Duran Duran

One of the pop / rock icons of the 1980s, Duran Duran was also one of the most successful groups of that period, emerging within the new wave movement, more precisely in the new romantic style.

Formed in 1978 in the English city of Birmingham by John Taylor (guitar) and Nick Rhodes (keyboards), Duran Duran's line-up expanded with the entry of Simon Colley (bass) and Stephen Duffy (vocals). In their first performances, the band had an electronic drums. However, initially, the formation of the band went through several changes of members. His classical line-up was defined only in the early 1980s with Nick Rhodes (keyboards), John Taylor (switched from guitar to bass), Andy Taylor (guitar), Roger Taylor (drums) and Simon Le Bon (vocals).

At the end of 1980, Duran Duran signed with EMI, and the following year he released his debut album, Duran Duran. This album, which reached the third place on the British chart, had the song "Girls on film" as the main single.

In 1982, the band released the album that designed it internationally. Titled Rio, the album brought some of the band's great hits, such as "Hungry like the Wolf", "Save a Prayer", "Rio" and "My Own Way". The following year, the third album, Seven and the Ragged Tiger, was released. At this time, the group started a long world tour, including releasing a live album, Arena (1984). In 1985, Duran Duran members dedicated themselves to other side projects. In the same year, the band was one of the attractions of the Live Aid charity show, the band's last concert with its classic line-up, as soon as drummer Roger Taylor and guitarist Andy Taylor left the group. Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and guest musicians continued with Duran Duran. In 1986, the band released the album Notorious. The album was quite successful in Brazil, with the song "A Matter Of Feeling" as the highlight. In 1988, the group performed for the first time in Brazil, at the Hollywood Rock festival. That same year, the album Big Thing arrived, with Liberty (1990) as its successor.

In 1993, Duran Duran released a second self-titled album, which was also known as The Wedding Album. "Ordinary World" and "Come Undone" were the hits on this record. Two years later the band released a cover album. Titled Thank You, this work features re-recordings of "White Lines" (Grandmaster Flash), "Perfect Day" (Lou Reed), "Lay Lady Lay" (Bob Dylan), "Thank You" (Led Zeppelin), among others. In early 1997, John Taylor left the band. Duran Duran continued with only two original members, Le Bon and Rhodes. That same year, the band released Medazzaland, an album that was not officially released in the UK. Like its successor, Pop Trash (2000), the album was unsuccessful.

In the early years of the 2000s, there was a rapprochement of the original members, and the band returned with their original line-up for some performances and the recording of a new album, Astronaut, which came out in 2004. The album was well received, getting at the top of the charts in the US and UK. In 2006, Andy Taylor left the band for the second time. The following year, Duran Duran released Red Carpet Massacre, an album that did not obtain the same acceptance from critics and the public as the previous one. The band returned with a new album in 2011. All You Need Is Now featured Mark Ronson in production. Ronson also co-produced the next album, Paper Gods, released in September 2015. Future Past, the band's tenth album, was released in 2021. This work was co-produced by the group, Mark Ronson, Giorgio Moroder and Erol Alkan.

In 2023, Danse Macabre arrived, a work with new tracks, covers and reworked old songs from the band.