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Justin And Britney, J. Lo And Diddy: Do High-Profile Romances Ruin The
Music?
Love and heartbreak are two ingredients that often help make
beautiful music.
However, when our favorite
artists fall in love and break up with each other,
does the music soar or sour?
Some artists
thrive on heartbreak — after actress Ava Gardner broke crooner
Frank Sinatra's heart, he made a beeline for the studio and gave perhaps
his
finest performance on "I'm a Fool to Want You." P. Diddy always
considered J.
Lo his Ava, and ironically his career resurgence came after she left him.
Conversely, Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey's love affair launched their
biggest hit. We hooked up with Cupid to figure out if romantic harmony
equals
musical harmony ... or not.
Jennifer
Lopez and P. Diddy
Love story:
Hot producer/rap mogul shares a dance with ambitious actress in
the video for "Been Around the World," from his first solo album,
and starts
an off-camera romance. They quickly became hip-hop's highest profile couple,
and Combs lent his producing talents to Lopez's debut joint, On the 6,
and
follow-up, J.Lo. However, in late 1999 the couple became embroiled in
a
shooting scandal that had Combs facing weapons possession charges. Things
got
a little hot for J. Lo, and a heartbroken Combs announced their breakup
on
Valentine's Day 2000. Lopez tied the knot with choreographer Cris Judd
a mere
eight months later.
Chart story:
There is little doubt that having Diddy twiddling the knobs on
both her albums helped Lopez's musical career — both On the 6 and
J.Lo went
multiplatinum. Diddy however, was in a professional and personal slump
right
before Lopez left him. Her departure, though, seemed to spur a new spate
of
creativity from the multitasking performer, including two top 10 album
debuts, movie roles, the Sean John clothing line and the infamous name
change.
Cupid says:
While speculation abounds that Diddy's hit "I Need a Girl,"
which
has been on the Billboard Hot 100 for 20 weeks, is about Lopez, a
reconciliation seems unlikely. J.Lo is in the midst of a very public romance
with actor Ben Affleck, and Diddy has been seen with his baby's mama,
Kim
Porter, frequently.
Gwen Stefani
and Gavin Rossdale
Love story:
Meeting when their bands No Doubt and Bush toured together in
1995, the two carried on a sometimes rocky long-distance relationship
until
Gavin proposed on New Year's Day 2002.
Chart story:
While Bush's recent albums haven't scored the numbers their 1994
multiplatinum debut, Sixteen Stone, did, Gavin contributed his first solo
single, "Adrenaline," to the "XXX" soundtrack. Gwen's
famously personal
lyrics, which seemingly chronicle the ups and downs of her relationships
(see
the less-than-subtle "Marry Me" from 2000's Return of Saturn),
have only
fueled her band's success. No Doubt's latest album, Rock Steady, has sold
more than 2 million copies, and the single "Underneath It All"
(a love song
if we ever heard one) has spent the last six weeks on the charts.
Cupid says:
Recently wed twice (September 14 in London, September 28 in Los
Angeles), rock's cutest couple seems set for wedded bliss. However, they
haven't hooked up in the studio over the past seven years, so we're not
holding our breath for a Gwen and Gavin duet.
Madonna and
Guy Ritchie
Love story:
As is the case with many couples, Madonna and Guy Ritchie met
through mutual friends. Granted, their friends are Sting and his wife,
but it
was a fitting way to start a high-profile romance that landed Detroit-born
Madonna in London, with a new child and director husband.
Chart story:
Family life seems to agree with the "Maternal Girl," at least
musically. Her last studio album, Music, went multiplatinum, and brought
with
it a record-breaking tour and a title track that can still get stuck in
your
head for days. However, the usually collaboration-savvy Madonna has found
it
rough going onscreen since hooking up with Ritchie, as the duo's "Swept
Away"
opened to anemic numbers at the box office. While Ritchie is best known
as a
cult film director, even Brad Pitt couldn't turn "Snatch" into
a hit. Madonna
should know better after teaming with ex-husband Sean Penn on the flop
"Shanghai Surprise" in 1986.
Cupid says:
We're hopeful that working together on one of the biggest major
studio bombs of the decade won't have an adverse effect on this love match.
After all, maybe it will prompt Madonna to spend more time on her music
...
Guy can always direct the videos.
Britney Spears
and Justin Timberlake
Love story:
After a well-documented meeting on the set of "The Mickey Mouse
Club" at a young age, the pop power couple went public with their
love at the
2000 MTV Video Music Awards. Earlier this year, the media engaged in an
"are
they or aren't they" feeding frenzy about their much-denied and finally
confirmed breakup.
Chart story:
While the power couple broke all kinds of sales records during
their relationship, it's tough to point at any specific songs that relate
to
the ongoing affair. What is obvious is that their relationship helped
both
careers by bringing them into the spotlight, helping Justin break out
as an
individual from his boy band roots and helping Britney cultivate a more
mature image. Justin's hotly anticipated solo album, Justified, should
offer
some clues to his state of mind, but Britney is keeping quiet during a
well-earned hiatus.
Cupid says:
These two cuties are both in their early 20s, and with the
tabloids linking them to every star under 30, we see a lot of love in
the
future. Just not together.
Kid Rock
and Pam Anderson
Love story:
When Kid Rock met model/actress Pam Anderson backstage at VH1
Divas Live at New York's Radio City Music Hall, it was drama at first
sight.
While Pam isn't a musician, she's been in enough videos and with enough
rock
stars to qualify as a muse. Kid Rock proposed to Pam last April, and,
after
the announcement of her hepatitis C and ongoing legal struggles with
ex-husband Tommy Lee, it looks like the nuptials are now imminent.
Chart story:
While Rock may still be the American badass, the truth of the
matter is his latest release, Cocky, just didn't have the impact of Devil
Without a Cause. Never reaching higher than #7 on the charts, Cocky has
come
nowhere near the multiplatinum heights of Devil. It could be argued that
it's
tough to be a man of the people with the world's most infamous beauty
on your
arm.
Cupid says:
We've never seen two people more perfect for each other.
Jessica Simpson
and Nick Lachey
Love story:
These two sweethearts have had a relatively drama-free romance
since meeting when Jessica opened for 98 Degrees' tour in 1999. With the
exception of a short breakup in April 2001, it's been smooth sailing,
right
up to Nick's proposal this February.
Chart story:
Lachey's group, 98 Degrees, hit the big time in 1998 with their
second release, 98 Degrees and Rising. While the single "Give Me
Just One
Night (Una Noche)" from 2000's Revelation was the most added single
in top 40
radio history, rumors of an imminent breakup caused the group to announce
a
hiatus early this year. Nick recently announced a planned solo album,
set for
early 2003. Jessica crossed our radar in 1999 with her power ballad breakout
single "I Wanna Love You Forever." Interestingly, the relationship
has not
only raised both artists' profiles, but they both arguably enjoyed their
greatest commercial success with the duet "Where You Are" from
Simpson's
debut album.
Cupid says:
Obviously, Nick finds Jessica irresistible. They'll keep making
beautiful music together.
—Tanya
L. Edwards
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