The 250 Greatest '80s New Wave' Songs
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The 250 Greatest New Wave Songs
Before we start I want to make it clear that I'm not implying that Rock Lobster is a better song than the others, it's just more 'Wavy' than all the others. In other words take the rankings with a grain of salt. The B-52's were there when it all started and that song was a freak anthem and so I honor it.**
1. ---Rock Lobster ~~ The B-52's ******It clocks in at 183bpm which is just rediculously fast. It was a surf record made by weirdos from Georgia. It tears up the dancefloor and FYI it mixes with Modern Love-David Bowie and Tenderness-General Public. For a new generation however it will be forever immortalized by Peter Griffin's acoustic performance on Family Guy**
2. ---People Are People ~~ 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. More importantly though 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 fast fashion in French) ruled supreme. And yeah I know that 'Personal Jesus' is a better song overall but this one turned the tide for all the doubters, alternative music was commercially viable and would get more airplay from here on out.**
3. ---Come On Eileen ~~ Dexy's Midnight Runners ********I almost made this #1 but I have trouble giving the title to a one-hit wonder. (Although it should be noted 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 Boy**
4. ---Once In A Lifetime ~~ Talking Heads **********A surreal foresight into middle-age crises by the Heads here. 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"? And the hilarious arm-chopping motion by David Byrne made the video an MTV staple.**
5. ---Sweet Dreams ~~ Eurythmics *********Rhyming the words 'made of this' with the word 'disagree' might be a bad move for 99.99% of the people out there. But for two pop geniuses like Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox it's all gravy. Really though it's all about melody. The keyboard pulsing beat heats things up but the "keep your head up, movin' on" line is the icing on the cake.**
6. ---Safety Dance ~~ Men Without Hats ********I truly 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 can argue its merits for number one, but let's face it, it gets annoying fast. **
7. ---Cars ~~ Gary Numan ************Some songs get popular in an instant and some, like 'Cars' just kind of 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 pale faced 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 roller rink) The radio mostly ignored it.**
8. ---Pop Musik ~~ M ************The song that started it all. 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 was a global smash and told everyone listening what music would sound like for the next 8 years. It even had some staying power as it stayed on the Hot 100 for 6 months**
9. ---Whip It ~~ Devo ***********I don't think I'm at all qualified to judge a song like this. A psych professor maybe? There is so much but so little going on. Thunderclaps and rockabilly via synthsizers and flower pots? It clocks in at less than 2 minutes 15 seconds making it one of the shortest songs of the 1980s. This video is notorious for freaking mothers out as their child watches this new thing called MTV**
10. ---99 Red Balloons ~~ Nena ***************The urban legend was that she died on tour but Gabriele "Nena" Kerner is still alive today. Probably back in Berlin where the band first started. Wherever she is she can always say I wrote an anti-war song that was a smash hit in pretty much every country in the world. Nena and John Lennon, wow. LOL. We first heard and loved it as a German tune called "99 Luftballons". The English version has always been considered lame but that's the one everyone seems to know so..**
11. ---Take On Me ~~ a-ha **************Another great video, another great Family Guy parody, another piece of perfect pop. This time it comes from Oslo, Norway. These guys went for the high note like nobody else. Their follow-up song was called?? Anybody remember?? "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." It made it to the Top 20 on their name alone but as soon as people heard it, a-ha came crashing down and alas the sun never again shined on them, at least not in America**
12. ---Video Killed The Radio Star ~~ The Buggles *************This is also mistaken as the first new wave song ever which is impossible considering both 'Pop Muzik' by M and 'My Sharona' by The Knack were both out earlier in '79. However the consolation prize is it was the first video ever played on MTV. Geoff Downes and Trevor Horn. The duo both joined the group YES in '80 and Downes would form ASIA in '81. Horn become a prolific producer and is widely credited for the career success of soul singer SEAL. Erasure did a crazy cover a few years ago, check it out.**
13. ---How Soon Is Now? ~~ The Smiths *************A lot of Smiths fans out there are in on the joke here. Morissey would only be happy with the miserably unlucky number 13. "I am human and I need to be lo-uh-oved, just like anybody else does". This is timeless club music too. In fact, you may remember that SoHo sampled it for 'Hippychick'. Try mixing it with 'My Doorbell' by the White Stripes**
14. ---Brass In Pocket ~~ The Pretenders ***************We now bring you..ironic moments in pop music: The one song Chrissie Hynde hates is the one song of hers that every woman loves. So she grits her teeth and plays it. This is also true of her ex-husband Jim Kerr. He hates the most popular song of his career too. Don't You (Forget About Me) was a soundtrack song he didn't write or want to record but it probably extended the life of his band SIMPLE MINDS exponentially. Life is funny like that, sometimes**
15. ---Situation ~~ Yaz ****************Vince Clarke left Depeche Mode in 1982 looking for more creative freedom. He would go on to make the New Wave Classic Album Upstairs at Eric's. With hits like 'Don't Go' and 'Only You', Yazoo as they were sometimes credited was a huge smash. And 'Situation' was every dance instructor and aerobics teachers best friend. Everyone had this record. The mannequins on the cover....classic**
16. ---Blister In The Sun ~~ Violent Femmes **********If the name of the band didn't clue you in, than maybe it was the line, 'big hands I know you're the one'. What was great was that no matter how flaming this song was, it also had built-in credibility with everyone. A song universally respected on merit. It was difficult to mix because of the time signature so nobody bothered. Just play the whole song. It's really short, and it has one of music's most memorable intro/outros ever. The whispering is hilarious. I often think James' song 'Laid' was a Femmes song that they forgot to write.**
17. ---Rock The Casbah ~~ The Clash *********This is really a funk-hybrid mixed with New Wave as Joe Strummer, Mick Jones & the gang move even further away from their punk roots. This album, "Combat Rock" killed the band and everybody knows it but damn, it was still worth doing. The sheik and the aardvark in the video were so bizarre and right. (Sigh) I miss Joe.**
18. ---Is She Really Going Out With Him? ~~ Joe Jackson ********Homophobia alert! Does Joe want the She or the Him? Who cares? The conversational style of lyric is so difficult to pull off without the rhymes sounding forced and korny so props to Him 'cause he certainly pulls it off. A lot of people on Limewire seem to think that Elvis Costello sings this song, but no.
