Welcome to 80s New Wave Music, a growing documentary archive dedicated to the music that shaped my life.
Here I explore the world of early 1980s New Wave, Synthpop and the New Romantic movement, with a particular focus on the pioneering UK scene and the artists, albums and songs that defined it.
These documentaries combine careful research, musical analysis and, where it feels natural, my own memories of discovering this music as a teenager and why it has stayed with me for more than forty years.
Rather than simply telling the history, I want to understand what made this music so unique, why it still resonates today and why it continues to inspire listeners around the world.
Whether you've loved this music for decades or you're discovering it for the first time, I hope you'll enjoy the journey and share your own memories in the comments.
80s New Wave Music
THE CLASSIC YEARS IS NOW ONLINE!
15 ESSENTIAL SONGS from CLASSIC NEW WAVE, NEW ROMANTIC and SYNTHPOP ALBUMS (1980–83).
A small correction: I accidentally used Leave in Silence instead of See You for the Depeche Mode music excerpt. The narration refers to See You, but the song you hear is Leave in Silence. My apologies for the mix-up!
Four extraordinary years. Fifteen classic albums. Fifteen songs that have stayed with me over the decades.
For this new video, I've personally selected a mixture of familiar favourites and lesser-known gems, exploring how the music evolved from the playful experimentation of the early years towards increasingly sophisticated production and songwriting.
Which songs made my list? Time to find out!
2 hours ago (edited) |[YT] | 0
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80s New Wave Music
Some albums defined an era. But which songs from those albums still stand out more than forty years later?
COMING SOON: THE CLASSIC YEARS
15 ESSENTIAL SONGS from CLASSIC NEW WAVE, NEW ROMANTIC and SYNTHPOP ALBUMS (1980-83).
My next video takes us back to four extraordinary years of British music, featuring my personal selection of 15 essential songs from 15 classic albums. These are my own choices, bringing together well-known favourites and lesser-known gems.
14 hours ago (edited) |[YT] | 48
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80s New Wave Music
ONLINE NOW: Gary Numan vs. The Press
In 1979, Gary Numan was topping the UK charts, but while audiences embraced his electronic music, sections of the British music press were attacking him, sometimes in remarkably personal ways.
My new documentary explores what happened, using original reviews, articles and interviews with Numan himself.
1 day ago |[YT] | 13
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80s New Wave Music
I Came For The Music, Not The Boys!
I've brought one of my new 80s New Wave T-shirt designs to life in a little animated adventure (yes it's AI). A bit of 80s humour for everyone who remembers when the music came first!
Explore my new New Wave Humour collection:
80s-new-wave-music-store.printify.me/collection/ne…
3 days ago |[YT] | 5
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80s New Wave Music
COMING SOON | NEW WAVE CHRONICLES
Gary Numan vs. the Industry: How the Press Tried to Destroy Him
From electronic music pioneer to a target of the British music press. My next documentary explores the hostility, the struggles and his remarkable resurgence.
5 days ago (edited) |[YT] | 99
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80s New Wave Music
NOW ONLINE!
Simple Minds: The Making of Sparkle in the Rain
After the extraordinary success of New Gold Dream, Simple Minds took their music in a new direction. But what led to the powerful, expansive sound of Sparkle in the Rain?
My new documentary explores the making of their 1984 album, the creative decisions behind its sound, and the ten tracks that shaped this important chapter in the band's history.
5 days ago |[YT] | 17
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80s New Wave Music
ONLINE SOON
Simple Minds: The Making of Sparkle in the Rain
After the breakthrough of New Gold Dream, Simple Minds could have repeated the formula. Instead, they chose to move forward.
My new documentary explores how Sparkle in the Rain was made, how the sound of Simple Minds was changing, and the story behind an album that took them somewhere they had never been before.
I’ll also take a closer look at all ten tracks on the album.
1 week ago (edited) |[YT] | 76
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80s New Wave Music
ONLINE NOW
Howard Jones - Human’s Lib: Inside the Album
In 1983, Howard Jones seemed to appear from nowhere. But his overnight success had actually taken years.
My new documentary explores the journey that led to Human’s Lib, the songs and ideas behind his debut album, and the record that took him all the way to number one in the UK.
1 week ago (edited) |[YT] | 19
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80s New Wave Music
ONLINE SOON
Howard Jones - Human’s Lib: Inside the Album
Before the hits, before the success, there were the songs that would become Human’s Lib. My next documentary looks back at Howard Jones and the debut album that took him all the way to number one.
3 weeks ago |[YT] | 106
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80s New Wave Music
I've been thinking quite a lot lately about the future of 80s New Wave Music and where I could take the channel over the next few years. 😊
I absolutely want to stay true to what the channel has always been about and to the music and period I'm passionate about. But at the same time, I feel there is still an enormous world to explore within that framework, including artists, music and stories I haven't touched on yet.
So over the next few weeks, I'm going to start putting together a loose two-year game-plan for the channel. Nothing rigid or set in stone, just a way of gathering ideas and looking at all the different directions the documentaries could take while keeping the identity of the channel intact.
And I'd really like your input while I'm doing it. What would you like to see me explore in the future? It could be an artist, album, song, story, subject or simply a direction you think would be interesting for the channel.
I'm very curious to see what you come up with. 😊
4 weeks ago |[YT] | 154
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