Donna Summer

Photo: MTV News

Donna Summer’s death Thursday (May 17) at age 63 after a long battle with cancer saddened music lovers around the world. Fans are mourning the loss of one of the greats, a real pioneer, whose innovative use of synthesized backing tracks blazed the path for the dance music we are all so familiar with today.

Hers are some of the most memorable disco songs ever recorded, and her impact on music is almost too large to quantify with words, but for Summer herself, it was all about the voice.

“Music is part of my life. For my judgment, music is the greatest of all the gifts,” Summer told MTV News’ John Norris in a rare 1989 interview. “The voice — not my voice, but the voice — to me is the greatest gift. Having a voice. You need no other instrument, all you have to do is sing. Open your mouth, and there it is.”

Because her sound was so rooted in the mechanics of disco, with its glittering synths and pulsating beats, some people don’t know that the five-time Grammy winner was also an amazingly accomplished vocalist. Her mezzo-soprano voice transcends even the genre she pioneered. Before she became the Queen of Disco, she sang gospel in church and in her early 20s moved to Europe, where she performed in musicals like “Godspell” and “Showboat” and joined the Viennese Folk Opera.

“When I hear other people singing, I think, ‘God, it’s great, it’s a great gift, what a great gift,’ ” Summer told MTV News. “And probably one of the gifts that people want the most is to be able to sing, and for obvious reasons — it’s soothing, it’s stimulating, it’s encouraging, it’s sad, it covers every spectrum of emotion.”

It was a gift she was lucky enough to have and good enough to share with the world — one that brought her 14 top 10 hits and four #1′s.

“There’s no better way to get into those crevasses, those cracks in somebody’s personality and root out the real person but through singing,” Summer continued. “Sometimes you can’t communicate in words, but in a song, you can.”

Share your condolences for Donna Summer’s friends, family and fans in the comments or on Facebook.

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Sadie Hawkins

Photo: MTV News

Firestarter: Sadie Hawkins

It’s no secret that rap has been a male-dominated sport, but you can’t forget the ladies. Of course, Nicki Minaj is the most recognizable, and Iggy Azalea and Azealia Banks are both making waves. Well, it’s time to add another name to that growing list of femme fatales: Sadie Hawkins.

If the name sounds familiar, Hawkins borrows her moniker from a 1930s comic-strip character. And, school children often attend Sadie Hawkins-themed dances, where traditional roles are reversed and the girls ask out the boys. The name is particularly fitting for an artist who rhymes with a ferocity typically associated with male rappers.

Sadie started out as a model, and during one of her photo shoots, an onlooker suggested she try her hand at music. “He was like, ‘Are you a rapper?’ And I was like, ‘Nah,’ ” she told Mixtape Daily. “He was like, ‘Yeah, you look like a boss chick. Your name should be ‘Sadie Hawkins.’ ”

As a child, she always admired hip-hop’s top female spitters. “Growing up, some of the female MCs that I grew up on — like Lil’ Kim, Foxy Brown, Salt-n-Pepa, MC Lyte, Missy, Eve — seeing them out there, and they doing it, and they actually made it happen, it could give you [a feeling like] ‘Yeah, OK, I can do this too,’ ” she shared.

Sadie pays homage to the queens on “Microphone Checka,” a track on her DJ Scream-hosted, Angelina Jolie-inspired Girl, Interrupted mixtape. Hawkins spits over a 1980s-style instrumental while name-dropping some of her favorite back-in-the-day rappers.

On “Cocky,” the lyrical newcomer partners with Yo Gotti, proving that she can hold her own against one of the game’s most-respected MCs, and on “Ms. Money,” she delivers a catchy make-it-rain ode that’s ripe for radio.

Sadie Hawkins shows tons of promise: More than just a pretty face, the rookie spitter makes music to back it up.

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

Donna Summer

Photo: Fotos International/Getty Images

The news of Donna Summer’s untimely passing Thursday (May 17) weighed heavily on all those who knew and loved the undisputed Queen of Disco.

Despite the fact that “disco fever” lived and basically died in the 1970s, Summer’s music continues to live on. Her many unforgettable hits like “Last Dance,” “Love to Love You Baby” and “She Works Hard for the Money” transcended genres and left an indelible mark on all pop culture, from the music charts to television and film. A quick perusal of Summer’s eclectic IMDb page demonstrates the fact that her music is the go-to for filmmakers and show-runners looking for that perfect dance number in their TV show or film.

