Hall and Oates are an American musical duo composed of Daryl Hall and John Oates. They achieved their greatest fame in the late 1970s and early to mid-1980s with a fusion of rock and roll and rhythm and blues styles, which they dubbed "rock and soul." Many albums and hits followed their 1975 self-titled debut and they were universially hailed as "exponents of blue-eyed soul," but in recent years Hall has been adamant about shedding the moniker, calling it "archaic" and "racist." No matter what label is applied, the rock duo remains the most successful pairing in rock history.
From their first hit in 1974 through their heyday in the 80s, Daryl Hall and John Oates smooth, catchy take on Philly soul brought them enormous commercial success -- including six number one singles and six platinum albums -- yet little critical success. Hall and Oates' music was remarkably well constructed and produced; at their best, their songs were filled with strong hooks and melodies that adhered to soul traditions without being a slave to them by incorporating elements of new wave and hard rock.