(as opposed to what has more fans now)

It is about half and half - considering New Wave is what brought the 80's in (starting with Punk then New Wave).  Then the 80's ended with Hair Bands.

I am a New Wave Girl though ;D ;D

Do you think it's possible New Wave is almost as much a 70s thing.  Because those synthaholics don't even consider A Flock of Seagulls New Romantics and thats 1982! Punk is older than Synth!  I've always thought that the only true New Wave after 1985 is the synth guys.

Punk - 1976-1980 (rise)
Synth - 1980-1983 (height)
Post-Synth - 1984-1990 (decline)

IMO, New wave was at it's peak in 1983 and hiar metal was in it's peak in 1987.  :)

Sounds right. Although both were around throughout the decade.  Van Halen is hardly a hair metal band.  Do any of you think that The Bangles are NOT new wave? more hair-metallish?

The bangles were neither. They were pop.

Tanya

new wave was early 80s and since i'm a class of '89, i remember hair metal was huge. it all depends on what part of the decade you look at.

U2 was acually New Wave.

Out of new wave came techno in '84 then acid, then house, then revival. Synth pop lasted the longest though.

Synth started back in 1975 with Kraftwerk's Radio-Activity.

If either of the two were more popular than the other I would suggest that Hair Metal had the bigger bandwagon.  Although New Wave went underground and (sort of) re-emerged as modern alternative.

The Talking Heads rule!

Cinderella rocks!

I dunno, wasn't there but it looks like new wave got every one dancing, using synth(yeah even the keytars), and dressing up. also it had a impact on 80s soundtracks as well.

I think geography might have a lot to do with it. In the UK and Europe, New Wave/electropop was huge. Bands like Depeche Mode and Ultravox (my personal favourites) had a massive fan base and several "hits" there, while they maybe had one or two minor "hits" in North America. The New Wave scene didn't catch on as well in North America as it did in Europe. Hair metal...unfortunately...did. How sad.

Absolutely Vile

Interesting replies  :)  Does anybody but me think the "new wave" of rock today, i.e. bands like The Killers, Franz Ferdinand, Modest Mouse, White Stripes, sound VERY New Wave?? I mean The Killers even use synths!  And "Take me Out" by Franz Ferdinand sounds like a Talking Heads songs from 1981!

But in general the 80s aren't coming back in the literal sense. No decade does. People are just returning to 80s attitudes, conservative and corporate.  Whereas the 90s were liberal and organic, like the 60s and 70s.

I think both of them were more popular in the 80's.


Howard

I wasn't entirely concious then, so I couldn't say which one was more popular... but to hell with Hair Metal! That was just a bunch of money-making glam crap. New Wave was cutting edge and was what would inspire the greatest rock of the 90s. Hair metal inspired the worst rock of the 90s/00s (i.e. Limp Bizkit).

I

I am a New Wave Girl though ;D ;D


Me too. ;D

i think it was probably a matter of musical taste which promoted the hairstyles.  i think you found more of the new wave punk styles with the colege kids.  probably also depended on where you lived.