Like all good stories, this one started with a simple dream. From the backroom of the Birmingham nightclub where they were working, childhood best friends Nick Rhodes and John Taylor came together to form a house band. United by a common passion for rhythmic beats and poetic lyricism, the infamous band, Duran Duran, was born. And while the journey to the top was complicated, the dream was straightforward—make music, travel the world, and become the greatest band of all time. And now, 45 years later, with two other musicians by their side (Roger Taylor and Simon Le Bon), Duran Duran has done just that. Powered by an insatiable desire to make music (and an even more ravenous fan base), they stand among the best-selling artists in the world. To date, they’ve sold over 100 million records, received two Grammy Awards, and just last year, got inducted into the legendary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

“When John and I first started out, we knew we had to carve out something of our own that set us apart and made us unique,” recalls Nick. Coming up in a time when the sonic landscape was lush with pop-oriented synths and techno beats, Duran Duran created a sound that cut through all the noise. With songs like “Planet Earth,” “Save A Prayer,” and “Hungry Like A Wolf,” they created a whole new genre with an emphasis on their own musical interests instead of circumstantial fads. And with the band’s releases, they ushered in the fabled Second British Invasion– songs skyrocketed to the tops of the charts, shows sold out, and throngs of people filled the streets at signings.

These days, the band’s hunger for making music hasn’t stopped. Last year, Duran Duran released its 15th studio album–yes, that’s right, its 15th studio album. FUTURE PAST, and its accompanying 12 tracks, teeter a fragile line between the band’s historied beginnings in the ’80s and the contemporary music scene. While Duran Duran’s euphoric, high-octane aesthetic remains a thread throughout its work, features from Tove Lo, CHAI, and Mike Garson anchor the band thoughtfully in the modern-day. “The Duran Duran sound has always been about evolution. We’ve never tried to put out the same album twice,” John shares, to which Roger adds: “We’ve been able to stay around for as long as we have because we haven’t been afraid of change. After Rio, we didn’t try to make the same album. Instead, we went in a completely different direction with Seven and the Ragged Tiger.”

And as the band aptly blends diverging decades of sound—flashy synths and guitar licks, funk beats, and touches of EDM—the album is as tight an anthem as any in Duran Duran’s career, standing tall alongside the band’s extensive discography and legendary hits of the past. In the face of a rapidly changing music industry (the rise of streaming and the instant virality of social media), perhaps it is this inkling for the avant-garde that keeps Duran Duran so steadily cemented in pop culture.

Beyond just the music, the members have also defined what it means to be cool for generations to come with their accompanying visuals and galvanic stage presence. This summer, they continue on that legacy. Starting in May, Duran Duran hit the road, bringing its most recent tracks to the stage. “Music really gets to what it means to be human in the 21st century,” Simon shares. “If you get it right, it can make people feel as though they’re not alone in this world—and that’s our ultimate mission.” And with that, the band’s dream, which first materialized in a nightclub in Birmingham, lives on to this day.

Duran Duran’s THE FUTURE PAST TOUR (North America) begins on May 27, 2023.

(John Taylor)
Photography Johnny Marlow

Fashion Adam Ballheim 

(Nick Rhodes, Roger Taylor, Simon Le Bon)

Photography Nick Thompson

Fashion Jordan Kelsey 

Makeup (John Taylor) Sasha Glasser

Hair (John Taylor) Tamar Izakelian

Photo assistant (John Taylor) Derek Patrick

Makeup (Nick Rhodes, Roger Taylor, Simon Le Bon) / Carol Morley (Carol Hayes Management)

Hair (Nick Rhodes, Roger Taylor, Simon Le Bon) Cristiano Basciu

Production (Nick Rhodes, Roger Taylor, Simon Le Bon) Alexandra Oley Tailor / (Nick Rhodes, Roger Taylor, Simon Le Bon) Elenor Williams (Karen Avenell) 

Stylist assistant (Nick Rhodes, Roger Taylor, Simon Le Bon) Benjamin Carnall 

Location (Nick Rhodes, Roger Taylor, Simon Le Bon) Jet Studios