Born in Tokyo, Japan

Ryoji Sakamoto was best known as a founding member of Yellow Magic Orchestra, the groundbreaking synth-pop outfit that basically invented electronic pop music in the late '70s. He spent nearly five decades in music, from 1977 until his death in March 2023. He passed away from rectal cancer at 71.

Over his long career, Sakamoto recorded for a rotating lineup of labels—Columbia, Alfa Records, Sony, EMI, Warner, and commmons among them—which tells you something about both the Japanese music industry's shifting landscape and his own willingness to move around. He also released material through A&M and Restless Records at various points.