Flock of Seagulls is maybe the most 80's new wave band ever.
What makes you say that?
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/04/32/df/0432dfef57bdb4b82a6ba639710c45bb.jpg
What makes you say that?
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/04/32/df/0432dfef57bdb4b82a6ba639710c45bb.jpg
Of that list, went with the Go Gos. Would have taken the Cars over them. Overall, new wave was not my cup of tea.
Oingo Boingo was incredibly underrated. Now Danny Elfman just wins Emmy's and gets Oscar nominations.
My favorite Oingo Boingo song...It still rocks...
The Police and New Order for me. Crazy how you can't recreate the sound that a lot of those bands had.
INMO "New Wave" and "Alternative" was a very fine line. It seemed that the New Wave bands were a lot more "electronic" than the Alternative bands at least that was my impression.
But like I said a very fine line.
Me, personally, I am a huge Smiths and Morrissey fan and I would not label them as New Wave but I can see how others would.
Frankly I wouldn't even put The Police into either category they were just a good rock band.
But gun to my head I would call them more "Alternative" then "New Wave" same with REM.
Damn whats Michael Stipe doing these days?
My vote goes to Elvis Costello and The Attractions followed closely by Squeeze. Y'know, most of these bands I wouldn't even consider new wave. The label was cooked up in the 70's and hung mostly on new bands that got their start in the late 70's. I would count The Police (edit: and Talking Heads) but the new wave was already old by the time all these other bands showed up.
Last edited:
I don't know if I would say the label was "cooked" up. INMO it was mostly a movement away from the raw sounds of the Punk movement. Moving away from the Sex Pistols, Ramones and New York Dolls. It was kind of a blend but seemed to have a more "electronic" or Moog sound to it. Anyway JMO.
Lot's of rock n' roll on here recently, time to get our 80's new wave on! What is 'new wave'? It's pretty broad (by my definition); not just synthesizers and moody lyrics - but plenty of those too. Notice I said 'Favorite', not 'Best,' which tends to irk some people.
Question: Who is/was your favorite 80's New Wave band/act?
Criteria: This is always tricky; tried to pick bands who were sort of at the 'forefront' of new wave music birthed out of the post punk movement in England. That said, some of these could be a bit 'iffy' (looking at you, The Police)....
Rules: Two votes per person; spread the love (and hair gel!).
Write In's: Welcome! Add to the nostalgia (and someone try to keep track...).
1. The Cure
2. The Smiths
3. The Police
4. The Eurythmics
5. New Order
6. Talking Heads
7. Duran Duran
8. The Go Go's
9. Depeche Mode
10. Culture Club
Close but didn't make my Top Ten:
Tears for Fears, Flock of Seagulls, Eurasure, Pet Shop Boys, INXS, Bananarama, The Cars, and David Bowie, but it's really, really, really hard to pin him down to one genre...
Elvis Costello and the Attractions and Joe Jackson
I lived it. It was definitely cooked up. Most bands labelled new wave got their start around the time either the punks or the post-punks were getting their start. It ("it" being the label "new wave") was cooked up by American radio programmers who wanted to pretend they were new, modern, and "with it" but didn't have the balls to play punk bands like the Pistols, the Ramones or the Damned. New York Dolls were totally a glam band; albeit, there would be no Sex Pistols without the New York Dolls and their spin-off The Heartbreakers (Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan).
Edit: most of the bands listed in the OP poll would be classified as synth-pop or new romantic. Just sayin'. The Smiths (great band, BTW) would be considered one of the progenitors of Alternative Rock or what was then called College-Oriented Rock.
Last edited:
Lot's of rock n' roll on here recently, time to get our 80's new wave on! What is 'new wave'? It's pretty broad (by my definition); not just synthesizers and moody lyrics - but plenty of those too. Notice I said 'Favorite', not 'Best,' which tends to irk some people.
Question: Who is/was your favorite 80's New Wave band/act?
