# What was this style of music called? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 13, 2010, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-style-of-music-called/539242 "2010-05-13T00:39:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-style-of-music-called/539242/1 "2010-05-13T00:39:18Z")
Can someone help me recall a type of music from the '80s that some claimed would replace disco? I could be dead-wrong, but IIRC, I think the style which escapes me referred to the heavy influence of keyboards esp from European bands. I want to say it was ‘fusion’, but that’s a style of jazz. Maybe some SDoper will help jog my memory! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-style-of-music-called/539242/2 "2010-05-13T00:47:02Z")
Techno-pop? Also electro-pop. ---
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-style-of-music-called/539242/3 "2010-05-13T01:12:42Z")
Italo! ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-style-of-music-called/539242/4 "2010-05-13T02:15:47Z")
House? New wave? Synth pop? ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-style-of-music-called/539242/5 "2010-05-13T02:34:35Z")
Like [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUjIA3Rt7gk&feature=related)? Or more like [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=998P6HEzCdI&feature=related)? ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-style-of-music-called/539242/6 "2010-05-14T01:13:33Z")
a) Yeah…it’s New Wave! After a major mental block, it hit me. b) Now, what bands epitomize the New Wave sound? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-style-of-music-called/539242/7 "2010-05-14T02:29:51Z")
You might enjoy the [wikipedia article on New Wave music](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Wave_music). It’s not very in-depth, but it isn’t inaccurate either. And it directly addresses the OP: > [@](#): > > Fans, music journalists, and artists would rebel against this catch-all definition by inventing dozens of genre names. Synthpop, which filled a void left by disco, was a broad subgenre that included groups such as The Human League, Depeche Mode, a-ha, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark and the Pet Shop Boys. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-style-of-music-called/539242/8 "2010-05-14T02:31:17Z")
> [@Jinx](#): > > a) Yeah…it’s New Wave! After a major mental block, it hit me. > b) Now, what bands epitomize the New Wave sound? [Not a band, exactly, but definitely the epitome . . .](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Wave_Hookers) ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-style-of-music-called/539242/9 "2010-05-14T03:19:31Z")
> [@Jinx](#): > > Now, what bands epitomize the New Wave sound? Some of the more synthesizer-oriented acts included Devo, The B-52’s, Flock of Seagulls, Eurythmics, Split Enz, Thompson Twins. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-style-of-music-called/539242/10 "2010-05-14T03:42:35Z")
> [@Jinx](#): > > b) Now, what bands epitomize the New Wave sound? That’s a tough one, as New Wave actually encompasses a whole wide range of music. I think when the average person thinks of “New Wave,” they think of bands like Duran Duran, Pet Shop Boys, The Cure, Devo, New Order, Culture Club, the Eurythmics – bands like that. But the terms is quite broad and can include bands like the Pretenders, the Police, Madness, etc. Basically, it originally (as I understand it), was a catch-all term for the music growing out of punk. Later, New Wave and Post-Punk were differentiated with New Wave being the poppier offspring of punk, and Post-Punk being more experimental, edgy, and arty. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-style-of-music-called/539242/11 "2010-05-14T04:29:16Z")
> [@spoke-](#): > > Some of the more synthesizer-oriented acts included [Devo](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4-2onb62y8), [The B-52’s](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szhJzX0UgDM), [Flock of Seagulls,](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS9RPyznAPg) [Eurythmics](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeMFqkcPYcg), [Split Enz](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcrRcUDAEYw&feature=related), [Thompson Twins](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpquwTW5CKs). Edited to add links to representative synth-heavy clips. Also, [The Cars](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D2frIgI0sI&feature=related), [Soft Cell](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3Pfo3EIXLw), [The Human League](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPudE8nDog0), [Talk Talk](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fntl0mK3fzY). As **pulykamell** says, the term “New Wave” was used as a catch-all for pretty much all post-punk stuff (or really almost anything that wasn’t disco or arena rock), but I think in the public mind it was most closely associated with the sort of synth-oriented bands linked above. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-style-of-music-called/539242/12 "2010-05-14T04:30:57Z")
I worked in a record store during the 80s. A couple acts who are perhaps lesser known, but that perfectly embody the essence of New Wave (Synth Pop division): Q-Feel: “[Dancing in Heaven (Orbital Bebop)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYD0xpGGtLM)” Freur: “[Doot Doot](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pnQfPOFNLI)” A couple of songs in the more guitar/drum style of New Wave: Bongos: “[Barbarella](http://popup.lala.com/popup/504684646424689695)” (only available at [lala.com](http://lala.com), but registration is quick and free, and it’s possibly my single favorite song from that era, so I urge you. :D) Total Coelo: “[I Eat Cannibal](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4O1A-mmBWw)” (And probably the best chicks-in-hefty-bag-dresses video ever) Belfegore: “[All That I Wanted](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKxMueL61z0&a=-UiwNUWdZko&playnext_from=ML)” (Another very favorite song of the era, and a very cool video) Maybe more later if I get to reminiscing . . . ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-style-of-music-called/539242/13 "2010-05-14T04:44:01Z")
Some random favorites from the era: Grace Jones: “[Pull Up to the Bumper](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtnFg0KOQcA)” Belouis Some: “[Imagination](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJTyp4UT6C4&feature=related)” Lene Lovich: “[New Toy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7VgDSNxlGU)” Lene Lovich: “[Bird Song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maucjGIUzzo&a=8KQQoxPLi4A&playnext_from=ML)” Kate Bush: “[Sat in Your Lap](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEVMfG8z490)” Adrian Belew: “[Big Electric Cat](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_kk8mGqBj8)” \<==another top, top favorite XTC: “[Senses Working Overtime](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkboXFd9dDU)” The Creatures: “[Right Now](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT33nB8UjOg)” ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-style-of-music-called/539242/14 "2010-05-14T04:45:32Z")
My favorite Thompson Twins song: “[We Are Detective](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8OnzWpyAs4)” My other favorite Thompson Twins song: “[Love on Our Side](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avVCQj0EWDU&feature=related)” My \*other \*other favorite Thompson Twins song: “[In the Name of Love](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsbBEfjyQT8&feature=related)” ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-style-of-music-called/539242/15 "2010-05-14T04:54:11Z")
Gang of Four: “[I Love a Man in Uniform](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izVFZG26hNY)” Shriekback: “[Nemesis](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bMM61Y5CEU)” another awesome video Blancmange: “[That’s Love That It Is](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1Sa9F8p5Us&feature=related)” ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-style-of-music-called/539242/16 "2010-05-14T05:12:30Z")
Other New Wave acts I remember from the 80’s: [Howard Jones](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYnK83WxJnw) [Naked Eyes](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDlysqa8ik0) [A Flock of Seagulls](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS9RPyznAPg) [Spandau Ballet](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntG50eXbBtc)