Features of the music
By listening to 80s pop artists such as Michael Jackson and Madonna, you can hear they have influences from funk, soul and 70s disco, but they have created their own sound with it adding synthesisers and new effects. When you hear it today it can sometimes sound cheesy mostly because of the sounds that were used from synthesisers. At the time though these sounds were cutting edge and were very popular with artists. Noticeable features heard in 80s pop music are funky guitar riffs and bass lines, lots of reverb in vocals and on the snare drum and synth pad and lead.(the synth pads often replaced the strings that would have been used in the 70’s)

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Lyrical content
Lyrical content in 80s music often had references to things that were happening in the world at the time, like Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan, or the war in Iran and Iraq which started in 1880. ‘Do They Know Its Christmas’ by Band Aid was a song about the famine in Ethiopia, most times 80s pop was just about love or their everyday lives.
Music and the Society
Music became a big and profitable business in the 80’s, and part of it was because of music videos. MTV launched in 1981 and played music videos for pop artists such as Duran Duran, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince, Spandau Ballet and Queen. People watching these artists on television were influenced by their image and sound.

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Significant artists
The following are some popular 80’s pop artists:
Human League
Michael Jackson
Tears for Fears
Madonna
A – ha
Spandau Ballet
Bananarama
Depeche Mode
Pet Shop Boys
Wet Wet Wet
New Order
Kylie Minogue
New Kids on the Block
Neenah Cherry
The Cure
Richard Marx
Wham!
Billy Ocean
Paula Abdul

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Influences
80s pop is influenced a lot by disco music which was popular in the 70s, disco music was a reaction against all the rock bands there were at the time, Instead of having their guitars distorted they had them clean and played funk riffs – which you hear a lot in 80s pop.
Other similarities are the electric bass lines (sometimes played on a keyboard or synthesiser), the disco drum sounds and saxophones which you hear a lot in 80s music.
Artists they have influenced

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The sound and image of 80s pop music can be heard and seen in a lot of bands today like La Roux and Hot Chip who use a lot of 80’s style synthesisers and 80s fashion.
Bands include:
MGMT
Calvin Harris
Ladytron
Owl City
Marina and the Diamonds
Goldfrapp
White Lies
Robyn
Hot Chip
Editors
La Roux
Alphabeat
Dead Disco
Little Boots
Ou Est Le Swimming Pool
Ladyhawk
The Whip
Mini Viva
Important albums and singles

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thriller-Michael-Jackson/dp/B00002663R/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1265285895&sr=8-1
Artist Album Single
Michael Jackson Thriller Thriller
Madonna Like a Virgin Like a Virgin
Depeche Mode Music For the Masses Never Let Me Down
New Order Substance True Faith
A – ha Running High and Low Take On Me
Kylie Minogue Kylie I Should Be So Lucky
Pet Shop Boys Introspective Always On My Mind
The image
The kinds of clothes that were worn in the 80s were oversized shirts, acid washed jeans, leg warmers, ankle socks, hi tops, rolled up shirts, jeans and blazers, sunglasses and paint splattered patterns.
Hair styles like in the picture below are high and stuck up and popular with male and female.

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