bands that its hard to believe were once trendy

they never were!

― Good Dog (Good Dog), Saturday, 6 May 2006 16:09 (nineteen years ago)

They were round my way.

― chap who would dare to be a nerd, not a geek (chap), Saturday, 6 May 2006 16:10 (nineteen years ago)

Carpenters

― Chairman Doinel (Charles McCain), Saturday, 6 May 2006 16:10 (nineteen years ago)

Spin Doctors

And I seem to remember a time when even Hootie and the Blowfish were considered hip.

― Fetchin Bones (Fetchin Bones), Saturday, 6 May 2006 16:10 (nineteen years ago)

Crashland

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 6 May 2006 16:17 (nineteen years ago)

Gay Dad

How are we defining trendy here?

― Doktor Faustus (noodle vague), Saturday, 6 May 2006 16:17 (nineteen years ago)

BAY CITY ROLLERS

― JTS (JTS), Saturday, 6 May 2006 16:24 (nineteen years ago)

Beastie Boys?

― dog latin (dog latin), Saturday, 6 May 2006 16:36 (nineteen years ago)

The Strokes. I say this as a reasonably diehard Strokes fan who gets weird looks when I try to tell people that First Impressions of Earth is a great album.

― Stupornaut (natepatrin), Saturday, 6 May 2006 16:40 (nineteen years ago)

Pearl Jam was the first thing that popped into my head when I saw the topic title. I'm not sure why.

― Steve Goldberg (Steve Goldberg), Saturday, 6 May 2006 16:43 (nineteen years ago)

1960s: Quicksilver Messenger Service
1970s: Brinsley Schwarz
1980s: The Godfathers
1990s: Kula Shaker
2000s: The Vines

What is with all the Pearl Jam snootiness? They're a great band.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Saturday, 6 May 2006 16:44 (nineteen years ago)

I don't mind them, but in in the cold light of day they're pretty dadrocky.

― chap who would dare to be a nerd, not a geek (chap), Saturday, 6 May 2006 16:48 (nineteen years ago)

The Godfathers were brilliant, but never anywhere near trendy, in the UK at least. If you don't know why people might dislike Pearl Jam I guess you're never going to understand.

― Doktor Faustus (noodle vague), Saturday, 6 May 2006 16:53 (nineteen years ago)

OK. The Godfathers are brilliant but Pearl Jam obviously suck. You're a mongoloid.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Saturday, 6 May 2006 16:57 (nineteen years ago)

Bands who have played on the NME tour, a complete history:

* 2006: Maximo Park, Arctic Monkeys, We Are Scientists, Mystery Jets
* 2005: The Killers, The Futureheads, Bloc Party, Kaiser Chiefs
* 2004: Funeral for a Friend, The Rapture, The Von Bondies, Franz Ferdinand
* 2003: The Datsuns, Polyphonic Spree, Interpol, The Thrills
* 2002: Andrew WK, Lostprophets, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Coral
* 2001: Amen, JJ72, Alfie, Starsailor
* 2000: Shack, Les Rythmes Digitales, Campag Velocet, Coldplay
* 1999: UNKLE, Idlewild, Delakota, Llama Farmers
* 1998: Stereophonics, Asian Dub Foundation, The Warm Jets, Theaudience
* 1997: Geneva, Symposium, Tiger, Three Colours Red
* 1996: The Bluetones, The Cardigans, Heavy Stereo, Fluffy
* 1995: Veruca Salt, Marion, Skunk Anansie, 60Ft Dolls

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 6 May 2006 17:03 (nineteen years ago)

* 2001: Amen, JJ72, Alfie, Starsailor

I think this wins.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 6 May 2006 17:03 (nineteen years ago)

Chumbawamba.

― mike a, Saturday, 6 May 2006 17:04 (nineteen years ago)

Girls vs Boys
Hum
Collective Soul were debuted for TV on 120 Minutes
Eels
Fleshtones
Bad Religion

― Aaron A, Saturday, 6 May 2006 17:08 (nineteen years ago)

xxxxpost

Mildly worded disagreement meeting accusations of being a mongoloid? On ILM? Surely not!

PS "Birth School Work Death" the song = better than PJ's entire oeuvre you faget.

― Doktor Faustus (noodle vague), Saturday, 6 May 2006 17:51 (nineteen years ago)

Pearl Jam in shorts. Trendy?

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Saturday, 6 May 2006 18:00 (nineteen years ago)

UNKLE.

― el cosa teléfono, Saturday, 6 May 2006 18:04 (nineteen years ago)

"1960s: Quicksilver Messenger Service"

The first Quicksilver Messenger Service album is easily one of the best early SF rock albums.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Saturday, 6 May 2006 18:07 (nineteen years ago)

Scrolling down the NME list and Andrew WK seems to win.

Trendy has to be more than just popular and Pearl Jam were never really considered "cool", were they? I remember more backlash than anything else as they rode the Nirvana tip. But I guess if you look at "trendy" as starting a musical trend, they might fit.

Of bands who actually set off trends, I'd say Nirvana and Pavement.

― Jacobo Rock (jacobo rock), Saturday, 6 May 2006 20:30 (nineteen years ago)

* 1997: Geneva, Symposium, Tiger, Three Colours Red

i reckon this beats the 2001 list

― electric sound of jim (and why not) (electricsound), Saturday, 6 May 2006 23:06 (nineteen years ago)

SHOOTYZ GROOVE

― pher (pher), Sunday, 7 May 2006 00:11 (nineteen years ago)

Unkle OTM. That album was such a well-polished turd.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Sunday, 7 May 2006 00:13 (nineteen years ago)

Limp Bizkit

― franklin, Sunday, 7 May 2006 03:00 (nineteen years ago)

in a couple of years the best answer for this will be clap your hands say yeah.

