WELCOME

The pandemic has been a game-changer for the

OUR CONTRIBUTORS

Best known for editing Teletext’s music pages Planet

Ex-Daft Punk star Bangalter builds his own myth

Daft Punk may be no more, but one

One billion YouTube views for classic Astley single

© Peter Neill Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give

MADONNA DOC HITS STREAMING SERVICE

Madonna’s documentary about her Madame X tour will

SPACE IS THE PL ACE SAY COLDPL AY

© James Marcus Haney Coldplay have travelled to

GEORGE MICHAEL MERCH DEAL

© Caroline True A host of George Michael-related

STYX BABE

Soft rock ballads, as beloved as they often

U2’S RATTLE AND STRUM

© Getty U2 are working on an acoustic

FRESH TALENT ACROSS MERCURY NOMINEES

Newcomers dominate this year’s Hyundai Mercury Prize. Of

TONY HADLEY

THE FORMER SPANDAU BALLET MAN BELATEDLY TOASTS FOUR DECADES OF MUSIC WITH A MAMMOTH 36-DATE UK TOUR FEATURING THE FABULOUS TH BAND NEXT YEAR. BIG TONE CAUGHT UP WITH CLASSIC POP TO EXPLAIN WHY HE CAN’T WAIT TO FINALLY BE SINGING, IN THE FLESH, AGAIN

LOST & FOUND

DAVID GRANT DAVID GRANT David Grant dissolved Britfunk

CHAI BRING J-POP FLAVOUR TO DURAN’S LATEST SINGLE

Duran Duran have trailed their forthcoming new studio

UB40 REVEAL NEW FRONTMAN

UB40 have unveiled their new lead singer and

IAN PEEL‘S A TO Z of POP

BIS FOR… BOND, JAMES BOND

Q+A BOB STANLEY

WITH SAINT ETIENNE SET TO RELEASE A DREAMY CONCEPT ALBUM ABOUT A SO-CALLED GOLDEN PERIOD IN BRITISH HISTORY, BOB STANLEY TELLS CLASSIC POP WHY THE BAND ARE NOT INTERESTED IN MAKING NOSTALGIC MUSIC

THE POD SQUAD

CHECKING IN WITH OUR FAVOURITE CLASSIC POP-FRIENDLY PODCASTS

LLOYD COLE PLANS FOR A DOUBLE FEATURE

© Paul Shoul Lloyd Cole is making two

JEAN-MICHEL JARRE CELEBRATES TOP GONG

Jean-Michel Jarre has been awarded the ultimate civic

THIS MONTH IN POP

SEPTEMBER 1987

TOP TEN

WEEK ENDING 04 SEPTEMBER 1988

DEVOTED FANS SHOW US THEIR COLLECTIONS AND POP MEMORABILIA

Q When did you first become a Superfan

PRIMAL SCREAM RELEASE SCREAMADELICA

23 SEPTEMBER 1991

“We’re a very fluid band. Soft Cell is still a soap opera.”

WHEN SOFT CELL REFORMED AFTER 16 YEARS APART TO HEADLINE LONDON’S O2 ARENA IN 2018, IT WAS BILLED AS THEIR FAREWELL. INSTEAD, MARC ALMOND AND DAVE BALL ARE NOW BACK WITH A NEW ALBUM ENCOMPASSING EVERY AREA OF THIS MOST COMPLEX OF DUOS. WHAT CHANGED THEIR MINDS? IN THEIR ONLY INTERVIEW THIS YEAR, THEY TELL CLASSIC POP HOW THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC CAUSED THEM TO RE-EVALUATE THEIR BELIEF IN EACH OTHER… AND WHY THEY’RE FINALLY READY TO EMBRACE BEING POP STARS AFTER 40 YEARS

A WALK ACROSS THE ROOFTOPS

THE BLUE NILE

DAYS OF FUTURE PASSED

Shaun Ryder, 2021. After battling COVID, the Happy

GOLDFR APP

FROM S&M-TINGED DISCO TO ATMOSPHERIC MOOD PIECES, GOLDFRAPP REMAIN ONE OF POP’S ULTIMATE SHAPESHIFTERS

STING • LIFE THROUGH A LENS #03

YOUR BASS PLAYER’S LEFT IN A HUFF THE NIGHT BEFORE A GIG. WHO YA GONNA CALL? HERE’S STING ON HAND TO SAVE THE DAY FOR HIS PUNK MATES CHELSEA…

“I WAS JUST EXPLODINGS WITH IDEAS”

WHEN THE WORLD FELL SILENT LAST YEAR, TOYAH WILLCOX DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO MAKE SOME NOISE. THE RESULT IS POSH POP, THE SINGER’S FIRST ALBUM IN 13 YEARS –A DEFIANTLY ENERGISED RESPONSE TO THE MOST TESTING OF TIMES. AND THEN THERE WAS THE SMALL MATTER OF BECOMING A GLOBAL INTERNET SENSATION… “I HAVE TO DRIVE MY OWN SHIP,” THE PUNK ICON TELLS CLASSIC POP. “NO ONE ELSE CAN DO IT FOR ME.”