For photos of Donna Summer through the years, click here.

“Her songs are so iconic that people use them as shorthand either to convey disco or those songs lend themselves to montage-type stuff,” Entertainment Weekly music editor Leah Greenblatt told MTV News. ” ‘She Works Hard for the Money’ is always used for when a lady is going about her business. Songs like ‘Love to Love You’ and ‘I Feel Love’ are almost like a ‘bow-chicka-bow-wow,’ in that they always convey sex, whether that’s in an ironic way or in a real way.”

Two relatively recent comedic examples include the memorable love scene/orgy in “Zoolander” set to “Love to Love You” and Cameron Diaz’s group dance number in “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle,” set to “Last Dance.”

“A lot of her songs were almost cinematic in the way that their lyrics and music were arranged,” Greenblatt said of the repeated use of Summer’s songs for television and film. “A lot of [scenes] can go out or end on ‘Last Dance.’ ‘She Works Hard for the Money’ is all about when a woman has to go out and earn in a movie; it’s the perfect music cue. And when someone is having a threesome with a Sherpa or whatever, her music was so great for that.”

Greenblatt went on to say that Summer’s songs will continue to provide the soundtrack to key moments in our lives.

“There was a time when disco was really derided and dismissed, but it would be really hard to find a person over 25 or 30 who doesn’t have these songs as part of their DNA. Whether or not you liked disco, it’s really hard to deny her voice and her talent,” she said. “Her music stands out because she was such a great singer and because a lot of her songs were about emotions too. You can really feel in her voice that she means it.

“Also, how many artists have music that has been featured on ‘Sex and the City,’ ‘Parks and Recreation’ and in ‘Frost/Nixon’?” Greenblatt added. “For whatever reason, comedians love to use her too. There’s the campy tributes but also a sincere love for her. And anytime anyone takes their clothes off [in TV or film], someone has got to play ‘Hot Stuff.’ ”

Share your condolences for Donna Summer’s friends, family and fans in the comments or on Facebook.

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Adam Yauch

Photo: Bertrand Guay/ Getty Images

Adam Yauch was, in almost every sense of the term, a true New Yorker — born in Brooklyn, raised on the music of the Village and the Lower East Side, representing the eclectic energy and vibrant multiculturalism of NYC itself through his films and social causes — so it’s fitting that, earlier this week, the New York State Senate passed a resolution honoring the late Beastie Boy’s achievements.

The resolution — officially known as J4637 — was written by State Senator Daniel Squadron (who represents the district of Brooklyn Heights, where Yauch was born) and celebrates Yauch’s many accomplishments and contributions, including raising the profile of New York City in a time when many thought its best days were behind it, noting:

“The Beastie Boys became well-known in the innovative music scene in Manhattan’s East Village and Lower East Side with a sound and a style all their own … [they] exemplified New York through a period in which grassroots creativity and a community of iconoclastic artists helped redefine and rejuvenate a city on the ropes, with iconic imagery from Brooklyn to Ludlow Street.”

Squadron also paid tribute to Yauch’s activism, including his Milarepa Fund (which raised awareness of the abuses in Tibet) and his Oscilloscope Laboratories, which produced films like the Yauch-directed “Gunnin’ For That #1 Spot,” about high-school basketball prospects competing in a tournament at Harlem’s historic Rucker Park.

J4637 also works in a nod to the Beastie’s 1994 hit “Sure Shot” (“The music and message of the Beastie Boys evolved over the years, but they can’t, they don’t, they won’t stop changing the face of hip-hop, of music and of our culture”) and allowed the Senate to “pause in its deliberations” to remember Yauch, “a man of colossal talent and charisma.”

“Adam Yauch is survived by his wife, Dechen Wengdu, and their daughter Losel,” the resolution concludes. “He will be missed by his family, his fans and all who knew him; his dedication to his music, his activism and his heritage leaves an indelible legacy of inspiration for all other artists.”

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Donna Summer

Photo: Harry Langdon/Getty Images

The death of Donna Summer on Thursday (May 17) at age 63 after a long battle with cancer has many reflecting on the impact the disco legend had on music.

