Seymour Stein, music mogul who signed Madonna, Talking Heads and Ramones, dies aged 80

Seymour Stein, the legendary New York music executive who signed Madonna, Talking Heads, Lou Reed, The Ramones and co-founded Sire Records, has died at the age of 80, Billboard reports. Stein set up Sire in 1966 and became a key figure in the punk, new wave and pop scenes, also introducing UK acts like The Smiths, Fleetwood Mac, Depeche Mode, Seal, The Cure and Madness to the US. Stein got into the music industry at the age of just 13 in the 1950s working in the industry paper Billboard, only to become one of the most successful talent spotters in the business - his other signings included Ice-T, The Pretenders, KD Lang and Richard Hell & the Voidoids.

Seymour Stein, you will be greatly missed. You were always so gracious and supportive of the @RamonesOfficial, and to Johnny and @lindaramone. The Johnny Ramone Army sends its love to Mandy Stein and all of Seymour’s family at this sad time. Legends never die. 💕💕💕 pic.twitter.com/atPq34XozH

— Johnny Ramone (@johnnyramone) April 3, 2023