HAVANA AFFAIR

IN 2019, BLONDIE PLAYED AN HISTORIC SET OF GIGS IN COMMUNIST CUBA, SHORTLY BEFORE A GLOBAL LOCKDOWN PUT LIVE MUSIC ON HOLD INDEFINITELY. THE POP MILESTONE WAS CAPTURED IN A THRILLING NEW LIVE EP AND SHORT FILM, VIVIR EN LA HABANA – AND THERE IS A NEW STUDIO ALBUM ON THE WAY, TOO. DRUMMER CLEM BURKE AND FILM DIRECTOR ROB ROTH REVEAL ALL…

Q+A ARTHUR BAKER

THE LEGENDARY PRODUCER REVEALS ALL ABOUT HIS LATEST REMIX PROJECT THAT DEBUTS WITH A SHOWCASE OF SHEP PETTIBONE PLUS HIS OWN WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH NEW ORDER AND THE ART OF A GREAT MIX

The David Arnold James Bond Project Shaken And Stirred

PROPELLERHEADS GAVE THE MAIN THEME FROM ON HER

THEY SHOOT… THEY SCORE

IN THE 80S, HOLLYWOOD TURNED ITS BACK ON ORCHESTRAL FILM SCORES IN FAVOUR OF JUKEBOX-STYLE COMPILATIONS THAT SOLD IN THEIR MILLIONS – BUT DID COMMERCE WIN OUT OVER ART?

POPARAZZI

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

TOP 2O GREATEST SINGLES BY 80S ACTORS

NOT CONTENT WITH FAME IN MOVIES AND TV, CHARTS IN THE 80S WERE AWASH WITH THESPIAN INTERLOPERS…

THE HOT LIST

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT ON CLASSIC POP ZOOM CATCH-UPS

THE SPECIALS

PROTEST SONGS 1924-2012

PRINCE

WELCOME 2 AMERICA

SHAUN RYDER

VISITS FROM FUTURE TECHNOLOGY

TOYAH

POSH POP

JACK HUES

ELECTRO-ACOUSTIC WORKS 20:20

THE STRANGLERS

DARK MATTERS

SAINT ETIENNE

I’VE BEEN TRYING TO TELL YOU

DIANA ROSS

THANK YOU

THE ART OF NOISE

NOISE IN THE CITY (LIVE IN TOKYO, 1986)

SUPERSTATE

SUPERSTATE

NATALIE IMBRUGLIA

FIREBIRD

BLANCMANGE

COMMERCIAL BREAK

MANIC STREET PREACHERS

THE ULTRA VIVID LAMENT

THE VACCINES

BACK IN LOVE CITY

TRIFECTA

FRAGMENTS

MARTIN GORE

THE THIRD CHIMPANZEE REMIXED

A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS

STRING THEORY

THE KILLERS

PRESSURE MACHINE

COLIN HAY

I JUST DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MYSELF

LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM

LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM

TIM FINN & PHIL MANZANERA

CAUGHT BY THE HEART

JIM BOB

WHO DO WE HATE TODAY

DEPECHE MODE

ULTRA: THE 12" SINGLES

AZTEC CAMERA

BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS – THE WEA RECORDINGS 1984-1995

VARIOUS ARTISTS

ARTHUR BAKER PRESENTS DANCE MASTERS: SHEP PETTIBONE – THE CLASSIC 12" MASTER-MIXES

SUGABABES

ONE TOUCH

VARIOUS ARTISTS

NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL 12" 80S EXTENDED

BELINDA CARLISLE

LIVE YOUR LIFE BE FREE/ A WOMAN AND A MAN

OMD

LIBERATOR/UNIVERSAL

SUPERGRASS

IN IT FOR THE MONEY

SHEENA EASTON

THE DEFINITIVE SINGLES 1980-1987

THE KOOKS

INSIDE IN/INSIDE OUT

BONNIE TYLER

THE EAST WEST YEARS 1995-1998

BERNARD BUTLER/SUEDE

PEOPLE MOVE ON/COMING UP

SUPER FURRY ANIMALS

RINGS AROUND THE WORLD

THE TIME

THE TIME

TINA TURNER

FOREIGN AFFAIR DELUXE EDITION

ENIGMA

THE COMPLETE STUDIO COLLECTION

PAUL YOUNG

FROM TIME TO TIME – THE SINGLES COLLECTION

VARIOUS ARTISTS

SONG EDUCATION

MEAT LOAF

BLIND BEFORE I STOP

VARIOUS ARTISTS

GENERATION BLITZ

WORLD PARTY

GOODBYE JUMBO

MADNESS

THE RISE & FALL

TRASHCAN SINATRAS

I’VE SEEN EVERYTHING

CORINNE BAILEY RAE

CORINNE BAILEY RAE

PRINCE: AND THE PARADE & SIGN O’ THE TIMES ERA STUDIO SESSIONS 1985 AND 1986

DUANE TUDAHL

REMEMBERINGS

SINÉAD O’CONNOR

THE REMARKABLE TALE OF RADIO 1: THE HISTORY OF THE NATION’S FAVOURITE STATION 1967-95

ROBERT SELLERS

PLEASE PLEASE TELL ME NOW: THE DURAN DURAN STORY

STEPHEN DAVIS