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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

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The singer and actor known as Meat Loaf was born Marvin Lee Aday in 1947. Meat Loaf performed on Broadway in the early 1970s, moving to the big screen with a role in the movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show in 1973. A best-selling album, “Bat Out of Hell,” followed in 1977.  Throughout his career, Meat Loaf has appeared in several movies and television shows and recorded several successful albums.

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Ludwig Van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist who created some of the most famous classical pieces ever written. While he started off during the Classical Period, he eventually transitioned into the Romantic Period, in which he created darker and more expressive compositions. Beethoven suffered from a devastating hearing loss, which started sometime around 1800. Though his loss of hearing impacted him personally and professionally, he continued to compose music and even conduct orchestras. 

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Joey Lawrence, an American actor and singer, was 16 when his debut album, Joey Lawrence, was released in 1993. Lawrence co-wrote a number of songs on the album, including "Nothin' My Love Can't Fix." The song became an international hit, and was featured in the popular film, Cop and a Half, and in an episode of Lawrence's television series, Blossom.