19. ---Tainted Love ~~ Soft Cell **************This cover of the Gloria Jones soul classic was originally part of a 12" medley along with The Supremes' "where did our love go?" but it was never pressed as a 45 single in the U.S. So we all played the half the 12" and segued out. It is so completely overplayed now, that I can't stand it but if you're doing an 80s set and you want a sure-fire hit with the ladies...**
20. ---Relax ~~ Frankie Goes To Hollywood ***********Now this is an interesting record! When it first dropped, they were a craze. That beat was unrelenting and the lyrics were seemingly about a man trying to delay an orgasm. Chaos ensued. The perfect video with the fans just mauling the band onstage during a performance. Frankie Say: Relax t-shirts are still selling on ebay, no doubt.. There is a great line in the movie, "The Commitments" about the band as well but I won't spoil it here.**
21. ---You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) ~~ Dead Or Alive ******Was Pete Burns the jealous evil twin of Boy George? Maybe. Was this song better than anything Culture Club ever recorded? Most definitely. The 12" version is a DJ crate necessity because it had the "I, I, uh-uh-uh-uh, I" part at the beginning. People will still be remixing this song in 50 years. Tune in to see if I'm right. :0) **
22. ---Don't You Want Me ~~ The Human League *******This song should be higher up, in terms of quality of songwriting and execution of vision but people in the U.S. just never took to the HL like they did with other similar bands (ABC, Thompson Twins, Tears For Fears) This mixes great with 'True Faith' by New Order; 'The Promise ' by When In Rome; 'Right On Track' by The Breakfast Club; as well as HL's other big hit "(Keep Feeling) Fascination"**
23. ---Town Called Malice ~~ The Jam ********This is a GREAT SONG! Problem is, not a lot of people know it. This song will probably make a comeback as part of a movie. It's got a cinematic feel to it too. Sounds like a cooler version of 'Walking On Sunshine' which is in every movie so they'll get to it. Mark my word. Soundtrack Rebirth Candidate #1**
24. ---Our House ~~ Madness ********Like 'Safety Dance', this is really a kid's song. Ska-Rock pioneers, Madness have 4 great songs to my knowledge. This is the worst of the four but it was really their only hit in America and boy is it fun...for a little while. Since I brought it up, the other songs are 1) One Step Beyond 2) It Must Be Love and 3) House of Fun**
25. ---Just Got Lucky ~~ JoBoxers *********This song struck soundtrack gold as the closing credits of 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin' and good for those guys 'cause they must be broke. In a genre built around one-hit wonders, this was atypical but a pretty little ditty nonetheless.**
Wall of Voodoo - Mexican Radio
Mexico - Australia, whatever it's New Wave!
26. ---Down Under ~~ Men At Work **********As easy-going as they come. This song was not just a calling card for this band but for an entire country as well. The 'Born in the U.S.A.' of Australia took the filthy taste of Crocodile Dundee and baby-eating dingos out of our mouths. Although those movies weren't out yet...so maybe it was the taste of a vegemite sandwich.
A great sense of humor can go a long way toward endearing yourself to the world. Their videos for 'It's a Mistake', 'Be Good Johnny', 'Overkill', and 'Who Can it Be Now? were always on MTV in the early days. They recorded their own death sentence with that sense of humor though. It's called 'Dr. Hekyll & Mr. Jive'. I'm serious. You can look it up.**
27. ---Solsbury Hill ~~ Peter Gabriel **********What a song, ....wow. That line "Grab your things! I've come to take you home." gets you every time doesn't it? The beautiful guitar work, mmm mmm. Points off on this list however because it isn't very 'Wavy'. It is a standard on classic rock station playlists coast-to-coast since it's rerelease. Let me explain.
After leaving Genesis in '75. He released this song originally in April of 1977. It was not a smash but he knew he had a hit on his hands so he waited until...1983 when he rereleased it as a live recording for a follow-up/piggy back to his first Top 40 hit in the States, 'Shock The Monkey'.
