Devo (pronounced DEE-vo by most and occasionally spelled in all capital letters; although members of the group refer to themselves with the emphasis on the second syllable.) is an American rock group formed in Akron, Ohio, United States in 1972. The band split in 1991 and returned in 1996. Their style has been variously classified as punk, industrial and rock, but are most often considered to be the 70s/early 80s New Wave band that ushered in the synth pop of the 1980s, along with other acts such as Gary Numan and The B-52s.