Kurt Angle Kurt Steven Angle ( born December 9 , 1968 ) is an American professional wrestler , actor , and retired amateur wrestler . He is currently signed to WWE , performing as the on-screen general manager for the Raw brand . While a student at Clarion University of Pennsylvania , Angle won numerous accolades , including being a two-time National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) Division I Heavyweight Wrestling Champion . After graduating college , Angle won a gold medal in freestyle wrestling at the 1995 World Wrestling Championships . He then won a freestyle wrestling gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics . Angle is one of four people to complete an amateur wrestling Grand Slam ( junior nationals , NCAA , World Championships , Olympics ) . In 2006 , he was named by USA Wrestling as the greatest shoot wrestler ever and one of the top 15 college wrestlers of all time . He was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2016 for his amateur accomplishments .   Angle made his first appearance at a professional wrestling event in 1996 , with his in-ring debut in 1999 . He signed a long-term contract with the World Wrestling Federation ( WWF , now WWE ) that same year , and participated in his first televised storyline in March 1999 . After months of unaired matches , Angle made his official debut in November and received his first major push in the company in February 2000 , when he held the European Championship and the Intercontinental Championship simultaneously . Four months later , he won the King of the Ring tournament , and not long after he began pursuing the WWF Championship , which he won in October ; this capped off a rookie year which is considered by many to be the greatest in professional wrestling history . Throughout his tenure in the WWF/WWE , Angle was a six-time world champion ( four reigns as WWF/WWE Champion , one as WCW Champion , and one as WWE 's World Heavyweight Champion ) , a one-time United States Champion , one-time Intercontinental Champion , one-time European Champion , one-time Hardcore Champion , and one-time WWE Tag Team Champion . He is the tenth Triple Crown Champion and the fifth Grand Slam Champion ( achieving this accolade twice under both the original and current format ) in WWE history . On March 31 2017 , Angle was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame , becoming the third active wrestler to be inducted , after Ric Flair and Sting .   After leaving WWE in 2006 , Angle joined Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ( TNA , now Impact Wrestling ) where he became a record six-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion ( and the inaugural titleholder ) , a two-time TNA World Tag Team Champion , and a one-time TNA X Division Champion . He is the second Triple Crown winner in TNA history and the only one to hold all the required titles at once . Angle is also a two-time King of the Mountain . As part of TNA , he made appearances for New Japan Pro-Wrestling ( NJPW ) and the Inoki Genome Federation ( IGF ) , holding the IWGP Heavyweight Championship once . In 2013 , Angle was inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame ( he is the second wrestler -- after Sting -- to be inducted into both the WWE and TNA halls of fame ) .   Between WWF/WWE , Japan , and TNA , Angle has won 13 world championships and 21 total championships . He is the only professional wrestler in history to have won the WWE Championship , WWE 's World Heavyweight Championship , the WCW Championship , the TNA World Heavyweight Championship , and the IWGP Heavyweight Championship . Angle is also the only person to have been King of the Mountain and King of the Ring . He has headlined numerous pay-per-view events for both WWF/WWE and TNA throughout his career , including the flagship event for both promotions : WrestleMania in WWE , and Bound for Glory in TNA . In 2004 , the Wrestling Observer Newsletter inducted Angle into its Hall of Fame , and later named him `` Wrestler of the Decade '' for the 2000s . He is considered to be one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time ; ESPN journalist and former WWE personality Jonathan Coachman described Angle as `` the greatest I 've ever seen in the ring '' .


Gustave Eiffel made significant contributions to aerodynamics.

Gustave Eiffel Alexandre Gustave Eiffel ( born Bönickhausen ; -LSB- ˈaɪfəl -RSB- -LSB- ɛfɛl -RSB- ; 15 December 1832 -- 27 December 1923 ) was a French civil engineer and architect . A graduate of École Centrale Paris , he made his name with various bridges for the French railway network , most famously the Garabit viaduct . He is best known for the world-famous Eiffel Tower , built for the 1889 Universal Exposition in Paris , and his contribution to building the Statue of Liberty in New York . After his retirement from engineering , Eiffel focused on research into meteorology and aerodynamics , and making significant contributions in both fields .


The rude lounge singer Tony Clifton was one of the primary characters played in comedian Andy Kaufman's act.

Andy Kaufman Andrew G. Kaufman ( January 17 , 1949 -- May 16 , 1984 ) was an American entertainer , actor , writer , performance artist and professional wrestler . While often referred to as a comedian , Kaufman described himself instead as a `` song and dance man . '' He disdained telling jokes and engaging in comedy as it was traditionally understood , once saying in a rare introspective interview , `` I am not a comic , I have never told a joke . ... The comedian 's promise is that he will go out there and make you laugh with him . ... My only promise is that I will try to entertain you as best I can . ''   After working in small comedy clubs in the early 1970s , Kaufman first came to the attention of a wider audience in 1975 , when he was invited to perform portions of his act on the first season of Saturday Night Live . His Foreign Man character was the basis of his role as Latka Gravas on the hit television show Taxi , on which he appeared from 1978 until 1983 . During this time , he continued to tour comedy clubs and theaters in a series of unique performance art / comedy shows , sometimes appearing as himself and sometimes as obnoxiously rude lounge singer Tony Clifton . He was also a frequent guest on sketch comedy and late-night talk shows , particularly Late Night with David Letterman . In 1982 , Kaufman brought his professional wrestling villain act to Letterman 's show with a staged encounter with Jerry `` The King '' Lawler of the Continental Wrestling Association ( although the fact that the altercation was planned in advance was not publicly disclosed for over a decade ) .   Kaufman died of lung cancer at age 35 in 1984 . However , because pranks and elaborate ruses were major elements of his career , persistent rumors have circulated insisting that Kaufman faked his own death as a grand hoax . His body of work maintains a cult following and he continues to be respected for his original material , unique performance style , and unflinching commitment to character .


Denis Leary Denis Colin Leary ( born August 18 , 1957 ) is an American actor , writer , producer , singer and comedian .   Leary was the star and co-creator of Rescue Me , which ended its seventh and final season on September 7 , 2011 . He has starred in many films including playing Captain George Stacy in Marc Webb 's film , The Amazing Spider-Man , Cleveland Browns Head Coach Vince Penn in Ivan Reitman 's film , Draft Day , and as the voice of Francis in A Bug 's Life and Diego in the Ice Age franchise .   From 2015 to 2016 , Leary wrote and starred in the comedy series , Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll on FX .


Priyanka Chopra is silent about gender equality.

Priyanka Chopra Priyanka Chopra ( -LSB- prɪˈjaːŋkaː ˈtʃoːpɽaː -RSB- ; born 18 July 1982 ) is an Indian actress , singer , film producer , philanthropist , and the winner of the Miss World 2000 pageant . One of India 's highest-paid and most popular celebrities , Chopra has received numerous awards , including a National Film Award and five Filmfare Awards . In 2016 , the Government of India honoured her with the Padma Shri , the fourth highest civilian award , and Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world . In 2017 , she has been honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke Award - India 's highest award in cinema , becoming the first actress to win in the category `` International Acclaimed Actress Award '' .   Although Chopra initially aspired to study aeronautical engineering , she accepted offers to join the Indian film industry , which came as a result of her pageant wins , making her Bollywood debut in The Hero ( 2003 ) . She played the leading lady in the box-office hits Andaaz ( 2003 ) and Mujhse Shaadi Karogi ( 2004 ) , and earned praise for her breakout role in the 2004 thriller Aitraaz . In 2006 , Chopra established herself as a leading actress of Indian cinema with starring roles in the top-grossing productions Krrish and Don .   Following a brief setback , she received critical acclaim for playing a troubled model in the drama Fashion ( 2008 ) , which won her the Filmfare and National Film Award for Best Actress . Chopra subsequently gained wider recognition for portraying a range of characters in the films Kaminey ( 2009 ) , 7 Khoon Maaf ( 2011 ) , Barfi ! ( 2012 ) , Mary Kom ( 2014 ) , Dil Dhadakne Do ( 2015 ) and Bajirao Mastani ( 2015 ) , all of which garnered her several awards and nominations . In 2015 , she began starring as Alex Parrish on the ABC thriller series Quantico , becoming the first South Asian to headline an American network series .   In addition to her acting career , Chopra is noted for her philanthropic work . She has worked with UNICEF for the last ten years and was appointed as the national and global UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Child Rights in 2010 and 2016 respectively . She promotes various causes such as environment , health and education , and women 's rights and is particularly vocal about gender equality and feminism . Chopra 's off-screen life is the subject of substantial media coverage . As a recording artist , she has released three singles . She is also the founder of the production company Purple Pebble Pictures , which released the acclaimed Marathi comedy-drama Ventilator ( 2016 ) .


Memento received an Academy Award nomination.

Memento (film) Memento is a 2000 American neo-noir psychological thriller film directed and written by Christopher Nolan , and produced by Suzanne and Jennifer Todd . The film 's script was based on a pitch by Jonathan Nolan , who later wrote the story `` Memento Mori '' from the concept . It stars Guy Pearce , Carrie-Anne Moss , and Joe Pantoliano .   Pearce stars as a man who , as a result of a past trauma , suffers from anterograde amnesia , the inability to form new memories and suffers short-term memory loss approximately every five minutes . He is searching for the persons who attacked him and killed his wife , using an intricate system of Polaroid photographs and tattoos to track information he can not remember . Memento is presented as two different sequences of scenes interspersed during the film : a series in black-and-white that is shown chronologically , and a series of color sequences shown in reverse order ( simulating for the audience the mental state of the protagonist ) . The two sequences `` meet '' at the end of the film , producing one complete and cohesive narrative .   Memento premiered on September 5 , 2000 , at the Venice International Film Festival and was released in European theaters starting in October . It became a blockbuster success , being acclaimed by critics who praised its nonlinear narrative structure and motifs of memory , perception , grief , and self-deception , and earning $ 39.7 million over a $ 9 million budget . It received numerous accolades , including Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing . The film was subsequently ranked one of the best films of the 2000s by several critics and media outlets .


