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Duran Duran Day celebrates 80’s rock icons, Duran Duran – a band who pushed the limits of acceptable music video content. Try listening to some Duran Duran at work, in the car, and at home; don’t worry, it’s officially ok for just one day!

Learn about Duran Duran Appreciation Day

Duran Duran Appreciation Day is exactly what you’d expect it to be: a day for fans of the band to appreciate their great music! It’s also a great day for those who’ve never really listened to their music to do so.

On this day, fans across the globe take part in all-day parties and official trivia contests on social media, particularly Twitter. Members of Duran Duran also reflect on the years since the band formed, posting messages to their supporters on the Internet.

Some things you may not know about Duran Duran

  • Like all good things in life, Duran Duran had their own board game. The game was called ‘Arena’ and it was released at the height of their fame during the ‘80s. The aim of the game was to accumulate as many points as possible, collecting band members and video cards. If you are interested, you can still find the board game on eBay today. This would certainly be a cool way to celebrate Duran Duran Appreciation Day.
  • You may be shocked to learn that Duran Duran was banned from MYV in 1997. This is because of their video for Electric Barbarella, which was deemed too risque for TV. The video was also banned from the BBC.
  • They have a full album that you may not have heard of before! This is an album called ‘Reportage’ that was recorded in 2006 just before original guitarist Andy Taylor had left the group for the second time. However, the album was shelved. Nick Rhodes has since spoken about the album, stating that it was more political and angrier than their usual music. Because of this, Sony didn’t really like the content, stating that they did not hear any lead single contenders. Because of this, they went in a different direction, creating Red Carpet Massacre in 2007.

History of Duran Duran Appreciation Day

Duran Duran Appreciation Day was the idea of a radio disc jockey in Michigan. He selected the date because it was the same as his birthday. Since then, fans across the world have participated in Duran Duran Appreciation Day.

Of course, when we look at Duran Duran Appreciation Day, we should also look at the history of the band itself. Duran Duran first formed in 1978. The brand is recognized as one of the most successful bands of the ‘80s, yet by the close of the decade, music style changes challenged the band. They weren’t to give up, though, resurging in the early ‘90s.

The band was formed by Nick Rhodes and John Taylor in Birmingham, UK. They became the resident band at Rum Runner, which was a nightclub in the city. At the time, Nick was deejaying at the club for £10 a night and John was working on the door. They started to play more and more frequently at the venue. The first singer for the band was Stephen Duffy. After this, Simon Colley quickly joined the trio as the original bass player. This was the first complete line-up for the live shows played by the band. However, Colley left the band, and there were several changes after this.

Their first album was self-titled, and it was released on the 15th of June in 1981. The album reached number three on the Albums Chart in the UK, and it stayed in the Top 100 for 118 weeks. By the end of 1982, it achieved platinum status. The album consisted of two sides, with five tracks on side one and four tracks on side two. Some of the most popular songs from their debut album included Careless Memories, Planet Earth, and Girls on Film.

After this, they went on to release another 13 albums. This included Rio in 1982, Liberty, which was released in 1990, and Paper Gods, which was released in 2015. They have also done many tours over the years as well. Their first tour was The Faster Than Light Tour, which took place throughout 1981. They then went on several tours throughout the next four decades, and who knows whether there will be more in the future.

How to celebrate Duran Duran Appreciation Day

The best way to celebrate Duran Duran Appreciation Day is by listening to some of the band’s most famous tracks! We would advise starting with Planet Earth, which was the band’s first-ever hit. It was the track that started the entire area of floppy fringers and frilly shirts! Other tracks that you will definitely want to add to your playlist include the likes of (Reach Up For The) Sunrise, Ordinary World, Notorious, A View To A Kill, and The Reflex. The Reflex was the band’s second number-one single, with their first being Is There Something I Should Know? So, we certainly recommend listening to that track as well. Other songs to make the list included The Chauffeur, Rio, and of course, Hungry Like The Wolf.

Why not make an occasion of it and get all of your friends and family around and have a Duran Duran inspired party? After all, this is the perfect excuse to have a few drinks and a good dance with all of those you love the most! Or, if you don’t want to play host, you don’t have to. Take a look online and see if there are any Duran Duran inspired club nights going on in your local area. You will often find that clubs tend to make the most of any music-themed dates as a great way of getting everyone involved.

We also recommend taking a look online to see if there are any online events and activities going on. You will often find Duran Duran fans celebrating the day via social media. You can join in with trivia quizzes, as well as sharing your favorite Duran Duran songs and memories. Don’t worry if you’ve not listened to much of the band or you’ve only just become a fan; everyone can share their thoughts and join in on the fun. 

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