Hitmaking artists starting with "H" produced some of the most enduring sounds in American pop and rock music. From blue-eyed soul duos and powerful female-fronted rock bands to feel-good pop-rock ensembles, these acts dominated airwaves and charts, creating memorable anthems that define their respective eras globally.
This group features the iconic duo Hall & Oates, whose partnership spanned over five decades until recently ending. It also includes the legendary rock band Heart, led by the Wilson sisters, active since the early seventies with several hiatuses and reunions, including a current active phase. Rounding out the list is Huey Lewis and the News, active since the late seventies, though leader Huey Lewis’s hearing issues have recently curtailed live performances after years of chart success. Their careers showcase both extraordinary longevity and periods of significant evolution and change.
These 'H' artists each forged distinct musical identities that led to massive success. Hall & Oates masterfully blended rock, R&B, and soul, becoming music's best-selling duo. Heart powerfully combined hard rock edge with melodic sensibility and later embraced arena-ready power ballads, paving the way for women in rock. Huey Lewis and the News delivered accessible, bar-band-infused pop rock with humor and charm that resonated widely throughout the eighties. Their collective contributions resulted in numerous number-one hits and multi-platinum albums, cementing their status as essential artists in popular music history.