M/A/R/S

A group with literally one hit to its name, MARRS was conceived as a collaborative effort between members of the U.K indie-pop acts A.R. Kane and Colourbox. The ensemble’s sole output was “Pump Up the Volume,” a funky, sample-heavy 1987 single that borrowed liberally from James Brown tunes (among others), setting a precedent that would be followed extensively in hip-hop and dance music. Accompanied by a mesmerizing, space-exploration-themed video, the track became a massive international success, but MARRS disbanded shortly after its release, leaving “Pump Up the Volume” as its brief, but very influential, contribution to pop culture.