Music Makers Encyclopedia: N

Click on a letter to choose an act ("S" for Bruce Springsteen, "B" for Beatles, etc.). Shown with the act are its major awards, short bios for select acts (generally adapted from Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954 and Top Pop Singles: Billboard books), and links to albums and songs reviewed by the DMDB.

Naked Eyes

Song(s):
Always Something There to Remind Me (1983)

Napalm Death

Album(s):
Scum (1987)

Nas

Rap singer born Nasir Bin Olu Dara Jones on 9/14/1973 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, NY.

Song(s):
The World Is Yours (1994)
NY State of Mind (1994)
Made You Look (2002)
One Mic (2002)

Album(s):
Illmatic (1994)
King’s Disease (2020)

Graham Nash

DMDB profile page

Johnny Nash

Song(s):
I Can See Clearly Now (1972)

The Nashville "A" Team

Natti Natasha

Song(s):
Criminal (with Ozuna, 2017)

Nate Dogg

Song(s):
Regulate (1994) – see Warren G
Till I Collapse (2011) – see Eminem

Syd Nathan

Record Executive (King Records) born 4/27/1904 in Cincinnati, OH. Died 3/5/1968.

The National

Post-punk revival rock band formed in 1999 in Brooklyn, New York, although the members are originally from Ciincinnati, Ohio. Matt Berninger (vocals), Aaron Dessner (guitar, bass, keyboards, etc.), Bryce Dessner (guitar keyboards, etc.: 2001-), Bryan Devendorf (drums, percussion), Scott Devendorf (bass, guitar).

Song(s):
Bloodbuzz Ohio (2010)

Albums(s):
Alligator (2005)
Boxer (2007)
High Violet (2010)
Sleep Well Beast (2017)

Naughty Boy

Song(s):
La La La (2013) – see Sam Smith

Naughty by Nature

Song(s):
O.P.P. (1991)

Album(s):
Poverty’s Paradise (1995)

Nayer

Song(s):
Give Me Everything (2011) – see Pitbull

Nazareth

Song(s):
Love Hurts (1975)
Hair of the Dog (1975)

Me'Shell Ndegeocello

Song(s):
Wild Night (1994) – see John Mellencamp
Better Than I Imagined (2020) – see Robert Glasper

Youssou N'Dour

John Mason Neale

Song(s) written by Neale:
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (1851)
Good King Wencelas (1860)

Theresa Needham

The Neighbourhood

Song(s):
Sweater Weather (2012)

Neiked

Song(s):
Sexual (with Dyo, 2016)

Nelly

Rap singer born Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. on 11/2/1974 in Austin, TX.

Song(s):
Hot Shit (Country Grammar) (2000)
Hot in Herre (2002)
Dilemma (with Kelly Rowland, 2002)
Over and Over (with Tim McGraw, 2004)
Cruise (2012) – see Florida Georgia Line

Album(s):
Country Grammar (2000)
Nellyville (2002)
Suit (2004)

Ken Nelson

Oliver Nelson

Album(s):
The Blues and the Abstract Truth (1961)

Ozzie Nelson

Jazz/big band leader and actor born Oswald George Nelson on 3/20/1906 in Jersey City, NJ. Died 6/3/1975.

Ricky Nelson

Pop singer born Eric Hilliard Nelson on 5/8/1940 in Teaneck, NJ. Died 12/31/1985. Son of famous parents Ozzie and Harriet Nelson. Sons formed pop-rock duo Nelson ("Can't Live without Your Love and Affection").

Song(s):
Hello Mary Lou (1961)
Travelin' Man (1961)
Garden Party (with the Stone Canyon Band, 1972)

Skip Nelson

Song(s):
That Old Black Magic (1943) – see Glenn Miller

Willie Nelson

Country singer/songwriter born 4/29/1933 in Abbott, TX. Wrote hits for others before becominga successful singer in his own right. Moved to Nashville in 1960. Moved back to Texas in 1970. Pioneered the "outlaw" country movement. Appeared in several movies including The Electric Horseman (1979), Honeysuckle Rose (1980), and Barbarosa (1982).

