Sonny and Cher

Sonny and Cher

The singing husband-and-wife duo of Sonny and Cher emerged in 1962 and, three years later, landed a huge #1 hit on the charts with “I Got You Babe.” They followed with more hit records and in 1971, they decided to give the medium of television a try, starring in their first special, The Sonny and Cher Nitty Gritty Hour. The reviews were great and it wasn’t long before CBS was asking them to consider their own variety show. That same year, The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour debuted as a summer replacement series. Within a year, it was an undeniable hit and a weekly staple within many of the nation's households.

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Soul Train

Soul Train

Ever since its debut in 1952, fans of American pop music could tune in weekly to American Bandstand and keep themselves current on all of the latest artists and trends. But it would be almost two decades later before fans of rhythm and blues were given their own weekly outlet. They would forever owe their thanks to a Chicago DJ named Don Cornelius, the creator of Soul Train, for letting their voices be heard. Soul Train showcased all of the up-and-coming artists of the genre, put a spotlight on all the current dance moves, and, very quickly, became an enduring hit.

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Styx

Styx

The emergence of “arena rock” in the late 70s, saw the rise of a number of bands that seemingly went from being completely unknown to filling stadiums overflowing with adoring fans. Perhaps one of the most successful in this genre was a group of five Chicago-based rockers who called themselves Styx. Talk about coming out swinging; the band would land four consecutive double platinum albums, the first band ever to do so, and quickly prove they were a force to be reckoned with.

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The Archies

The Archies

One of the most noteworthy garage bands of the 1960s, The Archies showcased the fun side of adolescence with their sunny attitude and catchy pop tunes. They never performed live because, unfortunately, every band member suffered from acute cartoonitis, a condition that renders the afflicted brightly colored and two-dimensional. Archie, Jughead and the rest of the gang peddled their cotton candy sounds on The Archie Show, a Saturday morning cartoon which debuted in 1968.

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The Police

The Police

Though displaying quasi-punk qualities, the Police was never a true punk band. Rather, they effortlessly mixed and matched elements of punk, ska, reggae and pop to create a very palatable rock sound that earned the three musicians numerous awards, worldwide fame and oodles upon oodles of money. Let's take a look back.

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The Rocky Horror Picture Show

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Few “B” movies have ever enjoyed the cult-like following that continues to surround The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Released in 1975, part musical, part horror flick (with a good dose of retro science fiction thrown in), it is a film that might have been quickly forgotten had midnight theater audiences not embraced it with their hearts and made it their own. But they did - and for decades now, generations of young people have made a late-night viewing of the film a rite of passage, and in some cases, a lifestyle. Let's take a look back.

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The Village People

The Village People

It's hard to fathom that someone actually sat around and pondered “Let’s take a Native-American chief, a police officer, a construction worker, a biker, a police officer and a soldier and place them on the same stage together to sing rousing disco songs.” French music producer, Jacques Morali, not only pondered that idea, he saw it to fruition. For he knew that there was nothing too outrageous in the world of disco, especially considering he had already seen plenty of men hanging around French dance clubs in various costumes. The time had come to bring this pageantry to the stage and it appeared in the form of The Village People.

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Tiny Tim

Tiny Tim

The words “one-of-a-kind” get thrown around quite a bit, but they were perhaps never more appropriate than when used to describe a gentle soul named Tiny Tim. He captivated and amused the world with his inimitable falsetto voice, quirky wardrobe and ever-present ukulele. His appeal landed him an enormously successful Top-20 single, one that would forever be linked to the offbeat performer.

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