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"Turning Japanese" is the title of a song by English new-wave band The Vapors.  Released in 1980 on the album "New Clear Days", it is the song the band is best known for.  The Vapors were formed in 1978 in Guildford, England by Dave Fenton.  Although receiving worldwide recognition for "Turning Japanese", the group disbanded in 1982 after lukewarm sales of their second album, "Magnets."

In 2016 some of the original members reformed the band and went on a short reunion tour of England.

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Wire are an English rock band formed in 1976 by Colin Newman (vocals, guitar), Graham Lewis (bass, vocals), Bruce Gilbert (guitar), and Robert Gotobed (drums). As a definitive art punk ensemble, the group exhibited a steady development from an early raucous punk style to a more complex, structured sound involving more use of synthesizers and guitars. The band gained a reputation for experimenting with song arrangements throughout its career. Wire has released a total of sixteen albums and are still active as of 2017.

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The Red Hot Chili Peppers, also known as The Chili Peppers, are an American funk and psychedelic rock group that formed in 1983. The group consist of Anthony Keidis on vocals, Flea on bass, Chad Smith on drums, and guitarist Josh Klinghoffer. They are one of the best-selling groups of all time and one of the most successful alternative rock groups in history. Some of their most popular singles are “Californication”, “Give It Away”, and “Love Rollercoaster”. 

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Rhythm of Youth is the debut album released in 1982 by Canadian synthpop group, Men Without Hats. Men Without Hats were formed in 1977 and reached popularity with the single, “The Safety Dance”, which hit #3 in the United States. The album reached Platinum status in Canada after selling 100,000 units. 

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Kraftwerk are a German electronic music group that formed in 1969. They are best known for pioneering the electronic musical genre in the 1970’s. Before they popularized electronic music they released three experimental albums, making use of synthesizers, drum machines, vocoders, and other innovative instruments. Throughout their successful albums they constructed a style called “robot pop”, which married electronic music, melodies, and repetitive rhythms. Their on-stage look often featured matching suits. 

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Kate Bush is an English musician and record producer. When she was 19 years old her single “Wuthering Heights” topped the UK singles chart for four weeks, making her the first female artists to reach number one with a self-written song. Since then she has released 25 top hits in the UK, including “Running Up That Hill”, “Cloudbusting”, “The Man with the Child in His Eyes”, and “Babooshka”. She is also the first female artist to have an album reach number one on the UK album charts. She has been cited as the inspiration of many artists and is noted for her diverse musical styles and vocal range. 

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Closer is the second and final album by the band Joy Division.  It was released July 18, 1980, two months following the suicide of lead singer Ian Curtis.  The album was recorded from 18 to 30 March 1980 at Britannia Row Studios, Islington, London.  Closer is regarded as a landmark release of the 1980s post-punk music scene.

Shortly after the suicide of Ian Curtis, the band was renamed to New Order, following a pact between all four members that should any member 'leave', the remaining members would change the name of the group and continue making music.

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Joy Division was an English rock band that was active from 1976 through 1980.  The band consisted of vocalist Ian Curtis, guitarist and keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bass player Peter Hook, and drummer Stephen Morris.  They were originally named Stiff Kittens, then changed their name to Warsaw, and finally became Joy Division before recording and releasing their first 7" EP "An Ideal For Living" in 1978.  Joy Division's debut album, Unknown Pleasures, was released in 1979 to critical acclaim. 

Following troubles with grand mal seizures, depression, and other contributing personal factors happening in his life, Ian Curtis committed suicide in 1980.  Two months later the band released their second album, Closer, an album widely regarded as a landmark release of the 1980s post-punk music scene. 

After the suicide of Ian Curtis, the band was renamed to New Order, following a pact between all four members that should any member 'leave', the remaining members would change the name of the group and continue making music.

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Johnny Winter (1944-2014) was an American musician and producer known for his high-energy blues rock albums released primarily in the 1970’s. Winter was also producer for blues singer Muddy Waters’ Grammy-winning albums during the same decade. He is considered to be one of the greatest blues musicians and guitarists of all time. 

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John Cougar, formally known as John Mellencamp, is a singer-songwriter known for writing songs that are considered heartland rock or roots rock. He was at the height of his popularity in the 1980s, during which he released his most well-known songs like "Hurts So Good," "Pink Houses," and "Jack & Diane." In 2008, Mellencamp was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Even Johnny Cash referred to Mellencamp as one of the top ten greatest songwriters in modern music