Robert Allen Palmer was an English singer and songwriter. He was known for his powerful and soulful voice, sartorial elegance and stylistic explorations, combining soul, funk, jazz, rock, pop, reggae and blues. His 1985 song "Addicted to Love" and its accompanying video came to "epitomise the glamour and excesses of the 1980s".

When he was only a few months old, he and his family moved to Malta,[7] where his father worked in British naval intelligence. He was influenced as a child by blues, soul, and jazz music played on American Forces Radio and by his parents' musical tastes. His family returned to the UK when he was 12.

1979–1984: Growing mainstream success

1979's Secrets produced his second top 20 single with Moon Martin's "Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)". The number 14 hit also gave Palmer his second Billboard Hot 100 year-end chart hit.

1980 saw the release of the album 'Clues', produced by Palmer and featuring Chris Frantz and Gary Numan, which generated hits on both sides of the Atlantic, first with the radio-friendly single 'Johnny and Mary' and then 'Looking for Clues'.

Palmer was also playing two tracks in his live sets of Numan, 'Me! I Disconnect From You' and 'Cars'. Palmer later invited Gary to his studio, and Palmer recorded his version of Numan's 'I Dream of Wires' included on the album.

With catchy music videos matching the synth-pop stylings of new wave gave him much-needed exposure to a younger audience. The success was repeated with the 1982 EP release of 'Some Guys Have All the Luck', which included track 'Style Kills', co written by Palmer and Numan.

Going into the 1980s, Palmer's increasing commercial success as a performer fuelled his work as a producer, including on Jamaican ska legend Desmond Dekker's 1981 album Compass Point. In 1984, he helped Island label-mate John Martyn in the production of his album Sapphire.