The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop, dance and hip hop group from Los Angeles, California, consisting of the vocalists Fergie (formerly Kim Hill), Apl.De.Ap and Taboo as well as the multi-instrumentalist Will.I.Am. They have sold 76 million records around the world to date.

The group first began to take shape in 1988, when Will.I.Am and Apl.De.Ap met in high school and began performing raps together, and they were joined by Taboo and Kim Hill in 1995. After signing to Interscope Records, the foursome released their debut album Behind the Front in June 1998 – which produced the singles Joints & Jam, Karma, Fallin’ Up and ¿Qué Dices? This was soon followed by 2000’s Bridging the Gap and the singles BEP Empire, Weekends and Request + Line (ft. Macy Gray). However, it would be their third studio album that would bring The Black Eyed Peas into the mainstream.

Elephunk was released in June 2000. It reached number fourteen on the US Billboard 200 and performed even better elsewhere, reaching number three in the UK, number two in Canada and number one in Australia – eventually selling over 8.5 million copies worldwide. The lead single Where Is the Love? (ft. Justin Timberlake) and the follow-up release Shut Up were both number one smash hits in over a dozen countries worldwide, while the follow up singles Hey Mama and Let’s Get It Started were both international Top 10 hits.

2005’s Monkey Business followed, which sold over ten million copies worldwide and included the huge hits Don’t Phunk With My Heart and Pump It, and then came 2009’s The E.N.D. (an acronym for Energy Never Dies). To date their fifth studio album has produced the US number one singles Boom Boom Pow and I Gotta Feeling – which topped the Hot 100 for an unprecedented 26 consecutive weeks between them – as well as their third album number one hit Imma Be.

Gorillaz is an pop/alternative rock/indie/hip hop ‘virtual band’ consisting of the comic book characters 2D on lead vocals and keyboard, Noodle on lead guitar and vocals, Murdoc Niccals on bass guitar and Russell Hobbs on drums and percussion.

The musical project was created in 1998 by Damon Albarn (known as the frontman of the British alternative rock band Blur) and Jamie Hewlett (known as the co-creator of the British comic book Tank Girl), when they were living together in London. After releasing the EP Tomorrow Comes Today in 2000, the duo decided to start work on their debut self-titled studio album.

Gorillaz was released in March 2001 and reached number three in the UK, as well as number fourteen in the US. Combining elements of rock, hip hop, punk, dub, acid and reggae, the release was critically acclaimed and went on to sell over seven million copies worldwide. It also produced four hit singles: the UK Top 20 hits Clint Eastwood and 19-2000, and the Top 40 singles Tomorrow Comes Today and Rock the House.

The group’s next release was 2005’s Demon Days. It shot to number one in the UK and number six in the US, selling over six million copies around the world. The lead single Feel Good Inc. reached number two in the UK and number fifteen in the US, while the follow-up DARE was the group’s first UK number one hit. The third single Dirty Harry also charted inside the UK Top 10.

The group’s third studio album Plastic Beach was released in March 2010. It debuted at number two in both the UK and the US, selling over 200,000 copies in its first week of release. It has produced two singles to date: Stylo and On Melancholy Hill. The album’s third single Superfast Jellyfish is due for release later in 2010.