Song(s) written by Willie Nelson:
Crazy (1961) – see Patsy Cline
Hello Walls (1961) – see Faron Young

Song(s) performed by Willie Nelson:
Willie Nelson: Top 80 Songs
Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain (1975)
Good Hearted Woman (1975) – see Waylon Jennings
Mammas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys (with Waylon Jennings, 1978)
On the Road Again (1980)
Always on My Mind (1982)
Pancho and Lefty (with Merle Haggard, 1983)
To All the Girls I've Loved Before (1984) – see Julio Iglesias
City of New Orleans (1984)
Highwayman (1985) – see The Highwaymen
Forgiving You Was Easy (1985)
Just Breathe (w/ Lukas Nelson, 2012)

Album(s):
Red Headed Stranger (1975)
Wanted! The Outlaws (1976) – see Waylon Jennings
Stardust (1978)
Always on My Mind (1982)

Nena

Song(s):
99 Red Balloons (1983)

The Neptunes

Production duo of Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams.

Peter Nero

Neutral Milk Hotel

Album(s):
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998)

Aaron Neville

R&B singer with the Neville Brothers. Also a solo artist. Born 1/24/1941 in Louisiana.

Song(s):
Tell It Like It Is (1966)

Ethelbert Nevin

Phineas Newborn, Jr.

Jazz pianist.

New Edition

R&B group formed in Boston, MA in 1978. Members included Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe, who went on to form Bell Biv DeVoe. Members Bobby Brown and Ralph Tresvant were later solo artists, as was Johnny Gill, who joined in 1987 after Brown departed. Hits included "Candy Girl," "Cool It Now," and "Mr. Telephone Man."

Song(s):
If It Isn't Love (1988)

Bob Newhart

Album(s):
The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart (comedy, 1960)

New Kids on the Block

Album(s):
Hangin' Tough (1988)

Anthony Newley

Alfred Newman

Musical theater composer born 3/17/1900 in New Haven, CT. Died 2/17/1970.

David "Fathead" Newman

John Newman

Song(s):
Feel the Love (2012) – see Rudimental
Love Me Again (2013)

Randy Newman

Singer/songwriter and film score composer born 11/28/1943 in Los Angeles, CA.

Song(s):
Sail Away (1972)
You've Got a Friend in Me (with Lyle Lovett, from Toy Story, 1995)
We Belong Together (2010)

Album(s):
Randy Newman (1968)
12 Songs (1970)
Sail Away (1972)

New Order

Techno-dance group from Manchester England. 1980-2005. Bernard Sumner (v/g/k), Peter Hook (b), and Stephen Morris (d), Gillian Gilbert (k – New Order: 80-01), Phil Cunningham (g/k: 01-05). Sumner, Hook, and Morris had all been in Joy Division and, after lead singer Ian Curtis hung himself, formed New Order. Morris and Gilbert, who are married, also formed The Other Two.

Song(s):
Temptation (1982)
Blue Monday (1983)
Bizarre Love Triangle (1986)
True Faith (1987)
World in Motion (1990)
Regret (1993)

Album(s):
Power, Corruption & Lies (1983)
Low-Life (1985)
Substance (compilation: 1981-87, released 1987)
Technique (1989)

New Pornographers

Song(s):
Dancehall Domine (2014)

New Radicals

Song(s):
You Get What You Give (1998)

New Seekers

Song(s):
I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (1971)

Jason Newsted

John Newton

Song(s) written by John Newton:
Amazing Grace (1779)

Juice Newton

Song(s):
Angel of the Morning (1981)

Wayne Newton

American singer and entertainer ("Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast", "Danke Schoen") born 4/3/1942. Nicknamed "Mr. Las Vegas."