While many may not realize it, Summer is the foremother of, well, just about every pop song on the radio today. Her iconic 1977 anthem “I Feel Love,” which peaked at #6 on the Billboard singles chart (one of 14 top 10 hits), was the first mainstream song to be produced using an entirely synthesized backing track. Until then, most disco recordings had been backed by acoustic orchestras, and the reception to the song revolutionized music.

For photos of Donna Summer through the years, click here.

“One day in Berlin, [Brian] Eno came running in and said, ‘I have heard the sound of the future,’ ” David Bowie famously wrote in the liner notes to Sound and Vision. “He puts on ‘I Feel Love,’ by Donna Summer. … He said, ‘This is it, look no further. This single is going to change the sound of club music for the next 15 years.’ Which was more or less right.”

Indeed, imagine the music of Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Rihanna, Katy Perry and countless others minus their ubiquitous glittering synths. You can’t. Without what was at the time a risky and bold move, modern dance music might not exist as it does today.

Summer’s impact on music is so vast it’s nearly incalculable, but in memory of the disco diva, we’re looking back on some of the ways her music has survived through the years, has been brought to life by other artists and how many of music’s biggest names counted themselves as fans of the Queen of Disco.

» The refrain from Summer’s 17-minute 1975 breakthrough “Love to Love You Baby” is sampled on Beyoncé’s hit “Naughty Girl” from her debut solo album Dangerously in Love.

» For the elaborate opening sequence of Madonna’s 2006 Confessions Tour, a 2-ton, $4 million disco ball was lowered onto the stage at the end of the runway and then opened to reveal the star, who started into her own synth-heavy “Future Lovers” before the song dissolved seamlessly into Summer’s “I Feel Love.”

» Summer’s “Starting Over Again” was transformed into a #1 country hit for Dolly Parton in 1980, and even reached the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, a rare feat for a country track at the time. Fifteen years later, another country superstar, Reba McEntire, named her 1995 album after the song, and her version was a hit country single the following year. In the set’s liner notes, McEntire dedicated the song to both Summer and Parton, saying she admired both immensely.

» Summer’s classics were go-to songs for films looking to capture the late-’70s/early-’80s era and are featured in, among many others, “Frost/Nixon,” “Charlie Wilson’s War” and “Splash.”

» “Hot Stuff” and “MacArthur Park” are go-to songs for reality singing contestants looking to prove their range — Summer was a mezzo-soprano with a powerhouse delivery — while keeping things upbeat. Both songs have been performed on “The X Factor” and “American Idol.”

» “She Works Hard for the Money” was covered by Kris Allen during an episode of “American Idol,” and his performance was so well-received that the season-eight winner recorded the track for the American Idol Season 8 CD.

» Summer herself appeared as Aunt Oona from Altoona on two episodes of the hit sitcom “Family Matters.”

» Bruce Springsteen was a big Summer fan and wrote two songs for her. The first one, “Cover Me,” he ultimately recorded for his own Born to Run, but Summer recorded the second, “Protection,” and Springsteen and the E Street Band supplied the track. The pair also recorded “Protection” as a duet, though it was never released.

» Keri Hilson portrayed Summer in her music video for her 2010 hit “Pretty Girl Rock.”

» Summer is easily one of the most sampled artists in the history of music. “I Feel Love” has been sampled by some of the biggest artists in dance, from Madonna and Britney Spears to David Guetta and Moby, and covered by artists as diverse as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kylie Minogue and Blondie.

Share your condolences for Donna Summer’s friends, family and fans in the comments or on Facebook.

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Jennifer Lawrence in “Hunger Games”

Photo: Lionsgate

Come June 3, “The Hunger Games” will enter a brand-new arena: the 2012 MTV Movie Awards. And this is one fiery debut for the film franchise, with eight nominations, including Movie of the Year, Best Cast, Best Female Lead (Jennifer Lawrence), Best Male Performance (Josh Hutcherson), Breakthrough Performance (Liam Hemsworth), Best On-Screen Transformation (Elizabeth Banks), Best Fight (Lawrence and Hutcherson vs. Alexander Ludgwig), and Best Kiss (Lawrence and Hutcherson).

Yep, clearly the kind of credentials that would make any sponsor drool.

