I think everyone has a fantastic appreciation for music of the ’80s. That decade gave us some of the best music groups, songs and solo artists. This is a sound that many people have tried to recreate but can be difficult to do well. Sometimes I notice people saying they were “born in the wrong generation”. What I think they are overlooking is some of the great artists from today with that wild sound. I have rounded up my top five artists with this sound and I am so excited to share them!
5. Walk The Moon
Now you probably know this group from their radio hit, “Shut up and Dance”, but they have plenty more music to get to know. This musical group has not released an album since 2017, but the music they do have released is a hidden gem. My favorite album of theirs is their self-titled album that they released in 2012. This pop rock band makes good use of their keyboard which gives their music that ’80s sound. My favorite song from them is “Anna Sun”. This song actually launched their career and was their first hit. If you like the last song I mentioned, I would also consider giving a listen to “Headphones” and “What if Nothing”. Their newest album wasn’t for me but some of their older stuff has landed itself on my playlist.
4. MUNA
You cannot complete your ’80s playlist without coming across a solid girl group. MUNA is that girl group of today. With over 2.2 million monthly Spotify listeners, they have spiked in popularity. Their self-titled album screams ’80s to me–I cannot get enough of it. It definitely has that charm of teaching people to dust yourself off, live your life, and navigate love. As well as charm, they frequently use a synthesizer to put the cherry on top of their ’80s sound. My favorite songs of theirs have to be “What I Want” and “I Know a Place”. Hear me out with these, definitely listen to them! You will be glad you did. One of their slower songs, “Shooting Star”, really stuck with me. I thought that it hit that perfect medium of the instrumental sound of the ’80s with modern lyrics I love. I could definitely see this playing in a ’80s themed movie during a school dance scene in the school gym. Give some love to MUNA, they seriously rock.
3. Mitski
If I could have one wish, it would be to go back and listen to all of Mitski’s songs for the first time. How lucky you are to have that opportunity. Mitski has had some viral hits and that’s how I found her. While the name makes you think of a metal band, Mitski is actually killing the indie rock genre! This ’80s sounding solo artist has created a name for herself. My personal favorite song is titled “Me and My Husband”. I think I could write an entire article on just this song; it is truly a masterpiece. This song comes off the genius album titled “Be the Cowboy”. After releasing this album in 2018 she started to create a following. Currently, she has over 11 million monthly listeners. Go listen to “Washing Machine Heart” and tell me you don’t get that ’80s feeling. If you want more of a slow, melancholy song, I suggest “two slow dancers”. It truly is beautiful, just like all of her music.
2. Ashe
Ashe has had quite the career in a small amount of time. Recently, she has reinvented herself with her newest album, “Rae”. To me, Ashe embodies ’80s music and the social movement behind it. Her new alt-rock album has some great songs on it. She uses interesting and obscure musical instruments to create an old time vibe for her songs. Her feminist views, social issues addressed in the songs, and the way she talks about politics online reminds me of some of the fearless women of the ’80s. My playlist consists of a lot of her songs, but two more of my favorites would have to be “Angry Woman” and “Another Man’s Jeans”. Her music is just as fierce as she is, and it makes me want to put it on repeat.
1. Suki Waterhouse
Sitting in my top spot is Suki Waterhouse, because she is just that extraordinary. She is a synth-pop princess. With 6 million monthly listeners, she has been one of my favorites lately. Her album, “I Can’t Let Go”, released in 2022 is one I have been lucky to find this year. The synth ’80s sound is fantastic and the drum reverb that she uses in a lot of her music adds to that. My favorite song from her would have to be “Melrose Meltdown”. This will definitely be in my Spotify Wrapped this year! I have also fallen in love with her song “Good Looking”, but who hasn’t? This song went viral on Spotify and really kicked things off for her. Another one of her songs that’s good, but at a different speed, would have to be “To Love”. You can’t go wrong with Waterhouse’s musical or songwriting skills.