➤ These key acts charted
during the first five formative
years of the decade
As the Eighties dawned, 75 image bands and acts charted after emerging from UK clubland, plus 55 others in the clubbing slipstream – almost all of them new. They are listed here in chronological order of their first appearance in the UK chart (sourced from the Guinness book of British Hit Singles). In terms of a British musical movement, for every one of these bands there were probably ten more beyond the main chart, carrying the torch and nibbling at the Independent charts though it would be impossible to identify them all.
Visage in 1979, soundtrack to the Blitz Club: Rusty Egan, John McGeoch, Barry Adamson, Dave Formula, Billy Currie, Steve Strange, Midge Ure. Photographed © by Sheila Rock
57 ACTS CHARTING DURING
THE FIRST WAVE 1980-1981
12 BLITZ-WORLD ACTS
John Foxx, Ultravox, Linx, Spandau Ballet, Visage, Landscape, Depeche Mode, Kid Creole, Soft Cell, Funkapolitan, Haircut100, Blue Rondo a la Turk.
15 CLUBLAND ACTS
Shalamar, Light of the World, OMD, The Human League, Freeez, Level42, Japan, Beggar & Co, Duran Duran, Heaven 17, Altered Images, Imagination, Eurythmics, Thomas Dolby, ABC.
30 INDIE ROCK/ALT POP/DANCE ACTS
Simple Minds, Gary Numan, The Specials, Madness, Tourists, Selecter, The Beat, Dexy’s Midnight Runners, Bad Manners, Bodysnatchers, Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen, Joy Division, Adam Ant, Hazel O’Connor, Teardrop Explodes, Toyah, Kim Wilde, Classix Nouveaux, The Polecats, New Order, Bauhaus, Killing Joke, Aneka, Modern Romance, The Creatures, Fun Boy Three, Orange Juice, Pigbag, 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. Photo © Shapersofthe80s
73 ACTS CHARTING DURING
THE SECOND WAVE 1982-1984
48 CLUBLAND ACTS
Techno Twins, The Mood, Fashion, Ph.D., Bananarama, Blancmange, Yazoo, Junior, Talk Talk, The Belle Stars, Haysi Fantayzee, Second Image, CaVa CaVa, Culture Club, Wham!, Thompson Twins, Malcolm McLaren, Central Line, Kajagoogoo, Jo Boxers, Aztec Camera, Roman Holliday, Matt Fretton, Jimmy the Hoover, Lotus Eaters, Carmel, Animal Nightlife, Howard Jones, Tik and Tok, Limahl, Marilyn, Care, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Matt Bianco, Colour Field, Swans Way, Sade, Dead or Alive, Everything but the Girl, Helen Terry, Marc Almond, Bronski Beat, David Sylvian, Alison Moyet, George Michael, Dali’s Car, Art of Noise, Smiley Culture.
25 INDIE ROCK/ALT POP/DANCE ACTS
Rhoda Dakar with The Special AKA, Theatre of Hate, The Associates, A Flock of Seagulls, Monsoon, Tears for Fears, The Pale Fountains, The The, Wah!, The Style Council, Tracie Young, Spear of Destiny, Paul Young, Danse Society, This Mortal Coil, Smiths, Julian Cope, Nik Kershaw, Flying Pickets, Prefab Sprout, Aswad, Bourgie Bourgie, Cocteau Twins, Kane Gang, Friends Again.
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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 Ritz Hotel shoot in August 1980 © Virginia Turbett
Back to the future 80s remixed
by Rusty Egan 2014
➢ Elsewhere at Shapersofthe80s: Crucial leaders who set the style in music and fashion
TAGS – Pop music, dance music, synth-pop, elektro-diskow, synthesisers, UK, alternative music, indie rock, image, gender-benders, pop chart, EMD, nightclubbing, New Romantics, Blitz Kids, fashion, social trends, youth culture, history, Swinging London, bands, tipping point
