Yellow Magic Orchestra

One of the first ensembles to embrace technological developments in music--such as sequencers, synthesizers, and drum machines--Japan's Yellow Magic Orchestra are considered forerunners of various styles of electronic music, from synth-pop to pure techno. Formed by musician Haruomi Hosono in the late 1970s, YMO combined the concepts of avant-garde composition with a love for the more curious corners of popular music, and funneled the whole thing through the cutting-edge technology of the day to create a sound that--despite its broad influence--remains distinct decades after its creation. Haruomi continued to write and record under various names well into the new millennium.