Asia

A supergroup formed by the cream of the 1970s British prog rock scene, Asia took on more of a pop sound and attempted to take their highbrow, skilled musicianship to a more mainstream audience in the 1980s. With the progressive rock scene effectively torn to shreds by the onset of punk, Geoff Downes (formerly of Yes), John Wetton (King Crimson), Steve Howe (Yes) and Carl Palmer (Emerson, Lake & Palmer) joined forces under the keen eye of Geffen Records boss David Geffen with the aim of crafting something for the AOR (Adult Orientated Rock) market. And with debut album Asia (1982) they did just that, topping the US charts and selling over 10 million copies. With its slashing guitars and rousing chorus, single Heat Of The Moment became the band's biggest anthem, reaching Number 4 in the US and earning them a huge following in America, Japan and Europe. Second album Alpha (1983) also fared well, reaching Number 4 in the UK and producing the US Top 10 hit Don't Cry, but the music scene had again moved on by the time of follow-up Astra (1985) and the band drifted away from the mainstream. Surviving through numerous splits and line-up changes, the band returned to the original core members and released its 12th studio album Omega in 2010.