The Best Electronic Dance Music of the 80s
Contents
Here’s a look at the best Electronic Dance Music of the 1980s. Take a trip down memory lane with these classic tracks.
Introduction
The 80s was a decade of great transition for electronic dance music. It was the decade that saw the birth of techno and house, the rise of synth-pop and the fall of disco. It was also a time of great experimentation, with new genres and subgenres constantly emerging.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at some of the best electronic dance music of the 80s, including classic tracks and forgotten gems. We’ll also explore the various genres and subgenres that emerged during this decade, and see how they’ve influenced electronic dance music in the years since.
The Best Electronic Dance Music of the 80s
The 80s was a great decade for electronic dance music. Some of the best known and most influential DJs and producers started their careers in the 80s. In this article, we will countdown the top 10 best electronic dance music tracks of the 80s.
Depeche Mode- “Personal Jesus”
“Personal Jesus” is a song by English electronic band Depeche Mode, released on 28 August 1989 as the lead single from their seventh album, Violator (1990). It reached No. 13 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1991 and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording at the 33rd annual ceremony in 1991. The single was certified Gold in Italy. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked it No. 365 in their list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
The song was inspired by the book Elvis and Me by Priscilla Presley, which is about her life with Elvis Presley. In an interview with Q magazine in 2007, lead singer Dave Gahan said: “It was our producer Flood’s idea to have something like an Elvis thing for that song.” He added: “‘Personal Jesus’ is about being somewhere where you’re not really needed, but you’re valued anyway.”
musically, “Personal Jesus” consists of two bass lines played by Alan Wilder and Andrew Fletcher which interlock throughout most of the song, with occasional variations in tempo and feel to add interest and excitement. Martin Gore plays a sparse guitar line on his Fender Telecaster Thinline while synthesizers fill out much of the rest of the arrangement.
New Order- “Blue Monday”
New Order’s “Blue Monday” is a song that defined the 80s. The opening bassline is one of the most iconic electronic riffs of all time, and the synth work throughout is nothing short of stunning. The drum machine work is also top-notch, with a simple but effective beat that drives the song forward. The lyrics are dark and mysterious, and the vocal performance is captivating. “Blue Monday” is a timeless classic that still sounds fresh today.
Front 242- “Headhunter”
“Headhunter” is a song recorded by Belgian electronic music group Front 242. It was released in 1988 as a single from their album Front by Wax Trax! Records. The song peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in the United States.
Front Line Assembly- “Mindphaser”
“Mindphaser” is a single by Canadian industrial band Front Line Assembly, released in 1990 as the lead single from their albumFLA. The song peaked at number 22 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play chart in 1990.
Nitzer Ebb- “Join in the Chant”
Nitzer Ebb was an English electronic dance music band formed in Lowestoft in 1982. The group consisted of Douglas McCarthy, Vaughan Steven and David Gooday. They were named after the psychologist Wilhelm Reich’s Einheitliche Feldtheorie (Unified Field Theory), which posits that all matter and energy are connected by a field, and “Neue Deutsche Welle” (New German Wave), a German music movement.
The band’s music is often characterized as minimalistic, consisting of simple basslines, drum machine rhythms, and vocoded or shouted vocals. Nitzer Ebb incorporated live instrumentation into their later work.
“Join in the Chant” is a song by Nitzer Ebb, released as a single in 1987. The song was included on the band’s debut album That Total Age. The song peaked at number 45 on the UK Singles Chart.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the best electronic dance music of the 80s was a time when the genre was truly taking shape. From early pioneers like Kraftwerk to newcomers like Depeche Mode, the music of the 80s was groundbreaking and influential. While the sound of electronic dance music has changed considerably over the years, the 80s will always be remembered as a golden age for the genre.
