White text on green background. 

This button refers to Arthur Adams, an American blues musician. He learned to play guitar by copying his mother’s finger positions. He received inspiration from B.B. King and other artists from the 1950s, including Howard Carroll, Muddy Waters, and Elmore James. He originally formed a group with his cousins, that they called the Gospel Travelers, traveling throughout Tennessee and Arkansas. When Adams went to college, the group disbanded, and he moved onto a solo career. He contributed to movie and television soundtracks as well. Adams released his first solo release in 20 years in 1999. 

Illustrated portraits of various female performers with black text over white background. 

This button includes illustrations and name of famous female musical performers. Each image presents the musicians’ known style and image. For instance, the image of Poison Ivy shows her picture with her iconic bright red hair. This can also be seen in the image of Jan Terri and her voluminous blonde hair. Another musician with a particular style is that of Grace Jones and her short hair style. Other musical performers seen on the button include, Siouxie Sioux, Ru Paul, Divine, Susan Fassbender, Joan Jett, Poly Styrene, Angelyne, Lil’ Kim, Hannon Shaw, Debby Harry, Cherie Currie, and Francoise Hardy. 

Illustrations of various male musicians faces with black text over white background.

This button includes illustrations and name of famous male musical performers. Each image presents the musicians' known style and image. For instance, the image of George Michael has his iconic cross earring. The same is for Boy George, as he is seen with a fashionable hat and his famous flamboyant style. Other musical performers seen on the button include, Kurt Kurt, Joe Jonas, Alexis, Dracula, Sylvester, Morrison, Nick Lachey, Darby Crash, Prince, Marc Almond, Little Richard, and Burns.

Abstract faces and black text over black and white brick background. 

Pink Floyd is an English progressive rock band that formed in 1965. The band originally consisted of Syd Barrett, Roger Waters,  Richard Wright, and Nick Mason. The members were students who came from academic backgrounds. They gained popularity by performing in London's underground music scene. David Gilmer later joined the group, and Barrett left the band due to mental health issues. Pink Floyd is distinguished by their philosophical lyrics, progressive and psychedelic melodies. They are one of the most commercially successful bands of all times, and Rolling Stone magazine ranked them at number 51 on their list of "The 100 Greatest Artists of All Times." Pink Floyd's music influenced numerous artists such as David Bowie, Queen, Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins, among many others.

The image on the button is a portion of the artwork from the album "The Wall." This the Pink Floyd's eleventh record that was released as a double album in 1979. "The Wall" is a rock opera that explores isolation, solitude, and abandonment, and the wall represents such sentiment. The protagonist, Pink, is tormented and traumatized by his family and school life but eventually becomes a rock star. However his adult life crumbles as he finishes building the wall which cuts him off from all human contact. Within his wall, Pink hallucinates that he is a fascist dictator performing at concerts, and he sets his men to exclude the fans that he deems unworthy. Pink is overwhelmed with guilt and puts himself on trial. His inner judge orders him to "tear down the wall" and Pink is then reconnected with the outside world.  

Black and white photograph of Bruce Springsteen's head is centered on a white background with black text above and white text and stars. The white text sits in a blue background while the black text sits between red lines that encircle the portrait.

Bruce Springsteen is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and humanitarian. Springsteen has been active since 1965 and has become one of the world's best-selling artists' of all-time, selling over 64 million albums and 120 million records worldwide. He is best known for his albums Born in the U.S.A. and Born to Run which are also his most successful studio albums. Springsteen has won twenty Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes, one Academy Award, and in 1999 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. 

An illustration of a woman dressed in a black top with musical notes on it and white skirt that is dancing on top of a record.  Black text is situated to the left, and the background is white.

Known in North America as The English Beat, The Beat’s original lineup consisted of Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger on vocals; Andy Cox, David Steele, Everett Morton and Saxa.  The band was formed in Birmingham England in 1978 with music fusing from multiple musical styles: ska, punk, pop, soul & reggae.  The Beat’s hits included Mirror in the Bathroom, Save It For Later and Hands Off, She’s Mine and covers of Tears of a Clown and Can’t Get Used to Losing You.                  

After the band disbanded in 1983, Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger formed General Public while Andy Cox and David Steele formed Fine Young Cannibals.  Currently, 2 versions of the band co-exist, Ranking Roger leads The Beat and Dave Wakeling heads the English Beat.

Black text on a white background.

The Hives are a Swedish rock band from Fagersta that first gained attention in the early 2000s as a prominent group of the garage rock revival. The Hives are known for performing in ever-changing, matching black-and-white suits. The band puts emphasis on their energetic live shows, notably with lead vocalist Howlin' Pelle Almqvist's engaging onstage banter and his guitarist brother Nicholaus Arson's crazy stage antics. They have been acclaimed by music critics as one of the best live rock bands in current music.

Graphic silhouettes of four men with red details below red text over white background. 

The button is to promote the Canadian a cappella group The Nylons. The group formed in 1978 in Toronto, Ontario. They appeared in the popular 1980's children's program Sharon, Lois & Bram's Elephant Show singing "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," which propelled the group to fame. During the mid 1980s, The Nylons gained wider recognition by singing the theme song to the popular sitcom Throb with the lead actress Diana Canova. The lineup changed throughout the years, the current members consist of Claude Morrison, Garth Mosbaugh, Gavin Hope, and Tyrone Gabriel.  

Illustration of a white hand under white text over black background. 

Have info on this button? Contact us here

The members of the band stand in a row with a background of blue and pink zigzagged lines and under the image of the band there is pink/red text over a blue background.

The Thompson Twins was a British music group that gained popularity in the US during the 1980s. The groups experienced many lineup changes and different number of members at various times; however they were most successful as a trio which consisted of Tom Bailey, Joe Leeway, and Alannah Currie. Their most notable single "Hold Me Now" peaked at number three in the US in 1983. The Thompson Twins took part in the "Live Aid" concert in 1985, the was concert was held to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia, they were joined on stage by Madonna. Leeway left the band in 1986, Bailey and Currie continued on for seven years and the Thompson Twins officially disbanded in 1993.