NOW – 80s Alternative (2LP) Various Artists

NOW Music proudly presents NOW – 80s Alternative: 30 tracks across 2 LPs, pressed on stunning pink vinyl – encapsulating the era and celebrating an incredibly diverse decade for ‘Alternative’ music.

LP1’s first side showcases this diversity: Kicking off with Eurythmics stunning ‘Beethoven (I Love To Listen To)’, and Propaganda’s magnificent debut ‘Dr. Mabuse’, before The B-52’s bring U.S. New Wave with ‘Planet Claire’. Post-Punk Pop exploded on the charts of the early 80s, and The Associates and The Stranglers feature, as do The Adventures ‘Broken Land’ and Marc Almond’s ‘Stories Of Johnny’ – both amazing songs. That calibre of song writing is continued on the second side with Tom Robinson’s ‘Atmospherics…’ and the Elvis Costello co-write ‘Shipbuilding’, beautifully realised by Robert Wyatt. Next up is the understated classic ‘I’m In Love With A German Film Star’ from The Passions, leading into Synth-Pop from Yello, Midge Ure & Mick Karn, Japan and a brilliant single from Japanese band Sandii & The Sunsetz. LP1 fittingly closes with defining U.S. New Wave smash ‘Whip It’ from DEVO.

The epic ‘This Corrosion’ from Sisters Of Mercy starts LP 2 in grandiose style, followed by atmospheric masterpieces from Siouxsie And The Banshees, Bauhaus and The Cure. The debut hit from Bjork’s band The Sugarcubes with ‘Birthday’ follows, before David Sylvian’s ‘Pop Song’, and ‘Flowers’ from Zaine Griff (featuring Kate Bush on backing vocals). 

The final side opens with the song that launched one of the defining bands of the era, The Smiths, with ‘Hand In Glove’. Timeless hits from Aztec Camera and the Pretenders lead to R.E.M., the Pixies and The Psychedelic Furs representing the U.S. Alt scene, and the collection draws to a close with The Cult’s ‘Edie (Ciao Baby)’, and The Clash’s commentary on the era ‘This Is England’.

NOW – 80s Alternative – A celebration of a different view of the decade’s charts – the lesser-compiled 1980’s singles.