I once heard Casey Kasem on his old America's Top 10 show make reference to a "second British Invasion" that took place in the 80's.
Who were your favorite British groups or artists in the 80's?  This is just a short list of mine, I may think of more later:

Duran Duran, of course
Tears for Fears
The Pet Shop Boys (loved their duet with Dusty Springfield, "What have I done to deserve this?"
George Michael (liked the Faith album anyway)
Howard Jones

Def Leppard

Spandau Ballet, methinks they were Brits.

Just remembered another one I like: Bananarama  8)

i loved most of the british new wave bands but the one brit band that i devoutly listened too was iron maiden. a lot of metal bands came from the UK as well in the 80s.

Oooooh...a topic close to my heart!!! At least 95% of the groups I listened to in the 80's, and the 80's groups I listen to now are British. (Actually, I'd have to say that nowadays...pretty much ALL of the groups I love and listen to are British.) :) My favourites? Well, to those who know me on here, the answer is obvious, but to those who don't, my favourite British artists ever are:

ULTRAVOX
JOHN FOXX
DEPECHE MODE
THE SMITHS

I love 'em!

Absolutely Vile

One of the best female solo artists of the 80's - Kim Wilde

Squeeze
The Jam

Culture Club (yes, I said it!), Duran Duran, and Bananarama!

The Outfield!!! Their album "Play Deep" is one of the few 80's albums that is great throughout the whole thing!!!!!

Iron Maiden
Def Leppard
Motorhead
Duran Duran

:)

Tears for Fears

Duran Duran

The Smiths.
The Cure.
Kate Bush.
Joy Division.
Soft Cell.
Eurythmics.
Elvis Costello.
Thompson Twins.
Gary Numan.
Thomas Dolby.

I can't believe no one said The Police!

Ultravox

The Outfield!!! Their album "Play Deep" is one of the few 80's albums that is great throughout the whole thing!!!!!
I've forgotten how damn good this album is. I've been singing 'Your love' all day no w!!

Probably not a band so to speak but I love Five Star. They started to crossover to the Atlantic but didn't quite make it.

The Jam (though they were more very early 80s), The Clash, The Smiths, XTC, Madness and Tears for Fears are my top 6.

China Crisis is my pick.  They didn't have not one bad song.  I loved them all 8)

Some off the top of my head....

The Waterboys
The Smiths
The Police
Eurythmics

In addition to pretty much all of those mentioned, Talk-Talk made a significant contribution I feel.

I'll take the Cult. Dreamtime, Love and Electric. Then followed them up with  Fire Woman  with Sonic Temple in 89. After that the rest is all 90's and 2000's

ELO
Queen
Eurythmics
Pink Floyd
Culture Club

Please include The Bee Gees.

The Smiths!!!

then followed by:

The Jam,
Blondie,
The Clash,
The Police,
Elvis Costello and the Attractions
Eurythmics,
The Cure,
Tears For Fears,
Echo and the Bunnymen...the list goes on!

To be honest, it seems that most of my favourites emerged in the 70s, and were therefore crossover acts.

What a question! Most great bands in the 80's were British actually, and I'm not British, but Spanish. ;)

The Smiths!!!

then followed by:

The Jam,
Blondie,
The Clash,
The Police,
Elvis Costello and the Attractions
Eurythmics,
The Cure,
Tears For Fears,
Echo and the Bunnymen...the list goes on!

To be honest, it seems that most of my favourites emerged in the 70s, and were therefore crossover acts.
Blondie came from the USA and are not British.

Blondie came from the USA and are not British.


Oops - I knew that - I just started rolling off all of my fav bands - reflex action! :S

Blondie came from the USA and are not British.


Did you know Blondie had more hits in the UK, then they did in the US?  Even as a solo artist, Debbie Harry was still more popular in the UK :o

Did you know Blondie had more hits in the UK, then they did in the US?  Even as a solo artist, Debbie Harry was still more popular in the UK :o
That I did not know.

