When did the most influential recording artist of all time drop out of college?
1978
Title: The Chronic
Passage: "The Chronic" peaked at number three on the "Billboard" 200 and has been certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America with sales of 5.7 million copies in the United States, which led to Dr. Dre becoming one of the top ten best-selling American performing artists of 1993. Dr. Dre's production has been noted for popularizing the G-funk subgenre within gangsta rap. "The Chronic" has been widely regarded as one of the most important and influential albums of the 1990s and regarded by many fans and peers to be one of the most well-produced hip hop albums of all time. "The Chronic" was ranked at #138 on "Rolling Stone"'s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
Title: The Gift of Time
Passage: The Gift of Time is an album by French jazz fusion artist Jean-Luc Ponty, released in 1987. It was his first recording for Columbia Records after twelve albums on the Atlantic label. It was reissued on CD in 1991.
Title: Madonna (entertainer)
Passage: Various music journalists, critical theorists, and authors have deemed Madonna the most influential female recording artist of all time. Author Carol Clerk wrote that "during her career, Madonna has transcended the term 'pop star' to become a global cultural icon." Rolling Stone of Spain wrote that "She became the first viral Master of Pop in history, years before the Internet was massively used. Madonna was everywhere; in the almighty music television channels, 'radio formulas', magazine covers and even in bookshops. A pop dialectic, never seen since The Beatles's reign, which allowed her to keep on the edge of tendency and commerciality." Laura Barcella in her book Madonna and Me: Women Writers on the Queen of Pop (2012) wrote that "really, Madonna changed everything the musical landscape, the '80s look du jour, and most significantly, what a mainstream female pop star could (and couldn't) say, do, or accomplish in the public eye." William Langley from The Daily Telegraph felt that "Madonna has changed the world's social history, has done more things as more different people than anyone else is ever likely to." Alan McGee from The Guardian felt that Madonna is a post-modern art, the likes of which we will never see again. He further asserted that Madonna and Michael Jackson invented the terms Queen and King of Pop.
Title: The Punch Line
Passage: The Punch Line is the first 12-inch studio album and third record release by influential American punk rock band Minutemen, and the fourth-ever release from SST Records. After their previous release, "Paranoid Time", sold out its 300-copy pressing, Greg Ginn invited the band to record another album. Less than half the length of most LPs, the total playing time for all 18 songs is a mere 15 minutes. The album was an early milestone release for the band and SST. "The Punch Line" hit record store shelves three months after the release of "Joy" although "Joy" was recorded after "The Punch Line".
Title: Madonna (entertainer)
Passage: In 1978, she dropped out of college and relocated to New York City. She had little money and worked as a waitress at Dunkin' Donuts and with modern dance troupes, taking classes at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and eventually performing with Pear Lang Dance Theater. Madonna said of her move to New York, "It was the first time I'd ever taken a plane, the first time I'd ever gotten a taxi cab. I came here with $35 in my pocket. It was the bravest thing I'd ever done." She started to work as a backup dancer for other established artists. Madonna claimed that during a late night she was returning from a rehearsal, when a pair of men held her at knifepoint and forced her to perform fellatio. Madonna later commented that "the episode was a taste of my weakness, it showed me that I still could not save myself in spite of all the strong-girl show. I could never forget it."
Madonna (entertainer)