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. The band re-formed in 1997, achieving renewed success and their sixth number one single in the UK with "Maria" in 1999, exactly 20 years after their first UK number one single, "Heart of Glass". The group toured and performed throughout the world during the following years, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. Blondie has sold over 40 million records worldwide and continues to actively perform. The band's eleventh studio album, Pollinator, was released on May 5, 2017. A new studio album, High Noon, is expected to be released in the spring of 2026.