― jonathan - stl (jonathan - stl), Sunday, 7 May 2006 03:15 (nineteen years ago)

in a couple of years the best answer for this will be arctic monkeys

CYHSY seem to only be trendy on the internet so far.

― nicky lo-fi (nicky lo-fi), Sunday, 7 May 2006 06:49 (nineteen years ago)

I think we need a working definition of "trendy" for thread to be worth 1/2 of a shit

― Thomas Tallis (Tommy), Sunday, 7 May 2006 16:39 (nineteen years ago)

Oh please -- on what distant planet were Limp Bizkit ever trendy?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 7 May 2006 18:09 (nineteen years ago)

it still blows my mind that not only were crosby, stills & nash POPULAR, but that in their heyday that they were TRENDY & HIP.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Sunday, 7 May 2006 18:14 (nineteen years ago)

Galliano

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Sunday, 7 May 2006 18:37 (nineteen years ago)

The Darkness

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Sunday, 7 May 2006 18:40 (nineteen years ago)

Oh please -- on what distant planet were Limp Bizkit ever trendy?
-- Alex in NYC (vassife...), May 7th, 2006.

Non-rock-critic earth.

― franklin, Sunday, 7 May 2006 18:40 (nineteen years ago)

it still blows my mind that not only were crosby, stills & nash POPULAR, but that in their heyday that they were TRENDY & HIP.

Why's this mindblowing/surprising?

― Thomas Tallis (Tommy), Sunday, 7 May 2006 19:19 (nineteen years ago)

What bands are considered trendy and hip right now?

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Sunday, 7 May 2006 20:06 (nineteen years ago)

In their early days Hunters and Collectors were the grooviest thing in town. Then they sacked the brains of the band and began churning out increasingly unlistenable pub rock. Still, they probably got nice houses out it....

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Sunday, 7 May 2006 20:15 (nineteen years ago)

The Magnetic Fields

― Kim (Kim), Sunday, 7 May 2006 22:12 (nineteen years ago)

Terris

― Harrison Barr (Petar), Sunday, 7 May 2006 22:14 (nineteen years ago)

Hahaha. Poor Terris, they were tipped as the next big thing ny NME as a joke, right?

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Monday, 8 May 2006 06:30 (nineteen years ago)

beck

― gear (gear), Monday, 8 May 2006 06:59 (nineteen years ago)

Big Audio Dynamite

― DOQQUN (donut), Monday, 8 May 2006 07:05 (nineteen years ago)

Material Issue

― DOQQUN (donut), Monday, 8 May 2006 07:05 (nineteen years ago)

Jesus Jones

― DOQQUN (donut), Monday, 8 May 2006 07:05 (nineteen years ago)

R.E.M.

well, wait, Tallis OTM here re: definition of "trendy"

― DOQQUN (donut), Monday, 8 May 2006 07:07 (nineteen years ago)

The late-60s San Fran music scene as a whole. ("Why couldn't you be like those nice boys from England? When they get stoned they write about gnomes and lovely little walks in the parks. You just get angry and refuse to shower.")

― Cunga (Cunga), Monday, 8 May 2006 07:09 (nineteen years ago)

nice toi see the superb godfathers getting some love. awesome band - but never once did i think they were trendy. an association i think the band themselves would actively avoid.

other entrants : carter usm, any of the fraggle rock contingency. oh, and of course the whole grebo movement ! i mean virgin signed GBOA at one point .. now that was totally off the wall.

― mark e (mark e), Monday, 8 May 2006 08:48 (nineteen years ago)

Oasis

― Vitbe... *pause*... Is Good Bread (Dada), Monday, 8 May 2006 08:50 (nineteen years ago)

* 1999: UNKLE, Idlewild, Delakota, Llama Farmers

this was the only one i attended. i wonder who unkle was at that point.

― the Enrique who acts like some kind of good taste gestapo (Enrique), Monday, 8 May 2006 09:02 (nineteen years ago)

That NME list, with 3 or 4 exceptions tops, is a catalogue of utter failure.

― Doktor Faustus (noodle vague), Monday, 8 May 2006 09:10 (nineteen years ago)

* 2000: Shack, Les Rythmes Digitales, Campag Velocet, Coldplay

that's interesting -- coldplay and lrd maybe made a pact.

― the Enrique who acts like some kind of good taste gestapo (Enrique), Monday, 8 May 2006 09:17 (nineteen years ago)

shack had other reasons for their failure

― electric sound of jim (and why not) (electricsound), Monday, 8 May 2006 09:20 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, endorsements from Noel Gallagher can be brutal.

― Doktor Faustus (noodle vague), Monday, 8 May 2006 09:23 (nineteen years ago)

haha

― electric sound of jim (and why not) (electricsound), Monday, 8 May 2006 09:24 (nineteen years ago)

Material Issue were never trendy. They were barely even popular.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 8 May 2006 10:25 (nineteen years ago)

Simple Minds.

Boy, when they first came out, achingly so.

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 8 May 2006 10:34 (nineteen years ago)

i wonder who unkle was at that point.

Lavelle and two of the Scratch Perverts (when they were a quartet) IIRC. They were actually not bad live

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Monday, 8 May 2006 10:36 (nineteen years ago)

am amazed lavelle toured the campuses, but i think ur right.

