The Crystals

The Crystals are an American girl group formed in Brooklyn, New York, in 1960, one of the defining acts of the early-1960s girl-group era. They were discovered and produced by Phil Spector, who applied his layered “Wall of Sound” production technique to their recordings, giving the group a lush, orchestral pop sound built from dense multi-tracked instrumentation and reverb.

Under Spector's Philles Records label, the group scored a run of hit singles including «Da Doo Ron Ron», «He's a Rebel» and «Then He Kissed Me», several of which have since been recognized on lists of the greatest songs of all time. Their sound, driven by lead vocals over Spector's dense arrangements, became a template that influenced countless pop and rock acts that followed, including the Beach Boys and the Beatles.

Despite lineup changes over the years, the Crystals remain one of the most influential girl groups of the pre-Motown, pre-British Invasion era, and their catalog, including holiday staple «Santa Claus Is Coming to Town», continues to be celebrated as a landmark of early 1960s pop.