BLONDIE

Blondie is an American new wave band formed in New York City in 1974 by singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the American new wave genre and scene of the mid-1970s. The band's first two albums also contained strong elements of punk. Although successful in the UK and Australia, Blondie was regarded as an underground band in the US until the release of their critically acclaimed third album in 1978, Parallel Lines. Over the next two years, the band released a string of hit singles, including "Heart of Glass" (US No. 1), "One Way or Another", "Dreaming", "Call Me" (US No. 1), "Atomic", "The Tide Is High" (US No. 1), and "Rapture" (US No. 1). The band became noted for its eclectic mixture of musical styles, incorporating elements of disco, pop, reggae, funk and early hip hop music. Blondie disbanded after the release of their sixth studio album, The Hunter, in 1982. Harry continued to pursue a solo career with varied results after taking a few years off to care for her partner Stein, who was diagnosed with pemphigus, a rare autoimmune disease of the skin.