Theodore Roosevelt founded the "Bull Moose" music group.

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( -LSB- ˈroʊzəvɛlt -RSB- ; October 27 , 1858 -- January 6 , 1919 ) was an American statesman , author , explorer , soldier , naturalist , and reformer who served as the 26th President of the United States from 1901 to 1909 . He also served as the 25th Vice President of the United States and as the 33rd Governor of New York . As a leader of the Republican Party during this time , he became a driving force for the Progressive Era in the United States in the early 20th century . His face is depicted on Mount Rushmore , alongside those of George Washington , Thomas Jefferson , and Abraham Lincoln .   Roosevelt was born a sickly child with debilitating asthma , but he successfully overcame his physical health problems by embracing a strenuous lifestyle . He integrated his exuberant personality , vast range of interests , and world-famous achievements into a `` cowboy '' persona defined by robust masculinity . Home-schooled , he began a lifelong naturalist avocation before attending Harvard College . His book , The Naval War of 1812 ( 1882 ) , established his reputation as both a learned historian and as a popular writer . Upon entering politics , he became the leader of the reform faction of Republicans in New York 's state legislature . Following the near-simultaneous deaths of his wife and mother , he escaped to a cattle ranch in the Dakotas . Roosevelt served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under President William McKinley , but resigned from that post to lead the Rough Riders during the Spanish -- American War . Returning a war hero , he was elected Governor of New York in 1898 . After the death of Vice President Garret Hobart , the New York state party leadership convinced McKinley to accept Roosevelt as his running mate in the 1900 election , moving Roosevelt to the prestigious but powerless role of vice president . Roosevelt campaigned vigorously and the McKinley-Roosevelt ticket won a landslide victory based on a platform of peace , prosperity , and conservatism .   Following McKinley 's assassination in September 1901 , Roosevelt became president at age 42 , and remains the youngest president . As a leader of the Progressive movement , he championed his `` Square Deal '' domestic policies , promising the average citizen fairness , breaking of trusts , regulation of railroads , and pure food and drugs . Making conservation a top priority , he established a myriad of new national parks , forests , and monuments intended to preserve the nation 's natural resources . In foreign policy , he focused on Central America , where he began construction of the Panama Canal . He expanded the Navy and sent the Great White Fleet on a world tour to project the United States ' naval power around the globe . His successful efforts to broker the end of the Russo-Japanese War won him the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize . He avoided the controversial tariff and money issues . Elected in 1904 to a full term , Roosevelt continued to promote progressive policies , but many of his efforts and much of his legislative agenda were eventually blocked in Congress . Roosevelt successfully groomed his close friend , William Howard Taft , and Taft won the 1908 presidential election to succeed him . In polls of historians and political scientists , Roosevelt is generally ranked as one of the five best presidents .   Frustrated with Taft 's conservatism , Roosevelt belatedly tried to win the 1912 Republican nomination . He failed , walked out , and founded a third party , the Progressive , so-called `` Bull Moose '' Party , which called for wide-ranging progressive reforms . The split allowed the Democrats to win the White House and a majority in both houses of Congress . Following his election defeat , Roosevelt led a two-year expedition to the Amazon basin , where he nearly died of tropical disease . During World War I , he criticized President Woodrow Wilson for keeping the country out of the war with Germany , and his offer to lead volunteers to France was rejected . Though he had considered running for president again in 1920 , Roosevelt 's health continued to deteriorate , and he died in 1919 .


The Offspring spawned from Huntington Beach, California.

The Offspring The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach , California , formed in 1984 . Originally formed under the name Manic Subsidal , the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland , bassist Greg K. , lead guitarist Kevin `` Noodles '' Wasserman and drummer Pete Parada . The Offspring went through several lineup changes over the years , and Holland and Greg K. have been the only constant members . The band is often credited -- alongside fellow California punk bands Green Day , Bad Religion , NOFX , Pennywise and Rancid -- for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the 1990s . They have sold over 40 million records worldwide , being considered one of the best-selling punk rock bands of all time .   To date , the Offspring has released nine studio albums . Their first three albums for the independent record labels Nemesis and Epitaph earned them a cult following . The band 's third studio album , Smash ( 1994 ) , became their first commercial success , and has sold over eleven million copies worldwide , setting a record for most albums sold on an independent label and becoming the first album on Epitaph to obtain gold and platinum status . After signing to Columbia Records in 1996 , the Offspring continued their commercial success with its next four studio albums -- Ixnay on the Hombre ( 1997 ) , Americana ( 1998 ) , Conspiracy of One ( 2000 ) and Splinter ( 2003 ) -- reaching platinum , multi-platinum , platinum and gold status respectively . Splinter was followed five years later by Rise and Fall , Rage and Grace ( 2008 ) , and then four years later by Days Go By ( 2012 ) . The Offspring is currently in production of their tenth studio album , which is due for release in 2018 .


Stephen Rider is an American film and television actor.

Stephen Rider Stephen Rider is an American film and television actor , best known for playing Admiral Stephen W. Rochon in the film The Butler and Eric Millworth in the series Lucky 7 . He is currently playing a District Attorney named Blake Tower in the Marvel 's series Daredevil .


Tommy Lee Jones portrayed a character in The Fugitive.

Tommy Lee Jones Tommy Lee Jones ( born September 15 , 1946 ) is an American actor and filmmaker . He has received four Academy Award nominations , winning Best Supporting Actor for his performance as U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard in the 1993 thriller film The Fugitive .   His other notable starring roles include former Texas Ranger Woodrow F. Call in the TV mini-series Lonesome Dove , Agent K in the Men in Black film series , Sheriff Ed Tom Bell in No Country for Old Men , the villain Two-Face in Batman Forever , terrorist William Strannix in Under Siege , a Texas Ranger in Man of the House , rancher Pete Perkins in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada , which he directed , Colonel Chester Phillips in Captain America : The First Avenger , CIA Director Robert Dewey in Jason Bourne and Warden Dwight McClusky in Natural Born Killers . Jones has also portrayed real-life figures such as businessman Howard Hughes , Radical Republican Congressman Thaddeus Stevens , executed murderer Gary Gilmore , U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur , Oliver Lynn , husband of Loretta Lynn in Coal Miner 's Daughter , and baseball great Ty Cobb .   Early in his career , Jones first gained recognition for his contract role as Dr. Mark Toland on the soap opera One Life to Live for six years .


Helena Bonham Carter is unable to act in movies.

Burton & Taylor Burton & Taylor is a BBC Four TV film directed by Richard Laxton , and based on the legendary acting duo and former husband and wife , Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor , during their preparation for a 1983 theatrical production of the play , Private Lives . The film stars Helena Bonham Carter and Dominic West in the title roles .


The Wings of the Dove (1997 film) The Wings of the Dove is a 1997 British-American romantic drama film directed by Iain Softley and starring Helena Bonham Carter , Linus Roache , and Alison Elliott . The screenplay by Hossein Amini is based on the 1902 novel of the same name by Henry James . The film was nominated for four Academy Awards and five BAFTAs , recognizing Bonham Carter 's performance , the screenplay , costume design and the cinematography .


Cinderella (2015 Disney film) Cinderella is a 2015 American romantic fantasy film directed by Kenneth Branagh , with a screenplay written by Chris Weitz . The film is based on the eponymous folk tale and inspired in part by Walt Disney 's 1950 animated film . The film stars Lily James as the titular character with Richard Madden , Cate Blanchett , Stellan Skarsgård , Holliday Grainger , Derek Jacobi and Helena Bonham Carter . It is produced by David Barron , Simon Kinberg and Allison Shearmur for Walt Disney Pictures .   Cinderella had its world premiere on February 13 , 2015 , at the 65th Berlin International Film Festival and was released in theaters on March 13 , 2015 . It grossed over $ 543 million worldwide , becoming Branagh 's highest-grossing film to date , and received mostly positive reviews . The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Costume Design at the 88th Academy Awards .


The King's Speech The King 's Speech is a 2010 British historical drama film directed by Tom Hooper and written by David Seidler . Colin Firth plays the future King George VI who , to cope with a stammer , sees Lionel Logue , an Australian speech and language therapist played by Geoffrey Rush . The men become friends as they work together , and after his brother abdicates the throne , the new king relies on Logue to help him make his first wartime radio broadcast on Britain 's declaration of war on Germany in 1939 .   Seidler read about George VI 's life after overcoming a stuttering condition he endured during his youth . He started writing about the relationship between the therapist and his royal patient as early as the 1980s , but at the request of the King 's widow , Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother , postponed work until her death in 2002 . He later rewrote his screenplay for the stage to focus on the essential relationship between the two protagonists . Nine weeks before filming began , Logue 's notebooks were discovered and quotations from them were incorporated into the script .   Principal photography took place in London and around Britain from November 2009 to January 2010 . The opening scenes were filmed at Elland Road , Leeds , and Odsal Stadium , Bradford , both locations standing in for the old Wembley Stadium . For indoor scenes , Lancaster House substituted for Buckingham Palace , and Ely Cathedral stood in for Westminster Abbey , while the weaving mill scene was filmed at the Queen Street Mill in Burnley . The cinematography differs from that of other historical dramas : hard light was used to give the story a greater resonance and wider than normal lenses were employed to recreate the Duke of York 's feelings of constriction . A third technique Hooper employed was the off-centre framing of characters : in his first consultation with Logue , the Duke is captured hunched on the side of a couch at the edge of the frame .   Released in the United Kingdom on 7 January 2011 , The King 's Speech was a major box office and critical success . Censors initially gave it adult ratings due to profanity , though these were later revised downwards after criticism by the makers and distributors in the UK and some instances of swearing were muted in the US . On a budget of # 8 million , it earned over # 250 million internationally ( $ 400 million ) . It was widely praised by film critics for its visual style , art direction , and acting . Other commentators discussed the film 's representation of historical detail , especially the reversal of Winston Churchill 's opposition to abdication . The film received many awards and nominations , particularly for Colin Firth 's performance ; his Golden Globe Award for Best Actor was the sole win at that ceremony from seven nominations . The King 's Speech won seven British Academy Film Awards , including Best Film , Best Actor ( Firth ) , Best Supporting Actor ( Rush ) , and Best Supporting Actress ( Helena Bonham Carter ) . The film also won four Academy Awards : Best Picture , Best Director ( Hooper ) , Best Actor ( Firth ) , and Best Original Screenplay ( Seidler ) .


