Music Makers Encyclopedia: Y

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.

Jimmy Yancey

Song(s):
Midnight Stomp (1954)

Frank Yankovic & His Yanks

Song(s):
Just Because (1948)

Weird Al Yankovic

Song(s):
Eat It (Parody of Michael Jackson’s "Beat It") (1984)

The Yardbirds

Links: DMDB profile page - official site - Facebook

Legendary rock group formed at Kingston Art School in Surrey, England. Launched three of the most acclaimed guitarists in history. Active: 1963-68 Members: Keith Relf (v/harmonica: 63-68); Anthony "Top" Topham (g: 63), Chris Dreja (g/b – Yardbirds: 63-68, 03; Box of Frogs: 84-86), Paul "Sam" Samwell-Smith (b/k: 63-66), Jim McCarty (d: 63-68, 03), Eric Clapton (g/v: 63-65), Jeff Beck (g: 65-66), Jimmy Page (g: 66-68). Dreja, Smith, and McCarty also formed the group Box of Frogs.

Song(s):
Eric Clapton et al: Top 100 Songs
For Your Love (1965)
Heart Full of Soul (1965)
Shapes of Things (1966)
Happenings Ten Years Time Ago (1966)

Album(s):
Eric Clapton et al: Studio Albums Ranked
Five Live Yardbirds (live, 1964)
For Your Love (1965)
Having a Rave Up (1965)
Roger the Engineer (aka 'Over Under Sideways Down' and 'The Yardbirds') (1966)
Little Games (1967)
Birdland (2003)

David Yazbeck

Album(s):
The Band's Visit (musical: 2016)

Yazoo

Song(s):
Don't Go (1982)
Situation (1982)

Album(s):
Upstair at Eric's (1982)

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Indie-rock band formed in New York City in 2000. Karen O (vocals, piano), Nick Zinner (guitar, keyboards), Brian Chase (drums).

Song(s):
Maps (2003)

Album(s):
Fever to Tell (2003)

Years & Years

Song(s):
King (2015)

Trisha Yearwood

Country singer born Patricia Lynn Yearwood on 9/19/1964 in Monticello, GA. Married country singer Garth Brooks.

Song(s):
She's in Love with the Boy (1991)
How Do I Live (1997)

Jack Yellen

Yello

Song(s):
Oh Yeah (1985)

Yes

DMDB profile page.

Check out the DMDB podcast "The Best of Yes" here.

Progressive rock group formed in London (1968-). The band was formed by Jon Anderson (vocals: 1968-80, 1983-88, 1990-2004), Chris Squire (bass: 1968-2015. Died in 2015.), Tony Kaye (keyboards: 1968-71, 1982-94), Peter Banks (guitar: 1968-70), and Bill Bruford (drums: 1968-72, 1990-92). Later members included Steve Howe (guitar: 1970-81, 1990-92, 1995-present), Rick Wakeman (keyboards: 1971-74, 1976-80, 1990-92, 1995-96, 2002-04), Alan White (drums: 1972-present), Patrick Moraz (keyboards: 1974-76), Geoff Downes (keyboards: 1980-81, 2011-present), Trevor Horn (vocals: 1980-81), Trevor Rabin (guitar, vocals, keyboards: 1982-94), Billy Sherwood (bass, keyboards, guitar: 1997-2000, 2015-present), Igor Khoroshev (keyboards: 1997-2000) , Benoit David (vocals: 2008-12), Oliver Wakeman (keyboards: 2008-11), and Jon Davison (vocals: 2012-present). Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, & Howe also recorded together from 1988-92, but without rights to the Yes name. Downes and Horn were in the Buggles together and Downes and Howe formed Asia in 1982.

Song(s):
Top 100 Songs
Roundabout (1972)
Owner of a Lonely Heart (1983)
Leave It (1983)
Lift Me Up (1991)

Album(s):
Studio Albums Ranked
Yes (1969)
Time and a Word (1970)
The Yes Album (1971)
Fragile (1971)
Close to the Edge (1972)
Tales from Topographic Oceans (1973)
Relayer (1974)
Going for the One (1977)
Classic Yes (compilation: 1971-77, released 1981)
Tormato (1978)
Drama (1980)
90125 (1983)
Big Generator (1987)
Yes Story (compilation: 1969-87, released 1992)
Highlights: The Very Best of (compilation: 1969-87, released 1993)
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe (1989)
Union (1991)
Yes Years (box set: 1969-91, released 1991)
Talk (1994)
Keys to Ascension/Keys to Ascension 2 (1996/1997)
Open Your Eyes (1997)
The Ladder (1999)
Magnification (2001)
Fly from Here (2011)
In a Word (box set: 1969-2001, released 2002)
The Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversray Collection (compilation: 1969-2003, released 2003)
Heaven & Earth (2014)
The Quest (2021)

The DMDB Blog:
The Steve Howe Show (7/15/09)

Maury Yeston

Album(s):
Nine (musical: 1982)
Titanic: A New Musical (musical: 1997)

Ylvis

The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?) (2013)

Dwight Yoakam

Country singer born Dwight David Yoakam on 10/23/1956 in Pikeville, KY.

