Friday's 40th Five (8/81)

Remembering the music of 1981, week by week, in 2021. New releases, new entries, new number 1s, plus indie favourites and album cuts, all from this week 40 years ago.

Week 8: 23 February - 01 March

1. Altered Images - Dead Pop Stars

2. Toyah - Thunder in the Mountains (Four From Toyah EP)

3. Status Quo - Something 'Bout You Baby I Like

4. The Teardrop Explodes - Strange House In The Snow

5. Kiki Dee - Star

Friday's 40th Five (7/81)

Remembering the music of 1981, week by week, in 2021. New releases, new entries, new number 1s, plus indie favourites and album cuts, all from this week 40 years ago.

Week 7: 16 - 22 February

1. Depeche Mode - Dreaming of Me. Basildon synth-poppers release their debut single this week on Mute. It won't hit the Top 40 but is the start of something much bigger.

2. The Human League - Boys and Girls. Sheffield synth maestros are back with a new single and a new look after last year's split. The sound is still very much rooted in the group's past, however, and the titular 'girls' appear only on the record sleeve.

3. Roxy Music - Jealous Guy. Roxy's tribute to the late John Lennon hits the charts this week at no.21 and will rapidly get to the top spot in a matter of weeks.

4. Adam & The Ants - Kings of the Wild Frontier. Originally released last summer, but to no avail, the Ant People re-release the title track from their no.1 album (while their back catalogue also gets more attention).

5. Siouxsie & The Banshees - Into the Light (Peel session). The group have their fourth Peel session broadcast this week, and the DJ plays their first 1977 session on the same night.*

*New Order also have their debut session broadcast this week, although sadly these tracks are not available for the Spotify playlist.

Friday's 40th Five (6/81)

Remembering the music of 1981, week by week, in 2021. New releases, new entries, new number 1s, plus indie favourites and album cuts, all from this week 40 years ago.

Week 6: 09 - 15 February

1. Beggar & Co – (Somebody) Help Me Out. UK jazz-funk outfit go along with the 'beggar' image for their TOTP performance this week. Watch out for them performing with another group later in the year.

2. New Musik - Luxury. Lead single from their upcoming album Anywhere, although will fail to meet the albeit modest success of last year's hits.

3. Toyah - It's a Mystery. From the band's Four From Toyah EP which will go on to give them (and her) their commercial breakthrough.

4. Steve Winwood - When You See a Chance. Only a minor hit for Winwood from his Arc of a Diver album, despite the gimmick release on the new cassette-single format on Island. 

5. Sheena Easton - Take My Time. The face of 1980 breaks into the new year although alas will fail to make the same impact as last year. 

Friday's 40th Five (5/81)

Remembering the music of 1981, week by week, in 2021. New releases, new entries, new number 1s, plus indie favourites and album cuts, all from this week 40 years ago.

Week 5: 02 - 08 February

1. Duran Duran - Planet Earth. Debut single for Brum-romantics out this week. 

2. The Pretenders - Message of Love. New entry this week at no.28

3. Freeez - Southern Freeez. Some cool Brit-funk in at no.34

4. The Stray Cats - Rock This Town. Up twenty-one places to no.14

5. Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetime. American art rockers hit the UK charts at no.38