Fresh from Corona quarantine and weeks of nothing better to do: a playlist with 300 beloved New Wave Songs from the 1980s. From Great Britain to the US, from Japan to the Soviet Union and Mexico. Tracklist below, many tough fifty/fifty decisions (so here is an even longer 80s playlist with other styles and more pop).
Playlist on YouTube.
Playlist on Spotify.
Maybe it helps some people to distract themselves in these times. Have fun listening through!
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Tracklist:
WHEN IN ROME – The Promise
MODERN ENGLISH – Melt With You
BLANCMANGE – Living On The Ceiling
A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS – Space Age Love Song
ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN – The Killing Moon
THE CURE – Inbetween Days
PAUL HAIG – Something Good
XTC – Making Plans For Nigel
TEARS FOR FEARS – Mad World
KATE BUSH – Running Up That Hill
INXS – To Look At You
OINGO BOINGO – Stay
METRO – Gemini (feat. Peter Godwin)
NEW ORDER – Age Of Consent
THE BEAT – Save It For Later
TALKING HEADS – This Must Be The Place
BRONSKI BEAT – Smalltown Boy
ROBERT PALMER – Johnny And Mary
BOOK OF LOVE – Boy
HARUOMI HOSONO – Sports Men
THE HOUSE OF LOVE – Christine
THE WILD SWANS – Whirlpool Heart
BLONDIE – Rapture
THE RAVE-UPS – Positively Lost Me
GRAUZONE – Eisbär
PETER GODWIN – The Art Of Love (Remix by Johnson Somerset)
DEPECHE MODE – But Not Tonight
ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK – Of All The Things We’ve Made
JONA LEWIE – You’ll Always Find Me In The Kitchen At Parties
SIMPLE MINDS – New Gold Dream
GALXIE 500 – Tugboat
BOYTRONIC – You
THE SMITHS – How Soon Is Now?
STYLE COUNCIL – Walls Came Tumbling Down
THE GODFATHERS – Birth, School, Work, Death
THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN – Just Like Honey
KINO (Кино) – Last Hero (Последний герой)
THE ESSENCE – The Cat
PUBLIC IMAGE LIMITED – Rise
DEVO – Whip It
MARTHA AND THE MUFFINS – Echo Beach
A-HA – Train Of Thought
THE CURE – A Forest
THE REPLACEMENTS – Here Comes A Regular
TEARS FOR FEARS – Everybody Wants To Rule The World
JOY DIVISION – Love Will Tear Us Apart
BIG COUNTRY – In A Big Country
ICEHOUSE – Electric Blue
FRA LIPPO LIPPI – Mother’s Little Soldier
THE FIXX – Red Skies
THE PSYCHADELIC FURS – Love My Way
KAREL FIALKA – The Eyes Have It
THE CARS – Drive
BLANCMANGE – Blind Vision
MICHAEL BEEN AKA THE CALL – I Still Believe
DURAN DURAN – Girls On Film
TUBEWAY ARMY – That’s Too Bad
THE OCEAN BLUE – Ballerina Out Of Control
COREY HART – Sunglasses At Night
KILLING JOKE – Eighties
Q LAZZARUS – Goodbye Horses
ERASURE – A Little Respect
THE POLICE – Invisible Sun
INXS – Just Keep Walking
FLESH FOR LULU – I Go Crazy
MADNESS – It Must Be Love
THE GO-BETWEENS – Bye Bye Pride
WIRE TRAIN – Chamber Of Hellos
THE HUMAN LEAGUE – Don’t You Want Me
THE STRANGLERS – Golden Brown
NEW ORDER – Blue Monday
TALKING HEADS – Life During Wartime
DEPECHE MODE – Never Let Me Down Again
BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE – E=MC2
ORANGE JUICE – I Can’t Help Myself
TALK TALK – It’s My Life
THE ICICLE WORKS – Birds Fly (Whisper To A Scream)
ROXY MUSIC – More Than This
THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN – Head On
GARY NUMAN – Films
THE CHAMELEONS – Up The Down Escalator
SOFT CELL – Tainted Love
REMNANTS – The Box
VISAGE – Fade To Grey
GLASS TIGER – Diamond Sun
TUESDAY BLUE – Love Me Simple*
THE BLUE NILE – Stay
THE ALARM – Rain In The Summertime
TACO – Puttin’ On The Ritz
ULTRAVOX – Dancing With Tears In My Eyes
THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS – India
THOMPSON TWINS – Doctor! Doctor!
