Synth Pop Saturday: Classic Pop's Top 40 Synth Pop Songs [2014]

Classic Pop originally published its Top 40 Synthpop Singles listicle in issue #10 APR/MAY 2014 (above) and later posted it online. Their list features songs from 1978 through 1992 by 30 different artists. With some popular charting singles mixed among influential but lesser-known tracks from back in the day, it's a decent synthpop snapshot perfect for those wanting to know a little more than just the hits while sparking debate among the synthpop fanatics. Because we're talking UK-based Classic Pop Magazine here it is UK-centric but for many folks that's exactly how they like their synthpop, swathed in cool Britania.

rank		title	artist	year
40		Behind The Mask	Yellow Magic Orchestra	1979
39		Dream Soldiers	The Fallout Club	1981
38		What Is Love?	Howard Jones	1983
37		Moskow Diskow	Telex	1979
36		Quiet Life	Japan	1979
35		Bostich	Yello	1980
34		Underpass	John Foxx	1980
33		It's My Life	Talk Talk	1984
32		Living On The Ceiling	Blancmange	1982
31		Duel	Propaganda	1985
30		She Blinded Me With Science	Thomas Dolby	1982
29		Disappointed	Electronic	1992
28		Temptation	Heaven 17	1983
27		Don't Go	Yazoo	1982
26		The Number One Song In Heaven	Sparks	1979
25		Bizarre Love Triangle	New Order	1986
24		Just Can't Get Enough	Depeche Mode	1981
23		Vienna	Ultravox	1981
22		Are "Friends" Electric?	Tubeway Army	1979
21		Everything Counts	Depeche Mode	1983
20		A Little Respect	Erasure	1988
19		Being Boiled	The Human League	1980
18		Enola Gay	Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark	1980
17		Pale Shelter (You Don't Give Me Love)	Tears For Fears	1982
16		Take On Me	a-ha	1984
15		It's A Sin	Pet Shop Boys	1987
14		Fade To Grey	Visage	1980
13		Only You	Yazoo	1982
12		Say Hello, Wave Goodbye	Soft Cell	1982
11		Being Boring	Pet Shop Boys	1990
10		Love Action (I Believe In Love)	The Human League	1981
9		Enjoy The Silence	Depeche Mode	1990
8		Blue Monday	New Order	1983
7		West End Girls	Pet Shop Boys	1984
6		Smalltown Boy	Bronski Beat	1984
5		Cars	Gary Numan	1979
4		Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)	Eurythmics	1983
3		The Model	Kraftwerk	1978
2		Don't You Want Me	The Human League	1981
1		True Faith	New Order	1987

In June 2016, Classic Pop Magazine teamed up with Warner Music/Rhino to issue their own branded double-disc SynthPop compilation, containing a few songs and several artists from their list above. Though it's a synergistic no-brainer for the brand, SynthPop has never been a consideration when we want to hear a synth-pop compilation as it has too many songs we don't care to hear. Join us for future Synth Pop Saturdays as we spotlight more lists and compilations.