― the Enrique who acts like some kind of good taste gestapo (Enrique), Monday, 8 May 2006 10:37 (nineteen years ago)

4 None Blondes were quite trendy for a couple of weeks during the summer of 1993.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 8 May 2006 11:06 (nineteen years ago)

'popular', not trendy.

― the Enrique who acts like some kind of good taste gestapo (Enrique), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:17 (nineteen years ago)

Von Bondies! Mooney Suzuki! Usher!

― victor victoria, Monday, 8 May 2006 12:36 (nineteen years ago)

Pretty much every band that was around when I was at University:

James
The Levellers
Frank and Walters
Ned's Atomic Dustbin
Inspiral Carpets
The Shamen

― Kim Tortoise, Monday, 8 May 2006 12:56 (nineteen years ago)

Weren't Daniel Bedingfield and Craig David trendy when they first appeared?

― Kim Tortoise, Monday, 8 May 2006 12:57 (nineteen years ago)

no.

― the Enrique who acts like some kind of good taste gestapo (Enrique), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:59 (nineteen years ago)

Weren't 911 and The Cartoons trendy when they first appeared? I seem to remember them being the talk of the fashion press for months at a time, and having a record 27 Sky Magazine covers between them.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:02 (nineteen years ago)

not that i recall.

― the Enrique who acts like some kind of good taste gestapo (Enrique), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:06 (nineteen years ago)

OK then, Richard Ashcroft.

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:47 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, but Verve actually were once good.

― The Other Day Upon The Stairs (kate), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:50 (nineteen years ago)

This is dumb. Few of the bands listed were trendy in my world, but trendiness is either (a) mass culture trendiness = popular, or (b) local trendiness, which others aren't going to get (i.e. the usual subculture wars business), making for a lousy thread. As it stands, this thread is just the usual listing of bands you dislike or "don't get", and others throwing up their hands in shock.

I'll try for (a). I remember when liking trip hop was trendy, both in my local cultures and in mass culture (judging by Portishead songs on network tv ads, Tricky references on MTV, "Protection" on college radio). It seems weird now that those bands would have been trendy---and that's backed up by the fact that "chill" subversions of that music appeared soon afterward and remain popular today.

― Euler (Euler), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:51 (nineteen years ago)

The Tubes

Chemical Brothers (when they were the Dust Brothers)

Nine Inch Nails

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Love And Rockets

― hank (hank s), Monday, 8 May 2006 16:14 (nineteen years ago)

Moby Grape.

― js (honestengine), Monday, 8 May 2006 17:28 (nineteen years ago)

Chemical Brothers strike me as a fantastic answer to this question.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 8 May 2006 17:35 (nineteen years ago)

311

― lukeeluke (soulex45), Monday, 8 May 2006 18:25 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, "trendy" is a meaningless word because it means whatever Idiot Poster X wants it to mean. Let's have a thread wherein people list bands/artists at random for no reason other than their own dislike.

Oh, hang on...

― Doktor Faustus (noodle vague), Monday, 8 May 2006 22:40 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, there's a thread like that immediately below this one.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 07:32 (nineteen years ago)

I still have trouble believing that Faith No More was trendy, even though I kind of helped the trend along in my own little way at the time...

― Brian O'Neill (NYCNative), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 07:34 (nineteen years ago)

White stripes. I remember a time when I'd only heard about them but not heard anything yet. they had this obscur-artsy-avant garde-concept thing around them (to me, at least). hard to believe now...

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 10:07 (nineteen years ago)

I'll tell you what's shocking. That Tony Bennett is hip and trendy AGAIN.

― Vornado, Tuesday, 9 May 2006 13:13 (nineteen years ago)

The Manic Street Preachers.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 13:22 (nineteen years ago)

Thanks for the sarcasm, noodle_vague. Why did you click on this thread, if you don't have anything but metasnark to contribute?

― Euler (Euler), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 14:00 (nineteen years ago)

Lionrock, Bentley Rhythm Ace, Crystal Method, Lo-Fidelity Allstars.

― zeus (zeus), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 14:15 (nineteen years ago)

zion train

― dog latin (dog latin), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 14:17 (nineteen years ago)

And if you see the LP covers or films, almost everybody from the sixties and the early seventies.

Dave Clark Five, The Hollies, Herman's Hermits and so on.

― zeus (zeus), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 14:18 (nineteen years ago)

Sting

― zeus (zeus), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 14:18 (nineteen years ago)

wtf it's pretty easy to understand why any of these were, at one time, trendy

― geoff (gcannon), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 17:52 (nineteen years ago)

devandra banhart, ride, sex pistols, ryan adams, libertines, hendrix. wow this could seriously go on for hours.

― corey c (shock of daylight), Tuesday, 16 May 2006 18:44 (nineteen years ago)

I can't even remember all the fads of the early 80s new wave (most of which came from the UK) with Bowie the primary wellspring. What was the most famous - New Romantics? Even Darby Crash went to England and came home an ant person. I remember this station tried to jump on the more commercial variety of what was coming out of Britain and hype it as the next big thing. I figured their playlists would contain plenty of names which might qualify as 'hard to believe were once trendy'. They were still playing some Billy Squier and Rush as of '81 but then, as the lists indicate, focused on England. I guess they were successful considering Depeche Mode and The Cure played stadiums in southern california:

The KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1983

Ranking
Artist Name
Song Title
Album Title
Click for sample
1.
Duran Duran
Is There Something I Should Know?
Duran Duran

