Did you know this is a sample?

Across from my bed in my room sits my turntable and speakers. Below are my crates of records I inherited from my dad, but through the years I have accumulated my own records. The records that I have bought are primarily synth pop/goth/new wave albums from the 1980s. 

Some bands that I own albums from are The Cure, Depeche Mode, New Order, Cocteau Twins, The B-52’s (fun fact I had a friend tell me he has never met a big B-52’s fan until he met me) and David Bowie (“Let’s Dance” is my favorite album). 

There is a reason why I have a soft spot for this era of music. My parents had me late in life (my mother was 41 when I was born). So I grew up watching and listening to a lot of pop culture from when they were younger, primarily the 1970s and 1980s. I also just like how electronic music sounds. 

Music to me is very cyclical in nature. If you listen to enough of it you can see what the musicians’ influences are. Each generation is going to pull from the last. What is old is new again. And in the past decade or so the influence of the ‘80s has become prevalent in music.

The late ‘70s saw the advancements of many devices that would change the way music is made and listened to. Example being Sony’s Walkman in 1979 made listening to music on the go much easier. The commercial synthesizers have been around since 1964 with the invention of the analog synthesizer the Moog synthesizer. 

In 1979 the Fairlight CMI (computer musical instrument) came on the market. The Fairlight is a digital synthesizer, digital audio workstation and sampler. This synthesizer is also credited with the invention of the word sampling. One of the most well known songs to utilize the Fairlight is Kate Bush’s “Babooshka” (1980). 

One way ‘80s music can be heard is through its use of sampling and interpolation in other songs. Rihanna samples Soft Cell cover of “Tainted Love” (1981) in “SOS” (2006). She interpolates The Cure’s “Let’s Go to Bed” (1982) in “S&M” (2011). Flo Rida has an interpolation of Dead or Alive’s “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)” (1984) in “Right Round” (2009). 

M.I.A’s “Paper Planes” (2008) samples The Clash’s “Straight to Hell” (1982). The Weeknd’s “House of Balloons” (2011) samples Siouxsie and the Banshees’ “Happy House” (1980). And the list goes on. 

The Killers’ debut album “Hot Fuss” (2004) draws heavily from new wave and synth especially songs like “Somebody Told Me,” “Mr. Brightside,” “Smile Like You Mean It” and “On Top.” The band name has another connection to the ‘80s, they take their band name from the music video for the New Order song “Crystal” (2001). The fictional band in the video is called The Killers. 

New Order’s “Blue Monday” (1983) has found renewed popularity on TikTok. I think one of the reasons why “Blue Monday” has stayed relevant for over four decades is its multiple remixes and danceability. You can’t help but sing and tap your feet once the opening line “How does it?” begins. 

The single “Lies” (2013) from Chvrches’ debut album “The Bones of What You Believe In” (2013) with its heavy use of synths and dark lyrical matter sounds like a song that could have easily been on Depeche Mode’s 1986 album “Black Celebration” I can picture it specifically after “Stripped.” The band actually performed at four Depeche Mode shows during their The Delta Machine Tour (2013-2014). 

Chvrches is a perfect example of taking ‘80s influence and putting their own spin on it, but also acknowledging their influences on songs like “How Not To Drown” (2021) which features vocals from The Cure’s frontman Robert Smith. 

In the summer of 2022 I saw Chvrches perform live at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans and their pre-show mix of deep cut Bowie and ‘80s alternative music helped set the tone for how high energy the show was. 

By the end of the night, my feet and voice were hurting from all the singing and dancing. My favorite memories from the show were either hearing “Science/Visions” (my favorite Chvrches song) or everyone jumping up and down to the build up and eventual drop of “Clearest Blue.”  I remember warning my mother that everyone would start jumping. 

The visuals and musical styles of Paramore’s fifth album “After Laughter” (2017) have many elements of the ‘80s. “Caught in the Middle” music video pays homage to the pencil drawings of A-Ha’s “Take On Me” video (1984-85). 

In the summer of 2023 I finally saw a bucket list concert The Cure at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. It’s one of those once in a lifetime concerts I’m probably never going to experience again. What made it special is Robert Smith’s voice is still amazing after over 40 years of performing.

And the range of age groups was fascinating to see from people who are my parents’ age and have probably been fans of The Cure since their teenage years. 

To people in my age range (mid teens-early 20s) all singing the lyrics to “Just Like Heaven” and “Fascination Street.” I also recommended checking out the opener The Twilight Sad for similar music.

Knowing me I could go on for another hundred words on why the ‘80s is my favorite era of music. Now if you excuse me I am going dance like nobody’s watching.