PSYCHE – Unveiling The Secret
MEN WITHOUT HATS – Safety Dance
THE CURE – Boys Don’t Cry
SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES – Cities In Dust
SHRIEKBACK – My Spine Is A Bass Line
SPOONS – Nova Heart
AFTER THE FIRE – Der Kommissar
INXS – Need You Tonight
BLANCMANGE – Why Don’t They Leave Things Alone
RE-FLEX – The Politics Of Dancing
PETE SHELLEY – Homosapien
THE TRIFFIDS – A Trick Of The Light
POP MECHANIX – Jumping Out Of A Window
OINGO BOINGO – No One Lives Forever
ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN – Lips Like Sugar
THE THE – This Is The Day
THE CHURCH – Under The Milky Way
PHILIP OAKEY & GIORGIO MORODER – Together In Electric Dreams
FRA LIPPO LIPPI – Shouldn’t Have To Be Like That
OUR DAUGHTER’S WEDDING – Lawnchairs
NEW ORDER – Age Of Consent
XTC – Generals And Majors
PUKKA ORCHESTRA – Listen To The Radio
PETER SCHILLING – Major Tom
MEDIUM MEDIUM – Hungry, So Angry
FAD GADGET – Collapsing New People
CHINA CRISIS – Working With Fire And Steel
LOVE AND ROCKETS – So Alive
COCTEAU TWINS – Sea, Swallow Me
PRIVATE BLUE – She’s Love*
AZTEC CAMERA – Oblivious
DEVO – Beautiful World
HAIRCUT 100 – Favourite Shirts
NEW ORDER – Temptation
MINISTRY – Effigy
A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS – I Ran
BLUE ROSE – Don’t You Know
FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS – Johnny Come Home
E.G. Daily – Mind Over Matter*
54-40 – I Go Blind
THE CLASH – Police On My Back
HEAVEN 17 – Let Me Go
JOY DIVISION – Atmosphere
MALCOLM MCLAREN- Madam Butterfly
THE ESSENCE – Endless Lakes
MISSING PERSONS – Destination Unknown
CARE – Flaming Sword
SPLIT ENTZ – I Got You
THE MONROES – What Do All The People Know
THE SAMPLES – Could It Be Another Change
AU PAIRS – It’s Obvious
THE NAILS – 88 Lines About 44 Women
SQUEEZE – If I Didn’t Love You
COMATEENS – The Late Mistake
THE BOLSHOI – Away
CAMOUFLAGE – The Great Commandment
FALCO – Macho Macho
GANG OF FOUR – I Love A Man In A Uniform
WANG CHUNG – Dance Hall Days
THE PSYCHADELIC FURS – The Ghost In You
INDUSTRY – State Of The Nation
ANNE CLARK – Sleeper In Metropolis
KITCHEN OF DISTINCTION – The 3rd Time We Opened The Capsule
THE SILENCERS – I Want You
THE BLUE NILE – The Downtown Lights
THE WILD SWANS – Bringing Home The Ashes
TEARS FOR FEARS – Shout
TUBEWAY ARMY – Are ‚Friends‘ Electric?**
ULTRAVOX – Reap The Wild Wind
MÜNCHENER FREIHEIT – Every Time
NEW ORDER – Your Silent Face
METRO (FEAT. PETER GODWIN) – The Promise
THE B-52’S – Channel Z
THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN – Sometimes Always
BRONSKI BEAT – Hit That Perfect Beat
THE MOTELS – Remember The Nights
JOE JACKSON – It’s Different For Girls
THE STONE ROSES – Waterfall
THE WATERBOYS – A Girl Called Johnny
SCOTCH – Take Me Up
NEW MODEL ARMY – 51st State
THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS – Heaven
FUN BOY THREE – Our Lips Are Sealed
THE HOUSE OF LOVE – Shine On
GOLDEN EARRING – Twilight Zone
MEN AT WORK – It’s A Mistake
THE DREAM ACADEMY – On The Edge Of Forever
PINK TURNS BLUE – After All (+)
THE FIXX – Secret Seperation
THE TEARDROP EXLPODES – Reward
AZTEC CAMERA – Somewhere In My Heart
THE SMITHS – Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before
THE ROMANTICS – What I Like About You
MAGAZINE – Because You Are Frightened
PUBLIC IMAGE LTD. – Seattle
NEW APARTMENT – Catch 22
IT’S IMMATRIAL – Driving Away From Home
NAKED EYES – When The Lights Go Out
DEPECHE MODE – I Sometimes Wish I Was Dead
BOOK OF LOVE – I Touch Roses
DURAN DURAN – Rio
MARK RENNER – Half A Heart
GANG OF FOUR – At Home He’s A Tourist
HAIRCUT 100 – Love Pluse One
SPANDAU BALLET – To Cut A Long Story Short
DOUBLE – The Captain Of Her Heart
THE STRANGLERS – No Mercy
THE PRODUCERS – What’s He Got
SHRIEKBACK – All Lined Up
RED ROCKERS – China
RE-FLEX – Keep In Touch
10,000 MANIACS – Scorpio Rising
MORRISSEY – Everyday Is Like Sunday
MODERN ENGLISH – Ink And Paper
MATHEMATIQUES MODERNES – Disco Rough
INTAFERON – Get Out Of London
HAPPY MONDAYS – W.F.L.
