"You'll recognize his surname from his father-Growing Pains' all-American dad Alan Thicke-but Robin Thicke is fast becoming a celebrity on his own with his amazing soul and funk-inflected R&B. His uplifting songs and free-wheeling sentiment have led to numerous chart topping singles and a loyal fan base.Clearly, Robin Thicke takes after his father. While Alan Thicke is better known for his acting, he was also a skilled musician who wrote television theme songs, including, most notably, for The Facts of Life and Diff'rent Strokes. His son grew up in a family that appreciated the soul music of Motown, and these influences can be heard in Thicke's music today.He started writing songs for artists like Christina Aguilera and Usher before embarking on his own musical odyssey in 2003, releasing his debut album, Beautiful World. Songs like ""Cherry Blue Skies"" and ""Brand New Jones"" have slight electronic or synthesized elements to them that gives Thicke's music a modern edge, but for the most part his music is built on feel-good soul music.After his debut, Robin Thicke was warmly embraced by those who discovered him, but he still remained somewhat in the shadows. Within the music industry, though, he was being noticed. Pharrell Williams picked Thicke up for his Star Trak label, producing the young artist's sophomore effort, The Evolution of Robin Thicke. The record featured Lil Wayne on two songs, ""All Night Long"" and ""Shooter."" Williams appeared on ""Wanna Love You Girl.""With such star powering backing the record, it was released to great fanfare in 2006, and went platinum in 2007. On Billboard's Top 200, it skyrocketed to number five, and was king of the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.The smooth, sexy sounds of Thicke made him a desirable ladies' man. But in 2008 he was thinking about world issues as well, and incorporated those serious thoughts into his most recent album, Something Else, due for release in September. It represented the realization that the status quo around the world can appear pretty dreary, and the world needs, as the title of the album suggest, ""something else."" It represents a major departure from Thicke's second album. Something Else features no guests; it's written and performed entirely by Robin Thicke.As an artist that pours his heart into his work, he creates songs that move his fans. With each album, more listeners are being tuned into the talent of Thicke."