Blake Shelton

Long before becoming a TV personality, Blake Shelton achieved country stardom straight out of the gate with his debut album. The crucial elements of his sound were already firmly in place: hard-twanging, rock-inflected stompers (“Every Time I Look at You”), openhearted ballads (Shelton’s first No. 1 hit, “Austin”) and compelling story-songs (“Ol’ Red”). Add the youthful energy of a newbie getting to strut his stuff for the first time and you’ve got an unbeatable recipe for success.