Cyndi Lauper (b. June 22, 1953) is a groundbreaking Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award-winning songwriter, actress, and performing artist with a distinctive four-octave voice and eclectic mix of pop, rock, reggae, funk, and dance styles. A record for women musicians at the time, Cyndi Lauper’s debut album She’s So Unusual (1983) included four consecutive Top Five U.S. singles – “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” “Time After Time,” “She Bop,” and “All Through the Night” – and earned her two Grammys. Lauper’s “Time After Time” has been covered by over 100 artists and is featured in Rolling Stone’s 500 Best Songs of All Time. By the end of 1985, Cyndi Lauper had established herself as one of the best-selling artists in the world, and over the next 15 years she grew as a writer, producer, and advocate. Lauper’s 1986 sophomore album True Colors reached Number Four on the Billboard 100 and included the commercially successful singles “True Colors” and “Change of Heart.” Lauper’s four albums from the 2000s explored and celebrated such musical genres as pop standards, electronic/dance music, blues, and country. Cyndi Lauper’s rebellious influence on the attitudes, sound, and fashion of the music industry over the past 40 years broke down barriers for waves of future artists and empowered them to perform as their unique, authentic selves.
Form und Inhalt
The Phillip Roper Collection on Cyndi Lauper contains a variety of materials documenting Cyndi Lauper's career from 1980 through 2016, including some undated materials. The collection is divided into seven areas: posters; trading cards, handbills, calendars; tour books; album flats; magazines and clippings; photographs; and audiovisual materials. The bulk of the collection is comprised of promotional and collectible materials related to Lauper's solo career, especially her national and international tours in continental Europe and Japan. The audiovisual materials feature multiple Japanese singles, providing insight into her popularity in Japan, while the magazines and press clippings chronicle popular perceptions of Lauper throughout her career. The majority of the series are organized chronologically. Roper's collection illustrates Lauper's dynamic and critically acclaimed career, from her beginnings with Blue Angel to selling-out arenas worldwide as a solo artist, cementing her status as an international pop icon.
Notes
: The Phillip Roper Collection on Cyndi Lauper was received by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a gift from Phillip Roper on April 1, 2023.
: [Identification of Item], Phillip Roper Collection on Cyndi Lauper, Library and Archives, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
: Collection is primarily in English; materials in Japanese, Spanish, French, and German indicated at the file level.
: Processed by Jennie Thomas, Director of Archives, and Miriam Saab, Intern. Completed on July 23, 2025, Descriptive sources and standards used to create this inventory: DACS and local processing manual.
: Books have been transferred to the library. Please search for "Phillip Roper Collection on Cyndi Lauper" in the catalog for a list of donated titles.
Zugang
Collection is open for research. Patrons must sign the Acknowledgment of Legal Responsibilities and Privacy Rights statement on the Researcher Registration Form before using this collection. Some of the audiovisual materials in the collection are on defunct media formats and, therefore, are RESTRICTED. Access copies of these materials will have to be created prior to use. Consult the Library and Archives staff in advance of your visit to ensure access to these materials is available.
Verwenden
The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. For more information, please consult the staff of the Library and Archives.
