney plans to tour (travel around giving concerts) in Europe and the US. He is 76 years old.
It immediately became the #3 album on iTunes in the US.
(Source: PaulMcCartney.com.)
Mick Jagger
When they started, Mick Jagger’s band, The Rolling Stones, looked like “bad boys” compared to The Beatles. That didn’t slow their success. The band has had 23 top ten hits. They have had a top ten album in each of the last 6 decades (1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s).
That did not stop them from having lots of hit records.
This picture is from 1966.
(Source: ingen uppgift, via Wikimedia Commons.)
The Rolling Stones are known for their lively concerts. The group’s lead singer, Mick Jagger, is especially famous for his energetic dance moves.
Now everyone in the band is over 70. Mr. Jagger is 75 and the drummer is 77. But in July, The Rolling Stones finished a 28 show European tour. Their concerts were seen by over 1.5 million fans. The band still seems to have plenty of energy, and they’re not talking about quitting.
Their concerts were seen by over 1.5 million fans.
Mr. Jagger, 75, still seems to have plenty of energy.
This picture is from July, 2018.
(Source: Jerzy Bednarski, from Wikimedia Commons.)
Paul Simon
Paul Simon, on the other hand, says he’s done. Kind of.
Mr. Simon started his career in the 1950s with Art Garfunkel. During the 1960s the pair had many hits. Their last album together, Bridge over Troubled Water, became the best-selling album of 1970, 1971, and 1972. At the time it was the best-selling album of all time.
Their album, Bridge over Troubled Water, was a huge hit.
It was the best-selling album of all time until the 1980s.
(Source: General Artists Corporation-management & Columbia Records, via Wikimedia Commons.)
After the group split up, Mr. Simon continued to write, record, and perform songs. He’s won 12 Grammy awards – pop music’s highest award. In 2016, his album Stranger to Stranger became the number three album in the US.
Now Mr. Simon, 76, says he’s going to stop writing songs and making albums. He is doing one last “farewell” tour, which ends this month.
The last concert of his final tour will be on September 22.
This picture is of Mr. Simon in 2011.
(Source: Matthew Straubmuller (imatty35), via Wikimedia Commons.)
But just as he is quitting, Mr. Simon has come out with a new album. Last Friday, In the Blue Light started out as the #9 album on the US iTunes charts.
Last week the album was #9 on iTunes in the US.
(Source: PaulSimon.com.)