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100 Greatest New Wave Songs

Background: 'New Wave' evolved from 'Punk' in the late 1970s being less anti-social and more radio (and MTV) friendly, hitting it's high in 1983 and faded around 1987. It can be best described as mixing the energy of Punk with a bit of 'Glam', 'Pop', 'Art-Rock' & 'Dance' and relied heavily on synthesizers. (Note- These songs are not necessarily the artists all-time greatest, but their best of the 'New Wave' sound.)

Criteria: These songs were chosen and ranked for their musical quality, originality, and popularity in the "New Wave" era of approx. 1978 to 1987.

Last Updated: 2023-11-15
Newly added names are in  Red 
Greatest New Wave Songs
  1. Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) - Eurythmics (1983)
  2. Don't You (Forget About Me) - Simple Minds (1985)
  3. Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears For Fears (1985)
  4. Relax - Frankie Goes to Hollywood (1983)
  5. One Way Or Another - Blondie (1978)
  6. Burning Down the House - Talking Heads (1983)
  7. Tainted Love - Soft Cell (1981)
  8. Down Under - Men At Work (1982)
  9. I Ran (So Far Away) - A Flock of Seagulls (1982)
10. Don't You Want Me - Human League (1981)
11. You Might Think - The Cars (1984)
12. I Melt With You - Modern English (1983)
13. Take On Me - a-ha (1985)
14. Hungry Like the Wolf - Duran Duran (1982)
15. Once in a Lifetime - Talking Heads (1980)
16. Whip It! - Devo (1980)
17. Blue Monday - New Order (1983)
18. Peace, Love And Understanding?, (What's So Funny 'Bout) - Elvis Costello (1979)
19. Don't Stand So Close To Me - The Police (1980)
20. Shout - Tears For Fears (1985)
21. People Are People - Depeche Mode (1981)
22. True - Spandau Ballet (1983)
23. Brass In Pocket - The Pretenders (1980)
24. Something About You - Level 42 (1986)
25. Hold Me Now - Thompson Twins (1984)
26. Turning Japanese - The Vapors (1981)
27. She Blinded Me With Science - Thomas Dolby (1984)
28. Psycho Killer - Talking Heads (1977)
29. Is She Really Going Out with Him? - Joe Jackson (1979)
30. Poison Arrow - ABC (1982)
31. Rock Lobster - B-52s (1979)
32. Need You Tonight - INXS (1987)
33. Come On Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners (1982)
34. Heart Of Glass - Blondie (1978)
35. Everyday I Write The Book - Elvis Costello (1983)
36. Cars - Gary Numan (1980)
37. Tempted - Squeeze (1981)
38. Who Can It Be Now? - Men At Work (1982)
39. It's My Life - Talk Talk (1982)
40. West End Girls - Pet Shop Boys (1985)
41. Do You Really Want to Hurt Me - Culture Club (1982)
42. Pump It Up - Elvis Costello (1978)
43. Doctor! Doctor! - Thompson Twins (1984)
44. Promises, Promises - Naked Eyes (1983)
45. Spirits In The Material World - The Police (1981)
46. Goody Two Shoes - Adam Ant (1982)
47. More Than This - Roxy Music (1982)
48. Pulling Mussels (From the Shell) - Squeeze (1980)
49. Love My Way - Psychedelic Furs (1982)
50. Wouldn't It Be Good - Nik Kershaw (1984)
51. Two Tribes - Frankie Goes to Hollywood (1984)
52. Senses Working Overtime - XTC (1982)
53. Obsession - Animotion (1984)
54. Save It for Later - The English Beat (1982)
55. Alive and Kicking - Simple Minds (1985)
56. Saved By Zero - The Fixx (1983)
57. Here Comes the Rain Again - Eurythmics (1984)
58. Tenderness - General Public (1984)
59. Voices Carry - Til Tuesday (1985)
60. Mexican Radio - Wall of Voodoo (1982)
61. Beds Are Burning - Midnight Oil (1988)
62. Send Me An Angel - Real Life (1983)
63. Always Something There to Remind Me - Naked Eyes (1982)
64. Steppin' Out - Joe Jackson (1982)
65. Why Me? - Planet P Project (1983)
66. No One Is To Blame - Howard Jones (1986)
67. Shake It Up - The Cars (1982)
68. The Metro - Berlin (1982)
69. You Spin Me 'Round (Like a Record) - Dead Or Alive (1985)
70. The Safety Dance - Men Without Hats (1983)
71. One Thing Leads to Another - The Fixx (1983)
72. She's a Beauty - The Tubes (1983)
73. Rock Me Amadeus - Falco (1986)
74. In a Big Country - Big Country (1983)
75. Life In a Northern Town - The Dream Academy (1985)
76. Major Tom (Coming Home) - Peter Schilling (1983)
77. Just What I Needed - The Cars (1978)
78. Time (Clock of the Heart) - Culture Club (1983)
79. The Sun Always Shines On TV - A-Ha (1985)
80. Come Back and Stay - Paul Young (1983)
81. Der Kommissar - Falco (1986)
82. Video Killed the Radio Star - The Buggles (1979)
83. Girls on Film - Duran Duran (1981)
84. Only the Lonely - The Motels (1982)
85. Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You) - A Flock of Seagulls (1982)
86. Avalon - Roxy Music (1982)
87. I Want Candy - Bow Wow Wow (1982)
88. Too Shy - Kajagoogoo (1983)
89. Fade to Grey - Visage
90. Dance Hall Days - Wang Chung (1984)
91. A Little Respect - Erasure (1988)
92. Our House - Madness (1983)
93. Reap the Wild Wind - Ultravox (1982)
94. Destination Unknown - Missing Persons (1982)
95. I Don't Like Mondays - Boomtown Rats (1979)
96. Messages - OMD (1980)
97. Love Plus One - Haircut 100 (1982)
98. I Got You - Split Enz (1980)
99. So In Love - OMD (1985)
100. The Killing Moon - Echo & the Bunnymen (1984)
new wave song, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
Sweet Dreams
(Are Made of This)

new wave song, Don't You (Forget About Me)
Don't You
(Forget About Me)

new wave song, Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Everybody Wants to
Rule the World

new wave song, Relax
Relax

new wave song, One Way Or Another
One Way Or Another

new wave song, Burning Down the House
Burning Down the House



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