The Human League are a British synthpop band formed in Sheffield, South Yorkshire in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate
... The Human League are a British synthpop band formed in Sheffield, South Yorkshire in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.
Originally an avant-garde all-male synthesizer-based group from Sheffield, the only constant band member since 1977 is vocalist and songwriter Philip Oakey. Since 1987, the band has essentially been a trio of Oakey and long-serving female vocalists Joanne Catherall and Susan Ann Sulley (who joined the band in 1980), with various sidemen. The Human League has influenced many electro-pop, other synthpop, and mainstream acts including Madonna, Moby[1], Pet Shop Boys [2] and Little Boots [3]. They have been sampled and covered by various artists including Ministry of Sound, Craig David, George Michael, KMFDM, and Robbie Williams.[4]
Since 1978, they have released nine studio albums, 26 singles (including eight UK Top 10 singles with two #1 singles in the U.S./UK) and played over 350 live concerts. The Human League has sold an estimated 20 million records worldwide.
