The Police became globally popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s and are regarded as one of the first new-wave groups to achieve mainstream success, playing a style of rock influenced by punk, reggae, and jazz. Leading music critics cast fresh light on the band.

The Pretenders, originally three Englishmen and an American woman, emerged at the close of the '70s as one of the new wave's most commercially successful groups. Leading music critics cast fresh light on the career of The Pretenders.