For our inaugural mixtape, we set out to encapsulate one of my favourite eras of music: the eighties. As an eclectic and diverse era, this playlist naturally spans many sounds from post-punk to disco. Note, included are several songs from the late seventies that adhere to the sonic palette of this time. Be sure to follow and listen to this playlist here.
Rock the Casbah // The Clash, Combat Rock (1982)
Fusing elements from both punk and funk, The Clash are at their
best in this sweeping sing-a-long.
Age of Consent // New Order, Power, Corruption and Lies (1983)
Fire in Cairo // The Cure, Three Imaginary Boys (1979)
Girls on Film // Duran Duran, Duran Duran (1981)
Love Will Tear Us Apart // Joy Division, Single (1980)
Shadowplay // Joy Division, Unknown Pleasures (1979)
Should I Stay or Should I Go? // The Clash, Combat Rock (1982)
I Ran // A Flock of Seagulls, A Flock of Seagulls (1982)
Interzone // Joy Division, Unknown Pleasures (1979)
From their breakout debut record, Joy Division’s
Interzone roars into full effect from the get go,
and continues its relentless riff throughout.
Heart and Soul // Joy Division, Closer (1980)
Let’s Dance // David Bowie, Let’s Dance (1983)
There is a Light That Never Goes Out // The Smiths, The Queen is Dead (1986)
Eighties // Killing Joke, Night Time (1984)
This aptly titled track is post-punk
in its finest form.
This Night Has Opened My Eyes // The Smiths, Hatful of Hollow (1984)
How Soon is Now? // The Smiths, Hatful of Hollow (1984)
Decades // Joy Division, Closer (1980)
A Short Term Effect // The Cure, Pornography (1982)
Cold // The Cure, Pornography (1982)
Robert Smith’s angst is brilliantly matched with
this track’s haunting atmosphere.
I Wanna Be Adored // The Stone Roses, The Stone Roses (1989)
This will ring in your head all day.
Just Like Honey // The Jesus and Mary Chain, Psychocandy (1985)
Born Under Punches // Talking Heads, Remain in Light (1980)
Bela Lugosi’s Dead // Bauhaus, Single (1979)
This brilliant track utilises its nine minute
runtime to depict an eerie insight into
one’s psyche, a vibe you would expect from a band
credited with pioneering the gothic-rock
movement.
Love Like Blood // Killing Joke, Night Time (1984)
The Magnificent Seven // The Clash, Sandinista! (1980)
London Calling // The Clash, London Calling (1979)
Lovesong // The Cure, Disintegration (1989)
Blue Monday // New Order, Single (1983)
From the ashes of Joy Division brought New Order
and in turn Blue Monday: a fantastic
fusion of post-punk and
electronic production.
This Must be the Place // Talking Heads, Speaking in Tongues (1983)
There is just something about this track that
makes my mind wander. Equal parts
melancholy and charming, this is an
essential listen within the band’s
discography and the decade of
music as a whole.
Pump Up the Jam // Technotronic, Pump Up the Jam: The Album (1989)
Somebody Else’s Guy // Jocelyn Brown, Somebody Else’s Guy (1984)
Good Life // Inner City, Paradise (1988)
Teardrops // Womack and Womack, Conscience (1988)
Push It // Salt-N-Pepa, Hot, Cool and Viscious (1987)
If you don’t get up and groove to this song… try again.
Don’t Stop ‘til You Get Enough // Michael Jackson, Off the Wall (1979)
Fashion // David Bowie, Scary Monsters (1980)
Last Night a DJ Saved my Life // D.J Delight, Indeep (1982)
Need You Tonight // INXS, Kick (1987)
As the darlings of the Australian rock scene in the
Eighties, Michael Hutchence and co deliver
a timeless sound.
Never Tear Us Apart // INXS, Kick (1987)
Original Sin // INXS, The Swing (1984)
Blue Sky Mine // Midnight Oil, Blue Sky Mining (1990)