1981

“The sounds are too loud and there’s too much smoke” – Top of the Pops, 5 February 1981

Dire Straits

February already, so let’s pause and take stock of how 1981 is going so far. The charts are currently dominated by John Lennon (who remains dead) and Adam Ant (who is still very much alive), but the New Romantics are … read more

β€œImaginary playing heavy riffs, no diminisheds or fancy fifths” – Top of the Pops, 29 January 1981

Susan Fassbender

Week two of the new supercharged BBC Four repeat run and it’s the end of January already; in all probability the 8 January show will have been the last time we weren’t way ahead of ourselves. Your host this week … read more

“Girls are foreign and strange to me” – Top of the Pops, 22 January 1981

Spandau Ballet

Well, this is awkward. Keen to get 1981 over and done with as soon as possible, BBC Four have hit the turbo button and scheduled two editions per week for the foreseeable future, meaning that the idea of the show … read more

“I saw it with my own two eyes” – Top of the Pops, 15 January 1981

Phil Collins

Two episodes into the 1981 run on BBC Four and everyone’s already confused. Since the repeats started with 1976 back in 2010 it’s been once a week, generally on Thursdays at 7:30 as it used to be in the old … read more

“Who made the zombies all tap their feet?” – Top of the Pops, 8 January 1981

Racey

Here we go then with the first proper Top of the Pops of 1981, and after last week’s review of the dregs of 1980 that didn’t make it onto the Christmas Day show, BBC Four’s usual Story of 1981 documentary … read more

1981 Christmas Top 40

The Human League

1981 had been something of a transitional year. The past had been condensed into a series of bite-sized chunks thanks to a slew of medley singles – the works of the Beatles (Stars On 45), ABBA (Stars On 45 2), … read more