Flexipop

31/01/2025

Philip Schofield reveals the latest single releases for Smash Hits magazine in December 1986 (apologies for the slight fuzziness)…

30/01/2025

The ten worst songs of the 1980s according to the readers of Rolling Stone magazine…

1. Starship – ‘We Built This City’
2. Europe – ‘The Final Countdown’
3. Chris de Burgh – ‘Lady In Red’
4. Wham! – ‘Wake Me Up (Before You Go Go)’
5. Men Without Hats – ‘The Safety Dance’
6. Falco – ‘Rock Me Amadeus’
7. Bobby McFerrin – ‘Don’t Worry Be Happy’
8. Toni Basil – ‘Mickey’
9. Taco – ‘Puttin’ On The Ritz’
10. Rick Astley – ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’

29/01/2025

Today’s 80s Top 10 Singles’ Chart is by Andy Jamison-LeGere from the USA…

1. Souvenir - OMD
2. Inbetween Days - Cure
3. Shake the Disease - Depeche Mode
4. Gentlemen Take Polaroids- Japan
5. Love Action - Human League
6. Mad World - TFF
7. Maid of Orleans- OMD
8. Vienna- Ultravox
9. Feels Like Heaven- Fiction Factory
10. Love My Way - Psychedelic Furs

‘I was 15 in ‘81 and visiting family in the UK,’ says Andy. ‘My cousins introduced me to all the amazing British music, trends and fashion that was light years ahead of the US. Souvenir was unlike anything I’d ever heard. So beautiful, weird, and new. It started a life long love of British synth and alternative music.’
Souvenir was OMD’s biggest hit at the time, peaking at No. 3 in the UK. The song also reached the top 10 in several European countries and topped the charts in Spain and Portugal. Classic Pop magazine ranked Souvenir as the 34th-greatest single of the 1980s.
Message, don’t post, your 80s Top Tens
to us here at Flexipop!. Be nice to know what part of the world you’re from too…

Music video by Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark performing Souvenir. (P) 1981 The copyright in this audiovisual recording is owned by Virgin Records Ltd

27/01/2025

All About Eve review the latest single releases for Record Mirror in July 1987…

27/01/2025

Today’s 80s Top 10 Singles’ Chart is by former Record Mirror editor, Alf Martin…

1. Going Underground/Dreams Of Children, The Jam
2. Could You Be Loved, Bob Marley and the Wailers
3. Banana Republic, Boomtown Rats
4. Come On Eileen, Dexys Midnight Runners
5. Relax, Frankie Goes To Hollywood
6. A Town Called Malice, The Jam
7. Golden Brown, The Stranglers
8. Ghost Town, The Specials
9. The Story Of The Blues, Wah!
10. Do They Know It's Christmas, Band Aid

‘The double A side single, Going Underground/Dreams Of Children, went straight to No.1 in the charts - the first since Slade’s Merry Christmas Everybody over six years earlier,’ says Alf. ‘The Jam cut short their North American tour at the time, flying back on Concorde to appear on Top Of The Pops. Apart from the re-occurring "And the public gets what the public wants", it was Paul Weller's angry outcry against the Tory Party policy of building nuclear bombs. The lyrics stand up today - "You choose your leaders and place your trust, As their lies wash you down and their promises rust. You'll see kidney machines replaced by rockets and guns.” It was the angst we were all feeling at the time.’

Dreams of Children was originally earmarked to be the sole A-side but following a mix-up at the pressing plant, the single became a double A-side, and DJs tended to choose the catchier Going Underground to play on the radio.

Alf's memoirs 'What's It All About Alfie!', the story of his childhood and over 20 years working on Melody Maker, Sounds, Record Mirror, Kerrang! And Punk Lives! is available from eBay on this quick link - :https://shorturl.at/ijnv1
Message, don’t post, your 80s Top Tens to us here at Flexipop!. Be nice to know what part of the world you’re from too…

''Double A Side'' / Going Underground

25/01/2025

The Top 40 Greatest Albums In The Universe as voted by readers of Q magazine in 1998…

22/01/2025

Today’s 80s Top 10 Singles’ Chart is by Sean McKay from Belfast……

1.Soul II Soul Feat.Caron Wheeler/
Back To Life (However Do You Want Me)
2.Ten City/That’s The Way Love Is
3.Roachford/Cuddly Toy
4.Prince & The Revolution/Mountains
5.George Michael/Hard Day
6.Michael Jackson/P.Y.T (Pretty Young Thing)
7.S-Xpress/Hey Music Lover
8.Steve Arrington/Feel So Real
9.Skipworth & Turner/Thinking About Your Love
10.Pointer Sisters/Automatic

Back To Life (However Do You Want Me) was an 80s club banger with reggae violins, a shuffling beat and outstanding vocals,’ says Sean. ‘This tune was THE sound of the summer.’
The single was an alternative version of a track on Soul II Soul’s debut album, Club Classics Vol. One and was released in May 1989. The single topped the charts in the UK and Netherlands and peaked at No. 4 in the USA.

Message, don’t post, your 80s Top Tens to us here at Flexipop!. Be nice to know what part of the world you’re from too…

REMASTERED IN HD!Listen to more Soul II Soulhttps://SoulIISoul.lnk.to/EssentialsOfficial video of Soul II Soul performing Back To Life (However Do You Want M...

