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Tunes Du Jour Presents 1982
Nineteen eighty-two was a musical kaleidoscope. New wave, punk, rap, and pop collided in glorious ways, creating a year of iconic sounds that still resonate today. Synth-pop rose to prominence, rock anthems solidified their place in our hearts, and the pulsating beats of new wave and post-disco ruled dance floors and radio waves alike.
It was the year that brought us iconic songs and sounds that still resonate today, like Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love,” a synth-pop masterpiece, and The Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me,” a song so ingrained in our collective consciousness it practically begs to be sung along to. Both are emblematic of the New Wave movement that dominated the airwaves.
New Wave wasn’t the only game in town, though. Rock received a shot of adrenaline with Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock N’ Roll,” a fist-pumping reminder of the genre’s enduring power. Queen and David Bowie delivered the masterpiece “Under Pressure” – a testament to the power of collaboration (and maybe a metaphor for the year itself!). Meanwhile, Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic City” offered a poignant look at the working class experience.
The year also marked a significant moment for hip-hop with Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five’s “The Message,” a track that brought social consciousness to the forefront, laying down the reality of urban life with a beat that demanded attention.
Laurie Anderson’s “O Superman” experimented with spoken word and electronic sounds, a heady trip that felt like a message from the future. Afrika Bambaataa’s “Planet Rock” introduced audiences to the future of electro-funk. On the other end of the spectrum, “I’ve Never Been to Me” by Charlene… well, let’s just say it was a unique contribution to the musical landscape.
The Jam’s “A Town Called Malice” captured the youthful angst of British punk, while Madness’ “House of Fun” and Depeche Mode’s “Just Can’t Get Enough” offered a quirky new wave charm.
Pop had its share of fun too. Who can forget The J. Geils Band’s “Centerfold?” There was also the infectious “Jack & Diane” by John Cougar, a little ditty about young love in a small town. The Go-Go’s “We Got the Beat” declared female empowerment with a pop-rock punch, while Stray Cats’ “Rock This Town” brought rockabilly back into the mainstream. Even bubblegum pop got a look-in with Bow Wow Wow’s sugary sweet “I Want Candy.”
Nineteen eighty-two was a year where music embraced the weird, the wonderful, and everything in between. So crank up the volume, dig out your leg warmers (optional), and let this playlist take you back to a time when music wasn’t afraid to experiment and have a whole lot of fun.
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Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 9-22-23
“I love rock ‘n roll, so put another dime in the jukebox, baby”
Would the youth of today understand those lyrics from Joan Jett & the Blackhearts’ cover of The Arrows’ “I Love Rock ‘n Roll?” “What’s a jukebox? What’s a dime?” I hear them asking. If that song were written today, how would it go?
“I love rock ‘n roll, so stream your favorite song on your smartwatch, baby”
“I love rock ‘n roll, so send payment via Venmo so you can unlock the playlist you want to hear, baby”
“I love rock ‘n roll, so tap your phone to connect to the speaker’s Bluetooth and hit play on your selection, baby”
“I love rock ‘n roll, so say ‘Hey Siri, play some rock ‘n roll and feel free to include women and Black artists because you’re not Jann Wenner, baby’”
“I love rock ‘n roll, so use your smartphone’s camera to scan the square-shaped QR code to be redirected to a website or an app where you can choose from a variety of songs and see the ratings, reviews, and popularity of each and select the song you want and it will be added to the queue and play when it’s your turn, baby / I love rock ‘n roll, so come and take some time and dance with me”
That last one just rolls off the tongue. So singalongable!
I love rock ‘n roll and I love Joan Jett, who turns 65 today. A handful of tracks by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts are on today’s playlist.
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Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 12-29-22
Today’s playlist celebrates the December 29 birthdays of The Band’s Rick Danko, The Jesus and Mary Chain’s Jim Reid, The Crystals’ Barbara Alston, Marianne Faithfull, The Offspring’s Dexter Holland, UGK’s Pimp C, Propellerheads’ Alex Gifford, Wild Cherry’s Robert Parissi, Brand Nubian’s Sadat X, GQ’s Emanuel Rahiem Leblanc, Augie March’s Glenn Richards, Yvonne Elliman, and Mary Tyler Moore; and the December 30 birthdays of Del Shannon, Patti Smith, Bo Diddley, Electric Light Orchestra’s Jeff Lynne, The Monkees’ Davy Jones, The Monkees’ Mike Nesmith, Peter Paul and Mary’s Noel Paul Stookey, Skeeter Davis, Jamiroquai’s Jay Kay, London Grammar’s Hannah Reid, BTS’s V, The Lumineers’ Wesley Schultz, Tracey Ullman, Dave Stewart, John Hartford, and Russ Tamblyn.
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Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 9-22-22
Today’s playlist celebrates the September 21 birthday of Leonard Cohen, inadvertently missed the other day; the September 22 birthdays of Joan Jett, Nick Cave, Whitesnake’s David Coverdale, Mystikal, Toni Basil, Right Said Fred’s Richard Fairbrass, The Rentals’ Matt Sharp, Debby Boone, Concrete Blonde’s Johnette Napolitano, Marlena Shaw, Martin Solveig, The Jones Girls’ Shirley Jones, Timebox’s Mike Patto, and Pat Suzuki; and the September 23 birthdays of Bruce Springsteen, John Coltrane, Ray Charles, Ani DiFranco, The Whispers’ Walter and Wallace Scott, Jermaine Dupri, Freeez’s John Rocca, K’s Choice’s Sam Bettens, Paul Petersen, Anya Marina, and Mary Kay Place.
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