Even though Sheryl Crow’s first album was a huge success, she was no overnight sensation. She had already spent years singing out of the spotlight—on commercial jingles and as a backup singer for Michael Jackson, Jimmy Buffett, Don Henley, and others. Her 1993 studio debut, Tuesday Night Music Club, named after the collective that helped her co-write the album, took a year to break through, but eventually became a blockbuster thanks to the ironic pop megahit “All I Wanna Do” and gentle ballad “Strong Enough.” The multi-platinum smash made Crow—born in 1962 in Kennett, MO—a superstar. Crow took the production reins for her self-titled 1996 follow-up, showing off her range with folk-touched melodies and hard-hitting alt-rock anthems like ubiquitous hits “If It Makes You Happy” and “Everyday Is a Winding Road.” She kept pushing boundaries in the 2000s, dominating the charts with “Picture,” her 2002 country-crossover hit with Kid Rock, and big singles like the bright pop paean “Soak Up the Sun” and her powerhouse cover of Cat Stevens’ “The First Cut Is the Deepest.” Even a bout with breast cancer in 2006 didn’t keep her down for long. “After I got radiated,” Crow told Apple Music, “It made me want to connect with every single person—on a soul level.” That craving to bond and express it with a mix of relatability and rock-star charisma resonates in all of Crow’s work. As her influence trickles down to younger singer-songwriters (boygenius, Lorde, and Olivia Rodrigo), she continues to explore—and work with—her biggest inspirations. Her expansive catalog includes all-star collaborations (like 2019’s Threads, featuring icons Keith Richards, Neil Young, and Willie Nelson), as well as her own sharp and sticky takes on vintage blues, classic soul, country rock, protest folk, and the kind of breezy, bittersweet pop that seeks truth and, of course, some fun.