# Ultimate '80s New Wave song list **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 10, 2004, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultimate-80s-new-wave-song-list/244449 "2004-05-10T14:00:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TommyTutone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@TommyTutone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TommyTutone)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2004, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultimate-80s-new-wave-song-list/244449/41 "2004-05-11T14:14:36Z")
‘Pop Goes the World’ - Men Without Hats ‘Mental Hopscotch’ - Missing Persons ‘This is Not a Love Song’ (among others) - Public Image Ltd. ‘Debaser’ (among others) - The Pixies ‘She Talks in Stereo’ - Gary Myrick & The Figures ‘Only a Lad’ - Oingo Boingo ‘Hyperactive’ - Thomas Dolby ‘Wouldn’t it be Good’ - Nik Kershaw I listen to a lot of [www.radioio.com](http://www.radioio.com) on their 80’s station and get a lot of great obscure song titles that you’ve probably heard but never knew who did it (as the above when I was but a wee lad). I write them down and then buy them from ITunes whenver I can. Unfortunately I’m at work, and my collection is at home, but the above stand out at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Orzabal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2004, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultimate-80s-new-wave-song-list/244449/42 "2004-05-11T14:44:41Z")
> [@Evil Death](#): > > There is no Tears For Fears in this thread. This must be corrected, preferably with “Mad World”, “Shout” or “Head Over Heels”. Preach it, brotha! May I also humbly suggest “Pale Shelter”? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2004, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultimate-80s-new-wave-song-list/244449/43 "2004-05-11T14:58:12Z")
Waaaitaminit … Roland Orzabal? Naaaah. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultimate-80s-new-wave-song-list/244449/44 "2004-05-11T19:59:57Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > You gotta get The Cult on there! I suggest: > She Sells Sanctuary > Rain > Little Face > Miscellany: > Zeromancer- Send me an Angel > Joy Division- Love will tear us apart > Maybe some Bryan Ferry or Roxy Music > > Borderline: > Buzzcocks > Violent Femmes > Asia Do any of these count as new wave or new romantic? ---
**Author:** ![cichlidiot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f9b8f/32.png) [@cichlidiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cichlidiot)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2004, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultimate-80s-new-wave-song-list/244449/45 "2004-05-11T22:52:34Z")
Erasure - Oh L’amour Boney M - Young, Free, and Single Man 2 Man - Male Stripper Cocteau Twins - Wax and Wane Ministry - Effigy Crowded House - Don’t Dream It’s Over Swing Out Sister - Break Out Nena - 99 Luft Balloons A, E, I, O, U sometimes Y - Ebn-Ozen Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax A-ha - Take On Me Big Country - Big Country Kajagoogoo - Too Shy Missing Persons - Destination Unknown Didn’t see these mentioned, but I did take out Alison Moyet’s Don’t Go, so sorry if there’s repeats. ---
**Author:** ![cichlidiot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f9b8f/32.png) [@cichlidiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cichlidiot)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2004, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultimate-80s-new-wave-song-list/244449/46 "2004-05-11T22:55:06Z")
oops Ebn-Ozen is the band, listed the song first. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2004, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultimate-80s-new-wave-song-list/244449/47 "2004-05-11T23:07:33Z")
I thought “Send me an Angel” was done by Real Life? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Semp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Semp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Semp)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultimate-80s-new-wave-song-list/244449/48 "2004-05-12T03:31:04Z")
> [@Trigonal Planar](#): > > (PS. Can anyone identify my sig? And no using Google!) It’s from OMD’s 3rd album, Dazzle Ships, from the song “Radio Waves.” My dorkism knows no bounds. ---
**Author:** ![Granuaile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecccb3/32.png) [@Granuaile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Granuaile)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultimate-80s-new-wave-song-list/244449/49 "2004-05-12T12:57:55Z")
Elvis Costello-Oliver’s Army, Alison Spandau Ballet-True Haircut 100-Love Plus One Level 42-Something About You Squeeze-Tempted, Pulling Mussels From the Shell Split Enz-I Got You Violent Femmes-Blister In the Sun Kajagoogoo-Too Shy Smiths-Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want, I Know It’s Over If you’re including Ministry, Front 242 is a must. Slight hijack: Do any Chicagoans remember Medusa’s off of Clark and Belmont? Almost every Saturday of my formative years were spent there. ---
