Post-punk expands, synths spread and the old rock order starts to change
1980 opened a decade that would become increasingly electronic and visual. New wave, post-punk and synth-driven production were gaining momentum while major 1970s artists adapted to a rapidly changing market.
New wave and post-punk
Talking Heads, The Cure, Joy Division, Siouxsie and the Banshees and related scenes pushed beyond punk into more atmospheric, rhythmic and art-driven music.
Electronic pop grows
Synthesizers and drum machines were moving from experimental records into mainstream pop, setting up the synth-pop explosion of the next few years.
Why 1980 matters
The year sounds like a hinge between decades: late-1970s punk, disco and arena rock are still present, but the 1980s vocabulary is already forming.