Lady Jane (1986 film) Lady Jane is a 1986 British costume drama romance film directed by Trevor Nunn , written by David Edgar , and starring Helena Bonham Carter as the title character . It tells the story of Lady Jane Grey , the Nine Days ' Queen , on her reign and romance with husband Lord Guildford Dudley . The film features several members of The Royal Shakespeare Company .   The story had previously been turned into a 1936 film Tudor Rose .


Helena Bonham Carter Helena Bonham Carter , ( born 26 May 1966 ) is an English actress . She is known for her roles in low-budget arthouse and independent films to large-scale Hollywood productions . She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as Kate Croy in The Wings of the Dove ( 1997 ) . For her role as Queen Elizabeth in The King 's Speech ( 2010 ) , she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role . She also won the 2010 International Emmy Award for Best Actress for her role as British author Enid Blyton in the TV film Enid ( 2009 ) .   Bonham Carter began her film career playing the title character in Lady Jane ( 1986 ) , and playing Lucy Honeychurch in A Room with a View ( 1986 ) . Her other film roles include Ophelia in Hamlet ( 1990 ) , Where Angels Fear to Tread ( 1991 ) , Howards End ( 1992 ) , Elizabeth Lavenza in Mary Shelley 's Frankenstein ( 1994 ) , Woody Allen 's Mighty Aphrodite ( 1995 ) , Fight Club ( 1999 ) , Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter series ( 2007 -- 11 ) , Terminator Salvation ( 2009 ) , Miss Havisham in Great Expectations ( 2012 ) , Madame Thénardier in Les Misérables ( 2012 ) , and The Fairy Godmother in Cinderella ( 2015 ) . She has frequently collaborated with director Tim Burton ; in Planet of the Apes ( 2001 ) , Big Fish ( 2003 ) , Corpse Bride ( 2005 ) , Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ( 2005 ) , Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd : The Demon Barber of Fleet Street ( 2007 ) , Dark Shadows ( 2012 ) , and playing the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland ( 2010 ) and its sequel Alice Through the Looking Glass ( 2016 ) . Her other television films include A Pattern of Roses ( 1983 ) , Fatal Deception : Mrs. Lee Harvey Oswald ( 1993 ) , Live from Baghdad ( 2002 ) , Toast ( 2010 ) , and Burton & Taylor ( 2013 ) .   She was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire ( CBE ) in the 2012 New Year Honours list for services to drama , and in January 2014 , the British prime minister , David Cameron , announced that Bonham Carter had been appointed to Britain 's new national Holocaust Commission .


Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016 film) Alice Through the Looking Glass is a 2016 American fantasy adventure film directed by James Bobin , written by Linda Woolverton and produced by Tim Burton , Joe Roth , Suzanne Todd and Jennifer Todd . It is based on the characters created by Lewis Carroll and is the sequel to the 2010 film Alice in Wonderland . The film stars Johnny Depp , Anne Hathaway , Mia Wasikowska , Matt Lucas , Rhys Ifans , Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen and features the voices of Stephen Fry , Michael Sheen , Timothy Spall and Alan Rickman , in his final film role .   In the film , Alice comes across a magical looking glass that takes her back to Wonderland , where she finds that the Mad Hatter is acting madder than usual and wants to discover the truth about his family . Alice then travels through time ( with the `` Chronosphere '' ) , comes across friends and enemies at different points of their lives , and embarks on a race to save the Hatter before time runs out .   The film premiered in London on May 10 , 2016 , and was theatrically released by Walt Disney Pictures on May 27 , 2016 . It under-performed at the box office in comparison with the first film 's gross .


Phantoms (film) Phantoms is a 1998 American science fiction horror film adapted from Dean Koontz 's 1983 novel of the same name . Directed by Joe Chappelle with a screenplay by Koontz , the film stars Peter O'Toole , Rose McGowan , Joanna Going , Liev Schreiber , Ben Affleck , Nicky Katt , and Clifton Powell . The film takes place in the peaceful town of Snowfield , Colorado , where something evil has wiped out the community . It is up to a group of people to stop it or at least get out of Snowfield alive .


Captain America Captain America is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby , the character first appeared in Captain America Comics # 1 ( cover dated March 1941 ) from Timely Comics , a predecessor of Marvel Comics . Captain America was designed as a patriotic supersoldier who often fought the Axis powers of World War II and was Timely Comics ' most popular character during the wartime period . The popularity of superheroes waned following the war and the Captain America comic book was discontinued in 1950 , with a short-lived revival in 1953 . Since Marvel Comics revived the character in 1964 , Captain America has remained in publication .   Captain America wears a costume that bears an American flag motif , and is armed with a nearly indestructible shield that he throws at foes . The character is usually depicted as the alter ego of Steve Rogers , a frail young man enhanced to the peak of human perfection by an experimental serum to aid the United States government 's efforts in World War II . Near the end of the war , he was trapped in ice and survived in suspended animation until he was revived in the present day . Although Captain America often struggles to maintain his ideals as a man out of his time with its modern realities , he remains a highly respected figure in his community which includes becoming the long-time leader of the Avengers .   Captain America was the first Marvel Comics character to have appeared in media outside comics with the release of the 1944 movie serial , Captain America . Since then , the character has been featured in other films and television series , more recently in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) portrayed by Chris Evans in Captain America : The First Avenger , The Avengers , Captain America : The Winter Soldier , Avengers : Age of Ultron , Captain America : Civil War , and the upcoming Avengers : Infinity War ( 2018 ) and its untitled sequel ( 2019 ) .   Captain America is ranked sixth on IGN 's `` Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time '' in 2011 , second in their list of `` The Top 50 Avengers '' in 2012 , and second in their `` Top 25 best Marvel superheroes '' list in 2014 .


Girls' Generation is a performer of music.

Girls' Generation Girls ' Generation , also known as SNSD , is a South Korean girl group formed by S.M. Entertainment . The group is composed of eight members : Taeyeon , Sunny , Tiffany , Hyoyeon , Yuri , Sooyoung , Yoona , and Seohyun . Originally a nine-piece group ( with Jessica , who later departed from the group in September 2014 ) , Girls ' Generation debuted in 2007 with their Korean eponymous debut album . Though the album gained some attention , it was not until 2009 that the group rose to fame with the single `` Gee '' , which claimed the top spot on KBS 's Music Bank for a record-breaking nine consecutive weeks and was named the most popular song of the 2000s in South Korea by Melon . Girls ' Generation further consolidated their popularity on the South Korean music scene with follow-up singles `` Tell Me Your Wish ( Genie ) '' , `` Oh ! '' , and `` Run Devil Run '' , which were released in mid-2009 and early 2010 .   In mid-2010 , Girls ' Generation signed with Nayutawave Records ( present-day EMI Records Japan ) to venture into the Japanese music scene . Their June 2011 self-titled Japanese debut album peaked atop the Japanese Oricon Albums Chart and became the first album by a non-Japanese girl group to be certified million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan . The group 's third Korean studio album The Boys was released in October 2011 and became the best-selling album of 2011 in South Korea with sales of over 380,000 copies . An English version of the single `` The Boys '' was released by Interscope Records in an attempt to expand the group 's endeavor to the global music scene . The group 's 2013 fourth Korean studio album I Got a Boy was supported by the single `` I Got a Boy '' , which was subjected to major attention from Western media following its winning the Video of the Year award at the inaugural YouTube Music Awards . Their fifth Korean studio album , Lion Heart , was released in 2015 .   Girls ' Generation 's signature musical styles are characterized as electropop and bubblegum pop , though their sounds have varied widely , incorporating various genres including hip hop , R&B , and EDM . They have sold over 4.4 million albums and 30 million digital singles as of 2012 . The group 's immense popularity in their native country South Korea has earned them numerous accolades and the titles `` The Nation 's Singers '' and `` The Nation 's Girl Group '' . Girls ' Generation is also deemed one of the prominent figures of the Korean Wave and one of the most popular K-pop acts internationally . They are the first Asian girl group to achieve five music videos with over 100 million views on YouTube : `` Gee '' , `` I Got a Boy '' , `` The Boys '' , `` Mr. Taxi '' , and `` Oh ! '' . In Japan , they became the first non-Japanese girl group to have three number-one albums on the Japanese Oricon Albums Chart , and their three Japanese concert tours attracted a record-breaking 550,000 spectators , more than any other Korean girl groups .


Girl group A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together . The term `` girl group '' is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female pop music singing groups , many of whom were influenced by doo-wop , and which flourished in the late 1950s and early 1960s between the decline of early rock and roll and start of the British Invasion .   All-female bands , in which members also play instruments , are usually considered a separate phenomenon . These groups are sometimes called `` girl bands '' to differentiate , although this terminology is not universally followed .   With the advent of the music industry and radio broadcasting , a number of girl groups emerged , such as the Andrews Sisters . The late 1950s saw the emergence of all-female singing groups as a major force , with 750 distinct girl groups releasing songs that reached US and UK music charts from 1960 to 1966 . The Supremes alone held 12 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 during the height of the wave and throughout most of the British Invasion rivaled the Beatles in popularity . In later eras , the girl group template would be applied to disco , contemporary R&B , and country-based formats , as well as pop . A more globalized music industry saw the extreme popularity of dance-oriented pop music led by major record labels . This emergence , led by the US , UK , South Korea , and Japan , produced extremely popular acts , with eight groups debuting after 1990 having sold more than 15 million physical copies of their albums . Also , since the late 2000s , South Korea has had a significant impact , with 8 of the top 10 girl groups by digital sales in the world originating there .


Transformers: Age of Extinction stars Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime, like every other Transformer movie has.

