“A-Studio” is a Russia-based pop music group originally consisting of Kazakh musicians and a Georgian vocalist Keti Topuria (joined the band in 2004). The band was created in 1982 in Almaty, then called Alma-Ata, hence called “Alma-Ata Studio”. Later, the name was changed to “A-Studio”. In the recent lineup they released popularly acclaimed singles such as “Uletau” (“Flying away”), “Ty” (“You”), “Noch’-podruga” (“Night-friend”). “Uletau” hit the charts across the former Soviet Union, bringing the band a new wave of popularity.
Akvarium. The Legends of Russian Rock
Alla Pugachova. The Best Songs
Alsu. Samoe glavnoe
Russian pop singer Алсу (Alsou) shot to national stardom at the age of 15, thanks to a hit-filled debut album and a Lolita-themed video for the ballad “Zimniy Son” (“Winter Dream”). Born in 1983 in Tatarstan, her father is a politician and former oil executive. In 2004 he was named as one of the country’s 100 richest men. This family background afforded her the possibility to study in the UK from a young age. Alsou competed in the Eurovision Song Contest 2000 in which she came in second place giving her recognition all over Europe. She records both in Russian and English (and occasionally Tatar), and has sung duets with both Enrique Iglesias and Nelly.
Ani Lorak. Solntse
Baba Yaga
Balalaika Ensemble ‘Wolga’ . Best of Russian Folk Songs
Bi-2. The Best
Blestyashie. Odnoklassniki
“Blestyashchie” is one of the first and most enduring all-girl singing groups in Russia. Originally Blestyashchie consisted of three girls: Olga Orlova, Polina Iodis, and Varvara Koroleva. In 1996 Zhanna Friske and Irina Lukjanova joined the group. Featuring original arrangements, lovely lyrics, and artistic music videos, Blestyashchie became quite popular. The video clips for their songs at the time were in “Russian Top Ten” and “Top-20” on MTV. The girls went on tour across the country, and they were highly praised. There, Zhanna became an instant success with her excellent vocal abilities and superb dancing skills.
Chicherina. Sny
David Tukhmanov. Serdtse lyubit’ dolzhno
David Tukhmanov. Vechnoe dvizhenie
DDT. The Best Songs
Delfin. Fan’s Favourite Songs
Dima Bilan. The Best
Diskoteka Avariya. The Best Songs
Dmitri Hvorostovski. Kalinka: Russian Folk Songs
Evenings at the Hamlet Next to Dikanka - Musical - (Russian with English Subtitles)
Fabrika. A lubit tak hochetsja
Filipp Kirkorov. Grand Collection (2 CD)
Gorod 312. Vne Zony Dostupa
Grand Collection. Sinyaya Ptica
Grand Collection. Valeri Leontiev
Greatest Soviet Hits. Glavnoe Rebyata Serdcem Ne Staret
Ivan Kupala. The Best Songs of 1996 - 2003
Ivanushki International. The Best Songs
Janna Friske. Portofino
Zhanna Friske is considred the sexiest and most wanted woman in Russia. She first became famous when she joined the all-girl pop singing group “Blestyashchie” some time at the end of the 1990s, which she left in 2003. Friske soon embarked on a solo career as a singer and an actress, and occasional model, and keeps enjoying strong media interest. Much of this attention is based on her physical appearance, rumored relationships, and notable public appearances in risque outfits. Her music is light and unpretentious yet Friske’s sweet vocals make it sound very sexy.
Kalinka: Popular Russian Songs
KINO. The Best
” Viktor Tsoy, the lead singer, wasn’t the best vocalist of all time, nor were the rest of ““Kino”” guitar, keys or drums virtuosos. Nevertheless, ““Kino”” managed to become one of the most influential rock bands Russia has ever had. It’s not at all hard to find their followers in any apartment block in any Russian city today, whether young or old. A myriad walls are covered with lyrics from their songs and the portraits of band members. Memorable (yet so simple that almost every teenager who takes up guitar starts out with ““Kino”” songs) leitmotivs, piercing lyrics, and Tsoy’s raw, at first glance monotonous but at second moving vocals - these things altogether made the group so popular. ““Kino”” had a good sense of humour as well as rather nostalgic moods.
Tsoy sounds as if he is close to collapsing and is only kept awake by the need to tell a story. The beats are bouncy at times, but those times are few and rare, and the lyrics are always ice, raw earth and grief.
If you want an album to listen to when you’re feeling meditative or nostalgic, and maybe with the need to sort out your thoughts and relax, this is definitely the right choice. Viktor Tsoy soothes the ear and calms ( or clenches) the heart. “
