It seems like new wave was considered "geeky" or "girly" music in the '80s, and that jocks, popular kids, etc. would prefer to listen to Van Halen, Twisted Sister, etc., rather than synth pop or punk.

It seems like new wave was considered "geeky" or "girly" music in the '80s, and that jocks, popular kids, etc. would prefer to listen to Van Halen, Twisted Sister, etc., rather than synth pop or punk.




From watching old movies.etc, synthpop seemed as cool as current Top 40 is now. Maybe the really techno-geeky stuff like ABC would have been considered 'geek's' music, but overall I think it was just very mainstream. There was definitely a Disco backlash in the early to mid 80s, however, and few people to this day will admit liking Disco.

From watching old movies.etc, synthpop seemed as cool as current Top 40 is now. Maybe the really techno-geeky stuff like ABC would have been considered 'geek's' music, but overall I think it was just very mainstream. There was definitely a Disco backlash in the early to mid 80s, however, and few people to this day will admit liking Disco.


Even though everybody probably dances to it at weddings, lol.

It seems like new wave was considered "geeky" or "girly" music in the '80s, and that jocks, popular kids, etc. would prefer to listen to Van Halen, Twisted Sister, etc., rather than synth pop or punk.




Are you kidding me??  No way, it was cool to be into New Wave and Punk, only the losers listened to metal.  That's the way it was at my High School.

Are you kidding me??  No way, it was cool to be into New Wave and Punk, only the losers listened to metal.  That's the way it was at my High School.



^ Take it from someone who was actually there. If the early 80s/New Wave cusp teen set were the graduates 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High', then New Wave was definitely cool, and Disco sucked.

I think people born after 1977 or so are the first people who will admit to liking disco. My mom was one of the few who retained disco fandom even after 1980, according to her.

I think people born after 1977 or so are the first people who will admit to liking disco. My mom was one of the few who retained disco fandom even after 1980, according to her.


I quite enjoy good disco - there's nothing better to dance to. Give me a good disco dance hit like K.C. and the Sunshine Band's 'Queen Of Hearts' over the current dance music fare. There's just such a feelgood vibe to Disco!

It seems like new wave was considered "geeky" or "girly" music in the '80s, and that jocks, popular kids, etc. would prefer to listen to Van Halen, Twisted Sister, etc., rather than synth pop or punk.




I get the impression that, yeah among the "metalheads" that was sort of the thought. I've seen some old clips of dudes at a Judas Priest concert totally bashing Madonna and even "punk" music (i.e. "It belongs on Mars" or something to that effect). ;D

Although I think new wave was so big it had alot of fans. Maybe the really "artsy" new wave was viewed this way, but in general, there were tons of people that liked "Take On Me" etc.

I get the impression that, yeah among the "metalheads" that was sort of the thought. I've seen some old clips of dudes at a Judas Priest concert totally bashing Madonna and even "punk" music (i.e. "It belongs on Mars" or something to that effect). ;D

Although I think new wave was so big it had alot of fans. Maybe the really "artsy" new wave was viewed this way, but in general, there were tons of people that liked "Take On Me" etc.


I mean, songs like "Sweet Dreams", "Take On Me", "She Blinded Me With Science", and bands like Tears for Fears all either were top 5 hits or were #1-charting bands back then. Of course plenty of metalheads hated new wave, but I think, at least in the mid-'80s, you could say new wave was more popular by far.

I mean, songs like "Sweet Dreams", "Take On Me", "She Blinded Me With Science", and bands like Tears for Fears all either were top 5 hits or were #1-charting bands back then. Of course plenty of metalheads hated new wave, but I think, at least in the mid-'80s, you could say new wave was more popular by far.


Yeah, I'd say more people circa 1985 hated metal than new wave. Not that new wave didn't have its quirks sometimes, but it had alot of "mainstream" appeal - I think it took Bon Jovi especially, along with Def Leppard, Poison and Whitesnake to make metal more accepted, and that wasn't until late 1986-87.

Yeah, I'd say more people circa 1985 hated metal than new wave. Not that new wave didn't have its quirks sometimes, but it had alot of "mainstream" appeal - I think it took Bon Jovi especially, along with Def Leppard, Poison and Whitesnake to make metal more accepted, and that wasn't until late 1986-87.


Also, new wave had pretty genuine appeal. Like you could easily find baby boomers who casually liked new wave and watched MTV (i.e. my parents) from listening to the radio, which was full of stuff like The Human League c. 1985. Alot of people in the late '70s and first half of the '80s, particularly "sophisticated" types, hated heavy metal. So did fans of disco before it went under, because disco's downfall is often blamed on heavy metal. Personally, I think disco is better than alot of the 1980ish schmaltz and stuff like "My Sharona" that replaced it.