Peter Cullen Peter Claver Cullen ( born July 28 , 1941 ) is a Canadian voice actor . He is best known as the original voice of Optimus Prime ( as well as Ironhide ) in the original 1980s Transformers animated series , and most other incarnations of the character , as well , and Eeyore in the Winnie-the-Pooh franchise . He also voiced Monterey Jack in Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers from season one through some of season two . Starting in 2007 , Peter Cullen has reprised his role as Optimus Prime in related Transformers media , starting with the first live-action film .


Transformers: Age of Extinction Transformers : Age of Extinction is a 2014 American science fiction action film based on the Transformers franchise . It is the fourth installment of the live-action Transformers film series and a stand-alone sequel to 2011 's Transformers : Dark of the Moon , taking place five years after its events . Like its predecessors , it was directed by Michael Bay and written by Ehren Kruger , with Steven Spielberg and Bay as executive producers . It stars Mark Wahlberg , with Peter Cullen reprising his role as the voice of Optimus Prime , as the lead roles . It is the first film in the series to not feature the original human characters from the first three films , but features a new cast of human characters and many new Transformers including : the Dinobots , Lockdown , Stinger , Junkheap , Hound , Crosshairs and Drift . Returning Transformers include : Optimus Prime , Bumblebee , Ratchet , Leadfoot , Brains and Megatron ( now known as Galvatron ) . The film was released on June 27 , 2014 , in IMAX and 3D .   Transformers : Age of Extinction was panned by critics , many of whom considered it poorly directed , badly acted , and terribly written . According to Rotten Tomatoes , it is the worst reviewed film in the series , holding an 18 % approval rating . It also received seven nominations at the 35th Golden Raspberry Awards , including Worst Picture and Worst Prequel , Remake , Rip-off or Sequel , with Bay and Kelsey Grammer winning the awards for Worst Director and Worst Supporting Actor respectively . The film grossed over $ 1.104 billion worldwide , making it the highest-grossing film of 2014 , the second highest-grossing film in the Transformers series , the 19th film to gross over $ 1 billion , and the 16th highest-grossing film of all time . It was the only film to gross over $ 1 billion in 2014 .   A sequel , Transformers : The Last Knight , is set to be released on June 21 , 2017 , with Cullen , Tucci , and Wahlberg returning , and Bay directing .


As the World Turns was replaced with The Talk in 2010.

As the World Turns As the World Turns ( often referred to as ATWT ) is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS for 54 years from April 2 , 1956 , to September 17 , 2010 . Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light . Running for 54 years , As the World Turns holds the second-longest continuous run of any daytime network soap opera on American television , surpassed only by Guiding Light . As the World Turns was produced for the first 43 years in Manhattan and in Brooklyn from 2000 until 2010 .   Set in the fictional town of Oakdale , Illinois , the show debuted on April 2 , 1956 , at 1:30 pm EST. . Prior to that date , all serials had been 15 minutes in length . As the World Turns and The Edge of Night , which premiered on the same day at 4:30 pm EST , were the first two to be 30 minutes in length from their premiere . At first , viewers did not respond to the new half-hour serial , but ratings picked up in its second year , eventually reaching the top spot in the daytime Nielsen ratings by fall 1958 . In 1959 , the show started a streak of weekly ratings wins that was not interrupted for over 12 years . The show switched to color on August 21 , 1967 , and expanded from a half-hour in length to one hour starting on December 1 , 1975 , when The Edge of Night moved to ABC . In the year-to-date ratings , As the World Turns was the most-watched daytime drama from 1958 until 1978 , with ten million viewers tuning in each day . At its height , core actors such as Helen Wagner , Don MacLaughlin , Don Hastings , and Eileen Fulton became nationally known . Three of these actors -- Wagner , Hastings , and Fulton -- are also the three longest serving actors in the history of American soap operas .   The show passed its 10,000 th episode on May 12 , 1995 , and celebrated its 50th anniversary on April 2 , 2006 . On September 18 , 2009 , As the World Turns became the last remaining Procter and Gamble-produced soap opera for CBS after Guiding Light aired its final episode on the network .   On December 8 , 2009 , CBS announced that it cancelled As the World Turns after almost 54 years due to low ratings . The show taped its final Procter and Gamble scenes for CBS on June 23 , 2010 , and with a dramatic storyline finale , its final episode on the network aired on September 17 , 2010 . On October 18 , 2010 , CBS replaced As the World Turns with a newly debuted talk show The Talk .


Bad Blood (Taylor Swift song) `` Bad Blood '' is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift , from her fifth studio album 1989 ( 2014 ) . The remixed version of the song , featuring American rapper Kendrick Lamar , was released on May 17 , 2015 , by Republic Records as 1989s fourth single . The album version was written by Swift , Max Martin , and Shellback , with Lamar writing his verses on the remixed version . The lyrics of `` Bad Blood '' describe the betrayal of a close friend . The album version is the eighth track of 1989 .   The song reached number one in Australia , Canada , Israel , New Zealand , Scotland , and the United States , becoming the third song from 1989 to do so . The accompanying music video was directed by Joseph Kahn and features an ensemble cast . The video previously held the 24-Hour Vevo Record with 20.1 million views , before being surpassed by Adele 's `` Hello '' . It won Video of the Year and Best Collaboration at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards . The song received a nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance while its music video won Best Music Video at the 58th Grammy Awards .   A cover version of `` Bad Blood '' was released as the first promotional single from singer-songwriter Ryan Adams ' interpretation of Swift 's 1989 album , released in September 2015 .


Fearless (Taylor Swift album) Fearless is the second studio album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift . The album was released on November 11 , 2008 , by Big Machine Records . As with her first album , Taylor Swift , Swift wrote or co-wrote all thirteen tracks on Fearless . Most of the songs were written as the singer promoted her first album as the opening act for numerous country artists . Due to the unavailability of collaborators on the road , eight songs were written by Swift . Other songs were co-written with Liz Rose , Hillary Lindsey , Colbie Caillat and John Rich . Swift also made her debut as a record producer , co-producing all songs on the album with Nathan Chapman .   Five singles were released from Fearless . The first single , `` Love Story '' , sold more than 6.5 million copies worldwide ( according to the IFPI ) . It was a crossover hit that became one of the best-selling singles of all time internationally and was once the best-selling country song of all time . The succeeding single , `` White Horse '' , also performed well in the US . `` You Belong with Me '' was an international success , becoming Swift 's second best-selling single and her highest position on the US Billboard Hot 100 at the time . `` Fifteen '' and `` Fearless '' followed with both achieving a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) .   Fearless is an international breakthrough and huge commercial success for Swift . It debuted at No. 1 in the United States , and later became the best-selling album of 2009 , selling over 3.2 million copies . It gave Swift , 18 at the time , the distinction of being the youngest artist in history to have the year 's best-selling album . It has sold over 7 million copies in the United States , becoming the second-biggest-selling album in the last six years . Fearless topped the charts in Canada and New Zealand and achieved multi-platinum status in six countries . In all , Fearless has sold more than 8.68 million copies worldwide . Fearless is also the most awarded album in the history of country music , winning Album of the Year at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards , American Music Awards of 2009 , Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music Awards .


Taylor Swift (album) Taylor Swift is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift , released on October 24 , 2006 , by Big Machine Records . Swift was 16 years old at the time of the album 's release and wrote its songs during her freshman year of high school . Swift has writing credits on all of the album 's songs , including those co-written with Liz Rose . Swift experimented with several producers , ultimately choosing Nathan Chapman , who had produced her demo album . Musically , the album is country music styled , and lyrically it speaks of romantic relationships , a couple of which Swift wrote from observing relationships before being in one . Lyrics also touch on Swift 's personal struggles in high school .   Five singles were released from the album , all of which have been certified platinum by the RIAA . `` Tim McGraw '' was released as the lead single and reached the top ten on Billboard 's Hot Country Songs . `` Teardrops on My Guitar '' was released as the second single and was the album 's best-charting song on the Billboard Hot 100 . `` Our Song '' was released as the third single from the album and was Swift 's first number one on Billboard 's Hot Country Songs chart . It made her the youngest person to single-handedly write and perform a number one song on the Hot Country Songs chart . `` Picture to Burn '' and `` Should 've Said No '' were released as the fourth single and fifth singles from the album , respectively , and both were successful on the country charts in the United States . Swift promoted the album by performing on tour as the opening act for artists such as Rascal Flatts , George Strait , Brad Paisley , and Tim McGraw and Faith Hill .   Taylor Swift was received positively by contemporary critics , who praised Swift 's talent at such a young age . The album enjoyed commercial success and launched Swift 's career in country music . In the United States , it topped the Top Country Albums Chart for 24 non-consecutive weeks , and was certified five times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) for sales of over 5 million copies . Taylor Swift has logged 275 weeks on the Billboard Top 200 chart as of early 2013 . The album was also successful outside of Swift 's native country , especially in Canada , Australia , and the United Kingdom . The album has sold over 6 million copies worldwide as of January 2015 .


Speak Now Speak Now is the third studio album by American country singer-songwriter Taylor Swift . It was released on October 25 , 2010 , by Big Machine Records . Production for the album took place during 2009 to 2010 at several recording studios , and was handled by Swift and Nathan Chapman . Written entirely by Swift as the follow-up to Fearless , Speak Now expands on the country pop style of her previous work , and features lyrical themes including love , romance and heartbreak . Speak Now received generally positive reviews from music critics , who praised Swift 's songwriting and themes . It received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Country Album , making it her second consecutive nomination in the category , following her 2010 victory for Fearless . Several music critics and publications included Speak Now in their year-end lists . Six singles were released from the album , all of which have either received a platinum or multi-platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) . Swift promoted the album with the Speak Now World Tour , grossing over $ 123 million.Speak Now debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart , giving Swift her second consecutive chart-topper in the U.S. Its first-week sales of 1,047,000 copies was the fifth-biggest debut in history for a female artist , the third biggest ever by a country album ( the first being Swift 's own Red album later released in 2012 ) , the biggest in five and a half years , and the biggest first week sales of 2010 . The album also made music history for claiming the biggest one-week sales tally for an album by a female country artist . As of 2014 , Speak Now is ranked 17th in United States history to sell one million copies in a single week . It was also an international success , charting within the top 10 in several countries , including Australia , Canada , and the United Kingdom . The album has been certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA and , as of January 2015 , has sold 4.5 million copies in the United States . It is also the tenth best-selling digital album of all time.Speak Now was included in Rolling Stone '' s list of `` 50 Best Female Albums of All Time '' in 2012 , ranking at number forty-five . This gave Swift , age 22 at the time of publication , the distinction of being the youngest artist across all genres to be included on the list .


