Synth-Pop and New Wave – Sounds of the 70s and 80s that Continue to Inspire

🎹 When synthesizers and drum machines took the scene by storm, they sparked an electrifying musical turning point that moved the masses. For many fans of the era, it remains the best time in music history.

The sound of synth-pop and new wave shaped an entire generation. Join us as we travel back more than 50 years in time. 💥

The difference between synth-pop and new wave

Trying to draw a line between closely related genres such as synth-pop and new wave by pinpointing specific differences is bound to fail. After all, the acts and bands of the time would never have allowed themselves to be limited by such boundaries.

They simply did their thing. As always, it was the media, critics, and other outsiders who engaged in pigeonholing. That said, while the two genres took the world by storm at around the same time, they are by no means the same thing.

Relying heavily on electronics, minimalism, sequenced synths, and (for the most part) danceable rhythms, synth-pop has a comparatively narrow stylistic definition. New wave, on the other hand, is more of an overarching term that comprises several styles, such as synth-pop, post-punk, gothic rock, and even – as in the case of The Police – reggae and ska influences. Simply speaking, new wave is a much broader genre than synth-pop.

Synth-pop was defined as electronic music with synth-heavy melodies, thumping basslines, and, above all, danceable rhythms. While synths were also used in new wave, they were often combined with guitar sounds from rock, punk, and post-punk. In contrast to purely electronic synth-pop, new wave often incorporates more traditional instruments such as electric guitar and electric bass.

How it all began: Moving on from Krautrock

The first forerunners of new wave and synth-pop stepped onto the scene as early as the late 70s, e.g. Kraftwerk or The Normal. In the spirit of the time, the early protagonists of the electronic and post-punk genres, such as Gary Numan, began to incorporate synthesizers into their music.

Sequential Prophet 5

The genre then exploded in the early ‘80s. Bands like Depeche Mode and The Human League not only seemed unstoppable, they actually were. Synth-pop had become a mainstream phenomenon with considerable commercial success that began in the mid-1980s and reached its peak at the end of the decade.

However, cracks began to show between the two genres. While synth-pop enjoyed huge commercial success with bands such as New Order, Eurythmics, Pet Shop Boys, and a-ha, new wave made a shift towards alternative rock with post-punk bands such as The Cure and The Smiths.

Typical instruments and sounds: A quantum leap

Music technology was advancing faster than ever before, with new synthesizers, drum machines, and guitar effects constantly pushing the boundaries. Synths like the Roland Juno-60 (1982) and Jupiter-4 (1978) from Roland, the Moog Minimoog (1970), and the Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 (1978) as the first synth with patch memory became mainstays of the new genres.

Roland Cloud JUNO-60 V2

Roland Cloud JUPITER-4

These vintage synths have long since become hard-to-find rarities and collector’s items. Their sounds are now usually reproduced using software instruments. That said, some classics of the past have been reissued in hardware form.

Yamaha MODX7+

Moog Minimoog Model D 2022

A new way of drumming

The widespread use of drum machines in synth-pop and new wave brought about a paradigm shift for live drummers, who suddenly found themselves having to play to a click. In new wave, bands like The Cure or Duran Duran continued to rely on real drummers or a combination of acoustic drums and drum machines.

Behringer LM Drum

The drum machines of the era, such as the LinnDrum, Oberheim DMX, and E-mu Drumulator, became real icons, and their sounds are still instantly recognizable today. Some of them have now been re-released as clones or replicas.

GForce Oberheim DMX

Fat, chorus-laden guitar sounds

What would the ‘80s be without chorus! No hit was complete without it, and any studio guitarist worth their money had one or more chorus effects in their rack. While chorus was the main ingredient of the ultra-wide guitar sounds of the ‘80s, most guitarists at the time also added a compressor and some delay or reverb.

The Tri Stereo Chorus, for example, is a 19” rack unit that was referred to as the “holy grail” of chorus sounds at the time. It shaped the guitar sounds of icons like Michael Landau, Dann Huff, and Steve Lukather, but was also used for piano and keyboard tracks. A modern effect inspired by the thick sound of the classic stompboxes of the ‘70s and early ‘80s is the Eventide TriceraChorus.

Eventide TriceraChorus

Vocals from another world

This same applies to vocals. Huge cathedral-like reverbs made the vocals sound like they were doped with helium and then tuned down an octave. In contrast to the dry rock sound, new wave vocals sounded like they came from another planet. In 1979, Roland launched the VP-330, a vocoder keyboard with a built-in synth. Behringer recently released a remake of this iconic instrument at an affordable price.

Behringer Vocoder VC340

Synth-pop and new wave: The most influential bands and their hits

• Depeche Mode – “Just Can’t Get Enough”
• New Order – “Blue Monday”, “Bizarre Love Triangle”
• The Human League – “Don’t You Want Me”
• OMD – “Enola Gay”
• Eurythmics – “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”
• Pet Shop Boys – “West End Girls”, “It’s a Sin”
• Duran Duran – “Hungry Like the Wolf”
• A Flock of Seagulls – “Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)”
• Heaven 17 – “Temptation”
• The Cure – “The Love Cats”, “Boys Don’t Cry”
• Talking Heads – “Psycho Killer”, “Once in a Lifetime”
• Blondie – “Heart of Glass”
• Ultravox – “Vienna”
• Soft Cell – “Tainted Love”
• Visage – “Fade to Grey”
• Tears for Fears – “Mad World”

Retro wave or new trend?

Are the sounds of synth-pop and new wave enjoying a comeback? The truth is: they were never really gone. Synth-pop and new wave survived and lived on in other genres such as indie, electroclash, and synthwave. Synthwave has also emerged as a revival subgenre in its own right with acts such as Carpenter Brut, The Midnight, and Kavinsky.

Today, many bands and solo artists are riding the new wave again. If you haven’t yet, let these acts inspire you with a danceable sound and a good helping of retro vibes:

• Carpenter Brut
• The Midnight
• M83
• Tame Impala
• Kavinsky
• The Weeknd
• Dua Lipa
• Chvrches
• Future Islands
• Mr Kitty

A genre that never fades

Synth-pop and new wave took over both the dancefloors and the indie charts in the ‘80s. Between indie and mainstream, the wave keeps rolling and is picking up speed again, especially among social media stars. Sometimes it’s full-on retro productions, while other times only elements from back then are freshly integrated. This is yet more proof of the lasting impact these ‘80s genres have left behind.

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Synth-pop and new wave – your feedback

What are your favourite synth-pop and new wave bands? Which sounds and riffs have inspired you? Let us know in the comments.

Lawrence started playing the electric guitar because of his passion for rock music. Back in the day he played in a metal band, but now plays more for himself.

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