Billy idol did the same thing in '87 with his live cover of 'Mony Mony' and it went to #1 even though none of the stations were playing the live version. They were all playing his original 12" from back in '81. It worked so well that Billy tried it again three months later with 'Hot in the City' but it failed to crack the Top 40. Stayed tuned for more of Billy's antics in reissues.**
28. ---Mexican Radio ~~ Wall of Voodoo ***********a/k/a "I Wish I was in Tijuana eating barbecued iguana". How original can a song be? The crescendo at the beginning deposits you right in the middle of a bad dream for our south-of-the-border disc jockey/narrator. Nod to I.R.S. Records for finding guys like this all the time. 1983 wouldn't have been the same without them. Word of mouth can take a song very far indeed.**
29. ---The Promise ~~ When In Rome ***********By 1988, New Wave music was starting to become mainstream and was also wearing a bit thin. This was the rare integrity track in your DJ set because all girls loved it! It went all the way to #11 on the charts but their follow-up track was??? Anybody?? 'Heaven Knows' and it peaked at Number 95 and another one-hit-wonder was born. It is now known to a whole new generation as the tether-ball song from the end of the film "Napoleon Dynamite" **
30. ---Turning Japanese ~~ The Vapors **********THE GREAT DEBATE: Is this song about masturbation or not? The band says no but the lyrics say yes. Like 'spanking the monkey', 'turning japanese' was a slang term for wanking. And lines like, "I got your picture and I look at it all by myself" and "I often kiss when there's no one else around" only add fuel to the fire. Leave me a comment & you decide.**
31. ---Puttin' On The Ritz ~~ Taco ********* Aw jeez, this song just broke my New Wav-O-Meter. Written in 1929 by Irving Berlin, it was a #1 song for Harry Richman in 1930. 25 years later, Taco Ockerse (real name) was born to Dutch parents in Jaharta, Indonesia. Raised in Germany, he dreamed of pop stardom. He signed with RCA in '83, and this single was soon certified Gold.**
32. ---Dancing With Myself ~~ Billy Idol *********Billy can repackage an old hit like nobody else. This song was originally recorded by the London punk band Generation X led by..ta-dah Billy Idol. Weird fact: his new version is a classic, well-known punk-wave dancefloor screamer, but it never entered the Hot 100 Billboard charts. The video of vampish zombie-babes climbing the walls was on MTV every hour in 1983. It never was among the 100 most popular songs? Baffling. He clearly fashioned himself as a blond Sid Vicious and his "sweat, sweat.....sweat-sweat-sweat AAAaaWWWWWW" was pretty mean.**
33. ---West End Girls ~~ Pet Shop Boys **********Neil Tennant was a writer for the British fanzine Smash Hits. While there he must have figured out the secret formula for street smart pop hooks. The guy rapped with a monotone British accent about suicide & fashion and people were incredulous to explain why they loved it. They had 5 Top Ten hits from '86-'88 but this was their debut single and their only Number 1 in the U.S. I guess for some people.. "sometimes, you're better off dead, the gun's in your hand...'**
34. ---Everybody Wants To Rule The World ~~ Tears For Fears ********** If you listen to the lyrics, you'll understand why Dennis Miller chose it as the theme song for his political-comedy show. There's a whole lot more going on here than in your average #1 pop song. I absolutely love the bridge part, "There's a room where the light wont find you. Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down." I always like the bridge the best though. "I can't stand this indecision married with a lack of vision" is Bush-worthy to say the least. This is a freakin' song right here!**
35. ---Close To Me ~~ The Cure *******To be honest, I don't have a preference between the 1985 album cut and the remix from 1990. They are very different but both really good in their own way. The beat, of course, always gets better with newer versions but you really should get both versions. Ditto with 'Safety Dance', '19' & 'Rock Me Amadeus' You have to get both versions. DJ 's note: the one from '90 mixes great with 'Live is Life' by Opus & 'Seattle' by PiL**
36. ---Hold Me Now ~~ Thompson Twins *******Some songs thrive simply because they slip so well into the background that you don't ever realize that you know all the words to them. Lyric question? Does xylophonist / backup singer Alannah Currie say "Oh my cold Italian heart" toward the outro? It is not listed in the official lyrics and I know outros usually aren't because it's just skatting by the vocalist, but I'm so curious? FYI - Ms. Currie is from New Zealand which makes the quote that much weirder.**
37. ---Always Something There To Remind Me ~~ Naked Eyes ********Catchy catchy catchy as hell. This song is a guilty pleasure that I can't resist. Do I hate his voice or do I love it? This song has an intro that is very mixable. Some suggestions, 'Mr. Brightside' by The Killers, 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' by Joy Division, 'Grey Cell Green' by Ned's Atomic Dustbin & 'We Got The Beat' by The Go-Go's.**
38. ---In a Big Country - Big Country ************Who doesn't love this song? I mean, at least the first minute or so anyways. I even love the way it annoys me with bagpipe overkill. These dudes from Scotland were that group I wanted to root for but didn't. I hear the album is great, but I never got around to picking it up. That's what I'll end up doing after I post this. Trying to find a Greatest Hits for Big Country. Wow..my whole life just passed before my eyes**
39. ---Every Breath You Take - The Police ********I'm completely biased and I admit this straight up. Most Police songs are some form of ragga. This brooding, aching, creep you out and break your heart song is not. They simplified the arrangements and stripped it down to a baseline that sounds like a stalker's footsteps. It became the biggest song of the year. It spent 8 weeks at Number 1 in the summer of '83. From July 9th to September 2nd which like the whole summer.
Coincidentally, the second biggest song of the year was also of the stalker variety. It spent 7 weeks at #1 through March and most of April. Can you name it?? While I give you time to think about it, check this out. In 1983, 27 weeks of the year were conquered by only 4 Number One Songs. If "Billie Jean' is your answer, you are correct, sir! (Michael Scott Rules!) Sorry.
A lot of people believe that the intro to "Billie Jean" in all it's moonwalkin' glory is best piece of pop music ever. Seriously. I'd compared it to both, the riff & whisper from 'Satisfaction' and the vocals from Aretha's version of 'Respect'. But "Every Breath.." was just a little better. Here's why i think that is.
a personal note: I actually believe that the bridge of this song "Every Breath You Take" is the greatest piece of recorded music ever. Just pure honesty and soul bearing going on right there. I sing it at the top of my lungs every time. Wanna try it? Cool. Okay, ready....(boom boom boom, "SINCE YOU'VE GONE, I'VE BEEN LOST WITHOUT A TRACE! I DREAM AT NIGHT.....**
40. ---Shoot You Down - apb ***********If you don't know this song, you need to go wherever you go and get it right now. Download it while you finish reading my list. This funky-ass, rock the dancefloor, new wave jam is also a best bet to be reborn a la the soundtrack. The album was finally released on CD at the behest of thousands of fans and one of them, Matt Pinfield does the amazing liner notes. The album is called Something to Believe In and you'll love almost every track. Soundtrack Rebirth Candidate #2 . Long Live apb!
