The Prodigy (GB)

About

Also known as: Prodigy, The Prodigy vs

Few acts defined the mid 90s electronic explosion quite like The Prodigy. Formed in Braintree in 1990 around producer Liam Howlett, with MC Maxim and dancer turned vocalist Keith Flint completing the core lineup, they built their reputation in the underground rave scene before breaking into the mainstream with a sound Howlett himself calls electronic punk. Their third album The Fat of the Land hit number one in 16 countries and gave the UK back to back chart toppers with Firestarter and Breathe, while the controversial Smack My Bitch Up kept people talking long after the charts moved on. The band's catalogue spans big beat, breakbeat hardcore, techno and electronic rock, and they have shifted around 25 million records worldwide, including seven consecutive UK number one albums. Leeroy Thornhill departed in 2000 and Keith Flint passed away in 2019, leaving Howlett and Maxim to carry the name forward. AllMusic once called them the Godfathers of Rave, and that reputation has only grown.