Criteria: This is always tricky; tried to pick bands who were sort of at the 'forefront' of new wave music birthed out of the post punk movement in England. That said, some of these could be a bit 'iffy' (looking at you, The Police)....
Rules: Two votes per person; spread the love (and hair gel!).
Write In's: Welcome! Add to the nostalgia (and someone try to keep track...).
1. The Cure
2. The Smiths
3. The Police
4. The Eurythmics
5. New Order
6. Talking Heads
7. Duran Duran
8. The Go Go's
9. Depeche Mode
10. Culture Club
Close but didn't make my Top Ten:
Tears for Fears, Flock of Seagulls, Eurasure, Pet Shop Boys, INXS, Bananarama, The Cars, and David Bowie, but it's really, really, really hard to pin him down to one genre...
This one comes down to 3 groups.... The Smiths, The Cure and Echo & the Bunnymen. 4th place is New Order. Why/How you don't have Echo & the Bunnymen is a mystery!!
I will say the Smiths. They were the best band of the 80's. Absolutely huge. Manchester was THEE place to be.......
Yes I lived it as well. I agree The Smiths were a great and very under appreciated band.
Great point. Ever see 'em? They put on a great show. MCulloch and Sergeant still tour as Echo and the Bunnymen and they're still worthwhile.
I saw Echo and the Bunnymen and The Cure in NYC.
I went in as a Cure fan I came out as an Echo and Ian McCulloch fan.
Isn't that Jonathan Richmond and the Modern Lovers? I remember the song when it came out. I have listened to lots of obscure music over the years and have a lot of trivia knowledge when it comes to such music.
The 'new wave' proceeds most of the bands on this list. I picked Talking Heads because that's really the only 'new wave' band there. The Smiths are close.
How about this list?
The Jam (one of the top bands in Britain..ever!)
Television
Elvis Costello
Fear
The Modern Lovers
Graham Parker
The B52s
The English Beat
Dwight Twilley
Patty Smyth
Bad Brains
How about this list?
The Jam (one of the top bands in Britain..ever!)
Television
Elvis Costello
Fear
The Modern Lovers
Graham Parker
The B52s
The English Beat
Dwight Twilley
Patty Smyth
Bad Brains
Amazed that RO did not post this one. LOL...
Winner, winner chicken dinner!!!!
Lot's of rock n' roll on here recently, time to get our 80's new wave on! What is 'new wave'? It's pretty broad (by my definition); not just synthesizers and moody lyrics - but plenty of those too. Notice I said 'Favorite', not 'Best,' which tends to irk some people.
Question: Who is/was your favorite 80's New Wave band/act?
Criteria: This is always tricky; tried to pick bands who were sort of at the 'forefront' of new wave music birthed out of the post punk movement in England. That said, some of these could be a bit 'iffy' (looking at you, The Police)....
Rules: Two votes per person; spread the love (and hair gel!).
Write In's: Welcome! Add to the nostalgia (and someone try to keep track...).
1. The Cure
2. The Smiths
3. The Police
4. The Eurythmics
5. New Order
6. Talking Heads
7. Duran Duran
8. The Go Go's
9. Depeche Mode
10. Culture Club
Close but didn't make my Top Ten:
Tears for Fears, Flock of Seagulls, Eurasure, Pet Shop Boys, INXS, Bananarama, The Cars, and David Bowie, but it's really, really, really hard to pin him down to one genre...
This poll is rigged.
Honestly, I never liked this band, but it is seered into my memory as quintessential 80's music by MTV.
This poll is rigged.
Honestly, I never liked this band, but it is seered into my memory as quintessential 80's music by MTV.
Limahl. I believe he and Kajagoogoo were on Bands Reunited as well.
