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The 100 Greatest “New Wave” songs 1. Everybody Wants to Rule the World-Tears for Fears (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter timschochet
- Start date
Mike Damone
Footballguy
This is going to be a great thread . I don’t know why but I’m really judgmental when it comes to music opinions, I’m a pretty open minded person but when it comes to music I’m an obnoxious blowhard
100. Girls on Film - Duran Duran
3rd or 4th favorite song from their 1st album. Ok song
99. People are People - Depeche Mode
this gives me some concern about the number of songs from 1 artist in the top 100. Good song but plenty better
98. Hold Me Now - Thompson Twins
Hate their manufactured look and sound. I’m a miserable sob sometimes, they rub me the wrong way
97. Words - Missing Persons
Good stuff
96. Making Plans for Nigel - XTC
favorite song from them although I’m not a fan of the band
100. Girls on Film - Duran Duran
3rd or 4th favorite song from their 1st album. Ok song
99. People are People - Depeche Mode
this gives me some concern about the number of songs from 1 artist in the top 100. Good song but plenty better
98. Hold Me Now - Thompson Twins
Hate their manufactured look and sound. I’m a miserable sob sometimes, they rub me the wrong way
97. Words - Missing Persons
Good stuff
96. Making Plans for Nigel - XTC
favorite song from them although I’m not a fan of the band
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zamboni
Footballguy
El Floppo
Footballguy
Like I mentioned, pretty much any tune from those three albums works for me. Nigel is iconic, though- their breakthrough, and a great tune, so Im happy to see it here.
Re definitions...yeah. no idea if it's an official one, but for me post punk bands took their guitars and added cool/interesting/cross-genre, usually more dancable rhythms. More hip shaking, less jumping. And my favorite new wave songs- even from bands that broke through- aren't what would be considered poppy. So ymmv.
Mike Damone
Footballguy
otb_lifer
Footballguy
"Cuba" is so ridiculously frantic, though ... it's the Police on 'roids, jamming in the Specials kitchen - love the cross genre mutation of that whole cacophonous ride - thay were never on my radar for seeking out to listen - and i loathed the "New Wave Australian Beatles" bull#### that got foisted on them ... but that "Cuba" mess will forever have a home on any playlist i cull. it's as great as the 80s ever got.
guess i see New Wave as being more kitschy/one hit wonder/top 40ish than most ... my suspicion is that we are not very far apart here ... the tunes you allude to as the ones you like (less poppy variety) are prolly in my wheelhouse, as well ... just a matter of the definition, which is what the stumbling block here is - so it's a question of semantics, not taste ... which is what i think many are missing here.
btw, if this is a yuuuuuge net, when do the first of the 10 or so Cars songs appear?
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
At the possible wrath of the genre police, not to be confused with the dream police (different genre of genre police), I just recently got into Killing Joke. Some really good post punk grooves.
otb_lifer
Footballguy
timschochet
Footballguy
95. “I Got You”- Split Enz (1979, from True Colours)
https://youtu.be/xv6oOxn1axw
The Finn brothers from New Zealand made a pretty strong contribution to the early days of MTV, not only with this great tune but others which I was unable to include on this list, like “One Step Ahead”, “History Never Repeats”, “Six Months in a Leaky Boat”, etc. - all worthy songs but there’s simply no room (or for the later formed Crowded House either which had some great songs of their own.)
So this fine power pop gem will have to do.
https://youtu.be/xv6oOxn1axw
The Finn brothers from New Zealand made a pretty strong contribution to the early days of MTV, not only with this great tune but others which I was unable to include on this list, like “One Step Ahead”, “History Never Repeats”, “Six Months in a Leaky Boat”, etc. - all worthy songs but there’s simply no room (or for the later formed Crowded House either which had some great songs of their own.)
So this fine power pop gem will have to do.
zamboni
Footballguy
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
otb_lifer
Footballguy
... this is easily my favorite thus far - sullied, however, by the knowledge of "Don't Dream It's Over" not making the cut - wow :(
Chaos Commish
Footballguy
Chaos Commish
Footballguy
Handsome Kevin got a little off track
Took a year off of college
And he never went back
Now he smokes too much
He's got a permanent hack
Deals dope out of Denny's
Keeps a table in the back
He always listens to the ground
Always listens to the ground
Took a year off of college
And he never went back
Now he smokes too much
He's got a permanent hack
Deals dope out of Denny's
Keeps a table in the back
He always listens to the ground
Always listens to the ground
timschochet
Footballguy
There are lots of classic New Wave songs that I was not able to include, and I’m quite sure I will get ripped for including some and not including others.
