5 Artists Who Made It Big After Visiting Q97.9

So we can't claim all the credit for the success of these artists, but they do all have one thing in common: Their careers took off after they visited the Q97.9 studios.

Whether it was coincidence or careful planning on our part is irrelevant -- what matters is these acts became huge stars after they performed at a Q concert, sang in our Q Music Lounge, or went on-air with our DJs.

If our track record continues, our Not So Silent Night Holiday Concert acts MAX and Todd Carey are creeping up on huge success. Get your tickets to see them in an intimate, up-close and personal setting before they're selling out massive arenas.

Dido

The singer performed at the Holly Jolly Q Bash at the then Cumberland County Civic Center in 2000. This was just a few months before her single Thank You took off, which helped her sell millions of copies at her debut.

Nelly Furtado

Nelly Furtado is known for her hit I'm Like a Bird, but the song had just hit the airwaves when she performed at Merrill Auditorium in September of 2001. The Q gave away ALL the tickets to that show. The following year she went on a major North American tour, hitting major venues in big cities across the U.S. and Canada.

Jessica Simpson

This pop star turned fashion mogul was actually quite popular prior to 2003 with her album Irresistible, but her music career had mostly burned out by the time she visited the Q. Jessica stopped by our studios to promote her new wedding book (she was freshly married to Nick Lachey). Many radio stations passed on having her visit, but the Q didn't want to miss it. Just three months later The Newlyweds reality show on MTV premiered and her career took off again, arguably making her a bigger star than her record.

98 Degrees

Speaking of Nick Lachey, 98 Degrees was part of our Q Concert in May of 1999 at Merrill Auditorium. The Hardest Thing was just blowing up. This was another show that the Q gave away all the tickets.

Maroon 5

Can you imagine Adam Levine doing anything but performing at huge arenas and coaching on The Voice? Well, before Maroon 5's song Harder to Breathe hit the Top 40 in 2003, Adam Levine and the entire band performed in the Q97.9 Music Lounge (also known as our conference room). After that, Songs About Jane took off.