80s New Wave & Synth-Pop

How this sound was built

25 essential tracks

Listed in release order. Tap a title to play it, or play all 25 in a row.

1. 1. Cars — Gary Numan (1980)

   A cold, robotic song about feeling safe inside a car, built on a Minimoog riff that sounds like nothing else from the time. It topped the UK chart in 1979 and reached No. 9 in the US in 1980, Gary Numan's only American hit. It proved synth-pop could sell.

2. 2. Once in a Lifetime — Talking Heads (1980)

   From Remain in Light, produced by Brian Eno, with layered African-influenced rhythms under David Byrne's preacher-like questions about how he got here. The video, with Byrne's jerky dancing, was co-directed by choreographer Toni Basil and played often on early MTV.

3. 3. Enola Gay — Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (1980)

   A bright, bouncy synth tune about the B-29 bomber that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The contrast between the cheerful melody and the grim subject is the point. It reached No. 8 in the UK and is still OMD's best-known song.

4. 4. Vienna — Ultravox (1981)

   A slow, dramatic ballad with a viola solo and Midge Ure's soaring vocal. It spent weeks at No. 2 in the UK, famously kept off the top by Joe Dolce's novelty song "Shaddap You Face". Its black-and-white video looked like a film noir.

5. 5. Love My Way — The Psychedelic Furs (1982)

   Produced by Todd Rundgren, with a marimba line and Richard Butler's raspy voice. The Psychedelic Furs sat between new wave and post-punk, and this became their signature song. It later turned up in the 2017 film Call Me by Your Name.

6. 6. Mad World — Tears for Fears (1982)

   Roland Orzabal wrote it as a teenager in Bath, and it was Tears for Fears' first hit, reaching No. 3 in the UK. Twenty years later Gary Jules' slow piano cover for Donnie Darko became the UK Christmas No. 1.

7. 7. Save a Prayer — Duran Duran (1982)

   A slow, atmospheric song from Rio, about a one-night stand. The video was shot in Sri Lanka on the same trip as "Hungry Like the Wolf". It reached No. 2 in the UK and showed Duran Duran could do more than upbeat dance-pop.

8. 8. She Blinded Me with Science — Thomas Dolby (1982)

   A comic song about a man obsessed with a scientist, with the British TV scientist Magnus Pyke shouting "Science!" The video played constantly on MTV, and the song reached No. 5 in the US in 1983. Thomas Dolby was a synth wizard who also played on other artists' records.

9. 9. Only You — Yazoo (1982)

   Vince Clarke wrote this simple, tender song just after leaving Depeche Mode, and it launched his duo with Alison Moyet. It reached No. 2 in the UK. A year later the Flying Pickets' a cappella cover was the UK Christmas No. 1.

10. 10. The Safety Dance — Men Without Hats (1982)

    Montreal band Men Without Hats wrote it as a protest against bouncers who stopped people pogo dancing. The medieval-themed video, shot in an English village, made it a hit, and it reached No. 3 on the Hot 100 in 1983.

11. 11. The Look of Love — ABC (1982)

    Trevor Horn produced ABC's debut, The Lexicon of Love, with full strings and big drama, and Martin Fry sang in a gold lamé suit. This was its biggest single, reaching No. 4 in the UK and No. 18 in the US. It is a textbook of lush 80s pop production.

12. 12. (Keep Feeling) Fascination — The Human League (1983)

    The Human League's follow-up to their global hit "Don't You Want Me", with the vocals shared around the whole band. It reached No. 2 in the UK and No. 8 in the US in 1983. Its bouncy synth bass was widely copied.

13. 13. Hold Me Now — Thompson Twins (1983)

    The Thompson Twins were not twins and had no one named Thompson. This mid-tempo song about making up after a fight, with its xylophone and handclaps, was their biggest hit, reaching No. 3 in the US and No. 4 in the UK.

14. 14. Here Comes the Rain Again — Eurythmics (1984)

    Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox paired a moody synth line with sweeping strings. It reached No. 4 in the US, their second big American hit after "Sweet Dreams". Lennox's cropped orange hair and suits made her one of MTV's most striking stars.

15. 15. People Are People — Depeche Mode (1984)

    A plea against prejudice, built on clanging industrial samples of hammers and metal. It was Depeche Mode's first US hit, reaching No. 13, and a No. 4 hit in the UK. It opened the door for the stadium success they had later in the decade.

16. 16. Dance Hall Days — Wang Chung (1984)

    A nostalgic song about youth and first love, with a chiming guitar riff. It reached No. 16 on the Hot 100 in 1984 and became Wang Chung's signature song. The band also scored the film To Live and Die in L.A.

17. 17. Drive — The Cars (1984)

    Sung by bassist Benjamin Orr rather than Ric Ocasek, this gentle ballad reached No. 3 in the US. The band, from Boston, had been a new wave act since 1978. At Live Aid in 1985 it played over footage of the Ethiopian famine and gave the song a second life.

18. 18. Things Can Only Get Better — Howard Jones (1985)

    Howard Jones performed surrounded by synthesizers, often with a mime artist dancing beside him, and this optimistic song with its punchy horn-like synth riff reached No. 5 in the US. He was one of the few new wave acts to build a whole career around one man and a stack of keyboards.

19. 19. West End Girls — Pet Shop Boys (1985)

    Neil Tennant half-raps over Chris Lowe's cool synths in a song about class and city life in London. It went to No. 1 in both the UK and the US, the start of a long run of hits for one of the most successful duos in UK chart history.

20. 20. The Sun Always Shines on T.V. — a-ha (1985)

    The follow-up to "Take On Me", with a huge, dramatic arrangement and Morten Harket's falsetto. It went to No. 1 in the UK, the Norwegian trio's only chart-topper there. Its video opens by picking up the pencil-sketch story from "Take On Me", then moves to a hall full of mannequins.

21. 21. Rock Me Amadeus — Falco (1985)

    Austrian singer Falco raps in German and English about Mozart as a rebel rock star. It spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 1986, the first German-language song ever to top the American chart. Its video, in powdered wigs and punk clothes, was an MTV favourite.

22. 22. Don't Dream It's Over — Crowded House (1986)

    Neil Finn, formerly of Split Enz, wrote it soon after forming Crowded House in Melbourne. The warm organ solo and gentle chorus took it to No. 2 on the Hot 100 in 1987. It showed new wave's softer, more classic side.

23. 23. True Faith — New Order (1987)

    New Order grew out of Joy Division and mixed rock, synth-pop and club music. Produced by Stephen Hague, this became their first US Top 40 hit and reached No. 4 in the UK. Its surreal video, with dancers slapping each other, was directed by choreographer Philippe Decouflé.

24. 24. A Little Respect — Erasure (1988)

    Vince Clarke's third great band, with Andy Bell's falsetto soaring over acoustic guitar and synths. It reached No. 4 in the UK and No. 14 in the US, and it has been covered many times since. Clarke's synths and Bell's voice made Erasure one of the biggest British acts of the late 80s.

25. 25. Love Shack — The B-52's (1989)

    The B-52's came from Athens, Georgia, in the late 70s with thrift-store style and surf guitar. "Love Shack", from Cosmic Thing, was their comeback and their biggest hit, reaching No. 3 in the US. Cindy Wilson's shout of "Tin roof! Rusted!" is famous.

Where to go next

• 80s new wave bands
• 80s alternative music
• 80s dance music
• 80s pop songs
• The 80s hits mix
• Build your own 80s new wave playlist

Frequently Asked Questions