19/01/2025

The Top 40 albums of the 1980s according to Uncut magazine…

18/01/2025

Today’s 80s Top 10 Singles’ Chart is by Jacqui Bakewell from Sydney…

1. Antmusic - Adam And The Ants
2. I Want to be Free - Toyah
3. Spellbound - Siouxsie & The Banshees
4. Red Rose - Alphaville (not a big hit from this German band but it’s my chosen funeral song)
5. Careless Memories - Duran Duran (the stars align on this track)
6. Stand and Deliver - Adam And The Ants (their most perfect song)
7. The Winner Takes It All - Abba (the most beautiful ballad of all time)
8. Dignity - Deacon Blue (I was late to this track. It’s bloody wonderful)
9. Waterfront - Simple Minds (one of the greatest intro’s of all time)
and if you’ll permit me one perfect OZ song…
10. Take Me Back - Noiseworks (Jon Stevens - one of the greatest rock vocalists of all time who has occasionally sung with INXS after Michael’s death).

‘Growing up in Sydney, my musical education was brought to me by Countdown. Australia’s version of TOTP I guess,’ says Jacqui. ‘My love affair with British music truly started the first time I saw Adam And The Ants, and continues to this day. I can now reflect on this amazing time, and it brought me far more than great music. It brought me role models - females like Toyah and Siouxsie, even Kim was effortlessly cool. I began importing Flexipop! so I could stay abreast. It was a freaking awesome magazine (and I still have my copy of A.N.T.S).’
Antmusic was released in November 1980 (when Flexipop! first appeared) as the third single in the UK from Kings of the Wild Frontier. It peaked at No. 2 only held off the top by the re-release of John Lennon's Imagine. In Australia, the single spent five weeks at No. 1. It also reached No. 2 in South Africa, No. 4 in Ireland, and No. 6 in New Zealand.
Message, don’t post, your 80s Top Tens
to us here at Flexipop!. Be nice to know what part of the world you’re from too…

Adam And The Ants - Antmusic 1980Copyright Disclaimer: Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as cr...

17/01/2025

New Musical Express Poll Winners for 1983…

16/01/2025

Anyone make it to this? Quite a line-up…

15/01/2025

Today’s 80s Top 10 Singles’ Chart is by David Mildenhall from Wiltshire…

1. Just A Shadow... Big Country
2. Senses Working Overtime - XTC
3. Evangeline - The Icicle Works
4. Liberator - Spear Of Destiny
5. Don’t Talk To Me About Love - Altered Images
6. Safety Dance - Men Without Hats
7. Wonderland - Big Country
8. Through The Barricades - Spandau Ballet
9. Hold Me Now - Thompson Twins
10. 2000 Miles - The Pretenders

‘The 80s is my favorite era by far and I first got into my fave group Big Country through their second album Steeltown,’ says David. ‘I adored Just A Shadow for its rousing finish and superb lyrics. XTC are from my hometown and we were proud we had a group who we could see on Top Of The Pops.’
Just a Shadow is a track from the 1984 album Steeltown. It was released as a single on 19 January 1985 and peaked at No. 26 in the UK and No. 11 in Ireland.
Message, don’t post, your 80s Top Tens
to us here at Flexipop!. Be nice to know what part of the world you’re from too…

This is a great rare classic Big Country video from Steeltown.

15/01/2025

RIP…

Irish singer, actress and Mirror columnist Linda Nolan has sadly died aged 65, 20 years after she was first diagnosed with breast cancer that eventually spread to her brain

14/01/2025

John Peel reveals his 1980 faves to New Musical Express…

13/01/2025

Today’s 80s Top 10 Singles’ Chart is by Tony Roach from the UK…

1 Ace Of Spades (Motorhead)
2 Golden Brown (Stranglers)
3 Woman (John Lennon)
4 What Difference Does It Make? (Smiths)
5 Birdhouse In Your Soul (They Might Be Giants)
6 Here Comes Your Man (Pixies)
7 Down Under (Men At Work)
8 Africa (Toto)
9 Karma Chameleon (Culture Club)
10 Smooth Operator (Sade)

‘There was a resurgence of heavy rock in the early 80s and Ace Of Spades combined that with punk energy to give a real kick start to the new decade,’ says Tony. ‘it would always be one of my desert island discs and so rare then to have such an authentic slice of metal as a chart single! True rock & roll in the age of the synthesiser.’
Ace Of Spades was released in October 1980. It spent 13 weeks in the UK Singles Chart, and originally peaked at No.15. After Lemmy died in 2015 it was re-released and reached No. 13.
Message, don’t post, your 80s Top Tens
to us here at Flexipop!. Be nice to know what part of the world you’re from too…

, Ace Of Spades 40th anniversary deluxe editions : https://motorhead.lnk.to/AOS40ID Official video for ‘Ace Of Spades...

11/01/2025

Mark E. Smith and Brix of The Fall review the latest singles for Record Mirror along with writer Nancy Culp, August 1986…

10/01/2025

Time (less)…

09/01/2025

Today’s 80s Top 10 Singles’ Chart is by Michael Karlsson from Sweden…

1. Japan - Visions Of China
2 New Order - True Faith
3 ABC - All Of My Heart
4 Soft Cell - Bedsitter
5 Depeche Mode - Lie To Me
6 Pet Shop Boys - Do I Have To?
7 FGTH - Relax
8 Fiction Factory - Feels Like Heaven
9 Adventures - Broken Land
10 Icehouse - Hey Little Girl

‘I’ve always been obsessed with the Brits,’ admits Michael. ‘Love the humour, culture, music, all the vibes. I learned the language properly by reading Smash Hits. Of course that mag influenced me in other ways too. These songs are perhaps not the best of the 80s but they were a huge part of my decade. This list reveals that my favourite music was synthesizer-based and Visions Of China hit me like a slap on the face the first time i heard it.’
Visions of China was released in October 1981 as the second single from Japan’s 1981 album Tin Drum. It reached number 32 on the UK Singles Chart.
Message, don’t post, your 80s Top Tens
to us here at Flexipop!. Be nice to know what part of the world you’re from too.

Promo Video