Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, better known as OMD, is one of the pioneers of British electronic music. Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys began experimenting with synthesizers in the late 1970s and went on to become two of the defining figures of synthpop.

With their debut single Electricity in 1979, OMD took the first step in a career that has now spanned nearly five decades. The 1980s brought classics such as Enola Gay, Souvenir, Joan of Arc, Maid of Orleans, and Locomotion. The group has sold 25 million singles and 15 million albums worldwide. 

The fact that OMD charted its own course from the very beginning is also evident from its original lineup. In addition to Andy on vocals and bass and Paul on synthesizers, there was no drummer on stage—only “Winston,” a reel-to-reel tape machine. This epitomizes the spirit of experimentation with which they combined electronic music with strong pop melodies and a melancholic undertone. Albums like Architecture & Morality and Dazzle Ships became seminal works in electronic pop music. 

That music still has a large following today. After a major show at London’s O2 and a tour in support of the album Crush in 2025, OMD toured the United Kingdom and Ireland again this summer with their Summer of Hits Tour. In November, McCluskey and Humphreys will return to Night of the Proms, seventeen years after their last appearance.