Pop Go The 80s's blog

Bananarama "Cruel Summer"

Wed, 06 Sep 2006 21:01:03 -0400

Girl groups have been around as long as there has been popular music, reaching their heydey in the '60s when acts like Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, The Ronnettes, and The Supremes were ubiquitous hitmakers. The '70s saw a decline in such musical formations, but the '80s arrived with The Go-Gos who, unlike their predecessors, wrote and performed their own material. They were followed by British trio Bananarama in 1983 who more resembled early all-female acts.

The Stray Cats "(She's) Sexy + 17"

Tue, 05 Sep 2006 20:27:36 -0400

Long Island trio The Stray Cats were required to go to the UK to find an audience, but, once they did, the States took notice. Their 1982 debut Built For Speed was a multi-million selling smash album which reached the Top Ten as did two of its singles, "Rock This Town" and "Stray Cat Strut' (the latter becoming their biggest hit when it peaked at #3 in early 1983). So, expectations were high for their sophomore album, Rant 'N Rave With The Stray Cats, was issued in late summer of 1983.

Men At Work "Who Can It Be Now?"

Thu, 31 Aug 2006 18:41:40 -0400

Quite arguably the greatest debut success story in US pop music history, the Australian septet Men At Work exploded onto the American pop scene in late summer of 1982. Their rise to a position of being one of the most popular acts of the day was surprising and meteoric and the group itself possessed one of the more unique sounds of the '80s.

Journey "Who's Crying Now"

Wed, 30 Aug 2006 08:09:10 -0400

In the late summer of 1981, San Francisco rock quintet Journey would release their eighth album, Escape, their fifth with lead singer Steve Perry. It was the album that would make the band, which had been a popular live act and staples on album rock radio throughout the '70s, and make them mainstream superstars, scoring numerous pop hits, in the '80s.

Johnny Lee "Lookin' For Love"

Tue, 29 Aug 2006 18:45:46 -0400

Country singer Johnny Lee unwittingly set up the biggest hit of his career with one single act of moxie. As a young singer following his discharge from the Navy in the late '60s, Lee convinced Mickey Gilley to allow him to join his band under the pretense that the two had met years before. They hadn't. However, it established Lee with Gilley and made the former a headliner in the latter's successful Houston club.

Motley Crue "Smokin' In The Boys' Room"

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 18:15:49 -0400

With their first two albums, 1981's Too Fast For Love and 1983's Shout At The Devil, the Los Angeles glam-metal band Motely Crue had become one of the most popular acts in metal circles. Although Shout At The Devil had sold millions of copies and even spawned several videos that received heavy airplay on MTV, radio play was still practically non-existant.

The Cars "Drive"

Sun, 27 Aug 2006 09:04:44 -0400

From the time they arrived off the assembly line with their 1978 debut, Boston's The Cars had become one of the most popular bands in America on the strength of their uptempo fusion of classic power pop and New Wave. Four albums had produced a string of hits including "Just What I Needed," "Let's Go," and "Shake It Up." It was their 1984 release, Heartbeat City, though, that had launched them to superstardom.

Bonnie Tyler "Total Eclipse Of The Heart"

Sat, 26 Aug 2006 08:21:11 -0400

Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler had great success in much of Europe throughout the late '70s and early '80s, but she seemed destined to be a one-hit wonder in the US on the strength of her lone Top Ten hit, "It's A Heartache," which hit #3 in 1978. One problem was her American record label that had tried to steer her into the direction of more country-oriented material.

Haircut 100 "Love Plus One"

Fri, 25 Aug 2006 07:10:24 -0400

With their clean-cut look and frothy pop melodies, Haircut 100 became major sensations in the UK when their debut album Pelican West was released in late 1981. The album wouldn't hit the States until the following summer and although they wouldn't create quite the stir they had in England, their lone US Top 40 hit would become one of the more unusual and memorable hits of the early '80s.

Pablo Cruise "Cool Love"

Thu, 24 Aug 2006 07:10:50 -0400

The Southern California band Pablo Cruise epitomized the laid-back, soft pop of the mid- to late-'70s typified by acts like Player, Firefall and Ambrosia. Like those bands, Pablo Cruise included members who had a long list of credits, including former members of the bands Stoneground and It's A Beautiful Day.

George Benson "Give Me The Night"

Wed, 23 Aug 2006 08:50:46 -0400

Although regarded by many as one of the greatest jazz guitarists of all time, including having appeared on record with the legendary Miles Davis, George Benson also managed to carve out a highly successful career on R&B, pop, and adult contemporary radio in the '70s. Not only did Benson win four Grammy Awards during the decade, he also notched smash hits like "This Masquerade," "On Broadway," and "The Greatest Love Of All" (which would later become a #1 hit for Whitney Houston).

Billy Joel "You're Only Human (Second Wind)

Tue, 22 Aug 2006 06:42:18 -0400

For as much success as singer/songwriter Billy Joel had during the late '70s - a period where over the course of three albums, he notched hits like "Just The Way You Are," "My Life," and "Only The Good Die Young" - the '80s proved to be even more hit-laden for the piano man. From 1980 through the end of 1984, Joel released 14 songs that became US Top 40 hits - five of them reaching the Top Ten.

Peter Wolf "Lights Out"

Mon, 21 Aug 2006 08:30:02 -0400

Following nearly fifteen years of major commercial success despite being an enormously popular live draw, the J. Geils Band broke through in a major way with the release of their album Freeze-Frame in late 1981. By tempering their blues and R&B-based sound in a more pop-friendly direction, the group saw the album and lead single "Centerfold" become #1 smashes, as well as subsequent singles "Freeze-Frame" and "Angel In Blue" become US Top 40 hits.

Men Without Hats "The Safety Dance"

Sun, 20 Aug 2006 10:06:47 -0400

"S-A-F-E-T-Y. Safety. Dance." One of the most memorable spelling lessons in pop music history, those letters and words also introduced the music world to the the synth-pop stylings of the Canadian band Men Without Hats. Including brothers Ivan and Stefan Doroschuk, the group had formed in 1980 and released an EP which was re-released the following year on Britain's legendary Stiff label. In 1982, they would release their full-fledged debut, Rhythm Of Youth, which would become a hit in the States in 1983, following success around the world.

The Go-Gos "Vacation"

Fri, 18 Aug 2006 15:27:24 -0400

Toward the end of 1981, Los Angeles' Go-Go's scored their first hit with "Our Lips Our Sealed" and, as 1982 began, they stormed the charts with its even more successful follow-up, "We Got The Beat," which reached #2 on the pop charts and helped the band's debut album, Beauty And The Beat, become a #1 album.