Berlin

Berlin is an American new wave band formed in Los Angeles in 1978, part of the same synth-driven scene that produced acts like Human League and Depeche Mode's American counterparts. Fronted by singer Terri Nunn, with bassist and co-vocalist John Crawford as the band's primary songwriter, the group built a sound defined by icy synthesizers, danceable electronic rhythms and provocative lyrical themes.

Berlin found early success on the dance and new wave charts with «The Metro» and the sexually explicit «Sex (I'm A…)», before crossing into mainstream pop with «No More Words» and the ballad «Take My Breath Away», written for the 1986 film Top Gun. That song topped the charts worldwide, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and a Golden Globe, and remains the band's defining hit — ironically arriving just as internal tensions were pulling the group apart, and the band split shortly after this commercial peak.

Berlin's catalogue, including «Animal», «To a King» and «Masquerade», captures the transition from moody synth-pop underground acts to the polished, cinematic sound of mainstream 1980s pop. Terri Nunn later revived the Berlin name for touring and recording, keeping the group's legacy alive well beyond its original 1980s run.