Much like the titular death match, the Movie Awards can be a contentious battle, with franchise facing off against franchise, so preparation is key. In this week’s Hobnobbing, we’re taking on the role of mentor (step aside, Haymitch!) and offering some advice to the tributes. Here are our dos and don’ts for the big night:

DO Dress to Impress Effie
If there’s one place to let your fashion freak flag fly, it’s most certainly at an MTV awards show. (Am I right, Rose McGowan?) Of course, I’m not encouraging any tribute-tushy flashing or donning of flame-licked jumpsuits (such a fire hazard!), but this is a safe space to experiment with fanciful motifs and pieces of flair. For instance, I could see Lawrence sporting a shorter, cropped version of her red, orange and yellow interview dress, or Banks working her sky-high Effie heels.

DON’T Tease Us
Full disclosure: I personally think “Twilight” co-stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are a lock for a fourth Best Kiss statuette, but if the odds are indeed in Lawrence and Hutcherson’s favor and they’re named victors, I respectfully ask that they give us a show. None of this we-almost-maybe-kinda-sorta-kissed business. If you need some inspiration, Jennifer and Josh, take a page out of Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams’ “Notebook.”

DO Bring Your Bow and Arrow
The Movie Awards have a storied history of spoofery, and while I have no insider information as to what’s in the works, Lawrence (if in attendance) would be wise to pack her trusty weapon. You never know when it will come in handy for a giggle-worthy gag! (Is this where I put in my request for Lawrence to shoot an apple off of Josh Horowitz‘s head?)

DON’T Drop Your Golden Popcorn
‘Nuff said.

DO Bring News About “Catching Fire”
We’re getting really hungry here, guys. Any scraps about the November 2013 release would be much appreciated. (Seriously, we’ll retrieve them from a pile of slop and devour them. We’re not proud!)

Do you have any Movie Awards advice for the “Hunger Games” gang? Sound off in the comments below and tweet me @amymwilk with your thoughts and suggestions for future columns!

Earlier “Hunger Games” columns:
» “Catching Fire” Countdown: What to Watch While You Wait
» Francis Lawrence’s “Catching Fire” To-Do List
» “Fifty Shades Of Grey”: What’s In It For “Hunger Games” Fans?
» “Catching Fire”: Five Reasons to be Stoked
» “Catching Fire” Director: Who Could Carry the Torch?

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“Fifty Shades of Grey” book cover

Photo: The Writer’s Coffee Shop

“Fifty Shades of Grey” has become a worldwide, literary phenomenon. It’s a #1 New York Times best-seller and the most talked-about book in media. The sadomasochistic relationship between characters Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele has made its way into the hands of a variety of readers and hooked them into their torrid love affair. It’s become such a hit that Universal Pictures and Focus Features optioned the rights to the books after a massive bidding war, and fans are already campaigning for their favorite actors to land the lead roles.

But what’s the reason for the book’s popularity? With countless erotic and romance stories on bookshelves, what makes “Fifty Shades” stand out? When author E L James headed to New York’s Union Square for a signing at Barnes & Noble, MTV News asked fans to weigh in on why they thought the work was widely recognized.

For one, buzz surrounded the novel because of its origins. James adapted Christian and Ana from Stephenie Meyer’s Edward Cullen and Bella Swan, beginning the tale as “Twilight” fan fiction.

“[James] took ‘Twilight’ to a next level, because as pure as [Edward and Bella's] love was, it was not like this book,” one fan explained. “She took it to the next level and gave America something that they were waiting and looking for.”

Another reader told us the mystery behind a dominant/submissive relationship is what sparked the frenzy. “I think this book has become such a phenomenon because it’s something that hasn’t really been spoken about before,” she said. “Women usually don’t talk about these things.”

In agreement, another fan added: “Everyone has something that they want to enact. And they’re just not able to express it, but they’re able to read it.”

Put in simple terms: “Fifty Shades” turns readers on. “It’s hot,” one woman said. “It’s totally sexy. I think we’ve got sex on the brain, and we want to read it. It’s really enjoyable and it’s giving us some ideas for future fantasies.”

It also helps that Christian is described as “so hot” in the book. He’s a billionaire who takes Ana on helicopter rides and showers her in expensive clothing and gifts. He’s a woman’s fantasy, one of James’ followers explains.

“All women relate to Christian,” she said. “They love him — all women, it doesn’t matter who you talk to. They’re like, ‘I like that guy. I want to date that guy.’ ”

Why do you like “Fifty Shades of Grey”? Let us know in the comments below!

Donna Summer

Photo: Getty Images

While Donna Summer was the Queen of Disco, performers and entertainers from all genres reacted to the news of her death Thursday (May 17) with great sadness, noting how much she had impacted the music world as a whole before she died from cancer at age 63.

