SOUL MEN, SAM & DAVE (1967)
Miami-based duo Sam & Dave took the burgeoning R&B world by storm in the 1960s, and the singers reached their commercial peak with sophomore effort Soul Men, from which the title track reached No. 2 on the Billboard charts and went on to inspire generations when it was covered by the Blues Brothers.
A WHITE SPORT COAT AND A PINK CRUSTACEAN, JIMMY BUFFETT (1973)
Though Jimmy Buffett is known to Parrotheads the world over as an artist who got his start on the Gulf shores, this sophomore studio effort was his first following a move to Key West that preceded his superstardom and had a profound impact on his sound.
KC AND THE SUNSHINE BAND, KC AND THE SUNSHINE BAND (1975)
This seminal disco outfit got its start in Hialeah, and this self-titled sophomore effort was the highest-charting effort of the group’s career, peaking at no. 4 on the Billboard 200 and receiving a Platinum certification from the RIAA. It boasts the group’s two biggest hits: “Get Down Tonight” and “That’s the Way (I Like It)”.
HOTEL CALIFORNIA, THE EAGLES (1976)
Yes, we’re fully aware of the irony here, but much of this mega-smash hit by the venerable ‘70s soft-rockers was recorded not in its namesake state, but in North Miami’s distinguished Criteria Studios, where the group also recorded One of These Nights.
LET IT LOOSE, GLORIA ESTEFAN & MIAMI SOUND MACHINE (1987)
Though this record would end up being the last to bear the Miami Sound Machine name before Gloria Estefan launched her successful solo career, it was the influential group’s most successful. The record went triple Platinum and contained the band’s biggest hit, “Anything for You.”
AS NASTY AS THEY WANNA BE, 2 LIVE CREW (1993)
The record that put Miami music on the map for all the wrong reasons, this third effort from Miami Bass hip-hop group 2 Live Crew went double Platinum, but it was also the first record in history to be deemed legally obscene. It featured the cringe-worthy lead single and opening track “Me So Horny,” and things only got more salacious from there.
A MARK, A MISSION, A BRAND, A SCAR, DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL (2003)
Boca Raton’s own emo heroes Dashboard Confessional recorded this record, its third, in Miami, and it proved to be an unlikely success that catapulted the group to stardom. The record peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart, and lead single “Hands Down” remains the group’s biggest hit.
ASTRO COAST, SURFER BLOOD (2010)
The debut from West Palm Beach indie rockers Surfer Blood took the blogosphere by storm upon its 2010 release, and more than a decade later its sunny, infectious hooks still resonate with the same gritty beachside charm.
PLANET PIT, PITBULL (2011)
For a time, Pitbull was on top of the world, and the Miami-born rapper was the unofficial ambassador for the Magic City. This record boasts two top-10 Billboard hits and went double Platinum, helping Pitbull complete his transformation from “Mr. 305” to “Mr. Worldwide.”
ZUU, DENZEL CURRY (2019)
This fourth full-length from Miami Gardens-born rapper Denzel Curry takes its title from a nickname for Carol City, the neighborhood where he was raised. It makes up for a lack of commercial success with heaps of critical praise, and Curry poses on the cover in an old-school Marlins jersey. Does it get any more Florida than that?
This story is from the May/June 2021 issue of Boca magazine. For more content like this, subscribe to the magazine.
