Two more hits followed in the shape of non-album track Wild Boys in 1984 and A View To A Kill, the theme from the Bond film of the same name, in 1985. Seven And The Ragged Tiger featured the hit singles The Reflex (the band’s first transatlantic No.1). Duran Duran continued their relentless assault on the charts with their third album at the end of 1983. The band dipped back into their debut album for their next single Is There Something I Should Know?, which became their first UK No.1 after entering the top ten in the US. From transatlantic smash hit singles Rio and Hungry Like The Wolf to the band’s defined style and model looks, Rio turned Duran Duran into a proper phenomenon. The band weren’t about to rest on their laurels, returning the following May with Rio, one of the defining albums of the decade. When their self-titled debut finally arrived in summer 1981, it went to No.3, staying in the UK album charts for a remarkable 118 weeks. Their second single performed even better Girls On Film was the band’s first top ten hit, even though the BBC banned its highly sexed video.Īll this, and Duran Duran hadn’t even released an album yet. Their first single Planet Earth peaked at No.12 on the UK singles chart, positioning the band at the head of the burgeoning new romantic movement. After a series of line-up changes, Roger Taylor (no relation to John and not to be confused with the Queen drummer) joined on drums, Andy Taylor (also no relation to Roger or John) on guitar and Simon LeBon on vocals.Īt the dawn of the ’80s, Duran Duran had already secured a major label deal with EMI. The band was formed at school in Birmingham in the late ’70s by friends Nick Rhodes and John Taylor, brought together by a shared love of an eclectic range of influences, from post punk to Roxy Music. With a run of high concept, high-end production videos to innately catchy singles, the band’s rise to stardom was practically meteoric. New wave idols Duran Duran were one of the first bands to truly capitalise on the new frontier of MTV.

Duran duran tour