5 Superb ‘80s Synth Pop Songs That Still Hold Up Today

Synth pop isn’t dead yet (and we hope it never will be), but its heyday was definitely in the 1980s. Luckily, there is a slew of bands and producers from that decade who created countless synth pop songs that still hold up today. Let’s look at just five of our favorites!

1. “Don’t You Want Me” by The Human League

Back in 1981, “Don’t You Want Me” by The Human League was an insanely big hit. It’s not an overly complex song, either. Martin Rushent, who produced the song, added a drum machine, a very basic synth, and a bassline to the song. That’s all it took, in addition to Philip Oakey’s vocals, which were recorded in a toilet. Ah, the 80s!

2. “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)” by Eurythmics

When it comes to synth pop songs from the 1980s, “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)” by Eurythmics is by far one of the most well-known songs of the genre. It’s been sampled and covered for decades now, but nothing quite matches the quality and danceability of the original 1983 track.

3. “True Faith” by New Order

We’d be bold enough to say that “True Faith” by New Order is the best synth pop song from the 1980s, though that’s definitely open to argument. This song almost overshadowed the 1987 compilation album that came after it. This is a great example of what synth musicians could do during the heyday of the genre with a blend of traditional instruments and the ever-popular synthesizer.

4. “Cars” by Gary Newman

Few synth pop songs in the 80s were as addictive and just fun as Gary Numan’s 1979 hit “Cars”. It’s funny to think such an upbeat and groovy synth pop tune could be inspired by road-raging motorists. The song hit no. 1 on the charts that year in the UK, and the country’s love of eyeliner-wearing synth-wielding musicians had finally kicked off.

5. “The Model” by Kraftwerk

This charming synth pop track from German electronic outfit Kraftwork climbed the charts in the UK quite quickly, and it’s not too surprising. The English version and German version alike are delightful art pop pieces of work, and both versions have since been covered by everyone from Rammstein to David Byrne to The Cardigans.

Photo by Dick Wallis/Shutterstock

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