Electric Light Orchestra

On 12 July 1970, Roy Wood added cellos to a Jeff Lynne tune intended as a Move B-side, and '10538 Overture' became the first Electric Light Orchestra song. The plan was for violins and horns, rather than guitars, to carry rock music forward.

After Wood left in 1972, Lynne took charge, writing, arranging and producing. Eldorado added a hired orchestra and choir, A New World Record and the double Out of the Blue delivered sparkling pop such as 'Mr. Blue Sky', and Discovery leaned into disco.

By Time, the string section had gone and synthesisers dominated, giving its science-fiction story a more electronic feel. Lynne disbanded the group in 1986, revived it in 2014 as Jeff Lynne's ELO, and in 2024 set out on a final tour.