Welcome to our Top Picks blog series, where we share personal favorites and top picks of our Founder, Tony Argento and President and CEO, Gina Argento! The Top Picks cover a wide range of subjects, from movies, books, and cuisine, to flora, fauna, music and more!  Whether you're looking for inspiration, knowledge, entertainment, or just curious, we've got you covered. So, lets dive in and learn about the amazing leaders at Broadway Stages.  

This month we look at the incredible world of music. Today, there are literally dozens of music genres, and each with a passionate fan base. Music Grotto identifies the top 75 genres of music.  Too many to list here, but over the last ten years the most popular “music streamed online include hip hop, rap, rock and roll, pop, electronic, rhythm and blues, country, and classical.”  It’s a music revolution folks and it seems that we can’t get enough. 

To give you a sense of what we mean by a revolution let’s take a quick peek at rock.  Under the genre of rock, we have the tried and true classic but there are also several subsets including soft, progressive, alternative, and others.  And you see this in the world of country music as well.  From honky-tonk and bluegrass to classic, Christian, and alternative.  Whatever style of country music you like, its roots are distinctly American. What began in the Appalachian Mountains has spread internationally. The country music scene is claimed by many states across the USA, but as Master Class reports, Nashville is home to the legendary Grand Ole Opry venue, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and countless studios where country stars record chart-topping hits.

So, where do Tony and Gina land when it comes to their favorite music?  

For Tony, the answer came quick!  His favorite music genre is R&B – the beloved rhythm and blues. Master Class tells us that R&B was first developed by Black artists in the mid-twentieth century and derived from gospel, jazz, folk, and traditional blues music and emerged in tandem with rock ‘n’ roll.  For decades R&B has topped the charts and it’s no wonder with the amazing melodies and sounds that are born from this emotion provoking genre.  And Tony’s favorite artist is none other than the award-winning R&B Pop legend Toni Braxton.  And his favorite song, Unbreak my Heart. Well, you can’t go wrong with that. The smooth voice and many talents of Toni Braxton are undeniable. To learn more about R&B check out this Master Class article. 

Next, we move on to Gina who is a big fan of pop music.  Or in this case we would say pop-rock music.  Masterclass describes the genre of pop-rock as music that intersects mainstream pop music “with rock music, which is often driven by guitars and drums. Yet this music genre “stems from the traditions started by rock 'n' roll pioneers like Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, and the Beatles.”  The popularity of pop-rock has also come with the evolution of the boy band movement that, according to Billboard, dates back to the 1960’s with groups like The Osmond Brothers, The Beetles, The Monkees and the Jackson5. 

Among Gina’s favorites is the award winning Jonas Brothers who joined the boy band craze in 2006 with their debut of It’s About Time. In total, Wikipedia reports that “the discography of American group Jonas Brothers consists of five studio albums, three live albums, three soundtrack albums, one compilation album, one video album, three extended plays, and 30 singles (including four as a featured artist).”  Pretty impressive!  With so many to choose from and the way their music has changed over the years, Gina tells us that it’s hard to find just one she like best. I mean, just listen to this mix of some of their more popular songs. One thing is for sure, Gina likes upbeat, fun music.  Luckily, the Jonas Brothers are busy creating more music for their fans. As reported in the Daily Illini on March 13, 2023 by Caroline Sweeney and Sarah Bond, The Jonas Brothers “released their new single, “Wings,” their first release since 2021. They also announced a new album, “The Album,” releasing this May.  We can’t wait!

So, keep your eye on Toni Braxton and watch out for more music from the Jonas Brothers. And be sure to check back next month for more top picks from Tony & Gina.