Frankie Valli

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Pop singer Frankie Valli was permanently associated with the group for which he served as lead singer, the Four Seasons. But he also maintained a separate solo career during much of the band's tenure that included several major hits beginning with "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" and including "Grease".

Joni Mitchell

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Joni Mitchell's gift for writing extremely personal lyrics about the love and loss in her life is what made her the leader in singer/songwriter movement of the '70s. Mitchell introduced jazz and world music elements into her 1974 'Court & Spark' album long before it was fashionable in American pop music. Joni Mitchell’s body of work was and continues to be a huge influence on musicians around the world.

Joy Division

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Formed in early 1977 in Manchester, Joy Division became one of the first punk bands to emphasise mood and expression, as oppose to anger.

Pet Shop Boys

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Pet Shop Boys (named after a group of friends that worked in a pet shop) formed in London in August 1981 in an electronics shop.

David Bowie

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Considered as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, David Bowie's sonic and visual work had an undeniable impact on popular music. Born in Brixton, South London, Bowie's interest in music and arts was apparent from an early age. Six years after embarking on a professional music career in 1963, "Space Oddity" became his first UK Top Five Single propelling his breakthrough.

Led Zeppelin

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In 1968, Jimmy Page formed Led Zeppelin, one of the most influential, innovative and successful groups in modern music, having sold more than 300 million albums worldwide.

New Order

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Rising from the ashes of the legendary British post-punk unit Joy Division, the enigmatic New Order triumphed over tragedy to emerge as one of the most influential and acclaimed bands of the 1980s; embracing the electronic textures and disco rhythms of the underground club culture many years in advance of its contemporaries, the group's pioneering fusion of new wave aesthetics and dance music successfully bridged the gap between the two worlds, creating a distinctively thoughtful and oblique brand of synth pop appealing equally to the mind, body, and soul.

The Smiths

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The Smiths were the definitive British indie rock band of the '80s, marking the end of synth-driven new wave and the beginning of the guitar rock that dominated English rock into the '90s. Sonically, the group was indebted to the British Invasion, crafting ringing, melodic three-minute pop singles, even for their album tracks. But their scope was far broader than that of a revivalist band.