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May 16, 2024 · Let's rank the best '80s new wave songs that truly defined the decade, with the help of your votes. Many people think of new wave songs when they think of the 1980s, and it's no wonder why. Tracks like Kajagoogoo's "Too Shy" and Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" are the types of songs you'll always sing along to if you hear them on the radio.
- New Wave Songs List
- "Rock Lobster" by The B-52's
- "People Are People" by Depeche Mode
- "Come on Eileen" by Dexy's Midnight Runners
- "Once in A Lifetime" by Talking Heads
- "Sweet Dreams" by Eurythmics
- "Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats
- "Cars" by Gary Numan
- "Pop Musik" by M
- "Whip It" by Devo
New wave is a genre of rock music tied to 1970s punk rock that became popular in the late 1970s and the early 1980s. Its greatest classics were released in the '80s, but the genre has existed for nearly 40 years. Until it became a truly distinct genre, new wave music was similar to punk rock. It subsequently engendered subgenres and fusions, includ...
"Rock Lobster" clocks in at 183bpm, which is just ridiculously fast. It was a surf record made by weirdos from Georgia. It tears up the dance floor. It mixes well with "Modern Love" by David Bowie and "Tenderness" by General Public. For a new generation, however, this song may also forever be immortalized by Peter Griffin's acoustic performance on ...
Just one of many sad songs from a man named Gore. It was their first commercial hit in the U.S. back in the summer of '85 when it peaked at number 13. More importantly, it showed America who would become the most successful band of the genre. The Cure, The Smiths, and New Order all had their moments on top, but overall Depeche Mode (which means fas...
I almost made this number one, but I have trouble giving the title to a one-hit wonder—although it should be noted that they had many ska hits in the U.K. The overalls will be etched in our brains forever. One more thing: Is it just me or does this song feel like a prequel to Chumbawamba's "Tubthumping?" From Ta Loo Ra to Danny Bo.
A surreal foresight into a midlife crisis by the Heads. Their ability to stretch the boundaries of what a pop song could be is their modus operandi. Where would music be without the immortal phrase, "Same as it ever was?" Also, the hilarious arm-chopping motion by David Byrne made the video an MTV staple.
Rhyming the words "made of this" with the word "disagree" might be a bad move for 99.9% of the people out there. However, for two pop geniuses like Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox, it's all gravy. The song works because of its melody. The pulsing keyboard beat heats things up, but the line, "Keep your head up, moving on," is the icing on the cake.
I loved this record as a kid and now, as an adult, I can see why. It's a kids song! "Ssss aaaa ffff eeee tttt yyyy Safe-ty Dance and then the keyboard chimes in." That's the version we all loved. The video, of a European countryside (or was it Bilbo's hobbit hole) is quickly taken over by the cast of The Wizard of Oz. This is so new wave that you c...
Some songs get popular in an instant and some, like "Cars," just linger in the underbelly of the psyche until they are repackaged into a TV commercial. Then we go "Oh yeah. That's a good song by that palefaced freak who could barely sing. But yeah." For the record, it was a top 10 hit in 1980, but only because it sounded so good blasting in a rolle...
The song that started it all. During the summer of '79, many people believe that this was the first new wave song ever. It wasn't, but man it shot right to #1 and was a global smash that told everyone listening what music would sound like for the next eight years. It even had some staying power, as it stayed on the Hot 100 for six months.
I don't think I'm at all qualified to judge a song like this. A psych professor maybe? There is so much, yet, at the same time, so little going on. Thunderclaps and rockabilly via synthesizers and flower pots? It clocks in at less than 2 minutes and 15 seconds, making it one of the shortest songs of the 1980s. This video is notorious for freaking m...
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Apr 29, 2024 · 29th April 2024 by Ged Richardson. The new wave songs and musicians of the 1980s helped to transform music into what it is today, influencing every genre from rock to pop, and many of these songs retain their popularity to this day. Learn about some of the most famous 80s new wave songs and what they’re all about.
Mar 1, 2007 · Below are some of the most popular New Wave hits of the 80s listed alphabetically by artist. This list of 80s new wave songs includes some songs from the late 70s (they have to be really special to be included) and is by no means all inclusive. We will be adding more of the best new wave songs regularly.
- Everybody Wants to Rule the World – Tears for Fears. “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears is a synth-pop classic that explores the theme of power and control.
- Tainted Love – Soft Cell. “Tainted Love” by Soft Cell is a new wave classic that speaks to the heartbreak and disappointment that can come with love. The song’s lyrics tell the story of someone who has been let down by a partner and now feels trapped in a cycle of pain and betrayal.
- Don’t You Want Me – The Human League. “Tainted Love” by Soft Cell is a new wave classic that speaks to the heartbreak and disappointment that can come with love.
- Burning Down the House – Talking Heads. “Burning Down the House” by Talking Heads is a post-punk classic that combines funky grooves with David Byrne’s distinctive vocals to create a song that is both energetic and enigmatic.
Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. Uchōten (有頂天 ecstasy) is a Japanese experimental new wave/post punk band, active in the 1980s and early 1990s. They formed in 1982 and disbanded in 1991, after releasing eight studio albums and two live albums. In 2015, after over two decades apart, Uchoten surprisingly reunited.
The greatest New Wave albums of the 1980s, as voted by RYM/Sonemic users.