2.
Men Without Hats
The Safety Dance
-

3.
The Police
Every Breath You Take
Synchronicity

4.
Big Country
In a Big Country
The Crossing

5.
Culture Club
Church of the Poison Mind
Colour By Numbers

6.
David Bowie
Let's Dance
Let's Dance

7.
Tears for Fears
Mad World
The Hurting

8.
Peter Schilling
Major Tom (Coming Home)
-

9.
Duran Duran
Union of the Snake
Seven And The Ragged Tiger

10.
The English Beat
I Confess
Special Beat Service

11.
Culture Club
Do You Really Want to Hurt Me
Kissing to Be Clever

12.
David Bowie
Modern Love
Let's Dance

13.
Talking Heads
Burning Down the House
Speaking in Tongues

14.
U2
New Year's Day
War

15.
Madness
Our House
-

16.
Culture Club
I'll Tumble 4 Ya
Kissing to Be Clever

17.
The Police
King of Pain
Synchronicity

18.
Greg Kihn Band
Jeopardy
-

19.
The Fixx
One Thing Leads to Another
Reach the Beach

20.
Nena
99 Luftballoons
-

21.
The Polecats
Make a Circuit With Me
-

22.
Tim Scott
Swear
-

23.
Suicidal Tendencies
Institutionalized
Suicidal Tendencies

24.
The Rolling Stones
Undercover of the Night
Undercover

25.
Culture Club
Karma Chameleon
Colour By Numbers

26.
Echo & the Bunnymen
Never Stop
-

27.
Eurythmics
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)

28.
Adam Ant
Strip
Strip

29.
Tears for Fears
Pale Shelter
The Hurting

30.
The English Beat
Save It for Later
Special Beat Service

31.
Thomas Dolby
She Blinded Me With Science
-

32.
Blancmange
Living on the Ceiling
-

33.
Culture Club
Miss Me Blind
Colour By Numbers

34.
Elvis Costello
Everyday I Write the Book
Punch The Clock

35.
Barbie and the Kens
Just a Gigolo
-

36.
The Romantics
Talking in Your Sleep
-

37.
INXS
The One Thing
Shabooh Shoobah

38.
The Cure
The Love Cats
-

39.
Sparks
Cool Places
In Outer Space

40.
Red Rockers
China
-

41.
Icicle Works
Whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly)
-

42.
The B-52's
Whammy Kiss
Whammy!

43.
Bill Nelson
Acceleration
-

44.
The Fixx
Saved by Zero
Reach the Beach

45.
The Police
Synchronicity II
Synchronicity

46.
Tears for Fears
Change
The Hurting

47.
Billy Idol
Rebel Yell
Rebel Yell

48.
Echo & the Bunnymen
The Cutter
Porcupine

49.
Siouxsie and the Banshees
Dear Prudence
Hyæna

50.
UB40
Red Red Wine
Labour Of Love

51.
The Cure
Let's Go to Bed
-

52.
Spandau Ballet
Lifeline
-

53.
Duran Duran
The Reflex
Seven And The Ragged Tiger

54.
New Order
Blue Monday
Power, Corruption & Lies

55.
Big Country
Fields of Fire
-

56.
Toy Dolls
Nellie the Elephant
-

57.
Adam Ant
Puss'n Boots
Strip

58.
Haysi Fantayzee
Shiny Shiny
-

59.
Reflex
The Politics of Dancing
-

60.
Thompson Twins
Lies
Quick Step & Side Kick

61.
David Bowie
China Girl
Let's Dance

62.
Eurythmics
Love is a Stranger
Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)

63.
Pat Wilson
Bop Girl
-

64.
Jimmy the Hoover
Tantalize
-

65.
The B-52's
Legal Tender
Whammy

66.
OMD
Radio Waves
Dazzle Ships

67.
Real Life
Send Me an Angel
-

68.
Roman Holiday
Don't Try to Stop It
-

69.
R.E.M.
Radio Free Europe
Murmur

70.
Falco
Der Kommisar
-

71.
The Rolling Stones
Too Much Blood
Undercover

72.
Heaven 17
Let Me Go
-

73.
Devo
Dr. Detroit
-

74.
Soft Cell
It's a Mugs Game
-

75.
Midnight Oil
Power and the Passion
10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1

76.
The Psychedelic Furs
Love My Way
Forever Now

77.
Bongos
Numbers with Wings
-

78.
INXS
Black and White
Shabooh Shoobah

79.
Freur
Doot Doot
-

80.
Stray Cats
(She’s) Sexy and 17
Rant N' Rave with the Stray Cats

81.
A Flock of Seagulls
Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)
Listen

82.
Grandmaster Flash
White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)
-

83.
Ric Ocasek
Gimme Something to Grab For
-

84.
Howard Devoto
Rainy Season
-

85.
Peter Godwin
Baby's in the Mountains
-

86.
Malcolm McLaren
Buffalo Gals
-

87.
Aztec Camera
Oblivious
-

88.
Sparks
All You Ever Think About is Sex
In Outer Space

89.
X
New World
More Fun in the New World

90.
B-Movie
Nowhere Girl
-

91.
Peter Gabriel
Shock the Monkey
Security

92.
Oingo Boingo
Nothing Bad Ever Happens
Good For Your Soul

93.
Wham!
Young Guns (Go for It)
-

94.
Spandau Ballet
Communication
-

95.
Cyndi Lauper
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
-

96.
Public Image Ltd.
This is Not a Love Song
This Is What You Want...This Is What You Get

97.
Kajagoogoo
Too Shy
-

98.
Bongos
Barbarella
-

99.
Pete Shelley
Telephone Operator
-

100.
The Human League
(Keep Feeling) Fascination
Fascination!

101.
Machinations
Pressure Sway
-

102.
The Fixx
Red Skies
Shuttered Room

103.
Burning Sensations
Belly of the Whale
-

104.
JoBoxers
Just Got Lucky
-

105.
A Flock of Seagulls
Committed
-

106.
Dave Edmunds
Slipping Away
-

106.7.
Robert Roll
The Dog Boat
-

The KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1982

Ranking
Artist Name
Song Title
Album Title
Click for sample
1.
The Clash
Rock the Casbah
Combat Rock

