Laura Branigan

Laura Branigan, the Grammy-nominated pop singer/songwriter and actress, rose to fame in the 1980s with her cinematic dance pop hits like "Gloria" and "Self Control," which dominated the charts and MTV. With five singles on the Hot 100 and six albums in the Top 200, Branigan's career mirrored that of other '80s female icons. Despite a decline in hits in the '90s, Branigan continued to perform and act until her death from a brain aneurysm in 2004.

Born in 1952, Branigan's musical career began after landing a lead role in high school. She toured with Leonard Cohen before launching her solo singing career with the hit "Gloria" in 1982. Throughout the '80s, she released successful albums and singles, but her hits waned in the '90s. After caring for her husband during his illness, Branigan returned to music briefly before her untimely passing. Posthumously, her legacy is preserved through various greatest-hits compilations and re-releases.