Discogs delves into the 10 best records of the genre and familiarize yourself with the origins of synthpop.
In the post-punk era of music, the introduction of synths in avant-garde rock, disco and German rock foreshadowed the rise of synthpop, which emerged as a distinct genre in the New Wave movement of the late 70s of the 20th century and throughout the 80s. After the split in punk rock, artists who wanted to experiment with non-rock and avant-garde influences turned to polyphonic synths to create more understandable and commercialized sounds for listeners.
Synth-pop is defined as the use of synthesizers, drum machines, and sequencers (often in place of instruments), and it was adopted by many New Wave artists, mainly from Britain. The physical style of these performances—coupled with the launch of MTV in 1981—helped spur the popularity of synth-pop in the United States and brought great commercial success to its artists during the Second British Invasion.
Synth-pop played an important role in the development of house and techno and consolidated the use of synths as a staple of mainstream pop music. Today, synth-pop continues to dominate the US and UK charts, as both early adopters of the genre and New Millennium Pop play a role in the style. Delve into 10 important albums of the genre and get acquainted with synth-pop.
Depeche Mode - 《Violator》
Released 1990/09/19
Founded in 1980, Depeche Mode Catch-up is one of the largest synth-pop artists still working on the genre today. The band's seventh studio album, Violator, was their best-selling album, blending synth-pop, alternative rock and dance styles to create a rambling, psychedelic vibe. Violator was well received by fans and critics alike, who called it Depeche Mode's best album and benchmark electropop.
Duran Duran Duran - Rio
Released 1982/05/10
Known as an early adopter and innovator of the music video format, MTV pushed Duran Duran and the single from the self-titled debut to the mainstream. Their second studio album, Rio, was released in 1982, and the band experimented with more live instruments during production, including vibraphone, marimba, and other instruments discovered. The remix version of Rio helped the record become a commercial success in the United States, staying on the Billboard charts for 129 weeks.
The Human League - 《Dare》
Released 1981/10/16
Started as an experimental electronic music group in 1977, but turned to synth-pop after all the founding members except Philip Oakey left. Featuring new female singers Susan Ann Sulley and Joanne Catherall, the 1981 release of Dare saw The Human League embrace more commercial pop music and deliver the band's biggest hit, "Don't You Want Me."
Tears For Fears - 《Songs From The Big Chair》
Released 1985/02/25
Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith formed Tears For Fears in 1981 after their former band, Graduate, disbanded. Their debut album, The Hurting, spawned three hit singles, but their second album, Songs From The Big Chair, was a commercial success for the band in the United States. Songs From The Big Chair was heavily influenced by progressive rock and was praised by critics for its lyrical honesty and graceful handling of pop music.
Kraftwerk Power Station Band - "Die Mensch· Maschine》
Released 2009/10/12 Remaster
Founded in 1970, it was part of the experimental Krautrock scene before employing electronic instruments in their work. Kraftwerk is widely regarded as a pioneer in electronic music and was one of the first successful bands to incorporate synths, drum machines, and encoders into popular music. Die Mensch· Maschine is the band's seventh studio album, which has seen the band adopt a more dance-friendly rhythm in their self-described "robot pop" style.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood——《Welcome To The Pleasuredome》
Released 1984/10/20
In 1980, it became a synth-pop band from Liverpool, England. The band's first single, "Relax", was released in 1983 and quickly climbed the UK charts. However, it was banned by the BBC after broadcaster Mike Reed announced that the cover art and lyrics of the single were obscene when it aired. By the time their debut album, Welcome To The Pleasuredome, was released in 1984, the band was already known for its provocative visuals and themes.
Pet Shop Boys - 《Actually》
Released 1987/09/06
Due to a shared interest in electronic and disco styles, singer Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Loh formed Pet Shop Boys in 1981. Influenced by other synth-pop and new wave artists such as Depeche Mode, The Human League and Soft Cell, Tennant and Lowe aim to produce catchy, commercial—but complex—pop music. Their 1987 album Actually focused loosely on British politics and provided listeners with ironic social commentary.
Eurythmics - 《Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)》
Issued 1983/01/04
Annie Lennox and David Stewart could not experiment with popular and avant-garde styles as members of The Tourists, so they went it alone as Eurythmics in 1981. After signing with RCA Records, the duo released their debut album – a blend of electropop, psychedelic and Krautrock styles – but was a disappointing commercial success. However, with the release of Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) in 1983, they made a breakthrough in the mainstream. The touching synth bass melody in the title track, combined with Lennox's bright orange hair and neutral style in the music video, helped the song become very popular and cemented the duo's status as pop icons.
Yazoo ——《Upstairs At Eric’s》
Released 1982/08/20
After leaving Depeche Mode and looking for a singer to sing in the demo, Vince Clark formed the synth-pop duo Yazoo with singer Alison Moyer. Upstairs At Eric's, released in 1982, was credited with its skillful blend of Clark's synth melodies with Moyer's soulful blues voice. Although the band disbanded a year later, Clarke and Moyet influenced other artists by combining electronic instruments with soul-inspired vocal performances, including LCD Soundsystem and La Roux.
Talk Talk - 《It’s My Life》
Released 1984/02/13
London trio Talk Talk - Formed by lead singer Mark Hollis, drummer Lee Harris and bassist Paul Webb. In the early 1980s, they achieved commercial success with a series of synth-pop singles, "Such a Shame" and "It's My Life", both appearing on their second studio album. It's My Life was released in 1984 and became an international success, with the title track becoming an instant hit (the song was covered by No Doubt in 2003). Still, Talk Talk took some moves that deliberately pushed them out of the mainstream, such as deliberately lip-syncing poorly in the music video for "It's My Life" and starting experimenting with what came to be known as post-rock in their later works.