◇ image via WikipediaHolly Johnson
Holly Johnson is an act on the Starverb influence map. Their sound grew out of John Parr, Marc Bolan, David Bowie, Frank Sinatra and The Beatles. Those roots explain a lot about how Holly Johnson arrange songs and choose their tones. They run in the same orbit as Bros, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Hazell Dean, Jimmy Somerville and Erasure, sharing audiences, venues and reference points rather than a straight line of influence. Their influence carried into Ryuichi Sakamoto, Boy George, Gaz Coombes, Gary Barlow and Kirsty MacColl, where the same ideas turn up rearranged for a later generation. Altogether the chart holds 36 connections around Holly Johnson, reaching back through John Parr and forward to Ryuichi Sakamoto. Follow any of those threads to keep travelling the influence between bands and genres on Starverb.
Background
William "Holly" Johnson is an English singer, songwriter and artist. He is best known as lead vocalist of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, who achieved huge commercial success in the mid-1980s. Prior to that, in the late 1970s he was a bassist for the band Big in Japan. In 1989, Johnson's debut solo album, Blast, reached number one in the UK Albums Chart. Two singles from the album – "Love Train" and "Americanos" – reached the top 5 of the UK Singles Chart. In the 1990s, he also embarked on writing, painting, and printmaking careers.
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Holly Johnson connections
Holly Johnson grew out of John Parr, Marc Bolan, David Bowie and Frank Sinatra, shares an orbit with Bros, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Hazell Dean and Jimmy Somerville, went on to shape Ryuichi Sakamoto, Boy George, Gaz Coombes and Gary Barlow. 36 connections mapped across roots, kindred and legacy.
Who influenced Holly Johnson
Sounds and acts that shaped Holly Johnson.
Artists similar to Holly Johnson
Artists and scenes sharing an orbit with Holly Johnson.
- Brosartist
- Frankie Goes to Hollywoodartist
- Hazell Deanartist
- Jimmy Somervilleartist
- Erasureartist
- Climie Fisherartist
- Kim Wildeartist
- T'Pauartist
- Thompson Twinsartist
- Jason Donovanartist
- Belinda Carlisleartist
- Wet Wet Wetartist
- Pet Shop Boysartist
- ABCartist
- Gazeboartist
- Eurythmicsartist
- Jaki Grahamartist
- Mike & The Mechanicsartist
- Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Darkartist
- Ultravoxartist
- Neneh Cherryartist
Bands Holly Johnson shaped
Where the influence of Holly Johnson travelled next.
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