WELCOME

It’s that time of year again where we all traditionally

POP UP

Duran Duran are back with a vengeance next year. Simon

Robbie mulls over more musicals

Robbie Williams plans to write more musicals after

ROXETTE SINGER MARIE FREDRIKSSON DIES AGED 61

As Classic Pop went to press, news reached us that

RIDGELEY TO REVEAL MUSICAL INFLUENCES OF WHAM!

Andrew Ridgeley is returning to Radio 2 to discuss

1 HIT WONDER

Casanova became one of authentic disco’s last gasps

SETLIST HEADACHE FOR PETS’ HITS TOUR

Pet Shop Boys are struggling to decide on a setlist

U.N. AWARDS LAUPER FOR CHARITY WORK

Cyndi Lauper has become the first recipient of The

LOST & FOUND

Don’t Dream It’s Over is a delicious pop song, an end-of-party

NEW ORDER: DIG THE NEW BREED

It was bound to happen – the daughter of New Order’s

NEW MARC ALMOND ALBUM TO REFLECT ‘OFF-KILTER WORLD’

Marc Almond’s prolific streak continues into the new

Q + A

TLC

Pop Quiz

1 Name The Lightning Seeds debut UK hit single

ORCHESTRAL REBOOTS FOR CLASSIC POP ACTS

Orchestras will be all the rage for 80s pop acts in

MISSION AIM TO BRING THE PEOPLE TOGETHER

Fresh from a sell-out solo tour, Wayne Hussey is returning

Q + A

CERRONE

Electronic icons join forces

Air’s Nicolas Godin has teamed up with another electronic

Ferry announces 2020 live dates

Bryan Ferry has announced a fresh string of live shows

EURYTHMICS RETURN FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY

Eurythmics reunited on 9 December for the first time

BJÖRK’S EMOTIONAL ON-STAGE TRIBUTE TO GRETA THUNBERG

Björk has paid tribute to teenage environmental activist

IAN PEEL‘S A TO Z of POP

EIS FOR … ELECTRIC DREAMS

Q + A

I AN BROUDIE

POP JANUARY 1986

IN OUR ROUND-UP OF JANUARY 1986’S BIGGEST MOMENTS IN MUSIC, ALEX TURNER IS BORN, A-HA SCORE THEIR FIRST NO.1 AND THE SEX PISTOLS SETTLE OUT OF COURT

POPARAZZi

READERS SHARE THEIR FAVOURITE PHOTOS AS THEY GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH SOME OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN PLANET POP

CLASSIC POP MOMENTS

NEW ORDER RELEASE THEIR DEBUT SINGLE, CEREMONY

INDEPENDENT WOMAN

After a life-changing couple of years, Louise is rebooting her pop career with a heart-on-the-sleeve new album, Heavy Love. Think you know the former Eternal star? Then think again. “I’m sick and tired of being the safe player,” she tells Steve Harnell.

RAISING HELL

RUN-DMC

IT STARTED WITH A DIS

TIM SIMENON, AKA BOMB THE BASS, CREATED ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DANCE SINGLES OF THE LATE 80S. BEFORE HE KNEW IT, THE YOUNG LONDON DJ HAD BECOME AN ACCIDENTAL POP STAR, BEEN BANNED BY RADIO 1 AND REMIXED EVERYONE FROM BJÖRK TO BOWIE. THEN HE KNOCKED HIS MUSIC CAREER ON THE HEAD TO OPEN A BISTRO IN PRAGUE. “WELL, THIS IS PRETTY MENTAL,” HE TELLS OLIVER HURLEY.

POP ART GRAHAM SMITH

HIS GRAPHIC DESIGN HELPED DEFINE A VISUAL STYLE FOR SEVERAL MUSICAL ACTS IN THE EARLY 80s INCLUDING SPANDAU BALLET, SADE AND MATT BIANCO. USING THE PAST AS INSPIRATION TO PACKAGE SOUNDS OF THE FUTURE, GRAHAM SMITH’S WORK GRACED SOME OF THE MOST ELEGANT SLEEVES OF THE ERA.