2.
A Flock of Seagulls
I Ran (So Far Away)
A Flock of Seagulls

3.
Soft Cell
Sex Dwarf
Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret

4.
Missing Persons
Words
Spring Session M

5.
The Human League
Don't You Want Me
Dare!

6.
The Stray Cats
Rock this Town
Built for Speed

7.
Sparks
I Predict
Angst In My Pants

8.
The Go-Go's
Vacation
Vacation

9.
Talk Talk
Talk Talk
-

10.
X
Blue Spark
Under the Big Black Sun

11.
Missing Persons
Walking in L.A.
Spring Session M

12.
The Police
Hungry for You
Ghost in the Machine

13.
The Jam
Town Called Malice
-

14.
The Cars
Since You're Gone
Shake It Up

15.
Toni Basil
Mickey
-

16.
Romeo Void
Never Say Never
-

17.
Adam & The Ants
Stand and Deliver
Prince Charming

18.
King Crimson
Elephant Talk
Discipline

19.
The Rolling Stones
Going to a Go-Go
Still Life

20.
Devo
Peek-A-Boo!
Oh, No! It's DEVO

21.
Peter Gabriel
Shock the Monkey
Security

22.
The B-52's
Nip It in the Bud
Mesopotamia

23.
XTC
Senses Working Overtime
English Settlement

24.
Billy Idol
White Wedding
Billy Idol

25.
Adam Ant
Goodie Two Shoes
Friend Or Foe

26.
Haircut 100
Love Plus One
-

27.
Duran Duran
Hungry Like the Wolf
Rio

28.
Gang of Four
I Love a Man in Uniform
-

29.
Roxy Music
The Space Between
-

30.
King Crimson
Heartbeat
Beat

31.
The Clash
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
Combat Rock

32.
Lords of the New Church
Open Your Eyes
-

33.
A Flock of Seagulls
Space Age Love Song
A Flock of Seagulls

34.
Duran Duran
Girls on Film
Duran Duran

35.
The Stray Cats
Runaway Boys
Built for Speed

36.
Men at Work
Who Can It Be Now?
-

37.
Thomas Dolby
Europa and the Pirate Twins
-

38.
Soft Cell
Tainted Love
Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret

39.
Simple Minds
Promised You a Miracle
New Gold Dream

40.
Missing Persons
Destination Unknown
Spring Session M

41.
The Cure
Primary
Faith

42.
The Police
Too Much Information
Ghost in the Machine

43.
The Pretenders
Back on the Chain Gang
Learning to Crawl

44.
Wall of Voodoo
Mexican Radio
-

45.
The Blasters
American Music
-

46.
King Cotton
Stick to the Grind
-

47.
Oingo Boingo
Wild Sex (In the Working Class)
Nothing to Fear

48.
Slow Children
Spring In Fialta
-

49.
Tom Petty
You Got Lucky
Long After Dark

50.
Killer Pussy
Teenage Enema Nurses in Bondage
-

51.
The Human League
Seconds
Dare!

52.
The Boomtown Rats
Skin on Skin
-

53.
The Stray Cats
Stray Cat Strut
Built for Speed

54.
Tommy Tutone
867-5309/Jenny
-

55.
Toto Coelo
I Eat Cannibals
-

56.
The Clash
Know Your Rights
Combat Rock

57.
David Bowie
Cat People
-

58.
The Police
One World (Not Three)
Ghost in the Machine

59.
OMD
Georgia
Architecture & Morality

60.
Sparks
Mickey Mouse
Angst In My Pants

61.
The Waitresses
Quit
-

62.
X
The Hungry Wolf
Under the Big Black Sun

63.
Oingo Boingo
Goodbye Goodbye
-

64.
The Cars
Shake It Up
Shake It Up

65.
The Human League
Love Action
Dare!

66.
Dave Edmunds
Me and the Boys
-

67.
Missing Persons
It Ain't None of Your Business
Spring Session M

68.
The Go-Go's
Beatnik Beach
Vacation

69.
The Jam
Precious
-

70.
Men at Work
Down Under
-

71.
Joan Jett
I Love Rock & Roll
-

72.
The Police
Spirits in the Material World
Ghost in the Machine

73.
Sparks
Angst in My Pants
Angst In My Pants

74.
The Go-Go's
Speeding
-

75.
Devo
Big Mess
Oh, No! It's DEVO

76.
Adam & The Ants
Prince Charming
Prince Charming

77.
King Crimson
Thela Hun Ginjeet
Discipline

78.
The B-52's
Loveland
Mesopotamia

79.
Nick Lowe
Burnin
-

80.
Bow Wow Wow
Baby Oh No
-

81.
Tom Petty
The Same Old You
Long After Dark

82.
Haircut 100
Favorite Shirt
-

83.
Thompson Twins
In the Name of Love
In The Name Of Love

84.
King Crimson
Neal and Jack and Me
Beat

85.
Soft Cell
Insecure Me
-

86.
The Pretenders
My City Was Gone
Learning to Crawl

87.
Mink Deville
Just Give Me One Good Reason
-

88.
Translator
Everywhere That I'm Not
-

89.
Iggy Pop
Run Like a Villain
Zombie Birdhouse

90.
Elvis Costello
The Loved Ones
Imperial Bedroom

91.
David Bowie/Queen
Under Pressure
-

92.
A Flock of Seagulls
Telecommunication
A Flock of Seagulls

93.
Missing Persons
Noticeable Ones
Spring Session M

94.
The Stray Cats
Built for Speed
Built for Speed

95.
Sparks
Eaten By the Monster of Love
Angst In My Pants

96.
The Go-Go's
Get Up And Go
Vacation

97.
ABC
Look of Love
The Lexicon of Love

98.
Trio
Da Da Da
-

99.
Berlin
Sex (I'm A...)
Pleasure Victim

100.
Duran Duran
Rio
Rio

101.
Squeeze
I've Returned
Sweets From A Stranger

102.
The Clash
Radio Clash
-

103.
Joe Jackson
Steppin' Out
-

104.
Roxy Music
Main Thing
-

105.
Peter Gabriel
I Have the Touch
Security

106.
Billy Idol
Hot In The City
Billy Idol

106.7.
Barnes & Barnes
I Had Sex With E.T.
-

http://www.radiohitlist.com/KROQ/KROQ-main.htm

― Carlos Keith (Buck_Wilde), Tuesday, 16 May 2006 21:09 (nineteen years ago)

I can't even remember all the fads of the early 80s new wave (most of which came from the UK) with Bowie the primary wellspring. What was the most famous - New Romantics? Even Darby Crash went to England and came home an Ant Person. I remember this radio station tried to jump on the more commercial variety of what was coming out of Britain and hype it as the next big thing so it figured their playlists would contain plenty of ideas for what might qualify as 'hard to believe were once trendy'. They were still playing some Billy Squier and Rush as of '81 but then, as the lists indicate, focused on England. I guess they were successful considering Depeche Mode and The Cure played stadiums in Southern California:

The KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1983

Ranking
Artist Name
Song Title
Album Title
Click for sample
1.
Duran Duran
Is There Something I Should Know?
Duran Duran

