3 New Wave Bangers From the 1980s That Every 80s Kid Will Never Forget

New wave arrived in the late 70s as a more palatable offshoot of punk. The high-energy and radio-friendly alternative soon came to dominate pop culture, especially with the emergence of MTV. And by the early 80s, new wave artists like Talking Heads, Eurythmics, Devo, and others had transformed the sound of rock and pop music.

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For this list, I chose a collection of songs that highlights the genre’s diversity. Each track below was a smash in its day, and I’m sure every 80s kid will never forget them. But if we’re going to talk about new wave, then we must begin with one of its pioneers.

“Rapture” by Blondie

A Debbie Harry rap and a disco groove propel this Blondie sci-fi classic. It appears on the band’s fifth studio album, Autoamerican. Harry’s rap describes a man from Mars who “shoots you dead” and, for good measure, “eats your head.” But once inside the man from Mars, you are now a part of an insatiable alien who proceeds to devour cars and bars. But audiences seemed to approve of “Rapture” and its musically adventurous track and B-movie plot. The song, co-written by guitarist Chris Stein, topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1981.

“Goody Two Shoes” by Adam Ant

Adam Ant’s debut single arrived in 1982, and like Blondie’s hit, it’s built atop a relentless dance beat. Combining big band and early rock and roll, Ant’s defining tune has a hook most 80s kids will remember: “Don’t drink, don’t smoke, what do you do? / Subtle innuendos follow / There must be something inside.” He sings about the tabloid obsession with his clean lifestyle. It’s a witty take on fame, trends, and pop culture with the kind of jump groove likely to make you leave your chair as you sing along.

“We Got The Beat” by The Go-Go’s

The Go-Go’s eternal banger showcases how new wave had smoothed punk’s edges. “We Got The Beat” features the attitude of L.A.’s early punk scene. But if you’re going to revolt, then you’ll need an anthem. And The Go-Go’s, being an all-female band in a male-dominated movement, ignited a different kind of musical revolution. Both the single and the album, Beauty And The Beat, became new wave touchstones. Written by Charlotte Caffey and inspired by Smokey Robinson And The Miracles’ “Going To A Go-Go”, the track connects 60s dance culture to the rebellious rock and roll it shaped.

(Photo by Rob Verhorst/Redferns)