In which Puck admits the 1980s were not a total bust

Those who know me know I’m fond of dissing the 1980s; I refer to them as being “a horrible, horrible time.” And there’s more than enough 80s hideousness to go around. Still, some good music came out of that decade. Case in point: well-done synth pop, or “sophisti-pop,” with solid hooks and evocative lyrics. For the first time, mainstream pop music that made no apologies for being completely synthetic with not the slightest hint of an acoustic instrument (other than voice). I think most are in agreement that the best of it came out of the U.K.

First, two prime examples of synth pop at its best:

Human League, “Don’t You Want Me Baby”

Depeche Mode, “Just Can’t Get Enough”

And for sophisti-pop:

Blow Monkeys, “Digging Your Scene”

Double, “Captain of Her Heart”