**Author:** ![sunfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sunfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunfish)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultimate-80s-new-wave-song-list/244449/50 "2004-05-12T14:13:36Z")
Hey, we haven’t had any Thompson Twins yet. How about “Hold Me Now,” “Doctor, Doctor” and “We Are Detective”? Also: “Beat So Lonely” - Charlie Sexton “Slave to Love” - Bryan Ferry “More Than This” - Roxy Music “Wonderland” - Big Country “No Promises” - Icehouse “Will You Stay Tonight?” - ComSat Angels (went by “C.S. Angels” in the U.S) “Indigo Eyes” - Peter Murphy “Major Tom” - Peter Schilling “I Want You Back” - Hoodoo Gurus “Talk Talk” - Talk Talk “Lawn Chairs” - Our Daughter’s Wedding **RevTim** , I poked around and found out that Michael DesBarres’s version of “Obsession” is available from [Out of Print Music.com](http://www.outofprintmusic.com/) (search under “Michael Des Barres”). I may have to order a copy, myself! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultimate-80s-new-wave-song-list/244449/51 "2004-05-12T15:17:37Z")
“Guys are Not Proud” by the Anemic Boyfriend “Money” by the Flying Lizards ---
**Author:** ![waits](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df788c/32.png) [@waits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waits)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultimate-80s-new-wave-song-list/244449/52 "2004-05-12T17:20:27Z")
Jeez, had to get to the end of the first page before anyone brought up Elvis Costello or Squeeze! And no mention yet of Nick Lowe/Dave Edmunds/Rockpile, Graham Parker, Joe Jackson or the Pretenders–not to mention such less lights as Wreckless Eric, Ian Dury and the Blockheads, the Motors, the Records, or Bram Tchaikovsky. Back around 1978-79, this was the New Wave. But at least no one mentioned the Knack. ---
**Author:** ![sunfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sunfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunfish)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultimate-80s-new-wave-song-list/244449/53 "2004-05-12T17:33:41Z")
Yeah, but the OP said he was interested in particular styles of New Wave/New Romantic that lean toward lots of synthesizers. I can think of other good songs too but they don’t quite fit the type. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultimate-80s-new-wave-song-list/244449/54 "2004-05-12T17:43:14Z")
> [@waits](#): > > Jeez, had to get to the end of the first page before anyone brought up Elvis Costello or Squeeze! And no mention yet of Nick Lowe/Dave Edmunds/Rockpile, Graham Parker, Joe Jackson or the Pretenders–not to mention such less lights as Wreckless Eric, Ian Dury and the Blockheads, the Motors, the Records, or Bram Tchaikovsky. Back around 1978-79, this was the New Wave. It seems the OP wanted to keep it all in the 80s, too – though obviously that wouldn’t exclude the Pretenders, Elvis Costello, or Squeeze. ---
**Author:** ![Thirty-Nine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@Thirty-Nine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thirty-Nine)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultimate-80s-new-wave-song-list/244449/55 "2004-05-12T20:25:07Z")
These are classic '80s songs that people seem to have missed Duran Duran – Rio / Notorious Men Without Hats – Safety Dance Roy Parker J. – Ghostbusters Theme If you’re looking for the extreme synth-poppy sound that many people associate with the 80’s: Depeche Mode – Just Can’t Get Enough OMD – Tesla Girls / Electricity / Messages Soft Cell – Chips On My Shoulder Kraftwerk – Pocket Calculator Thomas Dolby – Europa And The Pirate Twins This is from the late 70s, but the melody is immortal and it kicked off the synth-pop idea: Hot Butter – Popcorn Some good songs, if not wholly representative of the movement: Soft Cell – Torch/Heat/Numbers (The Soft Cell duo ended up despising Tainted Love; do them a favour and listen to some of their other music. Very dark and distinctive.) Depeche Mode – Never Let Me Down Again Is This The House? – Eurhythmics ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultimate-80s-new-wave-song-list/244449/56 "2004-05-12T20:58:40Z")
I mentioned 2 songs by Men Without Hats. Don’t just skim other people’s lists. I know mine is somewhat far down on the first page, but I did mention them, as well as correctly attributing another song to the proper artist, another poster didn’t seem to notice that I, too had posted the song, and gave the correct band. ---