I Knew You Were Trouble `` I Knew You Were Trouble '' is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her fourth studio album , Red ( 2012 ) . It was released on October 9 , 2012 , in the United States by Big Machine Records as the third promotional single from the album . Later , `` I Knew You Were Trouble '' was released as the third single from Red on November 27 , 2012 , in the United States . It was written by Swift , Max Martin and Shellback , with the production handled by the latter two .   `` I Knew You Were Trouble '' received generally positive reviews from music critics , who commended its mainstream appeal yet noted Swift 's experimentation with dubstep as relatively limited . Due to strong digital sales , the song debuted at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 , selling more than 416,000 copies within its first week ; it later peaked at number two in January 2013 , behind Bruno Marss `` Locked Out of Heaven '' . At the inaugural YouTube Music Awards in 2013 , `` I Knew You Were Trouble '' won the award for YouTube phenomenon . The single has been certified sextuple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) . As of 2014 , The song has sold 5 million copies in the US .


1989 (Taylor Swift album) 1989 is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift . It was released on October 27 , 2014 , through Big Machine Records . Swift began preparing for the album during the same year which Red was released , and during a significant amount of media scrutiny . Over the course of the two-year songwriting period , she primarily collaborated with producers Max Martin and Shellback -- Martin served as the album 's executive producer alongside Swift . Named after Swift 's birth year , the album 's title was inspired by the pop music scene of the 1980s .   The album represents a departure from the country music of her previous albums , and is described by Swift as her `` first documented official pop album . ''  In contrast to Swift 's previous work , the production of 1989 consists of drum programming , synthesizers , pulsating bass , processed backing vocals , and guitars . 1989 received generally positive reviews from contemporary music critics and it was ranked as one of the best albums of 2014 by several publications , including Billboard , Time , and Rolling Stone .   After debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 , 1989 sold 1.287 million copies during the first week of release . The total US sales figure from the debut week of 1989 was the highest since 2002 , and made Swift the first artist to sell one million or more copies of an album in a week-long period for three albums . 1989 eventually became the best-selling album of 2014 in the US market and has sold over 6 milion as of January 2017 , while selling 9.5 million worldwide . Seven singles have been released from the set : `` Shake It Off '' , `` Blank Space '' , and `` Bad Blood '' all reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 , while `` Style '' peaked at number six , `` Wildest Dreams '' at number five , and `` Out of the Woods '' peaking at number 18 in 2014 . The first five singles have all reached number one on the Adult Top 40 and Mainstream Top 40 and all have received a multi-platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) .   1989 won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year , making Swift the first female credited main artist to win the top prize at the ceremony twice with her own works , having previously won in 2010 for Fearless , and her third nomination overall after Red in 2014 . The album also won Best Pop Vocal Album , Swift 's first victory in the category . The first two singles `` Shake It Off '' ( in 2015 ) and `` Blank Space '' ( in 2016 ) were both nominated for Record of the Year , Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance . The `` Bad Blood '' remix featuring Kendrick Lamar was nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and won the award for Best Music Video .


Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift ( born December 13 , 1989 ) is an American singer-songwriter . One of the most popular contemporary female recording artists , she is known for narrative songs about her personal life , which has received much media attention .   Born and raised in Pennsylvania , Swift moved to Nashville , Tennessee at age 14 to pursue a career in country music . She signed with the independent label Big Machine Records and became the youngest artist ever signed by the Sony/ATV Music publishing house . Her eponymous debut album in 2006 peaked at number five on Billboard 200 and spent the most weeks on the chart in the 2000s . The album 's third single , `` Our Song '' , made her the youngest person to single-handedly write and perform a number-one song on the Hot Country Songs chart . Swift 's second album , Fearless , was released in 2008 . Buoyed by the pop crossover success of the singles `` Love Story '' and `` You Belong with Me '' , Fearless became the best-selling album of 2009 in the United States . The album won four Grammy Awards , with Swift becoming the youngest Album of the Year winner .   Swift was the sole writer of her 2010 album , Speak Now . It debuted at number one in the United States and the single `` Mean '' won two Grammy Awards . Her fourth album , Red ( 2012 ) , yielded the successful singles `` We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together '' and `` I Knew You Were Trouble '' . With her fifth album , the pop-focused 1989 ( 2014 ) , she became the first act to have three albums sell a million copies within one week in the United States . Its singles `` Shake It Off '' , `` Blank Space '' , and `` Bad Blood '' reached number one in the US , Australia , and Canada . The album received three Grammy Awards , and Swift became the first woman and fifth act overall to win Album of the Year twice . The 2015 eponymous concert tour for 1989 became one of highest-grossing of the decade .   As a songwriter , Swift has received awards from the Nashville Songwriters Association and the Songwriters Hall of Fame . She is also the recipient of ten Grammy Awards , five Guinness World Records , one Emmy Award , 21 Billboard Music Awards , 11 Country Music Association Awards , eight Academy of Country Music Awards , and one Brit Award . Swift is one of the best-selling artists of all time , having sold more than 40 million albums -- including 27.1 million in the US -- and 130 million single downloads . She has appeared in Time 100 most influential people in the world ( 2010 and 2015 ) , Forbes top-earning women in music ( 2011 -- 2015 ) , Forbes 100 most powerful women ( 2015 ) , and Forbes Celebrity 100 ( 2016 ) . She was the youngest woman to be included in the third of these and ranked first in Celebrity 100 .


Mean (song) `` Mean '' is a song written and recorded by American country singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her third studio album , Speak Now ( 2010 ) . Produced by Swift alongside Nathan Chapman , the song was sent to country radio in the United States on March 13 , 2011 , as the third single from Speak Now . `` Mean '' garnered mixed reviews from critics for its lyrical detail and profound country sound . The song received commercial success in the United States and Canada , debuting at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number ten on the Canadian Hot 100 . The song also appeared on the Australian Singles Chart at number 45 .   The song 's accompanying music video was directed by Declan Whitebloom , who developed the concept together with Swift . It received mixed reviews from critics who perceived ambivalent messages in the video , despite the prevalent self-empowerment and anti-bullying themes . `` Mean '' was performed for the first time by Swift at the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards on April 3 , 2011 . The song won the Grammy Awards for Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance at the 54th Grammy Awards . Rolling Stone ranked `` Mean '' at # 24 on their list of the 100 Greatest Country Songs of All Time , the highest ranking for a song released in the 21st century and only one of three to be released in 2010s .


List of best-selling music artists This list includes music artists with claims of 75 million or more record sales . The artists in the following tables are listed with both their claimed sales figure along with their total of certified units and are ranked in descending order , with the artist with the highest amount of claimed sales at the top . If two or more artists have the same claimed sales , they are then ranked by certified units . The claimed sales figure and the total of certified units ( for each country ) within the provided sources include sales of albums , singles , compilation-albums , music videos as well as downloads of singles and full-length albums . Sales figures , such as those from Soundscan , which are sometimes published by Billboard magazine , have not been included in the certified units column . , based on both sales claims and certified units , The Beatles are considered the highest-selling band . Elvis Presley is considered the highest-selling individual artist based on sales claims and Rihanna is the highest-selling individual artist based on certified units .


Sister Act Sister Act is a 1992 American musical comedy film directed by Emile Ardolino and written by Joseph Howard . Featuring musical arrangements by Marc Shaiman , the film stars Whoopi Goldberg as a Reno lounge singer who has been put under protective custody in a San Francisco convent of Poor Clares and has to pretend to be a nun when a mob boss puts her on his hit list . Also in the cast are Maggie Smith , Kathy Najimy , Wendy Makkena , Mary Wickes , and Harvey Keitel .   One of the most financially successful comedies of the early 1990s , grossing $ 231 million worldwide , the film was rated # 83 on Bravo 's The 100 Funniest Movies list .   It spawned a 1993 sequel , entitled Sister Act 2 : Back in the Habit , and a musical adaptation that premiered at the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena , California , in 2006 , and opened at the West End 's London Palladium with previews from May 7 , 2009 . The musical then opened on Broadway at the Broadway Theatre in April 2011 , with previews beginning March 24 , 2011 .


Jennifer Garner was involved with Scott Foley.

Jennifer Garner Jennifer Anne Garner ( born April 17 , 1972 ) is an American actress . Her breakthrough film debut was in the comedy Dude , Where 's My Car ( 2000 ) . Following a supporting role in Pearl Harbor , Garner gained recognition for her performance as CIA officer Sydney Bristow in the ABC spy-action thriller Alias , which aired from 2001 to 2006 . For her work on the series , she won a Golden Globe Award and a SAG Award and received four Emmy Award nominations .   While working on Alias , Garner gained a cameo role in Catch Me if You Can ( 2002 ) , followed by a praised leading performance in the romantic comedy film 13 Going on 30 ( 2004 ) . Garner has appeared in supporting as well as lead film roles including the superhero films Daredevil ( 2003 ) and Elektra ( 2005 ) , the comedy-drama Juno ( 2007 ) , and the fantasy romantic comedy The Invention of Lying ( 2009 ) . In the 2010s , she appeared in the romantic-comedy film Valentine 's Day , the fantasy comedy-drama film The Odd Life of Timothy Green ( 2012 ) , the biographical drama Dallas Buyers Club ( 2013 ) , and the comedy Alexander and the Terrible , Horrible , No Good , Very Bad Day ( 2014 ) .   Garner works frequently as an activist for early childhood education and is a board member of Save the Children . She is also an advocate for anti-paparazzi campaigns among children of celebrities . Garner had a five-year relationship with Scott Foley from 1998 to 2003 , during which they married . Garner married Ben Affleck in 2005 , with whom she has three children ; they separated in 2015 and filed for divorce in April 2017 .