41. ---Losing My Religion ~~ R.E.M. *************It was 1991 but it was New Wave-Folk and it was downright moving in a way we don't always understand. Michael Stipe claims to be mystified by it still to this day. Every once in a while everything just falls into place perfectly. "Life...is bigger."
42. ---Ca Plane Pour Moi - Plastic Bertrand **********The little Belgian song that could. This international super duper Punk Smash is one of our favorites because it's overtly friendly and doesn't overstay it's welcome. I often thought that Lindsey Buckingham got the idea for "Holiday Road" (aka the theme to National Lampoon's "Vacation" ) right here.
43. ---Save A Prayer ~~ Duran Duran ************Why is this so high? Because every single hot new wave chick in the world loved it, that's why. This was after all the girls' medium. All the men of New Wave are androgenous and wimpy and all the girls are powerful and venomous. Guys like me who were into Rush & Van Halen made it a point to learn about Depeche Mode & Yaz because we wanted to know about those girls. Those really cool & gothy, punky grrl power babes, with hair flopped over eye. ahhh memories. "Save 'em til the morning after."
44. ---Need You Tonight ~~ INXS ****************Whether or not Michael Hutchence was doing a Jim Morrison impression is not relevant. All INXS songs have the same formula...almost. Here they just found the secret ingredient. This was the peak for an Australian band that would end up going from so underrated to way overrated in just 3 years. Mostly because they were never able to overcome their own masterpiece. Everything after that sounded so lame by comparison. Same story as the Eagles & "Hotel California".
45. ---I Got You ~~ Split Enz *********Before there was a CROWDED HOUSE, there was SPLIT ENZ. Two brothers from New Zealand who could really write a hook. They broke up and one brother Neil Finn would go on, perhaps naming his new band as a way of explaining why the old one couldn't go on. This song is most commonly searched for on Limewire as "Frightened" by Crowded House but it isn't. Now let's all gleefully sing.."I DON"T KNOW WHY SOMETIMES I GET FRIGHTENED, YOU CAN SEE MY EYES..."
46. ---One Way Or Another ~~ Blondie
47. ---Karma Chameleon ~~ Culture Club
48. ---Celebrate - An Emotional Fish
49. ---Heartbreak Beat ~~ The Psychedelic Furs
50. ---Don't Change ~~ INXS
#50 is another one of my all-time favorites from those days.
51. ---Holding Back The Years ~~ Simply Red
52. ---Kiss Me ~~ Stephen ‘tin tin' Duffy
53. ---True Faith ~~ New Order
54. ---Alex Chilton ~~ The Replacements
55. ---Pride (In The Name Of Love) ~~ U2
56. ---Perfect Way ~~ Scritti Politti
57. ---Spirit In The Sky ~~ Dr. & The Medics
58. ---Don't Stand So Close To Me - The Police
59. ---Love & Pride ~~ King
60. ---Life In A Northern Town ~~ The Dream Academy
61. ---Love Plus One ~~ Haircut 100
62. ---My Sharona ~~ The Knack
63. ---Up The Junction ~~ Squeeze
64. ---New Song ~~ Howard Jones
65. ---Ever Fallen In Love ~~ The Buzzcocks
66. ---Where The Streets Have No Name ~~ U2
67. ---Dear God ~~ XTC
68. ---Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic ~~ The Police
69. ---I Don't Like Mondays ~~ Boomtown Rats
70. ---What's So Funny Bout (Peace Love & U...) ~~ Elvis Costello
71. ---Alive & Kicking ~~ Simple Minds
72. ---White Wedding ~~ Billy Idol
73. ---Our Lips Are Sealed ~~ The Go-Go's
74. ---Burning Down The House ~~ Talking Heads
75. ---Ship Of Fools (Save Me From Tomorrow) ~~ World Party
76. ---Live Is Life ~~ Opus
77. ---Train In Vain ~~ The Clash
78. ---Modern Love ~~ David Bowie
79. ---Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream) ~~ Icicle Works
80. ---Genius Of Love ~~ Tom Tom Club
81. ---Oh Yeah ~~ Yello
82. ---Cry ~~ Godley & Crème
83. ---Din Daa Daa (Trommeltanz) ~~ George Kranz
84. ---Rush ~~ B.A.D. II
85. ---Lips Like Sugar ~~ Echo & The Bunnymen
86. ---Someday, Someway ~~ Marshall Crenshaw
87. ---Why Can't I Be You? ~~ The Cure
88. ---Antmusic ~~ Adam & The Ants
89. ---Shout ~~ Tears For Fears
90. ---I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking for ~~ U2
91. ---The Look Of Love ~~ ABC
92. ---Red Skies ~~ The Fixx
93. ---I Want Candy ~~ Bow Wow Wow
94. ---This Woman's Work ~~ Kate Bush
95. ---Kiss The Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain) ~~ INXS
96. ---Desire (Come And Get It) ~~ Gene Loves Jezebel
97. ---Should I Stay Or Should I Go? ~~ The Clash
98. ---The Honeytheif ~~ Hipsway
99. ---Oh L'amour ~~ Erasure
100. ---Just Like Heaven ~~ The Cure
Come On Eileen by Dexy's Midnight Runners
101. ---Tempted ~~ Squeeze
102. ---I Melt With You ~~ Modern English
103. ---Blue Monday ~~ New Order
104. ---Everyday Is Halloween ~~ Ministry
105. ---In Your Eyes ~~ Peter Gabriel
106. ---Boys Don't Cry ~~ The Cure
107. ---One Step Beyond ~~ Madness
108. ---There She Goes ~~ The La's
109. ---Watching The Detectives ~~ Elis Costello
110. ---Psycho Killer ~~ Talking Heads
111. ---Misfit ~~ Curiosity Killed The Cat
112. ---With Or Without You ~~ U2
113. ---Sunday Papers ~~ Joe Jackson
114. ---The Mayor of Simpleton ~~ XTC
115. ---She Sells Sanctuary ~~ The Cult
116. ---Major Tom (Coming Home) ~~ Peter Schilling
117. ---Ana Ng ~~ They Might Be Giants
118. ---Here's Where The Story Ends ~~ The Sundays
119. ---Tears Of A Clown ~~ The English Beat
120. ---Add It Up ~~ Violent Femmes
121. ---Destination Unknown ~~ Missing Persons
122. ---The One Thing ~~ INXS
123. ---China Girl ~~ David Bowie
124. ---Lost In The Supermarket ~~ The Clash
125. ---Rudi Can't Fail ~~ The Clash
126. ---Tenderness ~~ General Public
127. ---So Lonely ~~ The Police
128. ---If You Were Here ~~ Thompson Twins
129. ---Beds Are Burning ~~ Midnight Oil
130. ---Personal Jesus ~~ Depeche Mode
131. ---Here Comes The Rain Again ~~ Eurythmics
132. ---Moving In Stereo ~~ The Cars
133. ---Radio Free Europe ~~ R.E.M.
