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Home / Series / Top of the Pops / Aired Order / Season 0 / Episode 57

Big Hits 1981

A bumper crop of hits from the TOTP archive showcasing an exciting year on the pop charts. 1981 embraced disco and ska, new wave punk, the burgeoning New Romantic scene and the rise of synthpop, with some prog quirkiness and good old rock 'n' roll thrown in. Performances from big-hitter soloists Phil Collins, Shakin' Stevens and Kim Wilde are featured alongside the exuberant chaos of groups like Tenpole Tudor, Adam and the Ants and the Teardrop Explodes. It's party time as Odyssey fill the dancefloor with the infectious Going Back to My Roots and Clare Grogan adopts some unorthodox shapes for Altered Images' Happy Birthday. And the Specials' 2 Tone social commentary classic Ghost Town vies with Ultravox's Vienna and the Human League's Don't You Want Me for song of the year. Playlist: Adam & The Ants – Kings Of The Wild Frontier Ultravox – Vienna The Teardrop Explodes – Reward Kim Wilde – Kids In America Duran Duran – Planet Earth Sugar Minott – Good Thing Going Phil Collins – In The Air Tonight Linx – Intuition Tenpole Tudor – Swords Of A Thousand Men Odyssey – Going Back To My Roots The Specials – Ghost Town Shakin' Stevens – Green Door Soft Cell – Tainted Love Spandau Ballet – Chant No. 1 (I Don't Need This Pressure On) Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Souvenir Depeche Mode – Just Can't Get Enough Altered Images – Happy Birthday (with Legs & Co) Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin – It's My Party The Human League – Don't You Want Me

English
  • Originally Aired January 8, 2016
  • Runtime 30 minutes
  • Special Position Airs before season 18, episode 1
  • Network BBC One
  • Created June 8, 2019 by
    Administrator admin
  • Modified May 29, 2022 by
    Atellyer