SPARKS – I Wish I Looked A Little Bit Better
THE CURE – Pictures Of You
THE CULT – She Sells Sanctuary
THE RAILWAY CHILDREN – Brighter
SIMPLE MINDS – Don’t You (Forget About Me)
THE VAPORS – Turning Japanes
THE CLASH – Train In Vain
THE SMITHS – This Charming Man
NEW ORDER – Love Vigilantes
BAUHAUS – Lagertija Nick
THE BONGOS – Numbers With Wings
THE JAM – Going Underground
ALPHAVILLE – Big In Japan
ALTERED IMAGES – I Could Be Happy
THE REPLACEMENTS – Androgynous
ULTRAVOX – Hymn
ORIGINAL (Оригинал) – How Do You Know (Сен Қайдан Биласан)*
THE CURE – Just Like Heaven
ICEHOUSE – Uniform
THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS – Heartbeat
CROWDED HOUSE – Into Temptation
THE ASSOCIATES – The Affectionate Punch
THE STYLE COUNCIL – My Ever Changing Moods
PROPAGANDA – Duel
ORCHESTRAL MANOUEVRES IN THE DARK – Messages
THE WAITRESSES – In Know What Boys Like
ABC – Poison Arrow
A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS – Wishing If (I Had A Photograph Of You)
THE SOUND – New Way Of Life
DURAN DURAN – Do You Believe In Shame?
THE CARS – Since You’re Gone
SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES – The Passenger
THE FALL – Hit The North Part 1
JAPAN – Quiet Life
RHEINGOLD – Dreiklangdimensionen
POLYROCK – Romantic Me
DREAM SYNDICATE – Out Of My Head
ORANGE JUICY – Blue Boy
THE MISSION – Butterfly On A Wheel
JOE JACKSON – Steppin‘ Out
THE GOLDEN PALOMINOS – Boy (feat. Michael Stipe)
ROXY MUSIC – Over You
YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA – Cue
THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS – Pretty In Pink
THE JAM – That’s Entertainment
YAZOO – Nobody’s Diary
THE REPLACEMENTS – Swingin‘ Party
ICEHOUSE – Great Southern Land
INXS – Burn For You
ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK – Enola Gay
THE SMITHS – What Difference Does It Make?
TALKING HEADS – The Lady Don’t Mind
NEW ORDER – Bizarre Love Triangle
SIMPLE MINDS – Alive And Kicking
THE PAYOLAS – Eyes Of A Stranger
DEPECHE MODE – Dreaming Of Me
FURNITURE – Brilliant Mind
TEARS FOR FEARS – Pale Shelter
ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN – A Promise
COCTEAU TWINS – Pearly-Dewdrops‘ Drops
ALICE COOPER – Clones (We’re All)
THE CURE – Close To Me
INXS – Need You Tonight
SECESSION – Touch, Pt 1
TALKING HEADS – And She Was
THE SMITHS – Bigmouth Strikes Again
THE ESSENCE – Only For You
ROXY MUSIC – Same Old Scene
WANG CHUNG – Let’s Go
THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS – Heartbreak Beat
ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK – So In Love
TEARS FOR FEARS – Head Over Heels
SHEILA CHANDRA – Village Girl
SIMPLE MINDS – See The Lights
SPARKS – When I’m With You
ICEHOUSE – Hey, Little Girl
STEPHEN DUFFY – Kiss Me
NEW ORDER – Ceremony
METRO – Alone
YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA – Nice Age
ALPHAVILLE – A Victory Of Love
X – True Love Pt. 2
PETER GODWIN – Images Of Heaven
INXS – Never Tear Us Apart
THE CALL – Everywhere I go
TOM TOM CLUB – Wordy Rappinghood
THE SMITHS – Girlfriend In A Coma
TALKING HEADS – Girlfriend Is Better
TALK TALK – Time It’s Time
*Not on Spotify. Replacements:
THE ROMANTICS – Talking In Your Sleep
CAMOUFLAGE – That Smiling Face
GARY NUMAN – Cars
BOB MOULD – See A Little Light
**“Are ‚Friends‘ Electric?“ by Tubeway Army is from 1979, but it feels so strongly like an 80s song that I had to include it.