134. ---I Ran (So Far Away) ~~ A Flock of Seagulls
135. ---Don't Go ~~ Yaz
136. ---Beat's So Lonely ~~ Charlie Sexton
137. ---Pulling Mussels (From A Shell) ~~ Squeeze
138. ---Bizarre Love Triangle ~~ New Order
139. ---Grey Cell Green ~~ Ned's Atomic Dustbin
140. ---Dance Hall Days ~~ Wang Chung
141. ---Circle ~~ Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians
142. ---What You Need ~~ INXS
143. ---Life During Wartime (This Ain't No Party) ~~ Talking Heads
144. ---Satisfaction (I Can't Get Me No) ~~ Devo
145. ---Words ~~ Missing Persons
146. ---Dreaming ~~ Blondie
147. ---Enjoy The Silence ~~ Depeche Mode
148. ---It Must Be Love ~~ Madness
149. ---Let The Day Begin ~~ The Call
150. ---It's The End of the World As We Know It ~~ R.E.M.
Love And Rockets do The Temptations.........BRILLIANT!
AND THE BEAT GOES ON..
151. ---The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead ~~ XTC
152. ---Next To You ~~ The Police
153. ---Fly On The Windscreen ~~ Depeche Mode
154. ---Back To Ohio ~~ The Pretenders
155. ---Shoplifters of the World Unite ~~ The Smiths
156. ---Joey ~~ Concrete Blonde
157. ---See A Little Light ~~ Bob Mould
158. ---I Go Crazy ~~ Flesh For Lulu
159. ---Obsession ~~ Animotion
160. ---Wouldn't It Be Good ~~ Danny Hutton Hitters
161. ---Overkill ~~ Men At Work
162. ---Ball of Confusion ~~ Love & Rockets
163. ---What Is Love? ~~ Howard Jones
164. ---She Blinded Me With Science ~~ Thomas Dolby
165. ---Don't Dream It's Over ~~ Crowded House
166. ---In Your Room ~~ The Bangles
167. ---And She Was ~~ Talking Heads
168. ---Radio Radio ~~ Elvis Costello
169. ---Would I Lie To You? ~~ Eurythmics
170. ---Girls On Film ~~ Duran Duran
171. ---Synchronicity II ~~ The Police
172. ---Strip ~~ Adam Ant
173. ---Poison Arrow ~~ ABC
174. ---Head Over Heels ~~ The Go-Go's
175. ---Sunday Girl ~~ Blondie
176. ---Just Can't Get Enough ~~ Depeche Mode
177. ---The Politics of Dancing ~~ Re-Flex
178. ---Message Of Love ~~ The Pretenders
179. ---Sanctify Yourself ~~ Simple Minds
180. ---Left Of Center ~~ Suzanne Vega
181. ---Mirror In The Bathroom ~~ The English Beat
182. ---Like the Weather ~~ 10,000 Maniacs
183. ---Here Comes Your Man ~~ The Pixies
184. ---19 ~~ Paul Hardcastle
185. ---Blue Jean ~~ David Bowie
186. ---One Thing Leads To Another ~~ The Fixx
187. ---We Close Our Eyes ~~ Go West
188. ---This Is Not A Love Song ~~ Public Image Ltd.
189. ---What Do All The People Know ~~ The Monroes
190. ---The Motion of Love ~~ Gene Loves Jezebel
191. ---Der Kommissar ~~ After The Fire
192. ---Living in a Box ~~ Living in a Box
193. ---Sledgehammer ~~ Peter Gabriel
194. ---Black Coffee In Bed ~~ Squeeze
195. ---No New Tale To Tell ~~ Love & Rockets
196. ---This Time ~~ INXS
197. ---Can't Get Enough of You Baby ~~ The Colour Field
198. ---Together in Electric Dreams ~~ Georgio Moroder & Philip Oakey
199. ---Don't Let's Start ~~ They Might Be Giants
200. ---If I Had A Rocket Launcher ~~ Bruce Cockburn
Strip by Adam Ant
90s NEW WAVE?????
The new wave movement went into the 90s and the following 50 reflect that period.