Olivia Newton-John

The country/pop singer was born 9/26/1948 in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England. She died on 8/8/2022. Her family moved to Australia in 1953. At age 16, won talent contest to England. Granddaughter of Nobel Prize-winning German physicist Max Born. She was in the Pat & Olivia duo and group Tomorrow before going solo. She won the CMA Award for Female Vocalist of the Year in 1974. In movies Grease, Xanadu, and Two of a Kind. Married actor Matt Lattanzi in 1984, divorced in 1995. Opened own chain of clothing boutiques (Koala Blue) in 1984. Her daughter Chloe was born in 1986. She battled breast cancer in 1992, was diagnosed with cancer again in 2013, and a third time in 2017. Married John Easterling in 2008. She sold more than 100 million records in her career.

DMDB Profile Page
DMDB Podcast: Olivia Newton-John – Celebrating Her Life and Music

Song(s):
Top 50 Songs
I Honestly Love You (1974)
Have You Never Been Mellow (1975)
You're the One That I Want (with John Travolta, 1978)
Summer Nights (with John Travolta, 1978)
Hopelessly Devoted to You (1978)
A Little More Love (1978)
Magic (1980)
Xanadu (with Electric Light Orchestra, 1980)
Physical (1981)
Heart Attack (1982)
Twist of Fate (1983)
Soul Kiss (1985)
It's Not Heaven (1988)
Grease Megamix (with John Travolta, 1990)

Album(s):
If Not for You (1971)
Olivia (1972)
Let Me Be There (1973)
Long Live Love (1974)
If You Love Me Let Me Know (compilation: 1972-74, released 1974)
Have You Never Been Mellow (1975)
Clearly Love (1975)
Come on Over (1976)
Don’t Stop Believin’ (1977)
Making a Good Thing Better (1977)
Greatest Hits (compilation: 1971-77, released 1977)
Grease (soundtrack with John Travolta et al, 1978) – see Various Artists
Totally Hot (1978)
Xanadu (soundtrack with Electric Light Orchestra, 1980)
Physical (1981)
Olivia's Greatest Hits Vol. 2 (compilation: 1978-82, released 1982)
Two of a Kind (soundtrack, 1983) – see Various Artists
Soul Kiss (1985)
The Rumour (1988)
Warm and Tender (1989)
Back to Basics (compilation: 1971-92, released 1992)
Magic: The Very Best of (compilation: 1973-90, released 2001)
Gold (compilation: 1971-98, released 2005)

The New Vaudeville Band

Song(s):
Winchester Cathederal (1966)

New York Dolls

American punk rock band from New York. Hugely influential in the look of many new wave and glam metal groups. Active: 1971-76, 2004-. Members: David Johansen (v: 71-76, 04-), Johnny Thunders (g/v: 71-75), Sylvain Sylvain (g/b/piano: 71-76, 04-), Arthur Kane (b: 71-75, 04), Billy Murcia (d: 71-72), Rick Rivets (g: 71), Jerry Nolan (d: 72-75), Peter Jordan (b: 75-76), Blackie Lawless (g: 75), Chris Robison (k: 75), Tony Machine (d: 75-76), Bobby Blaine (k: 76), Steve Conte (g/v: 04-10), Gary Powell (d: 04), Sami Yaffa (b: 05-10), Brian Koonin (k: 05-06), Frank Infante (g: 10-11), Jason Hill (b: 10-11), Jason Sutter (d: 11), Earl Slick (g: 11-), Kenny Aaronson (b: 11-), Brian Delaney (d: 05-)

Song(s):
Personality Crisis (1973)

Album(s):
New York Dolls (1973)

New York Philharmonic

New York Pro Musica

Album(s):
The Play of Daniel: A Twelfth-Century Drama (with Noah Greenberg, 1958)

New York Strings Quartet

Song(s):
Black Angels (Thirteen Images from the Dark Land) (1972)

Next

Song(s):
Too Close (1998)

Ne-Yo

R&B singer/songwriter and record producer born Shaffer Chimere Smith on 10/18/1979 in Camden, Arkansas.

Song(s):
Miss Independent (2008)
Give Me Everything (2011) – see Pitbull

Album(s):
Because of You (2007)

NF

Song(s):
Let You Down (2017)

Red Nichols

American jazz/big band leader, songwriter, and composer born Ernest Loring Nichols on 5/8/1905. Died 6/28/1965.

