What would be your top 10 singles to play?

Am thinking about giving my Hogmanay apero a 80s theme - was planning some FGTH, Scritti Politti, Blondie (later stuff), Kylie (early stuff), Rick Astley, Haircut 100, Duran Duran, Tiffany, Madonna, Blow Monkeys but wondered what forum members would have.

All suggestions gratefully received and would love a swiss hit or two as well.

In Switzerland in the 80s the "Neue Deutsche Welle" was all the rage.
Nena (99 Luftballons), Spider Murphy Gang, Hubert Kah, Peter Schilling (Major Tom) - oh and Falco, from Austria, with "Jeannie".

Just off the top of my head - some of the LP's I bought then: Pretenders, Peter Gabriel, Suzi Quatro, Simply Red, Bananarama (), Kate Bush, Culture Club (), Meatloaf, ZZ Top, Sade, Kim Wilde (big time fan !), Stray Cats, Steely Dan, Sinead O'Connor, Prince, Kid Creole & the Coconuts (), Eurythmics/Annie Lennox... (No Madonna, please)

Pretty mainstream, really, but then - I was a teenager, so can be forgiven ?

My favorite Swiss "hit" from the 80s was Celtic Frost Into Crypts of Rays, seen below on 80s tv

Excellent choices Crumbs - Annie I'm not your Daddy, Legs and Venus have all suddenly sprung to mind - must admit to waivering on Madonna myself - thanks for the Swiss heads up

My mother hadn't met my father by then.... but if they had, and if i had been a teenager by then i probably would choose The Cocteau Twins, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Cure, The Durutti Column, Kate Bush, Joy Division, The Smiths, Prefab Sprout, (early) Depeche Mode, Soft Cell, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, (early) REM, The Jesus and Mary Chain, (early) Nick Cave (with or without Bad Seeds), The Pogues, Kate Bush...

Ooh nice. Top 10 80's party tunes is difficult, but in no order;

1. Road to Nowhere - The Talking Heads
2. Ashes to Ashes - David Bowie
3. 99 Red Balloons - Nina (not the German version )
4. Camouflage - Stan Ridgway
5. Land Down Under - Men At Work
6. Africa - Toto
7. I Want To Break Free - Queen
8. Livin On A Prayer - Bon Jovi (every 80's party needs some Soft Rock to sing along to)
9. Word Up - Cameo
10. Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper (for end of the night smooches)

Lucy and Terry covered a lot of my list. I would add Roxy Music -More Than This, Talking Heads - Burning Down the House, Tears for Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Love My Way - Psychedelic Furs, In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel, and crossing genres a bit...Blister in the Sun - Violent Femmes, Jane Says - Janes Addiction, Welcome to the Jungle - Guns n Roses; I could go on and on...

fduvall

Gah - you got in there with Cyndi Lauper before me but I'm picking Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Strange that no one has mentioned Michael Jackson's Thriller.

Do you really think so...Where is the vomiting smiley!

fduvall

Something for the kids....

Cheers,
Nick

Jethro Tull - Broadsword
Barclay James Harvest - Ring of Changes
Dave Greenslade - The Pentateuch (an album - so maybe doesn't count)
Pink Floyd - Get Your Filthy Hands off my Desert
Billy Bragg - It Says Here
Dire Straits - Telegraph Road
Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast
Whitesnake - Slide it In
Marillion - Assassing
Rush - The Spirit of Radio
The Macc Lads - Bitter, Fit Crack

Cheers,
Nick

I've been thinking about this for a while now, this is a real mixed bag:

Kate Bush - Running up that hill and Cloud Busting(loved that album)
Loyld Coyle and the Commotions - weekend in Amsterdam
Duran Duran - say a prayer
Eurythmics - Julia
Orange Juice - rip it up and start again
Prince - Purple Rain
David Bowie - China girl
Guns & Roses - Sweet Child of Mine
House Martins - Happy Hour
Waterboys - The Whole of the Moon

and the smiths, elvis costello, fleetwood mac, hothouse flowers, peter gabriel i could go on and on

Am loving this list Swisstree - Will also have Loyd Cole's Rattlesnakes, The Associates - Club Country or Party Fears Two, definitely Steve Tintin Duffy - Kiss me....

I am getting quite excited about loading my iPOD up!!!

You got great taste, Swisstree!
I'd add:
Martin Stephenson and the Daintees - Boat to Bolivia
Bluebells - Young at Heart
Dexy's Midnight Runners - Come on Eileen
Proclaimers - I'm gonna be 500 miles
James - Sit down (the band came to my university to play)
...there are many more, as you say...

And I like to play albums like Copperhead Road - Steve Earl just for the sound... and later on, after too many beers, Johnny Come Home - The men They Couldn't Hang...

I so wanted to have Sit Down on my list, but is it not (just) 90's? I thought Sit Down was after Laid, and Laid was definitely 1991 (along with Spin Doctors - Two Princes, The Levellers - This Garden etc etc...)

Still some great tunes getting listed here!

What about the Communards "Don't leave me this way?"
A-Ha
Chris De Burgh - Don't pay the Ferryman
Alan Parsons Project - The Eye in the Sky
Roxette
Lionel Richie - Hallo

If you are in Switzerland then you cannot go past ' oh yeah' by Yello.
Duran Duran - Hungry like the wolf
Belinda Carlyle - Heaven is a place on Earth
Go Go's- Our lips are sealed
Bronski Beat - Cry
Dead or Alive - You spin me round
Joy Division - Love will tear us apart
New order - Blue Monday
Bonnie Tyler - total eclispe of the heart
Salt n Peppa - Push it
Beastie Boys - You gotta fight, for the right...
I could go on and on...................

80's eh? well what about anything from the following:

Howard Jones (What is love)
Jethro Tull (Broadsword album is a classic)
Genesis (Duke)
A-Ha
ELO (they were still around back then)
The KLF
Joy Division
Gary Numan and Tubeway Army
Siouxie and the Banshees
Fine Young Cannibals
Men at Work
The Clash (London Calling)