70s/80s Archives - Lexicon Magazine

12/12/201712/12/2017 by Lexicon Magazine

New Wave Music Hits From The 80’s

The term new wave is not that easy to pin down as it includes numerous artists from late 70s and early 80s. Later it started becoming a bit different from the mainstream, with a post-punk which was edgier and had more attitudes. The 80s new wave songs list includes some of the incredible hits which were anti-social but with great music and lyrics.

The new wave music included many influential bands of those times and a wide range of bands contributed to the genre. It was also an influence for lots of future projects, like the one that has been just launched in the end of 2017 – called YoungPerps, where young guys acting like old-school punks try their luck stealing objects from certain shops. Of course it won’t work, but their rock’n’roll approach to life will punish them pretty soon after being caught.

New wave music was all about attitude and an enthusiastic spirit which amalgamated both punk and pop with a planned production, striking and influential lyrics which was quite a common thing in 80’s playlist. While we are digging deep into new wave hits, it is impossible that we miss the creators of some of the amazing songs which were ruling the hearts of the audience in 80’s.

Duran Duran

The 80’s would have been incomplete without grooving to Duran Duran’s songs. They were based in England, and started gaining popularity in 1981 after working throughout the late 70’s on their brand image. Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, Andy Taylor and Roger Taylor were the members of this band. They managed to make custom-made packages for the video age, and then became the first band to gain stardom.

Top 5 song list/ albums: – The View to a Kill, Save a Prayer & the Chauffer, Girls on Film, Rio and Come Undone.

The Cure

Another popular band was “The Cure” which was started by band’s lead Robert Smith in England in the year 1976.

The Cure mainly focused on a dark as well as melodic sound which defined the band as the Goth genre.Later they switched from depressing lyrics 80s new wave song in 1982, to reach a wider audience.

Top 5 song list/ albums: – Close to Me, In Between Days, Fascination Street, BoysDon’t Cry and the Caterpillar.

INXS

INXS spent the early part of the 80’s consistently touring and releasing albums particularly for the Australian audience.

“The One Thing” which was released in 1982 was successful and it convinced many record companies to release all their further masterpieces.

Top 5 song list/ albums: – New Sensation, Devil Inside, Original Sin, Burn for You and The Loved One

The Smiths

The Smiths were active in the year 1982 to1987, and this was enough for this talented and creatively inclined band. They were largely lyrics-driven, and this made them a part of new-wave. They gained commercial success mainly in their native land, England with an album, “The Smiths”, which ranked second. This band was truly a college sensation in those days in the US, even though they never toured in this country unlike other new wave bands.

Top 5 song list/ albums: – The Charming Man, Half a Person, Ask, Cemetery Gates and Well I Wonder.

1. Pub Rock

“Ian Dury”

This genre was short-lived but it made an unforgettable impact giving it a place in the hearts of rock lovers. In case you are a starter, the genre was a significant predecessor of the original punk that was produced in the United Kingdom. A number of the famous players of punk rock later became the names to beat in the new version.

Some of them included Ian Dury who played Kilburn and the High Roads and Joe Strummer who played 101’ers.

Even though the genre was later swept away by famous songs such as Do Anything You Want to do and Eddie & the Hot Rods, the genre should not be forgotten.

2. Lovers Rock

“Gregory Isaacs”

Apocryphal musical history will tell you that the Jamaican summer heat was the developer of the rock steady development. Revelers found the dancehalls in Kingston to be too hot and they could not keep up with the tempo of the ska rhythms. As a result of this, the bands agreed to reduce the tempo of the songs so as to keep the revelers as well as ensure that the nights were longer. The late 1970s witnessed a change since reggae was introduced into the system. There were additional romantic lovers of rock. If we say that reggae is the progeny of Rastafarianism, lover rock is certainly is the sibling of reggae. It has smooth R&B rhythms and the lyrics are obsessed with love. Some of the famous artists who have performed renowned tracks of Lovers Rock include Gregory Isaacs, Dennis Brown, Dobby Dobson, Freddie McGregor, and Beres Hammond.

3. PC Music

It is difficult to understand where PC Music begins and where it culminates. The PC Music label is based in London and A.G.

Cook is the brain behind the label. Some of the famous personalities who are credited with performing famous songs of the genre are Kane West, SOPHIE, Hannah Diamond, GFOTY, and QT.

The sound of the music is surreally poppy. It is overcrowded with various samples while the vocals are unnecessarily high having some absurd melodies. The music certainly feels plastic and the fans find it hard to keep up with the melody.

70s/80s