Duran Duran

Duran Duran
Duran Duran at SXSW in Austin, Texas, 2011. L–R: John Taylor (bass), Simon Le Bon (vocals), Dom Brown (guitar), Roger Taylor (drums), and Nick Rhodes (keyboards).
Background information
Origin	Birmingham, England, UK
Genres	New wave synthpop dance-rock
Years active	1978–present
Labels	Capitol EMI Parlophone Virgin Epic Hollywood Tapemodern Warner Bros.
Associated acts	Arcadia The Power Station TV Mania Neurotic Outsiders The Devils Chicanery Robert Palmer Missing Persons
Website	duranduran.com
Members	Simon Le Bon Nick Rhodes John Taylor Roger Taylor
Past members	Stephen Duffy Simon Colley Andy Wickett Alan Curtis Jeff Thomas Andy Taylor Warren Cuccurullo Sterling Campbell

Duran Duran are an English new wave and synthpop band formed in Birmingham in 1978. The band grew from alternative sensations in 1982 to mainstream pop stars by 1984. By the end of the decade, membership and music style changes challenged the band before a resurgence in the early 1990s. The group were a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the US. They have placed 14 singles in the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart and 21 in the Billboard Hot 100, and have sold over 100 million records worldwide.

When they first emerged, they were generally considered part of the New Romantic scene, along with bands such as Spandau Ballet. Soon they would shed this image, using fashion and marketing to build a more refined and elegant presentation. The band have won a number of awards throughout their career: two Brit Awards including the 2004 award for Outstanding Contribution to Music, two Grammy Awards, and an MTV Video Music Award for Lifetime Achievement. They were also awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The video age catapulted Duran Duran into the mainstream with the introduction of the 24-hour music channel MTV. Many of their videos were shot on 35 mm film, which gave a much more polished look than was standard at the time. They also collaborated with professional film directors to take the quality a step further, often teaming up with Australian Russell Mulcahy for some of their most memorable video offerings. In 1984, the band were early innovators with video technology in their live stadium shows.