Blondie is an American rock band founded by singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein.^[1] The band was a pioneer in the early American new wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s. Its first two albums contained strong elements of these genres, and although successful in the United Kingdom and Australia, Blondie was regarded as an underground band in the United States until the release of Parallel Lines in 1978. Over the next three years, the band achieved several hit singles^[2] including “Call Me“, “Atomic” and “Heart of Glass” and became noted for its eclectic mix of musical styles incorporating elements of disco,^[3][4] pop,^[3][4][5] rap,^[4][6] and reggae,^[4] while retaining a basic style as a new wave band.^[7]

Blondie broke up after the release of its sixth studio album The Hunter in 1982. Debbie Harry continued to pursue a solo career with varied results after taking a few years off to care for partner Chris Stein, who was diagnosed with pemphigus, a rare autoimmune disease of the skin.^[8]

The band re-formed in 1997, achieving renewed success and a number one single in the United Kingdom with “Maria” in 1999, exactly 20 years after their first UK No.1 single (“Heart of Glass”).

The group toured and performed throughout the world^[9] during the following years, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.^[10] Blondie has sold 50 million records worldwide^[11][12] and is still active today. The band’s ninth studio album, Panic of Girls, was released in 2011,^[13] and their tenth, Ghosts of Download, was released in 2014.

Melissa Lou Etheridge (born May 29, 1961) is an American rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, and activist.^[2] Her self-titled debut album Melissa Etheridge was released in 1988 and became an underground hit. The album peaked at #22 on the Billboard 200, and its lead single, “Bring Me Some Water“, garnered Etheridge her first Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female. In 1993, Etheridge won her first Grammy award for her single “Ain’t It Heavy” from her third album, Never Enough. Later that year, she released what would become her mainstream breakthrough album, Yes I Am. The album featured three Top 40 hits, including “I’m the Only One” (No. 8) and “Come to My Window” (No. 25), the latter which scored Etheridge her second Grammy award. Yes I Am peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard 200, and spent 138 weeks on the chart,^[3] earning a RIAAcertification of 6x Platinum,^[4] her largest to date.

In October 2004, Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer, and underwent surgery and chemotherapy. At the 2005 Grammy Awards, she made a return to the stage and, although bald from chemotherapy, performed a tribute to Janis Joplin with the song “Piece of My Heart“.^[5] Etheridge’s performance was widely lauded, with India.Ariewriting “I Am Not My Hair” about Etheridge.^[6] Later that year, Etheridge released her first compilation album, Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled. The album was a huge success, peaking at No. 14 on the Billboard 200, and going Gold almost immediately.^[4] Her latest release is This Is M.E..

Etheridge is known for her mixture of “confessional lyrics, pop-based folk-rock, and raspy, smoky vocals.”^[1] She has also been an iconic gay and lesbian activist since her public coming out in January 1993.^[7] She has received fifteen Grammy Award nominations throughout her career, winning two, in 1993 and 1995, respectively. In 2007, she won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “I Need to Wake Up” from the film An Inconvenient Truth. In September 2011, Etheridge received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.^[8]

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