Duran Duran, the Police, Tears for Fears, Depeche Mode, Billy Idol.

Duran Duran, the Police, Tears for Fears, Depeche Mode, Billy Idol.
Billy Idol founded Generation X, and went on to a solo pop career.

Billy Idol founded Generation X, and went on to a solo pop career.


Generation X had a minor UK hit with the song "Dancing With Myself".  Billy recorded a solo version, which was a popular video in the days of MTV, but the song never actually charted in America at all

Generation X had a minor UK hit with the song "Dancing With Myself".  Billy recorded a solo version, which was a popular video in the days of MTV, but the song never actually charted in America at all
Is Billy Idol making a comeback?

Is Billy Idol making a comeback?


He already did.  He had a new album a while back that was popular in the charts.  Don't know if any singles came from it though

He already did.  He had a new album a while back that was popular in the charts.  Don't know if any singles came from it though
His last single was Speed back in September 1994 and there has been nothing much recent.

I once heard Casey Kasem on his old America's Top 10 show make reference to a "second British Invasion" that took place in the 80's.
Who were your favorite British groups or artists in the 80's?  This is just a short list of mine, I may think of more later:

Duran Duran, of course
Tears for Fears
The Pet Shop Boys (loved their duet with Dusty Springfield, "What have I done to deserve this?"
George Michael (liked the Faith album anyway)
Howard Jones

I like The Culture Club.  I remember when I was a child, I used to like Boy George.  I thought that he was a woman until my older siblings told me that he was a man.  I didn't know.  I was 5 when they first came out in '82.

More great British bands of the 80s:

(The Mighty) Wah!
Blancmange
Modern Romance
Shakatak
Imagination
Blue Mercedes

Duran Duran
Def Leppard


Suprised that nobody mentioned Judas Priest or Peter Gabriel (not sure if he's British)

Dire Straits

dire straights, the english beat, duran duran, bananarama,soft cell, the clash, the outfield,the police. the eurithmics!  i could go on and on!!! ;D

From the early 80's. The Police was the best Band
So many great songs they had

It did take to long to get the Police on this list, and why has no one mentioned Genesis? "Man On The Corner", "That's All", and "Land Of Confusion" are enough for them to qualify! Can I also nominate Talking Heads? Frontman David Byrne is a British citizen.

Your Pal,
Doc
8)

dire straights, the english beat, duran duran, bananarama,soft cell, the clash, the outfield,the police. the eurithmics!  i could go on and on!!! ;D
Bananarama are not a band, their were just singer and played no music instruments.

Question - why does SO MUCH MORE good music come out of England than the US?


Good 80s bands from England
The Police
The Cure
Duran Duran
Dire Straits
New Order
Bauhaus / Peter Murphy
Talk Talk
China Crisis
Echo & The Bunnymen
Tears For Fears
Depeche Mode
Def Leppard
The Smiths
Psychedelic Furs
The Pretenders
Pet Shop Boys
Prefab Sprout

Bananarama are not a band, their were just singer and played no music instruments.
........  ok  then technicaly they were, are a group then, when i think of a band or a group, i lump them in togeter, like say, the go go's  they played their own instruments except belinda, so she went on a solo career, she still had a band with her!

Question - why does SO MUCH MORE good music come out of England than the US?



British people tend to have a deeper apprecitation for older music, plus they are next to Europe, where the vast majority of the best classical music was made. Even though British music today isn't as good as it once was, I'd definately prefer Coldplay over The Jonas Brothers.

Def Leppard
Judas Priest
Depeche Mode
The Cure
Duran Duran
The Police

I just posted in another thread how much I love Def Leppard (still!).  The Police were the first band that my parents actually approved of, out of all these.  I remember having posters of Duran Duran on my wall.  My parents, even now, would flip out if they knew I actually went to see Judas Priest...

