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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 is a music genre that encompasses pop -oriented styles from the 1970s through the 1980s. It is considered a lighter and more melodic "broadening of punk culture ". [4] It was originally used as a catch-all for the various styles of music that emerged after punk rock.
- Everybody Wants to Rule The World – Tears For Fears
- Tainted Love – Soft Cell
- Don’T You Want Me – The Human League
- Burning Down The House – Talking Heads
- Don’T You (Forget About Me) – Simple Minds
- Always Something There to Remind Me – Naked Eyes
- Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) – Eurythmics
- I Ran – A Flock of Seagulls
- Love Will Tear Us Apart – Joy Division
- Down Under – Men at Work
This Tears for Fears hit explores the dangers of wanting more power than is healthy. While it wasn’t one of the group’s favorite songs, it became their biggest chart-topper, hitting number two in their home country of Britain and charting in other countries. Related: Check out these royal songs with king or queen in the title.
Soft Cell covers Gloria Jones’ 1962 classic here. It tells a universally relatable story of an unhealthy romantic relationship for the protagonist, who has trouble leaving even though he knows he has to. The cover became tied in with the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s after its release. Related: Find this tune on our playlist of 1980s love songs.
Here we learn the story of a man and a waitress. The two are in a romantic relationship that fails after the waitress becomes famous with the man’s help. He wants her to get back with him and threatens to end her career if she doesn’t: “it’s me who put you where you are now, and I can put you back down too.” Related: You won’t be able to get enough...
This is a typical funk song in that the lyrics aren’t designed to make much sense. Instead, the whole track has a feel-good vibe. ‘Burning Down the House’ became Talking Heads’ biggest hit and is still used in pop culture to evoke nostalgic feelings from the 1980s. Related: Is it getting hot in here? It will with the best songs about heat or fire!
Simple Minds’ classic hit remains popular today, largely because of its iconic use in the film The Breakfast Club. The lyrics find its protagonist hoping a lover won’t forget him and will see him with recognition if they cross paths in the future. The song was unusual for the group, as they did not write it or spend much time working on it. Related...
While Naked Eyes’ 80s version and its more modern sensibility made the song an enduring hit, Lou Johnson first sang this Burt Bacharach and Hal David-penned track in 1963. The protagonist can’t get over a love interest because he sees reminders of the pair’s romance everywhere he goes.
This track explores the darker side of our dreams, which we sometimes use to hurt others. It became Eurythmics’ first single in the United States after reaching number one in the United Kingdom. Despite its haunting undertones, the song remains a favorite dance track for many listeners. Related: Rock out with the best female rock songs.
A man finds himself attracted to a woman on this track. He is afraid of his feelings but can’t get over them. The two are then abducted by aliens, which isn’t too crazy since this song is the opener for an entire album about an alien invasion on earth. A Flock of Seagulls was one of many groups in the 80s who found success due largely in part to pr...
This is a sarcastic response to the song ‘Love Will Keep Us Together.’ Ian Curtis wrote the heartbreak-infused lyrics while his marriage was falling apart. The song did not chart after its release, and Curtis died a month later. The song was re-released a month after his death and finally found success. Related: This is one of the songs in Donnie D...
While this song is a celebration of Men at Work’s native Australia, it also criticizes the changes that the country was experiencing in the 80s. Despite its criticisms, ‘Down Under’ became the unofficial anthem of Australia in 1983 after the country won America’s Cup. Related: You won’t want to miss our 80s hits playlist.
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Jan 15, 2008 · 1. Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart 49. 2. Talk Talk – It’s My Life 44.6. 3. Gary Numan – Cars 44.3. 4. Visage – Fade to Grey 44. 5. New Order – Blue Monday 43. 6. B-Movie – Nowhere Girl 41. 7. Echo & The Bunnymen – The Killing Moon 36. 8. The-The – Uncertain Smile 33. 9. Split Enz – I Got You 30. 10. Psychedelic Furs – Love My Way 28.6. 11.
- "Rock Lobster" by The B-52's. "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.
- "People Are People" by Depeche Mode. 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.
- "Come On Eileen" by Dexy's Midnight Runners. 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.
- "Once In A Lifetime" by Talking Heads. 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.
Jun 8, 2021 · New Wave Music: The History and Bands of New Wave Music. Written by MasterClass. Last updated: Jun 8, 2021 • 3 min read. While much of 1960s and 1970s rock music bore the heavy influence of the blues, the new wave movement took a different route.
1981. MTV's arrival in 1981 took 80s New Wave Music to new heights. MTV aggressively played 80s New Wave bands and their videos. New Wave was the primary genre played on MTV through the year 1984. The majority of the early New Wave bands played by MTV were from Great Britain.