201. ---Groovy Train ~~ The Farm
202. ---Policy of Truth ~~ Depeche Mode
203. ---Unbelievable ~~ EMF
204. ---So Alive ~~ Love & Rockets
205. ---Divine Thing ~~ The Soup Dragons
206. ---Connected ~~ Stereo MC's
207. ---Right Here, Right Now ~~ Jesus Jones
208. ---Digging in the Dirt ~~ Peter Gabriel
209. ---The Beat of Love ~~ Voice of the Beehive
210. ---Room At The Top ~~ Adam Ant
211. ---There's No Other Way ~~ Blur
212. ---Tom's Diner ~~ DNA w/ Suzanne Vega
213. ---Dogs of Lust ~~ the The
214. ---Friday I'm in Love ~~ The Cure
215. ---Regret ~~ New Order
216. ---Break it Down Again ~~ Tears for Fears
217. ---Birdhouse in Your Soul ~~ They Might Be Giants
218. ---Jesus On The Payroll ~~ Thrashing Doves
219. ---Valerie Loves Me ~~ Material Issue
220. ---Laid ~~ James
211. ---Jealous ~~ Gene Loves Jezebel
212. ---Show Me Your Soul ~~ Red Hot Chili Peppers
213. ---Like A Drug ~~ They Eat Their Own
214. ---Your Woman ~~ White Town
215. ---Love U More ~~ Sunscreem
216. ---Summertime ~~ The Sundays
217. ---All Together Now ~~ The Farm
218. ---Baby's Coming Back ~~ Jellyfish
219. ---I'm Free ~~ The Soup Dragons
220. ---Real Real Real ~~ Jesus Jones
221. ---More ~~ The Sisters of Mercy
222. ---This Is Ponderous ~~ 2nu
223. ---Growing Old ~~ The Origin
224. ---Step On ~~ Happy Mondays
225. ---Blood Makes Noise ~~ Suzanne Vega
Grey Cell Green by Ned's Atomic Dustbin
226. ---See The Lights ~~ Simple Minds
227. ---Pure ~~ The Lightning Seeds
228. ---People Are Still Having Sex ~~ LaTour
229. ---Bizarre Love Triangle ~~ Frente
230. ---Pets ~~ Porno for Pyros
231. ---Happy ~~ Ned's Atomic Dustbin
232. ---Loaded ~~ Primal Scream
233. ---The Dead Heart ~~ Midnight Oil
234. ---Beautiful Imbalance ~~ Thrashing Doves
235. ---Caroline ~~ Concrete Blonde
236. ---International Bright Young Thing ~~ Jesus Jones
237. ---3 Strange Days ~~ School of Fish
238. ---Particle Man ~~ They Might Be Giants
239. ---Woman in Chains ~~ Tears for Fears
240. ---Labour of Love ~~ Frente
241. ---Hippychick ~~ Soho
242. ---Movin' On Up ~~ Primal Scream
243. ---Dreaming ~~ O.M.D
244. ---Mandinka ~~ Sinead O'Connor
245. ---Chains of Love ~~ Erasure
246. ---Blue Sky Mine ~~ Midnight Oil
247. ---King of Wishful Thinking ~~ Go West
248. ---What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy) ~~ Information Society
249. ---Lies ~~ EMF
250. ---Pop Goes The World ~~ Men Without Hats
**********************************
Questions: Do you think I should continue the little blurbs for every song?
Do you think I should break the chart apart into smaller groups of 50?
Do you think the countdown should be in inverse order?
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- The Greatest Artists in 80s New Wave Music
I list every relevant song by EVERY artist. It was exhausting. - The 100 Greatest Hair Metal Songs
Def Leppard, Bon Jovi and Whitesnake await you.. - Top 5 Videos: Greatest 80s Females Acting Badly
Top 5 of Monday, March 31st 2008A NEW LIST WILL BE RELEASED EVERY NIGHT AT 8PM for the following day. The Polls will remain open for 28 hours... - TOP 5 ALBUMS Out Now that R Really Good!
Cause I already got them all. >> This is for You! You been bitchin' about how everything sucks for long enough now ya think? - funktual dj entertainment
My personal website, so you can hire me for your 80s night.
Look Mom, It's a Talking Head.
PrintShare it! — Rate it: up down flag this hub
Something to listen and chuckle to while you leave me a comment.
I think you should continue writing the blurbs, however it'd be much easier to read if it were in sections. ;)
Thanks gamergirl I 've been thinking that it looks lopsided.
It does, kinda. It's a really good list, and putting a personal touch to it is very cool, maybe you could break it down by genre? Then it'd be easy to give a little info at the beginning about what elements you like about the genre as a whole, and then go into a description of the songs that fit in each category.
But then, that's just my take on it. Love it or lump it, your hubs are your own and up to you. :P
Great idea. (New Wave subgenres) if this one didn't take so long to put together I might consider dismantling it.
You know what song Im trying to find? A New Wave dance song that has the sample of GQ's ''Disco Nights'' There is a spot in the song where it goes ''Rock. Freak'' followed by two whistle blows. Then the beat hits again. The singing is a real mellodic baritone voice. Sounds like the lead singer from Heaven 17. Its reminds me a lil of Westworld's ''Painkiller''.
Well, DREW I listened to that part of the song and heard that part but the two whistle blows were not there. But I did some investigating and maybe this is the answer >>>>>GQ - Their smash "Disco Nights (Rock Freak)" was first recorded on Vigor as "Soul on Your Side"; the track is identical, but a new title and... >>>>>
Since you brought it up, you might want to check out
Damn. I found it. Kon Kan's I beg your pardon.
