top 80s new wave albums

[polymoog]

ive narrowed this down to 1980- 1989, even though theres plenty to choose from during the late 70s.
ive also included only one album per band, although a few couldve had more than one on the list.

bands/albums classified as under the genre new wave/new romantic only.


roughly from 1 to 10:

1 duran duran rio (self-entitled album is very good.)
2 billy idol rebel yell (self-entitled album is also great)
3 pretenders pretenders (hard to pick their best-- get close #2)
4 gary numan telekon (pleasure principle is a close second. this is far darker.)
5 a flock of seagulls a flock of seagulls (listen is also very good)
6 the human league travelogue (dare is very good, but a bit too commerical. this is actually better.)
7 joe jackson night and day
8 tears for fears songs from the big chair
9 zz top eliminator
10 depeche mode construction time again

 

[Lurker]

Personally, I don't consider Billy Idol or ZZ Top to be New Wave. Not a shabby list tho.

 

[polymoog]

Personally, I don't consider Billy Idol or ZZ Top to be New Wave. Not a shabby list tho.

theyre classified as such. idol almost has his own genre, since hes got a little bit of everything in there-- hes lighter on the synth/keyboards than most on the list. zz top is a mix of southern rock and new wave, at least on that album. "TV dinners" comes to mind which i dont feel is rock at all.

 

[Lurker]

theyre classified as such. idol almost has his own genre, since hes got a little bit of everything in there-- hes lighter on the synth/keyboards than most on the list. zz top is a mix of southern rock and new wave, at least on that album. "TV dinners" comes to mind which i dont feel is rock at all.

point taken.

 

[elsbet]

Um...

BERLIN
Pleasure Victim

Same old story portrayed, too, with a wink to the ol' devil. Have a look ^^

 

[elsbet]

This is a classic though imo..

 

[polymoog]

Um...

BERLIN
Pleasure Victim
^

good album, but not a great album.
i prefer love life over this one.
information is very raw, but has a few decent songs. its amazing how similar macolino sounds to terri nunn.

 

[elsbet]

good album, but not a great album.
i prefer love life over this one.
information is very raw, but has a few decent songs. its amazing how similar macolino sounds to terri nunn.

Afraid I don't know as much about Berlin as you do! I loved Metro when I was a kid, and when I was in high school, I bought the whole album. Had a few songs I really liked but I agree-- they were not *all* swoonworthy.

Spoiler

That dip-dyed hair was the best though.

PS... who is Macolino?

 

[polymoog]

PS... who is Macolino?

on the information album, berlin had a different singer. she sounds almost exactly like terri nunn.

 

[polymoog]

Um...

BERLIN
Pleasure Victim

the problem with berlin, IMO of course, is the imbalance of the instruments. "masquerade" is top heavy with keyboards, and thats coming from someone who loves synth. you barely hear the rest of the band. for sure the keyboardist (crawford) is talented but its very weak on guitar. maybe he is trying to cover up the lack of talent there; i dont know.
this is the same fault with the band missing persons. a great band, but the drummer (whose band it is) overplays, making the drums overshadow the rest. billy idols stuff was good, but without steve stevens (listen for his guitar work-- it REALLY compliments the songs-- "eyes without a face" would be bleh without his awesome guitarwork bridge) its just OK.

its hard to find a band with balanced musicians. even harder to find one that can compose good songs.

 

[elsbet]

the problem with berlin, IMO of course, is the imbalance of the instruments. "masquerade" is top heavy with keyboards, and thats coming from someone who loves synth. you barely hear the rest of the band. for sure the keyboardist (crawford) is talented but its very weak on guitar. maybe he is trying to cover up the lack of talent there; i dont know.
this is the same fault with the band missing persons. a great band, but the drummer (whose band it is) overplays, making the drums overshadow the rest. billy idols stuff was good, but without steve stevens (listen for his guitar work-- it REALLY compliments the songs-- "eyes without a face" would be bleh without his awesome guitarwork bridge) its just OK.

its hard to find a band with balanced musicians. even harder to find one that can compose good songs.

I did not know all of that. How do you know so much? lol

But yeah.. truly good bands and music are hard to find, I agree. Idk that I've ever been a huge fan of synth, because, as the name implies, it feels a bit synthetic. But I do have my favorites.

Depeche Mode excels in this genre, imo. Always sounds clean and well orchestrated. Oh! And New Order... how could I have forgotten them? o_______O But what I really (really) love-- and it may qualify under new romantic, but maybe not new wave-- is shoegaze (sigh)... but I digress.


New Order
TEMPTATION

TRUE FAITH

 

[grateful servant]

Squeeze singles was my 80's soundtrack.

 

[elsbet]

Shoegaze? Did somebody say shoegaze? I am a shoegazer from waaay back, and I make no apologies for that.

None are required, of course.

Spoiler

 

[Handcar]

From most of the new wave/new romantic bands from that era, like The Stranglers, Level 42, The Cars, Fischer-Z, Robert Fripp, The Cure, Joe Jackson, Japan, Spandau Ballet, I remember only a few favorite songs spread over several of their albums. There are three albums I had myself that I liked most songs of.

1. Prefab Sprout - Steve McQueen
2. Nina Hagen Band - Nina Hagen Band
3. The Police - Reggatta de Blanc

The Prefab Sprout - Steve McQueen album is still one of my favorites. Love this song

 

[Colonel Valerio]

I never thought of Billy as new wave either, but he is probably my second favorite 80s act.

 

[Dalit]

No Men at Work? Come on!

 

[polymoog]

No Men at Work? Come on!

i had considered the cargo album... its good, but not GREAT.

 

[elsbet]

i had considered the cargo album... its good, but not GREAT.

Who can it be now?

Ohh... polymoog-- the ever-absent incommunicado.

 

[Dalit]

i had considered the cargo album... its good, but not GREAT.

Welcome back!

 

[Red Sky at Morning]

i had considered the cargo album... its good, but not GREAT.

Good to see you again!