Synth & Swagger

Synth & Swagger

Over 60 new wave articles, 5 music video commentaries & more

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Synth & Swagger
New wave and '80s music authority

MULTI-ARTIST ARTICLES

Explore New Wave through curated collections that connect artists, sounds, and ideas across the genre’s many directions.

Latest Posted

Four Albums, One Way Out

Four recent albums from '80s hitmakers Squeeze, Billy Idol, Joe Jackson, and Men Without Hats form an unexpected emotional arc - from entrapment and survival to catharsis and hope - offering a revealing snapshot of how new wave artists navigate uncertain times.

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Synthpop - How's It Different From Other New Wave?

Learn how synthpop’s electronic sound and hypnotic rhythms set it apart in the '80s from broader new wave like Blondie and the Cars in this deep style comparison.

New Wave Fempowerment: The Pretenders, Go-Go’s & Eurythmics

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Explore how the Pretenders, the Go-Go’s, and Eurythmics redefined female empowerment in new wave in the '80s: from Chrissie Hynde’s grit to Annie Lennox’s command.

German New Wave: One Scene, Three Directions

Exploring '80s German new wave through Schilling, Alphaville, and Nena -where cold electronics, cinematic pop, and quirky hooks take shared roots in different directions.

Back to the Present: 2020s with New Wave Flair

New wave never disappeared - it evolved. Explore how 2020s artists like Chappell Roan, Yard Act, Magdalena Bay, and Nation of Language carry '80s emotional DNA forward.

New Wave’s Los Angeles (Sprawl, Surface, Silence)

See how Los Angeles shaped new wave through Wall of Voodoo, Berlin, and the Motels - capturing sprawl, façades, and isolation inside the city in the '80s.

After the Backlash: New Wave Producers of the '90s

See how new wave lived on through producers in the '90s: from Trevor Horn to Ric Ocasek and beyond. They shaped major albums even after the genre faded at the end of the '80s.

Raising a Small New Wave Fan

Watch a young new wave fan take shape as dad shares how songs from Men without Hats, Falco, and Split Enz get little ones loving ’80s new wave songs.

Del Shannon: New Wave's OG (and proto-Depeche Mode?)

Explore how Del Shannon’s use of the Musitron synth and minor-chord melancholy in the '60s foreshadowed new wave’s electronic heart and influenced acts like Depeche Mode in the '80s and '90s.

Which New Waver Are You? Three Archetypes to Explore

Discover which '80s new wave archetype fits you: punchy Power Pop & Skinny Tie Brigade to quirky Art-Pop Eccentrics and glamorous New Romantic Synthpop stars.

Post-Punk vs New Wave: Shadows and Shimmers

Explore the contrast between post-punk’s brooding mood and mainstream new wave’s glamour in the '80s by comparing bands like the Cure, Joy Division, Duran Duran, and Blondie.

Canada Rides the New Wave

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Looking at Canada’s vibrant '80s new wave scene: from Toronto clubs to Montreal art basements, through influential acts like Martha and the Muffins and Men Without Hats.

Australia & New Zealand New Wave: Split Enz, Men at Work & INXS

Explore how Australasia’s new wave scene - from Split Enz and Men at Work to INXS - turned local swagger into global style and memorable hooks in the '70s and '80s.

New Wave’s Secret Ancestry

Discover how minority voices shaped new wave’s sound and spirit in the '80s: from Adam Ant’s Romani roots to Oingo Boingo’s Latino rhythms and culture.

When New Wavers Took the 2000s Revival Personally

Explore the 2000s new wave comebacks - how the new wave revival brought the sound back into fashion and boosted '80s icons like Duran Duran.

Regional Hidden New Wave Gems: Chicago, Los Angeles & Minneapolis

Uncover six under-the-radar new wave bands from Chicago, LA, and Minneapolis whose underground sounds captured the genre’s quirky DIY spirit and inventiveness in the '70s and '80s.

Gay & Queer in New Wave

Explore the gay and queer influence in new wave music, from queer icons and club culture to songs like Johnny Are You Queer? that reshaped identity and expression in the ’80s.

New Wave’s Second Wind: A Revivalist’s Guide

Explore how Franz Ferdinand, the Killers, and the Bravery helped revive new wave’s '80s sound in the 2000s and kept its spirit alive.

Rock Hall Nominees: Who Gets in?

Our expert look at the 2025 Rock Hall of Fame nominees - comparing '80s icons Cyndi Lauper, Billy Idol, and Joy Division/New Order on hits, influence, and Hall odds.

Women in New Wave: Debbie Harry, Tina Weymouth, the Go-Go’s & Cyndi Lauper

See how women like Debbie Harry, Tina Weymouth, the Go-Go’s, and Cyndi Lauper reshaped new wave and '80s music, expanding its sound, style, and cultural impact.

Devo vs Oingo Boingo: Two Paths to the Weird

A head-to-head look at Oingo Boingo and Devo - two distinct '80s new wave innovators - exploring their styles, influences, and contributions.