You know the first two seconds of every one of these. The drum machine on “Blue Monday”. The synth riff on “Don’t You Want Me”. Here are the best ’80s new wave songs, the greatest hits and a few deeper ones, sorted by mood so you can find your way in. Every one of them is in our rotation.
The core essentials: start here if you start anywhere
- The Cure – “Just Like Heaven” (1987). Robert Smith’s most perfect pop song.
- Depeche Mode – “Enjoy the Silence” (1990). Dark, huge and somehow calm.
- Depeche Mode – “Just Can’t Get Enough” (1981). The bright, early version of the band.
- New Order – “Blue Monday” (1983). The drum machine that changed dance music.
- New Order – “Bizarre Love Triangle” (1986). Heartbreak at 120 beats per minute.
- A-ha – “Take On Me” (1985). That falsetto. That pencil-sketch video.
- The Human League – “Don’t You Want Me” (1981). A duet with a story from line one.
- Soft Cell – “Tainted Love” (1981). A soul cover turned synth landmark.
- Gary Numan – “Cars” (1979). Safe inside your car, which is where most people heard it.
- Eurythmics – “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” (1983). One riff, one look, one decade.
- Joy Division – “Love Will Tear Us Apart” (1980). The saddest song you can dance to.
- OMD – “Enola Gay” (1980). A happy-sounding song about something very dark.
- Simple Minds – “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” (1985). The Breakfast Club, of course.
Synth-pop royalty: the shimmering side of the decade
- Tears for Fears – “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” (1985).
- ‘Til Tuesday – “Voices Carry” (1985).
- Animotion – “Obsession” (1984).
- Real Life – “Send Me an Angel” (1983).
- A Flock of Seagulls – “I Ran (So Far Away)” (1982).
- Men Without Hats – “The Safety Dance” (1982).
- Billy Idol – “Dancing with Myself” (1981).
- Peter Schilling – “Major Tom (Coming Home)” (1983).
- Ultravox – “Vienna” (1981).
- Spandau Ballet – “True” (1983).
- Alphaville – “Forever Young” (1984).
Darkwave and post-punk edge: for after midnight
- The Cure – “A Forest” (1980).
- Bauhaus – “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” (1979).
- The Cult – “She Sells Sanctuary” (1985).
- The Church – “Under the Milky Way” (1988).
- The Smiths – “This Charming Man” (1983).
- Devo – “Whip It” (1980).
- Talking Heads – “Once in a Lifetime” (1980).
Dance-floor new wave: where the synths meet the sweat
- Frankie Goes to Hollywood – “Relax” (1983).
- Yazoo – “Situation” (1982).
- David Bowie – “Let’s Dance” (1983).
- After the Fire – “Der Kommissar” (1982).
- Naked Eyes – “Promises, Promises” (1983).
- Nena – “99 Luftballons” (1983).
- INXS – “Don’t Change” (1982).
- Duran Duran – “Hungry Like the Wolf” (1982).
- Culture Club – “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me” (1982).
Deep-cut favorites: for listeners who dig a little deeper
- Haircut 100 – “Love Plus One” (1982). Bright, jazzy and unbeatable in summer.
- Modern English – “I Melt with You” (1982). The end-of-the-world love song.
- Echo & the Bunnymen – “The Killing Moon” (1984). Fate, up against your will.
- General Public – “Tenderness” (1984). Ska veterans make a perfect pop single.
- Freur – “Doot-Doot” (1983). Strange, lovely, and an early Underworld lineup.
- When in Rome – “The Promise” (1987). One great chorus, forever.
- A Flock of Seagulls – “Space Age Love Song” (1982). Better than “I Ran”. Fight us.
Your song’s not here?
Request it. The most-requested tracks go into our weekly Top 20 Countdown, and the deeper cuts end up on Rare & Deep 80s Tracks. For the bands rather than the songs, see the 20 Best New Wave Bands of All Time.
