Duran Duran was one of the first artists to build a reputation through music videos. Their glamorous fashion sense and good looks captivated audiences around the world and their music spread as a result. Inspired by David Bowie, Duran Duran formed in the late 1970s in Birmingham, England and began by performing at a local club. After a long search for the right voice, the band found it in drama student Simon LeBon and soon built a small following in England, which eventually lead to a record deal.The groups first single, 1981's "Planet Earth," reached number 12 on the charts and launched the members of Duran Duran into their roles as media darlings. Their innovative music videos helped the group gain further mainstream recognition, especially the video for "Girl on Film," which became Duran Duran's first Top Ten single. Their self-titled debut album broke onto the charts at number three and remained on the list for an astounding 118 weeks. Their 1982 follow-up effort, Rio, spawned the everlasting "Hungry Like the Wolf" and debuted at number two. The group members were bonafide superstars in Europe at this point, but didn't truly make a name for themselves in the United States until their videos began getting play on MTV. "Hungry Like a Wolf" became a Top Ten hit in the U.S. in 1994 and Rio sold 2 million copies, solidifying the band as international stars.Duran Duran released Seven and the Ragged Tiger in 1983 and found themselves atop the U.S. charts for the first time with their single, "The Reflex." Seven reached number one in the U.K and number eight in the U.S. In 1984, while their non-LP single "Wild Boys" reached number two in both countries.The group's popularity began to cool shortly thereafter, and several band members left to work on a multitude of side projects. In the years that followed, the band released numerous albums without the group's original lineup intact. The records still sold well, most of them going gold. The band managed a complete reunion in 2001 after more than a decade apart. After three years of recording and periodic touring, the original group released Astronaut in 2004 and followed it up with their most recent effort, Red Carpet Massacre, in 2007.Duran Duran was a pioneer group that paved the way for musical success through visual expression. The band's sense of visual art enchanted viewers and helped make Duran Duran one of the biggest new wave bands of the 1980s.