I agree about British music being so much better.  If I had to choose The Beatles or The Stones, even though I love both, it would be Beatles hands down!

GO WEST! Do they count? Bloody loved them!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=641YwIqqRLM

Duran Duran
Tears For Fears
Thompson Twins
Genesis
The Police
The Cure
Wham!

GO WEST! Do they count? Bloody loved them!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=641YwIqqRLM


They are British.  They had a Band.  They 100% do count.  I love them also 8)

I have both their 1985 ST and 'Bangs and Crashes' albums on CD.  All I need now is 'Dancing on the Couch' LOL
I used to have 'Indian Summer' and 'Aces and Kings: The Best of Go West', but one day in a hasty move, I sold them to a pawn shop thinking I'd never listen to them again :(

I forgot about Depeche Mode.  They started in the 80s didn't they?

I forgot about Depeche Mode.  They started in the 80s didn't they?


'Speak and Spell', debut album 1981

'Speak and Spell', debut album 1981


I loved their songs Personal Jesus, I just Can't Get Enough, and People are People.  I actually like any North American or English band that has a point of view.

Did NO ONE on here listen to LEVEL 42???? Man! I wore them out - every record, especially the earlier ones!

.....or the Fine Young Cannibals???  Amazing!

Did NO ONE on here listen to LEVEL 42???? Man! I wore them out - every record, especially the earlier ones!


I certainly did and yes, their earlier efforts were much better before 'commerciality' beckoned...

...tho' I must admit 'World Machine' was pretty good!

I certainly did and yes, their earlier efforts were much better before 'commerciality' beckoned...

...tho' I must admit 'World Machine' was pretty good!


I listened to Level 42 quite a bit as well!  Wonderful band!!  :)

Here's a few (somewhat) obscure British 80s artists that I do love.  Obscure in that when you think 80s, these aren't the first to come to mind ...

Belouis Some.  Best remembered for 2 Top 40s in his native land:  'Imagination' and the wickedly awesome Some People

The Bluebells.  Scottish group best remembered for the hits Young at Heart and I'm Falling (Down Again), but my favourite will always be Cath

The Pale Fountains.  Their only hit single in their native land was the beautiful ballad Thank You which just missed the Top 40 in 1982

Roman Holliday.  Great short-lived pop group best remembered for the singles Don't Try to Stop It, Stand By and Motor Mania.  My favourite is their 1984 hit 'One Foot Back in Your Door' (from the classic movie 'Teachers') which is perhaps best known for a lyric that was later reworked by Billy Ocean in his 1988 hit 'Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car'

Fiction Factory.  Best remembered for (Feels Like) Heaven.  I have their complete 1984 album 'Throw the Warped Wheel Out' on my Zune Mp3 Player!

Haysi Fantayzee.  Weird, very weird, but I do enjoy their 1982 hit John Wayne is Big Leggy.  Best remembered in America for Shiny Shiny which was not bad

Black.  Wonderful Life.  A beautiful song!

Pete Wylie and the Mighty Wah!.  The Story of the Blues and Come Back = Awesome!

The Associates.  Scottish new wave legends fronted by the late Billy MacKenzie.  Many hits both big and small in their native UK, but total unknowns in North America.  I have their 1982 album 'Sulk' on vinyl and it's still in my Top 10 best albums of the 80s. 

A sample of their hits ...

1982 - Party Fears Two
1982 - Club Country
1982 - 18 Carat Love Affair  (My all-time favourite.  I will love this song forever)
1984 - Those First Impressions
1985 - Take Me to the Girl
1988 - Heart of Glass

most of the songs i have in my ipod are 80s brit icons

i love:

the smiths
the cure
depeche mode
echo and the bunnymen
the chameleons
joy division
new order
...the list goes on and on

Japan
UB40
ABC
Pet Shop Boys
Dire Straits
Talk Talk

Did NO ONE on here listen to LEVEL 42???? Man! I wore them out - every record, especially the earlier ones!