Mike Damone
Footballguy
Andy Dufresne
Footballguy
I don't think the verses and chorus mesh very well with I Got You.
I like the mysterious sound of the former but not so much the pop sound of the latter.
I like the mysterious sound of the former but not so much the pop sound of the latter.
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Mike Damone
Footballguy
Chaos Commish
Footballguy
meh, you be you. I am mostly in for the honorable mentions when you're done. Kind of impossible to rank them... for me anyway. I wonder if I could pm your #1.
rockaction
Footballguy
"I Got You" is the weakest song of the bunch so far, IMHO. Just not diggin' it.
Chaos Commish
Footballguy
rockaction
Footballguy
I think so, and I think that can be a lot of it. What sounds fresh and new in synthesis (by synthesis I'm talking about mashing together once-foreign sounds) at one point in time might be refined and done better later or just abandoned entirely. As a listener in 2018, I get "Girls On FIlm." I do not get "I Got You," really, but I was never a fan of the Crowded House tree, either, sad to say.
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otb_lifer
Footballguy
eazy, peazey ... we sub out "People are People" for "Don't Dream It's Over"
i believe '85 holds a few classic New Wave staples that deserve to be very high on this list.
I love Crowded House but ‘85 is too late for me
El Floppo
Footballguy
Had zero idea XTC were Australian!
I'm think your tastes were into the more loud aggressive stuff. I was always into the rhythmic moody stuff. New wave and post covered that for me in ways straight ahead punk and metal couldn't...even though my tastes have shifted more towards those as I've gotten older. I thought I was supposed to ease into clever respectable singer songwriter bluesy stuff as I age...have gone completely the other way- noisier and dumber the better
Osaurus
Footballguy
El Floppo
Footballguy
That DM song is my least favorite with a bullet. My least favorite of their catalog that I know.
rockaction
Footballguy
You know what? I never liked that DM song, either, but it was so ubiquitous I guess I'm just used to it. I still liked it better than "I Got You." I think. This never was my strongest genre. Outside of Duran Duran, I could leave a lot of this.
Osaurus
Footballguy
They have a lot better, but my guess Tim’s list is more superficial than substantive per artist. It’s not a criticism, merely an observation based on previous lists.
Osaurus
Footballguy
El Floppo
Footballguy
I wonder if this is true for others of you...
I'd get into a band in those early 80s days and typically they'd have a breakthrough moment in terms of popularity...song, album, whatever. That was usually my least favorite song or album, and often spelled out a new direction towards that sound I didn't like (I guess more pop) and away from whatever sound made them interesting to me. Iirc, people are people was that tune for DM for me...although enjoy the silence might be my favorite and came later.
Lots of bands from that era like that for me...DM, OMD, Simple Minds, new order,
I'd get into a band in those early 80s days and typically they'd have a breakthrough moment in terms of popularity...song, album, whatever. That was usually my least favorite song or album, and often spelled out a new direction towards that sound I didn't like (I guess more pop) and away from whatever sound made them interesting to me. Iirc, people are people was that tune for DM for me...although enjoy the silence might be my favorite and came later.
Lots of bands from that era like that for me...DM, OMD, Simple Minds, new order,
Chaos Commish
Footballguy
I opened my kroq playlist for the first time in a couple years. Top 20 for Split Enz is a reach. And damn the playlist sounds great.
Osaurus
Footballguy
otb_lifer
Footballguy
jfc, now my memory is startin' to slip
it was the Finn bros i was thinking of ... though they were from NZ - perhaps i have the Bee Gees on the brain? yes on the loud/agreesive as my staple ... always will be.
but, man, i'm a sucker for a great pop track, and the New Wave genre hit my sweet spot in that regard ... i could loop "Safety Dance" or "Take on Me" all day and be a happy ####er.
when i chose to move to more moody/atmospheric (after punk's Stalinist politics soured me) i moved to Goth and post punk with a fervor ... those two niches walked me thru a great deal of the latter 80s/entire 90s.
Osaurus
Footballguy
Listening to Sunday’s edition of SiriusXM’s Dark Wave right now with J&M Chain’s cover of My Girl. Awesome. These guys blew out my hearing live once, but the second time I saw them they were amazing. Spiritualized and Curve opening certainly didn’t hurt.
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whoknew
Footballguy
I love Crowded House. I'm not sure if I would consider them new wave, but if you do, I'm disappointed not a single song of theirs made it.
Much like People are People, I don't think Don't Dream its Over is their best song. Of their popular stuff, I prefer Something So Strong.
Much like People are People, I don't think Don't Dream its Over is their best song. Of their popular stuff, I prefer Something So Strong.
Osaurus
Footballguy
Big fan here. I’m gonna miss them live at some festival in the Netherlands by 1 day when I’m in Zurich this summer. I’ve missed Neil Finn solo once when I was cross town at a baseball game with a friend in Milwaukee a few years ago.
I really dig Temple of Low Men with Into Temptation and In the Lowlands. Love the Woodface album too.
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El Floppo
Footballguy
Swindon Australia?
Sunnava!!!jfc, now my memory is startin' to slip
yes on the loud/agreesive as my staple ... always will be.
but, man, i'm a sucker for a great pop track, and the New Wave genre hit my sweet spot in that regard ... i could loop "Safety Dance" or "Take on Me" all day and be a happy ####er.
when i chose to move to more moody/atmospheric (after punk's Stalinist politics soured me) i moved to Goth and post punk with a fervor ... those two niches walked me thru a great deal of the latter 80s/entire 90s.
My memory is awful...but I think Australia would have rung some bells, even though I'm past the point of arguing that stuff...or at least winning any memory arguments (take my wife, please). And even I remembered Finn=NZ...now I can't know who to trust! To quote peewee, your mind plays tricks on you- you play tricks back!
Exactly- goth, post are those sweet spot crossovers in the venn.
otb_lifer
Footballguy
i don't consider them New Wave, but, as i said earlier, the seal is busted on this countdown, so if all is fair game, im'ma have to evaluate as such. i'll survive the indignations, i'm sure
... that said, i think "Dream" is as perfectly crafted a tune as i've ever heard - it's just so damn atmospheric, it grabs me every time.
Rock ... if the net is gonna be cast to pretty much any alternative 80s acts, that's gotta be up in your gig, no?
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
rockaction
Footballguy
You know what, otb? Not really. I guess it depends what you call '80s alt. I came of age for '90s alt. And I think it depends. Punk is still viable for me from '80-'82, and then I think you've got crossover with New Wave and Power Pop. It's really my weakest decade musically, critically speaking, as when '87 hit it was thrash and glam/trash for me. I was still young. I just missed New Wave, and if you missed it, it's not one of those things that behooves one to take a fine-toothed comb to. I was listening to the Police and others but the decade was sort of a waste for me. I didn't leave the decade seventeen, even, IIRC. I'm a nineties kid, with a love for seventies music as my sort of oldies station.i don't consider them New Wave, but, as i said earlier, the seal is busted on this countdown, so if all is fair game, im'ma have to evaluate as such. i'll survive the indignations, i'm sure
... that said, i think "Dream" is as perfectly crafted a tune as i've ever heard - it's just so damn atmospheric, it grabs me every time.
Rock ... if the net is gonna be cast to pretty much any alternative 80s acts, that's gotta be up in your gig, no?
That's the best I got, encapsulated. You'll see it as the countdown continues.
Osaurus
Footballguy
There have been some pretty incredible covers of it over the years. Some have been a miss for sure.
El Floppo
Footballguy
Osaurus
Footballguy
El Floppo
Footballguy
Im sure there were others, but who else was doing that fretless bass back then? So ties to that era and specific set of bands/songs he was involved with.
Bought that Dalia car album from the cover and checking instrumentation. When I saw who was in the band...sold.
Doug B
Footballguy
Not so much the year, but the fact that Neil Finn took Crowded House in a completely different musical direction from new wave. The inclusion of the Hammond organ on their debut was a harkening back to the songs they grew up with, and something of a repudiation of new wave.
I love Crowded House but ‘85 is too late for me
joey
Footballguy
I’m confused by this. Tim put a Split Endz tune in the mid-90s of his rankings, and this somehow means that there's no Crowded House song in allllllll the slots above it? How do you jump to this conclusion?
LOVE me some Crowded House as well. Brilliant songwriters....melody, structure, mood, lyrics...the complete package.
otb_lifer
Footballguy
dhockster
Footballguy
I liked this song back in the day, but it was one of those songs that I never knew what it was called or who it was by. It's funny how we can like certain songs when we hear them, but not enough to learn any more about the song or who performs it.
whoknew
Footballguy
In his Split Enz entry, Tim wrote -
The Finn brothers from New Zealand made a pretty strong contribution to the early days of MTV, not only with this great tune but others which I was unable to include on this list, like “One Step Ahead”, “History Never Repeats”, “Six Months in a Leaky Boat”, etc. - all worthy songs but there’s simply no room (or for the later formed Crowded House either which had some great songs of their own.)
I assume that means there are no CH songs on the list. Much to my disappointment.
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