Gary Numan brought android-cold synthesizers to British pop charts in 1979 with 'Are 'Friends' Electric?' and 'Cars,' pairing detached, alienated lyricism with icy, minimalist synth arrangements. His Tubeway Army and solo work helped popularize synth-pop for mainstream British audiences ahead of the genre's early-'80s explosion. His fusion of science-fiction dread and pop hooks remains a touchstone for synth-driven alternative music.

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1979

CarsGary Numan