Todd Rundgren

Born in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, Todd Rundgren made his mark in the late 1960s with the psychedelic band Nazz before embarking on a solo career that spans pop, rock, Philadelphia soul, progressive rock, psychedelia and, later, electronic forms. Rundgren began solo with Runt in 1970 and honed a very melodic songwriting style on Runt. The Ballad of Todd Rundgren (1971) and Something/Anything? (1972) — an album where power pop, ballads and meticulous studio work coexist. From A Wizard, a True Star (1973) and as a member of Utopia, a group initially oriented toward progressive rock and later more pop, Rundgren developed a taste for fragmented formats, suites, synthetic textures and shifts in aesthetic. His career continued with records such as Todd (1974), Hermit of Mink Hollow (1978), A Cappella (1985), Nearly Human (1989), No World Order (1993), Liars (2004), White Knight (2017) and Space Force (2022). At the same time, Rundgren maintained a substantial production career, working with acts including Badfinger, New York Dolls, Grand Funk Railroad, Meat Loaf and XTC, while early on exploring video, interactivity and digital uses in music.