The 15 best new wave singers according to Ultimate Classic Rock

"New wave saw some of the most original and recognizable singers in music history take turns behind the microphone". Starting from this premise, the magazine Ultimate Classic Rock put together a ranking of what it considers the genre's best voices. "It's no surprise that the genre was populated by frontmen and frontwomen with such strong personalities, given the eclectic, multifaceted nature of its history," the magazine notes in its introduction. "The term new wave began to be used in the late '70s to describe music born out of the punk experience but geared toward poppier, more commercially accessible forms. By the '80s, though, new wave had turned into a much broader label, applied to virtually any artist whose sound was hard to pin down. The reggae-rock fusion of The Police? New wave. The synth-driven sound of Duran Duran? That was new wave too. The meeting of art-rock and world music in Talking Heads? New wave again. However loosely the genre's sonic boundaries were ever defined, all these artists shared certain traits: a strong drive toward experimentation, sharp lyrics, and the ability to make the most of new musical technologies. When new wave became one of the dominant sounds of the '80s," UCR continues, "it pushed a new generation of singers into the spotlight. Talented, original and often eccentric performers, each developing a personal style and further expanding the artistic range packed under that label." The US magazine's ranking rewards above all factors like "cultural impact, vocal qualities and stage presence." But the main criterion was really one thing: "How decisively each of these voices helped shape the sound of new wave."
The result is obviously very subjective and is bound to spark debate.

So here is the ranking of the 15 best new wave singers, according to Ultimate Classic Rock (full feature here). On OndaRock, meanwhile, you'll find our own ranking of the best new wave albums.

15. Siouxsie Sioux (Siouxsie and the Banshees)
14. Mark Mothersbaugh (Devo)
13. Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith (Tears for Fears)
12. Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders)
11. Bryan Ferry (Roxy Music)
10. Michael Hutchence (INXS)
9. Ric Ocasek (The Cars)
8. Elvis Costello
7. Simon Le Bon (Duran Duran)
6. Dave Gahan (Depeche Mode)
5. Annie Lennox (Eurythmics)
4. Sting (The Police)
3. Debbie Harry (Blondie)
2. David Byrne (Talking Heads)
1. Robert Smith (The Cure)

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