Artist:
The Buggles
Formed:
1979 in England
Disbanded:
1980
1979 in England
Disbanded:
1980
Representative Songs:
"Video Killed the Radio Star," "Clean, Clean," "Adventures in Modern Recording"
Representative Albums:
The Age of Plastic, Adventures in Modern Recording
Similar Artists:
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark,
Spandau Ballet,
M,
Kajagoogoo,
Haysi Fantayzee,
Soft Cell,
Yes,
XTC,
Wang Chung,
They Might Be Giants,
Talking Heads,
Sigue Sigue Sputnik,
Gary Numan,
Naked Eyes,
Lene Lovich,
The Human League,
Fun Boy Three,
A Flock of Seagulls,
The Fixx,
Duran Duran,
Thomas Dolby,
Devo,
The B-52's,
Asia,
Adam Ant,
Animotion,
ABC,
a-ha,
Barnes & Barnes
Influences:
Followers:
Performed Songs By:
Simon Darlow,
Bruce Woolley,
Trevor Horn
- Genre: Rock
- Active: '80s
- Major Members: John Sinclair, Simon Darlow, Trevor Horn, Geoffrey Downes
Biography
As the answer to the trivia question "What was the first act ever played on MTV?," the Buggles assured their place in pop music history. Vocalist and bassist Trevor Horn and keyboardist Geoff Downes formed the electro-pop duo in England in 1979 after meeting two years prior as session musicians. Their first single, "Video Killed the Radio Star," hit number one in the U.K. in late 1979; when MTV went on the air in 1981, the prophetically-titled record's video was the first ever broadcast on the fledgling cable network.Although the Buggles enjoyed three more British hits -- "The Plastic Age," "Clean Clean" and "Elstree" -- both Horn and Downes were more interested in production than performing; in 1980, they helmed Yes' Drama, and later joined the group as replacements for Rick Wakeman and Jon Anderson. After Yes' break-up, Downes signed on with Asia, while Horn formed ZTT Records and produced hits for the likes of Frankie Goes to Hollywood and ABC. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
