2008 marks 50 years of British rock'n'roll. To celebrate we run through some of the greatest tracks to have emerged from these isles, decade-by-decade, one decade a day - and today it's the turn of...
The '80s
The subject matter included stalking, S&M sex and Thatcherism. For the full list of the best British tracks, and albums, 1958-2008, see the new issue of Q magazine, on sale now.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Relax
Scandalous synth-pop, banned by the BBC in 1983 after Radio 1 DJ Mike Read declared it “disgusting.”
Soft Cell
Tainted Love
Gloria Jones’ Northern soul staple becomes a haunting elecro-pop vehicle for Marc Almond’s melodramatic delivery. Spent 43 weeks in the US chart alone.
The Jam
Town Called Malice
By turns sentimental and sarcastic, Paul Weller surveys the place where he grew up, Woking, and finds a town poisoned by Thatcherism.
New Order
Blue Monday
The point when post-punk Manchester met Manhattan’s club scene, giving birth to British dance culture.
The Police
Every Breath You Take
Simultaneously a wedding favourite and contender for most sinister love song ever written.
The Smiths
How Soon Is Now?
The Smiths broke their “jingly-jangly” mould with this swampy, six-minute blockbuster.
M/A/R/R/S
Pump Up The Volume
Helped transform acid house from fad into national phenomenon.
The La’s
There She Goes
An exquisite conjunction of melody and melancholy. Not, contrary to urban myth, a song about heroin.
Soul II Soul
Back To Life (However Do You Want Me)
Filtered hip hop, reggae and Philly soul through the prism of a laid-back London street party.
9:28 AM | 07/02/2008
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