Billy Ocean

• Genre: Quiet Storm
• Billy Ocean Website

About

Born in Trinidad and raised in England, Billy Ocean began his career singing around London, and released his first single in 1974 under the alias Scorched Earth. The following year he recorded his debut LP and scored a hit with the single "Love Really Hurts Without You." Three more albums and a few singles later, he really blew up with 1984's Suddenly, a double-platinum smash that featured his signature song "Caribbean Queen." The perfect mix of accessible pop and smooth R&B -- with just a little exoticness thrown in -- was loved by both kids and adults. Embraced by radio and MTV, Ocean continued to crank out hits throughout the 1980s, with chart-topping jams like "Get Out of My Dreams, Get Into My Car" and "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)." However, like many '80s-era stars, his reign eventually faded, and subsequent albums in '93, '97 and '03 came and went, unnoticed by all but the most diehard fans.

- Brolin Winning