Donald Trump campaigned for the 2016 presidential election as the Republican nominee.

Donald Trump Donald John Trump ( born June 14 , 1946 ) is the 45th and current President of the United States . Before entering politics , he was a businessman and television personality .   Trump was born and raised in Queens , New York City , and earned an economics degree from the Wharton School . He then took charge of The Trump Organization , the real estate and construction firm founded by his paternal grandmother , which he ran for 45 years until 2016 . During his real estate career , Trump built , renovated , and managed numerous office towers , hotels , casinos , and golf courses . Besides real estate , he started several side ventures and has licensed the use of his name for the branding of various products and properties , including Trump Entertainment Resorts , Trump Steaks , and Trump Vodka . He was the founder of Trump University . He owned the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants from 1996 to 2015 , and he produced and hosted The Apprentice , a reality television series on NBC , from 2004 to 2015 . His net worth was estimated to be $ 3.5 billion , making him the 544th richest person in the world .   Trump first publicly expressed interest in running for political office in 1987 . He won two Reform Party presidential primaries in 2000 , but withdrew his candidacy early on . In June 2015 , he launched his campaign for the 2016 presidential election and quickly emerged as the front-runner among seventeen candidates in the Republican primaries . His remaining opponents all suspended their campaigns by the end of May 2016 , and in July he was formally nominated at the Republican National Convention along with Indiana governor Mike Pence as his running mate . Many of his campaign statements were controversial or false , generating much free media coverage .   Trump won the general election on November 8 , 2016 , in a surprise victory against Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton and commenced his presidency on January 20 , 2017 . He became the oldest and wealthiest person ever to assume the presidency , the first without prior military or government service , and the fifth to have won the election while losing the popular vote . His political positions have been described by scholars and commentators as populist , protectionist , and nationalist .


Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra ( -LSB- sᵻˈnɑːtrə -RSB- -LSB- siˈnaːtra -RSB- ; December 12 , 1915 -- May 14 , 1998 ) was an American singer , actor , and producer who was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century . He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time , having sold more than 150 million records worldwide . Born in Hoboken , New Jersey , to Italian immigrants , Sinatra began his musical career in the swing era with bandleaders Harry James and Tommy Dorsey . Sinatra found success as a solo artist after he signed with Columbia Records in 1943 , becoming the idol of the `` bobby soxers '' . He released his debut album , The Voice of Frank Sinatra , in 1946 . Sinatra 's professional career had stalled by the early 1950s , and he turned to Las Vegas , where he became one of its best known performers as part of the Rat Pack . His career was reborn in 1953 with the success of From Here to Eternity , with his performance subsequently winning an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor . Sinatra released several critically lauded albums , including In the Wee Small Hours ( 1955 ) , Songs for Swingin ' Lovers ! ( 1956 ) , Come Fly with Me ( 1958 ) , Only the Lonely ( 1958 ) and Nice 'n' Easy ( 1960 ) .   Sinatra left Capitol in 1960 to start his own record label , Reprise Records , and released a string of successful albums . In 1965 , he recorded the retrospective September of My Years , starred in the Emmy-winning television special Frank Sinatra : A Man and His Music , and released the tracks `` Strangers in the Night '' and `` My Way '' . After releasing Sinatra at the Sands , recorded at the Sands Hotel and Casino in Vegas with frequent collaborator Count Basie in early 1966 , the following year he recorded one of his most famous collaborations with Tom Jobim , the album Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim . It was followed by 1968 's collaboration with Duke Ellington . Sinatra retired for the first time in 1971 , but came out of retirement two years later and recorded several albums and resumed performing at Caesars Palace , and reached success in 1980 with `` New York , New York '' . Using his Las Vegas shows as a home base , he toured both within the United States and internationally until a short time before his death in 1998 .   Sinatra forged a highly successful career as a film actor . After winning an Academy Award for From Here to Eternity , he starred in The Man with the Golden Arm ( 1955 ) , and received critical acclaim for his performance in The Manchurian Candidate ( 1962 ) . He appeared in various musicals such as On the Town ( 1949 ) , Guys and Dolls ( 1955 ) , High Society ( 1956 ) , and Pal Joey ( 1957 ) , winning another Golden Globe for the latter . Toward the end of his career , he became associated with playing detectives , including the title character in Tony Rome ( 1967 ) . Sinatra would later receive the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1971 . On television , The Frank Sinatra Show began on ABC in 1950 , and he continued to make appearances on television throughout the 1950s and 1960s . Sinatra was also heavily involved with politics from the mid-1940s , and actively campaigned for presidents such as Harry S. Truman , John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan , though before Kennedy 's death Sinatra 's alleged Mafia connections led to his being snubbed .   While Sinatra never formally learned how to read music , he had an impressive understanding of it , and he worked very hard from a young age to improve his abilities in all aspects of music . A perfectionist , renowned for his dress sense and performing presence , he always insisted on recording live with his band . His bright blue eyes earned him the popular nickname `` Ol' Blue Eyes '' . Sinatra led a colorful personal life , and was often involved in turbulent affairs with women , such as with his second wife Ava Gardner . He went on to marry Mia Farrow in 1966 and Barbara Marx in 1976 . Sinatra had several violent confrontations , usually with journalists he felt had crossed him , or work bosses with whom he had disagreements . He was honored at the Kennedy Center Honors in 1983 , was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Ronald Reagan in 1985 , and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1997 . Sinatra was also the recipient of eleven Grammy Awards , including the Grammy Trustees Award , Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award . After his death , American music critic Robert Christgau called him `` the greatest singer of the 20th century '' , and he continues to be seen as an iconic figure .


The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the founding party of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Communist Party of the Soviet Union The Communist Party of the Soviet Union , abbreviated in English as CPSU , was the founding and ruling political party of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( USSR or Soviet Union ) . The CPSU was the sole governing party of the Soviet Union until 1990 , when the Congress of People 's Deputies modified the article of the constitution , which had granted the CPSU a monopoly over the political system . The party was founded in 1912 by the Bolsheviks ( the majority faction of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party ) , a revolutionary group led by Vladimir Lenin which seized power in the aftermath of the October Revolution of 1917 . The party was dissolved on 29 August 1991 on Soviet territory soon after a failed coup d'état and was completely abolished on 6 November 1991 on Russian territory .   The CPSU was a communist party organized on the basis of democratic centralism , a principle conceived by Lenin that entails democratic and open discussion of policy issues within the party followed by the requirement of total unity in upholding the agreed policies . The highest body within the CPSU was the party Congress , which convened every five years . When the Congress was not in session , the Central Committee was the highest body . Because the Central Committee met twice a year , most day-to-day duties and responsibilities were vested in the Politburo , the Secretariat , and the Orgburo ( until 1952 ) . The party leader was the head of government and held the office of either General Secretary , Premier or head of state , or some of the three offices concurrentlybut never all three at the same time . The party leader was the de facto chairman of the CPSU Politburo and chief executive of the USSR ; the tension between the party and the state ( Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union ) for the shifting locus of power was never formally resolved , but in reality the party dominated , and a paramount leader always existed ( first Lenin and thereafter the General Secretary ) .   The CPSU , according to its party statute , adhered to Marxism -- Leninism , an ideology based on the writings of Vladimir Lenin and Karl Marx , and formalized under Joseph Stalin . The party pursued state socialism , under which all industries were nationalized and a planned economy was implemented . Before central planning was adopted in 1929 , Lenin had introduced a mixed economy , commonly referred to as the New Economic Policy , in the 1920s , which allowed to introduce certain capitalist elements in the Soviet economy . After Mikhail Gorbachev took power in 1985 , at first trying to prop up the stagnant centrally planned economy , rapid steps were taken to transform the economic system in the direction of a market economy . Gorbachev and some of his allies envisioned the introduction of an economy similar to Lenin 's New Economic Policy through a program of perestroika , or restructuring , but the results of their reforms contributed to the fall of the entire system of government .   A number of causes contributed to CPSU 's loss of control and the dissolution of the Soviet Union . Some historians have written that Gorbachev 's policy of glasnost ( political openness ) was the root cause , noting that it weakened the party 's control over society . Gorbachev maintained that perestroika without glasnost was doomed to failure anyway . Others have blamed the economic stagnation and subsequent loss of faith by the general populace in communist ideology .


Destiny's gameplay focuses on gun and weapon-based combat.

First-person shooter First-person shooter ( FPS ) is a video game genre centered around gun and other weapon-based combat in a first-person perspective ; that is , the player experiences the action through the eyes of the protagonist . The genre shares common traits with other shooter games , which in turn makes it fall under the heading action game . Since the genre 's inception , advanced 3D and pseudo-3D graphics have challenged hardware development , and multiplayer gaming has been integral .   The first-person shooter genre has been traced as far back as Maze War , development of which began in 1973 , and 1974 's Spasim . Later , and after more playful titles like MIDI Maze in 1987 , the genre coalesced into a more wantonly violent form with 1992 's Wolfenstein 3D , which has been credited with creating the genre 's basic archetype , that subsequent titles were based upon . One such title , and the progenitor of the genre 's wider mainstream acceptance and popularity was Doom , perhaps one of the most influential games in this genre ; for many years , the term Doom clone was used to designate this genre due to Dooms influence . 1998 's Half-Life -- along with its 2004 sequel Half-Life 2 -- enhanced the narrative and puzzle elements . In 1999 , the Half-Life mod Counter-Strike was released and , together with Doom , is perhaps one of the most influential first-person shooters . GoldenEye 007 , released in 1997 , was a landmark first-person shooter for home consoles , while the Halo series heightened the console 's commercial and critical appeal as a platform for first-person shooter titles . In the 21st century , the first-person shooter is the most commercially viable video game genre , and in 2016 , shooters accounted for over 27 % of all video game genres . Several first-person shooters have been popular games for eSports and competitive gaming competitions as well .


