Duran Duran announced as headliners for the London 2012 Olympics

Duran Duran, who had the hits “Hungry Like a Wolf” and “The Reflex,” –– three decades ago –– will headline a concert to mark the start of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Organizers said Tuesday that the 1980s heartthrobs will represent England at the July 27 concert in London’s Hyde Park, which features acts from each of the four parts of the United Kingdom, the Associated Press reports. The UK representatives will be joined by Snow Patrol for Northern Ireland, the Stereophonics for Wales and Scotland’s Paolo Nutini. The band is excited over the recent announcement. Lead singer Simon Le Bon said the show would be “one of the highlights of the last decade for us.” Others, can't seem to generate that same enthusiasm. In fact,Contact Music.com states that the committee who picked the pop group is under fire by the public. Novelist Tony Parsons was among the first to react to the news on Twitter, joking, "Duran Duran to headline Olympic gig. Who is running the 1500 metres - Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett?". Author Tom MCLaughlin took aim at the entire line-up, saying, "Duran Duran, Paulo Nutini, Stereophonics and Snow Patrol? We may as well just put Cameron's iPod on shuffle and be done with". Comedian Al Murray joked, "Duran Duran to headline 2012 Olympics gig. Far more worrying than rooftop missiles".

It seems the British public are beginning to lose patience with the Olympic ceremony organisers, who last month attempted to approach The Who to reunite with their drummer Keith Moon and perform at the opening extravaganza. One key problem with that booking came when the organisers discovered Moon had died in 1978 after swallowing 32 clomethiazole tablets. Tickets for the London Live opening ceremony celebration concert will go on general sale on Friday, according to the Press Association.