THE NAME GAME

What’s in a name? Sometimes a lot, sometimes, well, not a lot. Some band names are so prosaic, there’s nothing to tell about their invention. Others, on the other hand, are a band’s way of proving how clever they are. Or to communicate what comics they love, or what highbrow books they’ve had their heads buried in. Here, then, is our guide to the origins of the names of some of your favourite 80s pop groups… And it turns out sci-fiis a weirdly common inspiration…

NEW ORDER

EMERGING FROM THE ASHES OF JOY D IVISION, NEW ORDER’S DANCE- ROCK HYBRI D HAS INFLUENCED A GENERAT ION

BAND AID THE NEXT GENERATION

THIRTY-FIVE YEARS AFTER DO THEY KNOW IT’S CHRISTMAS? FIRST MADE HISTORY, FELIX ROWE RELIVES THE VARIOUS INCARNATIONS OF BAND AID AND CATCHES UP WITH SOME OF THE ARTISTS INVOLVED…

Weathering the STORM

Grief and anger left Ben Watt stuck in a dark place – but now he’s emerged into the light with a reflective, deeply personal new album. Here, he talks life, death and everything (including the girl) in between with Paul Kirkley.

BEST 80s COVERS

CLASSIC POP SERVES UP A VERY PERSONAL CHOICE OF OUR FAVOURITE REBOOTS OF 80s CLASSICS – SOME FAITHFUL, SOME RADICAL REINVENTIONS…

THE BES TOF 2019

OUR PICK OF THE BEST NEW ALBUMS, REISSUES, COMPILATIONS AND BOOKS FROM ACROSS THE PAST 12 MONTHS

EDITOR’S CHOICE

LIAM GALLAGHER, JENNY LEWIS, CHAKA KHAN AND THOM YORKE ALL RELEASED ATTENTION-GRABBING SOLO ALBUMS OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS

THE HOt LIST

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT AT CLASSIC POP TOWERS THIS MONTH

LOUISE

HEAVY LOVE

HARRY STYLES

FINE LINE

GEORGIA

SEEKING THRILLS

BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB

EVERYTHING ELSE HAS GONE WRONG

COURTEENERS

MORE. AGAIN. FOREVER.

GABRIELLE APLIN

DEAR HAPPY

ALEXANDRA SAVIOR

THE ARCHER

NICOLAS GODIN

CONCRETE AND GLASS

OTHERLiiNE

OTHERLiiNE

A GIRL CALLED EDDY

BEEN AROUND

LIAM PAYNE

LP1

WIRE

MIND HIVE

NED’S ATOMIC DUSTBIN

NED’S ACOUSTIC DUSTBIN

ALICE BOMAN

DREAM ON

THE INNOCENCE MISSION

SEE YOU TOMORROW

CERRONE

DNA

CAMILA CABELLO

ROMANCE

ELECTRIC SOFT PARADE

STAGES

MY BUS

OUR LIFE IN THE DESERT

SUPERGRASS

THE STRANGE ONES 1994-2008

PHIL COLLINS

…BUT SERIOUSLY

VARIOUS ARTISTS

B BOY HIP HOP

MICK JAGGER

SHE’S THE BOSS / PRIMITIVE COOL

BEAT HAPPENING

WE ARE BEAT HAPPENING

JOSEF K

THE SCOTTISH AFFAIR (PART TWO)

THE GO-BETWEENS

G STANDS FOR GO-BETWEENS: VOLUME 2 – 1985-1989

CAT STEVENS

BACK TO EARTH

ELTON JOHN WITH RAY COOPER

LIVE FROM MOSCOW, 1979

THE DURUTTI COLUMN

FIDELITY

JOHN O’CONNELL

BOWIE’S BOOKS: THE HUNDRED LITERARY HEROES WHO CHANGED HIS LIFE

KYLIE

GOLDEN: LIVE IN CONCERT

MICHAEL EAVIS & EMILY EAVIS

GLASTONBURY 50: THE OFFICIAL STORY OF GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL

BJÖRK

O2 ARENA, LONDON

ADAM ANT

SYMPHONY HALL, BIRMINGHAM

THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS

MOTORPOINT ARENA, CARDIFF