80s Bands: Duran Duran

The Duran Duran video, “Rio,” was the first video I ever saw on MTV. That’s not surprising, since Duran Duran was one of the most heavily played 80s bands on Music Television. In fact, they put out some of biggest 80s music hits and enjoyed heavy rotation on most radio stations as well.

Duran Duran

They came from Britain and were part of the second British Invasion, which included tons of 80s bands who brought rock, pop, and new wave music over the pond and into the melting pot.

Originally created by Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, and Stephen “Tin Tin” Duffy, Duran Duran found success after switching up band members until the band consisted of Rhodes and Taylor along with Roger Taylor, Andy Taylor, and lead singer Simon Le Bon. Contrary to rumor, none of the Taylors are related.

Duran Duran rolled into commercial success with their 80s music and put out hits into the 90s. They’ve had fourteen hits in the UK Singles Chart Top Ten and twenty-one of their songs have reached the Billboard Hot 100. The band has sold over 70 million records to date. That’s totally awesome for these talented British babes!

And it’s no wonder. Together, the five-piece band is sheer, lip-smacking eye candy. In the 80s, what girl didn’t have one (if not all) members of Duran Duran pinned to her wall? Their pretty faces probably graced the walls in a few boys’ bedrooms as well.

Commercial Appeal for 80s Bands

Being a band of pin-ups had its pros and cons. Their undeniable good looks added to the group’s commercial appeal and undoubtedly helped them sell records. However, those lovely visages annoyed naysayers who referred to them as less-than-serious musicians. That’s right, some people accused Duran Duran of being nothing more than a boy band.

But the boys from Duran Duran took their music seriously, and consistently produced cutting-edge rock with a new wave flavor and lyrics that bordered on poetry.

They were also adept at producing catchy, popular 80s music videos. Remember, this was back when many 80s bands built entire careers around videos. And they could, because in those days, MTV actually played music videos. Some of their most popular videos were “Hungry Like the Wolf,” “Wild Boys,” “The Reflex,” “Girls on Film,” and “Rio.”

80s Music Facts – Duran Duran

The band’s career has been packed with interesting moments. Here are a few fast facts about Duran Duran:

• During Live Aid, a charity packed with the hottest 80s music performers of the decade, Simon Le Bon botched the last note while performing the song “A View to a Kill,” and it became known as the note heard round the world.
• The band was named after a villain, Dr. Durand Durand, from sci-fi movie Barbarella.
• In 1985, members of Duran Duran tackled side projects, forming two new 80s bands. Simon Le Bon and Nick Rhodes joined under the moniker Arcadia and put out one album, So Red the Rose. John and Andy Taylor hooked up with Robert Palmer and Tony Thompson to form the band Power Station.

If you lived during the 80s, you better know who these guys are. They helped define 80s music and put an attractive spin on what 80s bands could look like. Duran Duran is still out there today making music so they are not gone and they most certainly not forgotten.