Chic (31)

Chic
Disco hit factory
Causes of Death:
Bernard Edwards (1952-1996): Pneumonia
Tony Thompson (1954-2003): Cancer
Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah: Despite the deaths of two founding members, Chic remain a cash cow. The single "Le Freak" sold six million copies in the U.S. alone; that was frosting for Edwards and partner Nile Rodgers, who, as writers or producers, moved upwards of 100 million records by Sister Sledge, David Bowie and Duran Duran. Rodgers's 1995 Sony deal for his catalogue earned him millions, luckily, he's still breathing.
Ghosts in the Machine: The Chic vault has been hip-hop's hall closet since the Sugarhill Gang sampled "Good Times" in 1979; artists from the Beastie Boys to Joe Budden love them so much that in 2003 Rodgers was declared the most-sampled artist of all time. He and Edwards settled with the Gang after hearing "Rapper's Delight," gaining credit and a hefty royalty-and beginning the regulation of sampling.
Life After Death: Rodgers now oversees bestselling Xbox soundtracks and is still pushing a reconstituted Chic, with a 2006 studio album in the works.