Record executive who signed Madonna, Seymour Stein, dies aged 80

Seymour Stein accepts his award during the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in March 2005 (AP)

Seymour Stein, the brash, prescient and highly successful founder of Sire Records who helped launched the careers of Madonna, Talking Heads and many others, has died at the age of 80.

Stein, who helped set up the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, died of cancer in Los Angeles, according to a statement by his family.