My idea of the 1980's seems to be very different from everyone else, which is surprising as I am in my 40's and was a teenager during the 1980's.

I often get asked at gigs "can you play some 80's for us, we love the 80's stuff" but after a couple of songs the dance floor tends to start emptying.

If asked for some 80's I tend to play some Wham (wake me up before you gogo), B52's (Love Shack), Soft Cell (Tainted Love), Human League (Don't you want me) and possibly some AHA (Take on Me).

Where am I going wrong and what 80's tracks do people play that constantly go down well?

I don't think you're off the mark with those tracks - most people when asked for 80's would play these.
Maybe it's the timing? Are you asked early in the evening and put them on straight away? I find they work quite late on when people have been dancing for a while already. Also could be apart from the people requesting the 80's music there's no other fans in the room - what sort of functions are you finding this happens at?

80s is best for when people are drunk. All the tracks you mentioned are fine. Some tunes that have never failed me include ...

Debarge - Rhythm Of The Night
Jermaine Stewart - We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off
Medley & Warnes - Time Of My Life (extended version before the last dance works particularly well)
Bon Jovi - Living On A Prayer
Tiffany - I Think We're Alone Now
Tina Turner - The Best
Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance With Somebody

If i was asked for some 80's those would spring to mind definately, have a look in the playlists section somebody posted a great 80's night playlist a while back, it might give you some ideas, but I'd say you're on the right track already. What a great genre, I find these really get the floor moving so can't really see where you could be going wrong.

some others I use alot (they may not all be strictly 80s)

buggles - video killed the radio star
clash - rock the casbah
blondie - one way or another
jam - town claled malice
depeche mode -just can't get enough
george harrison - got my mind set on you
cure - lovecats
madonna - like a virgin
men at work - land down under

As with any decade, there were a number of genres around in the 80's, each with their own devotees.

Whilst virtually all the tracks mentioned already would come to mind, I would also be thinking of names like Gwen Guthrie, Jocelyn Brown, Patrice Rushen, Chaka Khan, Hall & Oates, Change, Luther Van Dross etc.

For a party you're best sticking to familiar stuff that people hear on the radio or TV shows, the poppy light entertainment stuff. Any of the stock aitken waterman tracks, madonna, black lace, billy ocean, tina turner, eurythmics, spandau ballet, ABC, weather girls, michael jackson, wham, bros, human league, depeche mode etc. Don't get too specialist! At least, not unless you're entertaining a reunion of old-New Romantics or 80's Punks. So steer away from Siouxie Soux, Devo, Herbie Hancock, Lonnie Liston Smith and The Cure. Save that for dedicated 80's nights at the very least.

Top Choooooons

My era I was a club DJ in Magaluf in 84/5 oh what memories.
Don't forget the
Whispers - And the beat goes on
Fatback Band - I found Lovin'
Alexander O'Neal
D Train - You're the One for me
Cheryl Lynn
Tom Browne - Funkin' for Jamacia
Kool And The Gang
Frankie Beverley and Maze - Back In stride- Joy and Pain




I would ask the question to who ever requests the 80's if they want pop (Wham etc) or dance music as listed by Both Spinner and myself.

The 70's & 80's is what i specialize in both music and lighting.
I could ramble on for ever on the subject but its another thread for another day.

Timing and song selection I feel my need some fine tuning for example Human leauge Dont you want me (New Romantic) I would follow on with lets say Depeche mode Just Cant Get Enough, then maybe onto Soft Cell tainted Love.

Just my two pennies worth

Ray

The 'dance' 80s music as listed in Ray's post is likely to be a floor clearer at most parties..its too specialist for insertion in your average wedding reception or 21st birthday, where the order of the day is fun rather than nostalgia...many of the punters will not have been born when those were doing the clubs let alone old enough to be down at their local Top-Rank and may have only heard them on some all-day 80's music loop on Sky.

Have you all been spying on what I've been playing in the car lately?!!!!


Fatback band has an awesome bassline to it too!.. :)

You're right they won't work for every situation - you need to judge your audience - but when you do find you have some 80's soul boys and girls in your crowd it's really satisfying to play them (last few weddings I've done have had 80's Soul and Northern Soul fans - brilliant!) and I've also found the younger people are dancing as well, but as I said, it all depends on the crowd on the night.

Interesting to see a few soul\disco type tracks being listed as I tend to think of the 80's as being more of a new romantic\rock decade rather than soul and disco (I tend to think of that as being more the 70's).

I have to admit to usually playing Billie Jean and Whitney Houston, and it usually goes down really well, but I usually tack it onto the end of the motown segment rather than the 80's material.

Several tracks there that I have tried before and have cleared the floor with devasting effect (Love Cats in particular) but also plenty of interesting ideas.

Thanks for that.

I was aiming the styles of music played in clubs during that time. I personally would aim the list at an age group of 40+ but having said that some of the tunes listed were taken from my playlist for a wedding in September.

Apologies I may have not made myself clear

the 80's, which may people seem to forget, spanned 10 years with hell of a lot going on. 1980 we had the human league and 1988 brought us guns and roses

have a look here for top hits from the decade and dont forget to play Town Called Malice from The Jam - IMO that was one of the best

http://www.everyhit.com/number4.html

when i regain the ability to 'think and do' at the same time i will post a 80's playlist form a recent gig, it was mainly pop but had a few good tunes as well as a few request from out of the 80's

Timing and song selection I feel my need some fine tuning for example Human leauge Dont you want me (New Romantic) I would follow on with lets say Depeche mode Just Cant Get Enough, then maybe onto Soft Cell tainted Love.

Very good point and also it really depends on the crowd,I normally get a feel after a couple of tunes as to whether I think of playing more 80s of changing to another genre.

When I'm doing an 80s set I tend to start off with songs like I wanna dance with somebody / I think we're alone now/ club tropicana / wake me up etc.. The more well known cheesy tunes.

If this goes down well then I may play some of the new romantic tunes mentioned above and depending on the crowd may then do some 80s dance:

Technotronic - Pump up the Jam
Blackbox - Ride on Time
Innercity - Good life


Again depending on the crowd, I might throw in a few ska tunes:

Madness - Baggy Trousers
Bad Manners - Lip up Fatty

A few punk ones:

The Jam - A Town called Malice
The Clash - Rock the Casbah

What I call cheesy 80s hiphop:

Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice Baby
MC Hammer - U can't touch this
Salt and Pepper - Push it

There are loads of 80s Rock ballards you can play nearer the end of the night which will get the crowd singing.

As I mainly do Weddings I find that I tend to play some 80s most of the time but it could be just a few songs or an hour set depending on the crowd.

the 80's was a fantastic era

lots of different types of music
new romantic
gothic
rock
indie
dance tunes

and or mobile favotites .... happy songs that we can do actions to !!! lol

keep it upbeat and dancing freindly, and you should be ok ... i have been doing 80's night s for years and they are always a laugh !!!

I recently did a 60th birthday where two younger folk came up and requestedsome 80's dancehall reggae. I played a couple of the usual suspects, Chaka Demus & Pliers, Sugar Minott then put on Audrey Hall -One Dance Won't Do. They were already dancing, but that track went ballistic and a few came over to ask what it was.

They were all 20 somethings and just loved the genre.

Were they 80's?

1992-1994?