New wave was going strong in 1981, and some songs from the genre’s earlier years actually predicted the direction that new wave would take for the rest of the 1980s. Let’s look at just a few examples, shall we?
“Planet Earth” by Duran Duran from ‘Duran Duran’
The bass sounds like it’s straight out of a disco song, and everything from the guitar to the synths sounds oh so glamorous. “Planet Earth” by Duran Duran touched on the sleek pop-leaning rock music that would become popular in the mid-1980s. And the overall glittering sound of the song almost predicted the kind of new wave jams that would become popular once MTV really kicked off.
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“Planet Earth” by Duran Duran was a No. 12 hit on the UK Singles chart and did similarly well on the US Disco chart.
“Just Can’t Get Enough” by Depeche Mode from ‘Speak & Spell’
Depeche Mode was always a little bit ahead of the curve. With “Just Can’t Get Enough”, the band predicted the upbeat synth-pop jams that would dominate the pop charts from the mid-1980s onward. This song is bright, catchy, and repetitive enough to be worthwhile at the club. Listen to later-80s works by the likes of Yazoo and Erasure, and you’ll hear a bit of Depeche Mode’s magic from the Speak & Spell era.
“Just Can’t Get Enough” by Depeche Mode peaked at No. 1 on the UK Indie chart. It also peaked at No. 26 on the Dance Club Songs chart in the US.
“Tainted Love” by Soft Cell from ‘Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret’
This jam by Soft Cell does really sound of its time. But the fame the group experienced from this song’s success predicted the future of new wave, in a way. “Tainted Love” boasts a very minimalistic arrangement, a pretty basic drum machine, and a very expressive vocal performance a la Marc Almond. “Tainted Love” didn’t sound like many of the big hits that were on the radio in 1981. And yet, it became a smash hit, and many similar minimalist synth-pop tunes would later find success in its wake. This entry on our list of new wave songs from 1981 was a Top 10 hit globally. It peaked at No. 8 on the Hot 100 chart.
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