4 Forgotten Pop Hits From 1981 That Still Sound Fresh Today

A lot of funky, strange, and fresh-sounding music dropped in the 1980s, and some of the most unique entries made it all the way to the mainstream charts. Sadly, though, the following pop hits from 1981 have been forgotten by modern-day listeners. I’d like to change that. Let’s revisit some pop hits from that year that still sound super fresh today!

“Homosapien” by Pete Shelley from ‘Homosapien’

That low-key and minimal electronic rhythm, those uniquely conversational vocals… This deep cut deserves way more love in the modern age. If anything, I think this 1981 hit from pre-Buzzcocks Pete Shelley could have been a hit today among the electropop crowd. “Homosapien” was a hit in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, but never quite crossed over to the US and UK charts.

“Souvenir” by Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark from ‘Architecture & Morality’

This is dreamy and ethereal synth-pop at its finest. I’m surprised that “Souvenir” isn’t remembered more often by today’s fans of new wave and electronic pop music. “Souvenir” by Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark is a really gorgeous electronic song, with a synth intro that influenced plenty of similar musicians throughout the rest of the 80s. It peaked at No. 3 in the UK.

“Love Action (I Believe In Love)” by The Human League from ‘Dare’

Everyone remembers The Human League for songs like “Don’t You Want Me”, but they should remember “Love Action (I Believe In Love)” too. This is clean and rhythmic pop at its finest, and it’s still super easy to dance to. This disco-flavored new wave tune was a decent hit on the charts, peaking at No. 3 in the UK.

“The Thin Wall” by Ultravox from ‘Rage In Eden’

This dramatic pop jam almost never gets brought up nowadays, and that’s very unfair. The tight control of this song’s production is a delight to hear over and over again. And while many have forgotten about this entry on our list of pop hits from 1981, I certainly haven’t. “The Thin Wall” peaked at No. 14 in the UK and did similarly well in Ireland, but didn’t quite cross over to the US charts.

(Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)