OH YEAH!!!! They also did a cover of 'Puss n Boots' as I recall. I saw them live back in 1990! Not a big fan! Glad you got some closure.
Look at this it says here KON KAN's "I beg your pardon" samples Rock Freak as well as several lines from Lynn Anderdon's "ROSE GARDEN"
and PUSS N BOOTS / THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKIN" was sampling Nancy Sinatra as well as IMMIGRANT SONG by Led Zeppelin
Thanks for your help:) Closure wasn't quite the word...lol. I almost went nuts trying to find this song! One you might have missed is 68 Guns by The Alarm. I know everyones list is different with this genre.
LOVE "68 guns" but...that is straight forward U2 rip-off though. If I add it we gotta delete somebody else. Who do think should go?
I love this list. In my comedy/musical act I do a long-assed medley of 80's songs (i have re-wriiten of course) and this hub is going to come in handy for my new stuff.
Did I miss Debbie Harry, or did I scroll to fast? Blondie has to be on there somewhere.
Dreaming and Sunday Girl by Blondie are both there.
Blondie is tricky cause she has reggae, "The Tide is High", Hip-Hop, "Rapture", Rock n Roll, "Call Me", and dance, "Atomic" songs.
She and Chrissie Hynde and David Bowie are all genius' but didn't always operate in the New Wave genre.
Great list.
You should fit War Baby by Tom Robinson in there. A great new wave song, that and his version of Atmospherics....
your list is right in the zone. excellent, mister DJ funktual, thanks! Your list reminded me of a BUNCH of songs that i'd long since forgotten.
the problem is, now i gotta go GET those songs! best ones i'd completely forgotten included: so alive / love & rockets (#204), right here right now / jesus jones (#207), hippychick /soho (#241), what's on your mind /info society (#248), and MANY more.
thanks, some great memories here.
tom z
this list brings back the 80's when i was travelling around the country working with radio stations.
Uninvited Writer : I MOS DEF will be looking into it, believe me, if it isn't in these crates somewhere, I'll make it a point to check it out!!
Once again we are on the same path TomZ. While I am waiting to be discovered out here, what I really get off on is like you say. *** the problem is, now i gotta go GET those songs! best ones i'd completely forgotten*** that's the good stuff for me!
Wait til you see ...
http://hubpages.com/hub/The-450-Greatest-Songs-of-
Congrats to non-hubber Drew who is the first person on HUBpages to effect the airwaves of outer space!! Your suggestion of "68 Guns" by The Alarm is now #451 on the Future Funktual 500!
Tons of traffic but no comments in 2 months. Whoa is me.
What about Nik Kershaw's "Wouldn't It Be Good?"
Crazy! I know almost every word to every song on this list. With the exception of a few I've never even heard of of course. Nice list in all :)
Which ones haven't you heard? Just curious.
Questions: Do you think I should continue the little blurbs for every song? Yes! Was disappointed when they ended.
Do you think I should break the chart apart into smaller groups of 50? No, not worth the effort. And subgenres would be a pain, as no matter how many you designated, you'd invariably find songs that either wouldn't fit any of them, or fit more than one.
Do you think the countdown should be in inverse order? Why not just put them in alphabetical order? That would avoid people telling you that your opinion is wrong.
Ha! Great comment. I forgot the questions were even still up there! This was like my first or second hub ever,
"Does xylophonist / backup singer Alannah Currie say "Oh my cold Italian heart" toward the outro?"
I'm pretty sure she's saying "warm my cold and tired heart."
Wonderful List! And what's really cool os that I was listening to all this stuff when it first came out!
your lists are always amazing but yeah i think u should continue with the little blurbs about each song....your music knowledge is beyond belief you should be a pop culture professor somewhere....
Great list and info, but no BOINGO? Are they not worthy? :(
Did I leave them off completely? OVERSIGHT!
Good lookin' out Steerpike!
non-HUBer here... let em throw a couple more against the wall to se if they stick: The Nails/88 lines about 44 women... The flying Lizards/Money... and Level 42/Lessons in Love...
Echoing a couple other posters.. there were a bundle of "OMG, I gotta get that song" flashbacks! Props of a totally bitchin' list!
i love this hub!
APB! I had to find your profile to make sure you were from Long Island after I saw them on the list.
"my cold and tired heart" thompson twins
Hey There,
On your list, # 160 - Wouldn't It Be Good ~~ Danny Hutton Hitters, that song should be listed with the rightful artist of Nick Kershaw.
Although your list is pretty comprehensive, there are other songs you forgot about like Love Tempo, Slang Teacher, Situations, Escalator of Life, A Different Story, Around My Dream, Certain Things Are Likely and how about... I Love A Man In A Uniform... actually there are way too many others to list...
Brilliant
Add "What's He Got" by the Producers.
Great list, but where is Television? I thought Marquee Moon would be in the top 50 or so, but I couldn't find it anyway.
Great song. I always considered it punk.
I don't like Rock Lobster but thank you anyway for this list
Totally tubular dude! Brought back a ton of memories and gave me some new songs to look up. Would LOVE you to put blurbs about the rest of the songs up, thats the best part of the list!
Many - though not all - of these guys had tone. But, you know, where did punk end and New Wave begin on your list cos I played with some of these guys in the early 80s and we were definitely doing punk then. Well, in our heads anyway! Ha! In our out of them, I mean. Our ... heads. Those were the days. Maybe we could do a top 100 of forgotten gigs. Number one. Apparently I played at Appollo, Glasgow. in 1979.
great list. please continue with the blurbs. its really great info :)
Inspiring hub! Never heard of some of these songs. When you say an INXS song, I right away think of "The One Thing" or "What I Need" or "New Sensation" not "Don't Change". I'm gonna need some time to look this over. Thanks for the insight!
this hub is so cool but i cant seem to find the right song title of this new wave song that i realy love but i do forget. can someone help me out with this - need to know the song title here some part > " come to the place i know where the grass is green and we're both unknown, i am never grieving the wicked things we've done let walk in to the world"
thanks so much
What about Fine Young Cannibals? One of the better spinoff bands.