2.
Men Without Hats
The Safety Dance
-

3.
The Police
Every Breath You Take
Synchronicity

4.
Big Country
In a Big Country
The Crossing

5.
Culture Club
Church of the Poison Mind
Colour By Numbers

6.
David Bowie
Let's Dance
Let's Dance

7.
Tears for Fears
Mad World
The Hurting

8.
Peter Schilling
Major Tom (Coming Home)
-

9.
Duran Duran
Union of the Snake
Seven And The Ragged Tiger

10.
The English Beat
I Confess
Special Beat Service

11.
Culture Club
Do You Really Want to Hurt Me
Kissing to Be Clever

12.
David Bowie
Modern Love
Let's Dance

13.
Talking Heads
Burning Down the House
Speaking in Tongues

14.
U2
New Year's Day
War

15.
Madness
Our House
-

16.
Culture Club
I'll Tumble 4 Ya
Kissing to Be Clever

17.
The Police
King of Pain
Synchronicity

18.
Greg Kihn Band
Jeopardy
-

19.
The Fixx
One Thing Leads to Another
Reach the Beach

20.
Nena
99 Luftballoons
-

21.
The Polecats
Make a Circuit With Me
-

22.
Tim Scott
Swear
-

23.
Suicidal Tendencies
Institutionalized
Suicidal Tendencies

24.
The Rolling Stones
Undercover of the Night
Undercover

25.
Culture Club
Karma Chameleon
Colour By Numbers

26.
Echo & the Bunnymen
Never Stop
-

27.
Eurythmics
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)

28.
Adam Ant
Strip
Strip

29.
Tears for Fears
Pale Shelter
The Hurting

30.
The English Beat
Save It for Later
Special Beat Service

31.
Thomas Dolby
She Blinded Me With Science
-

32.
Blancmange
Living on the Ceiling
-

33.
Culture Club
Miss Me Blind
Colour By Numbers

34.
Elvis Costello
Everyday I Write the Book
Punch The Clock

35.
Barbie and the Kens
Just a Gigolo
-

36.
The Romantics
Talking in Your Sleep
-

37.
INXS
The One Thing
Shabooh Shoobah

38.
The Cure
The Love Cats
-

39.
Sparks
Cool Places
In Outer Space

40.
Red Rockers
China
-

41.
Icicle Works
Whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly)
-

42.
The B-52's
Whammy Kiss
Whammy!

43.
Bill Nelson
Acceleration
-

44.
The Fixx
Saved by Zero
Reach the Beach

45.
The Police
Synchronicity II
Synchronicity

46.
Tears for Fears
Change
The Hurting

47.
Billy Idol
Rebel Yell
Rebel Yell

48.
Echo & the Bunnymen
The Cutter
Porcupine

49.
Siouxsie and the Banshees
Dear Prudence
Hyæna

50.
UB40
Red Red Wine
Labour Of Love

51.
The Cure
Let's Go to Bed
-

52.
Spandau Ballet
Lifeline
-

53.
Duran Duran
The Reflex
Seven And The Ragged Tiger

54.
New Order
Blue Monday
Power, Corruption & Lies

55.
Big Country
Fields of Fire
-

56.
Toy Dolls
Nellie the Elephant
-

57.
Adam Ant
Puss'n Boots
Strip

58.
Haysi Fantayzee
Shiny Shiny
-

59.
Reflex
The Politics of Dancing
-

60.
Thompson Twins
Lies
Quick Step & Side Kick

61.
David Bowie
China Girl
Let's Dance

62.
Eurythmics
Love is a Stranger
Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)

63.
Pat Wilson
Bop Girl
-

64.
Jimmy the Hoover
Tantalize
-

65.
The B-52's
Legal Tender
Whammy

66.
OMD
Radio Waves
Dazzle Ships

67.
Real Life
Send Me an Angel
-

68.
Roman Holiday
Don't Try to Stop It
-

69.
R.E.M.
Radio Free Europe
Murmur

70.
Falco
Der Kommisar
-

71.
The Rolling Stones
Too Much Blood
Undercover

72.
Heaven 17
Let Me Go
-

73.
Devo
Dr. Detroit
-

74.
Soft Cell
It's a Mugs Game
-

75.
Midnight Oil
Power and the Passion
10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1

76.
The Psychedelic Furs
Love My Way
Forever Now

77.
Bongos
Numbers with Wings
-

78.
INXS
Black and White
Shabooh Shoobah

79.
Freur
Doot Doot
-

80.
Stray Cats
(She’s) Sexy and 17
Rant N' Rave with the Stray Cats

81.
A Flock of Seagulls
Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)
Listen

82.
Grandmaster Flash
White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)
-

83.
Ric Ocasek
Gimme Something to Grab For
-

84.
Howard Devoto
Rainy Season
-

85.
Peter Godwin
Baby's in the Mountains
-

86.
Malcolm McLaren
Buffalo Gals
-

87.
Aztec Camera
Oblivious
-

88.
Sparks
All You Ever Think About is Sex
In Outer Space

89.
X
New World
More Fun in the New World

90.
B-Movie
Nowhere Girl
-

91.
Peter Gabriel
Shock the Monkey
Security

92.
Oingo Boingo
Nothing Bad Ever Happens
Good For Your Soul

93.
Wham!
Young Guns (Go for It)
-

94.
Spandau Ballet
Communication
-

95.
Cyndi Lauper
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
-

96.
Public Image Ltd.
This is Not a Love Song
This Is What You Want...This Is What You Get

97.
Kajagoogoo
Too Shy
-

98.
Bongos
Barbarella
-

99.
Pete Shelley
Telephone Operator
-

100.
The Human League
(Keep Feeling) Fascination
Fascination!

101.
Machinations
Pressure Sway
-

102.
The Fixx
Red Skies
Shuttered Room

103.
Burning Sensations
Belly of the Whale
-

104.
JoBoxers
Just Got Lucky
-

105.
A Flock of Seagulls
Committed
-

106.
Dave Edmunds
Slipping Away
-

106.7.
Robert Roll
The Dog Boat
-

The KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1982

Ranking
Artist Name
Song Title
Album Title
Click for sample
1.
The Clash
Rock the Casbah
Combat Rock

