3 New Wave Hits From the 1980s That Still Sound Current

As synthesizers and drum machines became more affordable in the 1980s, novel technology became as common in new wave groups as guitars were in the punk and rock and roll bands that preceded them. This movement softened punk’s edges and abandoned the rhythm and blues guiding rock music.

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Instead of Chuck Berry licks and hooks borrowed from Willie Dixon or Muddy Waters, new wavers played angular guitar riffs, backed by stiff-armed drummers or even more rigid drum machines. It felt like the future because the future had already arrived. If the three songs below came out today, they’d still sound current.

“Need You Tonight” by INXS

Think of how much recording technology has changed since INXS released Kick in 1987. The Roland drum machine that begins the song hits as hard as any track coming out today. But INXS always blended new wave with rock as well as anyone. When Michael Hutchence arrived on the scene, it was like the second coming of Jim Morrison. He shared a decade with Bono and Sting, yet stood equally as tall among outsized personalities. My heart still breaks when I think about how his life ended. But, man, this record still hits.

“Just What I Needed” by The Cars

The Cars arrived at just the right time to connect new wave to power pop. Ric Ocasek and his band blended spacey synths with massive guitars. A program Ocasek would later repeat when he produced Weezer’s Blue Album (see “Buddy Holly”). Drummer David Robinson provides the kind of backbeat that propelled his other deeply influential band, The Modern Lovers. Also, Elliot Easton’s synth-like and angular guitar parts provided the blueprint for The Strokes and other post-punk revivalists in the early 2000s. Regardless of the decade or musical trends, The Cars still sound timeless.

“Don’t You Want Me” by The Human League

Part of what keeps the 80s recordings fresh is how often the same instruments are used in modern productions. Chappell Roan, St. Vincent, and Jack Antonoff use vintage synths and drum machines as much as any current technology. And like a Gibson guitar plugged straight into a Marshall amp, it never gets old because it still feels as powerful as it did on the early records. You can easily imagine Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper singing this duet if A Star Is Born had been reimagined in the 80s with Jack Maine fronting a new wave group. Preferably with a Flock Of Seagulls hairdo.

Photo by RB/Redferns