After the disbandment of the proto-punk group the Stooges, vocalist Iggy Pop (born James Osterberg) embarked on a solo career that flirted with the mainstream while keeping his fiery punk spirit alive. Pop laid low for a couple of years following the breakup of the Stooges, resurfacing in 1977 with two David Bowie-produced albums, The Idiot and Lust for Life. These records expanded his trademark full-throttle rock & roll, incorporating a more pop-oriented approach that increased his audience; The Idiot remains his highest-charting album, peaking at number 72 in America. Released in 1982, the Chris Stein-produced Zombie Birdhouse (which appeared on Stein's label, Animal) was the most varied collection Pop had created since Lust for Life. After the release of Zombie Birdhouse, Pop took some time off, reappearing four years later with the Bowie-produced Blah-Blah-Blah; the record became his highest-charting album since The Idiot. He followed it in 1989 with Instinct, another return to basic hard rock. Released the following year on Virgin Records, the Don Was-produced Brick By Brick was his most accessible and commercially successful album, producing his first Top 40 hit, "Candy." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine