➤ The key acts who charted
during the first four formative
years of the decade
54 new image bands and acts from UK clubland, plus 34 others in the clubbing slipstream. In chronological order of first appearance in the UK chart (sourced from the Guinness book of British Hit Singles)
Visage 1979: Rusty Egan, John McGeoch, Barry Adamson, Dave Formula, Billy Currie, Steve Strange, Midge Ure. Photographed © by Sheila Rock
50 ACTS CHARTING DURING THE FIRST WAVE 1980-1981
12 BLITZWORLD ACTS
John Foxx, Ultravox, Linx, Spandau Ballet, Visage, Landscape, Depeche Mode, Kid Creole, Soft Cell, Blue Rondo a la Turk, Funkapolitan, Haircut100.
13 CLUBLAND ACTS
Shalamar, Light of the World, The Human League, OMD, Level42, Japan, Duran Duran, Heaven 17, Altered Images, Imagination, ABC, Eurythmics, Thomas Dolby.
25 ALT POP/DANCE ACTS
Simple Minds, Gary Numan, Specials, Madness, Selecter, The Beat, Dexy’s Midnight Runners, Echo and the Bunnymen, Joy Division, Adam Ant, Teardrop Explodes, Kim Wilde, The Polecats, New Order, Toyah, Classix Nouveaux, Bauhaus, Cure, Killing Joke, Modern Romance, The Creatures, Orange Juice, Pigbag, Fun Boy Three, Scritti Politti.
Animal Nightlife play Flick’s, Dartford: 1982 line-up with Leah Seresin, Andy Polaris and Chrysta Jones, just after releasing the single Love Is Just The Great Pretender. © Shapersofthe80s
38 ACTS CHARTING DURING THE SECOND WAVE 1982-1984
29 CLUBLAND ACTS
Talk Talk, Bananarama, Yazoo, Blancmange, Fashion, Junior, Haysi Fantayzee, Culture Club, Wham, Thompson Twins, Malcolm McLaren, Kajagoogoo, Aztec Camera, Jimmy the Hoover, Animal Nightlife, Tik and Tok, Marilyn, Howard Jones, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Limahl, Sade, Dead or Alive, Alison Moyet, George Michael, Matt Bianco, Helen Terry, Sparks, Bronski Beat, Art of Noise.
9 ALT POP/DANCE ACTS
The Associates, A Flock of Seagulls, Tears for Fears, The The, Paul Young, Smiths, Nik Kershaw, Prefab Sprout, Kane Gang.
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Young romantics: trendsetting but as-yet unsigned Spandau Ballet sport a mix of Willy Brown Modern Classics, the odd Simon Withers knee-breeches and crucial Chinese dancing slippers for the Waldorf Hotel shoot in August 1980 © Virginia Turbett