**Author:** ![imthjckaz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/imthjckaz/32/3223_2.png) [@imthjckaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imthjckaz)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultimate-80s-new-wave-song-list/244449/57 "2004-05-13T00:28:31Z")
> [@waits](#): > > Jeez, had to get to the end of the first page before anyone brought up Elvis Costello or Squeeze! And no mention yet of Nick Lowe/Dave Edmunds/Rockpile, Graham Parker, Joe Jackson or the Pretenders–not to mention such less lights as Wreckless Eric, Ian Dury and the Blockheads, the Motors, the Records, or Bram Tchaikovsky. Back around 1978-79, this was the New Wave. > > > [@bordelond](#): > > > > It seems the OP wanted to keep it all in the 80s, too – though obviously that wouldn’t exclude the Pretenders, Elvis Costello, or Squeeze. Or **Talking Heads** , as half their stuff was done in the 80’s. I guess stuff by Oingo Boingo, X, Blag Flag, Dead Kennedys and Suicidal Tendancies might be too edgy for what the OP is looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Thirty-Nine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@Thirty-Nine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thirty-Nine)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultimate-80s-new-wave-song-list/244449/58 "2004-05-13T06:11:22Z")
> [@Zabali\_Clawbane](#): > > I mentioned 2 songs by Men Without Hats. Don’t just skim other people’s lists. I know mine is somewhat far down on the first page, but I did mention them, as well as correctly attributing another song to the proper artist, another poster didn’t seem to notice that I, too had posted the song, and gave the correct band. I object to that - I did not skim other people’s lists, I know that posts like this are pointless. But it easy to miss or forget one, especially when there is already so much on the list. I searched the document to make sure but it seems you wrote ‘Safey Dance’. ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultimate-80s-new-wave-song-list/244449/59 "2004-05-13T08:10:40Z")
> [@Thirty-Nine](#): > > This is from the late 70s, but the melody is immortal and it kicked off the synth-pop idea: > > Hot Butter – Popcorn It’s actually from the [early seventies](http://www.superseventies.com/singlesbymonth72.html). Just going by sound alone, as opposed to genre or type of instrumentation, how about: _Dancing In The Dark_ by Bruce Springsteen _Every Breath You Take_ by The Police _Careless Whisper_ by Wham! _Break My Stride_ by Matthew Wilder and maybe even _Eye In The Sky_ by Alan Parsons Project _Africa_ by Toto These songs have a deep, flowing, almost bassy sound that the list in the OP seems to be focusing on. Also, I’ll second the suggestions of _Shout, Take On Me, Moving In Stereo, You Spin Me 'Round, Take My Breath Away, Your Wildest Dreams,_ and _Something About You_ because those songs also have this particular sound. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultimate-80s-new-wave-song-list/244449/60 "2004-05-13T12:16:06Z")
You guys are giving me some great suggestions. However, I think the selections are going a little bit too wide. I’m definitely going to look into Depeche Mode, Berlin, the Squeeze, etc. > [@](#): > > Yeah, but the OP said he was interested in particular styles of New Wave/New Romantic that lean toward lots of synthesizers. I can think of other good songs too but they don’t quite fit the type. **Sunfish** has got it right here. I want to stay away from the guitar rock and I want to stick to the “earnest romantic” theme. I’m shying away from Duran Duran, Fine Young Cannibals, and the B-52s, because their songs don’t seem to have enough of the “mopey” quality that I’m looking for. On the other hand, the Smiths and the Cure have too much mopiness, bordering on a kind of pathology (plus their sound is more rock and punk to me than New Romantic). The Police is also too far on the rock side and while they do have several synth-based songs, I don’t think the mood is quite the earnest romanticism of New Romantics. I’m wondering whether “Blister in the Sun” fits into the too-punky group. Peter Gabriel and the Eurythmics are kind of “too good” for this list. They are less easy to fit into this genre. Anyway, isn’t Annie Lennox American? I’m wondering whether Roxy music fits into this group as well. David Bowie, I want to avoid because his career is too lengthy and diverse to fit into a limited genre. I’m really looking for instantly recognisable archetypes. Crowded House seems to me to be from a later genre of alternative rock. (And aren’t they Australian?) Toto, Wham! – too mainstream pop in my view. I think Tears for Fears’s sound fits, but “Shout” doesn’t seem to have enough of the earnest romantic feel. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultimate-80s-new-wave-song-list/244449.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultimate-80s-new-wave-song-list/244449.md?page=4)