Can't really top this song though... even Too Shy
A
anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
Guest
This is all fine and well, but the poll specifically says '80s New Wave', and despite posts to the contrary, musical historians/authorities have classified a certain 'movement' that was popularized (though began in the mid-late 70's with acts like Blondie, Devo, etc.) in the early 80s as New Wave. Were there components/bands/acts before then? Sure - but, they're not mutually exclusive to this poll, and every band in my poll is or could be considered 'new wave', given the relatively broad criteria for such a designation.
You can't come here and honestly say New Order or Duran Duran weren't new wave bands. I get you want to be a musical purist, but there's no one single correct opinion or designation, though the resources I've reviewed more often than not agree with those on my list. All of these bands have a lot of other cross over elements (pop, rock, folk, dance/electronica, etc.), but again, that doesn't disqualify them as new wave.
Also, love The Jam.
Last edited by a moderator:
A
anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
Guest
Lot's of rock n' roll on here recently, time to get our 80's new wave on! What is 'new wave'? It's pretty broad (by my definition); not just synthesizers and moody lyrics - but plenty of those too. Notice I said 'Favorite', not 'Best,' which tends to irk some people.
Question: Who is/was your favorite 80's New Wave band/act?
Criteria: This is always tricky; tried to pick bands who were sort of at the 'forefront' of new wave music birthed out of the post punk movement in England. That said, some of these could be a bit 'iffy' (looking at you, The Police)....
Rules: Two votes per person; spread the love (and hair gel!).
Write In's: Welcome! Add to the nostalgia (and someone try to keep track...).
1. The Cure
2. The Smiths
3. The Police
4. The Eurythmics
5. New Order
6. Talking Heads
7. Duran Duran
8. The Go Go's
9. Depeche Mode
10. Culture Club
Close but didn't make my Top Ten:
Tears for Fears, Flock of Seagulls, Eurasure, Pet Shop Boys, INXS, Bananarama, The Cars, and David Bowie, but it's really, really, really hard to pin him down to one genre...
I don't know how to choose between Depeche Mode, New Order, The Smiths, and The Cure? It's like asking which of your children is your favorite. All of them and Flock of Seagulls, INXS, The Cars, David Bowie have timeless songs that are all time favorites of mine.
David Bowie - Heroes
Flock of Seagulls - Wishing
The Smiths - How Soon Is Now
New Order - Temptation
The Cure - Pictures of You
Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence
INXS - Don't Change
The Cars - It's All I Can Do
Does the song "Cruel Summer" ever get old?
A
anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
Guest
No, it doesn't, and always reminds me of Karate Kid, which reminds me of Elisabeth Shue....
How can you have a poll like this without...
...Echo and the Bunneymen
...Joy Division
...Smiths
And, the plethora of Goth bands, like, Sisters of Mercy???
...Echo and the Bunneymen
...Joy Division
...Smiths
And, the plethora of Goth bands, like, Sisters of Mercy???
A
anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
Guest
Smiths are in the poll....Joy Division was more post-punk than New Wave, but after Ian Curtis killed himself, New Order was born and they are in the poll....Echo and the Bunnymen could have been on the poll, but admittedly I went for more popular New Wave acts.
Why isn't anyone lamenting the absence of A-Ha?
I'm lamenting the absence of Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Which reminds me I have to go to the cover thread and add Dear Prudence.
Yea it gets really, really tricky trying to pigeon hole these bands.
I like Squeeze but I would almost consider them "pop" more than New Wave or even Alternative.
The Clash again Punk? New Wave? I'd go Punk but others may disagree.
Midnight Oil? Alternative or New Wave
Talking Heads I think New Wave is correct.
But its a really fine line between New Wave, Punk, Post Punk and then in later 80's you had "College" bands like REM.
I guess it all falls under Alternative.
Anyway JMO.
Replacements
Billy Idol
Tiffany ( just kidding but couldn't resist )
N i t t a n y A m e r i c a
Billy Idol
Tiffany ( just kidding but couldn't resist )
N i t t a n y A m e r i c a
Similar threads