Song(s):
Guitars, Cadillacs (1986)

Album(s):
Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc. Etc. (1986)
Just Lookin’ for a Hit (1989)

Yo La Tengo

Album(s):
I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One (1997)

Thom Yorke

Experimental rock singer with Radiohead. Born Thomas Edward Yorke on 10/7/1968 in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England.

Pete Yorn

Song(s):
Life on a Chain (2001)

Yothu Yindi

Song(s):
Treaty (1991)

Vincent Youmans

Angus Young

Rock guitarist, songwriter, and founder of AC/DC. Born 3/31/1955 in Glasgow, Scotland.

Austin Young

Song(s):
The Birth of the Blues (1926) – see Paul Whiteman
Among My Souvenirs (1928) – see Paul Whiteman
My Heart Stood Still (1928) – see Paul Whiteman

Earl Young

Eve Young

Song(s):
Silver Dollar (Roll Roll Roll) (1950)

Faron Young

Country singer born 2/25/1932 in Shreveport, LA. Died 12/10/1996.

Song(s):
Hello Walls (1961)

Jimmy Young

Song(s):
Too Young (1951)

Joe Young

John Paul Young

Song(s):
Love Is in the Air (1978)

Lester Young

Jazz saxophonist and clarinetist born Lester Willis Young on 8/27/1909 in Woodville, Mississippi. Died 3/15/1959.

Song(s):
Just You, Just Me (1944)

Neil Young

DMDB profile page.

Rock singer/songwriter and guitarist born Neil Percival Young on 11/12/1945 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. With The Classics (62), The Squires (63-65), The Mynah Birds (65), Buffalo Springfield (66-68), Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (69-71, 88, 99), and Stills-Young Band (76). Has worked predominantly as a solo artist since 1969.

Song(s):
Crosby Stills Nash Young: Top 100 Songs
Down by the River (1969)
Cinnamon Girl (1969)
Ohio (1970) – see Crosby, Stills & Nash
Southern Man (1970)
Heart of Gold (1972)
Old Man (1972)
The Needle and the Damage Done (1972)
My My Hey Hey (Out of the Blue) (1979)
This Note's for You (1989)
Rockin’ in the Free World (1989)
Harvest Moon (1992)
Philadelphia (1994)
Angry World (2010)

Album(s):
Neil Young: Top 10 Albums
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (with Crazy Horse, 1969)
After the Gold Rush (1970)
Déjà Vu (1970) - see Crosby, Stills & Nash
4 Way Street (live, 1971) – see Crosby, Stills & Nash)
Harvest (1972)
Tonight's the Night (recorded 1973, released 1975)
On the Beach (1974)
Zuma (1975)
Decade (compilation: 1969-76, released 1977)
Rust Never Sleeps (with Crazy Horse, 1979)
Live Rust (live, 1979)
Freedom (1989)
Harvest Moon (1992)
Greendale (2003)

Paul Young

Album(s):
No Parlez (1983)

Rida Johnson Young

Victor Young

Song(s):
Out of Nowhere (1931) – see Bing Crosby
Symphony (1946) – see Bing Crosby
The High and the Mighty (1954)

Will Young

Song(s):
Anything Is Possible/Evergreen (2002)
Leave Right Now (2003)
Your Game (2004)

Young Artists for Haiti

Song(s):
Wavin' Flag (2010)

The Youngbloods

Song(s):
Get Together (1967)

Young Fathers

Album(s):
Dead (2014)

Young M.C.

Song(s):
Bust a Move (1989)

The (Young) Rascals

Song(s):
Good Lovin' (1966)
Groovin' (1967)
People Got to Be Free (1968)

Young Thug

Song(s):
Havana (2017) – see Camila Cabello
Franchise (2020) – see Travis Scott

Youth Group

Song(s):
Forever Young (2005)

David Yow

Member of The Jesus Lizard.

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.