Music mogul and onetime Summer producer Quincy Jones, who worked with the singer during her Donna Summer era, remembered her on Twitter: ‏”Rest in Peace dear Donna Summer. Your voice was the heartbeat and soundtrack of a decade.”

For photos of Donna Summer through the years, click here.

Frequent Summer collaborator, producer and musician Nile Rodgers, remembered his pal, writing, ‏”This may help you understand why i’m still crying. So much love and RESPECT for Donna Summer RIP.”

R&B diva Mary J. Blige paid homage to her soul sister on Twitter, posting, “RIP Donna Summers!!!!!!!!! You were truly a game changer!!!”

Former Destiny’s Child singer Michelle Williams was also floored by the unexpected and tragic passing of the dance-floor icon. “Shocked and saddened at the news of Donna Summer passing away! “she wrote. “Wow!”

Her fellow DC sister, Kelly Rowland, added, “Donna Summer. Icon! Legend! Her voice! Her spirit! Rest In peace, you truly inspired me! I love you!”

Rihanna seemed so surprised by the news, she simply tweeted, “Donna Summer??”

“Donna Summer RIP I FEEL LOVE FOR YOU,” Swedish pop princess Robyn tweeted. Mirroring that sentiment, Adam Lambert wrote, “RIP Donna Summer. glorious disco Goddess.”

British pop songstress Kylie Minogue, whose own flashy, dance-heavy career can be traced back to Summer’s influence, wrote,‏ “One of my earliest musical inspirations, RIP Donna Summer #BadGirlsForEver.”

Beyoncé’s sister, Solange Knowles, who is known for her throwback style in music and fashion, shared, “Donna Summer- You have inspired me in so many ways…..”

Hip-hop producer Timbaland added, “This cant be tru. i cant believe this RIP Donna Summer. at a lost 4words.”

Q-Tip to the number of icons who have died already in 2012. “I’m getting tired of these 3 keys…RIP this time to Donna summer an amazing trailblazer!”

Boyz II Men also had a similar reaction on their Twitter: “It’s unfortunate that we have to say goodbye to another amazing talent. Donna Summer, Queen of Disco, our condolences to her family!”

“I remember sitting in the front seat of my mom’s toyota while she sang Donna Summer’s ‘she works hard for the money,’ ” Ryan Seacrest recalled. “Songs were just classic.”

Fellow TV personality Carson Daly sent his condolences to her family. “We lost the Queen of Disco today, Donna Summer, 63- another victim of that bastard, cancer. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family.”

“In Living Color” actor Tommy Davidson sent MTV News a statement about the singer’s passing: “Donna Summer used disco to bring the most unlikely people together — blacks, whites & everyone in between. Donna was a role model, the consummate professional. Her guidance and inspiration will forever help me reach new heights as a performer. I cherish the days I toured with her. Love to love you, baby.”

Other Hollywood folks remembered Summer, including Kevin Smith. “Damn… donna summer dies at 63. An unforgettable voice from my childhood, beloved by my Mom & brother,” he tweeted. “Let’s dance the last dance for her.”

Share your condolences for Donna Summer’s friends, family and fans in the comments or on Facebook.

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Bobby Brown appears on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” on Wednesday

Photo: NBC

Since Whitney Houston passed away in February, her ex-husband, Bobby Brown, has only opened up about her death in one interview on the “Today” show, but during a Wednesday night appearance on the “Tonight Show With Jay Leno,” the R&B singer paid tribute to Houston with a new song.

“Don’t Let Me Die” finds Brown musing on mistakes he made during his relationship with Houston. “I didn’t realize that every breath I took was from you,” he sang, dressed in black, “You were my air.”

The new song will be featured on Brown’s upcoming album The Masterpiece, set to debut on June 5. It will be his first album since 1997′s Forever. “I guess I [messed] up pretty bad/ I didn’t know who you were/ I didn’t know what we had,” Brown continued to sing. “Now I’m stuck living in the past/ Trying to get the pieces back/ But I guess now you’re gone.”

Brown’s tumultuous marriage to Houston was well-documented on their reality TV series “Being Bobby Brown,” which showed the couple’s difficult battle with drugs. When Houston died, she left behind 19-year-old daughter Bobbi Kristina, who reportedly has a strained relationship with her dad.