Their '85 song Something About You is one of my favorite 80's songs ever....I never heard much else they ever did, though.

Great lists guys........

As regards my choices well top of it goes to Prefab Sprout then (in no particular order)

The Style Council
The Smiths
The Stone Roses
China Crisis
Tears for Fears
Heaven 17
The Pasadenas
The Christians
The Housemartins

I can't believe no one mentioned Naked Eyes! :o)
Scritti Politti were okay too...not really the 'best'...The Beautiful South definitely were though!

I can't believe no one mentioned Naked Eyes! :o)
Scritti Politti were okay too...not really the 'best'...The Beautiful South definitely were though!


Naked Eyes had two solid albums - may not be enough to be in the company of the "best" British bands of the entire decade.  However, I really enjoy them.

New Wave/ New Romantic:

Human League
ABC
Thompson Twins
Duran Duran
The Reflex
Spandau Ballet
Culture Club
The Style Council
XTC
Haircut 100
The Smiths
Joy Division
The Cure
Dead or Alive
Bauhaus

Pop:

Dexy's midnight runners
Phil Collins
Peter Gabriel
House Martins
Maddness
Thomas Dolby
Talk Talk
Tears for Fears
Dire Straights
Wham/George Michael

Metal:

Def Leppard
Iron Maiden
Ozzy
Judas Priest

Ska:
The English Beat
The Specials
The Jam

New Wave/ New Romantic:

Naked Eyes
Icicle Works
Human League
ABC
Thompson Twins
Duran Duran
The Reflex
Spandau Ballet
Culture Club
The Style Council
XTC
Haircut 100
The Smiths
Joy Division
The Cure
Dead or Alive
Bauhaus

Pop:

Dexy's midnight runners
Phil Collins
Peter Gabriel
House Martins
Maddness
Thomas Dolby
Talk Talk
Tears for Fears
Dire Straights
Wham/George Michael
Bananrama
Nick Kershaw
Paul Young
U2
Howard Jones

Metal:

Def Leppard
Iron Maiden
Ozzy
Judas Priest

Ska:
The English Beat
The Specials
The Jam

Did NO ONE on here listen to LEVEL 42???? Man! I wore them out - every record, especially the earlier ones!


One of the great British Bands of the mid to late 80's.  The1987  album 'Running In The Family' was huge, I think it spawned something like 4 UK top 20 hits.

I've got hold of the rare remixed CD version of 'Running In The Family', which contains 5 extended remixes from Shep Pettibone and it's really good.

'Running in the Family' was Level 42's biggest success here in Canada as it was their only album to spawn more than 1 Top 40 hit

The Smiths are pretty amazing!!!  How can anyone not like:

There is a light that never goes out

I can't believe no one said "THE CLASH"

There were some British bands doing some crazy things back in the 80s...

Duran Duran
Spandau Ballet
Smiths
Level 42
Simple Minds
Big Country
The Specials
UB40
Culture Club
Go West
Pet Shop Boys
Erasure
Human League
Living in a box
Depeche Mode
Tears for Fears
Deacon Blue
Fine Young Cannibals
Madness

Nice of Jason (Whistledog) to pull out some of the more obscure bands, I would like to add to that Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, Red Box and Blancmange.

My favorite Two:
-Swing Out Sister
-Level 42

Marmalade !  Reflections of my life ....

Marmalade !  Reflections of my life ....


Best British bands of 1973 maybe.

NAKED EYES!!!!!!!!!!!

The Smiths.  Every band of the nineties wanted to be them.

The Smiths.  Every band of the nineties wanted to be them.


Definitely the best band of the 80s.

Genesis is the sh*t.  ;) ;) ;)

Marmalade !  Reflections of my life ....

Best British bands of 1973 maybe.
...and the 60's!

I couldn't find the Best Italian bands thread.  ;)

Anyone know anything about Second Nature. Possibly, a Mike Mareen project?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1L2QI6kI_I

Duran Duran?  ???

