3 New Wave Songs From the 1980s That Still Sound Fresh, Despite Being 40+ Years Old

An article highlights three 1980s new wave songs it says still sound fresh: Devo’s “Whip It”, New Order’s “Temptation” and Talking Heads’ “Burning Down The House”. The examples show the genre’s range, from synth-pop and post-punk to funk-leaning dance music, and its continuing appeal across generations.

Devo’s “Whip It” reached No. 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 11 in Canada. New Order’s “Temptation”, first planned as an instrumental, topped the UK Independent Singles chart and peaked at No. 29 on the UK Singles chart; Talking Heads’ 1983 hit reached No. 9 in the US and No. 8 in Canada.