Love the list - keep up adding blurbs.... brings me back to the college days!! As always there are songs some like more than others, but it's a great list and you gotta stop somewhere right?
I think you need to add 'wishing' by a flock of seagulls
and 'get it right this time' by the human league
Great Hub!! I love 80s music! And I love the fact that you included Material issue! =)
Thanks for the list, but I must say that any list about New Wave without any songs from the best NW band ever is a little suspect. ;)
Where is the love for OMD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey I was looking for a song from the 80s.
But, first hey sup bigup DJ Funktual! I know you from the Tube sample series. Even sent you a funk remix.
Co-incidence! You a true blue music lover! Yeah man, hiphop is good for me too, showing me all styles of music. samples and breaks for days.
But I got here trying to find a track from ca 85 86. A punky looking black band with colours in their hair (no not george clinton, parliament). I think they were playing synthesizers and they also are whistling in the song. They sing like - "Fariaaaaaaa" - in the hook. Hahahaaaa. DD cant find it nowhere.
pls can you comment on my youtube page if..... or just holler!
i loved this ... some awesome songs in there from ledgendary bands ... great hub you can see alot of time and effort went into this xxx
It's a good list, and a noble effort, however...
As the 'New Wave' was a product of the UK, and the 70's, I wonder how you can have selected many of these artist and foregone so many of the true New Wave?
Bands like A-ha, Dexy's Midnight Runners, The La's (and several others on your list) have nothing to do with the new wave. Call me a stickler, but having these sort of artists interspersed in what is otherwise a great list, is ridiculous. It's akin to saying Monet, Renoir, Manet were all part of the Realism movement in art. It's just inaccurate.
There's a huge difference between a pop band in the 80's that had a popular video and charted in the US, college radio artists, pop acts that tried to sound New Wave, Bands that had a one-off in an 80's movie soundtrack, and the actual artists who were at the cusp of (or in the immediate tradition of) New Wave. I completely agree with bands like Blondie, Talking Heads, Devo, et al - hell I even agree the Madchester stuff was a direct result of Factory and therefore New Wave - but this other 'stuff' is only considered 'New Wave' in America.
e.g. They Might Be Giants...great band, unique, innovative - not a New Wave Band. Ditto Pixies (one of my favorites)
Perhaps it's because I spent the 80's near Toronto, which had:
a)cfny fm - considered one of the 5 definitive alternative radio stations in the world during the 80's
b) stronger ties to the UK and greater access to the music
c) Gord's Place (which was to 80's New Wave in Ontario what Studio 54 was to 70's Disco in New York)
I'm a purist when it comes to the 80's, and I'm wondering why Heaven 17, Rational Youth, Lords of the New Church, ABCedarians, Fad Gadget, Freur, Kirsty MacColl, Blancmange, Joy Division (...for the love of God), and about 1000 other great New Wave acts got bumped in favour of kife like The Bangles.
to Damce, comment above
Sounds like Fishbone
agreed, prob'ly Fishbone. regarding your post above I can't argue with any of what you said. Is Joy Division really NOT on there? Whatever. The only criteria I used in terms of genre designation was this. WLIR, the greatest radio station in the US during the 80's. Sure you heard of it being the conisseur that u are. If THEY played it, i listed it. Thanks for the edutaining comment.
Don't be a stranger because your comments will most certainly be valued. If you want to make some submissions, go for it. I will make amends by adding NOT ONLY "Love Will Tear us Apart" but did I leave out Plastic Bertrand too? Ian Dury? This hub needs love I guess. Made sooo long ago.
Why the hell isn't Dare To Be Stupid on here? It seems to be one of the most under-appreciated New Wave songs. Probably due to the fact that it's also a comedy song. Thing is, it's one of 'Weird Al' Yankovic's greatest original compositions. Equally as good (if not better) than DEVO's Whip It, the band it parodied.
F*%#, even Mark Mothersbaugh called it "the perfect DEVO song". Just because it's a comedy song and a music pastiche of another band shouldn't exclude it from being on this list.
Unless it's not on this list because you think it's just not that good. I laugh at you if that's the reason.
Great list - brings back lots of memories. However, I don't know why every list of top New Wave songs always forgets the top New Wave song ever - Don't walk past by Blue Peter
Never heard of that or them before!
Great list!
One glaring ommision in my opinion:
One Night in Bangkok by Murray Head
I don't think I've ever seen such a poor list. You miss a huge quantity of classic New Wave songs and bands, and clutter what little you have with the Clash? No wonder radio stinks so badly. You don't put in Human, by Human League, but you have Rock the Casbah (an atrocious song whatever genre you want to attach to it, though most consider it punk or rockabilly). In fact you have 5 Clash songs on here, but not "That Smiling Face" by Camouflage, which is a classic (studio version may not be currently available on YouTube, though it was at one point).
And Ned's Atomic Dustbin, while a good band, is not New Wave, and they get two listings?
Here's a hint from the clue bus: Songs or bands don't become part of the New Wave genre just because they were played on some modern rock station you admire.
No Fade to Grey by Visage, instead you have Simply Red's Holding Back the Years, and near the top of the list, no less. Were you even around when this music was being made? You certainly weren't listening to it, at any rate.
rockinjoe says:
2 years ago
Great List. I don't necessarily agree with the order, but the selection rocks!