Not a "band" but Thomas Dolby (the "She Blinded me with Science" guy). The Golden Age of Wireless is a terribly underrated new wave synthpop masterpiece.

Not a "band" but Thomas Dolby (the "She Blinded me with Science" guy). The Golden Age of Wireless is a terribly underrated new wave synthpop masterpiece.


Thomas Dolby was once in a band.  He was the keyboard player for Bruce Wooley and the Camera Club, and their original 1979 version of 'Video Killed the Radio Star' was a hit in some countries (was Top 30 in Canada in early 1980)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reL_7xjO6Bk

Not a "band" but Thomas Dolby (the "She Blinded me with Science" guy). The Golden Age of Wireless is a terribly underrated new wave synthpop masterpiece.


I must agree. Excellent album!  I think many people write him off since he was a bit goofy.

Thomas Dolby was once in a band.  He was the keyboard player for Bruce Wooley and the Camera Club, and their original 1979 version of 'Video Killed the Radio Star' was a hit in some countries (was Top 30 in Canada in early 1980)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reL_7xjO6Bk


This is a good version. :)

New Gold Dream by Simple Minds....we used to turn this one up whenever it came on the radio!

New Gold Dream by Simple Minds....we used to turn this one up whenever it came on the radio!
Do you still turn the radio up for it today if you heard it being played on the radio?

Not a "band" but Thomas Dolby (the "She Blinded me with Science" guy). The Golden Age of Wireless is a terribly underrated new wave synthpop masterpiece.


5 days late, but karma.  The guy had a much bigger influence than he realized.

Simply Red
Erasure
Wet wet wet
Communards

METAL:
Iron Maiden
Judas Priest
Def Leppard
Motorhead
Diamond Head

Alternative/New Wave:
The Cure
The Smiths
The Police
The Fixx
Echo & The Bunnymen
Joy Division
Simple minds

New Wave:
Depeche Mode, New Order, The Chameleons, The Cure, The Police, Tears for Fears, Ultravox, Joy Division, The Human League, Talk Talk, Yazoo...
Metal:
Iron Maiden, Judas priest, def Leppard.
Pop band & singers:
Elton John, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins (Genesis), Nik Kershaw, Kim Wilde...
Rock Band:
Pink Floyd, Queen, The Rolling Stones, Yes, Foreigner, The Stranglers...

Tears For Fears
Depeche Mode
Duran Duran
Ultravox
Thompson Twins
Fine Young Canables
ABC
Kajagoogoo

Got here late.  Most of the bands I thought of have been mentioned already.

A Flock of Seagulls have been mentioned, right?  I love their first three albums.

I really like "new wave of British Heavy metal" bands.  Two I don't think have been mentioned yet are Saxon and Grim Reaper although I think Saxon's best material came out in the '00s.

Has anyone mentioned Jethro Tull?  They are one of my all-time favorite bands and some of my favorite albums by them came out in the 1980s: A (1980), Broadsword and the Beast (1982), and Under Wraps (1984)--my favorite.  The first JT album I bought was Crest of a Knave (1987).

Japan - musically they were ahead of there time. Not the most famous or well known but if you listen either of quite life, Tin Drum or Gentlemen albums you will be amazed modern they still sound today.

Joy Division
Cocteau Twins
Jesus and Mary Chain
My Bloody Valentine
Public Image Ltd
The Cure
The Cult
Killing Joke
Wire
The Smiths
Echo and the Bunnymen
Iron Maiden
The The
Judas Priest
Sisters of Mercy
Primal Scream
The Pastels
The Vaselines
Prefab Sprout
Depeche Mode
Simple Minds
U2 (two members of the band are British?) i could go on!

The Police (for sure)
The Cure
Tears for Fears
Genesis of the 80s (even they they were much worse than Genesis of the 70s)
Eurythmics
Dire straits