2.
A Flock of Seagulls
I Ran (So Far Away)
A Flock of Seagulls

3.
Soft Cell
Sex Dwarf
Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret

4.
Missing Persons
Words
Spring Session M

5.
The Human League
Don't You Want Me
Dare!

6.
The Stray Cats
Rock this Town
Built for Speed

7.
Sparks
I Predict
Angst In My Pants

8.
The Go-Go's
Vacation
Vacation

9.
Talk Talk
Talk Talk
-

10.
X
Blue Spark
Under the Big Black Sun

11.
Missing Persons
Walking in L.A.
Spring Session M

12.
The Police
Hungry for You
Ghost in the Machine

13.
The Jam
Town Called Malice
-

14.
The Cars
Since You're Gone
Shake It Up

15.
Toni Basil
Mickey
-

16.
Romeo Void
Never Say Never
-

17.
Adam & The Ants
Stand and Deliver
Prince Charming

18.
King Crimson
Elephant Talk
Discipline

19.
The Rolling Stones
Going to a Go-Go
Still Life

20.
Devo
Peek-A-Boo!
Oh, No! It's DEVO

21.
Peter Gabriel
Shock the Monkey
Security

22.
The B-52's
Nip It in the Bud
Mesopotamia

23.
XTC
Senses Working Overtime
English Settlement

24.
Billy Idol
White Wedding
Billy Idol

25.
Adam Ant
Goodie Two Shoes
Friend Or Foe

26.
Haircut 100
Love Plus One
-

27.
Duran Duran
Hungry Like the Wolf
Rio

28.
Gang of Four
I Love a Man in Uniform
-

29.
Roxy Music
The Space Between
-

30.
King Crimson
Heartbeat
Beat

31.
The Clash
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
Combat Rock

32.
Lords of the New Church
Open Your Eyes
-

33.
A Flock of Seagulls
Space Age Love Song
A Flock of Seagulls

34.
Duran Duran
Girls on Film
Duran Duran

35.
The Stray Cats
Runaway Boys
Built for Speed

36.
Men at Work
Who Can It Be Now?
-

37.
Thomas Dolby
Europa and the Pirate Twins
-

38.
Soft Cell
Tainted Love
Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret

39.
Simple Minds
Promised You a Miracle
New Gold Dream

40.
Missing Persons
Destination Unknown
Spring Session M

41.
The Cure
Primary
Faith

42.
The Police
Too Much Information
Ghost in the Machine

43.
The Pretenders
Back on the Chain Gang
Learning to Crawl

44.
Wall of Voodoo
Mexican Radio
-

45.
The Blasters
American Music
-

46.
King Cotton
Stick to the Grind
-

47.
Oingo Boingo
Wild Sex (In the Working Class)
Nothing to Fear

48.
Slow Children
Spring In Fialta
-

49.
Tom Petty
You Got Lucky
Long After Dark

50.
Killer Pussy
Teenage Enema Nurses in Bondage
-

51.
The Human League
Seconds
Dare!

52.
The Boomtown Rats
Skin on Skin
-

53.
The Stray Cats
Stray Cat Strut
Built for Speed

54.
Tommy Tutone
867-5309/Jenny
-

55.
Toto Coelo
I Eat Cannibals
-

56.
The Clash
Know Your Rights
Combat Rock

57.
David Bowie
Cat People
-

58.
The Police
One World (Not Three)
Ghost in the Machine

59.
OMD
Georgia
Architecture & Morality

60.
Sparks
Mickey Mouse
Angst In My Pants

61.
The Waitresses
Quit
-

62.
X
The Hungry Wolf
Under the Big Black Sun

63.
Oingo Boingo
Goodbye Goodbye
-

64.
The Cars
Shake It Up
Shake It Up

65.
The Human League
Love Action
Dare!

66.
Dave Edmunds
Me and the Boys
-

67.
Missing Persons
It Ain't None of Your Business
Spring Session M

68.
The Go-Go's
Beatnik Beach
Vacation

69.
The Jam
Precious
-

70.
Men at Work
Down Under
-

71.
Joan Jett
I Love Rock & Roll
-

72.
The Police
Spirits in the Material World
Ghost in the Machine

73.
Sparks
Angst in My Pants
Angst In My Pants

74.
The Go-Go's
Speeding
-

75.
Devo
Big Mess
Oh, No! It's DEVO

76.
Adam & The Ants
Prince Charming
Prince Charming

77.
King Crimson
Thela Hun Ginjeet
Discipline

78.
The B-52's
Loveland
Mesopotamia

79.
Nick Lowe
Burnin
-

