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- The Cure. 3,369 votes. With a distinctive blend of gothic and post-punk influences, this English band gained a devoted following for their moody, atmospheric sound and introspective lyrics.
- Depeche Mode. 3,341 votes. Emerging from the UK synth-pop scene, this innovative group took electronic music to new heights with their pioneering use of sampling and dark, brooding lyrics.
- New Order. 2,963 votes. Formed from the ashes of Joy Division, this seminal British act seamlessly melded post-punk sensibilities with cutting-edge dance beats to create a groundbreaking fusion of rock and electronica.
- Blondie. 2,288 votes. Led by the iconic Debbie Harry, this New York-based group effortlessly fused punk attitude with danceable beats and catchy melodies to create an irresistible blend that took the world by storm.
- “Heart of Glass” by Blondie
- “Love Will Tear Us Apart” by Joy Division
- “I Ran (So Far Away)” by A Flock of Seagulls
- “Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush
- “Love My Way” by The Psychedelic Furs
- “Dance Hall Days” by Wang Chung
- “Genius of Love” by Tom Tom Club
- “Since You’Re Gone” by The Cars
- “Tainted Love” by Soft Cell
- “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper
Song year: 1979 New York City punk veterans Blondie scored a hit with their new wave single, “Heart of Glass.” The song is considered one of the greatest tracks ever and helped usher in an era of dance rock. The single has sold millions of copies worldwide and is one of Blondie's signature songs.
Song year: 1980 Over frantic drumming and piercing synthesizers, Joy Division's Ian Curtis spells out his oblique relationship problems in “Love Will Tear Us Apart.” The song has endured through the decades as an anthem of dancey despair. Adding to its dark tone, Curtis would take his life shortly after recording the single.
Song year: 1982 A Flock of Seagulls' single “I Ran (So Far Away)” is as stylish as it is catchy. The British new wave group took America by storm with its spacey sound and wild hair cuts. Thanks to the emergence of MTV, the track's music video became a defining image of new wave culture.
Song year: 1985 Kate Bush's eccentricities as a singer-songwriter were a perfect match for the burgeoning studio technology of the '80s. Her single “Running Up That Hill” took the eclectic tendencies of her writing from the '70s and bolstered them with synthesizers and drum machines. The single was her most successful of the decade.
Song year: 1982 With rock legend Todd Rundgren producing, The Psychedelic Furs updated the '60s concept of free love with their single, “Love My Way.” The song's juxtaposition of the natural sound of a marimba against cold synthesizers effectively catches the listener's ear long enough to make its point that love is love.
Song year: 1984 Wang Chung topped the Billboarddance chart with their ode to the days of ballroom dancing and big bands, “Dance Hall Days.” Though the band would find more success later in the decade with a streamlined pop sound, the new wave approach of “Dance Hall Days” helped them capture the zeitgeist.
Song year: 1981 Husband and wife duo Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth cut their teeth as the rhythm section of the Talking Heads before forming Tom Tom Club. Their side project's single, “Genius of Love,” was a surprise success. The song topped the dance charts and became an oft sampled song, most notably in Mariah Carey's “Fantasy.”
Song year: 1982 The Cars' style of mixing rock and roll structure with new wave elements makes their single “Since You're Gone” sound classic and forward-thinking at the same time. The song is a ballad disguised as an uptempo rock song. It uses power pop guitar tones and quirky keyboards to give its themes of lost love an anxious energy.
Song year: 1981 “Tainted Love” was originally a soul song performed by Gloria Jones, but after the massive success of Soft Cell's new wave version, the single is now synonymous with the '80s. By slowing down the song's original tempo and replacing all the instruments with synthesizers, Soft Cell took a forgotten soul classic and turned it into a to...
Song year: 1983 Cyndi Lauper's debut single “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” catapulted her to fame. The feminist anthem captured the eccentricities of Lauper as a performer while its catchy chorus begged women across the world to sing along. The song is one of Lauper's best-known and stands as a playful primer to female empowerment.
- Elvis Costello: My Aim is True (1977) Costello’s debut album bridged the gap between the roiling punk energy of the mid-70s and the staid tradition of literate, intimate, popular songwriting that traces from the Gershwins, Berlin and Porter to Buddy Holly and Lennon/McCartney.
- Talking Heads: Remain in Light (1980) For their fourth and finest record, the Talking Heads (along with producer/collaborator/all-around musical badass Brian Eno) trotted out their African influences in full force.
- The Smiths: The Queen Is Dead (1986) If “How Soon Is Now” off The Smiths’ previous album was the starting-pistol shot announcing their intentions to delve into darker territories, then the title track off The Queen Is Dead was rhythmic strafing to the same effect.
- Blondie: Parallel Lines (1978) The wondrous pop, rock and disco songs on Parallel Lines weren’t supposed to exist on one single album. To imagine it is to put “The Loco-Motion,” “I Wanna Be Your Dog” and “Staying Alive” on a mixtape and pronounce it a band.
- “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” by Simple Minds. The song was originally written by producer Keith Forsey and composer Steve Schiff for the soundtrack of the 1985 film “The Breakfast Club”.
- “Tainted Love” by Soft Cell. The song was originally written and recorded by Gloria Jones in 1964 as a soul ballad, but it was Soft Cell’s 1981 cover that transformed the song into a new wave hit.
- “Rock Lobster” by The B-52’s. “Rock Lobster” is widely regarded as one of the most influential and groundbreaking songs of the new wave era. The song’s unique sound and style helped to push the boundaries of pop music and inspire a new generation of artists.
- “Blue Monday 88” by New Order. “Blue Monday 88” features a driving electronic beat, pulsing synthesizers, and a catchy bassline. The song’s distinctive sound was created using a combination of live instruments and drum machines, and it helped to establish New Order as pioneers of the electronic dance music genre.
May 31, 2023 · 34. Echo & the Bunnymen, 'Ocean Rain' (1984) Even though Echo & the Bunnymen were always more post-punk than new wave, their fourth album opened up a world of new sounds. They expanded their ...
For me, this list is about the songs and artists that fascinated me and consumed my world from about 12 years old and through my teens. My picks for the 100 best New Wave songs (loosely defined) are mostly by artists that were considered New Wave in the US, although some may be defined more as post-punk, but their selections are from a "dip ...
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Dec 19, 2023 · 1. Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) — Eurythmics, Annie Lennox, And Dave Stewart. Eurythmics, Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) (Official Video) British band Eurythmics wasn’t widely known outside their native UK until they released Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) in 1983.