During his visit to the “Today” show in April, Brown defended himself against constant accusations that he was responsible for Houston’s drug use, saying she was using drugs before they met in 1991. “I smoked weed, I drank the beer, but no, I wasn’t the one that got Whitney on drugs at all,” Brown told “Today” host Matt Lauer.”It’s just, it’s just unexplainable, how one could [say that I] got her addicted to drugs. I’m not the reason she’s gone.”

Houston’s family — including daughter Bobbi Kristina, brother Gary Houston and sister-in-law Patricia Houston — are set to appear in an upcoming Lifetime reality series.

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Donna Summer

Photo: Fotos International/Getty Images

Donna Summer, the powerhouse singer known as the “Queen of Disco,” died on Thursday (May 17) in Florida after a battle with cancer, according to TMZ.

The five-time Grammy winner who set dance floors ablaze in the 1970s with such anthems as “Last Dance,” Hot Stuff” and her most iconic hit, “I Feel Love,” was 63-years-old. In a genre that was filled with many one-hit wonders and fly-by-night studio acts that were unable to keep the disco inferno stoked after scoring hits, Summer was a lifer, consistently charting even after the dance craze faded in the late 1970′s.

Unlike many of her contemporaries, Summer set herself apart with strong vocals backed by her songwriting skills, as well as some creative luck in hooking up with producers/songwriters Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte. The pair helped her pumped out hit-after-hit and provided her with a sensual, almost ethereal sound on tracks such as “I Feel Love,” which seduced both on and off the dance floor.

Born LaDonna Adrian Gaines on December 31, 1948 in Boston, Massachusetts to a butcher father and schoolteacher mother, Summer showed promise as a singer from an early age. She made her public debut at age 10 at her church when the scheduled singer didn’t show up and she filled in. After appearing in a number of musicals and plays in high school and singing with the psychedelic rock band The Crow, she joined the cast of German production of the musical “Hair” in 1967 at age 18.

She stayed in Munich after the show’s run ended and recorded her debut solo album there in 1974, Lady of the Night. Though it spawned a hit overseas with “The Hostage,” she didn’t crack the U.S. market until a year later with the song that would make her an international superstar, the seductive disco anthem, “Love to Love You Baby.” The tune she created with Moroder and Bellotte was a #2 hit in the U.S. and landed her an American record deal with the it label of the era, Casablanca Records.

The 17-minute club remix of the single, which featured such real-sounding ecstatic moans that some radio stations refused to play it, became a huge hit and set a new standard for sophisticated arrangements in a genre often marked by cheesy sounding instrumentation and lazy songwriting.

She released two albums in 1976, A Love Trilogy, which featured the nearly 18-minute epic “Try Me (I Know We Can Make It Work),” and the winter/spring/summer/autumn-themed Four Seasons of Love. In a singles genre where the song as the thing, Summer continued to put out consistently artistic albums, including 1977′s I Remember Yesterday, which featured the song that would secure Summer’s place at the top of the disco diva pecking order, “I Feel Love.” That hypnotizing song was also the first one recorded with a backing track made up entirely of synthesized sounds.

This being the era of excess, her second 1977 album, Once Upon A Time, was another concept disc, this one retelling the Cinderella story in the disco era on tracks like “Once Upon a Time,” “Fairy Tale High,” “Working the Midnight Shift” and “Queen for a Day.”

She transitioned into acting in 1978 in the disco comedy “Thank God It’s Friday,” which earned her a Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal for the hit “Last Dance.” By 1979′s two-album Bad Girls she was indisputably a star, logging six weeks at #1 and scoring hits with the sexy “Bad Girls” and more rock-oriented “Hot Stuff.” When Summer released a double-album greatest hits disc later that year she became the first artists to ever score three #1 albums in a row with double-disc releases.

She went on to score hits with a Barbra Streisand duet and moved over to the then-new Geffen Records, where her success began to wane a bit. By 1983, she’d moved past the disco sound and into a synth-heavy R&B/new wave sound with the female empowerment anthem “She Works Hard For the Money.” That song, though, would effectively mark the end of her hit-making days. Summer continued to release albums through the late 1980′s, but was never again able to capture her disco peak. In fact, by the end of the decade she spoke out against the “sinful” nature of her disco hits and turned her back on her earlier material and focused on painting.

After a 17-year break, she released her first studio album of original material, Crayons, in 2008.

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