80.
Bow Wow Wow
Baby Oh No
-

81.
Tom Petty
The Same Old You
Long After Dark

82.
Haircut 100
Favorite Shirt
-

83.
Thompson Twins
In the Name of Love
In The Name Of Love

84.
King Crimson
Neal and Jack and Me
Beat

85.
Soft Cell
Insecure Me
-

86.
The Pretenders
My City Was Gone
Learning to Crawl

87.
Mink Deville
Just Give Me One Good Reason
-

88.
Translator
Everywhere That I'm Not
-

89.
Iggy Pop
Run Like a Villain
Zombie Birdhouse

90.
Elvis Costello
The Loved Ones
Imperial Bedroom

91.
David Bowie/Queen
Under Pressure
-

92.
A Flock of Seagulls
Telecommunication
A Flock of Seagulls

93.
Missing Persons
Noticeable Ones
Spring Session M

94.
The Stray Cats
Built for Speed
Built for Speed

95.
Sparks
Eaten By the Monster of Love
Angst In My Pants

96.
The Go-Go's
Get Up And Go
Vacation

97.
ABC
Look of Love
The Lexicon of Love

98.
Trio
Da Da Da
-

99.
Berlin
Sex (I'm A...)
Pleasure Victim

100.
Duran Duran
Rio
Rio

101.
Squeeze
I've Returned
Sweets From A Stranger

102.
The Clash
Radio Clash
-

103.
Joe Jackson
Steppin' Out
-

104.
Roxy Music
Main Thing
-

105.
Peter Gabriel
I Have the Touch
Security

106.
Billy Idol
Hot In The City
Billy Idol

106.7.
Barnes & Barnes
I Had Sex With E.T.
-

http://www.radiohitlist.com/KROQ/KROQ-main.htm

― Carlos Keith (Buck_Wilde), Tuesday, 16 May 2006 21:17 (nineteen years ago)

the Crashland album is totally a forgotten classic

also beautifully recorded, aside from anything else

― carbonara not glue (electricsound), Wednesday, 11 February 2009 09:05 (sixteen years ago)

Status Quo

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 11 February 2009 14:32 (sixteen years ago)

probably unfair of me but since this thread popped back up into New Answers I've been sitting here thinking SILVERCHAIR

― nosotros niggamos (HI DERE), Wednesday, 11 February 2009 14:33 (sixteen years ago)

Simply Red. Almost kind of "underground" after their first album - great reviews and all.

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 11 February 2009 14:33 (sixteen years ago)

In what universe was Simply Red an "underground" band

― nosotros niggamos (HI DERE), Wednesday, 11 February 2009 14:35 (sixteen years ago)

hahahaha

― baaderonixx, Wednesday, 11 February 2009 14:41 (sixteen years ago)

Sigue Sigue Sputnik

― kornrulez6969, Wednesday, 11 February 2009 14:43 (sixteen years ago)

Simply Red were the band which popped into my head when I saw this thread, though they were never "underground".

― Shallow Gravy (Billy Dods), Wednesday, 11 February 2009 14:47 (sixteen years ago)

sigue sigue sputnik seemed like a band that manufactured an aura of trendiness but never really achieved it (at least in the US)

lady sovereign lol

― 鬼の手 (Edward III), Wednesday, 11 February 2009 14:59 (sixteen years ago)

The Housemartins were certainly trendy back in the day. But I guess The Beautiful South weren't even by the release of their debut.

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 11 February 2009 15:15 (sixteen years ago)

Badly Drawn Boy.

― Maximo Park Ji-Sung (Matt DC), Wednesday, 11 February 2009 15:30 (sixteen years ago)

The Datsuns

― The FMLing Groovies (Whiney G. Weingarten), Wednesday, 11 February 2009 15:31 (sixteen years ago)

Sahara Hotnights

― The FMLing Groovies (Whiney G. Weingarten), Wednesday, 11 February 2009 15:31 (sixteen years ago)

how many of these are trendy again? OG post definitely.

― Badgers (dog latin), Friday, 16 February 2018 16:28 (seven years ago)