The Best of Synth-Pop: An 80s Electronic Music Playlist

Looking for the best synth-pop hits from the 1980s? Look no further than this ultimate playlist, featuring all the greatest tracks from the golden era of electronic music.

Introduction to Synth-Pop

Synth-Pop is a subgenre of electronic music that emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It was a popular style of music in the 1980s and is often associated with that decade. Synth-Pop is a mixture of electronic and pop music and usually features synthesizers.

What is Synth-Pop?

Synth-pop (also known as electropop or technopop) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. The genre was developed by musicians who combined their love of pop music with their interest in electronic music, making it one of the earliest genres of electronic rock.

Early synth-pop bands such as The Human League, Depeche Mode, and Duran Duran were inspired by electronic pioneers Kraftwerk and Yellow Magic Orchestra, as well as disco and punk rock. These bands brought synth-pop to mainstream audiences with their catchy melodies and danceable beats, making the genre one of the most commercially successful and influential of the 1980s.

While early synth-pop was dominated by male artists, female artists such as Yazoo, Alison Moyet, and Sue Clinton also made significant contributions to the genre. In recent years, synth-pop has experienced a resurgence in popularity thanks to contemporary artists like La Roux, Little Boots, Passion Pit, and Chvrches.

If you’re new to synth-pop or just want to explore some of its classic tracks, check out our playlist of the best synth-pop songs of all time.

Origins of Synth-Pop

The first wave of British synth-pop was led by film composer Paul Hartnoll and his brother, producer/multi-instrumentalist Phil Hartnoll, who formed the group Orbital in 1989. The duo’s 1992 hit “Chime” became an underground club anthem and remains one of the most iconic dance tracks of all time.

The Hartnolls were followed by a host of other groove-minded producers and musicians, including English artist Aphex Twin, who helped shape the genre’s sound with his 1991 EP Selected Ambient Works 85-92. Depeche Mode also played a pivotal role in spreading the popularity of synth-pop throughout the world with their mega-hit album Violator (1990), which featured the massively successful singles “Personal Jesus” and “Enjoy the Silence.”

After hitting its commercial peak in the early-’90s, synth-pop began to fall out of favor with mainstream audiences. However, it has since undergone something of a renaissance in recent years, thanks in part to a new generation of artists like college dropout and bedroom producerM83, whose 2011 album Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming revitalized interest in the genre with its stadium-sized production values and starry-eyed melodies.

The Best of Synth-Pop

Synth-pop is a subgenre of electronic music that emerged in the late 1970s. The defining features of synth-pop are the synthesizers and electronic drums that are used to create the music. If you’re a fan of synth-pop, or if you’re curious about the genre, check out this playlist of the best synth-pop songs from the 1980s.

Depeche Mode – “Enjoy the Silence”

Depeche Mode – “Enjoy the Silence” is a song by English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released in February 1990 as the lead single from their seventh studio album, Violator (1990). The single reached number six in the UK Singles Chart and number four on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart. The song won Best British Single at the 1991 Brit Awards.

Originally written by lead singer Dave Gahan and keyboardist Andrew Fletcher, the song was one of two tracks that chief producer Flood contributed to during the sessions for Violator. While writing the lyrics, Gahan kept reading the phrase “enjoy the silence” over and over again. Fletcher brought him a book about artist Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, which helped inspire some of the lyrics.

The image on the single’s cover was photographed by Martyn Atkins and shows a woman drowning in snow.

New Order – “Blue Monday”

New Order’s “Blue Monday” is a certified ’80s synth-pop classic. The song was originally released in 1983 as a 12-inch single, and it quickly became a favorite of club DJs due to its catchy melody and heavy bassline. The track was produced by New Order’s lead singer, Bernard Sumner, and it features contributions from keyboardist Gillian Gilbert and drummer Stephen Morris. “Blue Monday” is widely considered to be one of the best electronic tracks of all time, and it has been covered by numerous artists including Kylie Minogue, Erasure, and The Orb.

Yaz – “Only You”

Yaz was a synth-pop duo from the UK, consisting of singer Alison Moyet and keyboardist Vince Clarke. The duo had a string of hits in the early 1980s, including “Only You,” which reached #2 on the UK Singles Chart. Despite their success, the duo parted ways in 1983 and went on to pursue solo careers.

A-ha – “Take On Me”

“Take On Me” is a song by Norwegian synth-pop band A-ha, first released in 1984. The song was written by the band’s lead singer Morten Harket, guitarist Pål Waaktaar and keyboardist Magne Furuholmen. The song combines synth-pop with a varied instrumentation that includes acoustic guitars, drums and keyboards. The original version of the song was produced by Alan Tarney for the band’s debut album Hunting High and Low (1985).

The song’s initial success was in Europe, where it reached number one in several countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Italy. It was also a number-one hit in Australia and Canada. In the United States, it peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1985 and became one of the most popular songs of 1986. In 1998, “Take On Me” was voted by listeners of Britain’s Virgin Radio as the greatest pop song ever. In 2003, the song was ranked at number 327 on Rolling Stone’s list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”.

Erasure – “A Little Respect”

Erasure is an English synth-pop duo, consisting of singer and songwriter Andy Bell and songwriter and keyboardist Vince Clarke. They formed in London in 1985 and released their first single, “Oh L’amour”, in June 1986. Their second single, “Sometimes”, became their biggest hit, reaching number four in the UK in August 1986 and number two in Germany during October 1986. It was also a top 40 hit in the United States, peaking at number 32.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the best of synth-pop from the 80s is a great way to get introduced to electronic music. It’s catchy, fun, and has a lot of variety. I hope you enjoy this playlist!

The Legacy of Synth-Pop

The 1980s were a time of massive change in the music industry. The synth-pop sound was one of the defining genres of the decade, and its legacy can still be heard in today’s music. While the genre may have faded from the mainstream, it has left a lasting impression on popular culture.

Synth-pop was a reaction to the overblown sounds of popular music in the 1970s. Artists like Kraftwerk and Giorgio Moroder paved the way for a new sound that would come to dominate the charts in the 1980s. The synthesizer was the defining instrument of synth-pop, and it was used to createcatchy hooks and melodies.

The genre experienced its peak in the early 1980s with groups like Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk, and Visage. These groups took synth-pop to new heights with their innovative use of technology. By the mid-1980s, synth-pop had become one of the most popular genres in the world.

The legacy of synth-pop can still be heard in today’s music. Many modern artists have been influenced by the genre, and it continues to inspire new generations of musicians.