Destiny (video game) Destiny is an online-only multiplayer first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie and published by Activision . It was released worldwide on September 9 , 2014 , for the PlayStation 3 , PlayStation 4 , Xbox 360 , and Xbox One consoles . Destiny marked Bungie 's first new console franchise since the Halo series , and it is the first game in a ten-year agreement between Bungie and Activision . Set in a `` mythic science fiction '' world , the game features a multiplayer `` shared-world '' environment with elements of role-playing games . Activities in Destiny are divided among player versus environment ( PvE ) and player versus player ( PvP ) game types . In addition to normal story missions , PvE features three-player `` strikes '' and six-player raids . A free roam patrol mode is also available for each planet and features public events . PvP features objective-based modes , as well as traditional deathmatch game modes .   Players take on the role of a Guardian , protectors of Earth 's last safe city as they wield a power called Light to protect the City from different alien races . Guardians are tasked with reviving a celestial being called the Traveler , while journeying to different planets to investigate and destroy the alien threats before humanity is completely wiped out . Bungie released four expansion packs , furthering the story , and adding new content , missions , and new PvP modes . Year One of Destiny featured two small expansions , The Dark Below in December 2014 and House of Wolves in May 2015 . A third , larger expansion , The Taken King , was released in September 2015 and marked the beginning of Year Two , changing much of the core gameplay . In December 2015 , Destiny shifted to an event-based model , featuring more limited-time events . A new , large expansion called Rise of Iron was released in September 2016 , beginning Year Three . Rise of Iron was only released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One ; PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 clients subsequently stopped receiving updates . A full sequel , Destiny 2 , is scheduled for September 2017 .   Upon its release , Destiny received mixed to positive reviews with criticism centered mostly around the game 's storyline and post-campaign content . The game was praised for maintaining lineage from the Halo franchise , particularly in regards to its competitive experiences . On day one of its release , it sold over US$ 500 million at retail , making it the biggest new franchise launch of all time . It was GamesRadar 's 2014 Game of the Year and it received the BAFTA Award for Best Game at the 2014 British Academy Video Games Awards .


In 2006 Stranger than Fiction was released.

Stranger than Fiction (2006 film) Stranger than Fiction is a 2006 American fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Marc Forster , produced by Lindsay Doran , and written by Zach Helm . The film stars Will Ferrell , Maggie Gyllenhaal , Dustin Hoffman , Queen Latifah , and Emma Thompson . The main plot follows Harold Crick ( portrayed by Ferrell ) , a nondescript white-collar worker who begins hearing a disembodied voice narrating his life as it happens -- seemingly the text of a novel in which it is stated that he will soon die -- and he frantically seeks to somehow prevent that ending . The film was shot on location in Chicago , and has been praised for its innovative , intelligent story and fine performances . Ferrell , who came to prominence playing brash comedic parts , garnered particular attention for offering a restrained performance in his first starring dramatic role .


Patrick Wilson (American actor) acted in the second season of television series.

Patrick Wilson (American actor) Patrick Joseph Wilson ( born July 3 , 1973 ) is an American actor and singer . He spent his early career starring in Broadway musicals , beginning in 1995 . He is a two-time Tony Award nominee for his roles in The Full Monty ( 2000 -- 2001 ) and Oklahoma ! ( 2002 ) . In 2003 , he appeared in the HBO miniseries Angels in America for which he was nominated for the Golden Globe Award and Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie .   Wilson has also appeared in feature films such as The Phantom of the Opera ( 2004 ) , Little Children ( 2006 ) , Watchmen ( 2009 ) , Insidious ( 2010 ) , Insidious : Chapter 2 ( 2013 ) , and as demonologist Ed Warren in James Wan 's supernatural horror films The Conjuring ( 2013 ) and The Conjuring 2 ( 2016 ) , the latter four earning him a reputation as a `` scream king '' . On television , he starred in the CBS drama series A Gifted Man ( 2011 -- 2012 ) , and as Lou Solverson in the second season of FX 's anthology series Fargo ( 2015 ) , for which he received a second Golden Globe Award nomination . He has been cast as Orm Marius/Ocean Master in the DC Extended Universe superhero film Aquaman ( 2018 ) .


Colin Powell served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff as the first African American member.

Colin Powell Colin Luther Powell ( -LSB- ˈkoʊlᵻn -RSB- born April 5 , 1937 ) is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army . Powell was born in Harlem as the son of Jamaican immigrants . During his military career , Powell also served as National Security Advisor ( 1987 -- 1989 ) , as Commander of the U.S. Army Forces Command ( 1989 ) and as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ( 1989 -- 1993 ) , holding the latter position during the Persian Gulf War . Powell was the first , and so far the only , African American to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff . He was the 65th United States Secretary of State , serving under U.S. President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005 , the first African American to serve in that position .   Powell was born in New York City in 1937 and was raised in the South Bronx . His parents , Luther and Maud Powell , immigrated to the United States from Jamaica . Powell was educated in the New York City public schools , graduating from the City College of New York ( CCNY ) , where he earned a bachelor 's degree in geology . He also participated in ROTC at CCNY and received a commission as an Army second lieutenant upon graduation in June 1958 . His further academic achievements include a Master of Business Administration degree from George Washington University .   Powell was a professional soldier for 35 years , during which time he held myriad command and staff positions and rose to the rank of 4-star General . His last assignment , from October 1 , 1989 to September 30 , 1993 , was as the 12th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , the highest military position in the Department of Defense . During this time , he oversaw 28 crises , including Operation Desert Storm in the 1991 Persian Gulf War . He also formulated the Powell Doctrine .   Following his military retirement , Powell wrote his best-selling autobiography , My American Journey . In addition , he pursued a career as a public speaker , addressing audiences across the country and abroad . Prior to his appointment as Secretary of State , Powell was the chairman of America 's Promise - The Alliance for Youth , a national nonprofit organization dedicated to mobilizing people from every sector of American life to build the character and competence of young people . He was nominated by President Bush on December 16 , 2000 as Secretary of State . After being unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate , he was sworn in as the 65th Secretary of State on January 20 , 2001 .   Powell is the recipient of numerous U.S. and foreign military awards and decorations . Powell 's civilian awards include two Presidential Medal of Freedom , the President 's Citizens Medal , the Congressional Gold Medal , the Secretary of State Distinguished Service Medal , and the Secretary of Energy Distinguished Service Medal . Several schools and other institutions have been named in his honor and he holds honorary degrees from universities and colleges across the country . Powell is married to the former Alma Vivian Johnson of Birmingham , Alabama . The Powell family includes son Michael ( ex-chairman of the Federal Communications Commission ) ; daughters Linda and Anne ; daughter-in-law Jane ; and grandsons Jeffrey and Bryan .   In 2016 , while not a candidate for that year 's election , Powell received three electoral votes for the office of President of the United States .


Until Dawn Until Dawn is an interactive drama survival horror adventure video game developed by Supermassive Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 4 . It was originally scheduled to be released on the PlayStation 3 and feature PlayStation Move support , but in August 2014 the game was reintroduced as a PlayStation 4 exclusive , and was released worldwide in August 2015 .   Set in Western Canada , Until Dawn centers around a group of eight teenagers who decide to vacation for a night in a cabin on the fictional Blackwood Mountain , exactly one year after the disappearance of two girls , the twin sisters of a member of their group . Shortly after arriving , the gang find themselves under attack by a psychopath , and must attempt to survive until sunrise . Throughout the adventure , players alternate between all eight characters , making critical decisions as the story advances which drastically affects the game 's outcome , leading to hundreds of different scenarios .   Until Dawn was met with a positive critical response upon release , with praise directed at the visuals , ` choice ' mechanic , horror elements , music , characters , voice acting , and gameplay design . Most of the criticism the game drew concerned the second half of the story , the camera angles , character movement , and the game 's partially linear plot .


The Minnesota Vikings are a water polo team.

National Football League The National Football League ( NFL ) is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams , divided equally between the National Football Conference ( NFC ) and the American Football Conference ( AFC ) . The NFL is one of the four major professional sports leagues in North America , and the highest professional level of American football in the world . The NFL 's 17-week regular season runs from the week after Labor Day to the week after Christmas , with each team playing 16 games and having one bye week . Following the conclusion of the regular season , six teams from each conference ( four division winners and two wild card teams ) advance to the playoffs , a single-elimination tournament culminating in the Super Bowl , which is usually held in the first Sunday in February , and is played between the champions of the NFC and AFC .   The NFL was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association ( APFA ) before renaming itself the National Football League for the 1922 season . The NFL agreed to merge with the American Football League ( AFL ) in 1966 , and the first Super Bowl was held at the end of that season ; the merger was completed in 1970 . Today , the NFL has the highest average attendance ( 67,591 ) of any professional sports league in the world and is the most popular sports league in the United States . The Super Bowl is among the biggest club sporting events in the world and individual Super Bowl games account for many of the most watched television programs in American history , all occupying the Nielsen 's Top 5 tally of the all-time most watched U.S. television broadcasts by 2015 . The NFL 's executive officer is the commissioner , who has broad authority in governing the league .   The team with the most NFL championships is the Green Bay Packers with thirteen ( nine NFL titles before the Super Bowl era , and four Super Bowl championships afterwards ) ; the team with the most Super Bowl championships is the Pittsburgh Steelers with six . The current NFL champions are the New England Patriots , who defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34 -- 28 in Super Bowl LI .