Song(s):
Ida! Sweet As Apple Cider (1927)
I Got Rhythm (1930)
Embraceable You (with Dick Robertson, 1930)

Nickelback

Song(s):
How You Remind Me (2001)
Figured You Out (2003)
Photograph (2005)
Far Away (2005)
Animals (2005)
If Everyone Cared (2005)
Gotta Be Somebody (2008)

Album(s):
All the Right Reasons (2005)
Dark Horse (2008)

Stevie Nicks

Singer/songwriter born Stephanie Lynn Nicks on 5/26/1948 in Phoenix, AZ. With Fleetwood Mac ("Dreams", "Sara") and a solo artist.

Song(s):
Stop Draggin' My Heart Around (with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, 1981)
Edge of Seventeen (1981)

Alice Nielsen

Song(s):
Home, Sweet Home (1915)

Robert Nighthawk

Blues guitarist born 11/30/1909 in Helena, AR. Died 11/5/1967.

Album(s):
Live on Maxwell Street (year?)

Maxine Nightingale

Song(s):
Right Back Where We Started From (1975)

Night Ranger

Song(s):
Sister Christian (1983)
Reason to Be (1988)

Harry Nilsson

Song(s):
Everybody's Talkin" (1968)
Without You (1971)

Album(s):
Nilsson Schmilsson (1971)

Nine Inch Nails

Song(s):
Head Like a Hole (1990)
Closer (1994)
Hurt (1994)
Only (2005)
Every Day Is Exactly the Same (2005)

Album(s):
Pretty Hate Machine (1989)
The Downward Spiral (1994)
The Fragile (1999)

The 1975

Albums(s):
I Like It When You Sleep for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It (2016)
A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships (2018)

Nirvana

Grunge rock trio from Aberdeen, Washington. Active: 1987-94 Members: Kurt Cobain (v/g: 87-94), Jason Everman (g – Nirvana: 89; Soundgarden; Mindfunk), Chris Novoselic (b – Stiff Woodies; Skid Row; Nirvana: 87-94; Sweet 75: 97-?; The No W.T.O. Combo: 00), Chad Channing (d – Nirvana: 87-90), Dan Peters (d – Mudhoney: 88-; Nirvana: 90), Dave Grohl (d: 90-94)

Song(s):
About a Girl (1989)
Smells Like Teen Spirit (1991)
Come As You Are (1991)
Lithium (1991)
In Bloom (1991)
Something in the Way (1991)
Polly (1991)
Aneurysm (1991)
Heart-Shaped Box (1993)
All Apologies (1993)
Rape Me (1993)
You Know You're Right (recorded 1994, released 2002)

Album(s):
Nevermind (1991)
In Utero (1993)
MTV Unplugged in New York (live, 1993)
Nirvana (Greatest Hits) (compilation: 1988-94, released 2002)
With the Lights Out (box: 1987-94, released 2004)

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Country-rock band from Long Beach, California. 1966-. Members have included Jackson Browne (g/v: 66), Bob Carpenter (k: 77-), Jimmie Fadden (multiple instruments: 66-), Jeff Hanna (v/g: 66-), John McEuen (multi-instrumentalist: 66-86, 01-17).

Song(s):
Mr. Bojangles (1970)
An American Dream (with Linda Ronstadt, 1979)

Album(s):
Will the Circle Be Unbroken (1972)
Will the Circle Be Unbroken Vol. 2 (1989)

Marni Nixon

Song(s):
Getting to Know You (from The King and I, 1956)
Shall We Dance? (with Yul Brynner, from The King and I, 1956)
Hello Young Lovers (from The King and I, 1956)
Tonight (with Jim Bryant, from soundtrack: 1961)
Somewhere (from West Side Story, 1961)
Maria (from West Side Story soundtrack: 1961) – see Jim Bryant
I Could Have Danced All Night (1964)

Ray Noble

Jazz/big band songwriter born 12/17/1903 in Brighton, Sussex, England. Died 4/3/1978.

Song(s):
The Old Spinning Wheel (with Al Bowlly, 1933)
Love Is the Sweetest Thing (with Al Bowlly, 1933)
The Very Thought of You (with Al Bowlly, 1934)
Isle of Capri (with Al Bowlly, 1934)
I've Got You Under My Skin (1936)
Nice Work if You Can Get It (1937) – see Fred Astaire
Change Partners (1938) – see Fred Astaire
Linda (with Buddy Clark, 1947)

Gene Nobles

No Doubt

Song(s):
Don't Speak (1996)
Simple Kind of Life (2000)

Album(s):
Tragic Kingdom (1995)

NOFX

Album(s):
Punk in Drublic (1994)

Shannon Noll

Song(s):
What About Me? (2004)

Noa

Song(s):
Eye in the Sky (2002)

Loulie Jean Norman

Song(s):
Summertime (1959)

Jessye Norman

Soprano opera singer born 9/15/1945 in Augusta, GA.

Monty Norman

p>Album(s):
Songbook (composed with Julian More, musical: 1979)
Poppy (composed with Peter Nichols, musical: 1982)

Theodore Havermeyer Northrup

Song(s):
The Louisiana Rag (1897)

Red Norvo

American jazz/big band leader born 3/31/1908. Died 4/6/1999.

Song(s):
Says My Heart (with Mildred Bailey, 1938)

Jack Norworth

Vaudevillian performer married to singer Nora Bayes (1908-13).

Song(s):
Shine on, Harvest Moon (1909, written with Nora Bayes) – see Harry MacDonough

The Notorious B.I.G.

Rap singer born Christopher George Latore Wallace on 5/21/1972 in New York City, NY. Died 3/9/1997. Sometimes known as Biggie Smalls, Big Poppa, or the Black Frank White. Killed by an unknown assailant in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles.

Song(s):
Juicy (1994)
Big Poppa (1994)
One More Chance (1995)
Stay with Me (1995)
Mo Money, Mo Problems (with Puff Daddy & Mase) (1997)
Hypnotize (1997)

Album(s):
Ready to Die (1994)
Life after Death (1997)
Greatest Hits (compilation: 2007)

The DMDB Blog:
14 Years Ago Puff Daddy Memorialized Notorious B.I.G. (6/14/2011)

Heather Nova

Song(s):
Walk This World (1995)

Donald Novis

Song(s):
Sweet and Lovely (1931) – see Gus Arnheim

Krist Novoselic

Rick Nowels

NRG

Snyth-pop/neo-prog rock group led by Kevin Gilbert. Only released one album in 1984.

Album(s):
No Reasons Given (1984)

N' Sync

Song(s):
Bye, Bye, Bye (2000)
It's Gonna Be Me (2000)

Album(s):
No Strings Attached (2000)

Ted Nugent

Rock guitarist born 12/13/1948 in Redford, Michigan. With Amboy Dukes ("Journey to the Center of the Mind," "The Great White Buffalo") before embarking on a solo career ("Cat Scratch Fever," "Wango Tango"). Also worked with Damn Yankees (89-94).

Song(s):
Stranglehold (1975)

Gary Numan

Song(s):
Cars (1979)

Paolo Nutini

Song(s):
New Shoes (2006)

The Nutmegs

Song(s):
Story Untold (1955)

N.W.A.

Song(s):
Fuck tha Police (1989)
Straight Outta Compton (1989)

Album(s):
Straight Outta Compton (1989)

Nyla

Song(s):
Light It Up (2016) – see Major Lazer

Laura Nyro

Singer/songwriter and pianist born 10/18/1947. Died 4/8/1997. Began recording as a teenager. Known mostly for her songs covered by others, including "And When I Die" (Blood, Sweat & Tears), "Wedding Bell Blues" (The 5th Dimension), and "Eli's Coming" (Three Dog Night). Worked in the legendary Brill Building, known for housing some of pop music history's most famous songwriters and publishers.

Album(s):
Laura Nyro (1966)

Click on a letter to choose a recording act ("S" for Bruce Springsteen, "B" for Beatles, etc.). Shown with the act are its major awards, short bios for select acts (generally adapted from Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954 and Top Pop Singles: Billboard books), and links to albums and songs reviewed by the DMDB.