Super Bowl The Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League ( NFL ) . The game is the culmination to a regular season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year . Normally , Roman numerals are used to identify each game , rather than the year in which it is held . For example , Super Bowl I was played on January 15 , 1967 , following the 1966 regular season . The single exception to this rule is Super Bowl 50 , which was played on February 7 , 2016 , following the 2015 regular season . The next game , Super Bowl LII , scheduled for February 4 , 2018 , will follow the 2017 regular season .   The game was created as part of a merger agreement between the NFL and its then-rival league , the American Football League ( AFL ) . It was agreed that the two leagues ' champion teams would play in the AFL -- NFL World Championship Game until the merger was to officially begin in 1970 . After the merger , each league was redesignated as a `` conference '' , and the game has since been played between the conference champions to determine the NFL 's league champion . Currently , the National Football Conference ( NFC ) leads the league with 26 wins to 25 wins for the American Football Conference ( AFC ) . The Pittsburgh Steelers have the most Super Bowl championship titles , with six . The New England Patriots have the most Super Bowl appearances , with nine .   The day on which the Super Bowl is played , now considered by some as an unofficial American national holiday , is called `` Super Bowl Sunday '' . It is the second-largest day for U.S. food consumption , after Thanksgiving Day . In addition , the Super Bowl has frequently been the most-watched American television broadcast of the year ; the seven most-watched broadcasts in U.S. television history are Super Bowls . In 2015 , Super Bowl XLIX became the most-watched American television program in history with an average audience of 114.4 million viewers , the fifth time in six years the game had set a record , starting with the 2010 Super Bowl , which itself had taken over the number-one spot held for 27 years by the final episode of M * A * S * H . The Super Bowl is also among the most-watched sporting events in the world , almost all audiences being North American , and is second to soccer 's UEFA Champions League final as the most watched annual sporting event worldwide .   The NFL restricts the use of its `` Super Bowl '' trademark ; it is frequently called the Big Game or other generic terms by non-sponsoring corporations . Because of the high viewership , commercial airtime during the Super Bowl broadcast is the most expensive of the year , leading to companies regularly developing their most expensive advertisements for this broadcast . As a result , watching and discussing the broadcast 's commercials has become a significant aspect of the event . In addition , popular singers and musicians including Michael Jackson , Madonna , Prince , Beyoncé , Paul McCartney , The Rolling Stones , The Who , Whitney Houston , and Lady Gaga have performed during the event 's pre-game and halftime ceremonies .


Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are an American football team based in Minneapolis , Minnesota . The Vikings joined the National Football League ( NFL ) as an expansion team in 1960 , and first took the field for the 1961 season . The team competes in the National Football Conference ( NFC ) North division ; before that , the Vikings were in the NFC Central , and before that they were in the NFL 's Western Conference Central Division . The team has played in four Super Bowl games , but lost each one . The team plays its home games at U.S. Bank Stadium in the Downtown East section of Minneapolis .


Adele Adele Laurie Blue Adkins ( -LSB- əˈdɛl -RSB- born 5 May 1988 ) is an English singer-songwriter . After graduating from the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in 2006 , Adele was given a recording contract by XL Recordings after a friend posted her demo on Myspace the same year . In 2007 , she received the Brit Awards `` Critics ' Choice '' award and won the BBC Sound of 2008 poll . Her debut album , 19 , was released in 2008 to commercial and critical success . It is certified seven times platinum in the UK , and three times platinum in the US . The album contains her first song , `` Hometown Glory '' , written when she was 16 , which is based on her home suburb of West Norwood in London . An appearance she made on Saturday Night Live in late 2008 boosted her career in the US . At the 51st Grammy Awards in 2009 , Adele received the awards for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance .   She released her second studio album , 21 , in early 2011 . The album was critically well received and surpassed the success of her debut , earning the singer numerous awards in 2012 , among them a record-tying six Grammy Awards , including Album of the Year ; two Brit Awards , including British Album of the Year , and three American Music Awards . The album has been certified 16 times platinum in the UK , and is the fourth best-selling album in the UK of all time . In the US , it has held the top position longer than any album since 1985 , and is certified diamond . The album has sold over 31 million copies worldwide . The success of 21 earned Adele numerous mentions in the Guinness Book of World Records . She is the first woman in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 to have three simultaneous top 10 singles as a lead artist , and the first female artist to simultaneously have two albums in the top five of the Billboard 200 and two singles in the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 . 21 is the longest-running number one album by a female solo artist in the history of the UK and US Album Charts .   In 2012 , Adele released `` Skyfall '' , which she co-wrote and recorded for the James Bond film of the same name . The song won an Academy Award , a Grammy Award , and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song , as well as the Brit Award for British Single of the Year . After taking a three-year break , Adele released her third studio album , 25 , in 2015 . It became the year 's best-selling album and broke first week sales records in the UK and US . 25 was her second album to be certified diamond in the US and earned her five Grammy Awards , including her second Grammy Award for Album of the Year , and four Brit Awards . The lead single , `` Hello '' , became the first song in the US to sell over one million digital copies within a week of its release . Her third concert tour , Adele Live 2016 , visited Europe , North America and Oceania , and will conclude with four finale concerts at Wembley Stadium in mid-2017 .   In 2011 , 2012 and 2016 , Billboard named Adele Artist of the Year . In 2012 , she was listed at number five on VH1 's 100 Greatest Women in Music . Time magazine named her one of the most influential people in the world in 2012 and 2016 . With sales of more than 100 million records , Adele is one of the best-selling recording artists in the world .


Hometown Glory `` Hometown Glory '' is the debut single by British singer Adele , released on 22 October 2007 in the United Kingdom . The song appears on her debut studio album 19 ( 2008 ) . In 2008 , the song was re-released as her fourth single . Adele wrote the song in 10 minutes after her mother tried to persuade her to leave her home suburb of West Norwood in London for university . `` Hometown Glory '' is the first song that Adele ever wrote .   In 2007 , `` Hometown Glory '' was released on singer Jamie T 's Pacemaker Recordings label as a limited edition 7 '' vinyl single , of which only 500 copies were made . The song failed to chart initially . However , due to high downloads of the song during the release week of 19 , the song managed to chart inside the UK Singles Chart top 40 for the first time . In 2010 , the song received a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance , but lost to Beyoncé 's `` Halo '' .


21 (Adele album) 21 is the second studio album by British singer Adele . It was released on 24 January 2011 in most of Europe , and on 22 February 2011 in North America . The album was named after the age of the singer during its production . 21 shares the folk and Motown soul influences of her 2008 debut album 19 , but was further inspired by the American country and Southern blues music to which she had been exposed during her 2008 -- 09 North American tour An Evening with Adele . Composed in the aftermath of the singer 's separation from her partner , the album typifies the near dormant tradition of the confessional singer-songwriter in its exploration of heartbreak , self-examination , and forgiveness .   Adele began writing 21 in April 2009 , when still involved in the relationship that subsequently inspired the record . Dissatisfied with once again portraying herself as the musical tragedian of her debut , she had intended to compose a more upbeat and contemporary follow-up . However , studio sessions ended prematurely due to a lack of inspiration . She resumed production immediately after the breakdown of her relationship , channelling her heartbreak and depression into her songs . Adele collaborated with various songwriters and producers , including Columbia Records co-president Rick Rubin , Paul Epworth , Ryan Tedder , Jim Abbiss , and Dan Wilson .   Praised by critics for its understated production , vintage aesthetic , and Adele 's vocal performance , 21 defied the modest commercial expectations of her indie record label XL Recordings . The album topped the charts in more than 30 countries and became the world 's best-selling album of the year for 2011 and 2012 . In the United Kingdom , it is the best-selling album of the 21st century and fourth best-selling album of all time , while its 23-week tenure atop the UK Albums Chart is the longest by a female solo artist . In the United States , the album held the top position for 24 weeks , longer than any other album since 1985 and the longest by a female solo artist in Billboard 200 history . As well , it had the most weeks on the Billboard 200 chart of any album by a woman .   It was certified Diamond by the RIAA and was ranked as the `` Greatest Billboard 200 Album of All Time . ''   Five singles were released to promote the album , with `` Rolling in the Deep , '' `` Someone like You '' and `` Set Fire to the Rain '' becoming international number-one songs , while `` Rumour Has It '' charted in the top 20 across Europe and North America . Globally , 21 was the biggest selling musical release for both 2011 and 2012 , and helped revitalise lagging sales of the UK and US music industry . With over 31 million copies sold worldwide , 21 is one of the best-selling albums of all time . Critics hailed the album as a shift from the overtly sexual and musically bombastic status quo , and attributed its success to its deeply autobiographical yet universal songs . Shortlisted for the 2011 Mercury Prize , 21 won the 2012 Grammy Award for Album of the Year and the Brit Award for British Album of the Year .


Hello (Adele song) `` Hello '' is a song by English singer Adele . It was released on 23 October 2015 by XL Recordings as the lead single from her third studio album , 25 ( 2015 ) . Adele co-wrote the song with her producer , Greg Kurstin . `` Hello '' is a piano ballad with soul influences , and lyrics that discuss themes of nostalgia and regret . Upon release , the song was well received by music critics , who compared it favourably to Adele 's previous work and praised the song 's lyrics and Adele 's vocals . It was recorded in London .   `` Hello '' reached number one in almost every country it charted in , including the United Kingdom , where it became her second UK number-one single , following `` Someone like You '' , and has the largest opening week sales in three years . In the United States , `` Hello '' debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100 , reigning for 10 consecutive weeks whilst becoming Adele 's fourth number-one on the chart and breaking several records , including becoming the first song to sell over a million digital copies in a week . By the end of 2015 , it had sold 12.3 million units globally ( combined sales and track-equivalent streams ) and was the year 's 7th best-selling single .   The accompanying music video was directed by Xavier Dolan and co-stars Adele and Tristan Wilds . The music video for the song broke the Vevo Record by achieving over 27.7 million views within a 24-hour span , held previously by Taylor Swift 's `` Bad Blood '' which accumulated 20.1 million views in that timeframe . It also broke the record for shortest time to attain 100 million Vevo views , previously held by Miley Cyrus ' `` Wrecking Ball '' , as well as shortest time to reach 1 billion YouTube views ( 88 days ) . The clip received seven nominations at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards , including Video of the Year and Best Female Video . Adele promoted the song with a live performance on a BBC one-hour-long special , entitled Adele at the BBC . At the 59th Annual Grammy Awards , `` Hello '' won three Grammy Awards : Record of the Year , Song of the Year , and Best Pop Solo Performance .